The Project Gutenberg eBook of The 2005 CIA World Factbook

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Title: The 2005 CIA World Factbook

Author: United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Release date: December 18, 2008 [eBook #27560]
Most recently updated: January 4, 2021

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Al Haines

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE 2005 CIA WORLD FACTBOOK ***

Produced by Al Haines

THE CIA WORLD FACTBOOK 2005

CONTENTS

Countries and Locations

Field Listings

Rank Orders

Appendixes

Notes and Definitions

History of The World Factbook

Contributors and Copyright Information

Purchasing Information

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What's New

- Country information has been updated as of 20 October, 2005.

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

- Along with the new entities and the regular information updates, The World Factbook now also features six new fields. In the People category, a Major infectious diseases field has been added for countries deemed to pose a higher degree of risk for travelers. In the Economy category, entries have been added for Current account balance, Investment (gross fixed), Public debt, and Reserves of foreign exchange and gold. The Transnational issues category has a new Refugees and internally displaced persons entry.

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

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

Country Listing

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

World

A

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

B

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

C

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

D

Denmark
Dhekelia
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic

E

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

F

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

G

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

H

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

I

Iceland
India
Indian Ocean
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy

J

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

K

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

L

Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg

M

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

N

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

O

Oman

P

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

Q

Qatar

R

Reunion
Romania
Russia
Rwanda

S

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

T

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

U

Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan

V

Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Virgin Islands

W

Wake Island
Wallis and Futuna
West Bank
Western Sahara

Y

Yemen

Z

Zambia
Zimbabwe

Taiwan
European Union

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

Field Listings

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

Code Field Description

2001 GDP (purchasing power parity) 2002 Population growth rate (%) 2003 GDP - real growth rate (%) 2004 GDP - per capita 2006 Dependency status 2007 Diplomatic representation from the US 2008 Transportation - note 2010 Age structure (%) 2011 Geographic coordinates 2012 GDP - composition by sector (%) 2013 Radio broadcast stations 2015 Television broadcast stations 2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female) 2019 Heliports 2020 Elevation extremes (m) 2021 Natural hazards 2022 People - note 2023 Area - comparative 2024 Military service age and obligation (years of age) 2025 Manpower fit for military service 2026 Manpower reaching military service age annually 2028 Background 2030 Airports - with paved runways 2031 Airports - with unpaved runways 2032 Environment - current issues 2033 Environment - international agreements 2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%) 2038 Electricity - production (kWh) 2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh) 2043 Electricity - imports (kWh) 2044 Electricity - exports (kWh) 2046 Population below poverty line (%) 2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%) 2048 Labor force - by occupation (%) 2049 Exports - commodities 2050 Exports - partners (%) 2051 Administrative divisions 2052 Agriculture - products 2053 Airports 2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population) 2055 Military branches 2056 Budget 2057 Capital 2058 Imports - commodities 2059 Climate 2060 Coastline (km) 2061 Imports - partners (%) 2062 Economic aid - donor 2063 Constitution 2064 Economic aid - recipient 2065 Currency (code) 2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population) 2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure 2068 Dependent areas 2070 Disputes - international 2075 Ethnic groups (%) 2076 Exchange rates 2077 Executive branch 2078 Exports 2079 Debt - external 2080 Fiscal year 2081 Flag description 2085 Highways (km) 2086 Illicit drugs 2087 Imports 2088 Independence 2089 Industrial production growth rate (%) 2090 Industries 2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births) 2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%) 2093 Waterways (km) 2094 Judicial branch 2095 Labor force 2096 Land boundaries (km) 2097 Land use (%) 2098 Languages (%) 2100 Legal system 2101 Legislative branch 2102 Life expectancy at birth (years) 2103 Literacy (%) 2105 Manpower available for military service 2106 Maritime claims 2107 International organization participation 2108 Merchant marine 2109 National holiday 2110 Nationality 2111 Natural resources 2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population) 2113 Geography - note 2115 Political pressure groups and leaders 2116 Economy - overview 2117 Pipelines (km) 2118 Political parties and leaders 2119 Population 2120 Ports and harbors 2121 Railways (km) 2122 Religions (%) 2123 Suffrage 2124 Telephone system 2125 Terrain 2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2128 Government type 2129 Unemployment rate (%) 2137 Military - note 2138 Communications - note 2140 Government - note 2142 Country name 2144 Location 2145 Map references 2146 Irrigated land (sq km) 2147 Area (sq km) 2149 Diplomatic representation in the US 2150 Telephones - main lines in use 2151 Telephones - mobile cellular 2153 Internet users 2154 Internet country code 2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) 2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths 2158 Currency code 2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index 2173 Oil - production (bbl/day) 2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day) 2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day) 2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day) 2177 Median age (years) 2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl) 2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m) 2180 Natural gas - production (cu m) 2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m) 2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m) 2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m) 2184 Internet hosts 2185 Investment (gross fixed) (% of GDP) 2186 Public debt (% of GDP) 2187 Current account balance 2188 Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2193 Major infectious diseases 2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons

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

Rank Orders

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

Guide to Rank Order Pages

Rank Order pages are presorted lists of data from selected Factbook data fields. Rank Order pages are generally given in descending order - highest to lowest - such as Population and Area. The two exceptions are Unemployment Rate and Inflation Rate, which are in ascending - lowest to highest - order. Rank Order pages are available for the following 47 fields in six of the nine Factbook categories.

Geography

Area - total

People

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

Economy

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

Communications

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

Transportation

Railways - total
Highways - total
Waterways
Merchant marine - total
Airports

Military

Military expenditures - dollar figure
Military expenditures - percent of GDP

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

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

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

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

  Median age
  Literacy
  Population below the poverty line

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

Appendixes

Appendix A - Abbreviations

Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

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

Notes and Definitions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Appendixes
This section includes Factbook-related material by topic.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Country data codes see Data codes

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

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

Crude oil
See entry for oil.

Currency (code)
This entry identifies the national medium of exchange and, in
parenthesis, gives the International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) 4217 alphabetic currency code for each country.

Current account balance This entry records a country's net trade in goods and services, plus net earnings from rents, interest, profits, and dividends, and net transfer payments (such as pension funds and worker remittances) to and from the rest of the world during the period specified. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

Data codes
This information is presented in Appendix D: Cross-Reference List of
Country Data Codes and Appendix E: Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic
Data Codes.

Date of information In general, information available as of 1 January 2005, was used in the preparation of this edition.

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

Debt - external This entry gives the total public and private debt owed to nonresidents repayable in foreign currency, goods, or services. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

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

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

Diplomatic representation The US Government has diplomatic relations with 187 independent states, including 186 of the 191 UN members (excluded UN members are Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and the US itself). In addition, the US has diplomatic relations with 1 independent state that is not in the UN - Holy See.

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

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

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

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

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

Economic aid - recipient This entry, which is subject to major problems of definition and statistical coverage, refers to the net inflow of Official Development Finance (ODF) to recipient countries. The figure includes assistance from the World Bank, the IMF, and other international organizations and from individual nation donors. Formal commitments of aid are included in the data. Omitted from the data are grants by private organizations. Aid comes in various forms including outright grants and loans. The entry thus is the difference between new inflows and repayments. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Entities Some of the independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, and governments included in this publication are not independent, and others are not officially recognized by the US Government. "Independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory. "Dependencies" and "areas of special sovereignty" refer to a broad category of political entities that are associated in some way with an independent state. "Country" names used in the table of contents or for page headings are usually the short-form names as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names and may include independent states, dependencies, and areas of special sovereignty, or other geographic entities. There are a total of 271 separate geographic entities in The World Factbook that may be categorized as follows: INDEPENDENT STATES 192 Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe OTHER 2 Taiwan, European Union DEPENDENCIES AND AREAS OF SPECIAL SOVEREIGNTY 6 Australia - Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island 2 China - Hong Kong, Macau 2 Denmark - Faroe Islands, Greenland 16 France - Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands, Guadeloupe, Juan de Nova Island, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna 2 Netherlands - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles 3 New Zealand - Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau 3 Norway - Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard 17 UK - Akrotiri, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dhekelia, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands 14 US - American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Wake Island MISCELLANEOUS 6 Antarctica, Gaza Strip, Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, West Bank, Western Sahara OTHER ENTITIES 5 oceans - Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Southern Ocean 1 World

271 total

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exports This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise exports on an f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

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

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

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

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

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

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

GDP - composition by sector This entry gives the percentage contribution of agriculture, industry, and services to total GDP. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gross domestic product see GDP

Gross national product see GNP

Gross world product see GWP

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

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

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

Heliports This entry gives the total number of heliports with hard-surface runways, helipads, or landing areas that support routine sustained helicopter operations exclusively and have support facilities including one or more of the following facilities: lighting, fuel, passenger handling, or maintenance. It includes former airports used exclusively for helicopter operations but excludes heliports limited to day operations and natural clearings that could support helicopter landings and takeoffs.

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

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

Hydrographic data codes see Data codes

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

Imports This entry provides the total US dollar amount of merchandise imports on a c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) or f.o.b. (free on board) basis. These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

International disputes see Disputes - international

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

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

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

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

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

Introduction
This category includes one entry, Background.

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

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

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

Labor force
This entry contains the total labor force figure.

Labor force - by occupation This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Major infectious diseases This entry lists major infectious diseases likely to be encountered in countries where the risk of such diseases is assessed to be very high as compared to the United States. These infectious diseases represent risks to US government personnel traveling to the specified country for a period of less than three years. The degree of risk is assessed by considering the foreign nature of these infectious diseases, their severity, and the probability of being affected by the diseases present. The diseases listed do not necessarily represent the total disease burden experienced by the local population. The risk to an individual traveler varies considerably by the specific location, visit duration, type of activities, type of accommodations, time of year, and other factors. Consultation with a travel medicine physician is needed to evaluate individual risk and recommend appropriate preventive measures such as vaccines. Diseases are organized into the following six exposure categories shown in italics and listed in typical descending order of risk. Note - The sequence of exposure categories listed in individual country entries may vary according to local conditions. food or waterborne diseases acquired through eating or drinking on the local economy: Hepatitis A - viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with fecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation; victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhea; 15% of victims will experience prolonged symptoms over 6-9 months; vaccine available. Hepatitis E - water-borne viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver; most commonly spread through fecal contamination of drinking water; victims exhibit jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, and dark colored urine. Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%. vectorborne diseases acquired through the bite of an infected arthropod: Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries with 90% of cases and the majority of 1.5-2.5 million estimated annual deaths occurring in sub- Saharan Africa. Dengue fever - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments; manifests as sudden onset of fever and severe headache; occasionally produces shock and hemorrhage leading to death in 5% of cases. Yellow fever - mosquito-borne viral disease; severity ranges from influenza-like symptoms to severe hepatitis and hemorrhagic fever; occurs only in tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa, where most cases are reported; fatality rate is less than 20%. Japanese Encephalitis - mosquito-borne (Culex tritaeniorhynchus) viral disease associated with rural areas in Asia; acute encephalitis can progress to paralysis, coma, and death; fatality rates 30%. African Trypanosomiasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma; transmitted to humans via the bite of bloodsucking Tsetse flies; infection leads to malaise and irregular fevers and, in advanced cases when the parasites invade the central nervous system, coma and death; endemic in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa; cattle and wild animals act as reservoir hosts for the parasites. Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - caused by the parasitic protozoa leishmania; transmitted to humans via the bite of sandflies; results in skin lesions that may become chronic; endemic in 88 countries; 90% of cases occur in Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Peru; wild and domesticated animals as well as humans can act as reservoirs of infection. Plague - bacterial disease transmitted by fleas normally associated with rats; person-to-person airborne transmission also possible; recent plague epidemics occurred in areas of Asia, Africa, and South America associated with rural areas or small towns and villages; manifests as fever, headache, and painfully swollen lymph nodes; disease progresses rapidly and without antibiotic treatment leads to pneumonic form with a death rate in excess of 50%. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever - tick-borne viral disease; infection may also result from exposure to infected animal blood or tissue; geographic distribution includes Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe; sudden onset of fever, headache, and muscle aches followed by hemorrhaging in the bowels, urine, nose, and gums; mortality rate is approximately 30%. Rift Valley fever - viral disease affecting domesticated animals and humans; transmission is by mosquito and other biting insects; infection may also occur through handling of infected meat or contact with blood; geographic distribution includes eastern and southern Africa where cattle and sheep are raised; symptoms are generally mild with fever and some liver abnormalities, but the disease may progress to hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, or ocular disease; fatality rates are low at about 1% of cases. Chikungunya - mosquito-borne (Aedes aegypti) viral disease associated with urban environments, similar to Dengue Fever; characterized by sudden onset of fever, rash, and severe joint pain usually lasting 3-7 days, some cases result in persistent arthritis. water contact diseases acquired through swimming or wading in freshwater lakes, streams, and rivers: Leptospirosis - bacterial disease that affects animals and humans; infection occurs through contact with water, food, or soil contaminated by animal urine; symptoms include high fever, severe headache, vomiting, jaundice, and diarrhea; untreated, the disease can result in kidney damage, liver failure, meningitis, or respiratory distress; fatality rates are low but left untreated recovery can take months. Schistosomiasis - caused by parasitic trematode flatworm Schistosoma; fresh water snails act as intermediate host and release larval form of parasite that penetrates the skin of people exposed to contaminated water; worms mature and reproduce in the blood vessels, liver, kidneys, and intestines releasing eggs, which become trapped in tissues triggering an immune response; may manifest as either urinary or intestinal disease resulting in decreased work or learning capacity; mortality, while generally low, may occur in advanced cases usually due to bladder cancer; endemic in 74 developing countries with 80% of infected people living in sub-Saharan Africa; humans act as the reservoir for this parasite. aerosolized dust or soil contact disease acquired through inhalation of aerosols contaminated with rodent urine: Lassa fever - viral disease carried by rats of the genus Mastomys; endemic in portions of West Africa; infection occurs through direct contact with or consumption of food contaminated by rodent urine or fecal matter containing virus particles; fatality rate can reach 50% in epidemic outbreaks. respiratory disease acquired through close contact with an infectious person: Meningococcal meningitis - bacterial disease causing an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; one of the most important bacterial pathogens is Neisseria meningitidis because of its potential to cause epidemics; symptoms include stiff neck, high fever, headaches, and vomiting; bacteria are transmitted from person to person by respiratory droplets and facilitated by close and prolonged contact resulting from crowded living conditions, often with a seasonal distribution; death occurs in 5-15% of cases, typically within 24-48 hours of onset of symptoms; highest burden of meningococcal disease occurs in the hyperendemic region of sub-Saharan Africa known as the "Meningitis Belt" which stretches from Senegal east to Ethiopia. animal contact disease acquired through direct contact with local animals: Rabies - viral disease of mammals usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal, most commonly dogs; virus affects the central nervous system causing brain alteration and death; symptoms initially are non-specific fever and headache progressing to neurological symptoms; death occurs within days of the onset of symptoms.

Manpower available for military service This entry gives the total numbers of males and females age 15-49 and assumes that every individual is fit to serve.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Military expenditures - percent of GDP This entry gives current military expenditures as an estimated percent of gross domestic product (GDP). These figures are calculated on an exchange rate basis, i.e., not in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Natural hazards
This entry lists potential natural disasters.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Petroleum
See entry for "oil."

Petroleum products
See entry for "oil."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Reference maps
This section includes world and regional maps.

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

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

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

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

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

Telephone numbers All telephone numbers in the Factbook consist of the country code in brackets, the city or area code (where required) in parentheses, and the local number. The one component that is not presented is the international access code, which varies from country to country. For example, an international direct dial telephone call placed from the US to Madrid, Spain, would be as follows: 011 [34] (1) 577-xxxx, where 011 is the international access code for station-to-station calls; 01 is for calls other than station-to-station calls, [34] is the country code for Spain, (1) is the city code for Madrid, 577 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number. An international direct dial telephone call placed from another country to the US would be as follows: international access code + [1] (202) 939-xxxx, where [ 1] is the country code for the US, (202) is the area code for Washington, DC, 939 is the local exchange, and xxxx is the local telephone number.

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

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

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

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

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

Terrain
This entry contains a brief description of the topography.

Total fertility rate This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude birth rate, since it refers to births per woman. This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median age is declining. Higher rates may also indicate difficulties for families, in some situations, to feed and educate their children and for women to enter the labor force. Rates below two children indicate populations decreasing in size and growing older. Global fertility rates are in general decline and this trend is most pronounced in industrialized countries, especially Western Europe, where populations are projected to decline dramatically over the next 50 years.

Transnational issues
This category includes three entries - Disputes - international,
Refugees and internally displaced persons, and Illicit drugs - that
deal with current issues going beyond national boundaries.

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

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

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

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

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

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

This page was last updated on 20 October 2005

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History

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Hoover Commission's Clark Committee, set up in 1954 to study the structure and administration of the CIA, reported to Congress in 1955 that: "The National Intelligence Survey is an invaluable publication which provides the essential elements of basic intelligence on all areas of the world. There will always be a continuing requirement for keeping the Survey up-to-date." The Factbook was created as an annual summary and update to the encyclopedic NIS studies. The first classified Factbook was published in August 1962, and the first unclassified version was published in June 1971. The NIS program was terminated in 1973 except for the Factbook, map, and gazetteer components. The 1975 Factbook was the first to be made available to the public with sales through the US Government Printing Office (GPO). The year 2005 marks the 58th anniversary of the establishment of the Central Intelligence Agency and the 62nd year of continuous basic intelligence support to the US Government by The World Factbook and its two predecessor programs.

This page was last updated on 28 April, 2005

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This page was last updated on 18 July, 2005

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General

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Geography

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

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

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A doubly landlocked country is one that is separated from an ocean or an ocean-accessible sea by two intervening countries. Uzbekistan and Liechtenstein are the only countries that fit this definition.

Spelling and Pronunciation

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

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

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

Why is the name of the Labour party misspelled?

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

Policies and Procedures

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Original Data Rounded to whole integer

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

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

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

What rounding convention does The World Factbook use?

In deciding on the number of digits to present, the Factbook staff assesses the accuracy of the original data and the needs of US Government officials. All of the economic data are processed by computer—either at the source or by the Factbook staff. The economic data presented in The Factbook, therefore, follow the rounding convention used by virtually all numerical software applications, namely, any digit followed by a "5" is rounded up to the next higher digit, no matter whether the original digit is even or odd. Thus, for example, when rounded to the nearest integer, 2.5 becomes 3, rather than 2, as occurred in some pre-computer rounding systems.

Technical

Does The World Factbook comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
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The World Factbook home page has a link entitled "Text/Low Bandwidth Version." The country data in the text version is fully accessible. We believe The World Factbook is compliant with the Section 508 law in both fact and spirit. If you are experiencing difficulty, please use our comment form to provide us details of the specific problem you are experiencing and the assistive software and/or hardware that you are using so that we can work with our technical support staff to find and implement a solution. We welcome visitors' suggestions to improve accessibility of The World Factbook and the CIA Web site.

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Hundreds of "Factbook" look-alikes exist on the Internet. The Factbook site at: www.cia.gov is the only official site.

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When I open a map on The World Factbook site, it is fuzzy or granular, or too big or too small. Why?

Adjusting the resolution setting on your monitor should correct this problem.

Is The World Factbook country data available in machine-readable format? All I can find is HTML, but I'm looking for simple tabular data.

The Factbook Web site now features "Rank Order" pages for selected Factbook entries. "Rank Order" pages are available for those data fields identified with a small bar chart icon located next to the title of the data entry. In addition, all of the "Rank Order" pages can be downloaded as tab-delimited data files that can be opened in other applications such as spreadsheets and databases.

This page was last updated on 27 September, 2005

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

@Afghanistan

Introduction Afghanistan

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

Geography Afghanistan

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

Geographic coordinates:
  33 00 N, 65 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People Afghanistan

Population:
  29,928,987 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,842,857/female 6,524,485)
  15-64 years: 52.9% (male 8,124,077/female 7,713,603)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 353,193/female 370,772) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.56 years
  male: 17.55 years
  female: 17.57 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  4.77%
  note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
  its continuing impact (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  47.02 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  20.75 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  21.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 163.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 167.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 158.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 42.9 years
  male: 42.71 years
  female: 43.1 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000 meters from March through November animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Afghan(s)
  adjective: Afghan

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

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

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

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

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

Government Afghanistan

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

Government type:
  Islamic republic

Capital:
  Kabul

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

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

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

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

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Economy Afghanistan

Economy - overview:
  Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved significantly since the
  fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because of the infusion of over
  $2 billion in international assistance, recovery of the agricultural
  sector, and the reestablishment of market institutions. Agriculture
  boomed in 2003 with the end of a four-year drought, but drought
  conditions returned for the southern half of the country in 2004.
  Despite the progress of the past few years, Afghanistan remains
  extremely poor, landlocked, and highly dependent on foreign aid,
  farming, and trade with neighboring countries. It will probably take
  the remainder of the decade and continuing donor aid and attention
  to raise Afghanistan's living standards up from its current status
  among the lowest in the world. Much of the population continues to
  suffer from shortages of housing, clean water, electricity, medical
  care, and jobs, but the Afghan government and international donors
  remain committed to improving access to these basic necessities by
  prioritizing infrastructure development, education, housing
  development, jobs programs, and economic reform over the next year.
  Growing political stability and continued international commitment
  to Afghan reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for
  maintaining improvements in the Afghan economy in 2005. Expanding
  poppy cultivation and a growing opium trade may account for
  one-third of GDP and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy
  challenges.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $21.5 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

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

Labor force:
  11.8 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  53% (2003)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10.3% (2003)

Budget:
  revenues: $300 million
  expenditures: $609 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY04-05 budget)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  540 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  652.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  150 million kWh (2002)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exports:
  $446 million (not including illicit exports or reexports) (FY03-04)

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

Exports - partners:
  Pakistan 24%, India 21.3%, US 12.4%, Germany 5.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.759 billion (FY03-04)

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

Imports - partners:
  Pakistan 25.5%, US 8.7%, India 8.5%, Germany 6.5%, Turkmenistan
  5.3%, Kenya 4.7%, South Korea 4.2%, Russia 4.2% (2004)

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

Economic aid - recipient:
  international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
  international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference
  for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for
  2004-09

Currency (code):
  afghani (AFA)

Currency code:
  AFA

Exchange rates:
  afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (2004), 3,000 (2003), 3,000 (2002),
  3,000 (2001), 3,000 (2000)
  note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized
  at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the market rate
  varied widely from the official rate

Fiscal year:
  21 March - 20 March

Communications Afghanistan

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  15,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph service
  domestic: telephone service improving with the establishment of two
  mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak
  with only 0.1 line per 10 people
  international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
  Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
  and domestic voice and data connectivity

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

Radios:
  167,000 (1999)

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

Televisions:
  100,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .af

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,000 (2002)

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

Transportation Afghanistan

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

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

Pipelines:
  gas 387 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Airports:
  47 (2004 est.)

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

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

Heliports: 5 (2004 est.)

Military Afghanistan

Military branches:
  Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force), Afghan Militia
  Force (AMF) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service for a 4-year
  term (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 22-49: 4,952,812 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 22-49: 2,662,946 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 275,362 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $188.4 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Afghanistan

Disputes - international:
  the UN has been able to repatriate over two million Afghan refugees
  but several million more continue to reside in Iran and Pakistan in
  camps and elsewhere, many at their own choosing; Coalition and
  Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal areas to control
  the borders and stem organized terrorist and other illegal
  cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani and
  Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary
  encroachments; occasional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements
  with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

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

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Akrotiri

Introduction Akrotiri

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

Geography Akrotiri

Location:
  peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Geographic coordinates:
  34 37 N, 32 58 E

Map references:
  Middle East

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

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

Land boundaries: total: 47.4 km border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Coastline:
  56.3 km

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

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

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

People Akrotiri

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

Languages:
  English, Greek

Government Akrotiri

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

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

Capital:
  Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

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

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

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

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

Flag description:
  the flag of the UK is used

Economy Akrotiri

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

Military Akrotiri

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Albania

Introduction Albania

Background:
  Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
  Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
  transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried
  to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated
  infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to
  government officials, and disruptive political opponents. Albania
  has made incremental progress in its democratic development since
  first holding multiiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain
  - particularly in regard to the rule of law. Despite some lingering
  problems, international observers have judged elections to be
  largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability
  following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005
  general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a
  decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption,
  promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government.
  Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still
  one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy,
  large public debt, and an inadequate energy and tranportation
  infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in
  managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is
  continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU.

Geography Albania

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

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline:
  362 km

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

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

Terrain:
  mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People Albania

Population:
  3,563,112 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.6% (male 476,989/female 434,298)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,199,964/female 1,144,886)
  65 years and over: 8.6% (male 141,559/female 165,416) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.52 years
  male: 27.95 years
  female: 29.1 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.52% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.24 years
  male: 74.6 years
  female: 80.15 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Albanian(s)
  adjective: Albanian

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

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

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

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

Government Albania

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

Government type:
  emerging democracy

Capital:
  Tirana

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

Independence:
  28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Constitution:
  adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU (since 24
  July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
  nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
  elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held
  June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
  vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats; 100
  are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote for
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held July 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PD 55, PS 40, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Economy Albania

Economy - overview:
  Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making the
  difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
  government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
  economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by annual
  remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Greece and
  Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture,
  which accounts for about one-half of GDP, is held back because of
  frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment, to clarify
  property rights, and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy
  shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure make it
  difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned
  construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved
  transmission and distribution facilities will help relieve the
  energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve
  the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to
  sustained economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong
  in 2003 and 2004, the nation has important oil and gas reserves, and
  inflation is not a problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $17.46 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 46.2% industry: 25.4% services: 28.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public sector 23% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  14.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25% (2004 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.05 billion
  expenditures: $2.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  5.68 billion kWh (2004)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  6.76 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
  100 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.08 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production:
  2,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  7,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $-504 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $552.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Italy 71.7%, Canada 4.3%, Germany 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Italy 34.8%, Greece 19.8%, Turkey 7.7%, Germany 5.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.206 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.41 billion (2003)

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

Currency (code):
  lek (ALL)

Currency code:
  ALL

Exchange rates:
  leke per US dollar - 102.649 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155
  (2002), 143.485 (2001), 143.709 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Albania

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.1 million (2003)

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

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

Radios:
  1 million (2001)

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

Televisions:
  700,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .al

Internet hosts:
  455 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (2001)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2003)

Transportation Albania

Railways: total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 18,000 km paved: 5,400 km unpaved: 12,600 km (2002)

Waterways:
  43 km (2004)

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

Ports and harbors:
  Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Merchant marine:
  total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT
  by type: cargo 24, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Denmark 1, Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  11 (2004 est.)

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

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

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Albania

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

Military service age and obligation:
  19 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 809,524 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 668,526 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 37,407 (2005 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Albania

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

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Algeria

Introduction Algeria

Background:
  After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians fought
  through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962. Algeria's
  primary political party, the National Liberation Front (FLN), has
  dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the subsequent
  generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to counter the
  FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising first round
  success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the December 1991
  balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and postpone the
  second round of elections to prevent what the secular elite feared
  would be an extremist-led government from assuming power. The army
  began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS supporters to begin
  attacking government targets. The government later allowed elections
  featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties, but
  did not appease the activists who progressively widened their
  attacks. The fighting escalated into an insurgency, which saw
  intense fighting between 1992-98 and which resulted in over 100,000
  deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate massacres of villagers by
  extremists. The government gained the upper hand by the late-1990s
  and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in
  January 2000. However, small numbers of armed militants persist in
  confronting government forces and conducting ambushes and occasional
  attacks on villages. The army placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the
  presidency in 1999 in a fraudulent election but claimed neutrality
  in his 2004 landslide reelection victory. Longstanding problems
  continue to face BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic
  minority Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale
  unemployment, a shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water
  supplies, government inefficiencies and corruption, and the
  continuing - although significantly degraded - activities of
  extremist militants. Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based
  economy, which has yielded a large cash reserve but which has not
  been used to redress Algeria's many social and infrastructure
  problems. Algeria assumed a two-year seat on the UN Security Council
  in January 2004.

Geography Algeria

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

Geographic coordinates:
  28 00 N, 3 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

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

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

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

Coastline:
  998 km

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

People Algeria

Population:
  32,531,853 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29% (male 4,811,086/female 4,626,271)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 10,861,862/female 10,701,459)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 719,460/female 811,715) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.36 years
  male: 24.18 years
  female: 24.53 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.22% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73 years
  male: 71.45 years
  female: 74.63 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high risk in some
  locations (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Algerian(s)
  adjective: Algerian

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

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

Languages:
  Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

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

Government Algeria

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Algiers

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

Independence:
  5 July 1962 (from France)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

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

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's Assembly or
  Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from 380 seats
  in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144 seats;
  one-third of the members appointed by the president, two-thirds
  elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms; the
  constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
  years)
  elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
  to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
  December 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
  21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
  Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party NA%

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Court Supreme

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

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

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

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

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

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

Economy Algeria

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $212.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.3% industry: 57.4% services: 32.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 9.91 million (2004 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  25.4% (2004 est.)

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

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  26.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $31.47 billion
  expenditures: $29.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  37.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  25.76 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  23.61 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  500 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  150 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  1.2 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  11.87 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.739 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $11.9 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $32.16 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  US 22.6%, Italy 17.2%, France 11.4%, Spain 10.1%, Canada 7.5%,
  Brazil 6.1%, Belgium 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $15.25 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 30.3%, Italy 8.2%, Germany 6.5%, Spain 5.5%, US 5.2%, China
  5.1%, Turkey 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $43.55 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $21.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $122.8 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  Algerian dinar (DZD)

Currency code:
  DZD

Exchange rates:
  Algerian dinars per US dollar - 72.061 (2004), 77.395 (2003),
  79.682 (2002), 77.215 (2001), 75.26 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Algeria

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

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

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

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

Radios:
  7.1 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
  3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dz

Internet hosts:
  897 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  500,000 (2002)

Transportation Algeria

Railways:
  total: 3,973 km
  standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2004)

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

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

Ports and harbors:
  Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel, Mostaganem, Oran,
  Skikda

Merchant marine:
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 837,676 GRT/929,847 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas
  10, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 3 (United Kingdom 3)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  137 (2004 est.)

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

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

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Algeria

Military branches:
  People's National Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian
  National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force
  (2005)

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

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 8,033,049 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 6,590,079 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 374,639 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.48 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Algeria

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

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@American Samoa

Introduction American Samoa

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

Geography American Samoa

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

Geographic coordinates:
  14 20 S, 170 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  116 km

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

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

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

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

Natural resources:
  pumice, pumicite

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

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons common from December to March

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

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

People American Samoa

Population:
  57,881 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.7% (male 10,705/female 9,956)
  15-64 years: 61.3% (male 18,351/female 17,125)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 664/female 1,080) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.76 years
  male: 22.5 years
  female: 23.05 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.11% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -20.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.84 years
  male: 72.27 years
  female: 79.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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

Ethnic groups:
  native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white 1.2%, mixed 2.8%,
  other 0.2% (2000 census)

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

Languages:
  Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian
  languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific islander 2.1%,
  other 2%
  note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

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

Government American Samoa

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

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

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Pago Pago

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

Independence:
  none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
  Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Constitution:
  ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
  cabinet: cabinet made up of 12 department directors
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote
  - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of the House of
  Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by popular vote
  and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains Island;
  members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats; members are
  elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2006); Senate - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - independents 18
  note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
  House of Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next
  to be held November 2006); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
  (Democrat) reelected as delegate

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party [Tautai A. F.
  FAALEVAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

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

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

Economy American Samoa

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

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

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

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

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

Labor force:
  14,000 (1996)

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

Unemployment rate:
  6% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  130 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  120.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

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

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $30 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  canned tuna 93%

Exports - partners:
  Samoa 39.8%, Australia 19.9%, Japan 15.1%, New Zealand 10.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $123 million (2002)

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

Imports - partners:
  Japan 31.4%, New Zealand 27.9%, Germany 17.1%, Australia 8.9% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

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

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications American Samoa

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,377 (1999)

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

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:
  57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1; note - one cable TV station (2004)

Televisions:
  14,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .as

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation American Samoa

Highways: total: 185 km paved: 185 km unpaved: 0 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Pago Pago

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

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

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

Military American Samoa

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues American Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Andorra

Introduction Andorra

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

Geography Andorra

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  42 30 N, 1 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

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

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

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
  rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

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

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

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

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  avalanches

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

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

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

People Andorra

Population:
  70,549 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.8% (male 5,471/female 4,995)
  15-64 years: 71.5% (male 26,463/female 23,977)
  65 years and over: 13.7% (male 4,780/female 4,863) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.34 years
  male: 40.63 years
  female: 40.02 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.95% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 83.51 years
  male: 80.6 years
  female: 86.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.29 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Andorran(s)
  adjective: Andorran

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

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (predominant)

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

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

Government Andorra

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

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

Capital:
  Andorra la Vella

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

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

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

Constitution:
  Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991, approved
  by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 4 May 1993

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995),
  represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
  Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),
  represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)
  head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT
  SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
  Council president
  elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
  Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
  term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held April-May
  2005)
  election results: Marc FORNE MOLNE elected executive council
  president; percent of General Council vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General de las
  Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, 14 from
  a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of the 7
  parishes; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,
  CDA 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA 2

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

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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

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

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

Economy Andorra

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $26,800 (2003 est.)

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

Labor force:
  33,000 (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  0% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

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

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

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source:
  NA

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

Exports:
  $58 million f.o.b. (1998)

Exports - commodities:
  tobacco products, furniture

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

Imports:
  $1.077 billion (1998)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, food, electricity

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

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Andorra

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  23,500 (2001)

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

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

Radios:
  16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (1997)

Televisions:
  27,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ad

Internet hosts:
  4,144 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  24,500 (2001)

Transportation Andorra

Highways: total: 269 km paved: 198 km unpaved: 71 km

Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 1

Airports:
  none (2004 est.)

Military Andorra

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

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

Transnational Issues Andorra

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Angola

Introduction Angola

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

Geography Angola

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

Geographic coordinates:
  12 30 S, 18 30 E

Map references:
  Africa

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

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

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

Coastline:
  1,600 km

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

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

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

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

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

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

Irrigated land:
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

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

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

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

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

People Angola

Population:
  11,190,786 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 2,454,209/female 2,407,083)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 3,059,339/female 2,955,060)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 139,961/female 175,134) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.12 years
  male: 18.12 years
  female: 18.11 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  44.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  25.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 191.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 203.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 178.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 38.43 years
  male: 37.28 years
  female: 39.64 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

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

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

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

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Angolan(s)
  adjective: Angolan

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

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

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66.8%
  male: 82.1%
  female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Government Angola

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

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

Capital:
  Luanda

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

Independence:
  11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

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

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
  appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a
  position of real power
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year
  term; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without
  opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in
  Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be
  held September 2006)
  election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a
  run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
  National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
  repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220 seats;
  members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
  others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD
  3, others 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Economy Angola

Economy - overview:
  Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter century
  of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace was
  established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in
  February 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue including
  the impact of widespread land mines. Subsistence agriculture
  provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil
  production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy,
  contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of exports. Much of
  the country's food must still be imported. To fully take advantage
  of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests,
  Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to
  continue reforming government policies and to reduce corruption.
  While Angola made progress in further lowering inflation, from 325%
  in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make
  sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as
  increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater
  transparency in government spending. Increased oil production
  supported 7% GDP growth in 2003 and 12% growth in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $23.17 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  11.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)

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

Labor force:
  5.41 million (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  43.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  34.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $9.013 billion
  expenditures: $9.562 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
  million (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  1.707 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  1.587 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  980,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  22.88 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  79.57 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-37.88 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $12.76 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  US 38%, China 35.9%, Taiwan 6.8%, France 6.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $4.896 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  South Korea 28.3%, Portugal 13.1%, US 9.3%, South Africa 7.4%,
  Brazil 5.6%, Japan 4.8%, France 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $800 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $10.45 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $383.5 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  kwanza (AOA)

Currency code:
  AOA

Exchange rates:
  kwanza per US dollar - 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53 (2002),
  22.058 (2001), 10.041 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Angola

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  130,000 (2002)

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

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

Radios:
  815,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (2000)

Televisions:
  196,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .ao

Internet hosts:
  17 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  41,000 (2002)

Transportation Angola

Railways: total: 2,761 km narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 51,429 km paved: 5,328 km unpaved: 46,101 km (2001)

Waterways:
  1,300 km (2004)

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

Ports and harbors:
  Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 26,123 GRT/42,879 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 4 (2005)

Airports:
  243 (2004 est.)

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

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

Military Angola

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

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

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 2,423,221 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,174,548 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 121,254 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $183.58 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  10.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Angola

Disputes - international:
  90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004, the remaining
  refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia are
  expected to return in 2005; many Cabinda exclave secessionists have
  sought shelter in neighboring states

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

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

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Anguilla

Introduction Anguilla

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

Geography Anguilla

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

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 63 10 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

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

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  61 km

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

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

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

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

Natural resources:
  salt, fish, lobster

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

Irrigated land:
  NA

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

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

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

People Anguilla

Population:
  13,254 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,561/female 1,517)
  15-64 years: 69.9% (male 4,767/female 4,501)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 405/female 503) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.76 years
  male: 30.81 years
  female: 30.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.77% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.11 years
  male: 74.18 years
  female: 80.12 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Anguillan(s)
  adjective: Anguillan

Ethnic groups:
  black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%, other
  1.6% (2001 Census)

Religions:
  Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%, Roman
  Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or unspecified
  4.3% (2001 Census)

Languages:
  English (official)

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

Government Anguilla

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

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  The Valley

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Anguilla Day, 30 May

Constitution:
  Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by direct
  popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, ANSA 19.2%,
  AUM 19.4%, APP 9.5 %, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA
  2, AUM 1

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The Anguilla
  United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a coalition of
  the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla National
  Alliance or ANA; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy ROGERS];
  Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

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

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

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

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

Economy Anguilla

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $112 million (2002 est.)

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

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 6,049 (2001)

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

Unemployment rate:
  8% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
  23% (2002)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3%

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

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

Industries:
  tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

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

Electricity - production:
  NA

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

Electricity - consumption:
  42.6 million kWh

Exports:
  $2.6 million (1999)

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

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

Imports:
  $80.9 million (1999)

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

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

Debt - external:
  $8.8 million (1998)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $9 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Anguilla

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

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern internal telephone system
  international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
  of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ai

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,000 (2002)

Transportation Anguilla

Highways: total: 105 km paved: 65 km unpaved: 40 km (1997)

Ports and harbors:
  Blowing Point, Road Bay

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Anguilla

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Anguilla

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Antarctica

Introduction Antarctica

Background:
  Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was not
  confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American commercial
  operators and British and Russian national expeditions began
  exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south of
  the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
  Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
  Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
  century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
  research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
  year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
  territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In
  order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
  continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
  nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
  1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Geography Antarctica

Location:
  continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
  90 00 S, 0 00 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 14 million sq km
  land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
  ice-covered) (est.)
  note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
  America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
  subcontinent of Europe

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Land boundaries: 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Coastline:
  17,968 km

Maritime claims:
  Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
  rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from their
  continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these zones are
  not accepted by other countries; 20 of 27 Antarctic consultative
  nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory (although Russia
  and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do not recognize
  the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes -
  international entry

Climate:
  severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation, and distance
  from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West Antarctica
  because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has the most
  moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January along the
  coast and average slightly below freezing

Terrain:
  about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock, with
  average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain ranges
  up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include parts of
  southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic Peninsula area,
  and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers form ice shelves
  along about half of the coastline, and floating ice shelves
  constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
  highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
  note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
  Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
  discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Natural resources:
  iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and other
  minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
  uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
  and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km

Natural hazards:
  katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the high
  interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
  cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
  coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
  Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
  calve from ice shelf

Environment - current issues:
  in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic ozone hole
  was the largest on record, covering 27 million square kilometers;
  researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet light passing
  through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an antarctic fish
  lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown to harm
  one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant areas of
  ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Geography - note:
  the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest continent;
  during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South
  Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent period; mostly
  uninhabitable

People Antarctica

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent and
  summer-only staffed research stations
  note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate
  seasonal (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent
  and in its surrounding oceans; the population of persons doing and
  supporting science on the continent and its nearby islands south of
  60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic
  Treaty) varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in
  winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel including ship's
  crew and scientists doing onboard research are present in the waters
  of the treaty region; summer (January) population - 3,687 total;
  Argentina 302, Australia 201, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16,
  Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11, France 100, Germany 51, India 60,
  Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway
  40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia 254, South Africa 80, Spain 43,
  Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378 (1998-99); winter (July) population -
  964 total; Argentina 165, Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China
  33, France 33, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10,
  Poland 20, Russia 102, South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99);
  research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south
  of 60 degrees south) by members of the Council of Managers of
  National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 38
  total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, France
  1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1,
  Russia 6, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1, Italy
  and France jointly 1 (2005); summer-only stations - 34 total;
  Argentina 8, Australia 2, Bulgaria 1, Chile 5, Ecuador 1, Finland 1,
  Germany 2, Italy 1, Japan 3, Norway 2, Peru 1, Russia 2, South
  Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 1, UK 1 (2004-2005); in addition, during
  the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations
  such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile
  traverses in support of research

Government Antarctica

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

Government type: Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 27th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Cape Town, South Africa in May-June 2004; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 17 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Ukraine (1992), Uruguay (1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), and Venezuela (1999); Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Legal system:
  Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative
  member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by
  these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and
  operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law,
  including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such
  as murder, may apply extra-territorially; some US laws directly
  apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16
  U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties
  for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of
  statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of
  nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected
  areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation
  into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the
  Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in
  fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and
  Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law
  95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in
  1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in
  advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State,
  Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as
  required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact
  Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science
  Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or
  visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more generally, access to the
  Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90
  degrees latitude South, is subject to a number of relevant legal
  instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party
  to the Antarctic Treaty.

Economy Antarctica

Economy - overview:
  Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad, account for
  the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in 2000-01 (1
  July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons. Unregulated
  fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a serious problem.
  The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
  Resources determines the recommended catch limits for marine
  species. A total of 13,571 tourists visited in the 2002-03 antarctic
  summer, up from the 11,588 visitors the previous year. Nearly all of
  them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental) ships and
  several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most tourist trips
  last approximately two weeks.

Communications Antarctica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  0
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: local systems at some research stations
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsat
  and Iridium system) from some research stations

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces Antarctic
  Network-McMurdo)
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Televisions:
  several hundred at McMurdo Station (US)
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Internet country code:
  .aq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Transportation Antarctica

Ports and harbors:
  there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica; most
  coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
  transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
  helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
  stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03
  W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under
  "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is
  sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments and
  authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the
  Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to
  all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be
  complied with (see "Legal System") (2004)

Airports:
  there are no developed public access airports or landing
  facilities; 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party
  to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities
  for either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial
  enterprises operate two additional aircraft landing facilities;
  helicopter pads are available at 27 stations; runways at 15
  locations are gravel, sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable
  for landing wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, one is greater
  than 3 km in length, six are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three
  are between 1 km and 2 km in length, three are less than 1 km in
  length, and two are of unknown length; snow surface skiways, limited
  to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft, are available at
  another 15 locations; of these, four are greater than 3 km in
  length, three are between 2 km and 3 km in length, two are between 1
  km and 2 km in length, two are less than 1 km in length, and four
  are of unknown length; aircraft landing facilities generally subject
  to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme
  seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do
  not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective
  governmental or nongovernmental operating organization required for
  using their facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the
  operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica
  were adopted in 2004; relevant legal instruments and authorization
  procedures adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty
  regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas
  between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be complied
  with (see information under "Legal System"); an Antarctic Flight
  Information Manual (AFIM) providing up-to-date details of Antarctic
  air facilities and procedures is maintained and published by the
  Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  27 stations have restricted helicopter landing facilities
  (helipads) (2004 est.)

Military Antarctica

Military - note:
  the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military nature,
  such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the
  carrying out of military maneuvers, or the testing of any type of
  weapon; it permits the use of military personnel or equipment for
  scientific research or for any other peaceful purposes

Transnational Issues Antarctica

Disputes - international:
  Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty Summary in
  Government type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ,
  Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some overlapping)
  for a large portion of the continent; the US and many other states
  do not recognize these territorial claims and have made no claims
  themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so); no claims
  have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees
  west; several states with territorial claims in Antarctica have
  expressed their intention to submit data to the UN Commission on the
  Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their continental shelf
  claims to adjoining undersea ridges

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Antigua and Barbuda

Introduction Antigua and Barbuda

Background:
  The Siboney were the first to inhabit the islands of Antigua and
  Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib Indians populated the
  islands when Columbus landed on his second voyage in 1493. Early
  settlements by the Spanish and French were succeeded by the English
  who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery, established to run the sugar
  plantations on Antigua, was abolished in 1834. The islands became an
  independent state within the British Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Geography Antigua and Barbuda

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

Geographic coordinates:
  17 03 N, 61 48 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km)
  land: 442.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  153 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation

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

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

Natural resources:
  NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Land use:
  arable land: 18.18%
  permanent crops: 4.55%
  other: 77.27% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

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

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

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

Geography - note:
  Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with many natural harbors
  and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western harbor

People Antigua and Barbuda

Population:
  68,722 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 9,767/female 9,427)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 23,466/female 23,250)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,085/female 1,727) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.67 years
  male: 29.19 years
  female: 30.15 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.57% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -6.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 19.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.9 years
  male: 69.53 years
  female: 74.38 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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

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

Religions:
  Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other Protestant, and some
  Roman Catholic)

Languages:
  English (official), local dialects

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

Government Antigua and Barbuda

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

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Capital:
  Saint John's (Antigua)

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

Independence:
  1 November 1981 (from UK)

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

Constitution:
  1 November 1981

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir James B. CARLISLE (since 10 June
  1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
  by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (17-member body
  appointed by the governor general) and the House of Representatives
  (17 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next
  to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  ALP 4, UPP 13

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

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

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

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel A. HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

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

Economy Antigua and Barbuda

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $750 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.9% industry: 19.2% services: 76.8% (2002)

Labor force:
  30,000

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

Unemployment rate:
  11% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Electricity - production:
  110.8 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  103 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
  3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $689 million (2002)

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

Exports - partners:
  Poland 47.8%, UK 24.6%, Germany 8.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $692 million (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  China 19.5%, US 18.7%, Singapore 14.8%, Poland 8.5%, Trinidad and
  Tobago 4.7% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $231 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Antigua and Barbuda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  38,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good automatic telephone system
  international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
  scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

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

Radios:
  36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ag

Internet hosts:
  1,665 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Antigua and Barbuda

Highways:
  total: 250 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Saint John's

Merchant marine:
  total: 980 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,873,626 GRT/7,683,143 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 630, chemical tanker 9, container
  272, liquefied gas 9, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll
  on/roll off 17, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 923 (Australia 2, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia
  2, Denmark 8, Estonia 2, Germany 849, Iceland 5, Latvia 5, Lebanon
  2, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 11, Norway 3, Philippines 1, Russia 1,
  Slovenia 5, Sweden 1, Switzerland 5, Turkey 4, United Kingdom 1,
  United States 7) (2005)

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

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

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

Military Antigua and Barbuda

Military branches:
  Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force: Infantry, Coast Guard
  (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscript military service (2001)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Antigua and Barbuda

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  considered a minor transshipment point for narcotics bound for the
  US and Europe; more significant as an offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Arctic Ocean

Introduction Arctic Ocean

Background:
  The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five oceans (after
  the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and the recently
  delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US and Canada) and
  Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two important seasonal
  waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes
  circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Geography Arctic Ocean

Location:
  body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America, mostly north
  of the Arctic Circle

Geographic coordinates:
  90 00 N, 0 00 E

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 14.056 million sq km
  note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
  East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
  Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  45,389 km

Climate:
  polar climate characterized by persistent cold and relatively
  narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized by
  continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and clear
  skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and foggy
  weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Terrain:
  central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar icepack that,
  on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure ridges may be
  three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in the Beaufort
  Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from the New
  Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between Greenland and
  Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas during the summer,
  but more than doubles in size during the winter and extends to the
  encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about 50% continental
  shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the remainder a central
  basin interrupted by three submarine ridges (Alpha Cordillera,
  Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales)

Natural hazards:
  ice islands occasionally break away from northern Ellesmere Island;
  icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland and extreme
  northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually ice locked
  from October to June; ships subject to superstructure icing from
  October to May

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include walruses and whales; fragile
  ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from disruptions or
  damage; thinning polar icepack

Geography - note:
  major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern access to
  the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic location between
  North America and Russia; shortest marine link between the extremes
  of eastern and western Russia; floating research stations operated
  by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover in March or April about 20
  to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean; snow cover lasts about 10
  months

Economy Arctic Ocean

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of natural
  resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Transportation Arctic Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Transportation - note:
  sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes; the Northwest
  Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route (Eurasia) are
  important seasonal waterways

Transnational Issues Arctic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Argentina

Introduction Argentina

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

Geography Argentina

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

Geographic coordinates:
  34 00 S, 64 00 W

Map references:
  South America

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

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

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

Coastline:
  4,989 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in southwest

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between Puerto San
  Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province of Santa
  Cruz)
  highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern
  corner of the province of Mendoza)

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

Land use: arable land: 12.31% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 87.21% (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

People Argentina

Population:
  39,537,943 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.6% (male 5,170,721/female 4,938,171)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 12,626,711/female 12,627,026)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,712,117/female 2,463,197) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 29.42 years male: 28.52 years female: 30.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.98% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.56 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.91 years
  male: 72.17 years
  female: 79.85 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  130,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Argentine(s)
  adjective: Argentine

Ethnic groups:
  white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed white and
  Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white groups 3%

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

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.1%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Government Argentina

Country name:
  conventional long form: Argentine Republic
  conventional short form: Argentina
  local long form: Republica Argentina
  local short form: Argentina

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Buenos Aires

Administrative divisions:
  23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 autonomous
  city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital
  Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios,
  Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio
  Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del
  Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur,
  Tucuman
  note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Independence:
  9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Constitution:
  1 May 1853; revised August 1994

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003); Vice
  President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
  Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 27 April
  2003 (next election to be held NA 2007)
  election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April
  2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
  MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
  8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
  awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
  the eve of the election

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
  Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; presently
  one-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term)
  and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by
  direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a
  four-year term)
  elections: Senate - last held intermittently by province during the
  2nd half of 2003 (next to be held NA 2005); Chamber of Deputies -
  last held intermittently by province during the 2nd half of 2003
  (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%;
  seats by bloc or party - PJ 41, UCR 16, provincial parties 15;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%; seats
  by bloc or party - PJ 133, UCR 46, IF 23, ARI 11, Socialist 6,
  other/provincial parties 38

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

Political parties and leaders:
  Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO]; Alternative for a
  Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Federal Recreate Movement
  or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY]; Front for a Country in Solidarity
  or Frepaso (a four-party coalition) [Dario Pedro ALESSANDRO];
  Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12
  parties including RECREAR) [leader NA]; Justicialist Party or PJ
  (Peronist umbrella political organization) [leader NA]; Radical
  Civic Union or UCR [Angel ROZAS]; Socialist Party or PS [Ruben
  GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial
  parties

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

International organization participation:
  AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG,
  UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO, ZC

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

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

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

Economy Argentina

Economy - overview:
  Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly literate
  population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
  diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the
  country has suffered problems of inflation, external debt, capital
  flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.8%, as
  both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the
  government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed
  exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation worsened in
  2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive
  withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and
  investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a "zero deficit,"
  to stabilize the banking system, and to restore economic growth
  proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. The
  peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso
  was floated in February; the exchange rate plunged and real GDP fell
  by 10.9% in 2002, but by mid-year the economy had stabilized, albeit
  at a lower level. GDP expanded by more than 8% in 2003 and again in
  2004, with unemployment falling and inflation remaining in single
  digits.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $483.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.6% industry: 35.9% services: 53.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  15.04 million (2004 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  14.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  44.3% (June 2004)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $29.15 billion
  expenditures: $26.84 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  118% of GDP (June 2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  12% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  81.39 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.2% hydro: 40.8% nuclear: 6.7% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  81.65 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  2.818 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  8.775 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  755,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  486,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.9 billion bbl (2004 est.)

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  768 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $5.473 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $33.78 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Brazil 15.3%, Chile 10.7%, US 10.2%, China 8.7%, Spain 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $22.06 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 36.2%, US 16.6%, Germany 5.7%, China 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $19.47 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $157.7 billion (2004 est.)

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

Currency (code):
  Argentine peso (ARS)

Currency code:
  ARS

Exchange rates:
  Argentine pesos per US dollar - 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006 (2003),
  3.0633 (2002), 0.9995 (2001), 0.9995 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Argentina

Telephones - main lines in use:
  8,009,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6.5 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: by opening the telecommunications market to
  competition and foreign investment with the "Telecommunications
  Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina encouraged the growth of
  modern telecommunication technology; fiber-optic cable trunk lines
  are being installed between all major cities; the major networks are
  entirely digital and the availability of telephone service is being
  improved; however, telephone density is presently minimal, and
  making telephone service universally available will take time
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
  satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
  more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
  use is rapidly expanding
  international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 8
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables;
  two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

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

Radios:
  24.3 million (1997)

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

Televisions:
  7.95 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ar

Internet hosts:
  742,358 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  33 (2000)

Internet users:
  4.1 million (2002)

Transportation Argentina

Railways:
  total: 34,091 km (167 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 215,471 km
  paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)

Waterways:
  11,000 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 27,166 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km; refined
  products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La Plata, Punta
  Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas

Merchant marine:
  total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 149,007 GRT/212,620 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Chile 1, Uruguay 1)
  registered in other countries: 23 (2005)

Airports:
  1,334 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 144
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 62
  914 to 1,523 m: 44
  under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1,190
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
  914 to 1,523 m: 569
  under 914 m: 567 (2004 est.)

Military Argentina

Military branches:
  Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes Naval
  Aviation and Marines), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina,
  FAA)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 8,981,886 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 7,316,038 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 344,575 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (FY00)

Military - note:
  the Argentine military is a well-organized force constrained by the
  country's prolonged economic hardship; the country has recently
  experienced a strong recovery, and the military is now implementing
  "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces lighter and more
  responsive (2005)

Transnational Issues Argentina

Disputes - international:
  Argentina claims the UK-administered Falkland Islands (Islas
  Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in its
  constitution; it briefly occupied the Falklands in 1982, but in 1995
  agreed no longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim in
  Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see Antarctic
  disputes); unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal
  narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;
  uncontested dispute between Brazil and Uruguay over Braziliera
  Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves the tripoint with
  Argentina in question

Illicit drugs:
  used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for Europe and
  the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the Tri-Border
  Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is increasing

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Armenia

Introduction Armenia

Background:
  Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally adopt
  Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy, over
  the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
  including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
  incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
  leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
  Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
  region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
  Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
  struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
  the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
  Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
  significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
  sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
  toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on
  Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian
  occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

Geography Armenia

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

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

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 17.55% permanent crops: 2.3% other: 80.15% (2001)

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

Natural hazards:
  occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Environment - current issues:
  soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy crisis
  of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
  firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
  draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
  source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
  Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
  seismically active zone

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

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

People Armenia

Population:
  2,982,904 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.6% (male 339,453/female 305,214)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 938,734/female 1,074,240)
  65 years and over: 10.9% (male 131,519/female 193,744) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.07 years
  male: 27.45 years
  female: 32.84 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.17 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.55 years
  male: 67.97 years
  female: 75.75 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Armenian(s)
  adjective: Armenian

Ethnic groups:
  Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001
  census)

Religions:
  Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist
  with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Languages:
  Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Armenia

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Yerevan

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

Independence:
  21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March 1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
  2008); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister
  and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly
  refuses to accept their program
  election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
  vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms; 75
  members elected by party list, 56 by direct vote)
  elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of
  2007)
  note: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%, Justice
  Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity
  Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by party - Republican
  Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak) 11,
  National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party change
  frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
  independent

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party [Myasnik
  MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex ARZUMANYAN,
  chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK [Harutyun
  MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
  ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party
  [Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
  National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the
  People's Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National Democratic Party
  [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen
  MANUKIAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman];
  People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party
  [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or
  RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN,
  chairman]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN];
  United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. EVANS
  embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
  mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
  Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
  telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-117, 542-132, 524-661,
  527-001, 524-840
  FAX: [374](1) 520-800

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Economy Armenia

Economy - overview:
  Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had developed
  a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools, textiles, and
  other manufactured goods to sister republics in exchange for raw
  materials and energy. Since the implosion of the USSR in December
  1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the
  large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era. The agricultural
  sector has long-term needs for more investment and updated
  technology. The privatization of industry has been at a slower pace,
  but has been given renewed emphasis by the current administration.
  Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral deposits (copper, gold,
  bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan over the
  ethnic Armenian-dominated region of Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup
  of the centrally directed economic system of the former Soviet Union
  contributed to a severe economic decline in the early 1990s. By
  1994, however, the Armenian Government had launched an ambitious
  IMF-sponsored economic liberalization program that resulted in
  positive growth rates in 1995-2003. Armenia joined the WTO in
  January 2003. Armenia also has managed to slash inflation, stabilize
  the local currency (the dram), and privatize most small- and
  medium-sized enterprises. The chronic energy shortages Armenia
  suffered in the early and mid-1990s have been offset by the energy
  supplied by one of its nuclear power plants at Metsamor. Armenia is
  now a net energy exporter, although it does not have sufficient
  generating capacity to replace Metsamor, which is under
  international pressure to close. The electricity distribution system
  was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade imbalance has been
  offset somewhat by international aid and foreign direct investment.
  Economic ties with Russia remain close, especially in the energy
  sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $13.65 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.9% industry: 36.1% services: 41.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.4 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%, industry 25%, services 30% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  30% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $428.1 million
  expenditures: $491.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  15% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.492 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 42.3% hydro: 27% nuclear: 30.7% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 5.797 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 704 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from Iran (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $-240.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $850 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 18%, Israel 15.3%, Germany 13.3%, Russia 12.5%, US 8.1%,
  Netherlands 7.2%, Iran 5.5%, Georgia 4.3%, UAE 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Russia 11.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Israel 8.4%, US 7.6%, Iran 7.1%, UAE
  6.1%, Ukraine 5.9%, Italy 5.5%, Germany 5.2%, Georgia 4.6%, France
  4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $555 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $905 million (June 2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $170 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  dram (AMD)

Currency code:
  AMD

Exchange rates:
  drams per US dollar - 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35 (2002),
  555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Armenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  562,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  114,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately owned and
  undergoing modernization and expansion
  domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
  are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
  international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
  Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
  international service is available by microwave radio relay and
  landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
  Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and
  by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (2000)

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

Radios:
  850,000 (1997)

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

Televisions:
  825,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .am

Internet hosts:
  2,206 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2001)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2003)

Transportation Armenia

Railways:
  total: 845 km
  broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
  note: some lines are out of service (2004)

Highways:
  total: 8,431 km
  paved: 8,161 km (includes 7,567 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 270 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,871 km (2004)

Airports:
  16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Armenia

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (May 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 722,836 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 551,938 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 31,774 (2005 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Armenia

Disputes - international:
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
  and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan
  - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
  continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic
  Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about
  230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan
  into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to
  connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains closed over
  Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region
  of Georgia seek greater autonomy; tens of thousands of Armenians
  emigrate, primarily to Russia, to seek employment

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 236,306 (Azerbaijan)
  IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
  consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly
  opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Aruba

Introduction Aruba

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

Geography Aruba

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

Geographic coordinates:
  12 30 N, 69 58 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

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

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  68.5 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

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

Natural resources:
  NEGL; white sandy beaches

Land use:
  arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 89.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Environment - current issues:
  NA

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

People Aruba

Population:
  71,566 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 7,308/female 6,960)
  15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,736/female 25,068)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,486/female 5,008) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38 years
  male: 36.07 years
  female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.47% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.14 years
  male: 75.8 years
  female: 82.65 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

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

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

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

Ethnic groups:
  mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

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

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

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

Government Aruba

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

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

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Oranjestad

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

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

National holiday:
  Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution:
  1 January 1986

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
  1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
  October 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
  a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
  minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
  held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)
  election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
  of legislative vote - NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA
  7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8,
  MPA 1, RED 1

Judicial branch:
  Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the
  monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban
  Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic
  Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA
  [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's
  Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy
  or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform
  or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO
  (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry Baarh, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to
  Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

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

Economy Aruba

Economy - overview:
  Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with
  offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The
  rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted
  in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has
  boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition,
  the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source
  of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred
  growth. Aruba's small labor force and exceptionally low unemployment
  rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite
  sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have
  declined in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks
  on the US. The government now must deal with a budget deficit and a
  negative trade balance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

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

Labor force: 41,500 (1997 est.)

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

Unemployment rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $135.8 million
  expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000)

Agriculture - products:
  aloes; livestock; fish

Industries:
  tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  807.7 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  751.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $128 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 28.5%, Panama 17.5%, Venezuela 14.7%, Netherlands
  Antilles 11.2%, Colombia 10.7%, US 10.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $841 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  US 55.5%, Netherlands 14.1%, Venezuela 3.3% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $285 million (1996)

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

Currency (code):
  Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code:
  AWG

Exchange rates:
  Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003),
  1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Aruba

Telephones - main lines in use:
  37,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  53,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
  domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
  service providers are now licensed
  international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
  (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
  links

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  50,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  20,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .aw

Internet hosts:
  923 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  24,000 (2002)

Transportation Aruba

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

Ports and harbors:
  Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

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

Military Aruba

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

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

Transnational Issues Aruba

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
  accompanying money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Introduction Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Background:
  These uninhabited islands came under Australian authority in 1931;
  formal administration began two years later. Ashmore Reef supports a
  rich and diverse avian and marine habitat; in 1983, it became a
  National Nature Reserve. Cartier Island, a former bombing range, is
  now a marine reserve.

Geography Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian Ocean, midway between
  northwestern Australia and Timor island

Geographic coordinates:
  12 14 S, 123 05 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 5 sq km
  land: 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
  Cartier Island

Area - comparative:
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  74.1 km

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

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low with sand and coral

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  surrounded by shoals and reefs that can pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve established in August 1983

People Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and
  fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2005 est.)

People - note:
  the landing of illegal immigrants from Indonesia's Rote Island has
  become an ongoing problem

Government Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
  of Transport and Regional Services

Legal system:
  the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the
  Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply

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

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

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; periodic visits by the
  Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force

Transnational Issues Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Disputes - international:
  Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef;
  Australia closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian traditional
  fishing and created a national park in the region while continuing
  to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Atlantic Ocean

Introduction Atlantic Ocean

Background:
  The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceans
  (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the Indian Ocean, Southern
  Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal (Germany), Oresund
  (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of Gibraltar
  (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US) are
  important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
  International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
  delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
  of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Atlantic Ocean

Location:
  body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern Ocean, and the
  Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 25 00 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 76.762 million sq km
  note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
  Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
  Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
  Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  111,866 km

Climate:
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast of Africa near
  Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea; hurricanes can
  occur from May to December, but are most frequent from August to
  November

Terrain:
  surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea, Denmark
  Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October to June;
  clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in
  the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre in the
  southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Atlantic
  Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire Atlantic basin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico Trench -8,605 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and whales), sand
  and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules,
  precious stones

Natural hazards:
  icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and the
  northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have been
  spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
  subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
  October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
  September; hurricanes (May to December)

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the manatee, seals, sea lions,
  turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the decline of
  fish stocks and contributing to international disputes; municipal
  sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and eastern
  Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Lake
  Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste and
  municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
  Mediterranean Sea

Geography - note:
  major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of Gibraltar,
  access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits include the
  Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The Sound
  (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the Atlantic
  Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Economy Atlantic Ocean

Economy - overview:
  The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most heavily
  trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and Western
  Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the exploitation of
  natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of aragonite sands (The
  Bahamas), and production of crude oil and natural gas (Caribbean
  Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Transportation Atlantic Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona
  (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca (Morocco), Colon
  (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal), Gdansk (Poland),
  Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands,
  Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille
  (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal (Canada), Naples (Italy),
  New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran (Algeria), Oslo (Norway),
  Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam
  (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Transportation - note:
  Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two important waterways;
  significant domestic commercial and recreational use of Intracoastal
  Waterway on central and south Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico
  coast of US

Transnational Issues Atlantic Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Australia

Introduction Australia

Background:
  Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia
  about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in
  the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770,
  when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain.
  Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they
  federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new
  country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop
  its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major
  contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent
  decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally
  competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's
  fastest growing economies during the 1990's, a performance due in
  large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980's. Long-term
  concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone
  layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially
  the Great Barrier Reef.

Geography Australia

Location:
  Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific
  Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  27 00 S, 133 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 7,686,850 sq km
  land: 7,617,930 sq km
  water: 68,920 sq km
  note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  25,760 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical
  in north

Terrain:
  mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
  highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium,
  nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas,
  petroleum

Land use:
  arable land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of
  cultivated grassland)
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 93.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
  urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
  to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
  agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
  animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
  coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
  increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
  natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population
  concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; the
  invigorating tropical sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor"
  affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most
  consistent winds in the world

People Australia

Population:
  20,090,437 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,038,809/female 1,943,563)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,815,600/female 6,695,189)
  65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,145,274/female 1,452,002) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 36.56 years male: 35.74 years female: 37.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.87% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.39 years
  male: 77.52 years
  female: 83.4 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Australian(s)
  adjective: Australian

Ethnic groups:
  Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Religions:
  Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%, Buddhist
  1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none 15.3% (2001
  Census)

Languages:
  English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified
  5.8% (2001 Census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (1980 est.)

Government Australia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
  conventional short form: Australia

Government type:
  democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as
  sovereign

Capital:
  Canberra

Administrative divisions:
  6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New
  South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia,
  Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Dependent areas:
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling)
  Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands,
  Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island

Independence:
  1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday:
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
  9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system:
  based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael
  JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
  March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)
  cabinet: Prime Minister nominates, from among members of Parliament,
  candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the Governor General to
  serve as government ministers
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
  prime minister by the governor general
  note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12
  from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland
  territories; one-half of state members are elected every three years
  by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all territory members
  are elected every three years) and the House of Representatives (150
  seats; members elected by popular preferential voting to serve terms
  of up to three-years; no state can have fewer than five
  representatives)
  elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no
  later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9
  October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party (for session beginning on 1 July 2005) - Liberal
  Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor Party 28,
  Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1; House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor Party
  60, independents 3

Judicial branch:
  High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed
  by the governor general)

Political parties and leaders:
  Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Labor Party [Kim
  BEAZLEY]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Australian
  Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The
  Nationals [Mark VAILE]; One Nation Party [Len HARRIS]; Family First
  Party [Steve FIELDING]

International organization participation:
  ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group,
  BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, Paris Club, PCA,
  PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
  chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: William A. STANTON, Charge d'Affaires ad interim
  embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
  Territory 2600
  mailing address: APO AP 96549
  telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
  FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
  consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a
  large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as
  the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies
  of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six
  original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and
  external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the
  Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed
  star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Economy Australia

Economy - overview:
  Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist economy, with a
  per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European
  economies. Rising output in the domestic economy, robust business
  and consumer confidence, and rising exports of raw materials and
  agricultural products are fueling the economy. Australia's emphasis
  on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties with China are other key
  factors behind the economy's strength. The impact of drought, weak
  foreign demand, and strong import demand pushed the trade deficit up
  from $8 billion in 2002, to $18 billion in 2003, and to $13 billion
  in 2004. One other concern is the rapid increase in domestic housing
  prices, which have raised the prospect that interest rates will need
  to be raised to prevent a speculative bubble.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $611.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $30,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 28.2% services: 68.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  10.35 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 3.6%, industry 26.4%, services 70% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.1% (December 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $222.7 billion
  expenditures: $221.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  17.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Industries:
  mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing,
  chemicals, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  210.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 8.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  195.6 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  537,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  530,800 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $-38.3 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $86.89 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and
  transport equipment

Exports - partners:
  Japan 18.6%, China 9.2%, US 8.1%, South Korea 7.7%, New Zealand
  7.4%, India 4.6%, UK 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $98.1 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines,
  telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  US 14.8%, China 12.7%, Japan 11.8%, Germany 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%,
  UK 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $35.14 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $308.7 billion (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
  1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Australia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10.815 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  14.347 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
  domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
  areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
  telephones
  international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
  Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10
  Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian
  and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  25.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  104 (1997)

Televisions:
  10.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .au

Internet hosts:
  2,847,763 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  571 (2002)

Internet users:
  9.472 million (2002)

Transportation Australia

Railways:
  total: 54,439 km (3859 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 5,434 km 1.600-m gauge
  standard gauge: 34,110 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 14,895 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 811,603 km
  paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and Murray-Darling
  river systems) (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 492 km; gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km;
  oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point, Melbourne,
  Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

Merchant marine:
  total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461 GRT/1,999,409 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, container 1,
  liquefied gas 4, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8,
  roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 16 (France 1, Germany 3, Japan 1, Philippines 1,
  Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 7)
  registered in other countries: 35 (2005)

Airports:
  448 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 305 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 131 914 to 1,523 m: 139 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 112 under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Military Australia

Military branches:
  Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal Australian
  Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations Command

Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 4,943,676 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 4,092,717 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 142,158 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $16.65 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Australia

Disputes - international:
  East Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree over how to
  delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share unexploited
  petroleum resources that fall outside the Joint Petroleum
  Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty; East Timor
  dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary with
  Indonesia (see also Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute); regional
  states express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of a
  1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime indentification zone; Australia
  asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in
  2004 Australia submitted claims to UNCLOS to extend its continental
  margin from both its mainland and Antarctic claims

Illicit drugs:
  Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate
  products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium
  poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Austria

Introduction Austria

Background:
  Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire,
  Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World
  War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent
  occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status
  remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended
  the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
  unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
  declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
  Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in
  1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some
  Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous,
  democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union
  in 1999.

Geography Austria

Location:
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
  47 20 N, 13 20 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 83,870 sq km
  land: 82,444 sq km
  water: 1,426 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,562 km
  border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
  km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
  km, Switzerland 164 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent rain and
  some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate summers with
  occasional showers

Terrain:
  in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the eastern
  and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Natural resources:
  oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc, antimony,
  magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 16.91% permanent crops: 0.86% other: 82.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  457 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Environment - current issues: some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution; soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria between northern and southern Europe

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central Europe
  with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major river
  is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
  because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

People Austria

Population:
  8,184,691 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.6% (male 656,058/female 624,574)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,790,673/female 2,756,612)
  65 years and over: 16.6% (male 543,626/female 813,148) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.44 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.61 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.11% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.81 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.92 years
  male: 76.03 years
  female: 81.96 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian

Ethnic groups:
  Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians, Slovenes,
  Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or unspecified
  2.4% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other 3.5%,
  unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Languages:
  German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia),
  Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Austria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Vienna

Administrative divisions:
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
  Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
  Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Independence:
  1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 12 November 1918 (republic
  proclaimed)

National holiday:
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the State
  Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of occupation and
  the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Constitution:
  1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Legal system:
  civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
  legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
  administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
  February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
  of the chancellor
  elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
  term; presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2010); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from
  the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen
  by the president on the advice of the chancellor
  election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
  Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
  note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of Federal
  Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members represent each of the
  states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
  least three representatives; members serve a five- or six-year term)
  and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
  by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
  held in the fall of 2006)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
  42.3%, SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats by party - OeVP
  79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17; seating as of May 2005 after split
  within the Freedom Party: OeVP 79, SPOe 69, Greens 17, BZOe 11, FPOe
  7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Administrative
  Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court or
  Verfassungsgerichtshof

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Joerg HAIDER]; Austrian
  People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party of
  Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic Party
  of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander VAN
  DER BELLEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but
  primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
  OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman
  Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
  Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
  OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
  non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
  rights

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0, 31375, 31335
  FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Economy Austria

Economy - overview:
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high standard
  of living, is closely tied to other EU economies, especially
  Germany's. The economy features up-to-date industrial and
  agricultural sectors. Timber is a key industry, 47% of the land area
  being forested. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
  investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
  market and proximity to the new EU economies. Slow growth in Europe
  has held the economy to 0.7% growth in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, 0.8% in
  2003, and 1.9% in 2004. To meet increased competition from both EU
  and Central European countries, particularly the new EU members,
  Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the
  economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and encourage
  much greater participation in the labor market by its aging
  population. The aging phenomenon, together with already high health
  and pension costs, poses fundamental problems in tax and welfare
  policies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $255.9 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $31,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 30.8% services: 66.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 3.45 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%, services 67% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  3.9% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $142.5 billion
  expenditures: $146.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products, cattle,
  pigs, poultry; lumber

Industries:
  construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals,
  chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
  communications equipment, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  58.49 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.3% hydro: 67.2% nuclear: 0% other: 3.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  55.09 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  14.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  15.4 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  262,000 bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $-3.283 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $102.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
  paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
  foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 32%, Italy 8.9%, US 6%, Switzerland 4.8%, France 4.2%, UK
  4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $101.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal goods,
  oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Germany 46.3%, Italy 6.8%, Switzerland 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $12.73 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $15.5 billion (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $520 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; as of 1 January 2002, the euro became the only
  legal tender in EMU member countries, including Austria

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Austria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.881 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,094,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
  optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
  services are available
  international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in
  addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
  (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  6.08 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  4.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .at

Internet hosts:
  387,006 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  37 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.73 million (2003)

Transportation Austria

Railways:
  total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km
  0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 200,000 km
  paved: 200,000 km (including 1,645 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  358 km (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,624 GRT/37,425 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, container 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
  registered in other countries: 19 (2005)

Airports:
  55 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 27 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Austria

Military branches:
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory military service obligation will be reduced from 8 months to 6 (June 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,914,800 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,550,441 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 48,967 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Austria

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South American
  cocaine destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Azerbaijan

Introduction Azerbaijan

Background:
  Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim population
  - regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union
  in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve
  its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
  enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its
  territory and must support some 571,000 internally displaced persons
  as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous and the
  promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum
  resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Geography Azerbaijan

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and
  Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range

Geographic coordinates:
  40 30 N, 47 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 86,600 sq km
  land: 86,100 sq km
  water: 500 sq km
  note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
  Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
  Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

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

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

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  dry, semiarid steppe

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

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

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

Land use: arable land: 19.63% permanent crops: 2.71% other: 77.66% (2001)

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

Natural hazards:
  droughts

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

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

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

People Azerbaijan

Population:
  7,911,974 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 1,063,731/female 1,028,684)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,533,762/female 2,665,381)
  65 years and over: 7.8% (male 245,758/female 374,658) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.53 years
  male: 26.09 years
  female: 29 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.59% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.4 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 81.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 83.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 79.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63.35 years
  male: 59.24 years
  female: 67.66 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Azerbaijani(s)
  adjective: Azerbaijani

Ethnic groups:
  Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%, other
  3.9% (1999 census)
  note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
  region

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

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

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 98.2% (1999 est.)

Government Azerbaijan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
  conventional short form: Azerbaijan
  local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
  local short form: none
  former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Baku (Baki)

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

Independence:
  30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

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

Constitution:
  adopted 12 November 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
  confirmed by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
  election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008);
  prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the
  president and confirmed by the National Assembly
  election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
  Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
  basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
  on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
  referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
  next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
  CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
  note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
  seats

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of "Reform"
  faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic" faction]; Civic
  Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic Union Party
  [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA [Ramiz
  AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party for
  Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party [Ilyas
  ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat HACIYEVA];
  Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or NAP
  [vacant]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA
  [Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
  or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
  note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh
  Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of Pro-Azerbaijani
  Forces (UPAF)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500 FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Reno L. HARNISH III embassy: 83 Azadlyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007 mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050 Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050 telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37 FAX: [9] (9412) 656-671

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a
  crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in red band

Economy Azerbaijan

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

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $30.01 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.1% industry: 45.7% services: 40.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  5.09 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  1.2% (official rate) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  49% (2002 est.)

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

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  65.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.715 billion
  expenditures: $2.801 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  17.55 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.7% hydro: 10.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  17.37 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  505 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.558 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  312,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $-2.899 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.168 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Italy 26.6%, Czech Republic 11.9%, Germany 8.1%, Indonesia 6.4%,
  Romania 6.2%, Georgia 6%, Russia 5.3%, Turkey 5.2%, France 4.1%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $3.622 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Russia 16.1%, UK 12.5%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 7.8%, Ukraine 5.6%,
  Netherlands 4.9%, US 4.1%, Italy 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $875 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.832 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Currency code:
  AZM

Exchange rates:
  Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,913.48 (2004), 4,910.73
  (2003), 4,860.82 (2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Azerbaijan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  923,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  870,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable expansion and
  modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100 persons is low
  (2002)
  domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
  industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
  telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
  switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
  international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
  and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey
  enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which
  are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than
  Turkey (1997)

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

Radios:
  175,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  170,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .az

Internet hosts:
  586 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  300,000 (2002)

Transportation Azerbaijan

Railways: total: 2,957 km broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 28,030 km paved: 25,890 km unpaved: 2,130 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,451 km; oil 1,518 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Baku (Baki)

Merchant marine:
  total: 81 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 253,004 GRT/318,922 DWT
  by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker
  41, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 2
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Airports:
  50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 27 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Azerbaijan

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

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; law passed December 2001 raises maximum conscription age from 28 to 35 (December 2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,961,973 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,314,955 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 82,358 (2005 est.)

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

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

Transnational Issues Azerbaijan

Disputes - international:
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh
  and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied 16% of Azerbaijan
  - Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
  continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly ethnic
  Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia; about
  230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in Azerbaijan
  into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through Armenia to
  connect to Naxcivan exclave; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Russia
  ratify Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on equidistance,
  while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth allocation and
  challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in disputed waters;
  bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on dividing the seabed
  and contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; Azerbaijan and
  Georgia cannot resolve the alignment of their boundary at certain
  crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 571,000 (conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  CIS consumption; small government eradication program; transit point
  for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a lesser extent
  the rest of Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Bahamas, The

Introduction Bahamas, The

Background:
  Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher Columbus
  first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492. British
  settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became a colony
  in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973, The
  Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking and
  investment management. Because of its geography, the country is a
  major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly shipments
  to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal migrants
  into the US.

Geography Bahamas, The

Location:
  Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
  of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
  24 15 N, 76 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 13,940 sq km
  land: 10,070 sq km
  water: 3,870 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3,542 km

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

Climate:
  tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Terrain:
  long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Natural resources: salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 0.8% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 98.8% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive flood and wind
  damage

Environment - current issues:
  coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
  strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive island chain
  of which 30 are inhabited

People Bahamas, The

Population:
  301,790
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.55 years
  male: 26.78 years
  female: 28.34 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.67% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.54 years
  male: 62.11 years
  female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Bahamian(s) adjective: Bahamian

Ethnic groups:
  black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Religions:
  Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%, Pentecostal
  8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other Christian 15.2%,
  none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.6%
  male: 94.7%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Government Bahamas, The

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
  conventional short form: The Bahamas

Government type:
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Nassau

Administrative divisions:
  21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat Island,
  Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green Turtle Cay,
  Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long Island, Marsh
  Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and Berry Islands,
  Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador and Rum Cay

Independence:
  10 July 1973 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Constitution:
  10 July 1973

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
  and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member body
  appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
  minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
  House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
  to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the
  parliament and call elections at any time
  elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
  independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST]; Progressive
  Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,
  IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660 FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD
  embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
  mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
  Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
  20521-3370
  telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
  FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold, and
  aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Bahamas, The

Economy - overview:
  The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an economy heavily
  dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism alone accounts
  for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly employs half of
  the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in tourism receipts and
  a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts, and residences had
  led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the slowdown in the US
  economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held back growth in
  these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services constitute the
  second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy, accounting for
  about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when the government
  enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many international
  businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and agriculture
  together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and show little
  growth, despite government incentives aimed at those sectors.
  Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on the
  fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the US,
  the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to tourism
  and banking, the government supports the development of a "third
  pillar," e-commerce.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $5.295 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 7% services: 90% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 156,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: 27% (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.2% (year ending September 2004)

Budget:
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $106.7
  million (FY03/04)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, vegetables; poultry

Industries:
  tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum, aragonite,
  pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  1.716 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  1.596 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $636 million (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  mineral products and salt, animal products, rum, chemicals; fruit
  and vegetables

Exports - partners:
  US 40.2%, Poland 13.3%, Spain 11.6%, Germany 5.9%, France 4.3%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $1.63 billion (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures, chemicals, mineral
  fuels; food and live animals

Imports - partners:
  US 22.4%, South Korea 18.9%, Brazil 9.2%, Japan 7.9%, Italy 7.8%,
  Venezuela 6.6% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $308.5 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $9.8 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Currency code:
  BSD

Exchange rates:
  Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1
  (2001), 1 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Bahamas, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
  131,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  121,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern facilities
  domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
  international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
  submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  215,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2004)

Televisions:
  67,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bs

Internet hosts:
  302 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  19 (2000)

Internet users:
  84,000 (2003)

Transportation Bahamas, The

Highways: total: 2,693 km paved: 1,546 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,119
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 183, cargo 259, chemical
  tanker 54, combination ore/oil 17, container 74, liquefied gas 28,
  livestock carrier 2, passenger 116, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum
  tanker 168, refrigerated cargo 130, roll on/roll off 20, specialized
  tanker 2, vehicle carrier 24
  foreign-owned: 968 (Angola 4, Australia 4, Belgium 17, Canada 9,
  China 3, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 18, Estonia 1,
  Finland 7, France 28, Germany 15, Greece 194, Hong Kong 11,
  Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 7, Japan 49, Jordan 2, Kenya
  1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 15, Netherlands 24, New Zealand 1,
  Nigeria 2, Norway 229, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia
  12, Serbia & Montenegro 2, Singapore 11, Slovenia 1, South Korea 1,
  Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Thailand 1, Trinidad & Tobago 2,
  Turkey 7, UAE 12, United Kingdom 55, United States 154, Uruguay 2)
  registered in other countries: 35 (2005)

Airports:
  63 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bahamas, The

Military branches:
  Royal Bahamaian Defense Force (naval forces) (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Bahamas, The

Disputes - international:
  have not been able to agree on the alignment of a maritime boundary
  with the US; continues to monitor and interdict Haitian refugees
  fleeing economic privation and political instability

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for US and
  Europe; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Bahrain

Introduction Bahrain

Background:
  Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
  countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
  affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
  Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
  transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
  amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
  and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
  February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
  Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
  liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
  Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
  members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
  legislature, the National Assembly.

Geography Bahrain

Location:
  Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  26 00 N, 50 33 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 665 sq km
  land: 665 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  161 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Climate:
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:
  mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Natural resources: oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Land use: arable land: 2.82% permanent crops: 5.63% other: 91.55% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  50 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; dust storms

Environment - current issues:
  desertification resulting from the degradation of limited arable
  land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal degradation
  (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation) resulting
  from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers, oil
  refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater resources,
  groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all water needs

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

Geography - note:
  close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
  location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's
  petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

People Bahrain

Population: 688,345 note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 96,807/female 94,863)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 275,792/female 197,424)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 12,078/female 11,381) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.19 years
  male: 32.16 years
  female: 25.54 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.51% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 17.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.23 years
  male: 71.76 years
  female: 76.78 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bahraini(s)
  adjective: Bahraini

Ethnic groups:
  Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8% (2001
  census)

Languages:
  Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.1%
  male: 91.9%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

Government Bahrain

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
  conventional short form: Bahrain
  local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
  local short form: Al Bahrayn
  former: Dilmun

Government type:
  constitutional hereditary monarchy

Capital:
  Manama

Administrative divisions:
  12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd, Al
  Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al Mintaqah
  ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al Janubiyah,
  Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar, Sitrah
  note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Independence:
  15 August 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is the date
  of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date of
  independence from British protection

Constitution:
  new constitution 14 February 2002

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March 1999);
  Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the monarch,
  born 21 October 1969)
  head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa
  (since NA 1971)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
  appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members
  appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
  elected to serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next
  election to be held NA 2006)
  election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10
  note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
  Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
  bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14
  February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25
  December 2002

Judicial branch:
  High Civil Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders: political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding
  the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to
  unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
  fundamentalist groups are active

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir al-BALUSHI chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111 FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club), Block 331, Zinj District, Manama mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE 09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama telephone: [973] 1724-2700 FAX: [973] 1725-6242 (consular)

Flag description:
  red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states, with a
  white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side; the five
  points represent the five pillars of Islam

Economy Bahrain

Economy - overview:
  In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining account
  for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government revenues, and
  30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication and transport
  facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational firms with
  business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consist of petroleum
  products made from refining imported crude. Construction proceeds on
  several major industrial projects. Unemployment, especially among
  the young, and the depletion of oil and underground water resources
  are major long-term economic problems. In September 2004 Bahrain
  signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States - the
  first such agreement undertaken by a Gulf state. Both countries must
  ratify the FTA before it is enforced.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $13.01 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0.7%
  industry: 41%
  services: 58.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  370,000
  note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%, government 20% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.825 billion
  expenditures: $3.262 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Industries:
  petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron
  pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.86 billion kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  6.379 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  44,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  40,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  126 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  32.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  32.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  46 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $586.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $8.205 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%, UAE 2.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.87 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 32.4%, Japan 7.3%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.6%, UK 5.4%,
  France 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.141 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $6.215 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from each of
  Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Currency (code):
  Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Currency code:
  BHD

Exchange rates:
  Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003), 0.376
  (2002), 0.376 (2001), 0.376 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bahrain

Telephones - main lines in use:
  185,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  443,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
  with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
  international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
  UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
  Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  338,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (1997)

Televisions:
  275,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bh

Internet hosts:
  1,334 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  195,700 (2003)

Transportation Bahrain

Highways: total: 3,459 km paved: 2,653 km unpaved: 806 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Kuwait 2) (2005)

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Bahrain

Military branches:
  Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air Defense),
  Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 202,126 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 161,372 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 6,013 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $628.9 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  6.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Bahrain

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Baker Island

Introduction Baker Island

Background:
  The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano
  deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second
  half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
  colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
  Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
  Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
  Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
  of the west coast.

Geography Baker Island

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  0 13 N, 176 31 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 1.4 sq km
  land: 1.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  4.8 km

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

Climate:
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
  low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting of grasses,
  prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,
  roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
  wildlife

People Baker Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
  remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
  middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
  Service (2005 est.)

Government Baker Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Baker Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
  Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

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

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Baker Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Baker Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
  landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
  1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered with
  vegetation and unusable (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Baker Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
  Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Baker Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Bangladesh

Introduction Bangladesh

Background:
  Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East Pakistan
  seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of this
  extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
  season, hampering economic development.

Geography Bangladesh

Location:
  Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma and India

Geographic coordinates:
  24 00 N, 90 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 144,000 sq km
  land: 133,910 sq km
  water: 10,090 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Iowa

Land boundaries: total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Coastline: 580 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid summer (March
  to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
  mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Natural resources: natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Land use: arable land: 62.11% permanent crops: 3.07% other: 34.82% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely inundated during
  the summer monsoon season

Environment - current issues:
  many people are landless and forced to live on and cultivate
  flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in surface water;
  water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results from the use
  of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by naturally
  occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of falling
  water tables in the northern and central parts of the country; soil
  degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe overpopulation

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

Geography - note:
  most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers flowing
  from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main channel
  of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually empty
  into the Bay of Bengal

People Bangladesh

Population:
  144,319,628 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.1% (male 24,590,207/female 23,162,420)
  15-64 years: 63.5% (male 46,764,824/female 44,868,733)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,650,683/female 2,282,761) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.87 years
  male: 21.88 years
  female: 21.85 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 62.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 62.08 years
  male: 62.13 years
  female: 62.02 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.13 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  650 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Bangladeshi(s)
  adjective: Bangladeshi

Ethnic groups:
  Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Religions:
  Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
  Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 43.1%
  male: 53.9%
  female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Government Bangladesh

Country name:
  conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
  conventional short form: Bangladesh
  former: East Pakistan

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Dhaka

Administrative divisions:
  6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, Rajshahi, and
  Sylhet

Independence:
  16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March 1971 is the
  date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is known
  as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state
  of Bangladesh

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971 is the date
  of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is Victory Day
  and commemorates the official creation of the state of Bangladesh

Constitution:
  4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended following
  coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended many times

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6 September 2002);
  note - the president's duties are normally ceremonial, but with the
  13th amendment to the constitution ("Caretaker Government
  Amendment"), the president's role becomes significant at times when
  Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker government is installed - at
  presidential direction - to supervise the elections
  head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
  president
  elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
  term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since
  Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in
  on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
  seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
  elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
  - NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300 seats elected
  by popular vote from single territorial constituencies (the
  constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and above
  the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members serve
  five-year terms
  elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance
  partners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP
  (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the
  election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned
  with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya
  Jote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are appointed by
  the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist Party or
  BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party or BNP
  [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti Fazlul
  Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI]; Jatiya
  Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD]; Jatiya Party
  (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
  OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY
  chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.
  embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
  mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
  telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500
  FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Flag description:
  green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of center;
  the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
  independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
  secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Economy Bangladesh

Economy - overview:
  Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to improve
  economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a poor,
  overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP is
  generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
  Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
  the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
  include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
  enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
  force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
  energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
  slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
  in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
  levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
  from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
  interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
  ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
  but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
  areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the
  past several years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $275.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 21.2%
  industry: 27.1%
  services: 51.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  65.49 million
  note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
  Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
  in 1998-99 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)

Unemployment rate:
  40% (includes underemployment) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  45% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.6 (FY95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $5.921 billion
  expenditures: $8.262 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  43% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco, pulses,
  oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Industries:
  cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper newsprint,
  cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  16.45 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.7% hydro: 6.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  15.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

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

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

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $216.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $7.478 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and seafood
  (2001)

Exports - partners:
  US 22.4%, Germany 14.5%, UK 11.2%, France 6.9%, Italy 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $10.03 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel, textiles,
  foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Imports - partners:
  India 15.1%, China 12.5%, Singapore 7.5%, Kuwait 5.5%, Japan 5.3%,
  Hong Kong 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $19.97 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  taka (BDT)

Currency code:
  BDT

Exchange rates:
  taka per US dollar - 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888 (2002),
  55.807 (2001), 52.142 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Bangladesh

Telephones - main lines in use:
  740,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.365 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern country
  domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
  include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
  fiber-optic cable in cities
  international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications
  and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
  6.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (1999)

Televisions:
  770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bd

Internet hosts:
  1 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (2000)

Internet users:
  243,000 (2003)

Transportation Bangladesh

Railways:
  total: 2,706 km
  broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 207,486 km
  paved: 19,773 km
  unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Waterways: 8,372 km note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,012 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Chittagong, Mongla Port

Merchant marine:
  total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 28, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,
  petroleum tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 10 (China 1, Singapore 9)
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Airports:
  16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bangladesh

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $995.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Bangladesh

Disputes - international:
  discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small section of
  river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries,
  allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border trade,
  migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous
  border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off
  high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint
  Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are
  missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha
  Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation;
  Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring countries

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Barbados

Introduction Barbados

Background:
  The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in
  1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island
  until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily
  dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the
  20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political
  reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the
  UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the
  sugar industry in economic importance.

Geography Barbados

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
  Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
  13 10 N, 59 32 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 431 sq km
  land: 431 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  97 km

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

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Terrain:
  relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 37.21% permanent crops: 2.33% other: 60.46% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers

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

Geography - note: easternmost Caribbean island

People Barbados

Population:
  279,254 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.6% (male 28,813/female 28,634)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 96,590/female 100,622)
  65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,432/female 15,163) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.15 years
  male: 32.99 years
  female: 35.28 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.33% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.59 years
  male: 70.6 years
  female: 74.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
  adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Ethnic groups:
  black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Religions:
  Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other
  12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Government Barbados

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

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
  Commonwealth

Capital:
  Bridgetown

Administrative divisions:
  11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint
  James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint
  Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may
  be given parish status

Independence:
  30 November 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Constitution:
  30 November 1966

Legal system:
  English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
  (since 1 June 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7
  September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body
  appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be
  held by May 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service
  Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Political parties and leaders:
  Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party
  or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union
  [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY];
  Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING
  chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER
  embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
  Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055
  telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
  FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue
  with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
  trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
  colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Economy Barbados

Economy - overview:
  Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane
  cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years
  has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance
  and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The
  government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to
  encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining
  state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly
  due to a decline in tourism. Growth probably was positive in 2004,
  as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.569 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $16,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 16% services: 78% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  128,500 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 10%, industry 15%, services 75% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.7% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $847 million (including grants)
  expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Industries:
  tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export

Industrial production growth rate:
  -3.2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  800 million kWh (2002)

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

Electricity - consumption:
  744 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

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

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

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

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

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

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $206 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals,
  electrical components

Exports - partners:
  US 20.6%, UK 14.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.9%, Saint Lucia 6.9%,
  Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.039 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials,
  chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Imports - partners:
  US 35.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 20%, UK 5.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $668 million (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $9.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Currency code:
  BBD

Exchange rates:
  Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2
  (2001), 2 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Barbados

Telephones - main lines in use:
  134,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  140,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
  international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
  Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  237,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)

Televisions:
  76,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bb

Internet hosts:
  204 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  19 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2003)

Transportation Barbados

Highways: total: 1,600 km paved: 1,578 km unpaved: 22 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Bridgetown

Merchant marine:
  total: 58 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 427,465 GRT/668,195 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 31, chemical tanker 6,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2,
  specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 53 (Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 12, Greece 11,
  Lebanon 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 17, UAE 1, United Kingdom 7)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Barbados

Military branches:
  Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command and Coast Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 71,330 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 51,298 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop
  Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land
  element is to defend the island against external aggression; the
  Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small
  regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it
  increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to
  prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)

Transnational Issues Barbados

Disputes - international:
  in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory
  international arbitration that will result in a binding award
  challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and
  Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters and the
  southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing; joins other
  Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island
  sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits
  Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion
  of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for
  Europe and the US; offshore financial center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Bassas da India

Introduction Bassas da India

Background:
  This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs and is awash at
  high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was placed under the
  administration of a commissioner residing in Reunion in 1968.

Geography Bassas da India

Location:
  Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique Channel, about
  one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 S, 39 50 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 0.2 sq km
  land: 0.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  35.2 km

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

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  volcanic rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all rock) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  maritime hazard since it is usually under water during high tide
  and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits atop a
  long-extinct, submerged volcano

People Bassas da India

Population: uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Government Bassas da India

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bassas da India

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur
  of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

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

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Bassas da India

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Bassas da India

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bassas da India

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Bassas da India

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Belarus

Introduction Belarus

Background:
  After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR, Belarus
  attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer political
  and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former Soviet
  republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state union
  on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
  integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
  accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his
  election in July 1995 as the country's first president, Alexander
  LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian
  means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,
  peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

Geography Belarus

Location:
  Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
  53 00 N, 28 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 207,600 sq km
  land: 207,600 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,900 km
  border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,
  Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
  continental and maritime

Terrain:
  generally flat and contains much marshland

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
  highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Natural resources:
  forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural gas,
  granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Land use: arable land: 29.55% permanent crops: 0.6% other: 69.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
  Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is
  geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,
  dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

People Belarus

Population:
  10,300,483 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16% (male 839,292/female 804,738)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 3,481,432/female 3,672,991)
  65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,717/female 1,003,313) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.03 years
  male: 34.32 years
  female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.72 years
  male: 63.03 years
  female: 74.69 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Belarusian(s)
  adjective: Belarusian

Ethnic groups:
  Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian 2.4%, other
  1.1% (1999 census)

Religions:
  Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic, Protestant,
  Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Languages:
  Belarusian, Russian, other

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Belarus

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
  conventional short form: Belarus
  local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
  local short form: none
  former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Capital:
  Minsk

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1 municipality*
  (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna, Mahilyow, Minsk,
  Vitsyebsk
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers

Independence:
  25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the date
  Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the date
  of independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November 1996
  giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became effective
  27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing
  presidential term limits

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20 July 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19
  December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
  1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
  however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996
  referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004
  referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run
  for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime
  ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie consists of
  the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64 seats; 56
  members elected by regional councils and 8 members appointed by the
  president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of Representatives
  or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected by universal
  adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October
  2004; international observers widely denounced the October 2004
  elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government
  falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates won every seat, after many
  opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons
  election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
  Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
  and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Political parties and leaders:
  Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [leader NA];
  Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic
  Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH,
  chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH];
  Social-Sports Party [leader NA]; Opposition parties: Belarusian
  Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat
  Party Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman];
  Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH,
  chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of
  Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's
  Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]
  note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr
  BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV
  chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL
  embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002
  mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
  telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348
  FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Flag description:
  red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half the
  width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
  bears Belarusian national ornamention in red

Economy Belarus

Economy - overview:
  Belarus's economy in 2003-04 posted 6.1% and 6.4% growth. Still,
  the economy continues to be hampered by high inflation, persistent
  trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia, Belarus'
  largest trading partner and energy supplier. Belarus has seen little
  structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO launched the
  country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping with this
  policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over prices and
  currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to intervene
  in the management of private enterprises. In addition, businesses
  have been subject to pressure on the part of central and local
  governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous
  rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business
  regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory
  owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at
  the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest
  in the world. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from
  the West and its open-market economies. Growth has been strong in
  recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed
  economy and the high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Growth has
  been buoyed by increased Russian demand for generally noncompetitive
  Belarusian goods.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $70.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 36.4% services: 52.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.305 million (31 December 2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14%, industry 34.7%, services 51.3% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2% officially registered unemployed; large number of underemployed
  workers (2004)

Population below poverty line:
  27.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  21.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  17.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.326 billion
  expenditures: $3.564 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Industries:
  metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
  motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
  radios, refrigerators

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  30 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  34.3 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
  800 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  3.2 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  36,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  285,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - imports:
  360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  250 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  18.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  18.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-1.119 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $11.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals, metals;
  textiles, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Russia 47%, UK 8.3%, Netherlands 6.7%, Poland 5.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $13.57 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Russia 68.2%, Germany 6.6%, Ukraine 3.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $770.2 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $600 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $194.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Currency code:
  BYB/BYR

Exchange rates:
  Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27 (2003),
  1,790.92 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Belarus

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,071,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.118 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications controls all
  telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock company)
  Beltelcom which is a monopoly
  domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
  cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
  local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
  Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
  serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form
  synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
  systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
  international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
  Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
  and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic
  segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
  Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
  infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
  Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
  3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  2.52 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .by

Internet hosts:
  5,308 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  23 (2002)

Internet users:
  1,391,900 (2003)

Transportation Belarus

Railways:
  total: 5,512 km
  broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 15 km 1.435-m (2004)

Highways:
  total: 79,990 km
  paved: 69,351 km
  unpaved: 10,639 km (2002)

Waterways:
  2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country and by
  shallowness) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Mazyr

Airports:
  133 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 50
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 83
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 64 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Belarus

Military branches:
  Army, Air and Air Defense Force

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (May 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,520,644 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,657,984 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 85,202 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $176.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Belarus

Disputes - international:
  1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing
  border security; boundary with Latvia remains undemarcated but a
  third of the border with Lithuania was demarcated in 2004

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for the
  domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and via
  Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and lightly
  regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering legislation
  does not meet international standards; few investigations or
  prosecutions of money-laundering activities

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Belgium

Introduction Belgium

Background:
  Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was
  occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in
  the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European
  state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
  Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
  Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
  amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Geography Belgium

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the
  Netherlands

Geographic coordinates:
  50 50 N, 4 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 30,528 sq km
  land: 30,278 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Maryland

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,385 km
  border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
  Netherlands 450 km

Coastline:
  66.5 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
  continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Climate:
  temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Terrain:
  flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged
  mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: North Sea 0 m
  highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Natural resources:
  construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Land use: arable land: 23.28% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% note: includes Luxembourg (2001)

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed coastal
  land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Environment - current issues:
  the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
  activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
  extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
  pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
  uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
  resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals
  within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and
  NATO

People Belgium

Population:
  10,364,388 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.9% (male 892,995/female 855,177)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,435,282/female 3,373,917)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 745,178/female 1,061,839) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.55 years
  male: 39.29 years
  female: 41.81 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.15% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.62 years
  male: 75.44 years
  female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  10,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Belgian(s)
  adjective: Belgian

Ethnic groups:
  Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Languages:
  Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less
  than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Belgium

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
  conventional short form: Belgium
  local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
  local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Government type:
  federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch

Capital:
  Brussels

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
  provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;
  Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),
  Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
  Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities

Independence:
  4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares independence from
  the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I ascends to the throne)

National holiday:
  21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Constitution:
  7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to create
  a federal state

Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory;
  judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent
  Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch and then approved by parliament
  note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat
  in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular
  vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and
  a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch,
  Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003
  (next to be held no later than May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit
  15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
  5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
  VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
  senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
  15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
  11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
  23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
  governments each with its own legislative assembly

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de
  Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
  Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
  Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V [Jo
  VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS]; GROEN!
  (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish Alliance
  or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A
  [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated
  with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]
  Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,
  Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center
  of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET];
  Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation of
  Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing
  bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and
  medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural
  interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax
  Christi and groups representing immigrants

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
  (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
  chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
  embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
  FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  the design was based on the flag of France

Economy Belgium

Economy - overview:
  This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its
  central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and
  diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated
  mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With few natural
  resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw
  materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
  economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
  three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
  is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has
  succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is
  relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in
  January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of
  the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $316.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 25.7% services: 73% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.75 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12% (first half, 2004)

Population below poverty line:
  4% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $173.7 billion
  expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $1.56 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  96.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal,
  pork, milk

Industries:
  engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
  transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and
  beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  76.58 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 38.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 59.3% other: 1.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  78.82 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  9.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  16.7 billion kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
  595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

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

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

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

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

Current account balance:
  $11.4 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $255.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal
  products, foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US 6.5%,
  Italy 5.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $235 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, pharmaceuticals,
  foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Imports - partners:
  Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%, Ireland
  6.3%, US 5.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.45 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Belgium

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,120,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,135,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed, technologically advanced, and
  completely automated domestic and international telephone and
  telegraph facilities
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
  network; limited microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  8.075 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.72 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .be

Internet hosts:
  166,799 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  61 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.4 million (2002)

Transportation Belgium

Railways: total: 3,521 km standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 149,028 km
  paved: 116,540 km (including 1,729 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)

Waterways:
  2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Merchant marine:
  total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8,
  liquefied gas 17, petroleum tanker 9
  foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 4, France 4, Greece 4)
  registered in other countries: 101 (2005)

Airports:
  43 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Belgium

Military branches:
  Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise some 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 2,436,736 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,998,003 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 64,263 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.999 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Belgium

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound
  ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and
  marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a strengthening of
  legislation, the country remains vulnerable to money laundering
  related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and tobacco

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Belize

Introduction Belize

Background:
  Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
  independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
  Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
  has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
  by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
  trade, and increasing urban crime.

Geography Belize

Location:
  Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
  Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  17 15 N, 88 45 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 22,966 sq km
  land: 22,806 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Coastline:
  386 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from
  the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
  territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
  1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
  negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with
  Guatemala
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry
  season (February to May)

Terrain:
  flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Natural resources: arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 1.71% other: 95.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal
  flooding (especially in south)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents,
  agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

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

Geography - note:
  only country in Central America without a coastline on the North
  Pacific Ocean

People Belize

Population:
  279,457 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 40.1% (male 57,114/female 54,877)
  15-64 years: 56.4% (male 79,694/female 77,881)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,768/female 5,123) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.35 years
  male: 19.21 years
  female: 19.49 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.33% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.44 years
  male: 66.54 years
  female: 70.44 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Belizean(s) adjective: Belizean

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%, Anglican
  5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist 3.5%,
  Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Languages:
  English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 94.1%
  female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Government Belize

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Belize former: British Honduras

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Belmopan

Administrative divisions:
  6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo

Independence:
  21 September 1981 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Constitution:
  21 September 1981

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
  November 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
  August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
  minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members
  appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime
  minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and
  one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
  Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
  and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
  Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
  members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next
  to be held March 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PUP 21, UDP 8

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
  People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party
  or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele
  CATZIM]

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
  LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
  chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
  embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City
  telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
  FAX: [501] 2-30802

Flag description:
  blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges;
  centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of
  arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany
  tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the
  Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland

Economy Belize

Economy - overview:
  In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism
  industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by
  marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The
  government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
  September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 6% in
  1999-2004. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit
  and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction
  of poverty with the help of international donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.778 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 17.7%
  industry: 15%
  services: 67.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  90,000
  note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
  (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.9% (2003)

Population below poverty line:
  33% (1999 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  33.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $244.5 million
  expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments

Industries:
  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.6% (1999)

Electricity - production:
  117 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 59.9% hydro: 40.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  108.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

Oil - consumption:
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-115 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $401.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood

Exports - partners:
  US 37.2%, UK 26.8%, Jamaica 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $579.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Imports - partners:
  US 30.1%, Mexico 12%, Guatemala 7.4%, Cuba 7.2%, China 4.2%, Japan
  4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $111.1 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Belizean dollar (BZD)

Currency code:
  BZD

Exchange rates:
  Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2
  (2001), 2 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Belize

Telephones - main lines in use:
  33,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  60,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: above-average system
  domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  133,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  41,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bz

Internet hosts:
  2,613 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2002)

Transportation Belize

Highways: total: 2,872 km paved: 488 km unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Belize City

Merchant marine:
  total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 207, chemical tanker 9, container 6,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 17, roll
  on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 142 (Australia 2, Belgium 1, China 50, Cuba 1, Cyprus
  1, Estonia 9, Germany 4, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 3, Italy 2, Japan 5,
  Latvia 4, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, Pakistan 1, Poland 2, Russia 23,
  Singapore 5, South Korea 6, Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 2,
  Ukraine 4, UAE 3, United States 2) (2005)

Airports:
  43 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 38
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Military Belize

Military branches:
  Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and
  Volunteer Guard

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available positions by 3:1 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 60,750 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 41,368 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 3,209 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $18 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Belize

Disputes - international:
  Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely uninhabited
  rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive
  the 2002 failed Differendum that created a small adjustment to land
  boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, joint
  ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and substantial US-UK
  financial package

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer
  of cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering
  activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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

@Benin

Introduction Benin

Background:
  Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African
  kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French
  Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the
  Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in
  1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment
  of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to
  representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free
  elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
  president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
  from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
  elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
  alleged.

Geography Benin

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria and
  Togo

Geographic coordinates:
  9 30 N, 2 15 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 112,620 sq km
  land: 110,620 sq km
  water: 2,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,989 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
  Togo 644 km

Coastline:
  121 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Natural resources: small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Land use: arable land: 18.08% permanent crops: 2.4% other: 79.52% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December to
  March

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens wildlife
  populations; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
  harbors, river mouths, or islands

People Benin

Population:
  7,460,025
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 1,752,243/female 1,719,458)
  15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,868,630/female 1,948,610)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 70,367/female 100,717) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.56 years
  male: 16.12 years
  female: 17.01 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.82% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 90 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 79.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 52.66 years
  male: 51.53 years
  female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  68,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Beninese

Ethnic groups:
  African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,
  Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
  south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 33.6%
  male: 46.4%
  female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Government Benin

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Benin
  conventional short form: Benin
  local long form: Republique du Benin
  local short form: Benin
  former: Dahomey

Government type:
  republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped Marxism-Leninism
  December 1989

Capital:
  Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
  government

Administrative divisions:
  12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou, Collines,
  Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Independence:
  1 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  National Day, 1 August (1960)

Constitution:
  December 1990

Legal system:
  based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of
  vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
  note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round
  presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%,
  Nicephore SOGLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
  (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of
  State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18
  March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGLO and
  HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to
  run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed
  a "friendly match"

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other
  small parties) 31

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court or
  Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
  African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African
  Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
  Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
  Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic
  Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
  Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress
  and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA];
  Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and four small parties);
  Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star
  Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin
  or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
  note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
  NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou telephone: [229] 30-06-50 FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom) with a
  vertical green band on the hoist side

Economy Benin

Economy - overview:
  The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
  subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
  Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years,
  but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase.
  Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
  raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
  investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
  development of new food processing systems and agricultural
  products, and encourage new information and communication
  technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in
  telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
  initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral
  creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for
  more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by
  Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of
  products from Benin and elsewhere. As a result, smuggling and
  criminality along the Benin-Nigeria border has been on the rise.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $8.338 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 36.3%
  industry: 14.3%
  services: 49.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  33% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $869.4 million
  expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil, peanuts, livestock (2001)

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement (2001)

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.3% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  285.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.2% hydro: 85.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  565.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  300 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  608.8 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-159.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $720.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%,
  Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $934.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $839.3 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.6 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $342.6 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Benin

Telephones - main lines in use:
  66,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  236,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
  cellular connections
  international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Radios:
  660,000 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  66,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .bj

Internet hosts:
  879 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2002)

Internet users:
  70,000 (2003)

Transportation Benin

Railways: total: 578 km narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 6,787 km
  paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Cotonou

Airports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Benin

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 21-49: 1,207,071
  females age 21-49: 1,216,180 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 21-49: 670,170
  females age 21-49: 630,078 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 72,841
  females: 71,428 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $96.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Benin

Disputes - international:
  two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina Faso;
  accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of Benin-Niger
  boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and
  the states expect a ruling in 2005 from the ICJ over the disputed
  Niger and Mekrou River islands; a joint task force was established
  in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the maritime and the
  870-km land boundary with Nigeria, including the sovereignty over
  seven villages along the Okpara River; a joint boundary commission
  continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to verify Benin's claim
  that Togo moved boundary stones

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
  trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western
  Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly
  regulated financial infrastructure

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Bermuda

Introduction Bermuda

Background:
  Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English colonists
  headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North American
  winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism continues to be
  important to the island's economy, although international business
  has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has developed into a
  highly successful offshore financial center. A referendum on
  independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Geography Bermuda

Location:
  North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, east
  of South Carolina (US)

Geographic coordinates:
  32 20 N, 64 45 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 53.3 sq km
  land: 53.3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  103 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in winter

Terrain:
  low hills separated by fertile depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Natural resources: limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Land use: arable land: 20% permanent crops: 0% other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (June to November)

Environment - current issues:
  asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open space;
  sustainable development

Geography - note:
  consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample rainfall,
  but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by US
  Government from 1941 to 1995

People Bermuda

Population:
  65,365 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 6,177/female 6,154)
  15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,422/female 22,828)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,378/female 4,406) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.76 years
  male: 38.78 years
  female: 40.58 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.64% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.79 years
  male: 75.7 years
  female: 79.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Bermudian(s)
  adjective: Bermudian

Ethnic groups:
  black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%, unspecified
  0.4% (2000 census)

Religions:
  Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist Episcopal 11%,
  other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%, unspecified 1%,
  none 14% (2000 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Portuguese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 99% (1970 est.)

Government Bermuda

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bermuda former: Somers Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
  self-government

Capital:
  Hamilton

Administrative divisions:
  9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton, Hamilton*,
  Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys, Smith's,
  Southampton, Warwick

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Bermuda Day, 24 May

Constitution:
  8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)
  head of government: Premier William Alexander SCOTT (since 24 July
  2003); Deputy Premier Ewart BROWN
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed premier by the governor

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member body
  appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and the
  House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve up to five-year terms)
  elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held
  July 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;
  seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Progressive Labor Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT]; United
  Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant GIBBONS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial Union
  or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or BPSU [Ed
  BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCO,
  Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3 mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place, Washington, DC 20520-5300 telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342 FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Flag description:
  red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with a red lion
  holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship Sea
  Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy Bermuda

Economy - overview:
  Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the world,
  nearly equal to that of the US. Its economy is primarily based on
  providing financial services for international business and luxury
  facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001 have had
  both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On the
  positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have located on
  the island, contributing to the expansion of an already robust
  international business sector. On the negative side, Bermuda's
  tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors from the
  US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to travel.
  Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-04. Most capital equipment and
  food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is small,
  although construction continues to be important; the average cost of
  a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is limited,
  only 20% of the land being arable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.33 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 10% services: 89% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 37,470 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%, professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%, sales 8%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  19% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (mid-2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $671.1 million
  expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55
  million (FY03/04)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Industries:
  tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  643 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  598 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $879 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  reexports of pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
  France 73.2%, UK 6.2%, Spain 2.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.523 billion (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  chemicals, food and live animals

Imports - partners:
  Kazakhstan 39.2%, France 16.2%, Japan 13.1%, Italy 9.2%, South
  Korea 8.8%, US 6.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $160 million (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Currency code:
  BMD

Exchange rates:
  Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged to the
  US dollar)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Bermuda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  56,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  37,873 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good
  domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
  trunk lines
  international: country code - 1-441; 3 fiber optic submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2004)

Televisions:
  66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bm

Internet hosts:
  5,161 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  20 (2000)

Internet users:
  34,500 (2003)

Transportation Bermuda

Highways: total: 450 km paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Hamilton, Saint George

Merchant marine:
  total: 108 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 6, container 22, liquefied gas 13,
  passenger 13, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated
  cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 103 (Australia 2, Canada 20, Finland 2, Germany 1,
  Greece 1, Hong Kong 5, Indonesia 1, Nigeria 8, Norway 5, Sweden 9,
  Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 27, United States 20)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bermuda

Military branches:
  Bermuda Regiment

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.03 million (2001)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.11% (FY00/01)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Bermuda

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Bhutan

Introduction Bhutan

Background:
  In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu, under
  which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for ceding
  some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set up in
  1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the British
  agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and Bhutan
  allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was assumed
  by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
  Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
  British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
  defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
  refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
  90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Geography Bhutan

Location:
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
  27 30 N, 90 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 47,000 sq km
  land: 47,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about half the size of Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,075 km border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot summers
  in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in Himalayas

Terrain:
  mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Land use: arable land: 3.09% permanent crops: 0.43% other: 96.48% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the country's
  name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon; frequent
  landslides during the rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India; controls
  several key Himalayan mountain passes

People Bhutan

Population: 2,232,291 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.1% (male 452,213/female 420,675)
  15-64 years: 56.9% (male 654,109/female 615,431)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 45,281/female 44,582) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.27 years
  male: 20.11 years
  female: 20.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.11% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 100.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 98.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 102.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 54.39 years
  male: 54.65 years
  female: 54.11 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Bhutanese

Ethnic groups:
  Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of
  several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Religions:
  Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced Hinduism 25%

Languages:
  Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
  Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.2%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Government Bhutan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
  conventional short form: Bhutan

Government type:
  monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Capital:
  Thimphu

Administrative divisions:
  18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang, Chhukha,
  Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro, Pemagatsel,
  Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang, Thimphu,
  Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
  note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Independence:
  8 August 1949 (from India)

National holiday:
  National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king), 17
  December (1907)

Constitution:
  no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the King
  commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November 2004
  presented a draft to the Council of Ministers; now awaiting
  referendum

Legal system:
  based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  each family has one vote in village-level elections; note - in late
  2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July 1972)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo
  Sangay NGEDUP (since 5 September 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
  monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
  five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
  (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
  in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
  monarch with two-thirds vote

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105 elected
  from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies, and 35
  are designated by the monarch to represent government and other
  secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2005)
  election results: NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges appointed
  by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  no legal parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading militant
  antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United Front for
  Democracy (exiled)

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN; address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017; telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations, although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper
  triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered along
  the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing away from
  the hoist side

Economy Bhutan

Economy - overview:
  The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed, is
  based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main livelihood
  for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists largely of
  subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged mountains dominate
  the terrain and make the building of roads and other infrastructure
  difficult and expensive. The economy is closely aligned with India's
  through strong trade and monetary links and dependence on India's
  financial assistance. The industrial sector is technologically
  backward, with most production of the cottage industry type. Most
  development projects, such as road construction, rely on Indian
  migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its attraction for
  tourists are key resources. Model education, social, and environment
  programs are underway with support from multilateral development
  organizations. Each economic program takes into account the
  government's desire to protect the country's environment and
  cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious
  expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale,
  environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and
  uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
  and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.9 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 10% services: 45% (2002 est.)

Labor force: NA note: massive lack of skilled labor

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $146 million
  expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
  Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products, eggs

Industries:
  cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
  calcium carbide

Industrial production growth rate:
  9.3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.001 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  312.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.56 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  12 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber, handicrafts,
  cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Exports - partners:
  Bangladesh 47.4%, Japan 30.2%, France 3.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles, fabrics,
  rice

Imports - partners:
  Germany 65.4%, Japan 14.3%, Austria 6.8%, UK 4.5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $245 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  substantial aid from India and other nations

Currency (code):
  ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
  BTN; INR

Exchange rates:
  ngultrum per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61
  (2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Bhutan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  25,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  22,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
  domestic: very low tele-density; domestic service is very poor
  especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
  international: country code - 975; international telephone and
  telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2005)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:
  37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2005)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bt

Internet hosts:
  985 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  15,000 (2003)

Transportation Bhutan

Highways: total: 4,007 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 3,983 km (2002)

Airports: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bhutan

Military branches:
  Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan
  Police) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
  (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 483,860 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 314,975 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 23,939 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $13.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Bhutan

Disputes - international:
  approximately 104,000 Bhutanese refugees live in Nepal, 90% of whom
  reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees
  camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian separatists

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Bolivia

Introduction Bolivia

Background:
  Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR, broke away
  from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history has
  consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
  Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but
  leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social
  unrest, and illegal drug production. Current goals include
  attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system,
  resolving disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug
  efforts, and waging an anticorruption campaign.

Geography Bolivia

Location:
  Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
  17 00 S, 65 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 1,098,580 sq km
  land: 1,084,390 sq km
  water: 14,190 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,743 km
  border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
  Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Terrain:
  rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano), hills,
  lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
  highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Natural resources:
  tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony, silver,
  iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 97.14% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Environment - current issues:
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
  international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
  deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
  methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
  loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
  for drinking and irrigation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:
  landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
  navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

People Bolivia

Population:
  8,857,870 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.7% (male 1,613,049/female 1,551,023)
  15-64 years: 59.8% (male 2,591,328/female 2,701,892)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 178,486/female 222,092) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.47 years
  male: 20.79 years
  female: 22.17 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.49% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 53.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 49.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.5 years
  male: 62.89 years
  female: 68.25 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  4,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bolivian(s)
  adjective: Bolivian

Ethnic groups:
  Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry) 30%,
  Aymara 25%, white 15%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.2%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Government Bolivia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
  conventional short form: Bolivia
  local long form: Republica de Bolivia
  local short form: Bolivia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of
  judiciary)

Administrative divisions:
  9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca,
  Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence:
  6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution:
  2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system:
  based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of
  age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Eduardo RODRIGUEZ Veltze (since 9 June
  2005); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Eduardo RODRIGUEZ Veltze (since 9 June
  2005); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both chief
  of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002
  (next to be held June 2007)
  election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
  the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
  chosen president by Congress; congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
  DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
  resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003 and Vice
  President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert on 9 June 2005, Eduardo
  RODRIGUEZ Veltze, President of the Supreme Court and constitutional
  successor, became president.

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
  elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
  five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130
  seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are
  elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
  30 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
  of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNR
  36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms
  by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department);
  provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political parties and leaders:
  Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic Solidarity
  Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz
  BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA [Freddy
  ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ
  Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES]; Movement
  Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist Democratic
  Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Nationalist
  Revolutionary Movement or MNR [leader NA]; New Republican Force or
  NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous Movement or MIP
  [Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres JUSTINIANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole
  Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman
  LOAYZA]

International organization participation:
  CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM,
  OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero
  chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE
  embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz
  mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
  telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251
  FAX: [591] (2) 2433900

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with
  the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of
  Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the
  yellow band

Economy Bolivia

Economy - overview:
  Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin American
  countries, reformed its economy after suffering a disastrous
  economic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred real GDP
  growth, which averaged 4 percent in the 1990s, and poverty rates
  fell. Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999
  because of a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political
  turmoil, civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which
  hurt investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the
  pro-foreign investment economic policies of President SANCHEZ DE
  LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to
  export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large
  northern hemisphere markets. Foreign investment dried up as
  companies adopted a wait-and-see attitude regarding new President
  Carlos MESA's willingness to protect investor rights in the face of
  increased demands by radical groups that the government expropriate
  foreign-owned assets. Real GDP growth in 2003 and 2004 - helped by
  increased demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was
  positive, but still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia
  remains dependent on foreign aid from multilateral lenders and
  foreign governments.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $22.33 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 28% services: 59% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.8 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate: 9.2% in urban areas note: widespread underemployment (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line: 64% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.3% highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  10.4% of GDP (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.264 billion
  expenditures: $2.769 billion, including capital expenditures of $741
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice, potatoes;
  timber

Industries:
  mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
  handicrafts, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.132 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 54% nuclear: 0% other: 1.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.848 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  9 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  39,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  8.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  727.2 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $273 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.986 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum, zinc ore,
  tin

Exports - partners:
  Brazil 40%, US 13.9%, Colombia 8.7%, Peru 6.3%, Japan 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.595 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft parts,
  prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 29.7%, Argentina 17.6%, US 10.8%, Chile 7.7%, Peru 7.3%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.214 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.439 billion (June 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $681 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  boliviano (BOB)

Currency code:
  BOB

Exchange rates:
  bolivianos per US dollar - 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003), 7.17
  (2002), 6.6069 (2001), 6.1835 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bolivia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  600,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,401,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic difficulties;
  most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other cities; mobile
  cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
  domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
  digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
  cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
  international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Radios:
  5.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (1997)

Televisions:
  900,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bo

Internet hosts:
  7,080 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  270,000 (2002)

Transportation Bolivia

Railways: total: 3,519 km narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 60,282 km paved: 3,979 km unpaved: 56,303 km (2002)

Waterways:
  10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,457 km; refined
  products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the
  Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in
  maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Merchant marine:
  total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 413,407 GRT/699,901 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 11 (Argentina 1, Egypt 2, Eritrea 1, Germany 1, Iran
  1, Singapore 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 2) (2005)

Airports:
  1,065 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1,049 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 60 914 to 1,523 m: 207 under 914 m: 778 (2004 est.)

Military Bolivia

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval; includes Marines),
  Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana) (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18, with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12 months (2002)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,923,234 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,311,414 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 101,101 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $132.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Bolivia

Disputes - international:
  Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama
  corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but
  not sovereign maritime access through Chile for Bolivian natural gas
  and other commodities

Illicit drugs:
  world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and Peru)
  with an estimated 28,450 hectares under cultivation in June 2003, a
  23% increase from June 2002; intermediate coca products and cocaine
  exported mostly to or through Brazil, Argentina, and Chile to
  European and US drug markets; eradication and alternative crop
  programs under the MESA administration have been unable to keep pace
  with farmers' attempts to increase cultivation; money-laundering
  activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders
  with Brazil and Paraguay

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background:
  Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of sovereignty in October
  1991, was followed by a declaration of independence from the former
  Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a referendum boycotted by ethnic
  Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia and
  Montenegro - responded with armed resistance aimed at partitioning
  the republic along ethnic lines and joining Serb-held areas to form
  a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994, Bosniaks and Croats reduced the
  number of warring factions from three to two by signing an agreement
  creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed
  a peace agreement that brought to a halt three years of interethnic
  civil strife (the final agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December
  1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's
  international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic and
  democratic government. This national government was charged with
  conducting foreign, diplomatic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized
  was a second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly
  equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The
  Federation and RS governments were charged with overseeing most
  government functions. The Office of the High Representative (OHR)
  was established to oversee the implementation of the civilian
  aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96, a NATO-led international
  peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in Bosnia to
  implement and monitor the military aspects of the agreement. IFOR
  was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force (SFOR)
  whose mission was to deter renewed hostilities. European Union
  peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced SFOR in December 2004; their
  mission was to maintain peace and stability throughout the country.

Geography Bosnia and Herzegovina

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
  44 00 N, 18 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 51,129 sq km
  land: 51,129 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,459 km border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km

Coastline:
  20 km

Maritime claims:
  no data available

Climate:
  hot summers and cold winters; areas of high elevation have short,
  cool summers and long, severe winters; mild, rainy winters along
  coast

Terrain:
  mountains and valleys

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, cobalt,
  manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.6% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 83.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from metallurgical plants; sites for disposing of
  urban waste are limited; water shortages and destruction of
  infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized borders, the country is
  divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation (about 51% of the
  territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska or RS (about
  49% of the territory); the region called Herzegovina is contiguous
  to Croatia and Serbia and Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally
  has been settled by an ethnic Croat majority in the west and an
  ethnic Serb majority in the east

People Bosnia and Herzegovina

Population:
  4,025,476 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 378,784/female 358,784)
  15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,458,405/female 1,388,793)
  65 years and over: 10.9% (male 188,741/female 251,969) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.21 years
  male: 35.81 years
  female: 36.63 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.44% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.83 years
  male: 74.21 years
  female: 81.72 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
  adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Ethnic groups:
  Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other 0.6% (2000)
  note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
  confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Religions:
  Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%, other 14%

Languages:
  Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.6%
  male: 98.4%
  female: 91.1% (2000 est.)

Government Bosnia and Herzegovina

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  local long form: none
  local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina
  former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist
  Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Government type:
  emerging federal democratic republic

Capital:
  Sarajevo

Administrative divisions:
  2 first-order administrative divisions and 1 internationally
  supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko Distrikt)*, the
  Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federacija Bosna
  i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska; note -
  Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an administrative
  unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina; the district
  remains under international supervision

Independence:
  1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for independence was
  completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3 March 1992)

National holiday:
  National Day, 25 November (1943)

Constitution:
  the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December 1995, included a new
  constitution now in force; note - each of the entities also has its
  own constitution

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency Ivo Miro JOVIC (since 28
  June 2005; presidency member since 9 May 2005 - Croat; note - Dragan
  COVIC was sacked by High Representative Paddy ASHDOWN on 29 Mar
  2005); other members of the three-member rotating (every eight
  months) presidency: Borislav PARAVAC (since 10 April 2003 - Serb);
  and Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October 2002 - Bosniak)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan
  TERZIC (since 20 December 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
  approved by the National House of Representatives
  elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
  Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
  was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
  chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Council
  of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
  National House of Representatives
  election results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of the
  Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the
  first eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;
  Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak vote
  note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko
  LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC
  (since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); President
  of the Republika Srpska: Dragan CAVIC (since 28 November 2002)

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina consists of the
  National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki Dom (42 seats -
  elected by proportional representation, 28 seats allocated from the
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats from the Republika
  Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms);
  and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats - 5 Bosniak, 5
  Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
  House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's National
  Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's election law
  specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order
  administrative division entity legislatures
  elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - last
  constituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)
  election results: National House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP
  10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats by
  party/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP
  2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -
  NA%; seats by party/coalition - NA
  note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
  consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,
  SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30
  Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a
  National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,
  DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002
  constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council
  of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National
  Assembly including 8 Croats, 8 Bosniaks, 8 Serbs, and 4 members of
  the smaller communities

Judicial branch:
  BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine members: four members
  are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's House of
  Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's National
  Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of the
  European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of nine
  judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and Criminal
  - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law and
  appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities; note -
  a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)
  note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
  number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
  Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
  has five municipal courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or SNSD [Milorad DODIK];
  Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic Democratic Party or
  GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Barisa COLAK]; Croat Christian Democratic
  Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Mijo IVANIC-LONIC]; Croat
  Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; Croat Peasants Party or
  HSS [Marko TADIC]; Democratic National Union or DNZ [Fikret ABDIC];
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC]; New Croat Initiative
  or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina or SBiH
  [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Sulejman
  TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen IVANIC]; Serb
  Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan CAVIC - acting]; Serb Radical Party
  of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA]; Serb Radical
  Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav KANJERIC]; Social
  Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko LAGUMDZIJA]; Social
  Democratic Union or SDU [Miro LAZOVIC]; Socialist Party of Republika
  Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC
  chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L. McELHANEY embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo mailing address: use street address telephone: [387] (33) 445-700 FAX: [387] (33) 659-722 branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Flag description:
  a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly side with a yellow
  isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top of the flag; the
  remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven full five-pointed
  white stars and two half stars top and bottom along the hypotenuse
  of the triangle

Economy Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy - overview:
  Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to Macedonia as the poorest
  republic in the old Yugoslav federation. Although agriculture is
  almost all in private hands, farms are small and inefficient, and
  the republic traditionally is a net importer of food. Industry has
  been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the socialist economic
  structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the development of military
  industries in the republic with the result that Bosnia hosted a
  number of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The interethnic warfare in
  Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80% from 1992 to 1995 and
  unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in place, output
  recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a low base; but
  output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in output was made
  up in 2003-2004. National-level statistics are limited and do not
  capture the large share of black market activity. The konvertibilna
  marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national currency introduced in
  1998 - is now pegged to the euro, and the Central Bank of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina has dramatically increased its reserve holdings.
  Implementation of privatization, however, has been slow, and local
  entities only reluctantly support national-level institutions.
  Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as all the Communist-era payments
  bureaus were shut down. A sizeable current account deficit and high
  unemployment rate remain the two most serious economic problems. The
  country receives substantial amounts of reconstruction assistance
  and humanitarian aid from the international community but will have
  to prepare for an era of declining assistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $26.21 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.2% industry: 30.8% services: 55% (2002)

Labor force:
  1.026 million (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  44% officially; however, grey economy may reduce actual
  unemployment to near 20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.618 billion
  expenditures: $3.642 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
  steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese, bauxite, vehicle
  assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden furniture, tank and
  aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil refining (2001)

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.5% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  10.04 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.5% hydro: 46.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  8.318 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  3.288 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  2.271 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-2.1 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  metals, clothing, wood products

Exports - partners:
  Italy 22.3%, Croatia 21.1%, Germany 20.8%, Austria 7.4%, Slovenia
  7.1%, Hungary 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Croatia 23.8%, Slovenia 15.8%, Germany 14.8%, Italy 11.4%, Austria
  6.6%, Hungary 6.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $650 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  marka (BAM)

Currency code:
  BAM

Exchange rates:
  marka per US dollar - 1.58 (2004), 1.73 (2003), 2.08 (2002), 2.19
  (2001), 2.12 (2000)
  note: the marka is pegged to the euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bosnia and Herzegovina

Telephones - main lines in use:
  938,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.05 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone and telegraph network needs
  modernization and expansion; many urban areas are below average as
  contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav republics
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .ba

Internet hosts:
  6,994 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Bosnia and Herzegovina

Railways:
  total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 21,846 km
  paved: 11,424 km
  unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Sava River (northern border) open to shipping but use limited
  because of no agreement with neighboring countries (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski Samac, and Brcko (all
  inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Airports:
  27 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Military Bosnia and Herzegovina

Military branches:
  VF Army (the air and air defense forces are subordinate commands
  within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air defense forces are
  subordinate commands within the Army)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18 and 55; service obligation is 4 months (July 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,034,367 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 829,530 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 31,264 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $234.3 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disputes - international:
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro have delimited
  most of their boundary, but sections along the Drina River remain in
  dispute; discussions continue with Croatia on several small disputed
  sections of the boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 327,200 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and Muslims displaced in
  1992-95 war) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  minor transit point for marijuana and opiate trafficking routes to
  Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to money-laundering
  activity given a primarily cash-based and unregulated economy, weak
  law enforcement and instances of corruption

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Botswana

Introduction Botswana

Background:
  Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted
  its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
  uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
  significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
  economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
  dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
  to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
  preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
  HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
  comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Geography Botswana

Location:
  Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  22 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 600,370 sq km
  land: 585,370 sq km
  water: 15,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,013 km
  border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
  813 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Terrain:
  predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in
  southwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m
  highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore,
  silver

Land use: arable land: 0.65% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west,
  carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
  visibility

Environment - current issues:
  overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country

People Botswana

Population:
  1,640,115
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.8% (male 322,916/female 312,735)
  15-64 years: 57.5% (male 455,183/female 487,236)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,914/female 38,131) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.29 years
  male: 18.64 years
  female: 19.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  29.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 33.87 years
  male: 33.89 years
  female: 33.84 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  37.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  33,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Ethnic groups:
  Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including
  Kgalagadi and white 7%

Religions:
  Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%, none
  20.6% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English 2.1%
  (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.8%
  male: 76.9%
  female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Government Botswana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
  conventional short form: Botswana
  former: Bechuanaland

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Gaborone

Administrative divisions:
  9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*, Gaborone*,
  Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Northwest,
  Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Independence:
  30 September 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Constitution:
  March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review
  limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and
  Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)
  and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term;
  election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2009); vice
  president appointed by the president
  election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 52%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely
  advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight
  principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected
  by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (61 seats, 57
  members are directly elected by popular vote and four are appointed
  by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004
  (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 52%, BNF 26%, BCP
  17%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

Judicial branch:
  High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each
  district)

Political parties and leaders:
  Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE]; Botswana
  National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress Party or
  BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM
  [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
  note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
  BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties
  are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the
  Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; and the Botswana
  Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
  OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
  chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS embassy: address NA, Gaborone mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone telephone: [267] 353982 FAX: [267] 312782

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

Economy Botswana

Economy - overview:
  Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic growth
  rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and
  sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the
  poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per
  capita GDP of $9,200 in 2004. Two major investment services rank
  Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has
  fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than
  one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism,
  financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are
  other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with
  high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is
  23.8%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS
  infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten
  Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in
  diamond mining production overshadow long-term prospects.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $15.05 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 44% (including 36% mining) services: 52% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  23.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  47% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.735 billion
  expenditures: $3.743 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  8.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers, groundnuts

Industries:
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
  processing; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  930 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.89 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.025 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $337 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.94 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Exports - partners:
  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern African
  Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Imports:
  $2.255 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport equipment,
  textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper products,
  metal and metal products

Imports - partners:
  Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%, Zimbabwe 4%
  (2000)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $5.7 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $531 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $73 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  pula (BWP)

Currency code:
  BWP

Exchange rates:
  pulas per US dollar - 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278 (2002),
  5.8412 (2001), 5.1018 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Botswana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  142,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  435,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth of
  mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
  domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
  cellular service is growing fast
  international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;
  digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
  and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  252,720 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  31,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bw

Internet hosts:
  1,920 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2001)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2002)

Transportation Botswana

Railways: total: 888 km narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 10,217 km paved: 5,619 km unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)

Airports: 85 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 75
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 54
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Military Botswana

Military branches:
  Botswana Defense Force (includes an Air Wing)

Military service age and obligation: 18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 350,649 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 136,322 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 21,103 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $338.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Botswana

Disputes - international:
  commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve small
  residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu
  marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana residents
  protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric
  dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built electric fences to
  stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to find work and escape
  political persecution; Namibia has long supported and in 2004
  Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to
  build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing
  their short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Bouvet Island

Introduction Bouvet Island

Background:
  This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely covered by
  glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered in 1739 by
  a French naval officer after whom the island was named. No claim was
  made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In 1928, the UK
  waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied the island
  the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the adjacent
  territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since 1977,
  Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the island.

Geography Bouvet Island

Location:
  island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the Cape of Good
  Hope (South Africa)

Geographic coordinates:
  54 26 S, 3 24 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 58.5 sq km
  land: 58.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  29.6 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 4 nm

Climate:
  antarctic

Terrain:
  volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (93% ice) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

People Bouvet Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Government Bouvet Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
  Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

Legal system:
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of Norway is used

Economy Bouvet Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Communications Bouvet Island

Internet country code:
  .bv

Communications - note:
  automatic meteorological station

Transportation Bouvet Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Bouvet Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Bouvet Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Brazil

Introduction Brazil

Background:
  Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became
  an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most populous
  country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a century
  of military intervention in the governance of the country when in
  1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers.
  Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and
  development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a
  large labor pool, it is today South America's leading economic power
  and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a
  pressing problem.

Geography Brazil

Location:
  Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 S, 55 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 8,511,965 sq km
  land: 8,456,510 sq km
  water: 55,455 sq km
  note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
  Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
  Paulo

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 14,691 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia
  1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
  Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

Coastline:
  7,491 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  mostly tropical, but temperate in south

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
  mountains, and narrow coastal belt

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, platinum,
  tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

Land use: arable land: 6.96% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 92.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost in
  south

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and endangers a
  multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the area; there
  is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water pollution in
  Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large cities; land
  degradation and water pollution caused by improper mining
  activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  largest country in South America; shares common boundaries with
  every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

People Brazil

Population:
  186,112,794
  note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a
  population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than
  projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
  underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this
  country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
  due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
  mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and
  changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would
  otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.1% (male 24,789,495/female 23,842,715)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 62,669,392/female 63,719,631)
  65 years and over: 6% (male 4,549,552/female 6,542,009) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.81 years
  male: 27.06 years
  female: 28.57 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.06% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.69 years
  male: 67.74 years
  female: 75.85 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  660,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  15,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Brazilian(s)
  adjective: Brazilian

Ethnic groups:
  white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black 6.2%,
  other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified 0.7%
  (2000 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%, Spriritualist
  1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%, none 7.4%
  (2000 census)

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 86.1%
  female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

Government Brazil

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
  conventional short form: Brazil
  local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
  local short form: Brasil

Government type:
  federative republic

Capital:
  Brasilia

Administrative divisions:
  26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
  (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceara,
  Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato Grosso,
  Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana, Pernambuco,
  Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul,
  Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence:
  7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution:
  5 October 1988

Legal system:
  based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory
  over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military conscripts do not
  vote

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October
  2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October
  2006 if necessary); runoff election held 27 October 2002
  election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio
  LULA DA SILVA (PT) elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA (PSDB)
  38.7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the
  Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each
  state and federal district elected according to the principle of
  majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a
  four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
  period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
  seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds
  of the Senate (next to be held October 2006 for one-third of the
  Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be
  held October 2006)
  election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL
  3, PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP
  49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5,
  other 11; note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation
  since the most recent election

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life by
  the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of
  Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);
  note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal
  employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

Political parties and leaders:
  Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy Michel
  TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto
  JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator
  Eduardo AZAREDO]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy
  Miguel ARRAES]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO];
  Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI]; Democratic Socialist
  Party or PSD [Pedro Miguel SANTANA LOPES]; Green Party or PV [Jose
  Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge
  BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA
  Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy
  Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy
  Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro
  CORREA]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS];
  Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions and federations; large
  farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical
  christian churches and the Catholic Church

International organization participation:
  AfDB, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
  NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security
  Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700 FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John DANILOVICH embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal Cep 70403-900, Brasilia mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030 telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000 FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136 consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo consulate(s): Recife

Flag description:
  green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue
  celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state
  and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night
  sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the
  motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Economy Brazil

Economy - overview:
  Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
  manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that
  of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence
  in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy
  grew, on average, only 2.2% per year, as the country absorbed a
  series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil
  absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the
  resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in
  place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President LULA
  DA SILVA. In 2004, Brazil enjoyed more robust growth that yielded
  increases in employment and real wages. The three pillars of the
  economic program are a floating exchange rate, an
  inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, all reinforced
  by a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in
  2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account
  adjustment: in 2003 and 2004, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and
  recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992.
  Productivity gains - particularly in agriculture - also contributed
  to the surge in exports, and Brazil in 2004 surpassed the previous
  year's record export level and again posted a current account
  surplus. While economic management has been good, there remain
  important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are
  debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased
  steadily from 1994 to 2003 - straining government finances - before
  falling as a percentage of GDP in 2004, while Brazil's foreign debt
  (a mix of private and public debt) is large in relation to Brazil's
  small (but growing) export base. Another challenge is maintaining
  economic growth over a period of time to generate employment and
  make the government debt burden more manageable.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.492 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.1% industry: 38.6% services: 51.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  89 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry 14%, services 66% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  22% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 48% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  60.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $140.6 billion
  expenditures: $172.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004)

Public debt:
  52% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Industries:
  textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel,
  aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  339 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.3% hydro: 82.7% nuclear: 4.4% other: 4.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  351.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  36.58 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2002)

Oil - production:
  1.788 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  13.9 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  221.7 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $8 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $95 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee, autos

Exports - partners:
  US 20.8%, Argentina 7.5%, Netherlands 6.1%, China 5.6%, Germany
  4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $61 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical products,
  oil

Imports - partners:
  US 18.3%, Argentina 8.9%, Germany 8.1%, China 5.9%, Nigeria 5.6%,
  Japan 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $52.94 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $219.8 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $30 billion (2002)

Currency (code):
  real (BRL)

Currency code:
  BRL

Exchange rates:
  reals per US dollar - 2.9251 (2004), 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208 (2002),
  2.3577 (2001), 1.8301 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Brazil

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38.81 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  46,373,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good working system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 64 earth stations
  international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
  (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to
  Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM
  stations) (1999)

Radios:
  71 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  138 (1997)

Televisions:
  36.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .br

Internet hosts:
  3,163,349 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2000)

Internet users:
  14.3 million (2002)

Transportation Brazil

Railways:
  total: 29,412 km (1,567 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (908 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
  electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 1,724,929 km paved: 94,871 km unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

Waterways:
  50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population) (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas 341 km;
  oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao, Santos,
  Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria

Merchant marine:
  total: 150 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 28, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7, combination
  ore/oil 2, container 7, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12,
  petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 17 (Chile 2, Germany 7, Norway 1, Spain 7)
  registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

Airports:
  4,136 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 698 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 158 914 to 1,523 m: 461 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 3,438 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78 914 to 1,523 m: 1,579 under 914 m: 1,780 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 417 (2004 est.)

Military Brazil

Military branches:
  Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes Naval Air and Marines),
  Brazilian Air Force (FAB)

Military service age and obligation:
  19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service
  obligation - 12 months; 17 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 45,586,036 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 33,119,098 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,785,930 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $11 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Brazil

Disputes - international:
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
  is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics
  trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;
  uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the
  Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting
  tripoint with Argentina; in 2004 Brazil submitted its claims to
  UNCLOS to extend its maritime continental margin

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the Amazon
  region, used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale
  eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment
  country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for
  Europe and the US; also used by traffickers as a way station for
  narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in
  drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for
  Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit narcotics
  proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the financial
  system; significant illicit financial activity in the Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@British Indian Ocean Territory

Introduction British Indian Ocean Territory

Background:
  Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the
  British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to
  the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently,
  BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the
  Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands,
  Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of
  the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers,
  earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to
  Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In
  2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration
  order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the
  special military status of Diego Garcia.

Geography British Indian Ocean Territory

Location:
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the
  way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 60 sq km
  land: 60 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  698 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and
  southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian
  Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

People British Indian Ocean Territory

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
  the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
  were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
  1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
  British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
  2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel
  and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
  (July 2005 est.)

Government British Indian Ocean Territory

Country name:
  conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional short form: none
  abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner,
  resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system:
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);
  Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both
  reside in the UK
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
  administrator appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is
  in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm
  tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

Economy British Indian Ocean Territory

Economy - overview:
  All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of
  Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located.
  Construction projects and various services needed to support the
  military installations are done by military and contract employees
  from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no
  industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois
  return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Communications British Indian Ocean Territory

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: separate facilities for military and public
  needs are available
  domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including
  connection to the Internet
  international: international telephone service is carried by
  satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .io

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Transportation British Indian Ocean Territory

Highways:
  total: NA km
  paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on
  Diego Garcia
  unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Diego Garcia

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military British Indian Ocean Territory

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego
  Garcia expires in 2016

Transnational Issues British Indian Ocean Territory

Disputes - international:
  Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its
  former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001
  were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since
  eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an
  immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the
  exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to
  the largest island in the chain

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@British Virgin Islands

Introduction British Virgin Islands

Background:
  First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in
  1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and
  more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the
  legal currency.

Geography British Virgin Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 153 sq km
  land: 153 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited
  islands; includes the island of Anegada

Area - comparative:
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  80 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 73.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico

People British Virgin Islands

Population:
  22,643 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21% (male 2,400/female 2,358)
  15-64 years: 73.9% (male 8,607/female 8,115)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 614/female 549) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.9 years
  male: 31.1 years
  female: 30.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.49 years
  male: 75.41 years
  female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s) adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:
  black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Religions:
  Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other
  15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991)

Languages:
  English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government British Virgin Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
  abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Road Town

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution:
  1 June 1977

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June
  2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
  the Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by
  direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts,
  four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NDP 8, VIP 5

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of
  Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a
  resident of the islands and presides over the High Court);
  Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National
  Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory
  MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS
  (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a
  vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin
  word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Economy British Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:
  The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the
  Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated
  45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly
  from the US, visited the islands in 1998. Tourism suffered in 2002
  because of the lackluster US economy. In the mid-1980s, the
  government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing
  to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate
  substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore
  registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance
  law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with
  regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses,
  is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive
  to international business. Livestock raising is the most important
  agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet
  domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links
  with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the
  dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.498 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $38,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8% industry: 6.2% services: 92% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
  12,770 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  3% (1995)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2003)

Budget:
  revenues: $121.5 million
  expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Industries:
  tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block,
  offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  36.28 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  33.74 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  420 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $25.3 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners:
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Imports:
  $187 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners:
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Debt - external:
  $36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications British Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  11,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: worldwide telephone service
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  4,000 (2002)

Transportation British Virgin Islands

Highways: total: 177 km paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Road Town

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825 GRT/155,909 DWT by type: cargo 1 registered in other countries: 7 (2005)

Airports: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military British Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues British Virgin Islands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe; large offshore financial center makes it vulnerable
  to money laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Brunei

Introduction Brunei

Background:
  The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and
  17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
  northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
  entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
  succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
  1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
  achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
  centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
  fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
  developing world.

Geography Brunei

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates:
  4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 5,770 sq km
  land: 5,270 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain:
  flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues:
  seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and
  Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost
  an enclave of Malaysia

People Brunei

Population:
  372,361 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.6% (male 54,342/female 52,084)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 134,908/female 119,814)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 5,301/female 5,912) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.04 years
  male: 27.63 years
  female: 26.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.8 years
  male: 72.36 years
  female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bruneian(s)
  adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:
  Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions:
  Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous
  beliefs and other 10%

Languages:
  Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.9%
  male: 96.3%
  female: 91.4% (2002)

Government Brunei

Country name:
  conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
  conventional short form: Brunei

Government type:
  constitutional sultanate

Capital:
  Bandar Seri Begawan

Administrative divisions:
  4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and
  Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Independence:
  1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the
  date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of
  independence from British protection

Constitution:
  29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
  Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
  January 1984)

Legal system:
  based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
  supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage:
  none

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
  the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
  Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
  religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
  monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
  Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
  succession to the throne if the need arises
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
  Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20
  years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional
  amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members;
  Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new
  council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
  elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch
  for three-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Development Party (NDP) [Yassin AFFENDI]; National Unity
  Party of Brunei (PPKB) [leader NA]; People's Awareness Party (PAKAR)
  [leader NA]
  note: parties are small and inactive (2005)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
  chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
  FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
  embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
  Begawan
  mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
  telephone: [673] (2) 229670
  FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Flag description:
  yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
  and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in
  red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
  swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
  crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Economy Brunei

Economy - overview:
  This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
  domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
  and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
  for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third
  World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment
  supplements income from domestic production. The government provides
  for all medical services and free education through the university
  level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are
  concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy
  will undermine internal social cohesion, although it became a more
  prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian
  Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the future include
  upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the
  banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the
  economic base beyond oil and gas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $6.842 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $23,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 45%
  services: 50% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  158,000
  note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
  residents make up about 40% of labor force (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.9 billion
  expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
  billion (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Industries:
  petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.458 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.286 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  204,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  199,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  315 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $7.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners:
  Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%, Thailand
  7.9%, Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.2 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $0

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code:
  BND

Exchange rates:
  Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003),
  1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use:
  90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  137,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent;
  international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US
  domestic: every service available
  international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
  cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  201,900 (1998)

Internet country code:
  .bn

Internet hosts:
  6,409 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  35,000 (2002)

Transportation Brunei

Highways: total: 2,525 km paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Waterways:
  209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Lumut, Muara, Seria

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
  by type: liquefied gas 8
  foreign-owned: 8 (United Kingdom 8) (2005)

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Military Brunei

Military branches:
  Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei
  Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 103,885 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: approx. 85,045 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 3,478 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $290.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Brunei

Disputes - international:
  in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their
  disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have
  stalemated prompting consideration of international legal
  adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is
  in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone
  encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but
  makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
  eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Illicit drugs:
  drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are
  serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Bulgaria

Introduction Bulgaria

Background:
  The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the local
  Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
  Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
  the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
  end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
  Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
  Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing
  side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of
  influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist
  domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty
  election since World War II and began the contentious process of
  moving toward political democracy and a market economy while
  combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today,
  reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual
  integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.

Geography Bulgaria

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and
  Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  43 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 110,910 sq km
  land: 110,550 sq km
  water: 360 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,808 km
  border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Coastline:
  354 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 40.02% permanent crops: 1.92% other: 58.06% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, landslides

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw
  sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from
  air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy
  metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
  strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes
  from Europe to Middle East and Asia

People Bulgaria

Population:
  7,450,349 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.1% (male 539,005/female 512,762)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,516,368/female 2,599,524)
  65 years and over: 17.2% (male 531,008/female 751,682) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.66 years
  male: 38.59 years
  female: 42.66 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.89% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.03 years
  male: 68.41 years
  female: 75.87 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  346 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Bulgarian(s)
  adjective: Bulgarian

Ethnic groups:
  Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
  Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Religions:
  Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other
  4% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified
  1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Government Bulgaria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
  conventional short form: Bulgaria

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Sofia

Administrative divisions:
  28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad, Burgas,
  Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana,
  Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
  Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
  Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Independence:
  3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the Ottoman
  Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the Ottoman
  Empire)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Constitution:
  adopted 12 July 1991

Legal system:
  civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January 2002);
  Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August
  2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ivaylo KALFIN (since 16 August 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 and 18
  November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of
  Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by
  the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime
  minister and elected by the National Assembly
  election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote
  - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%; Sergei STANISHEV
  elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%,
  MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party
  - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, ATAKA 21, UDF 20, DSB 17, BPU 13

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
  Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
  terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
  two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
  responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
  investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
  Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
  the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
  Attack National Union [Volen Siderov]; ATAKA (Attack Coalition)
  (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National Union);
  Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU [Anastasia
  MOZER]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of UFD, IMRO, and
  BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei STANISHEV];
  Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties dominated by
  BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong Bulgaria or DSB
  [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization or
  IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights and Freedoms or
  MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II or NMS2 [Simeon
  SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union of Democratic
  Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free Democrats or UFD
  [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or UtDF (a coalition
  of center-right parties dominated by UDF)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or CITUB;
  Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and
  national interest groups with various agendas

International organization participation:
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EU
  (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
  (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
  chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
  embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
  mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740
  Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
  telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
  FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; note -
  the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe,
  has been removed

Economy Bulgaria

Economy - overview:
  Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the European
  Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong growth
  since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of the then
  socialist government. As a result, the government became committed
  to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning. Minerals,
  including coal, copper, and zinc play an important role in industry.
  In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the imposition of
  a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German D-mark and the
  negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low inflation and steady
  progress on structural reforms improved the business environment;
  Bulgaria has averaged 4% growth since 2000 and has begun to attract
  significant amounts of foreign direct investment. Corruption in the
  public administration, a weak judiciary, and the presence of
  organized crime remain the largest challenges for Bulgaria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $61.63 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.5% industry: 30.1% services: 58.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 3.398 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd quarter 2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  13.4% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.5% highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  26.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $9.67 billion
  expenditures: $9.619 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  41.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat, barley,
  sunflowers, sugar beets

Industries:
  electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco; machinery
  and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke, refined
  petroleum, nuclear fuel

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  43.07 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.8% hydro: 8.1% nuclear: 44.1% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  32.71 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  960 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.724 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $682.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $9.134 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, fuels

Exports - partners:
  Italy 13.1%, Germany 11.6%, Turkey 9.3%, Belgium 6.1%, Greece 5.6%,
  US 5.3%, France 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $12.23 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and plastics;
  fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Imports - partners:
  Germany 15.1%, Italy 10.2%, Russia 7.9%, Greece 7.5%, Turkey 6.9%,
  France 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $7.526 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $16.1 billion (November 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $300 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  lev (BGL)

Currency code:
  BGN

Exchange rates:
  leva per US dollar - 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077 (2002),
  2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000)
  note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July
  1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Bulgaria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,868,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,597,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: extensive but antiquated
  domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
  telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
  digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
  the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
  relay
  international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  4.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bg

Internet hosts:
  53,421 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  200 (2001)

Internet users:
  630,000 (2002)

Transportation Bulgaria

Railways:
  total: 4,294 km
  standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 37,077 km
  paved: 34,111 km (including 328 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,966 km (2002)

Waterways:
  470 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Burgas, Varna

Merchant marine:
  total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 13, chemical tanker 4, container 6,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3
  registered in other countries: 45 (2005)

Airports:
  213 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 128 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 92 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 85 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Bulgaria

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,661,211 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,302,037 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 51,023 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $356 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Bulgaria

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and,
  to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the European market;
  limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money laundering of
  drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Burkina Faso

Introduction Burkina Faso

Background:
  Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved independence from
  France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and 1980s
  were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s. Burkina
  Faso's high population density and limited natural resources result
  in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens. Recent
  unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has hindered the ability
  of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe farm workers to find
  employment in neighboring countries.

Geography Burkina Faso

Location:
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 274,200 sq km
  land: 273,800 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Colorado

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,193 km
  border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
  Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
  mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in west and
  southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
  highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Natural resources:
  manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold, phosphates,
  pumice, salt

Land use: arable land: 14.43% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 85.38% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: recent droughts and desertification severely affecting agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy; overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of the Black,
  Red, and White Voltas

People Burkina Faso

Population:
  13,925,313
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46% (male 3,213,436/female 3,193,253)
  15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,487,201/female 3,635,673)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 164,418/female 231,332) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.82 years
  male: 16.43 years
  female: 17.22 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.53% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  44.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 97.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 89.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.45 years
  male: 46.96 years
  female: 49.99 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.23 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  300,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  29,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burkinabe

Ethnic groups:
  Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande, Fulani

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly Roman
  Catholic) 10%

Languages:
  French (official), native African languages belonging to Sudanic
  family spoken by 90% of the population

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 26.6%
  male: 36.9%
  female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Government Burkina Faso

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Burkina Faso
  former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Ouagadougou

Administrative divisions:
  45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba, Boulgou,
  Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba, Kadiogo,
  Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo, Kouritenga,
  Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri, Nayala,
  Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie, Sanmatenga,
  Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga, Ziro,
  Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Independence:
  5 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Constitution:
  2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991 formally adopted;
  amended April 2000

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15 October 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6
  November 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in
  April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential
  term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing
  the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this
  amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister
  appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
  election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5%
  percent of the vote

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (111 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
  be held May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Political parties and leaders:
  African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and Federation or
  RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation and Democracy
  or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for Democracy and Progress
  or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement for Tolerance and
  Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE]; Party for African
  Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party for Democracy and
  Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Socialist Party or PS [leader
  NA]; Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina Faso or UVDB
  [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB; Burkinabe
  Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February; National
  Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National Organization of
  Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action groups throughout the
  country in both organizations and communities

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
  chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony HOLMES
  embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S.
  Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
  20521-2440
  telephone: [226] 306723
  FAX: [226] 303890

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow
  five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors
  of Ethiopia

Economy Burkina Faso

Economy - overview:
  One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked Burkina Faso
  has few natural resources and a weak industrial base. About 90% of
  the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture, which is
  vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions. Cotton is the key crop and
  the government has joined with other cotton producing countries in
  the region to lobby for improved access to Western markets. GDP
  growth has largely been driven by increases in world cotton prices.
  Industry remains dominated by unprofitable government-controlled
  corporations. Following the African franc currency devaluation in
  January 1994 the government updated its development program in
  conjunction with international agencies; exports and economic growth
  have increased. The government devolved macroeconomic policy and
  inflation targeting to the West African regional central bank
  (BCEAO), but maintains control over microeconomic policies,
  including reducing the trade deficit and implementing reforms to
  encourage private investment. The bitter internal crisis in
  neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade and industrial
  prospects and deepens the need for international assistance.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $15.74 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 39.5%
  industry: 19.3%
  services: 41.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  5 million
  note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
  neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  45% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  48.2 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  29.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $695.2 million
  expenditures: $876.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet, corn, rice;
  livestock

Industries:
  cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap, cigarettes,
  textiles, gold

Industrial production growth rate:
  14% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  361 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.9% hydro: 30.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  335.7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-471.7 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $418.6 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, livestock, gold

Exports - partners:
  China 32.1%, Singapore 11.5%, Ghana 4.7%, Bangladesh 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $866.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Imports - partners:
  France 29.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 16%, Togo 9.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $474.9 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $484.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Burkina Faso

Telephones - main lines in use:
  65,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  227,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: all services only fair
  domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
  communication stations
  international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
  394,020 (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  131,340 (2002)

Internet country code:
  .bf

Internet hosts:
  442 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  48,000 (2003)

Transportation Burkina Faso

Railways:
  total: 622 km
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
  note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
  (2004)

Highways: total: 12,506 km paved: 2,001 km unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

Airports: 33 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Burkina Faso

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,664,572 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,323,548 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $64.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Burkina Faso

Disputes - international:
  two villages are in dispute along the border with Benin; Benin
  accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; Burkina Faso border
  regions remain a staging area for Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire rebels
  and an asylum for refugees caught in local fighting; the Ivoirian
  Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering Ivoirian rebels

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Burma

Introduction Burma

Background:
  Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and
  incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a
  province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
  self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
  attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
  1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
  later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections
  in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National
  League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling
  junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize
  recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to
  1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and is currently
  under house arrest. In December 2004, the junta announced it was
  extending her detention for at least an additional year. Her
  supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved
  human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed.

Geography Burma

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
  between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates:
  22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 678,500 sq km
  land: 657,740 sq km
  water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,876 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
  Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Coastline:
  1,930 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
  monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
  temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
  December to April)

Terrain:
  central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead,
  coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
  hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 15.19%
  permanent crops: 0.97%
  other: 83.84% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
  common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
  inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

People Burma

Population:
  42,909,464
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 5,967,487/female 5,717,795)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 14,448,887/female 14,641,419)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 939,092/female 1,194,784) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.14 years
  male: 25.57 years
  female: 26.72 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.42% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 73.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 60.7 years
  male: 57.8 years
  female: 63.78 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  330,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  20,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burmese

Ethnic groups:
  Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%,
  Mon 2%, other 5%

Religions:
  Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim
  4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Languages:
  Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.3%
  male: 89.2%
  female: 81.4% (2002)

Government Burma

Country name:
  conventional long form: Union of Burma
  conventional short form: Burma
  local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
  US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
  Myanmar)
  local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
  former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
  note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
  name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
  was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
  Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
  Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Government type:
  military junta

Capital:
  Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon)

Administrative divisions:
  7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi
  ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)
  : divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing,
  Tanintharyi, Yangon
  : states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Mon
  State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Independence:
  4 January 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

Constitution:
  3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national
  convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but
  collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include
  participation of democratic opposition

Legal system:
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council
  Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October
  2004)
  cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
  so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18
  September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration
  Council (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet
  elections: none

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by
  junta to convene
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),
  other 60

Judicial branch:
  remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is
  no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
  independent of the executive

Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (pro-government) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-government, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]

International organization participation:
  APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: vacant
  chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ
  embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
  mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881
  FAX: [95] (1) 256 018

Flag description:
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing,
  14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk
  of rice; the 14 stars represent the 7 administrative divisions and 7
  states

Economy Burma

Economy - overview:
  Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government
  controls, inefficient economic policies, and abject rural poverty.
  The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy
  after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but
  those efforts have since stalled and some of the liberalization
  measures have been rescinded. Burma has been unable to achieve
  monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers
  from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation and
  multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat. In
  addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the
  junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and
  subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 legislative elections.
  Economic sanctions against Burma by the United States - including a
  ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of
  financial services by US persons in response to the government of
  Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy -
  further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. Official statistics
  are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly
  understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial
  border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the size of
  the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good
  economic relations with its neighbors, a better investment climate
  and an improved political situation are needed to promote foreign
  investment, exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking
  crisis hit the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and
  disrupting the economy. As of January 2004, the largest private
  banks remained moribund, leaving the private sector with little
  formal access to credit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $74.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 56.6% industry: 8.8% services: 34.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  27.01 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  17.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  10.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $474.9 million
  expenditures: $955.5 million, including capital expenditures of $5.7
  billion (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish
  and fish products

Industries:
  agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood
  products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
  pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  5.068 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44.5% hydro: 43.4% nuclear: 0% other: 12.1% (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.484 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  17,550 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  60,950 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  3,356 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  49,230 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  3.2 billion bbl (2003)

Natural gas - production:
  9.98 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.569 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  8.424 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.46 trillion cu m (2003)

Current account balance:
  $-185 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.137 billion f.o.b.
  note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the
  value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled
  to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Exports - partners:
  Thailand 37.8%, India 11.7%, China 6%, Japan 5.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.754 billion f.o.b.
  note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of
  consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from
  Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport
  equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Imports - partners:
  China 29.8%, Singapore 20.8%, Thailand 19.3%, South Korea 5.2%,
  Malaysia 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $590 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $6.752 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $127 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  kyat (MMK)

Currency code:
  MMK

Exchange rates:
  kyats per US dollar - 5.7459 (2004), 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002),
  6.6841 (2001), 6.4257 (2000)
  note: these are official exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates
  ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Burma

Telephones - main lines in use:
  357,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  66,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for local and
  intercity service for business and government; international service
  is fair
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1 (2004)

Radios:
  4.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2004)

Televisions:
  320,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .mm

Internet hosts:
  3 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1
  note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for
  the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)

Internet users:
  28,000 (2003)

Transportation Burma

Railways: total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)

Waterways:
  12,800 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Merchant marine:
  total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 429,144 GRT/659,622 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 19, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 3,
  roll on'roll off 3, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 4, Japan 5, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports:
  78 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Burma

Military branches:
  Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes (May
  2002)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 11,254,374
  females age 18-49: 11,303,100 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,512,923
  females age 18-49: 6,789,720 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 440,914
  females: 427,382 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $39 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Burma

Disputes - international:
  over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups
  with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; despite
  continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain
  with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic
  rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; ethnic Karens
  flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and
  Burmese troops, in 2004 Thailand sheltered about 118,000 Burmese
  refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese
  hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border;
  environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern
  over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the
  Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation
  from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote
  Burmese uplands

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 600,000 - 1,000,000 (government offensives against ethnic
  insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni,
  Shan, and Mon) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium (estimated
  production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003 due to
  eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900
  hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); lack of government will and
  ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious
  commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall
  antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for
  regional consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force
  countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate
  money-laundering controls (2005)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Burundi

Introduction Burundi

Background:
  Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated
  in October 1993 after only one hundred days in office. Since then,
  some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often intense
  ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of
  thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in
  neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure their
  borders, briefly intervened in the conflict in the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo in 1998. A new transitional government,
  inaugurated on 1 November 2001, signed a power-sharing agreement
  with the largest rebel faction in December 2003 and set in place a
  provisional constitution in October 2004. Implementation of the
  agreement has been problematic, however, as one remaining rebel
  group refuses to sign on and elections have been repeatedly delayed,
  clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

Geography Burundi

Location:
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  3 30 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 27,830 sq km
  land: 25,650 sq km
  water: 2,180 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
  total: 974 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
  290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772
  m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies
  with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally
  moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual
  rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February to May and
  September to November, and dry seasons from June to August and
  December to January

Terrain:
  hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
  highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Natural resources:
  nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum,
  vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin,
  tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Land use:
  arable land: 35.05%
  permanent crops: 14.02%
  other: 50.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding, landslides, drought

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
  agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
  remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
  loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
  Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
  headstream of the White Nile

People Burundi

Population:
  6,370,609
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46% (male 1,479,941/female 1,450,808)
  15-64 years: 51.3% (male 1,617,864/female 1,653,331)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 66,199/female 102,466) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.6 years
  male: 16.27 years
  female: 16.95 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.22% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  17.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 69.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 75.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 50.29 years
  male: 49.61 years
  female: 50.99 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  250,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  25,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Burundian(s)
  adjective: Burundian

Ethnic groups:
  Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans
  3,000, South Asians 2,000

Religions:
  Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous
  beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Languages:
  Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
  Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.6%
  male: 58.5%
  female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Government Burundi

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
  conventional short form: Burundi
  local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
  local short form: Burundi
  former: Urundi

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bujumbura

Administrative divisions:
  16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke,
  Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
  Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Independence:
  1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:
  13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural political
  system; supplanted on 20 October 2004 by a provisional constitution
  approved by the parliament which extended the transition; a 28
  February 2005 popular referendum ratified the new constitution which
  set ethnic quotas for government positions, and tentatively
  scheduled general elections for April 2005

Legal system:
  based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April 2003);
  note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the second
  half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on 1
  November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
  November 2004)
  head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
  2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
  second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
  1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
  November 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
  elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as
  part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha
  Accord; note - next presidential election is scheduled for 22 April
  2005

Legislative branch:
  bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the transitional
  government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54 seats; term
  length is undefined, the current senators will likely serve out the
  three-year transition period)
  elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
  1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections
  are currently planned to be held by April 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
  21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16,
  civilians 27, other parties 13

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts of
  Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of First
  Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local tribunals)

Political parties and leaders:
  the three national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity for
  National Progress or UPRONA [Jean-Baptiste MANWANGARI, secretary
  general]; Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI,
  president]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for
  the Defense of Democracy of CNDD-FDD [Pierre NKURUNZIZA, president]
  note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
  National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen
  or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National
  Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated with
  Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government
  security forces

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
  chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
  embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
  mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
  telephone: [257] 223454
  FAX: [257] 222926

Flag description:
  divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and bottom)
  and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white disk
  superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
  outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
  two stars below)

Economy Burundi

Economy - overview:
  Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
  underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
  agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on
  subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
  exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
  ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather
  conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi
  minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the
  coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the
  population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in
  more than 200,000 deaths, forced 450,000 refugees into Tanzania, and
  displaced 140,000 others internally. Doubts about the prospects for
  sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only one in two
  children go to school, and approximately one in ten adults has
  HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.001 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 48.1% industry: 19% services: 32.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.99 million (2002)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 93.6%, industry 2.3%, services 4.1% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  68% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  42.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  10.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $152.5 million
  expenditures: $187.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas, manioc
  (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Industries:
  light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly of
  imported components; public works construction; food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  18% (2001)

Electricity - production:
  132 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.6% hydro: 99.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  137.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  15 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic of the
  Congo (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-59.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $31.84 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Exports - partners:
  Germany 19.6%, Belgium 8.2%, Pakistan 6.7%, US 5.6%, Rwanda 5.6%,
  Thailand 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $138.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Kenya 13.7%, Tanzania 11.2%, US 8.9%, Belgium 8.5%, France 8.4%,
  Italy 6%, Uganda 5.6%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $76.89 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.133 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $92.7 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Burundi franc (BIF)

Currency code:
  BIF

Exchange rates:
  Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62 (2003),
  930.75 (2002), 830.35 (2001), 720.67 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Burundi

Telephones - main lines in use:
  23,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  64,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
  and low-capacity microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  440,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bi

Internet hosts:
  22 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  14,000 (2003)

Transportation Burundi

Highways: total: 14,480 km paved: 1,028 km unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bujumbura

Airports:
  8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Burundi

Military branches:
  National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN): Army
  (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,379,793 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 693,956 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 84,597 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $38.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Burundi

Disputes - international:
  Tutsi, Hutu, other conflicting ethnic groups, associated political
  rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting
  in the Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda in an effort to
  gain control over populated and natural resource areas; government
  heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continues
  despite the presence of about 6,000 peacekeepers from the UN
  Operation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004; although some 150,000
  Burundian refugees have been repatriated, as of February 2005,
  Burundian refugees still reside in camps in western Tanzania as well
  as the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 60,288 (Democratic Republic of the
  Congo)
  IDPs: 140,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
  IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cambodia

Introduction Cambodia

Background:
  Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose Angkor
  Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith
  between the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by the
  Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire
  ushering in a long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodia
  placed the country under French protection; it became part of French
  Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II,
  Cambodia became independent within the French Union in 1949 and
  fully independent in 1953. After a five-year struggle, Communist
  Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the
  evacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million Cambodians
  died from execution, enforced hardships, or starvation during the
  Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese
  invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, led to a
  10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of
  civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic
  elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the
  Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some
  semblance of normalcy and the final elements of the Khmer Rouge
  surrendered in early 1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the
  first coalition government, but a second round of national elections
  in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and
  renewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were relatively
  peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending
  political parties before a coalition government was formed.
  Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for 2007 and national
  elections for 2008.

Geography Cambodia

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
  Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 181,040 sq km
  land: 176,520 sq km
  water: 4,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Land boundaries: total: 2,572 km border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Coastline: 443 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
  phosphates, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 20.96% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 78.43% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts

Environment - current issues:
  illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip mining
  for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand have
  resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in particular,
  destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural fisheries); soil
  erosion; in rural areas, most of the population does not have access
  to potable water; declining fish stocks because of illegal fishing
  and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River and
  Tonle Sap

People Cambodia

Population:
  13,607,069
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.3% (male 2,559,734/female 2,510,235)
  15-64 years: 59.7% (male 3,887,642/female 4,232,313)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 150,862/female 266,283) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.91 years
  male: 19.16 years
  female: 20.79 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.81% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 71.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 80.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 62.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 58.92 years
  male: 56.98 years
  female: 60.95 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  170,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  15,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese encephalitis are high risks in some locations (2004)

Nationality: noun: Cambodian(s) adjective: Cambodian

Ethnic groups:
  Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Religions:
  Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Languages:
  Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 73.6%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Government Cambodia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
  conventional short form: Cambodia
  local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)
  local short form: Kampuchea
  former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,
  People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Government type:
  multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy established in
  September 1993

Capital:
  Phnom Penh

Administrative divisions:
  20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities
  (krong, singular and plural)
  : provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong
  Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong,
  Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey
  Veng, Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takao
  : municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Preah Seihanu

Independence:
  9 November 1953 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Constitution:
  promulgated 21 September 1993

Legal system:
  primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the
  United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period,
  royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of
  customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
  influence of common law in recent years

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)
  and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992),
  Norodom SIRIVUDH, SOK AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK
  BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in
  practice named by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
  following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or
  majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the
  National Assembly and appointed by the king

Legislative branch:
  bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Senate (61
  seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected by the
  National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional constituencies";
  members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be
  held in July 2008); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (scheduled to be
  held in 2004 but delayed)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
  47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,
  FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (July 2003)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the constitution
  and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower courts)
  exercises judicial authority

Political parties and leaders:
  Cambodian Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or CPP [CHEA
  SIM]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful,
  and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM Ranariddh];
  Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH
  chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546 telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438 FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width), and blue
  with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat outlined
  in black in the center of the red band; only national flag to
  incorporate a building in its design

Economy Cambodia

Economy - overview:
  Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997 and 1998 due to the
  regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting,
  and foreign investment and tourism decreased. In 1999, the first
  full year of peace in 30 years, the government made progress on
  economic reforms. Growth resumed and remained about 5% from 2000 to
  2004. Economic growth has been largely driven by expansion in the
  garment sector and tourism, but is expected to fall in 2005 as
  growth in the garment sector stalls. Clothing exports were fostered
  by a US-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement signed in 1999 which
  gave Cambodia a guaranteed quota of US textile imports and
  established a bonus for improving working conditions and enforcing
  Cambodian labor laws and international labor standards in the
  industry. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on
  Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile producers are in
  direct competition with lower priced producing countries such as
  China and India. Faced with the possibility that over the next five
  years Cambodia may lose orders and some of the 250,000 well-paid
  jobs the industry provides, Cambodia has committed itself to a
  policy of continued support for high labor standards in an attempt
  to maintain favor with buyers. Tourism growth remains strong, with
  arrivals up 15% in 2004. The long-term development of the economy
  after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population
  lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the
  poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack
  of basic infrastructure. Fully 75% of the population remains engaged
  in subsistence farming. Fear of renewed political instability and a
  dysfunctional legal system coupled with extensive government
  corruption discourage foreign investment. The Cambodian government
  continues to work with bilateral and multilateral donors to address
  the country's many pressing needs. In December 2004, official donors
  pledged $504 million in aid for 2005 on the condition that the
  Cambodian government begins taking steps to address rampant
  corruption. The next donor pledging session is scheduled for
  December 2005. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the
  next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the
  private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's
  demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is 20 years
  or younger.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $26.99 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35% industry: 30% services: 35% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  7 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.5% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40 (2004 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $548.2 million
  expenditures: $836.7 million, including capital expenditures of $291
  million of which 75% was financed by external assistance (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

Industries:
  tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products,
  rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  22% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  122 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 65% hydro: 35% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  100.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  7,200 bbl/day (2002 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-316.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.311 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  Clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Exports - partners:
  US 55.9%, Germany 11.7%, UK 6.9%, Vietnam 4.4%, Canada 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.129 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction materials,
  machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Imports - partners:
  Thailand 22.5%, Hong Kong 14.1%, China 13.6%, Vietnam 10.9%,
  Singapore 10.8%, Taiwan 8.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $997.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $504 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for 2005 by international donors

Currency (code):
  riel (KHR)

Currency code:
  KHR

Exchange rates:
  riels per US dollar - 4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003), 3,912.08
  (2002), 3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cambodia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  35,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  380,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular service in
  Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone coverage is
  rapidly expanding in rural areas
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
  and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
  major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 17, (2003)

Radios:
  1.34 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (2003)

Televisions:
  94,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kh

Internet hosts:
  818 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2002)

Transportation Cambodia

Railways: total: 602 km narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 12,323 km paved: 1,996 km unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)

Waterways:
  2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Phnom Penh

Merchant marine:
  total: 479 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910 GRT/2,713,967 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 396, chemical tanker 9, container 6,
  livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 11,
  refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 193 (Canada 4, China 39, China 2, Cyprus 4, Egypt 5,
  Estonia 2, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 3,
  Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1,
  Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Russia 58, Singapore 5, South Korea 23, Syria
  8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 6, UAE 1, United States 7, Yemen 1) (2005)

Airports:
  20 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 14
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Military Cambodia

Military branches:
  Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for all males; conscription law passed September 2004; service obligation is 18 months (September 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,981,823 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,844,144 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 175,305 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $112 million (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (FY01 est.)

Transnational Issues Cambodia

Disputes - international:
  Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check
  the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of
  boundary with missing boundary markers and Thai encroachments into
  Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with Vietnam is hampered by
  unresolved dispute over offshore islands; Cambodia accuses Thailand
  of obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to
  Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; in 2004 Cambodian-Laotian and
  Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commissions reerect missing markers
  completing most of their demarcations

Illicit drugs:
  narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in the
  government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
  heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
  the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
  cash-based economy and porous borders

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cameroon

Introduction Cameroon

Background:
  The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon merged in
  1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally enjoyed
  stability, which has permitted the development of agriculture,
  roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry. Despite
  movement toward democratic reform, political power remains firmly in
  the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Geography Cameroon

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Equatorial
  Guinea and Nigeria

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 N, 12 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 475,440 sq km
  land: 469,440 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,591 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
  Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
  km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Coastline:
  402 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 50 nm

Climate:
  varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid and hot
  in north

Terrain:
  diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau in
  center, mountains in west, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.81% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 84.61% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases from
  Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation; overgrazing;
  desertification; poaching; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout the
  country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
  current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
  mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

People Cameroon

Population:
  16,380,005
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.7% (male 3,457,180/female 3,375,668)
  15-64 years: 55% (male 4,537,281/female 4,477,163)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 239,634/female 293,079) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.45 years
  female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.93% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  15.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 68.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 50.89 years
  male: 50.71 years
  female: 51.08 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  560,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  49,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Cameroonian(s)
  adjective: Cameroonian

Ethnic groups:
  Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%, Fulani
  10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other African 13%,
  non-African less than 1%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  24 major African language groups, English (official), French
  (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Government Cameroon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
  conventional short form: Cameroon
  former: French Cameroon

Government type:
  unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition
  parties legalized in 1990)
  note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Capital:
  Yaounde

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord, Littoral, Nord,
  Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Independence:
  1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Constitution:
  20 May 1972 approved by referendum, 2 June 1972 formally adopted;
  revised January 1996

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system, with common law influence; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 Dec 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
  by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held NA October
  2011); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
  Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga
  Haman ADJI 3.7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms;
  note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term of the
  legislature)
  elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
  note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
  legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High Court
  of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges, elected by
  the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA]; Democratic
  Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA]; Movement for the
  Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA]; Movement for the
  Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC [leader Marcel
  YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC [Dieudonne TINA];
  National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Maigari BELLO
  BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU NDI]; Union of
  Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic KODOCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN]; Human Rights
  Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
  chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
  embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
  mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
  telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
  FAX: [237] 223-07-53
  branch office(s): Douala

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and yellow
  with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the
  popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Cameroon

Economy - overview:
  Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural conditions,
  Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity economies in
  sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious problems
  facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy civil
  service and a generally unfavorable climate for business enterprise.
  Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF and World
  Bank programs designed to spur business investment, increase
  efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize the
  nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
  IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
  the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
  transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
  International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
  economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $30.17 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.7% industry: 20.1% services: 36.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  6.68 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Unemployment rate:
  30% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  48% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  47.7 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.493 billion
  expenditures: $2.248 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  69.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains, root
  starches; livestock; timber

Industries:
  petroleum production and refining, aluminum production, food
  processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.571 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.7% hydro: 97.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.321 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  94,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  80 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  55.22 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-149.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.445 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans, aluminum,
  coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
  Spain 15.2%, Italy 12.3%, UK 10.2%, France 9.2%, US 8.8%, South
  Korea 7.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.979 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel, food

Imports - partners:
  France 28.2%, Nigeria 9.9%, Belgium 7.6%, US 4.9%, China 4.8%,
  Germany 4.6%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $687.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $8.46 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce Cameroon's debt
  of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now totals $1.26 billion

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Cameroon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  110,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.077 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: available only to business and government
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
  international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
  2.27 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  450,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cm

Internet hosts:
  479 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users: 60,000 (2002) note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001

Transportation Cameroon

Railways: total: 1,008 km narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 34,300 km paved: 4,288 km unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy season (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Douala, Limboh Terminal

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)

Airports:
  47 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Military Cameroon

Military branches:
  Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air
  Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
  (1999)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,410,440 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,720,385 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 188,662 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $221.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Cameroon

Disputes - international:
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
  boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission, which
  continues to meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally and
  have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of the
  boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of the
  ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime
  boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by imprecisely defined
  coordinates, the unresolved Bakassi allocation, and a sovereignty
  dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the
  mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the
  Bakasi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces
  while much of the indigenous population opposes cession; only
  Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's
  admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes
  Chad and Niger

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 39,261 (Chad) 16,983 (Nigeria) 9,634
  (Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Canada

Introduction Canada

Background:
  A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada became
  a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
  British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
  developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
  an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is
  meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
  education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of
  reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority
  anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in
  recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec
  government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of
  1995.

Geography Canada

Location:
  Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on the
  east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on the
  north, north of the conterminous US

Geographic coordinates:
  60 00 N, 95 00 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 9,984,670 sq km
  land: 9,093,507 sq km
  water: 891,163 sq km

Area - comparative:
  somewhat larger than the US

Land boundaries: total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Coastline: 202,080 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash,
  diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, natural
  gas, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 4.96%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 95.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
  development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
  result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
  North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
  snow east of the mountains

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting lakes and
  damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities, and
  vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest productivity;
  ocean waters becoming contaminated due to agricultural, industrial,
  mining, and forestry activities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic location
  between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately 90% of
  the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

People Canada

Population:
  32,805,041 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
  65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.54 years male: 37.54 years female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.1 years
  male: 76.73 years
  female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  56,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Canadian(s)
  adjective: Canadian

Ethnic groups:
  British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European 15%,
  Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
  background 26%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United Church
  9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other Christian
  4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16% (2001
  census)

Languages:
  English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97% (1986 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Canada

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Canada

Government type:
  a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary democracy
  and a federation

Capital:
  Ottawa

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
  Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
  Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
  Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Independence:
  1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11 December
  1931 (independence recognized)

National holiday:
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Constitution:
  made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial decisions,
  and traditions; the written part of the constitution consists of the
  Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a federation of
  four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April 1982, which
  transferred formal control over the constitution from Britain to
  Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well
  as procedures for constitutional amendments

Legal system:
  based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law
  system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Michaelle Jean (since 27 October
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
  2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
  cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
  the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
  five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
  governor general

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
  (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of the
  prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its normal
  limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre des
  Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve for up to five-year terms)
  elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be
  held by NA 2009)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party
  15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other
  0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99,
  Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime minister
  through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada; Federal
  Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named variously Court
  of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and
  Court of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
  Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada (a
  merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative
  Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party
  [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA (cooperating
  state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francis Joseph MCKENNA
  chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
  telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
  FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix,
  San Diego, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Raleigh,
  San Francisco, and San Jose

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8 mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430 telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470 FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082 consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width), with
  white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is centered
  in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red and white

Economy Canada

Economy - overview:
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, newly entered in the
  trillion dollar class, Canada closely resembles the US in its
  market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent
  living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the
  manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the
  nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial
  and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
  1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes
  Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic
  integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled
  labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
  prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget
  surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although
  public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the
  publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a
  third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its
  principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more
  than 85% of Canadian exports.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.023 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $31,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 26.4% services: 71.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 17.37 million (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services 74%, other 3% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  7% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $151 billion
  expenditures: $144 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  NA (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
  products; forest products; fish

Industries:
  transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed
  minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish products,
  petroleum and natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  548.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 28% hydro: 57.9% nuclear: 12.9% other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  487.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  36.13 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  13 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  3.11 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.2 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.37 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  987,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  178.9 billion bbl including shale oil (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  165.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  55.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  91.52 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  8.73 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.691 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $28.2 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $315.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
  telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
  pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Exports - partners:
  US 85.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $256.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
  chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 58.9%, China 6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $36.27 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $570 billion (2004)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
  Canadian dollar (CAD)

Currency code:
  CAD

Exchange rates:
  Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003),
  1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Canada

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,950,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  13,221,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent service provided by modern technology
  domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
  international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1
  Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Radios:
  32.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  21.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ca

Internet hosts:
  3,210,081 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  760 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
  16.11 million (2002)

Transportation Canada

Railways: total: 48,683 km standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 1,408,800 km
  paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Waterways:
  631 km
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
  Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Pipelines:
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980 km
  (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Fraser River Port, Goderich, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec, Saint
  John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver

Merchant marine:
  total: 169 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 49, chemical tanker 6, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum
  tanker 13, roll on/roll off 6
  foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 3, United States 2)
  registered in other countries: 112 (2005)

Airports:
  1,326 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 503 over 3,047 m: 18 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 150 914 to 1,523 m: 245 under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 823 1,524 to 2,437 m: 67 914 to 1,523 m: 347 under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 319 (2004)

Military Canada

Military branches:
  Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command, Air
  Command, Canada Command (homeland security) to be operational in
  early 2006 (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; women comprise some 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 8,216,510 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 6,740,490 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 223,821 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9,801.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues Canada

Disputes - international:
  managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon Entrance,
  Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the disputed
  Machias Seal Island and North Rock; working toward greater
  cooperation with US in monitoring people and commodities crossing
  the border; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans
  Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
  export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant
  large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point
  for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to
  narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services
  sector

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cape Verde

Introduction Cape Verde

Background:
  The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by the
  Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
  trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
  resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
  independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
  Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
  until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
  to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
  Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
  significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
  Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
  Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Geography Cape Verde

Location:
  Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, west
  of Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 N, 24 00 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 4,033 sq km
  land: 4,033 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  965 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and very erratic

Terrain:
  steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Natural resources: salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 9.68% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 89.82% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces obscuring
  dust; volcanically and seismically active

Environment - current issues: soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has threatened several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand extraction; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near major
  north-south sea routes; important communications station; important
  sea and air refueling site

People Cape Verde

Population:
  418,224 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39% (male 82,249/female 80,752)
  15-64 years: 54.3% (male 110,119/female 116,816)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 10,599/female 17,689) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.4 years
  male: 18.62 years
  female: 20.25 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.67% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -11.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 47.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 52.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 42.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.45 years
  male: 67.13 years
  female: 73.86 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.035% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  775 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  225 (as of 2001)

Nationality:
  noun: Cape Verdean(s)
  adjective: Cape Verdean

Ethnic groups:
  Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs); Protestant
  (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Languages:
  Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West African words)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.6%
  male: 85.8%
  female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Government Cape Verde

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
  conventional short form: Cape Verde
  local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
  local short form: Cabo Verde

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Praia

Administrative divisions:
  17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa Vista,
  Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira Grande,
  Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe, Sao
  Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Independence:
  5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Constitution:
  new constitution came into force 25 September 1992; underwent a
  major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially increasing the
  powers of the president, and a further revision in 1999, to create
  the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de Justica)

Legal system:
  derived from the legal system of Portugal

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
  February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held February
  2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and
  appointed by the president
  election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
  Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
  election was won by only twelve votes

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
  ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV [Jose Maria
  Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change or ADM [Dr.
  Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID); Democratic
  Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman]; Democratic
  Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president]; Movement for
  Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party for Democratic
  Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president]; Party of Work
  and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
  FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
  consulate(s) general: Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
  embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
  mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
  telephone: [238] 261 56 16, 261 56 17
  FAX: [238] 261 13 55

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width), white
  (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light blue;
  a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the hoist
  end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower blue bands

Economy Cape Verde

Economy - overview:
  This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource base,
  including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of long-term
  drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce, transport,
  tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP. Although
  nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the share of
  agriculture in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing accounted
  for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing potential,
  mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape Verde annually
  runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid and remittances
  from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more than 20%.
  Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private sector and
  attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy. Future
  prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the
  encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the
  government's development program.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $600 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 12.1%
  industry: 21.9%
  services: 66% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  21% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $260.6 million
  expenditures: $305.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee, peanuts;
  fish

Industries:
  food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments, salt
  mining, ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  43.08 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  40.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-93.76 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $61.11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Exports - partners:
  Portugal 59.4%, US 17.2%, UK 11.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $387.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Portugal 41.8%, US 12.3%, Netherlands 8.4%, Spain 5.2%, Italy 4.2%,
  Brazil 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $112.7 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $325 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $136 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Currency code:
  CVE

Exchange rates:
  Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.808 (2004), 97.703
  (2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 119.687 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cape Verde

Telephones - main lines in use:
  71,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  53,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: effective system, extensive modernization from
  1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
  domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber
  optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet
  access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998
  international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
  radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
  - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  100,000 (2002 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
  15,000 (2002 est.)

Internet country code:
  .cv

Internet hosts:
  118 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  20,400 (2003)

Transportation Cape Verde

Highways: total: 1,350 km paved: 932 km unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports: 7 note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cape Verde

Military branches:
  People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast Guard
  (includes maritime air wing)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 84,641 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 65,614 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $14.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Cape Verde

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving from Latin
  America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of a
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cayman Islands

Introduction Cayman Islands

Background:
  The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the British
  during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica since
  1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the former
  became independent.

Geography Cayman Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly one-half of the
  way from Cuba to Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
  19 30 N, 80 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 262 sq km
  land: 262 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  160 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October) and cool,
  relatively dry winters (November to April)

Terrain:
  low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Natural resources: fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 3.85% permanent crops: 0% other: 96.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (July to November)

Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources; drinking water supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Geography - note: important location between Cuba and Central America

People Cayman Islands

Population:
  44,270 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.1% (male 4,658/female 4,662)
  15-64 years: 70.8% (male 15,284/female 16,050)
  65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,699/female 1,917) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.83 years
  male: 36.48 years
  female: 37.18 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.64% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.92 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  18.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2005
  est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.95 years
  male: 77.33 years
  female: 82.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.9 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Caymanian(s)
  adjective: Caymanian

Ethnic groups:
  mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of various ethnic
  groups 20%

Religions:
  United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational), Anglican, Baptist,
  Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Cayman Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  British crown colony

Capital:
  George Town

Administrative divisions:
  8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town, Spot Bay, Stake
  Bay, West End, Western

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Constitution:
  1959; revised 1972 and 1992

Legal system:
  British common law and local statutes

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
  head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS
  (since 18 May 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
  four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the
  governor Leader of Government Business

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three appointed members
  from the Executive Council and 15 elected by popular vote; members
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - PPM 9, UDP 5,
  independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  no national teams (loose groupings of political organizations) were
  formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic Party or UDP
  [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [leader
  Kurt TIBBETTS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UNESCO
  (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag;
  the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with
  three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the
  bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS

Economy Cayman Islands

Economy - overview:
  With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving offshore
  financial center. More than 40,000 companies were registered in the
  Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600 banks and trust
  companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A stock exchange was
  opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay, accounting for about 70%
  of GDP and 75% of foreign currency earnings. The tourist industry is
  aimed at the luxury market and caters mainly to visitors from North
  America. Total tourist arrivals exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with
  600,000 from the US. About 90% of the islands' food and consumer
  goods must be imported. The Caymanians enjoy one of the highest
  outputs per capita and one of the highest standards of living in the
  world.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.391 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $32,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.4% industry: 3.2% services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Labor force:
  19,820 (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  4.1% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
  NA (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $265.2 million
  expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Industries:
  tourism, banking, insurance and finance, construction, construction
  materials, furniture

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  410.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  382.1 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $1.2 million (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Exports - partners:
  mostly US

Imports:
  $457.4 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles, Japan

Debt - external:
  $70 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Currency code:
  KYD

Exchange rates:
  Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October 2001), 0.83 (3
  November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Cayman Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: reasonably good system
  domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in
  falling prices and improving services
  international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables
  (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  36,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 with cable system (2004)

Televisions:
  7,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ky

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  9,909 (2003)

Transportation Cayman Islands

Highways: total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Cayman Brac, George Town

Merchant marine:
  total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837 GRT/4,555,974 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 12, chemical tanker 39, liquefied
  gas 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 126 (Denmark 1, Germany 14, Greece 20, Italy 12,
  Norway 1, Philippines 1, Sweden 13, Switzerland 11, United Kingdom
  9, United States 44) (2005)

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cayman Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Cayman Islands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug transshipment to the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Central African Republic

Introduction Central African Republic

Background:
  The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African
  Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades
  of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was
  established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix
  PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March
  2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois
  BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though
  the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the
  main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates
  will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections
  scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully
  control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.

Geography Central African Republic

Location:
  Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  7 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 622,984 sq km
  land: 622,984 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,203 km
  border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
  Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
  1,165 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers

Terrain:
  vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in
  northeast and southwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
  highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 3.1%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 96.76% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are
  common

Environment - current issues:
  tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's
  reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges;
  desertification; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa

People Central African Republic

Population:
  3,799,897
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.12 years
  male: 17.75 years
  female: 18.5 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.49% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.39 years
  male: 43.27 years
  female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  13.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  260,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Central African(s)
  adjective: Central African

Ethnic groups:
  Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%,
  Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim
  15%
  note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
  Christian majority

Languages:
  French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language),
  tribal languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51%
  male: 63.3%
  female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Government Central African Republic

Country name:
  conventional long form: Central African Republic
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
  local short form: none
  former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
  abbreviation: CAR

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bangui

Administrative divisions:
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic
  prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture
  economique), and 1 commune**; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**,
  Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei,
  Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham,
  Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Independence:
  13 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Constitution:
  passed by referendum 5 December 2004

Legal system:
  based on French law

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005)
  note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term
  limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005;
  prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary
  majority

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms
  elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
  held 13 March 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
  9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
  independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
  6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges
  appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National
  Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts;
  Inferior Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS];
  Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic
  Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for
  Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD
  [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or
  MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central
  African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix
  PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA];
  People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY];
  National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY
  chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Flag description:
  four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow
  with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed
  star on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Central African Republic

Economy - overview:
  Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the
  backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with
  more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The
  agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for
  about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 54%.
  Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's
  landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely
  unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic
  policies. Factional fighting between the government and its
  opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth
  at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily
  unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only
  partially meet humanitarian needs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.248 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 20%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  61.3 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn,
  bananas; timber

Industries:
  gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear,
  assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  106 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.8% hydro: 80.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  98.58 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%,
  Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical
  equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $881.4 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France
  (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Central African Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  13,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system
  domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
  low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
  international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  283,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cf

Internet hosts:
  6 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2002)

Transportation Central African Republic

Highways: total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Airports:
  50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Military Central African Republic

Military branches:
  Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force;
  General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican
  Guard (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is two years (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 758,103 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 330,255 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $15.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Central African Republic

Disputes - international:
  about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR
  still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and
  grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border
  with southern Sudan persist

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 36,479 (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484
  (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
  IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Chad

Introduction Chad

Background:
  Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three
  decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a
  semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
  eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
  groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
  to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
  presidential elections in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, a new rebellion
  broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite two
  peace agreements signed in 2002 and 2003 between the government and
  the rebels. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains
  in the hands of an ethnic minority.

Geography Chad

Location:
  Central Africa, south of Libya

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 19 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.284 million sq km
  land: 1,259,200 sq km
  water: 24,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,968 km
  border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
  km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical in south, desert in north

Terrain:
  broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
  northwest, lowlands in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
  highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,
  limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Land use: arable land: 2.86% permanent crops: 0.02% other: 97.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic droughts;
  locust plagues

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal in
  rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
  Sahel

People Chad

Population:
  9,826,419 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,365,277/female 2,337,388)
  15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,323,110/female 2,528,086)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 109,535/female 163,023) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.02 years
  male: 15.32 years
  female: 16.71 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.95% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  45.98 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  16.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 93.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 103.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 47.18 years
  male: 45.55 years
  female: 48.87 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  200,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  18,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality: noun: Chadian(s) adjective: Chadian

Ethnic groups:
  200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
  (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
  Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
  Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
  Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
  French citizens live in Chad

Religions:
  Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Languages:
  French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than
  120 different languages and dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
  total population: 47.5%
  male: 56%
  female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Government Chad

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Chad
  conventional short form: Chad
  local long form: Republique du Tchad
  local short form: Tchad

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  N'Djamena

Administrative divisions:
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
  Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
  Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
  Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
  note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
  structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
  and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
  Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
  Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
  Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
  N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
  Occidental, Tibesti

Independence:
  11 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Constitution:
  passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4 December
  1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3
  February 2005)
  cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
  two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
  round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
  of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
  KEBZABO 7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
  Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
  members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
  every two years)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
  held in April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
  National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
  National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
  Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman];
  Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union
  for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE];
  Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire
  COUMAKOYE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
  chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marc WALL embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena telephone: [235] (51) 70-09 FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of Andorra
  and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms centered in
  the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Chad

Economy - overview:
  Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be boosted
  by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000. Over 80%
  of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock
  raising for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic provide
  the bulk of Chad's export earnings; Chad began to export oil in
  2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked
  position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
  relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and
  private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US
  companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
  estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production came
  on stream in late 2003.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $15.66 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  38% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 22.6%
  industry: 35.6%
  services: 41.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
  fishing)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.131 billion
  expenditures: $957.7 million, including capital expenditures of $146
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca);
  cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Industries:
  oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
  carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (1995)

Electricity - production:
  96.13 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  89.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  200,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $330.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Exports - partners:
  US 67.8%, China 21.5%, Portugal 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $500.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods, petroleum
  products, foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  France 21.9%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.8%, Portugal 10.4%, Germany
  6.4%, Belgium 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $652.7 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by Taiwan
  (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development Bank;
  ODA $150 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Chad

Telephones - main lines in use:
  11,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  65,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
  international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
  1.67 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .td

Internet hosts:
  8 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Chad

Highways: total: 33,400 km paved: 267 km unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

Pipelines:
  oil 205 km (2004)

Airports:
  50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 7 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Chad

Military branches:
  Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air Force,
  Gendarmerie (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation; 18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 1,559,382 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 834,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 95,228 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $101.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Chad

Disputes - international:
  since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have
  driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; Chad
  remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict;
  Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and
  Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify
  the delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 200,000 (Sudan) 30,000 (Central
  African Republic) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Chile

Introduction Chile

Background:
  Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century, northern
  Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians inhabited central
  and southern Chile; the latter were not completely subjugated until
  the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its independence in 1810,
  decisive victory over the Spanish was not achieved until 1818. In
  the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile defeated Peru and Bolivia
  and won its present northern lands. A three-year-old Marxist
  government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown in 1973 by a
  dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled until
  a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound economic
  policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s, have contributed
  to steady growth and have helped secure the country's commitment to
  democratic and representative government. Chile has increasingly
  assumed regional and international leadership roles befitting its
  status as a stable, democratic nation.

Geography Chile

Location:
  Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
  Argentina and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
  30 00 S, 71 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 756,950 sq km
  land: 748,800 sq km
  water: 8,150 sq km
  note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

Land boundaries: total: 6,171 km border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

Coastline: 6,435 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200/350 nm

Climate:
  temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region; cool
  and damp in south

Terrain:
  low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

Natural resources:
  copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals, molybdenum,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.65% permanent crops: 0.42% other: 96.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural resources; air
  pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
  from raw sewage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
  Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
  Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

People Chile

Population:
  15,980,912 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.2% (male 2,062,735/female 1,970,913)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 5,320,870/female 5,342,771)
  65 years and over: 8% (male 534,737/female 748,886) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.07 years
  male: 29.17 years
  female: 31.05 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.97% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.44 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.58 years
  male: 73.3 years
  female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  26,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,400 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Chilean(s) adjective: Chilean

Ethnic groups:
  white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.2%
  male: 96.4%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Chile

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Chile
  conventional short form: Chile
  local long form: Republica de Chile
  local short form: Chile

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Santiago

Administrative divisions:
  13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General Carlos
  Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
  Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
  Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
  (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
  18 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

Constitution:
  11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989,
  1993, and 1997

Legal system:
  based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes
  influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction
  note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
  justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
  gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of
  implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June
  2005

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
  January 2000 (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
  of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
  Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9 designated
  members, and 1 former president who has served a full six-year term
  and is senator for life); elected members serve eight-year terms
  (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber of Deputies or
  Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held
  December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
  (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
  independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI
  35, RN 22, independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
  president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
  provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
  elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National Renewal
  or RN [Sebastian PINERA] and Independent Democratic Union or UDI
  [Pablo LONGUEIRA]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy
  ("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC
  [Adolfo ZALDIVAR], Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER], Party
  for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO], Radical Social Democratic
  Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS]); Communist Party or PC [Gladys
  MARIN]

Political pressure groups and leaders: revitalized university student federations at all major universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations

International organization participation:
  APEC, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
  MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
  chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
  FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago mailing address: APO AA 34033 telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600 FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue
  square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of
  the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
  center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
  the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
  blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
  US flag

Economy Chile

Economy - overview:
  Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high level
  of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation as a
  role model for economic reform was strengthened when the democratic
  government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the military in
  1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the military
  government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97, but fell
  to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary policies
  implemented to keep the current account deficit in check and because
  of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the global
  financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession in
  1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls and
  electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
  growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
  of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
  financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
  strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
  1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
  rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%
  in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
  of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in
  2003, growing 3.2% and accelerated to 5.8% in 2004. GDP growth
  benefited from high copper prices, solid export earnings
  (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign
  direct investment. Unemployment, however, remains stubbornly high.
  Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization
  with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took
  effect on 1 January 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $169.1 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.3% industry: 38.2% services: 55.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  6.2 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  20.6% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  57.1 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $21.53 billion
  expenditures: $19.95 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $3.33 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches, garlic,
  asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

Industries:
  copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
  steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  48.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 51.5% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  41.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.813 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  18,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  240,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  221,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
  150 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
  1.18 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.517 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2002)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.337 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  99.05 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
  $2.185 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $29.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

Exports - partners:
  US 14%, Japan 11.4%, China 9.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Netherlands
  5.1%, Brazil 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $22.53 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and
  telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,
  natural gas

Imports - partners:
  Argentina 17%, US 14%, Brazil 11.2%, China 7.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $16.02 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
  $44.6 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $0 (2002)

Currency (code):
  Chilean peso (CLP)

Currency code:
  CLP

Exchange rates:
  Chilean pesos per US dollar - 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003), 688.94
  (2002), 634.94 (2001), 539.59 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Chile

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.467 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,445,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
  radio relay facilities
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
  system with 3 earth stations
  international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive) (1998)

Radios:
  5.18 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  3.15 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cl

Internet hosts:
  202,429 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  7 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.575 million (2002)

Transportation Chile

Railways:
  total: 6,585 km
  broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 79,605 km
  paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil 1,003
  km; refined products 757 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San
  Vicente, Valparaiso

Merchant marine:
  total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, container 1,
  liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 8,
  roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 4
  registered in other countries: 21 (2005)

Airports:
  364 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 293
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)

Military Chile

Military branches:
  Army of the Nation, National Navy (includes naval air, Coast Guard,
  and Marine Corps), Chilean Air Force, Chilean Carabineros (National
  Police)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; all citizens 18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,815,761 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,123,281 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 140,084 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.42 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Chile

Disputes - international:
  Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the Atacama
  corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead unrestricted but
  not sovereign maritime access through Chile to Bolivian gas and
  other commodities; Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime
  boundary with Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern
  axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean Antarctic Territory)
  partially overlaps Argentine and British claims

Illicit drugs:
  important transshipment country for cocaine destined for Europe and
  the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have made Chile
  more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug profits,
  especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new
  anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors
  passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@China

Introduction China

Background:
  For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the
  rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
  early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major
  famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
  II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic
  socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed
  strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of
  millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
  other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by
  2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living
  standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal
  choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Geography China

Location:
  Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea,
  and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  35 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 9,596,960 sq km
  land: 9,326,410 sq km
  water: 270,550 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 22,117 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
  India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
  Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
  km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
  regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Coastline:
  14,500 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas,
  and hills in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin, tungsten,
  antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite, aluminum,
  lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Land use:
  arable land: 15.4%
  permanent crops: 1.25%
  other: 83.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern
  coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land
  subsidence

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates) from
  reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly
  in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation;
  estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil
  erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in
  endangered species

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
  Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

People China

Population:
  1,306,313,812 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.4% (male 148,134,928/female 131,045,415)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 477,182,072/female 450,664,933)
  65 years and over: 7.6% (male 47,400,282/female 51,886,182) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 32.26 years male: 31.87 years female: 32.67 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.58% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.27 years
  male: 70.65 years
  female: 74.09 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  840,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  44,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
  Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao, Manchu,
  Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Religions:
  Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
  note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Languages:
  Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
  dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
  (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
  (see Ethnic groups entry)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.9%
  male: 95.1%
  female: 86.5% (2002)

Government China

Country name:
  conventional long form: People's Republic of China
  conventional short form: China
  local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
  local short form: Zhong Guo
  abbreviation: PRC

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Beijing

Administrative divisions:
  23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous regions
  (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi, singular
  and plural)
  : provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan,
  Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
  Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
  Zhejiang
  : autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang
  (Tibet)
  : municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
  note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries
  for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Independence:
  221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January 1912
  (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949 (People's
  Republic established)

National holiday:
  Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China, 1
  October (1949)

Constitution:
  most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Legal system:
  a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
  rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
  codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
  made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and Vice
  President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
  head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
  Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
  Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
  (NPC)
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
  March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
  the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
  election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
  People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (four delegates voted
  against him, four abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
  elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
  a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
  abstained, and 38 did not vote); two seats were vacant

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin Daibiao
  Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional, and
  provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held
  late 2007-February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National People's
  Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher, intermediate and
  local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily military, maritime,
  and railway transport courts)

Political parties and leaders:
  Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary of the
  Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled by CCP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
  government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the
  China Democracy Party as subversive groups

International organization participation:
  AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, CDB,
  FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA
  (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB,
  OPCW, PCA, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
  chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
  embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
  FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929
  consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
  Shenyang

Flag description:
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow
  five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of
  the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Economy China

Economy - overview: In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, inefficient, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2004 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still poor. Agriculture and industry have posted major gains especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan and in Shanghai, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (growing income disparities and rising unemployment). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) sustain adequate jobs growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 100 to 150 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. At the same time, one demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. As part of its effort to gradually slow the rapid economic growth seen in 2004, Beijing says it will reduce somewhat its spending on infrastructure in 2005, while continuing to focus on poverty relief and through rural tax reform. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen its ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with 94 million users at the end of 2004. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth. Shortages of electric power and raw materials may affect industrial output in 2005. More power generating capacity is scheduled to come on line in 2006. In its rivalry with India as an economic power, China has a lead in the absorption of technology, the rising prominence in world trade, and the alleviation of poverty; India has one important advantage in its relative mastery of the English language, but the number of competent Chinese English-speakers is growing rapidly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.262 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.1% (official data) (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.8% industry and construction: 52.9% services: 33.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  760.8 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 49%, industry 22%, services 29% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.8% in urban areas; substantial unemployment and underemployment
  in rural areas; an official Chinese journal estimated overall
  unemployment (including rural areas) for 2003 at 20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  46% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $317.9 billion
  expenditures: $348.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  31.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley, apples,
  cotton, oilseed, pork, fish

Industries:
  mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals;
  coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel; petroleum;
  cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products, including
  footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing; transportation
  equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and locomotives, ships,
  and aircraft; telecommunications equipment, commercial space launch
  vehicles and satellites

Industrial production growth rate:
  17.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.91 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 80.2% hydro: 18.5% nuclear: 1.2% other: 0.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.63 trillion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  10.38 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  2.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  3.392 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4.956 million bbl/day (2002 est.)

Oil - exports:
  427,800 bbl/day (2002)

Oil - imports:
  2.414 million bbl/day (2002)

Oil - proved reserves:
  17.74 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  35 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  29.18 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.23 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $30.32 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $583.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical equipment,
  iron and steel

Exports - partners:
  US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17%, Japan 12.4%, South Korea 4.7%, Germany 4%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $552.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics, optical
  and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel

Imports - partners:
  Japan 16.8%, Taiwan 11.4%, South Korea 11.1%, US 8%, Germany 5.4%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $609.9 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $233.3 billion (3rd quarter 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  yuan (CNY)
  note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Currency code:
  CNY

Exchange rates:
  yuan per US dollar - 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003), 8.277 (2002),
  8.2771 (2001), 8.2785 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications China

Telephones - main lines in use:
  263 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  269 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic and international services are
  increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
  domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
  many towns
  domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
  telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
  with 55 earth stations is in place
  international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
  regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
  Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Radios:
  417 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television, 31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city stations) (1997)

Televisions:
  400 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cn

Internet hosts:
  160,421 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  94 million (2004)

Transportation China

Railways:
  total: 71,898 km
  standard gauge: 71,898 km 1.435-m gauge (18,115 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 23,945 km (multiple track not included in total) (2002)

Highways:
  total: 1,765,222 km
  paved: 395,410 km (with at least 25,130 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,369,812 km (2002 est.)

Waterways:
  121,557 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 15,890 km; oil 14,478 km; refined products 3,280 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,649 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,724,653 GRT/27,749,784 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 362, cargo 696, chemical
  tanker 38, combination ore/oil 1, container 135, liquefied gas 30,
  passenger 7, passenger/cargo 81, petroleum tanker 246, refrigerated
  cargo 30, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 10
  foreign-owned: 9 (Hong Kong 4, Japan 2, South Korea 2, United States
  1)
  registered in other countries: 872 (2005)

Airports:
  472 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 383
  over 3,047 m: 53
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 116
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 141
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 89
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 32
  under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  15 (2004 est.)

Military China

Military branches:
  People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes
  marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes Airborne Forces),
  and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed
  Police Force (internal security troops considered to be an adjunct
  to the PLA); Militia (2003)

Military service age and obligation: 18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with 24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service; 17 years of age for women who meet requirements for specific military jobs (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 342,956,265 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 281,240,272 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 13,186,433 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $67.49 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues China

Disputes - international:
  in 2005, China and India initiate drafting principles to resolve
  all aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial disputes
  together with a security and foreign policy dialogue to consolidate
  discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear proliferation,
  and other matters; recent talks and confidence-building measures
  have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's
  largest and most militarized territorial dispute with portions under
  the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and
  Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does
  not recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in
  1964; about 90,000 ethnic Tibetan exiles reside primarily in India
  as well as Nepal and Bhutan; China asserts sovereignty over the
  Spratly Islands together with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,
  Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct
  of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the
  Spratlys but is not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by
  some parties; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,
  the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord on marine seismic
  activities in the Spratly Islands; China occupies some of the
  Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; China and Taiwan
  have become more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the
  uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's
  unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea,
  the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting; certain islands in
  the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an uncontested dispute with North
  Korea and a section of boundary around Mount Paektu is considered
  indefinite; China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of
  thousands of North Koreans; in 2004, China and Russia divided up the
  islands in the Amur, Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, ending a century-old
  border dispute; demarcation of the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds
  slowly and although the maritime boundary delimitation and fisheries
  agreements were ratified in June 2004, implementation has been
  delayed; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned
  about China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the
  Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) estimated
  30,000-50,000 (North Korea) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
  Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
  chemical precursors and methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Christmas Island

Introduction Christmas Island

Background:
  Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed
  and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began
  in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958.
  Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park.

Geography Christmas Island

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  10 30 S, 105 40 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 135 sq km
  land: 135 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  138.9 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by
  trade winds; wet season December to April

Terrain:
  steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Natural resources:
  phosphate, beaches

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100%
  note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
  park (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

People Christmas Island

Population: 361 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  0% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Net migration rate:
  NA

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Christmas Islander(s)
  adjective: Christmas Island

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
  note: no indigenous population (2001)

Religions:
  Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997)

Languages:
  English (official), Chinese, Malay

Literacy:
  NA

People - note:
  the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a population of 1,508
  as of the 2001 Census

Government Christmas Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
  conventional short form: Christmas Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department
  of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  The Settlement

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
  Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958)

Legal system:
  under the authority of the governor general of Australia and
  Australian law

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November
  2003)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
  election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used; note - in early 1986, the Christmas
  Island Assembly held a design competition for an island flag,
  however, the winning design has never been formally adopted as the
  official flag of the territory

Economy Christmas Island

Economy - overview:
  Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity,
  but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In
  1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a
  $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino closed in 1998. The
  Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a
  commercial space-launching site on the island, projected to begin
  operations in the near future

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
  NA

Industries:
  tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Exports:
  NA

Exports - commodities:
  phosphate

Exports - partners:
  Australia, NZ

Imports:
  NA

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  principally Australia

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
  1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Christmas Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
  domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
  in February 2005
  international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one
  Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  600 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cx

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Christmas Island

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 30 km unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Flying Fish Cove

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Christmas Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Christmas Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Clipperton Island

Introduction Clipperton Island

Background:
  This isolated island was named for John CLIPPERTON, a pirate who
  made it his hideout early in the 18th century. Annexed by France in
  1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897. Arbitration eventually
  awarded the island to France, which took possession in 1935.

Geography Clipperton Island

Location:
  Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, 1,120 km
  southwest of Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  10 17 N, 109 13 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 6 sq km
  land: 6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  11.1 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees C, rains
  May-October

Terrain:
  coral atoll

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all coral) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  reef 12 km in circumference

People Clipperton Island

Population: uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Government Clipperton Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Clipperton Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Clipperton
  former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia
  by a high commissioner of the Republic

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Clipperton Island

Economy - overview:
  Although 115 species of fish have been identified in the
  territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic activity
  is tuna fishing.

Transportation Clipperton Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Clipperton Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Clipperton Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Introduction Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Background:
  There are 27 coral islands in the group. Captain William KEELING
  discovered the islands in 1609, but they remained uninhabited until
  the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in 1857, they were transferred
  to the Australian Government in 1955. The population on the two
  inhabited islands generally is split between the ethnic Europeans on
  West Island and the ethnic Malays on Home Island.

Geography Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, southwest
  of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia to Sri Lanka

Geographic coordinates:
  12 30 S, 96 50 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 14 sq km
  land: 14 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Area - comparative:
  about 24 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  26 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical with high humidity, moderated by the southeast trade winds
  for about nine months of the year

Terrain:
  flat, low-lying coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclone season is October to April

Environment - current issues: fresh water resources are limited to rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Geography - note: islands are thickly covered with coconut palms and other vegetation

People Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Population: 628 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  0% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Net migration rate:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cocos Islander(s)
  adjective: Cocos Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Europeans, Cocos Malays

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Languages:
  Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Government Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
  Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  West Island

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution:
  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23 November 1953)

Legal system:
  based upon the laws of Australia and local laws

Suffrage:
  NA

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since
  1 November 2003)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire Council (7 seats)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
  election; last held NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Economy - overview:
  Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are the sole cash crop.
  Small local gardens and fishing contribute to the food supply, but
  additional food and most other necessities must be imported from
  Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation: the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Unemployment rate: 60% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Industries:
  copra products and tourism

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Exports:
  NA

Exports - commodities:
  copra

Exports - partners:
  Australia

Imports:
  NA

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Australia

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
  1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  287 (1992)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  note - analog cellular service available

Telephone system:
  general assessment: connected within Australia's telecommunication
  system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and
  facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite;
  1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  300 (1992)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .cc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Highways: total: 15 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Port Refuge

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; the territory does have
  a five-person police force

Transnational Issues Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Colombia

Introduction Colombia

Background:
  Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from the
  collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and
  Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
  Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
  from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
  swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
  movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
  overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
  has grown to several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
  the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also
  the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas.
  While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control
  throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the
  violence spilling over their borders.

Geography Colombia

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Panama
  and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
  Ecuador and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
  4 00 N, 72 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 1,138,910 sq km
  land: 1,038,700 sq km
  water: 100,210 sq km
  note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
  Serranilla Bank

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,004 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
  Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Coastline:
  3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448 km)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes Mountains,
  eastern lowland plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
  note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold, copper,
  emeralds, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.42% permanent crops: 1.67% other: 95.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  only South American country with coastlines on both the North
  Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

People Colombia

Population:
  42,954,279 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 6,670,950/female 6,516,371)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 13,424,433/female 14,142,825)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 968,127/female 1,231,573) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.04 years
  male: 25.14 years
  female: 26.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.49% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.72 years
  male: 67.88 years
  female: 75.7 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  190,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,600 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Colombian(s)
  adjective: Colombian

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
  black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Government Colombia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
  conventional short form: Colombia
  local long form: Republica de Colombia
  local short form: Colombia

Government type:
  republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Capital:
  Bogota

Administrative divisions:
  32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
  capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
  Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
  Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
  Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
  de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
  Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
  Vichada

Independence:
  20 July 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Constitution:
  5 July 1991

Legal system:
  based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
  procedures was enacted into law in 2004; judicial review of
  executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August 2002);
  Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
  2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties
  - the PL and PSC - and independents
  elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
  a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held
  May 2006)
  election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the
  vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or Senado
  (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de Representantes
  (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held March
  2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to
  be held March 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many
  aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent
  of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents
  and other parties 91

Judicial branch:
  four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme Court of
  Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of criminal law;
  judges are selected by their peers from the nominees of the Superior
  Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of State (highest
  court of administrative law; judges are selected from the nominees
  of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);
  Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the
  constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
  constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council
  (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves
  jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are
  elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO]; Conservative
  Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Democratic Pole or PDI [Samuel
  MORENO Rojas]; Liberal Party or PL [Juan Fernando CRISTO]
  note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties,
  most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia - Revolutionary
  Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National Liberation Army or
  ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is United
  Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
  MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338 FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831 mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038 telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811 FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue, and
  red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears the
  Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Economy Colombia

Economy - overview:
  Colombia's economy has been on a recovery trend during the past two
  years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy continues to
  improve thanks to austere government budgets, focused efforts to
  reduce public debt levels, and an export-oriented growth focus.
  Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from
  reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. New
  exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. On the
  positive side, several international financial institutions have
  praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which include
  measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of
  GDP. The government's economic policy and democratic security
  strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the
  economy, particularly within the business sector. Coffee prices have
  recovered from previous lows as the Colombian coffee industry
  pursues greater market shares in developed countries such as the
  United States.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $281.1 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.4% industry: 32.1% services: 54.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  20.7 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 24%, services 46% (1990)

Unemployment rate:
  13.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  55% (2001)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  57.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $15.33 billion
  expenditures: $21.03 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  51.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa
  beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear, beverages,
  chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  44.87 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 26% hydro: 72.7% nuclear: 0% other: 1.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  41.14 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  618 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  23 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  531,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  132 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-1.706 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $15.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Exports - partners:
  US 42.1%, Venezuela 9.7%, Ecuador 6% (2004)

Imports:
  $15.34 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer goods,
  chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 29.1%, Venezuela 6.5%, China 6.4%, Mexico 6.2%, Brazil 5.8%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $11.94 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $38.7 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Colombian peso (COP)

Currency code:
  COP

Exchange rates:
  Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65 (2003),
  2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Colombia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  8,768,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,186,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system in many respects
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
  satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
  50 cities
  international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
  Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
  centers; 8 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Radios:
  21 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.59 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .co

Internet hosts:
  115,158 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  18 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,732,200 (2003)

Transportation Colombia

Railways:
  total: 3,304 km
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 112,998 km
  paved: 26,000 km
  unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Waterways:
  9,187 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque, Puerto
  Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker
  2
  registered in other countries: 7 (2005)

Airports:
  980 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 101 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 879 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 272 under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Colombia

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes Naval
  Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
  Colombiana)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 10,212,456 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,986,228 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 389,735 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.3 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Colombia

Disputes - international:
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
  Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
  involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
  Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
  dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands
  near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,
  guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its
  neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with
  over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into
  neighboring states

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government and FARC;
  drug wars) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis; world's
  leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was 144,450
  hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of opium
  between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons; potential
  production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the world's
  largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier of
  about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority of
  cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier of
  heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
  significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
  laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
  exchange

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Comoros

Introduction Comoros

Background:
  Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups since
  gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of
  Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
  1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
  the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
  2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
  constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
  2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
  new union president took office in May of 2002.

Geography Comoros

Location:
  Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of the
  Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
  Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  12 10 S, 44 15 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,170 sq km
  land: 2,170 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  340 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Terrain:
  volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 35.87%
  permanent crops: 23.32%
  other: 40.81% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April); Le
  Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
  soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation on
  slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

People Comoros

Population:
  671,247 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.8% (male 144,075/female 143,175)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 179,541/female 184,488)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 9,407/female 10,561) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.61 years
  male: 18.35 years
  female: 18.87 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.91% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  37.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 83.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.96 years
  male: 59.65 years
  female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Comoran(s)
  adjective: Comoran

Ethnic groups:
  Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili
  and Arabic)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 56.5%
  male: 63.6%
  female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Government Comoros

Country name:
  conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
  conventional short form: Comoros
  local long form: Union des Comores
  local short form: Comores

Government type:
  independent republic

Capital:
  Moroni

Administrative divisions:
  3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Moheli
  (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named Domoni,
  Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Independence:
  6 July 1975 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Constitution:
  23 December 2001

Legal system:
  French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002); note
  - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in January
  2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
  note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in
  January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
  rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
  main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to
  be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note
  - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into
  office in May 2002
  election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with
  75% of the vote

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are
  selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by
  universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);
  elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
  president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
  by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
  the republic)

Political parties and leaders:
  Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak
  ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of
  12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front
  National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
  RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud
  MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist
  movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress
  or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la
  Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti
  Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE];
  Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
  government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF,
  IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to the US
  and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
  chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
  the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
  NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
  FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador to
  Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Flag description:
  four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and blue
  with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered within
  the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing the
  hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a line
  between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and the
  four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
  Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
  France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Comoros

Economy - overview:
  One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three
  islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
  rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
  educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
  level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
  dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
  including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
  employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
  The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
  main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
  which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
  upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and
  industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,
  promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate.
  Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP
  growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help
  supplement GDP.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $441 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 4% services: 56% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  144,500 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%

Unemployment rate:
  20% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $27.6 million
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
  cassava (tapioca)

Industries:
  tourism, perfume distillation

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  23.84 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  22.17 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $28 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Exports - partners:
  US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%, Germany 4.5%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $88 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum products,
  cement, transport equipment

Imports - partners:
  France 23.5%, South Africa 11.1%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%, Italy 4.9%,
  Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $232 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $10 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  Comoran franc (KMF)

Currency code:
  KMF

Exchange rates:
  Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 396.21 (2004), 435.9 (2003),
  522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000)
  note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
  Comoran francs per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Comoros

Telephones - main lines in use:
  13,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay and HF
  radiotelephone communication stations
  domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
  to Madagascar and Reunion

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  90,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .km

Internet hosts:
  11 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  5,000 (2003)

Transportation Comoros

Highways: total: 880 km paved: 673 km unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

Ports and harbors:
  Mayotte, Moutsamoudou

Merchant marine:
  total: 79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 55, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5,
  refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 35 (Bulgaria 1, Germany 1, Greece 7, India 1, Jordan
  1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Philippines
  1, Russia 2, Syria 3, Turkey 6, Ukraine 4, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Comoros

Military branches:
  Comoran Security Force

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 138,940 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 98,792 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $11.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Comoros

Disputes - international: claims French-administered Mayotte

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Background:
  Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo
  gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by
  political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power
  and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He
  subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as
  that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32
  years through several subsequent sham elections as well as through
  the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by
  a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and
  Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a
  rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the
  Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC), but in August 1998 his
  regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and
  Uganda. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan
  intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed
  in July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda,
  and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued.
  Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph
  KABILA was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president
  was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces
  occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was
  signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and
  establish a government of national unity. A transitional government
  was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is
  joined by four vice presidents representing the former government,
  former rebel groups, and the political opposition.

Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Location:
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,345,410 sq km
  land: 2,267,600 sq km
  water: 77,810 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 10,730 km
  border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
  of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
  African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
  217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Coastline:
  37 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Climate:
  tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier
  in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north
  of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to
  February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry
  season April to October

Terrain:
  vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110
  m

Natural resources:
  cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem
  diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal,
  hydropower, timber

Land use:
  arable land: 2.96%
  permanent crops: 0.52%
  other: 96.52% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the
  east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
  deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation,
  soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a
  mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing
  environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the
  lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense
  tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

People Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Population:
  60,085,804
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 48.1% (male 14,513,779/female 14,396,952)
  15-64 years: 49.4% (male 14,579,101/female 15,121,297)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 597,776/female 876,099) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 15.8 years
  male: 15.4 years
  female: 16.2 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.98% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  44.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and
  Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in
  August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displaced
  and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding
  countries (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 92.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 101.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.1 years
  male: 49.68 years
  female: 52.56 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.1 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
  over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the
  four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the
  Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%,
  other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
  French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language),
  Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala,
  Kingwana, or Tshiluba
  total population: 65.5%
  male: 76.2%
  female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
  local short form: none
  former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville,
  Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
  abbreviation: DROC

Government type:
  dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative
  government

Capital:
  Kinshasa

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (provinces, singular - province) and 1 city* (ville);
  Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur, Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental,
  Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema, Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

Independence:
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 17 July 2003

Legal system:
  based on Belgian civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
  note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
  KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
  presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
  note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
  KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
  presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
  elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president
  was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last
  held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
  formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the
  High Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government is
  drafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be held
  in NA 2005
  election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga
  reelected president in 1984 without opposition
  note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
  following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiations
  with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
  government in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held in
  NA 2005

Legislative branch:
  a 300-member Transitional Constituent Assembly established in
  August 2000
  elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were
  appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Social Christian Party or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces
  for Renovation for Union and Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph
  OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois
  LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of the Revolution or MPR (three factions:
  MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix
  VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast
  Party or PALU [Antoine GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social
  Progress or UDPS [Etienne TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of
  Federalists and Independent Republicans or UFERI (two factions:
  UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO]; UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW
  (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Faida MITIFU
  chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -
  Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Wasington, DC, 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
  embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
  mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Flag description:
  light blue with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center and
  a columnar arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along
  the hoist side

Economy Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Economy - overview:
  The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation
  endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since
  the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically
  reduced national output and government revenue, increased external
  debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from
  war, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations
  due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of
  infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions
  improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the
  invading foreign troops. Several IMF and World Bank missions have
  met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan,
  and President KABILA has begun implementing reforms. Much economic
  activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic stability, aided by
  international donors, improved in 2003-04, although an uncertain
  legal framework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government
  policy continues to hamper growth. In 2005, renewed activity in the
  mining sector, the source of most exports, could boost Kinshasa's
  fiscal position and GDP growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $42.74 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 55% industry: 11% services: 34% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  14.51 million (1993 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  14% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $269 million
  expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca),
  palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Industries:
  mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer
  products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods
  and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  6.086 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.8% hydro: 98.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.168 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  8 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  104.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $1.417 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, crude oil, coffee, cobalt

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 47.8%, Finland 21%, US 10.9%, China 7.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $933 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, mining and other machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 18.5%, Belgium 15.5%, France 10.8%, Kenya 6.3%, US 6%,
  Germany 5.8% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $11.6 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $195.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Congolese franc (CDF)

Currency code:
  CDF

Exchange rates:
  Congolese francs per US dollar - 401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003),
  346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001), 21.82 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor
  domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
  and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  18.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2001)

Televisions:
  6.478 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cd

Internet hosts:
  153 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  50,000 (2002)

Transportation Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Railways:
  total: 5,138 km
  narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
  1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways)
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  15,000 km (navigation on the Congo curtailed by fighting) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa,
  Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 1

Airports:
  230 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 92 under 914 m: 97 (2004 est.)

Military Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 11,052,696 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 5,851,292 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $93.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Congo, Democratic Republic of the

Disputes - international:
  heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but
  unchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in
  the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
  drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the
  UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
  (MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since
  1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to flee
  the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees were
  repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the Democratic Republic of
  the Congo expected to return in 2005; in 2005, DROC and Rwanda
  established a border verification mechanism to address accusations
  of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the DROC
  providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and bases to
  attack Rwandan forces; the location of the boundary in the broad
  Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in
  the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 45,060 (Sudan) 100,000 (Angola)
  19,552 (Burundi) 6,626 (Republic of Congo) 19,743 (Rwanda) 18,953
  (Uganda)
  IDPs: 2.33 million (fighting between government forces and rebels
  since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption;
  while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the
  banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Congo, Republic of the

Introduction Congo, Republic of the

Background:
  Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo
  became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter century of
  experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
  democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
  war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
  ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups
  agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is
  tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The
  Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers
  with significant potential for offshore development.

Geography Congo, Republic of the

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
  and Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 S, 15 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 342,000 sq km
  land: 341,500 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,504 km
  border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
  Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
  1,903 km

Coastline:
  169 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to
  October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly
  enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain:
  coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates,
  gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.51% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 99.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  seasonal flooding

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the
  dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
  94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or
  along the railroad between them

People Congo, Republic of the

Population:
  3,039,126
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.3% (male 571,011/female 563,414)
  15-64 years: 59% (male 886,297/female 907,348)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 45,799/female 65,257) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.7 years
  male: 20.2 years
  female: 21.1 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.31% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.82 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 92.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 98.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 86.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 52.26 years
  male: 51.17 years
  female: 53.39 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  90,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,700 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Ethnic groups:
  Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%, Europeans and other 3%
  note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997
  civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread
  destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Religions:
  Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Languages:
  French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade
  languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is
  the most widespread)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.8%
  male: 89.6%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Congo, Republic of the

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Congo
  conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville)
  local long form: Republique du Congo
  local short form: none
  former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Brazzaville

Administrative divisions:
  10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 commune*; Bouenza,
  Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou, Lekoumou, Likouala,
  Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Independence:
  15 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Constitution:
  approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
  1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
  Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
  1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
  Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
  2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
  2.7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (66 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the National
  Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held July
  2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
  to be held by NA May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  the most important of the many parties are the Democratic and
  Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of Convention for Alternative
  Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT, Liberal Republican Party,
  National Union for Democracy and Progress, Patriotic Union for the
  National Reconstruction, and Union for the National Renewal) [Denis
  SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese Movement for Democracy and
  Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union
  for Social Development or UPADS [Martin MBERI]; Rally for Democracy
  and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre Thystere TCHICAYA,
  president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic or RDR [Raymond
  Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or UDR [leader
  NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC; General Union of Congolese
  Pupils and Students or UGEEC; Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women
  or URFC; Union of Congolese Socialist Youth or UJSC

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
  chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roger A. MEECE
  embassy: NA
  mailing address: NA
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
  Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a yellow band; the
  upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the lower triangle is red;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Congo, Republic of the

Economy - overview:
  The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an
  industrial sector based largely on oil, support services, and a
  government characterized by budget problems and overstaffing. Oil
  has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy, providing a
  major share of government revenues and exports. In the early 1980s,
  rapidly rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance
  large-scale development projects with GDP growth averaging 5%
  annually, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has
  mortgaged a substantial portion of its oil earnings, contributing to
  a shortage of revenues. The 12 January 1994 devaluation of Franc
  Zone currencies by 50% resulted in inflation of 61% in 1994, but
  inflation has subsided since. Economic reform efforts continued with
  the support of international organizations, notably the World Bank
  and the IMF. The reform program came to a halt in June 1997 when
  civil war erupted. Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when
  the war ended in October 1997, publicly expressed interest in moving
  forward on economic reforms and privatization and in renewing
  cooperation with international financial institutions. However,
  economic progress was badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the
  resumption of armed conflict in December 1998, which worsened the
  republic's budget deficit. The current administration presides over
  an uneasy internal peace and faces difficult economic challenges of
  stimulating recovery and reducing poverty.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.324 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 7.4%
  industry: 52%
  services: 40.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2003)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $870.1 million
  expenditures: $1.102 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn, peanuts, vegetables, coffee,
  cocoa; forest products

Industries:
  petroleum extraction, cement, lumber, brewing, sugar, palm oil,
  soap, flour, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  348 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.3% hydro: 99.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  573.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  250 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  227,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  495.5 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $266 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.224 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa, coffee, diamonds

Exports - partners:
  China 26.8%, Taiwan 19.2%, North Korea 8.4%, US 7.3%, France 5.5%,
  South Korea 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $749.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, construction materials, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 32.7%, US 10.1%, Germany 6.2%, Italy 6%, China 5.2%,
  Netherlands 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $40.42 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $159.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Congo, Republic of the

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  330,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: services barely adequate for government use;
  key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, and Loubomo;
  intercity lines frequently out of order
  domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable
  international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
  341,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cg

Internet hosts:
  46 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2003)

Transportation Congo, Republic of the

Railways: total: 894 km narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 12,800 km paved: 1,242 km unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo, Pointe-Noire

Airports:
  32 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Military Congo, Republic of the

Military branches:
  Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force (Armee de l'Air
  Congolaise), Navy, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 686,123 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 360,492 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 34,281 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $126.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Congo, Republic of the

Disputes - international:
  about 7,000 Congolese refugees fleeing internal civil conflicts
  since the mid-1990s still reside in the Democratic Republic of the
  Congo; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with
  the Democratic Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the
  Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 60,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992; most IDPs are ethnic
  Lari) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cook Islands

Introduction Cook Islands

Background:
  Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the islands
  became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900, administrative
  control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose
  self-government in free association with New Zealand. The emigration
  of skilled workers to New Zealand and government deficits are
  continuing problems.

Geography Cook Islands

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  21 14 S, 159 46 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 240 sq km
  land: 240 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  120 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 17.39%
  permanent crops: 13.04%
  other: 69.57% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (November to March)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely populated,
  coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight elevated,
  fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

People Cook Islands

Population: 21,388 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  NA

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cook Islander(s)
  adjective: Cook Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island Maori 5.8%,
  other 6.5% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic 16.8%, Seventh
  Day Saint 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%, other Protestant
  5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Maori

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Cook Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cook Islands
  former: Harvey Islands

Dependency status:
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands
  is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation
  with the Cook Islands

Government type:
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Avarua

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  none (became self-governing in free association with New Zealand on
  4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move to full
  independence by unilateral action)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Constitution:
  4 August 1965

Legal system:
  based on New Zealand law and English common law

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New
  Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001),
  representative of New Zealand
  head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
  appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
  appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided
  pending by-election
  note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and
  maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Judicial branch:
  High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY]; Democratic
  Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance Party or NAP
  [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN [Teariki
  HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
  UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for every island)
  centered in the outer half of the flag

Economy Cook Islands

Economy - overview:
  Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook Islands'
  economic development is hindered by the isolation of the country
  from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets, lack of
  natural resources, periodic devastation from natural disasters, and
  inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the economic base
  with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit. Manufacturing
  activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing, and
  handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from emigrants
  and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In the 1980s
  and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining a bloated
  public service and accumulating a large foreign debt. Subsequent
  reforms, including the sale of state assets, the strengthening of
  economic management, the encouragement of tourism, and a debt
  restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $105 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: 7.8% services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 8,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56% note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  13% (1996)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $28 million
  expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3
  million (FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products: copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws, bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Industries:
  fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  27 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  25.11 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  450 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $9.1 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee; fish; pearls
  and pearl shells; clothing

Exports - partners:
  Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Imports:
  $50.7 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan 2% (2000)

Debt - external:
  $141 million (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish the greater
  part (1995)

Currency (code):
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003),
  2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Cook Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers international
  direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
  domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
  satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
  radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
  exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
  fiber-optic cable
  international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  14,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ck

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,600 (2002)

Transportation Cook Islands

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 33 km unpaved: 287 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Avatiu

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)

Airports:
  9 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Cook Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and Disaster
  Management (2004)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in consultation with
  the Cook Islands and at its request

Transnational Issues Cook Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Coral Sea Islands

Introduction Coral Sea Islands

Background:
  Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral
  Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are
  uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis
  Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy
  many other islands and reefs.

Geography Coral Sea Islands

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  18 00 S, 152 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: less than 3 sq km
  land: less than 3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
  area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
  important

Area - comparative:
  NA

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3,095 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km

Natural hazards:
  occasional tropical cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  no permanent fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  important nesting area for birds and turtles

People Coral Sea Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
  station (2005 est.)

Government Coral Sea Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
  conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
  Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Legal system:
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
  administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment,
  Sport, and Territories

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Coral Sea Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Coral Sea Islands

Communications - note:
  there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs
  relaying data to the mainland

Transportation Coral Sea Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Coral Sea Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by
  the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities
  of visitors

Transnational Issues Coral Sea Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Costa Rica

Introduction Costa Rica

Background:
  Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the late 19th
  century, only two brief periods of violence have marred its
  democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
  country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
  and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
  ownership is widespread.

Geography Costa Rica

Location:
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 N, 84 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 51,100 sq km
  land: 50,660 sq km
  water: 440 sq km
  note: includes Isla del Coco

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 639 km border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Coastline: 1,290 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April); rainy
  season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including over 100
  volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 4.41% permanent crops: 5.88% other: 89.71% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast; frequent
  flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and landslides; active
  volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation and land use change, largely a result of the clearing
  of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil erosion; coastal
  marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste management; air
  pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital of San
  Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes, Irazu,
  erupted destructively in 1963-65

People Costa Rica

Population:
  4,016,173 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.03 years
  male: 25.59 years
  female: 26.5 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.48% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.84 years
  male: 74.26 years
  female: 79.55 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Costa Rican(s)
  adjective: Costa Rican

Ethnic groups:
  white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%, Chinese 1%,
  other 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.3%,
  other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Government Costa Rica

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
  conventional short form: Costa Rica
  local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
  local short form: Costa Rica

Government type:
  democratic republic

Capital:
  San Jose

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela, Cartago,
  Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  7 November 1949

Legal system:
  based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
  Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice
  President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
  Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice
  President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
  2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held February
  2006)
  election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
  Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (57 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of
  January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union
  3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic
  National Alliance 1, independent 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected for
  eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen Action Party or
  PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or PRC [Justo
  OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos CHAVES Mora];
  Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ]; General Union Party
  or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega]; Homeland First [Juan Jose
  VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO [Jose Alberto CUBERO
  Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML [Otto GUEVARA Guth];
  National Christian Alliance Party or ANC [Victor GONZALEZ]; National
  Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ Cespedes]; National
  Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio PACHECO]; National
  Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS Vargas]; National
  Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano]; Patriotic Union
  [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES Araya]; Social
  Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD (Communist
  Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated Union of
  Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
  Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
  affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
  Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
  of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
  Brown]

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
  chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
  Tampa
  consulate(s): Austin

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Douglas M.
  BARNES
  embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
  mailing address: APO AA 34020
  telephone: [506] 220-3939
  FAX: [506] 519-2305

Flag description:
  five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double width),
  white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical disk on
  the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a light blue
  ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just below it near
  the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the words,
  REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Economy Costa Rica

Economy - overview:
  Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
  agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
  reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
  been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
  country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
  continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and
  bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues
  to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The
  reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises
  in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal
  deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its
  pattern of public expenditure. Costa Rica recently concluded
  negotiations to participate in the US-Central American Free Trade
  Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would
  result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $37.97 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.5% industry: 29.7% services: 61.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.81 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  18% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  45.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.497 billion
  expenditures: $3.094 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  58% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans, potatoes;
  beef; timber

Industries:
  microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
  construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.614 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.5% hydro: 81.9% nuclear: 0% other: 16.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.733 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  477 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  59 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-980.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $6.184 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic
  components, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
  US 46.9%, Netherlands 5.3%, Guatemala 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.842 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment, petroleum

Imports - partners:
  US 46.1%, Japan 5.9%, Mexico 5.1%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.736 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.962 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Currency code:
  CRC

Exchange rates:
  Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 437.91 (2004), 398.66 (2003),
  359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Costa Rica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.132 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  528,047 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good domestic telephone service in terms of
  breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
  domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
  fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
  available
  international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
  Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Radios:
  980,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
  525,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cr

Internet hosts:
  10,826 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (of which only one is legal) (2000)

Internet users:
  800,000 (2002)

Transportation Costa Rica

Railways: total: 278 km narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 35,303 km paved: 4,236 km unpaved: 31,067 km (2002)

Waterways:
  730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)

Pipelines:
  refined products 242 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Caldera, Puerto Limon

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
  by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2005)

Airports:
  149 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)

Military Costa Rica

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security,
  Government, and Police

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 997,690 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 829,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 41,097 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $64.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Costa Rica

Disputes - international: legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on the border with Nicaragua remains unresolved

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South America;
  illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots; domestic
  cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cote d'Ivoire

Introduction Cote d'Ivoire

Background:
  Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the development of
  cocoa production for export, and foreign investment made Cote
  d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical African states,
  but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25 December 1999,
  a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's history -
  overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan BEDIE. Junta
  leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but excluded
  prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly rigged the
  polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular protest forced
  GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent GBAGBO into power.
  Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the military launched
  a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the
  northern half of the country and in January 2003 were granted
  ministerial positions in a unity government under the auspices of
  the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and rebel forces
  resumed implementation of the peace accord in December 2003 after a
  three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the civil war, such
  as land reform and grounds for nationality remain unresolved. The
  central government has yet to exert control over the northern
  regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel leaders.
  Several thousand French and West African troops remain in Cote
  d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament,
  demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Geography Cote d'Ivoire

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Ghana
  and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 322,460 sq km
  land: 318,000 sq km
  water: 4,460 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,110 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
  Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Coastline:
  515 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three seasons - warm
  and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to May), hot and wet
  (June to October)

Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in northwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore, cobalt,
  bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay, cocoa
  beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 9.75%
  permanent crops: 13.84%
  other: 76.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  730 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during the rainy
  season torrential flooding is possible

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (most of the country's forests - once the largest in
  West Africa - have been heavily logged); water pollution from sewage
  and industrial and agricultural effluents

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal region; apart
  from the capital area, the forested interior is sparsely populated

People Cote d'Ivoire

Population:
  17,298,040
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41% (male 3,490,536/female 3,596,208)
  15-64 years: 56.3% (male 4,920,726/female 4,820,326)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 231,514/female 238,730) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.05 years
  male: 19.36 years
  female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.51 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 90.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 73.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.62 years
  male: 46.05 years
  female: 51.27 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.58 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  47,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high
  risks in some locations
  water contact: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Ivoirian(s)
  adjective: Ivoirian

Ethnic groups:
  Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes 16.5%, Krous
  11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000 Lebanese and
  14,000 French) (1998)

Religions:
  Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40% (2001)
  note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
  (70%) and Christian (20%)

Languages:
  French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely
  spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.9%
  male: 57.9%
  female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Government Cote d'Ivoire

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
  local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  former: Ivory Coast

Government type:
  republic; multiparty presidential regime established 1960

Capital:
  Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been the official
  capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
  administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Abidjan

Administrative divisions:
  19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele, Dix-Huit
  Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes, Marahoue,
  Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes, Sud-Bandama,
  Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Independence:
  7 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 4 August 2000

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
  in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26 October 2000);
  head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January
  2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President
  GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
  - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
  2.2%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (225 seats;
  members are elected in single- and multi-district elections by
  direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
  14 January 2001 (next to be held October 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
  note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
  in 2005

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four chambers: Judicial
  Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for financial cases,
  Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases, and Administrative
  Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit to the number of
  members

Political parties and leaders:
  Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Eg Theodore MEL]; Democratic
  Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or PDCI-RDA [Henri
  Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent GBAGBO]; Ivorian
  Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Rally of the Republicans or
  RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and Peace or UDPCI
  [Paul Akoto YAO]; over 20 smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300 FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
  embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
  mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
  telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
  FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side), white, and
  green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and has the
  colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange; also
  similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side), white,
  and red; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Cote d'Ivoire

Economy - overview:
  Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers and exporters
  of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently, the economy is
  highly sensitive to fluctuations in international prices for these
  products and weather conditions. Despite government attempts to
  diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on agriculture
  and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the population.
  After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian economy
  began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the CFA
  franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in
  nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber,
  limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas
  discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling
  by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence
  to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump to 5% annual growth during
  1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the difficulty of
  meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices
  of key exports, and severe civil war. In November 2004 the situation
  deteriorated when President GBAGBO's troops attacked and killed nine
  French peacekeeping forces, and the UN imposed an arms embargo.
  Political uncertainty has clouded the economic outlook for 2005,
  with fear among Ivorians spreading, foreign investment shriveling,
  businessmen fleeing, travel within the country falling, and criminal
  elements that traffic in weapons and diamonds gaining ground.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $24.78 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27.8% industry: 19.4% services: 52.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  6.7 million (68% agricultural) (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  13% in urban areas (1998)

Population below poverty line:
  37% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  11.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.412 billion
  expenditures: $2.767 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  74.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn, rice, manioc
  (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Industries:
  foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining, truck and bus
  assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials, electricity,
  ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  15% (1998 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.759 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.976 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.45 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  29,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  220 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  14.87 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-421.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $5.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas, pineapples, palm
  oil, fish

Exports - partners:
  US 11.6%, Netherlands 10.3%, France 9.5%, Italy 5.5%, Belgium 4.7%,
  Germany 4.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.36 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 24.3%, Nigeria 19.2%, UK 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.95 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $11.81 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cote d'Ivoire

Telephones - main lines in use:
  328,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.236 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: well developed by African standards but
  operating well below capacity
  domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
  international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
  (June 1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  2.26 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  14 (1999)

Televisions:
  1.09 million (2000)

Internet country code:
  .ci

Internet hosts:
  3,795 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  90,000 (2002)

Transportation Cote d'Ivoire

Railways:
  total: 660 km
  narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
  note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
  Faso (2004)

Highways:
  total: 50,400 km
  paved: 4,889 km
  unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal lagoons)
  (2003)

Pipelines:
  condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Airports:
  37 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Military Cote d'Ivoire

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,696,106 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,973,265 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 189,354 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $180.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Cote d'Ivoire

Disputes - international:
  rebel and ethnic fighting against the central government in 2002
  has spilled into neighboring states, driven out foreign cocoa
  workers from nearby countries, and, in 2004, resulted in 6,000
  peacekeepers deployed as part of UN Operation in Cote d'Ivoire
  (UNOCI) assisting 4,000 French troops already in-country; the
  Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of supporting
  Ivorian rebels

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 71,711 (Liberia)
  IDPs: 500,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local consumption;
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin to
  Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American cocaine
  destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant corruption and
  inadequate supervision leave the banking system vulnerable to money
  laundering, the lack of a developed financial system limits the
  country's utility as a major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Croatia

Introduction Croatia

Background:
  The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
  Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
  Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
  Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
  independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
  Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,
  it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before
  occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under
  UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was
  returned to Croatia in 1998.

Geography Croatia

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Bosnia and
  Herzegovina and Slovenia

Geographic coordinates:
  45 10 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 56,542 sq km
  land: 56,414 sq km
  water: 128 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,197 km
  border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)
  25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Coastline:
  5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  Mediterranean and continental; continental climate predominant with
  hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry summers along coast

Terrain:
  geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low
  mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Natural resources:
  oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, gypsum,
  natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 26.09% permanent crops: 2.27% other: 71.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues: air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea and
  Turkish Straits

People Croatia

Population:
  4,495,904 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.4% (male 378,615/female 359,231)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,355/female 1,514,993)
  65 years and over: 16.6% (male 283,460/female 462,250) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.97 years
  male: 38.01 years
  female: 41.76 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.02% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.57 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.45 years
  male: 70.79 years
  female: 78.31 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
  adjective: Croatian

Ethnic groups:
  Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak, Hungarian,
  Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim
  1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9% (including
  Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.5%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Government Croatia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
  conventional short form: Croatia
  local long form: Republika Hrvatska
  local short form: Hrvatska
  former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Government type:
  presidential/parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Zagreb

Administrative divisions:
  20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city* (grad -
  singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
  Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
  Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
  Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
  Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
  Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
  Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
  Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
  Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
  Zagrebacka Zupanija

Independence:
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is the day
  the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a 3-month
  moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the Yugoslav
  crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8 October 1991
  to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Constitution:
  adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18 February
  2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December
  2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December
  2003) and Damir POLANEC (since NA February 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
  approved by the parliamentary Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010);
  the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and
  then approved by the Assembly
  election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote
  - Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was added
  in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected from
  party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in
  2007)
  election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; number
  of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4,
  Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11
  note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
  appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
  Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Political parties and leaders:
  Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian Democratic
  Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ
  [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
  Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian Pensioner
  Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS
  [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become Croatian
  People's Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]); Croatian
  Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Ivan CEHOK]; Croatian True Revival
  Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Vesna
  SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav
  STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC];
  Liberal Party or LS [Zlatko BENASIC]; Party of Liberal Democrats or
  Libra [Jozo RADOS] (in 2005 merged with HNS); Social Democratic
  Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM
  (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UPU,
  WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA
  chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
  embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson, 10010 Zagreb
  mailing address: use street address
  telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
  FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Flag description:
  red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of arms
  (red and white checkered)

Economy Croatia

Economy - overview:
  Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of Croatia,
  after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized area,
  with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav
  average. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with
  tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.
  Unemployment remains high, at about 14 percent, with structural
  factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has
  largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep
  resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from
  politicians. Growth, while impressively about 4% for the last
  several years, has been achieved through high fiscal and current
  account deficits. The government is gradually reducing a heavy back
  log of civil cases, many involving land tenure. The EU accession
  process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $50.33 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.2% industry: 30.1% services: 61.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.71 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 2.7%, industry 32.8%, services 64.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  13.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  11% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.4% highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  29 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  28.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $14.14 billion
  expenditures: $15.65 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa, clover,
  olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:
  chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
  electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
  wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
  petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  12.51 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 33.6% hydro: 66% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  15.2 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  406 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  3.966 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  21,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  34.36 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-1.925 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $7.845 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Exports - partners:
  Italy 23%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.4%, Germany 11.4%, Austria
  9.6%, Slovenia 7.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $16.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals, fuels and
  lubricants, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Italy 17.1%, Germany 15.5%, Russia 7.3%, Slovenia 7.1%, Austria
  6.9%, France 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $8.563 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $26.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $166.5 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  kuna (HRK)

Currency code:
  HRK

Exchange rates:
  kuna per US dollar - 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687 (2002),
  8.34 (2001), 8.2766 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Croatia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.825 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.553 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
  circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
  included in the plan for the main trunk
  international: country code - 385; digital international service is
  provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
  the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
  two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
  trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
  investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
  Albania, and Greece (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Radios:
  1.51 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hr

Internet hosts:
  29,644 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.014 million (2003)

Transportation Croatia

Railways: total: 2,726 km standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (984 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 28,344 km
  paved: 23,979 km (including 455 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 4,365 km (2002)

Waterways:
  785 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Merchant marine:
  total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 750,579 GRT/1,178,786 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 12, chemical tanker 2,
  passenger/cargo 25, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 31 (2005)

Airports:
  68 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Croatia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces (Hrvatska Ratna
  Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces (Hrvatsko Ratno
  Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 6-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary service; Croatian Military Police planning to end conscription in 2005 (December 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,005,058 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 725,914 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 29,020 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $620 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.39% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Croatia

Disputes - international:
  discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over several small
  disputed sections of the boundary; the Croatia-Slovenia land and
  maritime boundary agreement, which would have ceded most of Pirin
  Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and several villages to Croatia,
  remains un-ratified and in dispute; as a European Union peripheral
  state, neighboring Slovenia must conform to the strict Schengen
  border rules to curb illegal migration and commerce through
  southeastern Europe while encouraging close cross-border ties with
  Croatia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-1995 war) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian heroin to
  Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for maritime
  shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cuba

Introduction Cuba

Background:
  The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the
  European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and
  following its development as a Spanish colony during the next
  several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to
  work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana became the
  launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from
  Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule was severe and exploitative and
  occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US
  intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally
  overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established
  Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year
  transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;
  his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's
  Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout
  Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The
  country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in
  1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
  billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
  the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
  to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or
  via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast
  Guard intercepted 1,498 individuals attempting to cross the Straits
  of Florida in 2004.

Geography Cuba

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 110,860 sq km
  land: 110,860 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
  total: 29 km
  border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
  note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
  part of Cuba

Coastline:
  3,735 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April);
  rainy season (May to October)

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in
  the southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Natural resources:
  cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber, silica,
  petroleum, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.05% permanent crops: 7.6% other: 59.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  870 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November (in
  general, the country averages about one hurricane every other year);
  droughts are common

Environment - current issues:
  air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the Greater
  Antilles

People Cuba

Population:
  11,346,670 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female 3,975,818)
  65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female 633,966) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.36 years
  male: 34.73 years
  female: 35.98 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.33% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.23 years
  male: 74.94 years
  female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Cuban(s) adjective: Cuban

Ethnic groups:
  mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Religions:
  nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
  Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
  represented

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

People - note:
  illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to depart
  the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien smugglers,
  direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use non-maritime
  routes to enter the US including direct flights to Miami and
  overland via the southwest border

Government Cuba

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
  conventional short form: Cuba
  local long form: Republica de Cuba
  local short form: Cuba

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Havana

Administrative divisions:
  14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
  municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
  Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
  de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
  Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Independence:
  20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the US
  from 1898 to 1902)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898 is
  the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
  independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Constitution:
  24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Legal system:
  based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of Communist
  legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of the Council of State and President of
  the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
  Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
  31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its
  behalf when it is not in session
  elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
  Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003
  (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
  legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
  percent of legislative vote - 100%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea Nacional
  del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates approved
  by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in NA 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Judicial branch:
  People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president, vice
  president, and other judges are elected by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz, first
  secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
  (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera; address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT, Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana; telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is Switzerland

Flag description:
  five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the hoist side bears
  a white, five-pointed star in the center; design influenced by the
  US flag

Economy Cuba

Economy - overview:
  The government continues to balance the need for economic loosening
  against a desire for firm political control. It has undertaken
  limited reforms to increase enterprise efficiency and alleviate
  serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. A major
  feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively efficient
  export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The average
  Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than before the
  depression of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of Soviet aid
  and domestic inefficiencies. The government in 2004 strengthened its
  controls over dollars coming into the economy from tourism,
  remittances, and trade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $33.92 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.6% industry: 25.5% services: 67.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 4.55 million note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  11.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $18.01 billion
  expenditures: $19.06 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Industries:
  sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
  agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  14.41 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.9% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 5.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  13.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  77,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  532 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  42.62 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-185.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 22.7%, Canada 20.6%, China 7.7%, Russia 7.5%, Spain
  6.4%, Venezuela 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.296 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Spain 14.7%, Venezuela 13.5%, US 11%, China 8.9%, Canada 6.4%,
  Italy 6.2%, Mexico 4.9% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $738.6 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $12.09 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion owed
  to Russia (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $68.2 million (1997 est.)

Currency (code):
  Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)

Currency code:
  CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)

Exchange rates:
  Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93
  note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso
  (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although
  the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the
  official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC
  (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals
  can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban
  pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP
  and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cuba

Telephones - main lines in use:
  574,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and the
  establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
  Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
  wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners
  and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
  with the help of foreigners
  domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
  switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
  low, at 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding
  international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
  linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  3.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  58 (1997)

Televisions:
  2.64 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cu

Internet hosts:
  1,529 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  120,000
  note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or
  accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may
  access the Internet in large hotels, but are subject to firewalls;
  some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market, or take
  advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the
  government-controlled "intranet" (2004)

Transportation Cuba

Railways:
  total: 4,226 km
  standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
  note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
  about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
  (2004)

Highways:
  total: 60,858 km
  paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
  unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  240 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, passenger 2,
  petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 20 (2005)

Airports:
  170 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 79 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.)

Military Cuba

Military branches:
  Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),
  Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
  Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)

Military service age and obligation:
  17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 2,967,865
  females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 2,441,927
  females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 91,901
  females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $572.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2003)

Military - note:
  Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
  Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Transnational Issues Cuba

Disputes - international:
  US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
  agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Illicit drugs:
  territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone
  primarily for marijuana bound for North America; established the
  death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Cyprus

Introduction Cyprus

Background:
  A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960
  following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the
  Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head
  in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.
  Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic
  intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into
  enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt
  to seize the government was met by military intervention from
  Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In
  1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of
  Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest
  two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of
  the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an
  agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek
  Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004
  referendum. Although only the internationally recognized Greek
  Cypriot-controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU on 1 May 2004,
  every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport will have the status of a
  European citizen. EU laws, however, will not apply to north Cyprus.
  Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and
  economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish
  Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Geography Cyprus

Location:
  Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  35 00 N, 33 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
  land: 9,240 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed
  border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA

Coastline:
  648 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Terrain:
  central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered but
  significant plains along southern coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Natural resources:
  copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth
  pigment

Land use: arable land: 7.79% permanent crops: 4.44% other: 87.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  382 sq km (2001 est.)

Natural hazards:
  moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Environment - current issues:
  water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments, seasonal
  disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's largest
  aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution from
  sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of wildlife
  habitats from urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after Sicily and
  Sardinia)

People Cyprus

Population:
  780,133 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 83,256/female 79,701)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 267,446/female 260,846)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 38,766/female 50,118) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.68 years
  male: 33.64 years
  female: 35.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.54% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.57 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.65 years
  male: 75.29 years
  female: 80.13 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Cypriot(s)
  adjective: Cypriot

Ethnic groups:
  Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Religions:
  Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic, and
  other 4%

Languages:
  Greek, Turkish, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.6%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Government Cyprus

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
  conventional short form: Cyprus
  note: the Turkish Cypriot community (north Cyprus) refers to itself
  as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Government type:
  republic
  note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
  island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
  separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
  July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
  the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
  control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
  November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
  independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey

Capital:
  Nicosia

Administrative divisions:
  6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
  Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
  include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
  of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Independence:
  16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed
  self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these
  proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
  celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Constitution:
  16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no longer
  participated in the government; negotiations to create the basis for
  a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for better
  relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
  intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
  Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
  constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
  State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in
  1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
  May 1985

Legal system:
  based on common law, with civil law modifications

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
  election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
  vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
  MARKIDIS 6.6%
  note: Mehmet Ali TALAT becomes "president" of north Cyprus, 24 April
  2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -
  Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is
  "prime minister"; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in north
  Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"

Legislative branch:
  unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or Vouli
  Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24 to
  Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots are
  filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi
  (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
  held May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be
  held NA 2008)
  election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
  6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
  DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic -
  percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and
  Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP
  18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president)
  note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus

Political parties and leaders:
  Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos PAPADOPOULOS];
  Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS]; Fighting Democratic
  Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green Party of Cyprus [George
  PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU]; Restorative Party of the
  Working People or AKEL (Communist Party) [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS];
  Social Democrats Movement or KISOS (formerly United Democratic Union
  of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or
  EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder
  DENKTASH]; National Birth Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity
  Party or UBP [Dervis EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU];
  Patriotic Unity Movement or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and
  Democratic Movement [Mustafa AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or
  CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West); Confederation
  of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of Turkish
  Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor Federation or
  PEO (Communist controlled)

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
  (observer affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772 FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710 consulate(s) general: New York note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone [1] (202) 887-6198

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
  embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407
  Nicosia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
  telephone: [357] (22) 393939
  FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Flag description:
  white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the name
  Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two green
  crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
  symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
  and Turkish communities
  note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a
  horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red
  crescent and red star on a white field

Economy Cyprus

Economy - overview:
  The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly susceptible to
  external shocks. The service sector, mainly tourism and financial
  services, dominates the economy; erratic growth rates over the past
  decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism, which often
  fluctuates with political instability in the region and economic
  conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on meeting
  the criteria to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM2)
  within the next two years although sluggish tourism and poor fiscal
  management have resulted in growing budget deficits since 2001. As
  in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial problem; a
  few desalination plants are now on-line. After 10 years of drought,
  the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03, alleviating
  immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has roughly
  one-third of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic growth
  tends to be volatile, given north Cyprus's relative isolation,
  bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and small
  market size. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew 2.6% in 2004, fueled
  by growth in the construction and education sectors as well as
  increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus.
  The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from the
  Turkish government. Ankara provides around $300 million a year
  directly into the "TRNC" budget and regularly provides additional
  financing for large infrastructure projects. Agriculture and
  government service, together employ almost half of the work force,
  and the potential for tourism is promising, especially with the
  easing of border restrictions with the Greek Cypriots in April 2003.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $15.71 billion north
  Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $4.54 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  Republic of Cyprus: 3.2% north Cyprus: 2.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2004 est.);
  north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $7,135 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.1%; industry 19.9%; services 76%
  north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9%
  (2004)

Labor force:
  Republic of Cyprus: 330,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.9%, industry 19.4%, services 75.6%
  north Cyprus: agriculture 15.1%, industry 27%, services 57.9% (2003
  est.)

Unemployment rate:
  Republic of Cyprus: 3.2%; north Cyprus: 5.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  Republic of Cyprus: 2.4% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 12.6% (2003
  est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  Republic of Cyprus: 17.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $5.616 billion (2004 est.), north
  Cyprus - $404.3 million (2003 est.)
  expenditures: Republic of Cyprus - $685.7 million, including capital
  expenditures of $685.7 million, north Cyprus - $775.7 million,
  including capital expenditures of $91.4 million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  Republic of Cyprus: 74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables, poultry,
  pork, lamb, kids, dairy, cheese

Industries:
  tourism, food and beverage processing; cement and gypsum
  production; ship repair and refurbishment; textiles; light
  chemicals; metal products; wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Industrial production growth rate:
  Republic of Cyprus: 0.4% (2002); north Cyprus: -0.3% (2002)

Electricity - production:
  4 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: Republic of Cyprus: 3.663 billion kWh (2003); north Cyprus: 602 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  Republic of Cyprus: 49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-619.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  Republic of Cyprus: $1.094 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $49.3
  million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals, cement,
  clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, textiles

Exports - partners:
  UK 27.2%, Greece 11.9%, Germany 5%, UAE 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  Republic of Cyprus: $5.258 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $415.2
  million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,
  intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus:
  vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Imports - partners:
  Greece 15.2%, Italy 10.5%, Germany 8.9%, UK 8.6%, France 6.3%,
  Japan 4.7%, Israel 4.4%, China 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  Republic of Cyprus: $3.385 billion
  north Cyprus: $941.6 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  Republic of Cyprus: $7.327 billion; north Cyprus: $NA (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Republic of Cyprus - $17 million (1998); north Cyprus - $700
  million from Turkey in grants and loans, which are usually forgiven
  (2003)

Currency (code):
  Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot area:
  Turkish lira (TRL)

Currency code:
  CYP; TRL

Exchange rates:
  Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003), 0.6107
  (2002), 0.6431 (2001), 0.6224 (2000), Turkish lira per US dollar
  1.426 million (2004), 1.501 million (2003), 1.507 million (2002),
  1.226 million (2001), 625,200 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Cyprus

Telephones - main lines in use:
  Republic of Cyprus: 427,400 (2002); north Cyprus: 86,228 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  Republic of Cyprus: 417,900 (2002); north Cyprus: 143,178 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and north
  Cyprus areas
  domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial
  and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2
  Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  Republic of Cyprus: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); north Cyprus:
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  Greek Cypriot area: 310,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 56,450
  (1994)

Television broadcast stations:
  Republic of Cyprus: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters) (September
  1995); north Cyprus: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  Greek Cypriot area: 248,000 (1997); Turkish Cypriot area: 52,300
  (1994)

Internet country code:
  .cy

Internet hosts:
  5,901 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  210,000 (2002)

Transportation Cyprus

Highways:
  total: 13,943 km (Republic of Cyprus: 11,593 km; north Cyprus:
  2,350 km)
  paved: Republic of Cyprus: 7,211 km; north Cyprus: 1,370 km
  unpaved: Republic of Cyprus: 4,382 km; north Cyprus: 980 km
  (2002/1996 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos

Merchant marine:
  total: 972 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,016,374 GRT/35,760,004 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 384, cargo 248, chemical tanker 45, container
  125, liquefied gas 4, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 19, petroleum
  tanker 103, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 12, vehicle
  carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 899 (Austria 2, Belgium 1, Canada 10, China 8,
  Croatia 3, Cuba 5, Egypt 1, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 236, Greece
  396, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 2, Israel 3, Japan 18, Latvia 7,
  Monaco 1, Netherlands 12, Norway 14, Philippines 1, Poland 20,
  Portugal 2, Russia 56, Singapore 2, Slovenia 4, South Korea 1, Spain
  4, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Syria 2, Ukraine 3, UAE 11, United
  Kingdom 24, United States 31, Vietnam 1)
  registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Airports:
  17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  10 (2004 est.)

Military Cyprus

Military branches:
  Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG; includes
  air and naval elements)
  north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 184,352 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 150,750 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 6,578 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $384 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.8% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Cyprus

Disputes - international:
  hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto autonomous
  entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot Government and a
  Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the 1,000-strong UN
  Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in Cyprus since
  1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and south; March
  2003 reunification talks failed, but Turkish-Cypriots later opened
  their borders to temporary visits by Greek Cypriots; on 24 April
  2004, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities voted in
  simultaneous and parallel referenda on whether to approve the
  UN-brokered Annan Plan that would have ended the thirty-year
  division of the island by establishing a new "United Cyprus
  Republic," a majority of Greek Cypriots voted "no"; on 1 May 2004,
  Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body
  of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the
  north

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 265,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many displaced for
  over 30 years) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
  container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
  some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of
  anti-money-laundering legislation, remains highly vulnerable to
  money laundering; identification of benefiting owners and reporting
  of suspicious transactions by nonresident-controlled companies in
  offshore sector remains weak

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Czech Republic

Introduction Czech Republic

Background:
  Following the First World War, the closely related Czechs and
  Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to form
  Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's leaders
  were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of other ethnic
  minorities within the republic, most notably the Sudeten Germans and
  the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II, a truncated
  Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of influence. In 1968,
  an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the efforts of the country's
  leaders to liberalize Communist party rule and create "socialism
  with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations the following year
  ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the collapse of Soviet
  authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its freedom through a
  peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993, the country
  underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national components, the
  Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999
  and the European Union in 2004.

Geography Czech Republic

Location:
  Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  49 45 N, 15 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 78,866 sq km
  land: 77,276 sq km
  water: 1,590 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,881 km
  border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
  Slovakia 215 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
  Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains, hills, and plateaus
  surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east consists of very
  hilly country

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Natural resources: hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Land use: arable land: 39.8% permanent crops: 3.05% other: 57.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  240 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues: air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code should improve domestic pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most
  significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is a traditional
  military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube in
  central Europe

People Czech Republic

Population:
  10,241,138 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.7% (male 773,028/female 731,833)
  15-64 years: 71.1% (male 3,651,018/female 3,627,006)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 565,374/female 892,879) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.97 years
  male: 37.2 years
  female: 40.82 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.05% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.02 years
  male: 72.74 years
  female: 79.49 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Czech(s)
  adjective: Czech

Ethnic groups:
  Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%, unspecified
  8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Czech

Literacy:
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Czech Republic

Country name:
  conventional long form: Czech Republic
  conventional short form: Czech Republic
  local long form: Ceska Republika
  local short form: Ceska Republika

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Prague

Administrative divisions:
  13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital city* (hlavni
  mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky Kraj,
  Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,
  Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*,
  Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Independence:
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
  Slovakia)

National holiday:
  Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Constitution:
  ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line
  with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
  obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March 2003)
  note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down
  from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years;
  parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two
  inconclusive elections in January 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Jiri PAROUBEK (since 25 April
  2005), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004),
  Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August
  2004), Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier
  elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next
  election to be held January 2008); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February
  2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;
  combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
  (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year
  terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
  Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 5-6 November and 12-13
  November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); Chamber of Deputies -
  last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - ODS 37, KDU-CSL 14, Open Democracy 13, CSSD 7, Caucus Open
  Democracy 7, independents 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU
  coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS
  57, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10, independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and deputy chairmen
  are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Political parties and leaders:
  Caucus SNK [Josef ZOSER]; Christian and Democratic
  Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK,
  chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA,
  chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK,
  chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav
  GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC
  [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS
  [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD
  [Stanislav GROSS, acting chairman]; European Democrats [Jan KASL];
  Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Hana Marvanova,
  chairwoman]; Open Democracy [Sona PAUKRTOVA, chairwoman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation [Milan STECH]

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,
  UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
  chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS
  embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
  FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a blue
  isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to the flag of
  the former Czechoslovakia)

Economy Czech Republic

Economy - overview:
  The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and prosperous of the
  post-Communist states of Central and Eastern Europe. Growth in
  2000-04 was supported by exports to the EU, primarily to Germany,
  and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic investment. Domestic
  demand is playing an ever more important role in underpinning growth
  as interest rates drop and the availability of credit cards and
  mortgages increases. Current account deficits of around 5% of GDP
  are beginning to decline as demand for Czech products in the
  European Union increases. Inflation is under control. Recent
  accession to the EU gives further impetus and direction to
  structural reform. In early 2004 the government passed increases in
  the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for social
  benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap down to
  4% of GDP by 2006, but more difficult pension and healthcare reforms
  will have to wait until after the next elections. Privatization of
  the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky Telecom is scheduled
  to take place in 2005. Intensified restructuring among large
  enterprises, improvements in the financial sector, and effective use
  of available EU funds should strengthen output growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $172.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 39.3% services: 57.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  5.25 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 4%, industry 38%, services 58% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.3% highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  29% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $39.31 billion
  expenditures: $45.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, poultry

Industries:
  metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, glass,
  armaments

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  71.75 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 20% other: 1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  55.33 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  20.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  9.5 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-5.73 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $66.51 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%, raw materials
  and fuel 9% (2003)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 36.1%, Slovakia 8.4%, Austria 6%, Poland 5.3%, UK 4.7%,
  France 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $68.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials and fuels 15%,
  chemicals 10% (2003)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 31.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%, Poland 4.8%,
  France 4.8%, Russia 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $32.78 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $36.28 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion
  funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
  Czech koruna (CZK)

Currency code:
  CZK

Exchange rates:
  koruny per US dollar - 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003), 32.739 (2002),
  38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Czech Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.626 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,708,700 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: privatization and modernization of the Czech
  telecommunication system got a late start but is advancing steadily;
  growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones is particularly
  vigorous
  domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
  systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
  (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
  trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
  Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Radios:
  3,159,134 (December 2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
  3,405,834 (December 2000)

Internet country code:
  .cz

Internet hosts:
  295,677 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  more than 300 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.7 million (2003)

Transportation Czech Republic

Railways:
  total: 9,543 km
  standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 122 km 0.760-m gauge (23 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 127,204 km
  paved: 127,204 km (including 518 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  664 km (on Elbe, Vltava, and Oder rivers) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 3

Airports:
  120 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 48 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Czech Republic

Military branches:
  Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces Command, Support and
  Training Forces Command (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18-50 years of age for voluntary military service; military service transformed into a fully professional, all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription beginning in January 2004 (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,414,728 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,996,631 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 66,583 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.17 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.02% (2004)

Transnational Issues Czech Republic

Disputes - international:
  in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of
  Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic
  confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten Germans
  seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with their
  expulsion after World War II

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and minor transit
  point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe; producer of
  synthetic drugs for local and regional markets; susceptible to money
  laundering related to drug trafficking, organized crime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Denmark

Introduction Denmark

Background:
  Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north European
  power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation that is
  participating in the general political and economic integration of
  Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the EU) in 1973.
  However, the country has opted out of certain elements of the
  European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European Economic
  and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and issues
  concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Geography Denmark

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, on a
  peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
  islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Geographic coordinates:
  56 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 43,094 sq km
  land: 42,394 sq km
  water: 700 sq km
  note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
  of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
  islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
  Greenland

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Coastline: 7,314 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool summers

Terrain:
  low and flat to gently rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
  highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone, gravel
  and sand

Land use: arable land: 54.02% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 45.79% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g., parts of
  Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland) that are
  protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant emissions;
  nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea; drinking and
  surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking Baltic and
  North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in greater
  Copenhagen

People Denmark

Population:
  5,432,335 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.8% (male 524,250/female 497,683)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,811,787/female 1,780,907)
  65 years and over: 15.1% (male 349,458/female 468,250) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.47 years
  male: 38.55 years
  female: 40.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.34% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.36 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.62 years
  male: 75.34 years
  female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Dane(s)
  adjective: Danish

Ethnic groups:
  Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian, Somali

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman Catholic 3%,
  Muslim 2%

Languages:
  Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small
  minority)
  note: English is the predominant second language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Government Denmark

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
  conventional short form: Denmark
  local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
  local short form: Danmark

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Copenhagen

Administrative divisions:
  metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt) and 2
  boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus, Bornholm,
  Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn
  (Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde,
  Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
  note: since 2005 Bornholm may have become a borough; in the future
  the counties may be replaced by regions; see separate entries for
  the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of
  Denmark and are self-governing overseas administrative divisions

Independence:
  first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849 became
  a constitutional monarchy

National holiday:
  none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is generally
  viewed as the National Day

Constitution:
  5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major overhaul of
  5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a female chief
  of state

Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born 26
  May 1968)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27
  November 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats, including 2
  from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%,
  Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, Conservative
  Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%,
  Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats
  47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal
  Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does not
  include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe
  Islands

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats (was
  Christian People's Party) [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative Party
  (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt BENDTSEN];
  Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party [Anders Fogh
  RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Helle THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social
  Liberal Party (sometimes called the Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED,
  leader; Soren BALD, chairman]; Socialist People's Party [Villy
  SOEVNDAL]; Red-Green Unity List (bloc includes Left Socialist Party,
  Communist Party of Denmark, Socialist Workers' Party) [collective
  leadership]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
  ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Friis PETERSEN chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Sally M.
  LIGHT
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
  mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
  telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
  FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Flag description:
  red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the
  vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side, and that
  design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was subsequently
  adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland, Iceland, Norway,
  and Sweden

Economy Denmark

Economy - overview:
  This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
  agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
  extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards,
  a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is
  a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance
  of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
  bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
  government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the
  economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase
  (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members
  in the euro; even so, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro.
  Growth in 2004 was sluggish, yet above the scanty 0.3% of 2003.
  Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index,
  and political stability, the Danish people enjoy living standards
  topped by no other nation. A major long-term issue will be the sharp
  decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $174.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $32,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 25.5% services: 72.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.87 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 4%, industry 17%, services 79% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  24.7 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $136.1 billion
  expenditures: $133.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  42.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products; fish

Industries:
  iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,
  machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing,
  electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products,
  shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  36.38 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 82.7% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 17.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  31.63 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  11.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  8.9 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  81.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $6.529 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $73.06 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy products,
  fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Exports - partners:
  Germany 18%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 5.5%,
  Norway 5.4%, France 5% (2004)

Imports:
  $63.45 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures for
  industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  Germany 22.3%, Sweden 13.5%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 6.1%, France
  4.5%, Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1%, China 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $37.98 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $21.7 billion (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

Currency (code):
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947
  (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Denmark

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,610,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,785,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph services
  domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
  trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
  international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
  linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
  Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
  stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
  (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
  Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
  and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  6.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  3.121 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dk

Internet hosts:
  1,219,925 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.756 million (2002)

Transportation Denmark

Railways: total: 2,628 km standard gauge: 2,628 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 71,847 km
  paved: 71,847 km (including 918 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  417 km (2001)

Pipelines:
  condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2 km;
  unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore, Ensted,
  Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Graasten, Kalundborg, Odense,
  Roenne

Merchant marine:
  total: 287 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 67, chemical tanker 40, container 79,
  liquefied gas 10, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo
  42, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8,
  specialized tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 23 (Bahamas 14, France 1, Greece 1, Greenland 1,
  Norway 2, Sweden 2, UAE 1, Vietnam 1)
  registered in other countries: 487 (2005)

Airports:
  97 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.)

Military Denmark

Military branches:
  Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air Force, Home
  Guard (Hjemmevaernet)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are assigned to mobilization units following completion of their conscript service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,175,108 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 955,168 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 31,317 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3,271.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Denmark

Disputes - international:
  Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line; Iceland,
  the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands'
  continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue to study
  proposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty dispute
  with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between
  Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Dhekelia

Introduction Dhekelia

Background:
  By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the
  independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and
  jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
  total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia
  Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern
  Sovereign Base Area.

Geography Dhekelia

Location:
  on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Geographic coordinates:
  34 59 N, 33 45 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 130.8 sq km
  note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Area - comparative:
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed

Coastline:
  27.5 km

Climate:
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

Environment - current issues:
  netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the spring and
  autumn

Geography - note:
  British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small
  off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

People Dhekelia

Population:
  no indigenous personnel
  note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there
  are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military
  personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and
  Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Languages:
  English, Greek

Government Dhekelia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
  conventional short form: Dhekelia

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is
  also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Capital:
  Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri

Legal system:
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
  PEARSON (since 9 May 2003); note - reports to the British Ministry
  of Defence
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
  appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  the flag of the UK is used

Economy Dhekelia

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military
  and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and manufactured
  goods must be imported.

Industries:
  none

Military Dhekelia

Military - note:
  includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station connected by a
  roadway

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Djibouti

Introduction Djibouti

Background:
  The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became Djibouti in
  1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian one-party
  state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999. Unrest among
  the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war that ended in
  2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord between Afar rebels
  and the Issa-dominated government. Djibouti's first multi-party
  presidential elections in 1999 resulted in the election of Ismail
  Omar GUELLEH. Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location
  at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment
  location for goods entering and leaving the east African highlands.
  The present leadership favors close ties to France, which maintains
  a significant military presence in the country, but has also
  developed increasingly stronger ties with the United States in
  recent years. Djibouti currently hosts the only United States
  military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a front-line state in the
  global war on terrorism.

Geography Djibouti

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, between
  Eritrea and Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
  11 30 N, 43 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 23,000 sq km
  land: 22,980 sq km
  water: 20 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Coastline: 314 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  desert; torrid, dry

Terrain:
  coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
  highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Natural resources:
  geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt,
  diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 0.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.96% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances from the
  Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
  desertification; endangered species

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and close to
  Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia; mostly
  wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in Africa

People Djibouti

Population:
  476,703 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.3% (male 103,516/female 102,860)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 133,168/female 121,823)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 7,748/female 7,588) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.23 years
  male: 18.77 years
  female: 17.69 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.98 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  19.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 104.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 111.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 96.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.1 years
  male: 41.84 years
  female: 44.39 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  690 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality: noun: Djiboutian(s) adjective: Djiboutian

Ethnic groups:
  Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian 5%

Religions:
  Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Languages:
  French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.9%
  male: 78%
  female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Government Djibouti

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
  conventional short form: Djibouti
  former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Djibouti

Administrative divisions:
  5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih, Dikhil,
  Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Independence:
  27 June 1977 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Constitution:
  multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September 1992

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and
  Islamic law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65 seats;
  members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -
  RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh]; Democratic
  Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti Development
  Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la Restauration de
  l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD]; People's Progress
  Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar GUELLEH]; Peoples
  Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon FARAH]; Republican
  Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED]; Union for
  Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes RPP, FRUD,
  PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD (opposition
  coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini AHMED]

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
  chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marguerita RAGSDALE embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti telephone: [253] 35 39 95 FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light green with
  a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bearing a red
  five-pointed star in the center

Economy Djibouti

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on service activities connected with the
  country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
  northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital
  city, the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall
  limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must
  be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for
  the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.
  Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation
  is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help
  support its balance of payments and to finance development projects.
  An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a major
  problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of
  the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value
  of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of
  payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the
  last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
  population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced
  with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen
  in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to
  meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $619 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 15.8% services: 80.7% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  282,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  50% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $135 million
  expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1999 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Industries:
  construction, agricultural processing, salt

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  180 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  167.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Exports - partners:
  Somalia 63.8%, Yemen 22.6%, Ethiopia 5% (2004)

Imports:
  $665 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 19.7%, India 12.4%, Ethiopia 11.8%, China 8.1%, France
  5.6%, US 4.8% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $366 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $36 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Currency code:
  DJF

Exchange rates:
  Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2004), 177.72 (2003),
  177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001), 177.72 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Djibouti

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  23,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of Djibouti
  are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections to
  outlying areas of the country
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
  Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
  microwave radio relay telephone network

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  52,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  28,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dj

Internet hosts:
  702 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,500 (2003)

Transportation Djibouti

Railways:
  total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway)
  narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2004)

Highways:
  total: 2,890 km
  paved: 364 km
  unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Djibouti

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  13 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Djibouti

Military branches:
  Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 95,328 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 46,020 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $28.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Djibouti

Disputes - international:
  Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
  "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
  various factions in Somalia; although most of the 26,000 Somali
  refugees in Djibouti who fled civil unrest in the early 1990s have
  returned, several thousand still await repatriation in UNHCR camps

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 25,474 (Somalia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Dominica

Introduction Dominica

Background:
  Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be colonized by
  Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the native
  Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763, which made
  the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after independence,
  Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and tyrannical
  administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia CHARLES, the
  first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who remained in office
  for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still living on Dominica are
  the only pre-Columbian population remaining in the eastern Caribbean.

Geography Dominica

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and
  Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  15 25 N, 61 20 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 754 sq km
  land: 754 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  148 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Terrain:
  rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, arable land

Land use: arable land: 6.67% permanent crops: 20% other: 73.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes can be
  expected during the late summer months

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
  spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
  by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
  Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
  include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
  the world

People Dominica

Population:
  69,029 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 9,328/female 9,125)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 23,225/female 21,900)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,193/female 3,258) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.59 years
  male: 29.26 years
  female: 29.95 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.27% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -11.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.65 years
  male: 71.73 years
  female: 77.71 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
  black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib Amerindian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%, Pentecostal 3%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%), other 6%, none 2%

Languages:
  English (official), French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 94%
  female: 94% (2003 est.)

Government Dominica

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
  conventional short form: Dominica

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
  Roseau

Administrative divisions:
  10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
  Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint Paul,
  Saint Peter

Independence:
  3 November 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Constitution:
  3 November 1978

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since October
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8
  January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister
  Pierre CHARLES
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
  October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed senators, 21
  elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);
  note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five
  years of the last election, but technically it is five years from
  the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace
  period
  election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.08%, UWP 43.6%,
  DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of Appeal
  and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six judges
  must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders:
  Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica Labor
  Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party or UWP
  [Edison JAMES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US Ambassador to
  Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Flag description:
  green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the vertical
  part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the horizontal
  part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in the center
  of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot encircled by 10
  green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10 stars represent
  the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Economy Dominica

Economy - overview:
  The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily bananas,
  and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
  international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped
  precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP.
  Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote
  Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism
  industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged
  coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international
  airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the
  economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls,
  privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to
  address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order
  to diversify the island's production base the government is
  attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning
  to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $384 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 24% services: 58% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  25,000 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Unemployment rate:
  23% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $73.9 million
  expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2001)

Agriculture - products: bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa; forest and fishery potential not exploited

Industries:
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement blocks, shoes

Industrial production growth rate:
  -10% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  68.41 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47.1% hydro: 52.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  63.62 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $39 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Exports - partners:
  UK 21.6%, Jamaica 14.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana 7.5%,
  Japan 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4.3%, Saint Lucia 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $98.2 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  China 20.4%, US 16.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, UK 6.9%, South
  Korea 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $161.5 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $22.8 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Dominica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  23,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fully automatic network
  international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
  radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
  radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  46,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2004)

Televisions:
  6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .dm

Internet hosts:
  681 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  12,500 (2002)

Transportation Dominica

Highways: total: 780 km paved: 393 km unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Portsmouth, Roseau

Merchant marine:
  total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 21 (Estonia 6, Greece 3, Pakistan 1, Russia 2,
  Singapore 6, Syria 2, UAE 1) (2005)

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Dominica

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force
  (includes Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Dominica

Disputes - international:
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
  Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
  permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
  portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe;
  minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement is weak,
  making the country particularly vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Dominican Republic

Introduction Dominican Republic

Background:
  Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, the
  island of Hispaniola became a springboard for Spanish conquest of
  the Caribbean and the American mainland. In 1697, Spain recognized
  French dominion over the western third of the island, which in 1804
  became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by then known as Santo
  Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in 1821, but was
  conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it finally
  attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In 1861,
  the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but two
  years later they launched a war that restored independence in 1865.
  A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of
  its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin
  BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for
  most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed
  elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
  regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
  candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
  one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
  decade.

Geography Dominican Republic

Location:
  Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between
  the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
  19 00 N, 70 40 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 48,730 sq km
  land: 48,380 sq km
  water: 350 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Haiti 360 km

Coastline: 1,288 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 6 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal
  variation in rainfall

Terrain:
  rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

Natural resources:
  nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

Land use:
  arable land: 22.65%
  permanent crops: 10.33%
  other: 67.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  water shortages; soil eroding into the sea damages coral reefs;
  deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

People Dominican Republic

Population:
  8,950,034 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.9% (male 1,505,964/female 1,438,809)
  15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,815,544/female 2,703,012)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 226,372/female 260,333) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.88 years
  male: 23.68 years
  female: 24.09 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.29% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.28 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 32.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.44 years
  male: 69.94 years
  female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  88,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  7,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Dominican(s) adjective: Dominican

Ethnic groups:
  white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%

Languages:
  Spanish

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.7%
  male: 84.6%
  female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

Government Dominican Republic

Country name:
  conventional long form: Dominican Republic
  conventional short form: The Dominican
  local long form: Republica Dominicana
  local short form: La Dominicana

Government type:
  representative democracy

Capital:
  Santo Domingo

Administrative divisions:
  31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 district*
  (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon, Distrito Nacional*,
  Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato Mayor, Independencia,
  La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor
  Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata, Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata,
  Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez, San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa,
  San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris, Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo
  Domingo, Valverde

Independence:
  27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

Constitution:
  28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

Legal system:
  based on French civil codes; undergoing modification in 2004
  towards an accusatory system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons
  regardless of age
  note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16 August
  2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16 August
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
  August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16
  August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004
  (next to be held in May 2008)
  election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of
  vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez
  (PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the
  Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara de
  Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May
  2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
  May 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by a the
  National Judicial Council comprised of the President, the leaders of
  both chambers of congress, the President of the Supreme Court, and
  an opposition or non-governing party member)

Political parties and leaders:
  Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna];
  Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente Sanchez BARET]; Social
  Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique ATUN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Collective of Popular Organizations or COP; Citizen Participation
  Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation for
  Institution-Building (FINJUS)

International organization participation:
  ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS,
  OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio Dario Espinal JACOBO chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280 FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico), Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo Navarro, Santo Domingo mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500 telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171 FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

Flag description:
  a centered white cross that extends to the edges divides the flag
  into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist side) and red,
  and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a small coat of
  arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch (left) and a
  palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross; above the shield
  a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA, LIBERTAD (God,
  Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA DOMINICANA
  appears on a red ribbon

Economy Dominican Republic

Economy - overview:
  The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean representative democracy
  which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in 1998-2000. Growth
  subsequently plummeted as part of the global economic slowdown.
  Although the country has long been viewed primarily as an exporter
  of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent years the service sector
  has overtaken agriculture as the economy's largest employer, due to
  growth in tourism and free trade zones. The country suffers from
  marked income inequality; the poorest half of the population
  receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the richest 10% enjoys
  nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned negative in 2003 with
  reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and limited growth in the US
  economy (the source of about 85% of export revenues), but recovered
  slightly in 2004. Resumption of a badly needed IMF loan, slowed due
  to government repurchase of electrical power plants, is basic to the
  restoration of social and economic stability. Newly elected
  President FERNANDEZ in mid-2004 promised belt-tightening reform. His
  administration has passed tax reform and is working to meet
  preconditions for a $600 IMF standby arrangement to ease the
  country's fiscal situation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $55.68 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10.7% industry: 31.5% services: 57.8% (2003)

Labor force: 2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and government 58.7% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  47.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  55% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.625 billion
  expenditures: $3.382 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice, beans, potatoes,
  corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef, eggs

Industries:
  tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold mining, textiles,
  cement, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.583 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 92% hydro: 7.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  8.912 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Current account balance:
  $762.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $5.446 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, meats,
  consumer goods

Exports - partners:
  US 80%, South Korea 2.1%, Canada 1.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $8.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and
  pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  US 48.1%, Venezuela 13.5%, Colombia 4.8%, Mexico 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $426 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $7.745 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $239.6 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Dominican peso (DOP)

Currency code:
  DOP

Exchange rates:
  Dominican pesos per US dollar - 42.12 (2004), 30.831 (2003), 18.61
  (2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Dominican Republic

Telephones - main lines in use:
  901,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,120,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
  radio relay network
  international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  1.44 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  25 (2003)

Televisions:
  770,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .do

Internet hosts:
  64,197 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  24 (2000)

Internet users:
  500,000 (2003)

Transportation Dominican Republic

Railways:
  total: 1,743 km
  standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
  note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m,
  0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)

Highways:
  total: 12,600 km
  paved: 6,224 km
  unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
  Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230 GRT/17,011 DWT
  by type: cargo 3 (2005)

Airports:
  31 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Dominican Republic

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,108,197 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,420,693 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 91,597 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $180 million (1998)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (1998)

Transnational Issues Dominican Republic

Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico to find work

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; has become a transshipment point for ecstasy from the
  Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada; substantial
  money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor the
  Dominican Republic for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@East Timor

Introduction East Timor

Background:
  The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in the early
  16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing with the
  Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty in which
  Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial Japan
  occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed colonial
  authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East Timor
  declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and
  was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It
  was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East
  Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over the
  next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000
  individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised
  popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East
  Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum
  and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late
  September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and
  supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,
  scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed
  approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into
  West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's
  infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply
  systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical
  grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led
  peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor
  (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an
  end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an
  independent state.

Geography East Timor

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda
  Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note -
  East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
  Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
  Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Geographic coordinates:
  8 50 S, 125 55 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 15,007 sq km
  land: NA
  water: NA

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 228 km border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Coastline: 706 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: NA exclusive economic zone: NA continental shelf: NA exclusive fishing zone: NA

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Terrain:
  mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Natural resources: gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Land use: arable land: 4.71% permanent crops: 0.67% other: 94.62% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,065 sq km (est.)

Natural hazards:
  floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical
  cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
  deforestation and soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
  NA

Geography - note:
  Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of Timor is
  part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and easternmost of
  the Lesser Sunda Islands

People East Timor

Population: 1,040,880 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 196,108/female 189,753)
  15-64 years: 59.9% (male 318,173/female 305,479)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 15,353/female 16,014) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.41 years
  male: 20.46 years
  female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.9 years
  male: 63.63 years
  female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Timorese
  adjective: Timorese

Ethnic groups:
  Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese minority

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%, Buddhist,
  Animist (1992 est.)

Languages:
  Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English
  note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
  Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58.6% (2002)

Government East Timor

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
  conventional short form: East Timor
  local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
  Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  former: Portuguese Timor

Government type:
  Republic

Capital:
  Dili

Administrative divisions:
  13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau, Bobonaro
  (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los Palos),
  Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno), Viqueque

Independence:
  28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence from
  Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of international
  recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Constitution:
  22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Legal system:
  UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place
  but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese
  law (2004)

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since 20 May
  2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but is
  able to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose
  Alexandre GUSMAO
  head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
  May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in April 2007);
  after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
  precedent for the future
  election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent
  of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
  17.3%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary, minimum
  requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term of
  office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
  exceptional basis
  elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for
  national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the
  national convention named themselves legislators instead of having
  elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the
  national parliament.
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
  8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
  2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
  party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
  2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one judge to be
  appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by Superior
  Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is established,
  Court of Appeals is highest court

Political parties and leaders:
  Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco Xavier do
  AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC [Antonio
  XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC [Vicente da
  Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de ARAUJO];
  Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party or PDM
  [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
  Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
  Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
  Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of the
  Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or
  KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
  [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA
  SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
  Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos
  DA COSTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in pressuring government

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer),
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: 202 965-1515
  FAX: 202 965-1517
  consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
  (2004)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
  embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
  mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
  DC 20521-8250
  telephone: (670) 332-4684
  FAX: (670) 331-3206

Flag description:
  red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
  superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that extends to
  the center of the flag; there is a white star in the center of the
  black triangle

Economy East Timor

Economy - overview:
  In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of East
  Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
  militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
  years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
  peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
  substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By 2003,
  all but about 30,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth was held
  back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of
  the international presence. The country faces great challenges in
  continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the
  infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people
  entering the workforce. One promising long-term project is the
  planned development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, which
  have begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $370 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 25.4%
  industry: 17.2%
  services: 57.4% (2001)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  42% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  38 (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $107.7 million
  expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans, cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Industries:
  printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
  $8 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil and
  vanilla exports

Exports - partners:
  Indonesia 100%

Imports:
  $167 million (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Imports - partners:
  NA

Debt - external:
  none

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications East Timor

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January 2005

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation East Timor

Highways: total: 3,800 km paved: 428 km unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ports and harbors:
  Dili

Airports:
  8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military East Timor

Military branches:
  East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de Timor-L'este, FDTL):
  Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  NA

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: NA

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  NA

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.4 million (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues East Timor

Disputes - international:
  UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has maintained about
  a thousand peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002; East
  Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey, and
  delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary
  especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia
  and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral
  island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the
  northern maritime boundaries; many of 28,000 East Timorese refugees
  still residing in Indonesia in 2003 have returned, but many continue
  to refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue to meet
  but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and
  share unexploited potential petroleum resources that fall outside
  the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea
  Treaty; dispute with Australia also hampers creation of a southern
  maritime boundary with Indonesia

Illicit drugs:
  NA

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Ecuador

Introduction Ecuador

Background:
  The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries that
  emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are
  Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
  territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
  war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although
  Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period
  has been marred by political instability. Seven presidents have
  governed Ecuador since 1996.

Geography Ecuador

Location:
  Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the Equator,
  between Colombia and Peru

Geographic coordinates:
  2 00 S, 77 30 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 283,560 sq km
  land: 276,840 sq km
  water: 6,720 sq km
  note: includes Galapagos Islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Nevada

Land boundaries: total: 2,010 km border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Coastline: 2,237 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Climate:
  tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations;
  tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Terrain:
  coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and
  flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.85% permanent crops: 4.93% other: 89.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution;
  pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically sensitive areas
  of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

People Ecuador

Population:
  13,363,593 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.5% (male 2,282,252/female 2,195,942)
  15-64 years: 61.5% (male 4,094,146/female 4,130,096)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 310,336/female 350,821) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.27 years
  male: 22.82 years
  female: 23.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.24% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.21 years
  male: 73.35 years
  female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  21,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ecuadorian(s)
  adjective: Ecuadorian

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%, Spanish
  and others 7%, black 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 94%
  female: 91% (2003 est.)

Government Ecuador

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
  conventional short form: Ecuador
  local long form: Republica del Ecuador
  local short form: Ecuador

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Quito

Administrative divisions:
  22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay, Bolivar,
  Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas, Galapagos,
  Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi, Morona-Santiago, Napo,
  Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Independence:
  24 May 1822 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Constitution:
  10 August 1998

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons ages
  18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
  Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office
  by congress effective 20 April 2005
  head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
  Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
  ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate
  reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election
  held 24 November 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
  election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
  Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
  54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%; note - Vice President Alfredo PALACIO
  assumed the presidency on 20 April 2005 after congress removed Lucio
  GUTIERREZ from office

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100 seats;
  members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
  5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
  National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
  the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the Constitution, new
  justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in December 2004,
  however, Congress successfully replaced the entire court via a
  simple-majority resolution)

Political parties and leaders:
  Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
  Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action
  Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik
  Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio
  GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel
  FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];
  Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist
  Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian
  Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
  PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or CONAIE
  [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or CMS [F.
  Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of Ecuador or
  FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of Indigenous
  Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA CRUZ,
  president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

International organization participation:
  CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey),
  Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
  embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
  mailing address: APO AA 34039
  telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
  FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
  consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue, and red
  with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the flag;
  similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not bear
  a coat of arms

Economy Ecuador

Economy - overview:
  Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have accounted
  for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of central
  government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently,
  fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic
  impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic
  crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum
  prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP
  contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.
  The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its
  external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%
  in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government
  announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted
  MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta
  failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took
  over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of
  structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption
  of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the
  economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years
  that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January
  2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum
  prices, but the government has made little progress on economic
  reforms necessary to reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum
  price swings and financial crises.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $49.51 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.7% industry: 30.5% services: 60.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.53 million (urban) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  11.1%; note - underemployment of 47% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  45% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 32%
  note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  42
  note: data are for urban households (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $7.9 billion
  expenditures: planned $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures
  of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  49.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
  plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
  products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Industries:
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
  10% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  11.54 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  10.79 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  57 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  523,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.408 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  106.5 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $261.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $7.56 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Exports - partners:
  US 42.9%, Panama 14.3%, Peru 7.9%, Italy 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.65 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment,
  electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 16.5%, Colombia 14.1%, China 9.2%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil 6.5%,
  Chile 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Mexico 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.436 billion (December 2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $16.81 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $216 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001), 24,988
  (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ecuador

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.549 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,394,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
  domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
  international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Radios:
  5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  2.5 million (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ec

Internet hosts:
  3,188 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  31 (2001)

Internet users:
  569,700 (2003)

Transportation Ecuador

Railways: total: 966 km narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 43,197 km paved: 8,164 km unpaved: 35,033 km (2002)

Waterways:
  1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)

Pipelines:
  extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined products
  1,185 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Merchant marine:
  total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum
  tanker 20
  foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Greece 1, Paraguay 1) (2005)

Airports:
  205 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 62 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 143 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Ecuador

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast Guard),
  Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

Military service age and obligation:
  20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month service
  obligation (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 2,792,770 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 2,338,428 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 133,922 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $655 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Ecuador

Disputes - international:
  organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate across
  Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to flee into
  Ecuador in 2004

Illicit drugs:
  significant transit country for cocaine originating in Colombia and
  Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in production of illicit
  narcotics; attractive location for cash-placement by drug
  traffickers laundering money because of dollarization and weak
  anti-money-laundering regime, especially vulnerable along the border
  with Colombia; increased activity on the northern frontier by
  trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Egypt

Introduction Egypt

Background:
  The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled
  with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west,
  allowed for the development of one of the world's great
  civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
  of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
  native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
  replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
  introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
  ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
  Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
  conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
  completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
  world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
  Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
  Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
  Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
  1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
  completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
  Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
  agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
  largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
  the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
  government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
  through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
  physical infrastructure.

Geography Egypt

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and
  the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the
  Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
  27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,001,450 sq km
  land: 995,450 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,665 km
  border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
  Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline:
  2,450 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain:
  vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
  highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone,
  gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use: arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 96.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides;
  hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms,
  sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;
  increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification;
  oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;
  other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and
  industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources
  away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid
  growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
  remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
  between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
  to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
  dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
  prone to influxes of refugees

People Egypt

Population:
  77,505,756 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33% (male 13,106,043/female 12,483,899)
  15-64 years: 62.6% (male 24,531,266/female 23,972,216)
  65 years and over: 4.4% (male 1,457,097/female 1,955,235) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.68 years
  male: 23.31 years
  female: 24.05 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.78% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.32 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 32.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71 years
  male: 68.5 years
  female: 73.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  700 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Egyptian(s)
  adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups:
  Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
  Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
  French) 1%

Religions:
  Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated
  classes

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.7%
  male: 68.3%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Egypt

Country name:
  conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
  conventional short form: Egypt
  local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
  local short form: Misr
  former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Cairo

Administrative divisions:
  26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah,
  Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al
  Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al
  Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways,
  Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash
  Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Independence:
  28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution:
  11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980

Legal system:
  based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes;
  judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
  validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
  1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; note
  - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional
  amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate
  popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's
  Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular
  referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election
  under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next
  election scheduled for 2011
  election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote
  - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
  al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
  the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
  Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
  role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
  president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half
  the members)
  elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
  October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held
  October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004
  (next to be held May-June 2007)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - NDP 388, Tagammu 6, NWP 7, Nasserists 3, Al-Ahrar
  1, independents 37 (2 seats determined by a later byelection, 10
  seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Al-Ahrar Party [Helmi SALEM]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or
  Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)]; National Progressive
  Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP
  [No'man GOMAA]
  note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
  government

Political pressure groups and leaders: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, EBRD,
  FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS
  (observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
  chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador designate Francis J. RICCIARDONE, Jr
  embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
  mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
  telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
  FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the
  national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with
  a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name
  of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
  based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
  which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
  an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
  band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

Economy Egypt

Economy - overview:
  Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s
  has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP
  growth in the range of 2%-3% in 2001-03. However, in 2004 Egypt
  implemented several measures to boost foreign direct investment. In
  September 2004, Egypt pushed through custom reforms, proposed income
  and corporate tax reforms, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized
  several enterprises. The budget deficit rose to an estimated 8% of
  GDP in 2004 compared to 6.1% of GDP the previous year, in part as a
  result of these reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued
  Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January
  2003, leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent
  inflationary pressure. In 2004, the Central Bank implemented
  measures to improve currency liquidity. Egypt reached record tourism
  levels, despite the Taba and Nuweiba bombings in September 2004. The
  development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for
  future growth prospects, but improvement in the capital-intensive
  hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent
  unemployment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $316.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17.2% industry: 33% services: 49.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  20.71 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  16.7% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34.4 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $15.42 billion
  expenditures: $20.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  102.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water
  buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
  construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  81.27 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  75.58 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  740,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.264 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $2.113 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $11 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,
  chemicals

Exports - partners:
  Italy 11.9%, US 10.8%, UK 7%, Syria 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, Spain 4.2%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $19.21 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners:
  US 12.2%, Germany 7%, Italy 6.6%, France 5.7%, China 5.4%, UK 4.7%,
  Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.03 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $33.75 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)

Currency (code):
  Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code:
  EGP

Exchange rates:
  Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 6.1963 (2004), 5.8509 (2003),
  4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Egypt

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9.6 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,583,940 (2005)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading
  during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular
  service are available
  domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
  Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
  microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
  Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
  microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

Radios:
  20.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  98 (September 1995)

Televisions:
  7.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .eg

Internet hosts:
  3,401 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2000)

Internet users:
  4.2 million (2005)

Transportation Egypt

Railways: total: 5,063 km standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 64,000 km paved: 49,984 km unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  3,500 km
  note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,
  and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
  approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m
  (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined
  products 246 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

Merchant marine:
  total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 34, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,
  petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 8
  foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 34 (2005)

Airports:
  87 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 72
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 15
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Military Egypt

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service obligation (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 18,347,560 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 15,540,234 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 802,920 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.44 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Egypt

Disputes - international:
  Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular
  areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along
  the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt
  is developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; since
  the attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in
  October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with
  Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to
  some 70,000 persons who identify as Palestinians but who largely
  lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition as
  refugees

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian Territories)
  (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and
  opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for
  Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax
  financial regulations and enforcement

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@El Salvador

Introduction El Salvador

Background:
  El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the
  Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost
  about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the
  government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
  military and political reforms.

Geography El Salvador

Location:
  Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
  Guatemala and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
  13 50 N, 88 55 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 21,040 sq km
  land: 20,720 sq km
  water: 320 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Land boundaries: total: 545 km border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Coastline:
  307 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to
  April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 31.85%
  permanent crops: 12.07%
  other: 56.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  360 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes very
  destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible
  to hurricanes

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline
  on Caribbean Sea

People El Salvador

Population:
  6,704,932 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 36.5% (male 1,250,901/female 1,198,589)
  15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,860,084/female 2,051,140)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 153,133/female 191,085) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.57 years
  male: 20.44 years
  female: 22.69 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.75% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.22 years
  male: 67.61 years
  female: 75.01 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Salvadoran(s) adjective: Salvadoran

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%
  note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
  the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
  Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Languages:
  Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 80.2%
  male: 82.8%
  female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Government El Salvador

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
  conventional short form: El Salvador
  local long form: Republica de El Salvador
  local short form: El Salvador

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  San Salvador

Administrative divisions:
  14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
  La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente,
  Sonsonate, Usulutan

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  23 December 1983

Legal system:
  based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June
  2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1
  June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March
  2004 (next to be held March 2009)
  election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;
  percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik
  HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by the
  Legislative Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
  Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or CDU) [Ruben
  ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD [Jorge MELENDEZ];
  Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo
  GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo SALGADO,
  president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio SALINAS,
  secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ
  ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias
  Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed by the
  merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity Movement
  or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Social Democratic Party or
  PSD [Juan MEDRANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders: labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or ASI

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671 FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York (2), San Francisco, and Washington, DC consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La Libertad, San Salvador mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023 telephone: [503] 278-4444 FAX: [503] 278-5522

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
  the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms features a round emblem encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE EL
  SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag of Nicaragua,
  which has a different coat of arms centered in the white band - it
  features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on
  top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar to the flag of
  Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X pattern
  centered in the white band

Economy El Salvador

Economy - overview:
  GDP per capita is roughly half that of Brazil, Argentina, and
  Chile, and the distribution of income is highly unequal. The
  government is striving to open new export markets, encourage foreign
  investment, modernize the tax and healthcare systems, and stimulate
  the sluggish economy. Implementation of the Central
  America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, ratified by El
  Salvador in 2004, is viewed as a key policy to help achieve these
  objectives. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances
  from Salvadorans living abroad - 16% of GDP in 2004 - and external
  aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador
  has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on
  maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $32.35 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9.2% industry: 31.1% services: 59.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.75 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 17.1%, industry 17.1%, services 65.8% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.3% - but the economy has much underemployment (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  36.1% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  52.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.491 billion
  expenditures: $2.782 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton, sorghum; shrimp;
  beef, dairy products

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals, fertilizer,
  textiles, furniture, light metals

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.158 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 44% hydro: 30.9% nuclear: 0% other: 25.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.45 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
  91 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  473 million kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-880.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.249 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp, textiles,
  chemicals, electricity

Exports - partners:
  US 65.6%, Guatemala 11.8%, Honduras 6.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.968 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels, foodstuffs,
  petroleum, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 46.3%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.888 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.792 billion (September 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications El Salvador

Telephones - main lines in use:
  752,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,149,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
  international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
  System

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1997)

Televisions:
  600,000 (1990)

Internet country code:
  .sv

Internet hosts:
  4,084 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2000)

Internet users:
  550,000 (2003)

Transportation El Salvador

Railways:
  total: 283 km
  narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
  disuse and lack of maintenance (2004)

Highways:
  total: 10,029 km
  paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Airports:
  73 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military El Salvador

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force (FAS)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,391,278 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 960,315 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 70,286 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $157 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (2003)

Transnational Issues El Salvador

Disputes - international:
  in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
  areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but despite OAS
  intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of
  the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite
  resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca advocating
  Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador continues to claim tiny
  Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ decision, off Honduras in
  the Gulf of Fonseca

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of marijuana
  produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on the rise

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Equatorial Guinea

Introduction Equatorial Guinea

Background:
  Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968 after 190 years of
  Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus
  five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest on the African
  continent. President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled the country for
  over two decades since seizing power from his uncle, then President
  MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a constitutional
  democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential elections - as
  well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely seen as being
  flawed. The president controls most opposition parties through the
  judicious use of patronage. Despite the country's economic windfall
  from oil production resulting in a massive increase in government
  revenue in recent years, there have been few improvements in the
  country's living standards.

Geography Equatorial Guinea

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between Cameroon and
  Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
  2 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 28,051 sq km
  land: 28,051 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 539 km border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Coastline: 296 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
  coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite, diamonds, tantalum,
  sand and gravel, clay

Land use:
  arable land: 4.63%
  permanent crops: 3.57%
  other: 91.8% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  violent windstorms, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
  tap water is not potable; deforestation

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: insular and continental regions rather widely separated

People Equatorial Guinea

Population:
  535,881 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.7% (male 112,326/female 111,244)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 140,568/female 151,500)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,900/female 11,343) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.83 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 19.46 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.42% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 85.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 49.7 years
  male: 48.01 years
  female: 51.44 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.62 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,900 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  370 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
  adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Ethnic groups:
  Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni (primarily
  Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Religions:
  nominally Christian and predominantly Roman Catholic, pagan
  practices

Languages:
  Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin English, Fang, Bubi,
  Ibo

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.7%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Government Equatorial Guinea

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial Guinea
  conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
  local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
  local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
  former: Spanish Guinea

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Malabo

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Annobon, Bioko
  Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral, Wele-Nzas

Independence:
  12 October 1968 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Constitution:
  approved by national referendum 17 November 1991; amended January
  1995

Legal system:
  partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA
  MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized power in a military coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since
  14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU
  (since 15 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama
  NFUBEA (since 15 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held December 2009);
  prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
  Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of People's Representatives or Camara de
  Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PDGE 98, NA 2
  note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all
  executive authority in the president

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal

Political parties and leaders:
  Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS [Placido MIKO
  Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE (ruling
  party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress of
  Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of
  Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
  [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
  [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI
  [Daniel OYONO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
  OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE
  chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial Guinea (embassy
  closed September 1995); the US ambassador to Cameroon is accredited
  to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department is considering opening
  a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
  blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side and the coat of arms
  centered in the white band; the coat of arms has six yellow
  six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and five offshore
  islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton tree and below
  which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ, JUSTICIA (Unity,
  Peace, Justice)

Economy Equatorial Guinea

Economy - overview:
  The discovery and exploitation of large oil reserves have
  contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent years. Forestry,
  farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence
  farming predominates. Although pre-independence Equatorial Guinea
  counted on cocoa production for hard currency earnings, the neglect
  of the rural economy under successive regimes has diminished
  potential for agriculture-led growth (the government has stated its
  intention to reinvest some oil revenue into agriculture). A number
  of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank and the IMF have been
  cut off since 1993 because of corruption and mismanagement. No
  longer eligible for concessional financing because of large oil
  revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying to agree on
  a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank and IMF.
  Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government officials and
  their family members. Undeveloped natural resources include
  titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold. Growth
  presumably remained strong in 2004, led by oil.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  20% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 95.7%
  services: 1.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  30% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  50.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $813.2 million
  expenditures: $375.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca), bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Industries:
  petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Industrial production growth rate:
  30% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  26.69 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.3% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  24.82 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  350,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  68.53 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-578.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.771 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  US 29.3%, China 22.8%, Spain 16%, Taiwan 14.9%, Canada 6.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.167 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Imports - partners:
  US 26.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 21.4%, Spain 13.6%, France 8.8%, UK 7.8%,
  Italy 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $235.2 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $248 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $33.8 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 January - 31 December

Communications Equatorial Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  9,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  41,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor system with adequate government services
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 240; international communications from
  Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Radios:
  180,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gq

Internet hosts:
  3 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  1,800 (2002)

Transportation Equatorial Guinea

Highways:
  total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km
  (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Malabo

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Equatorial Guinea

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 106,571 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 66,379 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $126.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Equatorial Guinea

Disputes - international:
  in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement of
  Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of
  Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an
  island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined maritime
  coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi
  allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been
  pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to resolve the
  sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and create a
  maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Eritrea

Introduction Eritrea

Background:
  Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a federation.
  Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years later
  sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991 with
  Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
  overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
  border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
  auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
  peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary
  Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international
  commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its
  findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian
  objections.

Geography Eritrea

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and Sudan

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 39 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 121,320 sq km
  land: 121,320 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,626 km
  border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Coastline:
  2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red Sea
  1,083 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
  hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter in the
  central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually); semiarid in
  western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during June-September
  except in coastal desert

Terrain:
  dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending highlands,
  descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the northwest
  to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
  highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Natural resources:
  gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 4.95% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 95.02% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent droughts; locust swarms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing; loss of
  infrastructure from civil warfare

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest shipping
  lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia along the
  Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993

People Eritrea

Population:
  4,561,599 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,023,898/female 1,019,389)
  15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,170,823/female 1,194,741)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 74,312/female 78,436) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.54 years
  male: 17.35 years
  female: 17.73 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.51% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  13.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
  Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
  between the two countries in 2000 (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 74.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 58.47 years
  male: 56.96 years
  female: 60.02 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  60,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  6,300 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Eritrean(s)
  adjective: Eritrean

Ethnic groups:
  ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho (Red Sea
  coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Religions:
  Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Languages:
  Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 58.6% male: 69.9% female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Government Eritrea

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Eritrea
  conventional short form: Eritrea
  local long form: Hagere Ertra
  local short form: Ertra
  former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Government type:
  transitional government
  note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
  Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
  Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
  Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
  Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
  constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
  transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
  did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
  elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December
  2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal
  party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Capital:
  Asmara

Administrative divisions:
  6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub (Southern),
  Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka, Ma'akel
  (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Independence:
  24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Constitution:
  a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was replaced
  by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet implemented

Legal system:
  primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions;
  new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
  promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
  laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
  members appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
  held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
  Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
  anticipated)
  election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not
  established)
  elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
  constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
  Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
  Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
  and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
  living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
  serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
  to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
  the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
  stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
  National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
  voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
  postponed indefinitely

Judicial branch:
  High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also have
  military and special courts

Political parties and leaders: People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or voted on it

Political pressure groups and leaders: Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions) [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
  chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
  consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
  embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
  mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
  telephone: [291] (1) 120004
  FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Flag description:
  red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing the flag
  into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the lower one
  is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is centered on
  the hoist side of the red triangle

Economy Eritrea

Economy - overview:
  Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has faced
  the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country. Like the
  economies of many African nations, the economy is largely based on
  subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population involved in
  farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in 1998-2000 severely
  hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero in 1999 and to
  -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into northern
  Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and loss,
  including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000 homes. The
  attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most productive
  region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even during the war,
  Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure, asphalting new
  roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged roads and
  bridges. Since the war ended, the government has maintained a firm
  grip on the economy, expanding the use of the military and
  party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's development agenda.
  Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization of agriculturalists
  from the military kept cereal production well below normal, holding
  down growth in 2002-04. Eritrea's economic future depends upon its
  ability to master social problems such as illiteracy, unemployment,
  and low skills, and to open its economy to private enterprise so the
  diaspora's money and expertise can foster economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.154 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 12.4%
  industry: 25.9%
  services: 61.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  26.3% of GDP (2002)

Budget:
  revenues: $235.2 million
  expenditures: $373.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee, sisal;
  livestock, goats; fish

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, salt, cement,
  commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  246.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  229.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-144.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $64.44 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Exports - partners:
  Malaysia 26.6%, Italy 17.1%, Japan 8%, Germany 6.6%, China 5%, UK
  4.9%, US 4.7%, France 4.4%, Poland 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $622 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Ireland 26.6%, US 18.6%, Italy 16.6%, Turkey 6.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $30.87 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $311 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $77 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  nakfa (ERN)

Currency code:
  ERN

Exchange rates:
  nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 13.788 (2004), 13.878 (2003), 13.958
  (2002), 11.31 (2001), 9.625 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Eritrea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate
  domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
  is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
  international: country code - 291; note - international connections
  exist

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Radios:
  345,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2000)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .er

Internet hosts:
  1,047 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  9,500 (2003)

Transportation Eritrea

Railways: total: 306 km narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 4,010 km paved: 874 km unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Assab, Massawa

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
  off 1
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Eritrea

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: NA (2005)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $151 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  13.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Eritrea

Disputes - international:
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002 Ethiopia-Eritrea
  Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despite
  international intervention, mutual animosities, accusations and
  armed posturing prevail, preventing demarcation; Ethiopia refuses to
  withdraw to the delimited boundary until technical errors made by
  the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including the
  award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war; Eritrea insists that
  the EEBC decision be implemented immediately without modifications;
  since 2000, the UN Peacekeeping Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea
  (UNMEE) monitors the 25km-wide Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea
  until the demarcation; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese
  rebel groups; Eritrea protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish
  Islands awarded to Eritrea by the ICJ in 1999

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most IDPs
  are near the central border region) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Estonia

Introduction Estonia

Background:
  After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule,
  Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into
  the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse
  of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994,
  Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with
  Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Estonia

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland,
  between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  59 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 45,226 sq km
  land: 43,211 sq km
  water: 2,015 sq km
  note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Land boundaries: total: 633 km border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Coastline:
  3,794 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
  neighboring states

Climate:
  maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Terrain:
  marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Natural resources:
  oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand, dolomite,
  arable land, sea mud

Land use: arable land: 16.04% permanent crops: 0.45% other: 83.51% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Environment - current issues:
  air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning power
  plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted to
  the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
  than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
  water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in
  connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the
  pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400
  natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural
  areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain
  locations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded; offshore
  lie more than 1,500 islands

People Estonia

Population:
  1,332,893 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 106,300/female 100,446)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 429,843/female 472,034)
  65 years and over: 16.8% (male 74,037/female 150,233) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.06 years
  male: 35.52 years
  female: 42.35 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.65% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.77 years
  male: 66.28 years
  female: 77.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Estonian(s)
  adjective: Estonian

Ethnic groups:
  Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian 1.3%,
  Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian
  (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
  Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,
  none 6.1% (2000 census)

Languages:
  Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7%
  (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Estonia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
  conventional short form: Estonia
  local long form: Eesti Vabariik
  local short form: Eesti
  former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Tallinn

Administrative divisions:
  15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa (Tallinn),
  Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide), Jogevamaa
  (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere), Parnumaa
  (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa (Kuressaare),
  Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa (Viljandi), Vorumaa
  (Voru)
  note: counties have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Independence:
  20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 is
  the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia; 20
  August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from the Soviet
  Union

Constitution:
  adopted 28 June 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  approved by Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
  a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three
  rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly
  (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
  president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
  percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
  president and approved by Parliament
  election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
  2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
  Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
  successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes
  to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots
  were either left blank or invalid

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
  Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
  Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
  seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
  Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
  Moodukad 6

Judicial branch:
  National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];
  Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman];
  Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian
  United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman];
  Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman]; Res Publica
  [Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's
  Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social
  Liberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former Center Party members)
  [Peeter Kreitzberg]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
  chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOS
  embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [372] 668-8100
  FAX: [372] 668-8134

Flag description:
  pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three equal
  horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Economy Estonia

Economy - overview:
  Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and the
  European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market
  economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of its
  currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics
  and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by
  developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading
  partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the
  state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $19.23 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.1% industry: 28.9% services: 67% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  660,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.622 billion
  expenditures: $4.601 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  5.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Industries:
  engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;
  information technology, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.301 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  6.358 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.562 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  200 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-1.169 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $5.701 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles 14%, food
  products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Finland 23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%, Russia
  5.7%, Lithuania 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.318 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%, textiles
  10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Finland 22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%, Lithuania
  5.3%, Latvia 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.503 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $8.373 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $108 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Estonian kroon (EEK)

Currency code:
  EEK

Exchange rates:
  krooni per US dollar - 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612 (2002),
  17.478 (2001), 16.969 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Estonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  475,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  881,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
  business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
  fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
  the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of
  the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
  September 2000
  domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
  services is available throughout the country
  international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
  Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
  service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  1.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (2001)

Televisions:
  605,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ee

Internet hosts:
  82,142 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  38 (2001)

Internet users:
  444,000 (2002)

Transportation Estonia

Railways: total: 958 km broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 55,944 km
  paved: 13,874 km (including 99 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 42,070 km (2002)

Waterways:
  500 km (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 859 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Merchant marine:
  total: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT
  by type: cargo 17, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 6 (Norway 6)
  registered in other countries: 51 (2005)

Airports:
  29 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Military Estonia

Military branches:
  Estonian Defense Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and Air
  Defense Staff, Republic Security Forces (internal and border
  troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border
  Guard, Coast Guard
  note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of
  the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is
  subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian
  Navy in wartime

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, with 11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 291,696 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 200,382 (2005 est.) : note - in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were psychiatric and behavioral

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 11,146 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $155 million (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Estonia

Disputes - international:
  in 1996, the Estonia-Russia technical border agreement was
  initialed but both states have been hesitant to sign and ratify it,
  with Russia asserting that Estonia needs to better assimilate
  Russian-speakers and Estonian groups pressing for realignment of the
  boundary based more closely on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that
  would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the
  Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of
  the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen
  border rules

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest Asia
  and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to Western
  Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western Europe to
  Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem; possible
  precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money
  laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a
  concern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Ethiopia

Introduction Ethiopia

Background:
  Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian monarchy
  maintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the exception of the
  1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In 1974 a military
  junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since
  1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups,
  uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the
  regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of rebel forces,
  the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). A
  constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
  elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
  Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final
  demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian
  objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to
  surrender sensitive territory.

Geography Ethiopia

Location:
  Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,127,127 sq km
  land: 1,119,683 sq km
  water: 7,444 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,328 km
  border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
  Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Terrain:
  high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great Rift
  Valley

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
  highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Natural resources:
  small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural gas,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.71% permanent crops: 0.75% other: 88.54% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to earthquakes,
  volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
  shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor
  management

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost with the
  de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue Nile, the
  chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in T'ana Hayk
  (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are believed to
  have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and castor bean

People Ethiopia

Population:
  73,053,286
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.9% (male 16,082,504/female 15,999,602)
  15-64 years: 53.4% (male 19,452,737/female 19,525,746)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 905,648/female 1,087,049) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.75 years
  male: 17.64 years
  female: 17.85 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.36% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.61 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from
  war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several
  years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from
  the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to
  their homes (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 95.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.83 years
  male: 47.67 years
  female: 50.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.5 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  120,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and hepatitis E vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high risks in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Ethiopian(s)
  adjective: Ethiopian

Ethnic groups:
  Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%, Somali
  6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%, other 3%-8%

Languages:
  Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, other
  local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.7%
  male: 50.3%
  female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ethiopia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
  conventional short form: Ethiopia
  local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
  local short form: Ityop'iya
  former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
  abbreviation: FDRE

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Addis Ababa

Administrative divisions:
  9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and 2
  self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
  astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
  Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
  Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
  Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
  Nationalities and Peoples)

Independence:
  oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the
  world - at least 2,000 years

National holiday:
  National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

Constitution:
  ratified December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

Legal system:
  currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8 October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
  1995)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
  constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of People's Representatives
  elections: president elected by the House of People's
  Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
  2001 (next to be held October 2007); prime minister designated by
  the party in power following legislative elections
  election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
  vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or upper
  chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to serve
  five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or lower
  chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
  from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - OPDO 177,
  ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,
  ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional
  political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed
  note: irregularities and violence at some polling stations
  necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;
  voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought

Judicial branch:
  Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of the
  Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
  federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
  Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
  Judicial Administrative Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA]; Benishangul
  Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF [Mulualem BESSE];
  Coalition for Unity and Democracy or CUD [HAILU Shawil]; Ethiopian
  People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF [MELES Zenawi] (an
  alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gurage Nationalities'
  Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; United Ethopian Democratic
  Forces or UEDF [MERARA Gudina]; dozens of small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader NA];
  Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in Ethiopia or
  CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's Democratic
  Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200 FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa telephone: [251] (1) 550666 FAX: [251] (1) 551328

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and red with a
  yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from the angles
  between the points on a light blue disk centered on the three bands;
  Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa, and the three
  main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other African
  countries upon independence that they became known as the
  pan-African colors

Economy Ethiopia

Economy - overview:
  Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on agriculture,
  accounting for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of total
  employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent drought
  and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the Ethiopian
  economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but historically
  low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to supplement
  income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent drought have
  buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production. In November
  2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly Indebted
  Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land tenure
  system, the government owns all land and provides long-term leases
  to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the
  industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as
  collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to
  a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns late in 2003
  helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $54.89 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  11.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 47%
  industry: 12.4%
  services: 40.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, industry and construction 8%,
  government and services 12% (1985)

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2002)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.887 billion
  expenditures: $2.388 billion, including capital expenditures of $788
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat; hides,
  cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
  food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals processing,
  cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.149 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 97.6% nuclear: 0% other: 1.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.998 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  12.46 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-464.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $562.8 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

Exports - partners:
  Djibouti 13.3%, Germany 10%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, US
  5.2%, UAE 5%, Italy 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 25.3%, US 15.8%, China 6.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $923.1 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $2.9 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $308 million (FY00/01)

Currency (code):
  birr (ETB)

Currency code:
  ETB

Exchange rates:
  birr per US dollar - 8.68 (2004), 8.5997 (2003), 8.5678 (2002),
  8.4575 (2001), 8.2173 (2000)
  note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
  basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

Fiscal year:
  8 July - 7 July

Communications Ethiopia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  435,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  97,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate for government use
  domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
  the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
  the national trunk service
  international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
  microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
  stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  15.2 million (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

Televisions:
  682,000 (2002)

Internet country code:
  .et

Internet hosts:
  9 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  75,000 (2003)

Transportation Ethiopia

Railways:
  total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
  railroad)
  narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2004)

Highways:
  total: 33,297 km
  paved: 3,996 km
  unpaved: 29,301 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Ethiopia is landlocked and has used ports of Assab and Massawa in
  Eritrea and port of Djibouti

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 (2005)

Airports:
  83 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Military Ethiopia

Military branches:
  Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Air Force
  note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
  secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
  Eritrean possession (2003)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 14,568,277 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 8,072,755 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 803,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $337.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Ethiopia

Disputes - international:
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002 Eritrea-Ethiopia
  Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision, but despite
  international intervention, mutual animosities, accusations and
  armed posturing prevail, preventing demarcation; Ethiopia refuses to
  withdraw to the delimited boundary until technical errors made by
  the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are addressed, including the
  award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000 war; Eritrea insists that
  the EEBC decision be implemented immediately without modifications;
  Ethiopia has only an administrative line and no international border
  with the Oromo region of southern Somalia where it maintains
  alliances with local clans in opposition to the unrecognized Somali
  Interim Government in Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide
  port facilities and trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; the UNHCR
  expects most of the remaining 23,000 Somali refugees in Ethiopia to
  be repatriated in 2005; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary
  with Sudan have been delayed by civil war

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 93,032 (Sudan) 23,578 (Somalia)
  IDPs: 132,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and ethnic
  clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces)
  (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  Transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and Southeast Asia
  and destined for Europe and North America as well as cocaine
  destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat (khat) for
  local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti and Somalia
  (legal in all three countries); the lack of a well-developed
  financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Europa Island

Introduction Europa Island

Background:
  A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily wooded; it is
  the site of a small military garrison that staffs a weather station.

Geography Europa Island

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about half way
  between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  22 20 S, 40 22 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 28 sq km
  land: 28 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  22.2 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 24 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  wildlife sanctuary

People Europa Island

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Government Europa Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Europa Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Europa

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur
  of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Europa Island

Economy - overview:
  no economic activity

Industries:
  none

Communications Europa Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Europa Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Europa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Europa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@European Union

Introduction European Union

Preliminary statement:
  The evolution of the European Union (EU) from a regional economic
  agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's
  supranational organization of 25 countries across the European
  continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of
  history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the
  norm in Europe. On a few occasions even country-level unions were
  arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the
  Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples - but for such a large number
  of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching
  entity is truly unique. Although the EU is not a federation in the
  strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as
  ASEAN, NAFTA, or Mercosur, and it has many of the attributes
  associated with independent nations: its own flag, anthem, founding
  date, and currency, as well as an incipient common foreign and
  security policy in its dealings with other nations. In the future,
  many of these nation-like characteristics are likely to be expanded.
  Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed
  appropriate as a new, separate entity in The World Factbook.
  However, because of the EU's special status, this description is
  placed after the regular country entries.

Background: Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it become the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 that rejected the constitution suspended the ratification effort. Despite the expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various countries have raised questions about the erosion of national cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU capital in Brussels. Failure by all member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers" might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of members.

Geography European Union

Location:
  Europe between Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, southeastern Europe, and
  the North Atlantic Ocean

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 3,976,372 sq km

Area - comparative:
  less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 11,214.8 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
  km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein
  34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania
  443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151
  km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km
  note: data for European Continent only

Coastline:
  65,413.9 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate;
  mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain:
  fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast; mountainous in the
  central and southern areas

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m; Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands
  -7 m
  highest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead,
  zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land:
  115,807 sq km

Natural hazards:
  flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes
  in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in
  Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical
  Timber 94
  signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

People European Union

Population:
  456,953,258 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.03% (male 37,608,010/female 35,632,351)
  15-64 years: 67.17% (male 154,439,536/female 152,479,619)
  65 years and over: 16.81% (male 31,515,921/female 45,277,821) (2005
  est.)

Median age:
  NA

Population growth rate:
  0.15% (July 2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10 births/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: NA
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (July 2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (July 2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.3 years
  male: 75.1 years
  female: 81.6 years (July 2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.47 children born/woman (July 2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Religions:
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Languages:
  Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German,
  Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish,
  Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only official
  languages are listed; Irish (Gaelic) will become the twenty-first
  language on 1 January 2007

Government European Union

Union name:
  conventional long form: European Union
  abbreviation: EU

Political structure:
  a hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization

Capital:
  Brussels, Belgium
  note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, the
  European Parliament meets in Strasbourg, France, and the Court of
  Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Member states:
  25 countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
  Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
  Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
  Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK; note - Canary Islands
  (Spain), Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and French Guyana,
  Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Reunion (France) are sometimes listed
  separately even though they are legally a part of Spain, Portugal,
  and France; candidate countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Turkey

Independence:
  7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the EU); 1
  November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)

National holiday:
  Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday, the day that
  Robert Schuman proposed the creation of an organized Europe

Constitution:
  based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris, which set up
  the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951; the Treaties
  of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community (EEC) and the
  European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957; the Single
  European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union (Maastricht) in
  1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the Treaty of Nice in
  2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty, signed on 29 October
  2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for ratification either
  by parliamentary vote or national referendum before it was scheduled
  to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in French and Dutch
  referenda in May-June 2005 caused a suspension of the ratification
  process

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of union: President of the European Commission Jose DURAO
  BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
  cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each
  member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
  areas)
  elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
  member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other
  Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire
  Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004
  (next to be held 2009)
  election results: European Parliament approved the European
  Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions
  note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
  government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
  least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major
  political issues relating to European integration and to issue
  general policy guidelines

Legislative branch:
  Council of the European Union (25 member-state ministers having 321
  votes; the number of votes is roughly proportional to member-states'
  population); note - the Council is the main decision-making body of
  the EU; European Parliament (732 seats; seats allocated among member
  states by proportion to population); members elected by direct
  universal suffrage for a five-year term
  elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED
  268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN
  27, independents 28

Judicial branch:
  Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures that the
  treaties are interpreted and applied correctly) - 25 justices (one
  from each member state) appointed for a six-year term; note - for
  the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 11 justices known as
  the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 25 justices appointed
  for a six-year term

Political parties and leaders:
  Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE
  [Graham R. WATSON]; Independence/Democracy Group or IND/DEM
  [Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Group of Greens/European Free
  Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and Daniel Marc
  COHN-BENDIT]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament or PES
  [Martin SCHULZ]; Confederal Group of the European United Left-Nordic
  Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's
  Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Hans-Gert POETTERING]; Union for
  Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana
  MUSCARDINI]

International organization participation:
  European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF (dialogue member),
  EBRD, IDA, OAS (observer), OECD, WTO
  European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, G-10, NSG
  (observer), UN (observer)
  European Central Bank: BIS
  European Investment Bank: WADB (nonregional member)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500 FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rockwell SCHNABEL embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: same as above telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222 FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720

Flag description:
  on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle,
  representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the number of stars
  is fixed

Economy European Union

Economy - overview:
  Domestically, the European Union attempts to lower trade barriers,
  adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence of living
  standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster Europe's trade
  position and its political and economic power. Because of the great
  differences in per capita income (from $10,000 to $28,000) and
  historic national animosities, the European Community faces
  difficulties in devising and enforcing common policies. For example,
  both Germany and France since 2003 have flouted the member states'
  treaty obligation to prevent their national budgets from running
  more than a 3% deficit. In 2004, the EU admitted 10 central and
  eastern European countries that are, in general, less advanced
  technologically and economically than the existing 15. Twelve EU
  member states introduced the euro as their common currency on 1
  January 1999. The UK, Sweden, and Denmark do not now participate;
  the 10 new member states may choose to adopt the euro when they meet
  the EU's fiscal and monetary criteria and the member states so agree.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.65 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 28.3% services: 69.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 215 million (various)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 4.5%, industry 27.4%, services 66.9% note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector industries and services (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  9.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  See individual country listings

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.2 (2003 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  percent of GDP - 19.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes, dairy products,
  cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish

Industries:
  among the world's largest and most technologically advanced, the
  European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous
  metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal,
  cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation
  equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction
  equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power
  equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems,
  electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and
  beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.888 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.661 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - exports:
  270.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  268.5 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Oil - production:
  2.648 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - consumption:
  14.54 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - exports:
  5.322 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  15.69 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  28.21 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  242.6 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - consumption:
  467.7 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - exports:
  78.1 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - imports:
  297.8 billion cu m (2001)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.256 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $NA

Exports:
  $1.109 trillion
  note: external exports, excluding intra EU trade (2003)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics, pharmaceuticals and
  other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, wood pulp
  and paper products, textiles, meat, dairy products, fish, alcoholic
  beverages.

Exports - partners:
  US 22.9%, Switzerland 6.9%, China 4.1%, Japan 4%

Imports:
  $1.123 trillion
  note: external imports, excluding intra-EU trade (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil, chemicals,
  textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
  US 15.1%, China 9.7%, Japan 6.7%, Switzerland 5.6%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  euro, British pound, Danish kroner, Swedish kroner, Cypriot pound,
  koruny (Czech Republic), krooni (Estonia), forint (Hungary), lati
  (Latvia), litai (Lithuania), Maltese liri, zloty (Poland), koruny
  (Slovakia), tolar (Slovenia)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.81 (2004), 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002), 1.12
  (2001), 1.09 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  NA

Communications European Union

Telephones - main lines in use:
  238,763,162 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  314,644,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 866, FM 13,396, shortwave 73 (1998); note - sum of individual
  country radio broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide
  station (Euroradio)

Television broadcast stations:
  2,791 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum of individual
  country television broadcast stations; there is also a European-wide
  station (Eurovision)

Internet country code:
  .eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of member states
  for individual country codes

Internet hosts:
  22,000,414 (2004); note - sum of individual country Internet hosts

Internet users:
  206,032,067 (September 2004)

Transportation European Union

Railways:
  total: 222,293 km
  broad gauge: 28,438 km
  standard gauge: 186,405 km
  narrow gauge: 7,427 km
  other: 23 km (2003)

Highways:
  total: 4,634,810 km (including 56,704 km of expressways)
  paved: 4,161,318 km
  unpaved: 473,492 km (1999-2000)

Waterways:
  53,512 km

Ports and harbors:
  Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Bremen (Germany), Copenhagen
  (Denmark), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland),
  Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon
  (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy),
  Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
  (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia)

Airports:
  3,130 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1,834

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1,296

Heliports:
  94 (2004)

Military European Union

Military - note:
  In November 2004, the European Union heads of government signed a
  "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe" that offers
  possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense and
  security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take some
  two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the European
  Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000 Nice Treaty.
  Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members, development of a
  European military planning unit is likely to continue. So is
  creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a humanitarian aid
  system, which the planning unit will support. France, Germany,
  Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy continue to press for
  wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps - created in 1992 by
  France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg - has already
  deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to Bosnia and
  Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo and
  assumed command of the International Security Assistance Force
  (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly commands
  the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational Command
  Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in Bosnia in
  December 2004. Other troop contributions are under national command
  - committments to provide 67,100 troops were made at the Helsinki EU
  session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were actually deployed in
  2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense Agency, tasked with
  promoting cooperative European defense capabilities, began
  operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of Ministers formally
  committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle groups" by the end
  of 2007, to respond to international crises on a rotating basis.
  Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to supply troops.
  France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three battle groups
  in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway, Sweden, and
  Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups, possibly to
  include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be formed by
  2007. (2005)

Transnational Issues European Union

Disputes - international:
  the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries; it has
  set up a Schengen area - consisting of 13 EU member states that have
  signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements (1985 and
  1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of
  border controls in Europe; the Schengen agreements ("acquis") became
  incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty
  of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; member states are: Austria, Belgium,
  Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg,
  Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden; in addition, non-EU states
  Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included
  in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), bringing the
  total current membership to 15; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland
  (since 2002) take part in some aspects of the Schengen area,
  especially with respect to police and criminal matters; the 10 new
  member states that joined the EU in 2004 eventually are expected to
  participate in Schengen, following a transition period to upgrade
  their border controls and procedures

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Introduction Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Background:
  Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first
  landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in
  1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until
  1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the
  islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first
  between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The
  UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval
  garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April
  1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed
  seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine
  surrender on 14 June 1982.

Geography Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Location:
  Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
  of southern Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
  51 45 S, 59 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 12,173 sq km
  land: 12,173 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and
  about 200 small islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,288 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on
  more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches
  in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and
  February, but does not accumulate

Terrain:
  rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Natural resources: fish, squid, wildlife, calcified seaweed, sphagnum moss

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  strong winds persist throughout the year

Environment - current issues:
  overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were
  introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is
  the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the
  Chornobyl disaster

Geography - note:
  deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing
  season

People Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Population: 2,967 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.44% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Falkland Islander(s)
  adjective: Falkland Island

Ethnic groups:
  British

Religions:
  primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist
  Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages:
  English

Government Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Stanley

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Constitution:
  3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Legal system:
  English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
  Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
  Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
  cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
  Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
  secretary), and the governor
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected
  by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by
  the governor
  elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8;
  note - 71% voter turnout

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court
  (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions);
  Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ICFTU, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once
  the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose
  crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the
  motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Economy Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Economy - overview:
  The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep
  farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic
  activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to
  foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing
  zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which
  goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system.
  Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports
  domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature
  shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage
  stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for
  defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil
  exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic
  surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000
  barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An
  agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse
  licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign
  interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially
  eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in
  2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the
  government has in the bank. The British military presence also
  provides a sizeable economic boost.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $75 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:
  1,100 (est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)

Unemployment rate:
  full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $66.2 million
  expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
  million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products

Industries:
  fish and wool processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  19.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  17.72 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $82 million (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  wool, hides, meat

Exports - partners:
  Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $53 million (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing

Imports - partners:
  UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $0 (1997 est.)

Currency (code):
  Falkland pound (FKP)

Currency code:
  FKP

Exchange rates:
  Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
  radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
  points on both islands
  international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
  countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA; however one-half of all households are reported to have
  internet access (2002)

Transportation Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Highways: total: 440 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 390 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Stanley

Merchant marine:
  none

Airports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Military branches:
  no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Disputes - international:
  Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly
  occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer
  seek settlement by force; UK continues to reject Argentine requests
  for sovereignty talks

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Faroe Islands

Introduction Faroe Islands

Background:
  The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from
  Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have
  been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high
  degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Geography Faroe Islands

Location:
  Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to
  Norway

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 7 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 1,399 sq km
  land: 1,399 sq km
  water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Area - comparative:
  eight times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,117 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:
  mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy

Terrain:
  rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Natural resources: fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use: arable land: 2.14% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and
  a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea
  lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits
  habitation to small coastal lowlands

People Faroe Islands

Population:
  46,962 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.3% (male 4,997/female 4,999)
  15-64 years: 64.9% (male 16,120/female 14,360)
  65 years and over: 13.8% (male 2,923/female 3,563) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.11 years
  male: 34.64 years
  female: 35.68 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.62% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.21 years
  male: 75.77 years
  female: 82.67 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Faroese

Ethnic groups:
  Scandinavian

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
  Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably the same as Denmark proper

Government Faroe Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Faroe Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Foroyar

Dependency status:
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1948

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Torshavn

Administrative divisions:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 49 municipalities

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark)

National holiday:
  Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Constitution:
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
  Danish

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
  1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS, chief
  administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3
  February 2004)
  cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
  20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)
  election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent
  of parliamentary vote - NA%
  note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven
  constituencies to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than
  January 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,
  Social Democrats 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party
  20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party -
  Union Party 7, Social Democrats 7, Republican Party 8, People's
  Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1
  note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
  8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results - percent
  of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, People's
  Party 1

Judicial branch:
  none

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari P.
  HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party
  [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union
  Party [Kaj Oeo JOHANNESEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
  white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to the edges of
  the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted toward the hoist
  side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Faroe Islands

Economy - overview:
  The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly
  as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export
  prices. Unemployment is minimal and there are signs of labor
  shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has
  helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget
  surpluses, which in turn has helped to reduce the large public debt,
  most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing
  makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present
  fishing efforts appear in excess of what is a sustainable level of
  fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give
  hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may
  eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus
  lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance. Aided by a
  substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese
  have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
  Scandinavians.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  10% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 27% industry: 11% services: 62% (1999)

Labor force: 24,250 (October 2000)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Unemployment rate:
  1% (October 2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.1% (1999)

Budget:
  revenues: $488 million
  expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
  million (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Industries:
  fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and refurbishment,
  handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  8% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  220 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 37.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  204.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $408 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Denmark 33.5%, UK 29.7%, Norway 8.4%, Nigeria 7.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $466 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw
  materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Denmark 52.8%, Norway 18.3%, Iceland 4.4%, Sweden 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $64 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Currency (code):
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947
  (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Faroe Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  23,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  30,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good international communications; good
  domestic facilities
  domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
  and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
  international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
  Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
  linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
  submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  26,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  15,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fo

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Faroe Islands

Highways: total: 463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
  Torshavn

Merchant marine:
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 24,051 GRT/11,998 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Denmark 2, Germany 1, Iceland 2, Norway 2, United
  Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Faroe Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Faroe Islands

Disputes - international:
  because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources have not been
  realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full independence have been
  deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line
  boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that
  the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Fiji

Introduction Fiji

Background:
  Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
  British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
  coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
  dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
  brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
  constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
  heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
  difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
  Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
  Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
  an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
  of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
  provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
  mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Geography Fiji

Location:
  Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
  of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  18 00 S, 175 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 18,270 sq km
  land: 18,270 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,129 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  rectilinear shelf claim added

Climate:
  tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 10.95% permanent crops: 4.65% other: 84.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

People Fiji

Population:
  893,354 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.4% (male 143,066/female 137,346)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 288,434/female 287,720)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 16,797/female 19,991) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.28 years
  male: 23.84 years
  female: 24.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.4% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.53 years
  male: 67.05 years
  female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Fijian(s)
  adjective: Fijian

Ethnic groups:
  Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture),
  Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas Chinese, and
  other 5% (1998 est.)

Religions:
  Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%, Muslim
  8%, other 2%
  note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
  a Muslim minority (1986)

Languages:
  English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Fiji

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
  conventional short form: Fiji

Government type:
  republic
  note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
  declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Capital:
  Suva (Viti Levu)

Administrative divisions:
  4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern, Rotuma*,
  Western

Independence:
  10 October 1970 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Constitution:
  promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended on 25 July 1997 to allow
  nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty
  government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998

Legal system:
  based on British system

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda (since 18
  July 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
  September 2000)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
  is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
  of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
  of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
  elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
  five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
  by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24 appointed
  by the President on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, nine
  appointed by the president, and one appointed by the council of
  Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 reserved for
  ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three reserved for
  other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of Rotuma
  constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats;
  members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
  September and 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
  September 2006)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%,
  independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1,
  NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
  Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
  Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
  Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
  Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
  Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
  FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
  Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
  BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
  Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
  Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
  or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
  National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
  Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
  National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
  [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
  SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
  BEDDOES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad
  Interim)
  chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
  embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
  mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
  telephone: [679] 331-4466
  FAX: [679] 330-0081

Flag description:
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant
  and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
  shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the
  cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree,
  bananas, and a white dove

Economy Fiji

Economy - overview:
  Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of
  the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
  with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
  industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major
  sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of
  industrial activity, but is inefficient. Long-term problems include
  low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the
  government's ability to manage its budget. Yet short-run economic
  prospects are good, provided tensions do not again erupt between
  indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. Overseas remittances from
  Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $5.173 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.6% industry: 22.4% services: 61% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  137,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.6% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
  25.5% (1990-91)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $427.9 million
  expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
  bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Industries:
  tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
  cottage industries

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  750 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.5% hydro: 81.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  697.5 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $609 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
  US 24%, Australia 19%, UK 12.6%, Samoa 6.5%, Japan 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $835 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum
  products, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Australia 25.9%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 21.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $188.1 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $40.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Fijian dollar (FJD)

Currency code:
  FJD

Exchange rates:
  Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003), 2.1869
  (2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Fiji

Telephones - main lines in use:
  102,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  109,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international
  (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone,
  telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications
  center
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
  between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  541,476 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  88,110 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .fj

Internet hosts:
  493 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  55,000 (2003)

Transportation Fiji

Railways:
  total: 597 km
  narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
  note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
  to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)

Highways:
  total: 3,440 km
  paved: 1,692 km
  unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  203 km
  note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
  (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva

Merchant marine:
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT
  by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2005)

Airports:
  28 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Military Fiji

Military branches:
  Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval
  Division (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 215,104 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 163,960 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 9,266 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $36 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Fiji

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Finland

Introduction Finland

Background:
  Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the
  12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia
  after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During World
  War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and resist
  invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of territory.
  In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a remarkable
  transformation from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern
  industrial economy; per capita income is now on par with Western
  Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland was the only
  Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation in January
  1999.

Geography Finland

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, and
  Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  64 00 N, 26 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 338,145 sq km
  land: 304,473 sq km
  water: 33,672 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total: 2,681 km border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

Coastline:
  1,250 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
  with Sweden

Climate:
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
  because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
  Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes and low
  hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

Natural resources:
  timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold,
  silver, limestone

Land use: arable land: 7.19% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  640 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from manufacturing and power plants contributing to
  acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural
  chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
  capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
  southwestern coastal plain

People Finland

Population:
  5,223,442 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.3% (male 460,977/female 443,859)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,764,874/female 1,723,385)
  65 years and over: 15.9% (male 328,952/female 501,395) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.97 years
  male: 39.43 years
  female: 42.52 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.16% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.35 years
  male: 74.82 years
  female: 82.02 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Finn(s)
  adjective: Finnish

Ethnic groups:
  Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma 0.2%,
  Sami 0.1%

Religions:
  Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland 1.1%,
  other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)

Languages:
  Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4% (small
  Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100% (2000 est.)
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Government Finland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Finland
  conventional short form: Finland
  local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
  local short form: Suomi

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Helsinki

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen Laani,
  Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

Independence:
  6 December 1917 (from Russia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

Constitution:
  1 March 2000

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request
  the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
  2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
  president, responsible to parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
  held February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and
  deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority
  coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must
  approve the appointment
  election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
  Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
  note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
  Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
  Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats or KD
  [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left
  Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and
  Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition
  (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic
  Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
  [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
  EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
  chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK
  embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
  mailing address: APO AE 09723
  telephone: [358] (9) 616250
  FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

Flag description:
  white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag; the
  vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style
  of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Finland

Economy - overview:
  Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market economy,
  with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France, Germany, and
  Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing - principally the
  wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and electronics
  industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling two-fifths of
  GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile phones.
  Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on imports
  of raw materials, energy, and some components for manufactured
  goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development is limited
  to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products. Forestry, an
  important export earner, provides a secondary occupation for the
  rural population. Rapidly increasing integration with Western Europe
  - Finland was one of the 12 countries joining the European Economic
  and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the economic picture over
  the next several years. Growth in 2003 was held back by the global
  slowdown but picked up in 2004. High unemployment remains a
  persistent problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $151.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 30.2% services: 66.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.66 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%, commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%, transport and communications 8%, public services 32%

Unemployment rate:
  8.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.6 (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $96.43 billion
  expenditures: $91.95 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

Industries:
  metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and scientific
  instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs, chemicals,
  textiles, clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  71.59 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 39% hydro: 18.7% nuclear: 30.4% other: 11.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  78.58 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  13.5 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  101,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  318,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $11.39 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $61.04 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper, pulp
  (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Sweden 11.1%, Germany 10.7%, Russia 8.9%, UK 7%, US 6.4%,
  Netherlands 5.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $45.17 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, transport
  equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and fabrics,
  grains (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.3%, Russia 12.8%, Netherlands 6.3%,
  Denmark 5.2%, UK 4.6%, France 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $11.17 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $30 billion (December 1993)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $379 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.81 (2004), 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002), 1.12
  (2001), 1.09 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Finland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2.548 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4.7 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system with excellent service
  domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
  cellular network provide domestic needs
  international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
  Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
  transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
  the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
  Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  7.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
  3.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fi

Internet hosts:
  1,219,173 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2002)

Internet users:
  2.65 million (2002)

Transportation Finland

Railways: total: 5,851 km broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 78,197 km
  paved: 50,539 km (including 794 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 27,658 km (2004)

Waterways:
  7,842 km
  note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
  from Russia (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 694 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvou, Raahe,
  Rauma, Turku

Merchant marine:
  total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, chemical tanker 6, container 1,
  passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll
  off 25
  foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 42 (2005)

Airports:
  148 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 75 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 27 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.)

Military Finland

Military branches:
  Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
  Forces), Air Force (2003)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
  (October 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,121,275 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 913,617 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 32,040 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.8 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (FY98/99)

Transnational Issues Finland

Disputes - international:
  various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
  areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish Government asserts
  no territorial demands

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@France

Introduction France

Background:
  Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
  suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
  as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
  most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
  nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
  resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
  democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
  with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
  Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
  the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
  efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
  progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Geography France

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel,
  between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  46 00 N, 2 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 547,030 sq km
  land: 545,630 sq km
  water: 1,400 sq km
  note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
  administrative divisions

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,889 km
  border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
  Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
  Switzerland 573 km

Coastline:
  3,427 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot
  summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
  north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

Terrain:
  mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
  remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash,
  feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 33.53% permanent crops: 2.07% other: 64.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest fires
  in south near the Mediterranean

Environment - current issues:
  some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial
  and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
  agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  largest West European nation

People France

Population:
  60,656,178 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.4% (male 5,717,761/female 5,440,060)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,784,749/female 19,752,432)
  65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,084,193/female 5,876,983) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.85 years male: 37.3 years female: 40.39 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.37% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.6 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 83.42 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  120,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
  Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese,
  Basque minorities

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%,
  unaffiliated 4%

Languages:
  French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
  (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1980 est.)

Government France

Country name:
  conventional long form: French Republic
  conventional short form: France
  local long form: Republique Francaise
  local short form: France

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Paris

Administrative divisions:
  22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
  Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
  Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
  Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
  Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
  Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
  note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
  "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
  into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
  departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
  overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
  Miquelon)

Dependent areas:
  Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
  Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
  Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
  Futuna
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Independence:
  486 (unified by Clovis)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October 1958;
  amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to comply
  with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam Treaty,
  2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in 1993;
  amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to a
  five-year term

Legal system:
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative
  but not legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31
  May 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  suggestion of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
  21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,
  second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
  Assembly majority and appointed by the president
  election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
  vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
  (FN) 18.04%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or Senat
  (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
  departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
  members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
  nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
  between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a
  total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
  departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
  and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
  nationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral
  college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being
  renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
  single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
  September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
  to be held not later than June 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
  Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355,
  PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed
  by the president from nominations of the High Council of the
  Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
  members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
  of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of
  the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

Political parties and leaders:
  Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre CHEVENEMENT];
  Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly Radical
  Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques PELLETIER];
  French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET]; Left Radical
  Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left
  Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement for France
  or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or NF [Jean-Marie LE
  PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Socialist Party or
  PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING, national secretary];
  Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois BAYROU]; Union for a
  Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and a part of UDF)
  [Nicolas SARKOZY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
  Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
  left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
  Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
  independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
  Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar
  union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
  (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
  MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
  (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
  G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
  Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
  (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
  chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
  embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08
  mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
  telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
  FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
  consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red;
  known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the origin of
  the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the design and/or
  colors are similar to a number of other flags, including those of
  Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire, Luxembourg, and Netherlands;
  the official flag for all French dependent areas

Economy France

Economy - overview:
  France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do modern
  economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
  intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
  government has partially or fully privatized many large companies,
  banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several
  leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and
  Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public
  transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is
  gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain
  committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by
  means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income
  disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and
  welfare. The government has lowered income taxes and introduced
  measures to boost employment and reform the pension system. In
  addition, it is focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor
  and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek
  and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden remains one of the
  highest in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The lingering economic
  slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit
  above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit. Finance Minister Herve GAYMARD
  has promised that the 2005 deficit will fall below 3%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.737 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 24.3% services: 73% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  27.7 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  10.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  6.5% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.005 trillion
  expenditures: $1.08 trillion, including capital expenditures of $23
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  67.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef, dairy
  products; fish

Industries:
  machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
  electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  528.6 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.2% hydro: 14% nuclear: 77.1% other: 0.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  414.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  79.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  409,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-305 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $419 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

Exports - partners:
  Germany 15%, Spain 9.5%, UK 9.3%, Italy 9%, Belgium 7.2%, US 6.7%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $419.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Germany 19.2%, Belgium 9.9%, Italy 8.8%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7%,
  Netherlands 6.7%, US 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $70.76 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications France

Telephones - main lines in use:
  33,905,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  41,683,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
  introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
  international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
  Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
  radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and includes
  many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  55.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  34.8 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .fr

Internet hosts:
  2,396,761 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  62 (2000)

Internet users:
  21.9 million (2003)

Transportation France

Railways:
  total: 29,519 km
  standard gauge: 29,352 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 893,100 km
  paved: 893,100 km (including 12,000 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons) (2000)

Pipelines:
  gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille,
  Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg

Merchant marine:
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
  by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 4, passenger 3,
  passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Sweden 5, Switzerland 1)
  registered in other countries: 139 (2005)

Airports:
  478 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 283 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 28 1,524 to 2,437 m: 95 914 to 1,523 m: 82 under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 195 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 72 under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)

Military France

Military branches:
  Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation), Navy
  (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense), National
  Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:
  17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 13,676,509 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 11,262,661 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 389,204 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $45,238.1 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues France

Disputes - international:
  Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
  and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius claims
  Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the French
  overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a territorial
  claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu claim Matthew
  and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for and consumer of South American cocaine,
  Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@French Guiana

Introduction French Guiana

Background:
  First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was the site of
  notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European Space Agency
  launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

Geography French Guiana

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Brazil and Suriname

Geographic coordinates:
  4 00 N, 53 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 91,000 sq km
  land: 89,150 sq km
  water: 1,850 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

Coastline: 378 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum, kaolin, fish,
  niobium, tantalum, clay

Land use: arable land: 0.14% permanent crops: 0.05% other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  high frequency of heavy showers and severe thunderstorms; flooding

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only non-independent portion of
  the South American continent

People French Guiana

Population:
  195,506 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.3% (male 29,262/female 27,947)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 67,895/female 58,534)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,038/female 5,830) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.45 years
  male: 29.49 years
  female: 27.31 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.1% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.09 years
  male: 73.77 years
  female: 80.58 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
  adjective: French Guianese

Ethnic groups:
  black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese, Amerindian
  12%, other 10%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83%
  male: 84%
  female: 82% (1982 est.)

Government French Guiana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Guiana
  conventional short form: French Guiana
  local long form: none
  local short form: Guyane

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Cayenne

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31 July 2002)
  head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
  HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
  Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
  Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
  unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
  other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
  various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
  Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
  independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
  (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
  National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
  1, Walwari Committee 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court based in
  Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French
  Guiana)

Political parties and leaders:
  Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE]; Guyanese
  Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana Democratic
  Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese Party or
  PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE]; Union for
  a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Muriel ICARE]; Walwari
  Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine
  TAUBIRA-DELANON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy French Guiana

Economy - overview:
  The economy is tied closely to the much larger French economy
  through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space center at
  Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and forestry are the
  most important economic activities. Forest and woodland cover 90% of
  the country. The large reserves of tropical hardwoods, not fully
  exploited, support an expanding sawmill industry that provides sawn
  logs for export. Cultivation of crops is limited to the coastal
  area, where the population is largely concentrated; rice and manioc
  are the major crops. French Guiana is heavily dependent on imports
  of food and energy. Unemployment is a serious problem, particularly
  among younger workers.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.551 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 58,800 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services, government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)

Unemployment rate:
  22% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

Agriculture - products: corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa, vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

Industries:
  construction, shrimp processing, forestry products, rum, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  460.1 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  427.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

Exports - partners:
  France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

Imports:
  $625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport equipment,
  fuels and chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.2 billion (1988)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  Euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications French Guiana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  51,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  138,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
  international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6 (including 5
  repeaters) (1998)

Radios:
  104,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  30,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,200 (2002)

Transportation French Guiana

Highways:
  total: 817 km (1998)

Waterways:
  3,760 km
  note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
  river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Degrad des Cannes

Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 3

Airports:
  11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military French Guiana

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 47,809 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 38,676 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Guiana

Disputes - international:
  Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and Riviere Marouini
  (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana

Illicit drugs:
  small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor
  transshipment point to Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@French Polynesia

Introduction French Polynesia

Background:
  The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th
  century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by
  resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year
  moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography French Polynesia

Location:
  Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half
  of the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
  land: 3,660 sq km
  water: 507 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  2,525 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical, but moderate

Terrain:
  mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 0.82% permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in
  French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in
  the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati
  and Nauru

People French Polynesia

Population:
  270,485 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 36,947/female 35,403)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 94,710/female 87,546)
  65 years and over: 5.9% (male 8,018/female 7,861) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.48 years
  male: 27.84 years
  female: 27.1 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.52% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.9 years
  male: 73.5 years
  female: 78.42 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: French Polynesian(s)
  adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:
  Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Languages:
  French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian
  languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 14 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1977 est.)

Government French Polynesia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
  conventional short form: French Polynesia
  local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
  local short form: Polynesie Francaise
  former: French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:
  overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from
  1946-2004

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Papeete

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel
  des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
  note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
  Polynesia

Independence:
  none (overseas lands of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  based on French system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel
  MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001); note - Michel MATHIER leaves 30
  July 2005, replaced by Jacques MICHAUT (acting high commissioner),
  until the arrival of Anne BOQUET in early September 2005
  head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
  French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the
  Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
  of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
  ministers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
  are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats
  - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy
  27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13
  February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the
  Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New
  Democracy 3
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
  (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French
  National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
  1, UMP 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or
  Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or
  Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:
  Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
  Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile
  VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR
  (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)
  [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle
  BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas lands of France)

Flag description:
  two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered
  on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the
  lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a
  stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the
  French flag is used for official occasions

Economy French Polynesia

Economy - overview:
  Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region,
  French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy
  to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either
  employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the
  halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to
  the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of
  GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources
  of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The
  small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural
  products. The territory benefits substantially from development
  agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses
  and strengthening social services.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (2002)

Labor force:
  70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  11.8% (1994)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
  million (1996)

Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee

Industries:
  tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  380 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.7% hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  353.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark
  meat

Exports - partners:
  France 36.6%, Japan 22.7%, US 16.1%, Niger 13%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
  France 47.6%, New Zealand 8.8%, Singapore 8.4%, Australia 8.3%, US
  7.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $367 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
  XPF

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04
  (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)
  note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications French Polynesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  52,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  90,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  40,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pf

Internet hosts:
  5,123 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  35,000 (2002)

Transportation French Polynesia

Highways: total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
  Papeete

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
  by type: cargo 4, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo
  1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005)

Airports:
  50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military French Polynesia

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Introduction French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Background:
  The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and
  Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile
  Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited
  only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion
  consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent
  discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Geography French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Location:
  southeast of Africa, islands in the southern Indian Ocean, about
  equidistant between Africa, Antarctica, and Australia; note - French
  Southern and Antarctic Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul,
  Iles Crozet, and Iles Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along
  with the French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US
  does not recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Geographic coordinates:
  43 00 S, 67 00 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 7,829 sq km
  land: 7,829 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
  Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
  Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,232 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not
  include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Climate:
  antarctic

Terrain:
  volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Natural resources: fish, crayfish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul are extinct volcanoes

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  islands component is widely scattered across remote locations in
  the southern Indian Ocean

People French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants (July 2005 est.)
  note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
  winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2005 est.)

Government French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of the French Southern and
  Antarctic Lands
  conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
  Francaises
  local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by
  Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004),
  assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 3 districts named Ile Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles
  Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica
  that is not recognized by the US

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to servicing meteorological and
  geophysical research stations and French and other fishing fleets.
  The fish catches landed on Iles Kerguelen by foreign ships are
  exported to France and Reunion.

Communications French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Internet country code: .tf

Transportation French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Merchant marine:
  total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 21, container 19,
  liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle
  carrier 4
  foreign-owned: 71 (Belgium 5, Denmark 2, France 45, Germany 2,
  Greece 2, Hong Kong 5, Japan 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 5) (2005)

Airports:
  none (2004 est.)

Military French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Disputes - international: French claim to "Adelie Land" in Antarctica is not recognized by the United States

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Gabon

Introduction Gabon

Background:
  Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since independence
  from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj Omar BONGO
  Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in the world -
  has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four decades.
  President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and a new
  constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and
  allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local
  elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political
  structures in Gabon. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are
  unlikely to bring change since the opposition remains weak, divided,
  and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political
  conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and
  considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more
  prosperous and stable African countries.

Geography Gabon

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
  between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 S, 11 45 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 267,667 sq km
  land: 257,667 sq km
  water: 10,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Colorado

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,551 km
  border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
  Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Coastline:
  885 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; always hot, humid

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium, gold,
  timber, iron ore, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 1.26% permanent crops: 0.66% other: 98.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped Gabon
  become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
  circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
  pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

People Gabon

Population:
  1,389,201
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.1% (male 293,668/female 291,816)
  15-64 years: 53.8% (male 372,134/female 374,850)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,551/female 33,182) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.57 years
  male: 18.34 years
  female: 18.8 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.45% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.24 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.72 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 53.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 55.02 years
  male: 53.63 years
  female: 56.45 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  8.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  48,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Gabonese

Ethnic groups:
  Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang, Bapounou,
  Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000, including
  10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Religions:
  Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Languages:
  French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 63.2%
  male: 73.7%
  female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Government Gabon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
  conventional short form: Gabon
  local long form: Republique Gabonaise
  local short form: Gabon

Government type:
  republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
  legalized in 1990)

Capital:
  Libreville

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie, Nyanga,
  Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Independence:
  17 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
  adopted 14 March 1991

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
  of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2
  December 1967)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
  (since 23 January 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected;
  percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 66.6%, Pierre
  MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats; members
  elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
  assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
  (next to be held December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9
  February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP
  1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,
  CLR 1, independents 9

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
  Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface ASSELE];
  Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide Bourdes
  OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE
  [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG,
  former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
  Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; National Rally of
  Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul
  M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA];
  Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for
  Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS [leader NA]; Union of
  Gabonese People or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
  chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
  consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY
  embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville
  mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
  telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
  FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Economy Gabon

Economy - overview:
  Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of
  sub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline in
  extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large
  proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber
  and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.
  The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face
  fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.
  Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management
  hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January
  1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped
  to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in
  1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near
  commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119
  million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in
  privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional
  financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets
  for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the
  government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from
  the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and
  administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped
  growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing
  potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with
  the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up
  bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December
  2001. Gabon signed a 14 month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in
  May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year.
  Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal
  and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.966 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.4% industry: 46.7% services: 45.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  650,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Unemployment rate:
  21% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.129 billion
  expenditures: $1.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  29.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a tropical
  softwood); fish

Industries:
  petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
  chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
  plywood; cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.161 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 34.5% hydro: 65.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.08 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  264,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.022 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  66.47 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $196.8 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.71 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Exports - partners:
  US 53.3%, China 8.5%, France 7.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.225 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
  materials

Imports - partners:
  France 43.8%, US 6.3%, UK 5.9%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $268.6 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3.804 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $331 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Currency code:
  XAF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Gabon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  300,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
  improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
  domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
  domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  208,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ga

Internet hosts:
  93 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  35,000 (2003)

Transportation Gabon

Railways: total: 814 km standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 8,464 km paved: 838 km unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
  1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Airports:
  56 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 45 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Military Gabon

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 276,310 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 156,632 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 15,150 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $184.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Gabon

Disputes - international:
  UN presses Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the sovereignty
  dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and to establish a maritime
  boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay; only a few hundred out of
  the 20,000 Republic of the Congo refugees who fled militia fighting
  in 2000 remain in Gabon

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Gambia, The

Introduction Gambia, The

Background:
  The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965; it formed a
  short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal between 1982 and
  1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship and cooperation
  treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the president and banned
  political activity, but a 1996 constitution and presidential
  elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997, completed a
  nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook another round
  of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001 and early
  2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has been
  elected president in all subsequent elections.

Geography Gambia, The

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
  13 28 N, 16 34 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 11,300 sq km
  land: 10,000 sq km
  water: 1,300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 740 km border countries: Senegal 740 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler, dry season
  (November to May)

Terrain:
  flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Natural resources:
  fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon, silica sand,
  clay, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 74.5% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30 years)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases prevalent

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the continent of
  Africa

People Gambia, The

Population:
  1,593,256 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 356,079/female 352,894)
  15-64 years: 52.8% (male 416,809/female 424,429)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 22,111/female 20,934) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.59 years
  male: 17.45 years
  female: 17.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.93% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  39.86 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 72.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 78.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 53.75 years
  male: 51.91 years
  female: 55.64 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Gambian(s)
  adjective: Gambian

Ethnic groups:
  African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola 10%, Serahuli
  9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
  English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
  vernaculars

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.1%
  male: 47.8%
  female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Government Gambia, The

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
  conventional short form: The Gambia

Government type:
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
  Banjul

Administrative divisions:
  5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower River, North
  Bank, Upper River, Western

Independence:
  18 February 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Constitution:
  24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and approved by
  national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January 1997

Legal system:
  based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law, and
  customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18 October
  1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the Junta); Vice
  President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
  October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
  Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held October 2006)
  election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by popular vote,
  five appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held February 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or APRC - the ruling party [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA] note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned since 1996

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
  MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971 FAX: [220] 392475

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with white edges,
  and green

Economy Gambia, The

Economy - overview:
  The Gambia has no significant mineral or natural resource deposits
  and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of the population
  depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood. Small-scale
  manufacturing activity features the processing of peanuts, fish, and
  hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a major segment of
  economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed preshipment
  inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi (currency)
  have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The Gambia. The
  government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm Alimenta
  eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the
  following two marketing seasons saw substantially lower prices and
  sales. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key
  parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that
  the government intends to follow through on its promises.
  Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high;
  short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and
  multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on
  continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors,
  and on expected growth in the construction sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.799 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 26.8% industry: 14.5% services: 58.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  400,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%, government 6%

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $44.85 million
  expenditures: $59.94 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava (tapioca),
  palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
  processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
  agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  90.31 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  83.99 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-16.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $114.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels, re-exports

Exports - partners:
  India 21.4%, Thailand 15.1%, UK 13.7%, France 12.9%, Germany 8.7%,
  Italy 7.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $180.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport equipment

Imports - partners:
  China 23.7%, Senegal 11.6%, Brazil 5.9%, UK 5.5%, Netherlands 4.5%,
  US 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $113.1 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $476 million (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $45.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  dalasi (GMD)

Currency code:
  GMD

Exchange rates:
  dalasi per US dollar - 27.306 (2003), 27.306 (2003), 19.918 (2002),
  15.687 (2001), 12.788 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Gambia, The

Telephones - main lines in use:
  38,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  100,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data network is
  available
  domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
  international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
  Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  196,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (government-owned) (1997)

Televisions:
  5,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .gm

Internet hosts:
  568 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2001)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Gambia, The

Highways: total: 2,700 km paved: 956 km unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Waterways:
  390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can reach 190
  km) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Banjul

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,976 GRT/10,978 DWT
  by type: passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Switzerland 1) (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gambia, The

Military branches:
  Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN), Presidential Guard,
  National Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
  (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 309,279 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 188,117 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Gambia, The

Disputes - international:
  attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms smuggling, and
  other illegal activities by separatists from southern Senegal's
  Casamance region as well as from conflicts in other west African
  states

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Gaza Strip

Introduction Gaza Strip

Background:
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
  Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
  provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
  Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
  Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
  responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
  Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
  the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
  Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
  and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
  Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
  areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
  Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
  Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
  Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
  Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
  during the transitional period for external and internal security
  and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct
  negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank
  began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, but were derailed
  by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The
  resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
  Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian
  Authority continued to undermine progress toward a permanent
  agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir
  ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS
  in January 2005 brought about a turning point in the conflict. In
  February 2005 the Israeli Government voted to disengage from the
  Gaza Strip by dismantling all Israeli settlements and removing all
  Israeli settlers. This process was completed in September 2005.
  Nonetheless, Israel maintains offshore maritime control as well as
  airspace control. The future political status of the Gaza Strip has
  yet to be determined.

Geography Gaza Strip

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
  Israel

Geographic coordinates:
  31 25 N, 34 20 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 360 sq km
  land: 360 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 62 km border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Coastline:
  40 km

Maritime claims:
  Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
  Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
  determined through further negotiation

Climate:
  temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Terrain:
  flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Natural resources:
  arable land, natural gas

Land use:
  arable land: 28.95%
  permanent crops: 21.05%
  other: 50% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts

Environment - current issues:
  desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage treatment;
  water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and contamination
  of underground water resources

Geography - note:
  there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
  Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

People Gaza Strip

Population:
  1,376,289
  note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
  Gaza Strip (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 48.5% (male 342,186/female 325,899)
  15-64 years: 48.8% (male 342,927/female 329,354)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 15,036/female 20,887) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 15.65 years
  male: 15.5 years
  female: 15.81 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.77% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.79 years
  male: 70.5 years
  female: 73.15 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
  Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Religions:
  Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%, Jewish 0.6%

Languages:
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
  English (widely understood)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 96.3%
  female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Government Gaza Strip

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gaza Strip local long form: none local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Economy Gaza Strip

Economy - overview:
  High population density, limited land access, and strict internal
  and external controls have kept economic conditions in the Gaza
  Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian Authority
  - even more degraded than in the West Bank. An anticipated Israeli
  withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 may offer some medium-term
  opportunities for economic growth. The beginning of the second
  intifadah in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn, largely
  the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies, which were
  imposed in response to security interests in Israel, disrupted labor
  and commodity relationships with the Gaza Strip. In 2001, and even
  more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in Palestinian
  Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant,
  the disruption of administrative structure, and widespread business
  closures. Including the West Bank, the UN estimates that more than
  100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israel
  or in joint industrial zones have lost their jobs. International aid
  of $2 billion to Gaza Strip and the West Bank in 2004 prevented the
  complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the
  government's financial operations. Meanwhile unemployment has
  continued at half the labor force. ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves
  open more political options that could affect the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $768 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  725,000 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14%, industry 19%, services 66% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  81% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $676.6 million
  expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
  note - these budget data include West Bank (2003)

Agriculture - products:
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:
  generally small family businesses that produce textiles, soap,
  olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis
  have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial
  center

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Exports:
  $205 million f.o.b., includes West Bank (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Imports:
  $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Debt - external:
  $108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2 billion (includes West Bank) (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Currency code:
  ILS

Exchange rates:
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003),
  4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Gaza Strip

Telephones - main lines in use: 95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West Bank) (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
  system
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation) (1997)

Televisions:
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have televisions (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (1999)

Internet users:
  60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Transportation Gaza Strip

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Ports and harbors:
  Gaza

Airports:
  2 (2001)
  note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24
  November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995
  Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has
  been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its
  runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001
  (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Gaza Strip

Military branches:
  in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian Authority
  is not permitted conventional military forces; there are, however,
  public security forces (2002)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Gaza Strip

Disputes - international:
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
  subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
  status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel
  announced its intention to pull out settlers and withdraw from the
  Gaza Strip in 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 922,674 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA)) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Georgia

Introduction Georgia

Background:
  The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient kingdoms of
  Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman influence in
  the first centuries AD and Christianity became the state religion in
  the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks was followed by a
  Georgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries) that was cut short
  by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the Ottoman and
  Persian empires competed for influence in the region. Georgia was
  absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Independent
  for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian revolution, it was
  forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the Soviet Union dissolved
  in 1991. Despite myriad problems, some progress on market reforms
  and democratization has been made since then. An attempt by the
  government to manipulate legislative elections in November 2003
  touched off widespread protests that led to the resignation of
  Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New elections in early
  2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along with his National
  Movement Party.

Geography Georgia

Location:
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey and
  Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  42 00 N, 43 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 69,700 sq km
  land: 69,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,461 km
  border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
  Turkey 252 km

Coastline:
  310 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Terrain:
  largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the north and
  Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi (Kolkhida
  Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River Basin in
  the east; good soils in river valley flood plains, foothills of
  Kolkhida Lowland

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Natural resources:
  forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper, minor
  coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for important
  tea and citrus growth

Land use:
  arable land: 11.44%
  permanent crops: 3.86%
  other: 84.7% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of Mtkvari
  River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable water; soil
  pollution from toxic chemicals

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia controls much
  of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

People Georgia

Population:
  4,677,401 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female 1,603,743)
  65 years and over: 16% (male 300,859/female 449,301) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.36 years
  male: 34.93 years
  female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.35% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.25 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.88 years
  male: 72.59 years
  female: 79.67 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Georgian(s)
  adjective: Georgian

Ethnic groups:
  Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%, other 2.5%
  (2002 census)

Religions:
  Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic 0.8%,
  Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Languages:
  Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7%
  note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 100%
  female: 98% (1999 est.)

Government Georgia

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Georgia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Sak'art'velo
  former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  T'bilisi

Administrative divisions:
  9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities (k'alak'ebi,
  singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics (avtomnoy
  respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)
  : regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,
  Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli
  : cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi,
  Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi
  : autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri
  Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika
  (Bat'umi)
  note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
  shown in parentheses

Independence:
  9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the date of
  independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
  independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  adopted 24 August 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government for the power ministries: state security (includes
  interior) and defense
  head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
  2004); Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005);
  note - the president is the chief of state and head of government
  for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and
  defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of
  vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as Parliament) or
  Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party lists); members
  are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - National
  Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other
  parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National
  Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
  president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second
  instance courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's Front
  [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
  [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry
  Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor
  Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil
  SAAKASHVILI] bloc composed of National Movement and
  Burjanadze-Democrats; National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
  Right [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI];
  Rightist Opposition [David GAMKRELIDZE] bloc composed of
  Industrialists and New Right Party; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli
  MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National
  Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in exile;
  separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
  supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

International organization participation:
  BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
  chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537
  FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105 mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060 telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68 FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Flag description:
  white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross connecting all
  four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners is a small red
  bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears to date back to
  the 14th century

Economy Georgia

Economy - overview:
  Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation of
  agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and
  grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small
  industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
  metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of
  its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only
  sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe
  damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with
  the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic
  gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing
  inflation. However, the Georgian Government has suffered from
  limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues.
  Georgia's new government is making progress in reforming the tax
  code, enforcing taxes, and cracking down on corruption. Georgia also
  suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi
  electricity distribution network in 1998, but payment collection
  rates remain low, both in T'bilisi and throughout the regions. The
  country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a
  transit state for pipelines and trade. The construction on the
  Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas
  pipeline have brought much-needed investment and job opportunities.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $14.45 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.5% industry: 22.6% services: 56.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.1 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.1 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $671.7 million
  expenditures: $804.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
  steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances, mining
  (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  6.732 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 19.7% hydro: 80.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  6.811 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  300 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  850 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-632.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $909.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus fruits,
  tea, wine

Exports - partners:
  Turkey 18.3%, Turkmenistan 17.8%, Russia 16.2%, Armenia 8.4%, UK
  4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.806 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and other
  foods, pharmaceuticals

Imports - partners:
  Russia 14%, Turkey 11%, UK 9.3%, Azerbaijan 8.5%, Germany 8.2%,
  Ukraine 7.7%, US 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $231.4 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.8 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  lari (GEL)

Currency code:
  GEL

Exchange rates:
  lari per US dollar - 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957 (2002),
  2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Georgia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  650,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  522,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
  networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
  telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
  include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
  nationwide pager service is available
  international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
  a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
  international service is available by microwave, landline, and
  satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail
  and telex service are available

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  2.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ge

Internet hosts:
  5,160 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  150,500 (2003)

Transportation Georgia

Railways:
  total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
  narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 20,229 km
  paved: 18,914 km
  unpaved: 1,315 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Merchant marine:
  total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 133, container 3, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated
  cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 105 (Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Cyprus 2, Egypt 3,
  Estonia 1, Germany 1, Greece 4, Israel 1, Lebanon 3, Romania 6,
  Russia 8, Syria 27, Turkey 14, Ukraine 30, UAE 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
  transportation network is in poor condition resulting from ethnic
  conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network lacks
  maintenance and repair

Military Georgia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air Defense
  Forces, Maritime Defense Force, Interior Forces

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,038,736 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 827,281 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 38,857 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $23 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.59% (FY00)

Military - note:
  a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in the
  Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
  group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Transnational Issues Georgia

Disputes - international:
  Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common border,
  leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime boundary
  unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as the
  Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in Abkhazia;
  UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a peacekeeping force
  in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered throughout the
  former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia; boundary with Armenia
  remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups in Javakheti region of
  Georgia seek greater autonomy from the Georgian government;
  Azerbaijan and Georgia cannot resolve the alignment of their
  boundary at certain crossing areas

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
  Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Germany

Introduction Germany

Background:
  As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation, Germany
  remains a key member of the continent's economic, political, and
  defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in
  two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and
  left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US,
  UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the
  Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal
  Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic
  (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic
  and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,
  while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led
  Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War
  allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has
  expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages
  up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU
  countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Geography Germany

Location:
  Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, between
  the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Geographic coordinates:
  51 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 357,021 sq km
  land: 349,223 sq km
  water: 7,798 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,621 km
  border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
  km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
  km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Coastline:
  2,389 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
  occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Terrain:
  lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
  highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Natural resources:
  coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel, uranium,
  potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 33.85% permanent crops: 0.59% other: 65.56% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues:
  emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries contribute to
  air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur dioxide emissions,
  is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea from raw sewage and
  industrial effluents from rivers in eastern Germany; hazardous waste
  disposal; government established a mechanism for ending the use of
  nuclear power over the next 15 years; government working to meet EU
  commitment to identify nature preservation areas in line with the
  EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat directive

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on North European Plain and along the entrance
  to the Baltic Sea

People Germany

Population:
  82,431,390 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 6,078,885/female 5,766,065)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 28,006,268/female 27,003,958)
  65 years and over: 18.9% (male 6,359,776/female 9,216,438) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 42.16 years male: 40.88 years female: 43.53 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.65 years
  male: 75.66 years
  female: 81.81 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: German(s)
  adjective: German

Ethnic groups:
  German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of Greek,
  Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Religions:
  Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%, unaffiliated or
  other 28.3%

Languages:
  German

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1997 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Germany

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
  conventional short form: Germany
  local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
  local short form: Deutschland
  former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Berlin

Administrative divisions:
  13 states (Laender, singular - Land) and 3 free states*
  (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern*,
  Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
  Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen*, Sachsen-Anhalt,
  Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen*

Independence:
  18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four
  zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
  following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
  Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
  French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
  proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
  unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
  1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

National holiday:
  Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Constitution:
  23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united
  German people 3 October 1990

Legal system:
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October
  1998); Vice Chancellor Joschka FISCHER (since 17 October 1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
  the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal
  Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an
  equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election
  last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held 23 May 2009); chancellor
  elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a
  four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be
  held September 2006)
  election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604
  votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;
  Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly
  vote 50.7%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal Assembly
  or Bundestag (613 seats; elected by popular vote under a system
  combining direct and proportional representation; a party must win
  5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain
  representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal
  Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly
  represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population
  and are required to vote as a block)
  elections: Federal Assembly - last held 18 September 2005 (next to
  be held September 2009); note - there are no elections for the
  Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
  state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
  potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
  election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%; seats by
  party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 54, Greens 51; Federal
  Council - current composition - NA

Judicial branch:
  Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the
  judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
  Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
  Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
  FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Left Party or PDS/WASG [Oskar
  LAFONTAINE and Gregor GYSI]; Party of Democratic Socialism or PDS
  [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  business associations, employers' organizations; expellee, refugee,
  trade unions, and veterans groups

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CDB, CE,
  CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
  Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140 FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008 mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265 telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0 FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215 consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Economy Germany

Economy - overview:
  Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy - the fifth
  largest in the world - has become one of the slowest growing
  economies in the euro zone. A quick turnaround is not in the offing
  in the foreseeable future. Growth in 2001-03 fell short of 1%,
  rising to 1.7% in 2004. The modernization and integration of the
  eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process,
  with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70
  billion. Germany's aging population, combined with high
  unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level
  exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the
  labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers
  and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made
  unemployment a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and growing
  capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany
  to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration
  and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are
  further addressed. In the short run, however, the fall in government
  revenues and the rise in expenditures have raised the deficit above
  the EU's 3% debt limit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.362 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 31% services: 68% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  42.63 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 2.8%, industry 33.4%, services 63.8% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  10.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  30 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.6% of GDP (2004)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.2 trillion
  expenditures: $1.3 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  65.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages; cattle,
  pigs, poultry

Industries:
  among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
  producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
  vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
  shipbuilding; textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  560 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.8% hydro: 4.2% nuclear: 29.9% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  519.5 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  53.8 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  45.8 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  74,100 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  2.891 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - exports:
  12,990 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  2.135 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  395.8 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
  21 billion cu m (2003)

Natural gas - consumption:
  99.55 billion cu m (2003)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.731 billion cu m (2003)

Natural gas - imports:
  85.02 billion cu m (2003)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  293 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
  $73.59 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $893.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
  France 10.3%, US 8.8%, UK 8.3%, Italy 7.2%, Netherlands 6.2%,
  Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5% (2004)

Imports:
  $716.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Imports - partners:
  France 9%, Netherlands 8.3%, US 7%, Italy 6.1%, UK 5.9%, China
  5.6%, Belgium 4.9%, Austria 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $96.84 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Germany

Telephones - main lines in use:
  54.35 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  64.8 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
  technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
  intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
  backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
  World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
  western part
  domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
  telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
  cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
  satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
  expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
  countries
  international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
  excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
  facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
  Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  77.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  51.4 million (1998)

Internet country code:
  .de

Internet hosts:
  2,686,119 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  200 (2001)

Internet users:
  39 million (2003)

Transportation Germany

Railways:
  total: 46,142 km (20,100 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 45,928 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
  0.750-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 230,735 km
  paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  7,300 km
  note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
  Sea and Black Sea (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 325 km; gas 25,293 km; oil 3,540 km; refined products
  3,827 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hamburg,
  Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Merchant marine:
  total: 332 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,721,495 GRT/6,810,631 DWT
  by type: cargo 69, chemical tanker 13, container 208, liquefied gas
  3, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll
  off 4
  foreign-owned: 5 (Finland 2, Netherlands 1, Switzerland 1, UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 2,289 (2005)

Airports:
  550 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 331 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 71 under 914 m: 134 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 219 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 31 under 914 m: 185 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 34 (2004 est.)

Military Germany

Military branches:
  Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy (Deutsche
  Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe), Joint
  Support Service, Central Medical Service

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of compulsory military service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 18,917,537 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 15,258,931 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 497,048 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $35.063 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2003)

Transnational Issues Germany

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
  drugs; major financial center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Ghana

Introduction Ghana

Background:
  Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and
  the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
  sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A
  long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution
  in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution,
  restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
  RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in
  1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a
  third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President
  Atta MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Geography Ghana

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire
  and Togo

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 239,460 sq km
  land: 230,940 sq km
  water: 8,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,094 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
  877 km

Coastline:
  539 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and
  humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Terrain:
  mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Natural resources:
  gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
  rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 16.26% permanent crops: 9.67% other: 74.07% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
  March; droughts

Environment - current issues: recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

People Ghana

Population:
  21,029,853
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 3,946,326/female 3,862,390)
  15-64 years: 59.1% (male 6,203,035/female 6,235,107)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 366,472/female 416,523) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.45 years
  male: 20.2 years
  female: 20.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.84 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 51.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 54.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 58.47 years
  male: 57.7 years
  female: 59.26 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  350,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  30,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Ghanaian(s)
  adjective: Ghanaian

Ethnic groups:
  black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%,
  Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998)

Religions:
  Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Languages:
  English (official), African languages (including Akan,
  Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.8%
  male: 82.7%
  female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Government Ghana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
  conventional short form: Ghana
  former: Gold Coast

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Accra

Administrative divisions:
  10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra,
  Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Independence:
  6 March 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Constitution:
  approved 28 April 1992

Legal system:
  based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
  to approval by Parliament
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December
  2004 (next to be held December 2008)
  election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in
  election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200 seats
  in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
  secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
  chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
  National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
  Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
  New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
  Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
  People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
  People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
  [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS
  (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL,
  UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
  chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
  embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
  mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
  telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
  FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a
  large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the
  popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of
  Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Economy Ghana

Economy - overview:
  Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the
  per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so,
  Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
  technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
  sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
  revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of
  GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
  Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
  (HIPC) program in 2002. Priorities include tighter monetary and
  fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of
  social services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP
  growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal
  problem.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $48.27 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34.3% industry: 24.2% services: 41.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  10.24 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  31.4% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.7 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  13% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.17 billion
  expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts,
  bananas; timber

Industries:
  mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food
  processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.922 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 5% hydro: 95% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  6.137 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  500 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  200 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $83.87 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
  diamonds

Exports - partners:
  Mexico 69.8%, Netherlands 3.7%, UK 3% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.699 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Nigeria 12.6%, China 11.4%, UK 6.6%, US 6.4%, France 4.9%,
  Netherlands 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.267 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $7.396 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $6.9 billion (1999)

Currency (code):
  cedi (GHC)

Currency code:
  GHC

Exchange rates:
  cedis per US dollar - 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7
  (2002), 7,170.8 (2001), 5,455.1 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ghana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  302,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  799,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many
  rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
  underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
  been installed
  international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
  system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
  (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Radios:
  12.5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  10 (2001)

Televisions:
  1.9 million (2001)

Internet country code:
  .gh

Internet hosts:
  407 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  12 (2000)

Internet users:
  170,000 (2002)

Transportation Ghana

Railways: total: 953 km narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 46,176 km paved: 8,496 km unpaved: 37,679 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,293 km
  note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
  rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta
  (2003)

Pipelines:
  refined products 74 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Takoradi, Tema

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3
  foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2005)

Airports:
  12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Ghana

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,761,226 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,721,239 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 250,782 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $49.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Ghana

Disputes - international: Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked in the cocoa plantations and escaped rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
  lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
  US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a
  well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility
  as a money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Gibraltar

Introduction Gibraltar

Background:
  Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by
  Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was
  formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967 and
  2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
  overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Geography Gibraltar

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links
  the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern
  coast of Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  36 8 N, 5 21 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Coastline:
  12 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
  Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Terrain:
  a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or natural
  rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for drinking
  water) and adequate desalination plant

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North
  Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

People Gibraltar

Population:
  27,884 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,529/female 2,426)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 9,442/female 8,970)
  65 years and over: 16.2% (male 2,008/female 2,509) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 39.12 years
  female: 39.63 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.17% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.67 years
  male: 76.8 years
  female: 82.7 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Gibraltarian(s)
  adjective: Gibraltar

Ethnic groups:
  Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German, North
  Africans

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other Christian 3.2%,
  Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or unspecified 0.9%, none
  2.9% (2001 census)

Languages:
  English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish,
  Italian, Portuguese

Literacy: definition: NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Gibraltar

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Gibraltar

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Gibraltar

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the national
  referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go with Spain

Constitution:
  30 May 1969

Legal system:
  English law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been
  residents six months or more

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis RICHARDS
  (since 27 May 2003)
  head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
  members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
  with the chief minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular
  vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members;
  members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
  seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social Democrats
  or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP
  [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization;
  Women's Association

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a
  three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging
  from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Economy Gibraltar

Economy - overview:
  Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping
  trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international
  conference center. The British military presence has been sharply
  reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local economy, compared
  with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism (almost 5 million
  visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer
  goods also generate revenue. The financial sector, the shipping
  sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of GDP.
  Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years,
  Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a
  private sector economy, but changes in government spending still
  have a major impact on the level of employment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $769 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

Unemployment rate:
  2% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.5% (1998)

Budget:
  revenues: $307 million
  expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  none

Industries:
  tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  104 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  96.76 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $136 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%,
  other 8%

Exports - partners:
  France 19.4%, Spain 14.1%, Turkmenistan 12.1%, Switzerland 11.7%,
  Germany 10.1%, UK 9.1%, Greece 6.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.743 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Spain 19.9%, Russia 18.4%, UK 10.8%, Italy 8.8%, Germany 7.5%, US
  5.1%, Sweden 4.7%, France 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Currency code:
  GIP

Exchange rates:
  Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Gibraltar

Telephones - main lines in use:
  24,512 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,797 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system and
  adequate international facilities
  domestic: automatic exchange facilities
  international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
  relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  37,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,200 (2002)

Transportation Gibraltar

Highways: total: 29 km paved: 29 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Gibraltar

Merchant marine:
  total: 161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 2, cargo 96, chemical tanker
  21, container 22, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
  11, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 142 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Finland 1, France 1,
  Germany 105, Greece 12, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Latvia 1,
  Norway 8, Sweden 2, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom 3,
  United States 2) (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Gibraltar

Military branches:
  Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British regular
  infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the Royal
  Gibraltar Regiment

Transnational Issues Gibraltar

Disputes - international:
  in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to
  remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"
  arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK
  and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar even
  greater autonomy

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Glorioso Islands

Introduction Glorioso Islands

Background:
  A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso Islands are composed
  of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile Glorieuse and Ile du Lys)
  and three rock islets. A military garrison operates a weather and
  radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Geography Glorioso Islands

Location:
  Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian Ocean, northwest of
  Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  11 30 S, 47 20 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 5 sq km
  land: 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock,
  and South Rock

Area - comparative:
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  35.2 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Natural resources: guano, coconuts

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the islands and rocks are surrounded by an extensive reef system

People Glorioso Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Government Glorioso Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Glorioso Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur
  of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (possession of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Glorioso Islands

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Glorioso Islands

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Glorioso Islands

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Glorioso Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Glorioso Islands

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Greece

Introduction Greece

Background:
  Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1829.
  During the second half of the 19th century and the first half of the
  20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
  territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,
  Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied
  by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war
  between royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels.
  Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join NATO
  in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many
  political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted
  seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created
  a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined
  the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992);
  it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Geography Greece

Location:
  Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  39 00 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 131,940 sq km
  land: 130,800 sq km
  water: 1,140 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alabama

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,228 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
  Macedonia 246 km

Coastline:
  13,676 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as peninsulas
  or chains of islands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Natural resources:
  lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,
  magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 21.1% permanent crops: 8.78% other: 70.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Geography - note:
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern approach
  to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an archipelago
  of about 2,000 islands

People Greece

Population:
  10,668,354 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 791,227/female 744,178)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 3,561,689/female 3,564,675)
  65 years and over: 18.8% (male 884,497/female 1,122,088) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 39.39 years
  female: 41.65 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.19% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.09 years
  male: 76.59 years
  female: 81.76 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Greek(s)
  adjective: Greek

Ethnic groups:
  Greek 98%, other 2%
  note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
  Greece

Religions:
  Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Languages:
  Greek 99% (official), English, French

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.5%
  male: 98.6%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

People - note:
  women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece for
  the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Government Greece

Country name:
  conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
  conventional short form: Greece
  local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
  local short form: Ellas or Ellada
  former: Kingdom of Greece

Government type:
  parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8 December
  1974

Capital:
  Athens

Administrative divisions:
  51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous region*;
  Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania, Argolis,
  Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios, Dodekanisos,
  Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos, Fthiotis,
  Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa, Kastoria,
  Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani, Kyklades,
  Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia, Messinia, Pella,
  Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai, Thesprotia,
  Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Independence:
  1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Constitution:
  11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Legal system:
  based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
  criminal, and administrative courts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February
  2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only
  serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing
  plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a
  government
  election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of
  parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats; members are
  elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by
  March 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,
  KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE
  12, Synaspismos 6

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
  appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
  judicial council

Political parties and leaders:
  Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos ALAVANOS];
  Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New Democracy or
  ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS]; Panhellenic Socialist
  Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU]; Popular Orthodox Rally
  [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos
  POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas
  KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros
  PAPASPYROS]

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
  FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
  MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
  chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco, and Tampa
  consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108 telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951 FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282 consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Flag description:
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white; there
  is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a white
  cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
  religion of the country

Economy Greece

Economy - overview:
  Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector accounting
  for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the leading
  euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants make up
  nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs. Greece is
  a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of annual GDP.
  The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two years, largely
  because of an investment boom and infrastructure upgrades for the
  2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth, Greece has failed
  to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget deficit criteria
  of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation, and unemployment
  are also above the eurozone average. Further restructuring of the
  economy will need to include privatizing of several state
  enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms, and minimizing
  bureaucratic inefficiencies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $226.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 22% services: 71% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.4 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 12%, industry 20%, services 68% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  27% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $54.39 billion
  expenditures: $64.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  112% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine, tobacco,
  potatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:
  tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals, metal
  products; mining, petroleum

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  47.22 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 94.5% hydro: 3.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  47.42 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  4.6 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-8 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $15.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
  chemicals, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Germany 13.2%, Italy 10.3%, UK 7.5%, Bulgaria 6.3%, US 5.3%, Cyprus
  4.6%, Turkey 4.5%, France 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $54.28 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Germany 13.3%, Italy 12.8%, France 6.4%, Netherlands 5.5%, Russia
  5.5%, US 4.4%, UK 4.2%, South Korea 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $7.3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $67.23 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8 billion from EU (2000-06)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Greece

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,205,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  8,936,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all areas; good
  mobile telephone and international service
  domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
  connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
  international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
  cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
  1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  5.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the US
  Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Televisions:
  2.54 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gr

Internet hosts:
  208,977 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  27 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,718,400 (2003)

Transportation Greece

Railways:
  total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
  dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
  system) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 117,000 km
  paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  6 km
  note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens
  sea voyage by 325 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Peiraiefs,
  Thessaloniki

Merchant marine:
  total: 861 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624 GRT/52,943,968 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 296, cargo 65, chemical tanker 47, combination
  ore/oil 2, container 46, liquefied gas 2, passenger 13,
  passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 252, roll on/roll off 17
  foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, China 1, Cyprus 5, Norway 6, Sweden 1,
  United Kingdom 11)
  registered in other countries: 2,208 (2005)

Airports:
  80 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 66 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Greece

Military branches:
  Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (Polemiki
  Aeroporia, EPA)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; during wartime the law allows for recruitment after reaching January of the year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12 months for the Army and Air Force, 15 months for Navy (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,459,988 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,018,557 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 58,399 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $5.89 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Greece

Disputes - international:
  Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their complex
  maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the Aegean Sea;
  Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of the name
  Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Illicit drugs:
  a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and heroin
  from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and precursor
  chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine transits or is
  consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug trafficking and
  organized crime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Greenland

Introduction Greenland

Background:
  The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81% ice-capped.
  Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from Iceland; Danish
  colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland was made an
  integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European Community
  (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew in 1985
  over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was granted
  self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law went into
  effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise control of
  Greenland's foreign affairs.

Geography Greenland

Location:
  Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Geographic coordinates:
  72 00 N, 40 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 2,166,086 sq km
  land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
  ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  44,087 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Climate:
  arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Terrain:
  flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
  mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum, uranium,
  fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the island

Environment - current issues:
  protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the Inuit
  traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Geography - note:
  dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe;
  sparse population confined to small settlements along coast, but
  close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital, Nuuk;
  world's second largest ice cap

People Greenland

Population:
  56,375 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25% (male 7,216/female 6,888)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 20,897/female 17,823)
  65 years and over: 6.3% (male 1,672/female 1,879) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.83 years
  male: 35.15 years
  female: 32.14 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.02% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.65 years
  male: 66.07 years
  female: 73.31 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100 (1999)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Greenlander(s)
  adjective: Greenlandic

Ethnic groups:
  Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish and
  others 12% (January 2000)

Religions:
  Evangelical Lutheran

Languages:
  Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Government Greenland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Greenland local long form: none local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Dependency status:
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Nuuk (Godthab)

Administrative divisions:
  3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
  (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
  note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is the
  responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates in
  international agreements relating to Greenland)

National holiday:
  June 21 (longest day)

Constitution:
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Legal system:
  Danish

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January
  1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN (since NA
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
  2002)
  cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament
  (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
  by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the
  leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
  (next to be held December 2006)
  election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
  note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by December
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
  Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
  8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
  note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
  Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009);
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 1

Judicial branch:
  High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre Landsret
  or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in Copenhagen)

Political parties and leaders:
  Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring continuing
  close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING]; Demokratiit [Per
  BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo Brotherhood, a leftist
  party favoring complete independence from Denmark rather than home
  rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH];
  Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an independent right-of-center
  party with no official platform [leader NA]; Siumut (Forward Party,
  a social democratic party advocating more distinct Greenlandic
  identity and greater autonomy from Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  NC, NIB, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a large disk
  slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of the disk is
  red, the bottom half is white

Economy Greenland

Economy - overview:
  The economy remains critically dependent on exports of fish and
  substantial support from the Danish Government, which supplies about
  half of government revenues. The public sector, including
  publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays the
  dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting
  hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
  several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only
  sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited
  due to a short season and high costs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:
  24,500 (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.6% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $646 million
  expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
  million (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep, reindeer;
  fish

Industries:
  fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut); gold,
  niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining; handicrafts,
  hides and skins, small shipyards

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  245 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 100%
  hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0%
  note: Greenland is shifting its electricity production from fossil
  fuel to hydropower production (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  227.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $388 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Exports - partners:
  Denmark 63.8%, Japan 12.6%, China 3.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $445 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Denmark 78.7%, Sweden 11.9%, Norway 2.7% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $25 million (1999)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Currency (code):
  Danish krone (DKK)

Currency code:
  DKK

Exchange rates:
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947
  (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Greenland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  26,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  16,747 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate domestic and international service
  provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay; totally
  digitalized in 1995
  domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
  international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12
  Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations, and three
  AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Televisions:
  30,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
  .gl

Internet hosts:
  2,642 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Greenland

Highways:
  total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Sisimiut

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Greenland

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Transnational Issues Greenland

Disputes - international: uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and Greenland

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Grenada

Introduction Grenada

Background:
  One of the smallest independent countries in the western
  hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
  October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
  those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
  ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
  were reinstituted the following year.

Geography Grenada

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean,
  north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  12 07 N, 61 40 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 344 sq km
  land: 344 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  121 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
  volcanic in origin with central mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Natural resources: timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Land use: arable land: 5.88% permanent crops: 29.41% other: 64.71% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from June to
  November

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

People Grenada

Population:
  89,502 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.9% (male 15,329/female 14,997)
  15-64 years: 62.7% (male 29,711/female 26,436)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,431/female 1,598) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.26 years
  male: 21.73 years
  female: 20.76 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.19% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.3 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -13.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.53 years
  male: 62.74 years
  female: 66.31 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.37 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Grenadian(s)
  adjective: Grenadian

Ethnic groups:
  black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East Indian
  5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Languages:
  English (official), French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Government Grenada

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Grenada

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
  Saint George's

Administrative divisions:
  6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit Martinique*,
  Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mark,
  Saint Patrick

Independence:
  7 February 1974 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Constitution:
  19 December 1973

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
  1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member body, 10
  appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
  opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by
  November 2008)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Judicial branch:
  West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate judge
  resides in Grenada)

Political parties and leaders:
  Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD];
  National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National
  Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]; People Labor Movement or PLM [Dr.
  Francis ALEXIS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber),
  ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561 FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to
  Grenada
  embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's
  mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
  telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
  FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Flag description:
  a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top and
  bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a red
  border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed stars
  with three centered in the top red border, three centered in the
  bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the center
  of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the hoist-side
  triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer of nutmeg,
  after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven administrative
  divisions

Economy Grenada

Economy - overview:
  Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign exchange,
  especially since the construction of an international airport in
  1985. Strong performances in construction and manufacturing,
  together with the development of an offshore financial industry,
  have also contributed to growth in national output.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $440 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.7% industry: 23.9% services: 68.4% (2000)

Labor force:
  42,300 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 24%, industry 14%, services 62% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.5% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  32% (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $85.8 million
  expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
  million (1997)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
  sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Industries:
  food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations, tourism,
  construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.7% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  149 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  138.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $46 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Exports - partners:
  Saint Lucia 12.7%, US 12.2%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.7%, Netherlands
  7.9%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 7.8%, Dominica 7.8%, Germany 7.1%,
  France 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $208 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Imports - partners:
  Trinidad and Tobago 29.6%, US 27.8%, UK 4.8% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $196 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Grenada

Telephones - main lines in use:
  33,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
  domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
  international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
  Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
  Trinidad

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  57,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  33,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gd

Internet hosts:
  18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  14 (2000)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Grenada

Highways: total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Saint George's

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Grenada

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Grenada

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point for
  marijuana and cocaine to US

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guadeloupe

Introduction Guadeloupe

Background:
  Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of
  Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is
  named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its
  northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe

Geography Guadeloupe

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  16 15 N, 61 35 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 1,780 sq km
  land: 1,706 sq km
  water: 74 sq km
  note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
  including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
  Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
  Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:
  10 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Coastline: 306 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity

Terrain:
  Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains;
  Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other
  islands are volcanic in origin

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Natural resources: cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Land use: arable land: 11.24% permanent crops: 3.55% other: 85.21% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active
  volcano

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into
  two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller,
  eastern Grande-Terre

People Guadeloupe

Population:
  448,713 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24% (male 55,072/female 52,677)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 148,880/female 151,238)
  65 years and over: 9.1% (male 17,032/female 23,814) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.81 years
  male: 30.91 years
  female: 32.73 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.92% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.42 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.9 years
  male: 74.74 years
  female: 81.21 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Guadeloupian(s)
  adjective: Guadeloupe

Ethnic groups:
  black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less
  than 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1%

Languages:
  French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90%
  male: 90%
  female: 90% (1982 est.)

Government Guadeloupe

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
  conventional short form: Guadeloupe
  local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
  local short form: Guadeloupe

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Basse-Terre

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since 17
  August 2004)
  head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
  (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin
  LUREL (since 2 April 2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
  election results: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
  unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held March 2004 (next to be held
  by NA 2010); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
  held NA 2010)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
  right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second
  round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by
  party - PS 29, UMP 12
  note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2013);
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA, Guadeloupe
  elects four representatives to the French National Assembly;
  elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1,
  different right parties 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe,
  French Guiana, and Martinique

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique
  LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive
  Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN]; Union for French Democracy or
  UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including
  RPR) [Robert JOYEUX]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG;
  General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of
  Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or
  MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

International organization participation:
  WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Guadeloupe

Economy - overview:
  The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light
  industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
  subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
  from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
  islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
  other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
  earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
  are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
  dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
  features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
  are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
  Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.513 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15% industry: 17% services: 68% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
  125,900 (1997)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  27.8% (1998)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

Agriculture - products: bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats

Industries:
  construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.16 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.079 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, sugar, rum

Exports - partners:
  France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Imports:
  $1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods,
  construction materials

Imports - partners:
  France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2%
  (1999)

Debt - external:
  $NA (yearend 2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 j(2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guadeloupe

Telephones - main lines in use:
  210,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  323,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
  Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  113,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  118,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Guadeloupe

Highways:
  total: 947 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT by type: passenger 1 foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005)

Airports: 9 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Guadeloupe

Military branches:
  no regular military forces

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Guadeloupe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guam

Introduction Guam

Background:
  Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese
  in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military
  installation on the island is one of the most strategically
  important US bases in the Pacific.

Geography Guam

Location:
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of
  the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  13 28 N, 144 47 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 549 sq km
  land: 549 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  125.5 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast
  trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season from July
  to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
  coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
  coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
  center, mountains in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Natural resources: fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Land use: arable land: 9.09% permanent crops: 16.36% other: 74.55% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
  potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Environment - current issues:
  extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of
  the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Geography - note:
  largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago;
  strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

People Guam

Population:
  168,564 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.4% (male 25,645/female 23,887)
  15-64 years: 64.1% (male 55,115/female 52,935)
  65 years and over: 6.5% (male 5,157/female 5,825) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.38 years
  male: 28.16 years
  female: 28.61 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.46% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.4 years
  male: 75.34 years
  female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Guamanian(s)
  adjective: Guamanian

Ethnic groups:
  Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white
  6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8%
  (2000 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Languages:
  English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other
  Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages
  3.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1990 est.)

Government Guam

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Guam
  conventional short form: Guam
  local long form: Guahan

Dependency status:
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
  between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of
  Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Hagatna (Agana)

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of the US)

Independence:
  none (territory of the US)

National holiday:
  Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Constitution:
  Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Legal system:
  modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
  presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
  2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
  cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
  the consent of the Guam legislature
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
  elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
  election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
  vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
  UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 9
  note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
  Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2006); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was
  elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
  64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Judicial branch:
  Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
  Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
  the governor)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party
  (controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Flag description:
  territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four
  sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
  containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
  with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
  national flag

Economy Guam

Economy - overview:
  The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
  export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
  procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
  years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
  construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
  More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry had
  recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
  slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
  Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
  of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
  military downsizing.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 15% services: 78% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 60,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%), federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  23% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0% (1999 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $340 million
  expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Industries:
  US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
  concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  835 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  776.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction
  materials, fish, food and beverage products

Exports - partners:
  Japan 66.1%, South Korea 9.9%, Singapore 8.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 39.5%, South Korea 20.8%, Japan 19%, Hong Kong 9%,
  Philippines 4.3% (2004)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury
  ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise
  taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam
  Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes
  paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam
  (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Guam

Telephones - main lines in use:
  84,134 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  32,600 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities
  for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
  domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
  and local access to the Internet
  international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
  a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
  GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
  221,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1997)

Televisions:
  106,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  20 (2000)

Internet users:
  50,000 (2002)

Transportation Guam

Highways: total: 977 km paved: 962 km unpaved: 15 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Apra Harbor

Airports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Guam

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Guam

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guatemala

Introduction Guatemala

Background:
  The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding
  regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three
  centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in
  1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a
  variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year
  guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement
  formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000
  people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.

Geography Guatemala

Location:
  Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El
  Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras (Caribbean
  Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Geographic coordinates:
  15 30 N, 90 15 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 108,890 sq km
  land: 108,430 sq km
  water: 460 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,687 km
  border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
  km, Mexico 962 km

Coastline:
  400 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone
  plateau (Peten)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 12.54% permanent crops: 5.03% other: 82.43% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
  earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
  other tropical storms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: no natural harbors on west coast

People Guatemala

Population:
  14,655,189 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.4% (male 3,185,037/female 3,033,947)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 4,019,052/female 3,928,984)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 226,745/female 261,424) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.47 years
  male: 18.25 years
  female: 18.71 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.57% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  34.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.06 years
  male: 67.37 years
  female: 70.84 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  78,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,800 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Guatemalan(s)
  adjective: Guatemalan

Ethnic groups:
  Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish called Ladino)
  and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam 7.9%, Q'eqchi
  6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%, other 0.1% (2001
  census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Languages:
  Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized
  Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam,
  Garifuna, and Xinca)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.6%
  male: 78%
  female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Government Guatemala

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
  conventional short form: Guatemala
  local long form: Republica de Guatemala
  local short form: Guatemala

Government type:
  constitutional democratic republic

Capital:
  Guatemala

Administrative divisions:
  22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Alta
  Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
  Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
  Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
  Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended 25 May
  1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993 following
  ouster of president; amended November 1993

Legal system:
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the armed forces
  may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on election day)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo (since
  14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas (since 14
  January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
  (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
  (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003
  (next to be held November 2007)
  election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of
  vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la Republica
  (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held November 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18
  note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
  seats increased from 113 to 158

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is Guatemala's
  highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent five-year
  terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of the
  Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by the
  Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one
  elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
  and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte
  Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and
  elect a president of the Court each year from among their number;
  the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
  judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER]; Democratic
  Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National Alliance or GANA
  [Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo ROSALES
  Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG [Vinicio CEREZO
  Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or URNG [Alba
  ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan Republican Front or
  FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan Unity or MGU
  [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and Values or
  MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN [Leonel
  LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or UNE
  [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed by
  an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of whom
  subsequently defected) [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
  Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio
  BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ
  Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES
  Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary
  general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity or AAI;
  Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee of
  Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations or
  CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM,
  OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952 FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City mailing address: APO AA 34024 telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55 FAX: [502] 2334-8477

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side), white, and
  light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the national bird)
  and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE
  1821 (the original date of independence from Spain) all superimposed
  on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed swords and framed
  by a wreath

Economy Guatemala

Economy - overview:
  Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central American
  countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of Brazil,
  Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for about
  one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the labor
  force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The 1996
  signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war, removed
  a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread political
  violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen investor
  confidence. The distribution of income remains highly unequal, with
  perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line. Other ongoing
  challenges include increasing government revenues, negotiating
  further assistance from international donors, upgrading both
  government and private financial operations, curtailing drug
  trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $59.47 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.7% industry: 19.5% services: 57.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.68 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.5% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  75% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  55.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  14.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.878 billion
  expenditures: $3.411 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep,
  pigs, chickens

Industries:
  sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals, petroleum,
  metals, rubber, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.1% (1999)

Electricity - production:
  6.608 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.9% hydro: 35.2% nuclear: 0% other: 12.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.76 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  440 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  55 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  25,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  3,104 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-1.381 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.911 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and vegetables,
  cardamom

Exports - partners:
  US 53%, El Salvador 11.4%, Honduras 7.1%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.77 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  grain, fertilizers, electricity

Imports - partners:
  US 34%, Mexico 8.1%, South Korea 6.8%, China 6.6%, Japan 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.084 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.969 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $250 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Currency code:
  GTQ; USD

Exchange rates:
  quetzales per US dollar - 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003), 7.8216
  (2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guatemala

Telephones - main lines in use:
  846,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,577,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the city of
  Guatemala
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
  Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Radios:
  835,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  1.323 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gt

Internet hosts:
  20,360 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Guatemala

Railways: total: 886 km narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 14,118 km
  paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Waterways:
  990 km
  note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
  during high-water season (2004)

Pipelines:
  oil 480 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Airports:
  452 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 441
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 109
  under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)

Military Guatemala

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,020,292 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,106,847 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 161,964 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $201.9 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Guatemala

Disputes - international:
  Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain forests of
  Belize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive the 2002 failed
  Differendum that created a small adjustment to land boundary, a
  Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park
  for the disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial
  package; Guatemalans enter Mexico illegally seeking work or transit
  to the US

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in 1980s
  against indigenous people) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor producer of
  illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic consumption;
  proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging area for drugs
  (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a serious problem;
  corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial Action Task
  Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued
  failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guernsey

Introduction Guernsey

Background:
  The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands represent the
  last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy, which held sway
  in both France and England. The islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Guernsey

Location:
  Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
  49 28 N, 2 35 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 78 sq km
  land: 78 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
  smaller islands

Area - comparative:
  about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  50 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
  temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of days are
  overcast

Terrain:
  mostly level with low hills in southwest

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Natural resources: cropland

Land use: arable land: NA% permanent crops: NA% other: NA%

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

People Guernsey

Population:
  65,228 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.4% (male 5,084/female 4,937)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 21,611/female 22,002)
  65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,882/female 6,712) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.99 years
  male: 40.03 years
  female: 41.91 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.29% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.3 years
  male: 77.3 years
  female: 83.41 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
  UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from other
  European countries

Religions:
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, Congregational,
  Methodist

Languages:
  English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Guernsey

Country name:
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
  conventional short form: Guernsey

Dependency status:
  British crown dependency

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint Peter Port

Administrative divisions:
  none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
  Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
  Martin, Saint Andrew

Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
  English law and local statutes; justice is administered by the
  Royal Court

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen.
  Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)
  head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)
  cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion
  election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of
  vote of the States of Deliberation NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have their own
  parliaments
  elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
  Royal Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
  white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of England)
  extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed cross of
  William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Economy Guernsey

Economy - overview:
  Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance - account
  for about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous Channel
  Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture, mainly
  tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and death
  duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving economic
  integration of the EU nations is changing the environment under
  which Guernsey operates.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.59 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 10% services: 87% (2000)

Labor force:
  32,290 (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  0.5% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $539.2 million
  expenditures: $448.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant, fruit;
  Guernsey cattle

Industries:
  tourism, banking

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
  vegetables

Exports - partners:
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners:
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guernsey

Telephones - main lines in use:
  55,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  31,500 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .gg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Guernsey

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Guernsey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Guernsey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guinea

Introduction Guinea

Background:
  Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its independence
  from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in 1984, when the
  military seized the government after the death of the first
  president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic elections
  until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military government) was
  elected president of the civilian government. He was reelected in
  1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and Liberia has
  spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the past decade,
  threatening stability and creating humanitarian emergencies.

Geography Guinea

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
  11 00 N, 10 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 245,857 sq km
  land: 245,857 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 3,399 km border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km, Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Coastline: 320 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
  November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
  with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
  generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Natural resources: bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 3.63% permanent crops: 2.58% other: 93.79% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
  season

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
  overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
  environmental damage

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their sources
  in the Guinean highlands

People Guinea

Population:
  9,467,866 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,123,207/female 2,079,475)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,478,820/female 2,486,300)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 131,130/female 168,934) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.67 years
  male: 17.42 years
  female: 17.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.37% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  42.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  15.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
  host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
  (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 90.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 49.36 years
  male: 48.19 years
  female: 50.57 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
  Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Religions:
  Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Languages:
  French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 35.9%
  male: 49.9%
  female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Government Guinea

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
  conventional short form: Guinea
  local long form: Republique de Guinee
  local short form: Guinee
  former: French Guinea

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Conakry

Administrative divisions:
  33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla, Boffa,
  Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka, Faranah,
  Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane, Kindia,
  Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma, Lola,
  Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri, Telimele,
  Tougue, Yomou

Independence:
  2 October 1958 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Constitution:
  23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; legal
  codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
  government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 4
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
  president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held
  December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president
  election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
  - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
  other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or PDG-RDA [El
  Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for Progress or
  UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress or PUP
  [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of Guinea or
  PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG [Alpha
  CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Mamadou BA];
  Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for Progress
  and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of Guinea
  or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300 FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson MCDONALD embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23 FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and green;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea

Economy - overview:
  Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
  resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
  possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
  second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
  about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
  fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
  the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra
  Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have
  caused major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investor
  confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff.
  Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation and caused
  riots in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid.
  The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth rose
  slightly in 2004, primarily due to increases in global demand and
  commodity prices on world markets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $19.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 38.2% services: 36.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3 million (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.3 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  18% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  21% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $382.7 million
  expenditures: $711.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca), bananas,
  sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Industries:
  bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light manufacturing and
  agricultural processing industries

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (1994)

Electricity - production:
  855 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 45.5% hydro: 54.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  795.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-308.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $709.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
  products

Exports - partners:
  France 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, UK 14.7%, Switzerland 12.8%, Ukraine
  4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $641.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
  textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Cote d'Ivoire 15.5%, France 9%, Belgium 6.1%, China 6%, South
  Africa 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $201.7 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3.25 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $359.2 million (1998)

Currency (code):
  Guinean franc (GNF)

Currency code:
  GNF

Exchange rates:
  Guinean francs per US dollar - 2,550 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003),
  1,975.8 (2002), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  26,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  111,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines, small
  radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio relay
  system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
  international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters), shortwave
  3 (2001)

Radios:
  357,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 low-power stations (2001)

Televisions:
  85,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gn

Internet hosts:
  380 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2001)

Internet users:
  40,000 (2003)

Transportation Guinea

Railways:
  total: 837 km
  standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 30,500 km
  paved: 5,033 km
  unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Kamsar

Airports:
  16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Guinea

Military branches:
  Army (includes Presidential Guard, Republican Guard), Navy, Air
  Force, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National Police

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
  obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,853,316 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,038,036 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $56.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Guinea

Disputes - international:
  conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in
  neighboring states has spilled over into Guinea, resulting in
  domestic instability; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its
  forces from the town of Yenga occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia) 13,633 (Sierra
  Leone) 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)
  IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone,
  Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guinea-Bissau

Introduction Guinea-Bissau

Background:
  Since independence from Portugal in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has
  experienced considerable upheaval. The founding government consisted
  of a single party system and command economy. In 1980, a military
  coup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a path to a market
  economy and multiparty system was implemented. A number of coup
  attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to unseat him and
  in 1994 he was elected president in the country's first free
  elections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998 eventually
  led to VIEIRA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an interim
  government turned over power when opposition leader Kumba YALA took
  office following two rounds of transparent presidential elections.
  YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003, and Henrique
  ROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to
  democracy will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in
  the civil war.

Geography Guinea-Bissau

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
  and Senegal

Geographic coordinates:
  12 00 N, 15 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 36,120 sq km
  land: 28,000 sq km
  water: 8,120 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 724 km border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Coastline: 350 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season
  (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to
  May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Terrain:
  mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
  country 300 m

Natural resources:
  fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite, limestone,
  unexploited deposits of petroleum

Land use: arable land: 10.67% permanent crops: 8.82% other: 80.51% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during dry
  season; brush fires

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  this small country is swampy along its western coast and low-lying
  further inland

People Guinea-Bissau

Population:
  1,416,027 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.5% (male 293,280/female 294,483)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 376,719/female 409,402)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 17,865/female 24,278) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.97 years
  male: 18.37 years
  female: 19.57 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.96% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  37.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 107.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 117.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 96.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 46.61 years
  male: 44.77 years
  female: 48.52 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  10% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  17,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Ethnic groups:
  African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%, Mandinga 13%,
  Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.4%
  male: 58.1%
  female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Government Guinea-Bissau

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
  conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
  local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
  local short form: Guine-Bissau
  former: Portuguese Guinea

Government type:
  republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Capital:
  Bissau

Administrative divisions:
  9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata, Biombo, Bissau,
  Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note - Bolama may have
  been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Independence:
  24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by Guinea-Bissau); 10
  September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Constitution:
  16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26 February 1993,
  9 June 1993, and 1996

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim; since 28
  September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the elected
  government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA served as
  interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May
  2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
  held May 2005); prime minister appointed by the president after
  consultation with party leaders in the legislature
  election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
  second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
  note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
  government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
  Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
  until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
  a caretaker government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia Nacional
  Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve a
  maximum of four years)
  elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,
  PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by
  party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists of nine
  justices appointed by the president and serve at his pleasure; final
  court of appeals in criminal and civil cases); Regional Courts (one
  in each of nine regions; first court of appeals for Sectoral Court
  decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases valued at over
  $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not necessarily trained
  lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and misdemeanor criminal
  cases)

Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde
  or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the Liberation and
  Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY]; Guinea-Bissau
  Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz LOPES]; Guinean
  Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES]; International League for
  Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje Bubacar DJALO, president];
  National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE,
  secretary general]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Victor
  MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS [Kumba YALA]; Union for
  Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr. Anne SAAD, secretary
  general]; United Platform or UP [coalition formed by PCD, FDS,
  FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic Party or PUSD
  [Francisco Jose FADUL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henrique
  Adriano DA SILVA
  chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950
  FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in the midst of
  violent conflict between forces loyal to then President VIEIRA and
  military-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for covering
  Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221] 822-5903

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green with a
  vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black five-pointed
  star centered in the red band; uses the popular pan-African colors
  of Ethiopia

Economy Guinea-Bissau

Economy - overview:
  One of the 10 poorest countries in the world, Guinea-Bissau depends
  mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops have increased
  remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks sixth in
  cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood along with
  small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice is the
  major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting between
  Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta destroyed
  much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread damage to
  the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in GDP that
  year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war, trade
  reform and price liberalization were the most successful part of the
  country's structural adjustment program under IMF sponsorship. The
  tightening of monetary policy and the development of the private
  sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy. Because of high
  costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and other mineral
  resources is not a near-term prospect. However, unexploited offshore
  oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue in the long run. The
  inequality of income distribution is one of the most extreme in the
  world. The government and international donors continue to work out
  plans to forward economic development from a lamentably low base. In
  December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP were forced to step in
  to provide emergency budgetary support in the amount of $107 million
  for 2004, representing over 80% of the total national budget.
  Government drift and indecision, however, have resulted in continued
  low growth in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.008 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 62% industry: 12% services: 26% (1999 est.)

Labor force:
  480,000 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA (1998)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts, peanuts, palm
  kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Industries:
  agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.6% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  55 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  51.15 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $54 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Exports - partners:
  India 52.1%, US 22.2%, Nigeria 13.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $104 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  Senegal 44.6%, Portugal 13.8%, China 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $941.5 million (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $115.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States; previously
  the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Currency code:
  XOF; GWP

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to the euro at a
  rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guinea-Bissau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system
  domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone, and cellular communications
  international: country code - 245

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  49,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .gw

Internet hosts:
  2 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2002)

Internet users:
  19,000 (2003)

Transportation Guinea-Bissau

Highways: total: 4,400 km paved: 453 km unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many inlets and
  creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Airports:
  28 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Guinea-Bissau

Military branches:
  People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes Army, Navy, and
  Air Force), paramilitary force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 288,770 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 152,760 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $8.9 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Guinea-Bissau

Disputes - international:
  attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms smuggling,
  and political instability from a separatist movement in Senegal's
  Casamance region

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Guyana

Introduction Guyana

Background:
  Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had
  become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black
  settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants
  from India to work the sugar plantations. This ethnocultural divide
  has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved
  independence from the UK in 1966, but until the early 1990s it was
  ruled mostly by socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi
  JAGAN was elected president, in what is considered the country's
  first free and fair election since independence. Upon his death five
  years later, he was succeeded by his wife Janet, who resigned in
  1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was
  reelected in 2001.

Geography Guyana

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
  5 00 N, 59 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 214,970 sq km
  land: 196,850 sq km
  water: 18,120 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: total: 2,462 km border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline:
  459 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy
  seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain:
  mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.44% permanent crops: 0.15% other: 97.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
  chemicals; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and
  Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern territories
  are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

People Guyana

Population:
  765,283
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 103,054/female 99,279)
  15-64 years: 68.5% (male 263,953/female 260,000)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,801/female 22,196) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.91 years
  male: 26.44 years
  female: 27.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -7.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.5 years
  male: 62.86 years
  female: 68.28 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:
  East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese, and
  mixed 7%

Religions:
  Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Languages:
  English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Government Guyana

Country name:
  conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
  conventional short form: Guyana
  former: British Guiana

Government type:
  republic within the Commonwealth

Capital:
  Georgetown

Administrative divisions:
  10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East
  Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice,
  Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper
  Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Independence:
  26 May 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution:
  6 October 1980

Legal system:
  based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August 1999);
  note - assumed presidency after resignation of President Janet JAGAN
  head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
  responsible to the legislature
  elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
  Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
  least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
  be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular vote,
  1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting members
  appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or GLP and
  Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]; Guyana
  Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP [leader
  NA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Robert Herman Orlando
  CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat JAGDEO];
  Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United Force or
  TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA [Rupert
  ROOPNARAINE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of Indian
  Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
  note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
  organized

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN
  chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLEN
  embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
  telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
  FAX: [592] 225-8497

Flag description:
  green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side)
  superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow, black
  border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
  between the yellow and the green

Economy Guyana

Economy - overview:
  The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in 2001-02,
  based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors, a more
  favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more realistic
  exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued support of
  international organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003 and came
  back gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export earnings.
  Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a deficient
  infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable external debt
  against the urgent need for expanded public investment. The bauxite
  mining sector should benefit in the near term from restructuring and
  partial privatization.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.899 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.3% industry: 19.9% services: 41.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  418,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  9.1% (understated) (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  34.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $287.6 million
  expenditures: $371.6 million, including capital expenditures of
  $93.4 million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish, shrimp

Industries:
  bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  808 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  751.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-129.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $570.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber

Exports - partners:
  Canada 23.2%, US 19.2%, UK 10.9%, Portugal 9%, Belgium 6.4%,
  Jamaica 5.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $650.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Imports - partners:
  Trinidad and Tobago 24.8%, US 24.5%, Cuba 6.8%, UK 5.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $280.6 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.2 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative (HIPC)
  $253 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Currency code:
  GYD

Exchange rates:
  Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 198.33 (2004), 193.88 (2003),
  190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Guyana

Telephones - main lines in use:
  80,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  87,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
  domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
  international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US satellite services) (1997)

Televisions:
  46,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .gy

Internet hosts:
  613 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  125,000 (2002)

Transportation Guyana

Railways:
  total: 187 km
  standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Highways:
  total: 7,970 km
  paved: 590 km
  unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,077 km
  note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
  oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Georgetown

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Airports:
  49 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Military Guyana

Military branches:
  Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps, Guyana
  People's Militia

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $6.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Guyana

Disputes - international:
  all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by
  Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana
  has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims
  before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
  Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of
  land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute
  over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
  arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
  the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
  waters

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for narcotics from South America - primarily
  Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Haiti

Introduction Haiti

Background:
  The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
  Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
  virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
  early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
  and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
  island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
  sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
  Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
  and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
  century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
  L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
  republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
  by political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest
  country in the Western Hemisphere.

Geography Haiti

Location:
  Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between
  the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
  Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
  19 00 N, 72 25 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 27,750 sq km
  land: 27,560 sq km
  water: 190 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Coastline: 1,771 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly rough and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Natural resources: bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 28.3% permanent crops: 11.61% other: 60.09% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land is
  being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:
  shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
  one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

People Haiti

Population:
  8,121,622
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.6% (male 1,741,622/female 1,721,436)
  15-64 years: 53.9% (male 2,137,225/female 2,242,639)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 124,383/female 154,317) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.03 years
  male: 17.63 years
  female: 18.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.59 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 73.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 79.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 52.92 years
  male: 51.58 years
  female: 54.31 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  280,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  24,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Haitian(s) adjective: Haitian

Ethnic groups:
  black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%,
  Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
  note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo

Languages:
  French (official), Creole (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.9%
  male: 54.8%
  female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Government Haiti

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
  conventional short form: Haiti
  local long form: Republique d'Haiti
  local short form: Haiti

Government type:
  elected government

Capital:
  Port-au-Prince

Administrative divisions:
  9 departments (departements, singular - departement); Artibonite,
  Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Est

Independence:
  1 January 1804 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Constitution:
  approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles
  reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be
  observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in
  October 1994

Legal system:
  based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29
  February 2004)
  note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February
  2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionally
  succeeded Aristide
  head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12
  March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of Eminent
  Persons representing cross-section of political and civic interests
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November
  2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
  National Assembly
  election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
  of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of the
  Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year
  terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber of
  Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioning
  in January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds of
  sitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; the
  President is currently ruling by decree
  elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000
  with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
  still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
  2000 (next to be held in 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
  May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
  vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
  vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
  [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
  RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Ayiti Kapab [Ernst VERDIEU]; Convention for
  Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; National Congress of
  Democratic Movements or KONAKOM [Victor BENOIT]; Nationalist
  Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA [Serge GILLES]; Democratic
  Movement for the Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE];
  Grand Center Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH)
  [Hubert de RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise
  CLAUDE]; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and
  Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark
  PARENT]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany
  TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard
  BLOT]; Lavalas Family or FL [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Haiti or
  PLH [Michael MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
  [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN
  [Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in
  Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of
  Haiti or FRON [Guy PHILIPPE]; National Progressive Democratic Party
  or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
  MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party (Parti Louvri Bayre) or
  PLB [leader NA]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti, or
  Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE]; Struggling
  People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; MNP28 [Dejean
  BELIZAIRE]; KOMBA [Evans LESCOUFLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
  ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
  Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil Society
  Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly or
  APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];
  Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic
  Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, Caricom (suspended), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of November
  2004)
  chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
  (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327 FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a centered
  white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a palm tree
  flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing the motto
  L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Economy Haiti

Economy - overview:
  In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the
  population lives in abject poverty, and natural disasters frequently
  sweep the nation. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the
  agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence
  farming. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with
  irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU -
  suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated
  1.2% in 2001, 0.9% in 2002, grew 0.4% in 2003, and shrank by 3.5% in
  2004. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500
  million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampant
  inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In
  early 2005 Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way
  to reengagement with the Bank. The resumption of aid flows from all
  donors is alleviating but not ending the nation's bitter economic
  problems. Civil strife in 2004 combined with extensive damage from
  flooding in southern Haiti in May 2004 and Tropical Storm Jeanne in
  northwestern Haiti in September 2004 further impoverished Haiti.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $12.05 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -3.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30% industry: 20% services: 50% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 3.6 million note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%

Unemployment rate:
  widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than two-thirds
  of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  80% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  22% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $330.2 million
  expenditures: $529.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood

Industries:
  sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light assembly
  industries based on imported parts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  618 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.3% hydro: 39.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  574.7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-27.63 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $338.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes

Exports - partners:
  US 81.2%, Dominican Republic 7.3%, Canada 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.085 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, fuels,
  raw materials

Imports - partners:
  US 34.8%, Netherlands Antilles 18%, Malaysia 5.1%, Colombia 4.7%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $80.64 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.2 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $150 million (FY04 est.)

Currency (code):
  gourde (HTG)

Currency code:
  HTG

Exchange rates:
  gourdes per US dollar - 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251
  (2002), 24.429 (2001), 21.171 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Haiti

Telephones - main lines in use:
  130,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  140,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
  international facilities slightly better
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
  international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Radios:
  415,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Televisions:
  38,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ht

Internet hosts:
  NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  80,000 (2002)

Transportation Haiti

Highways: total: 4,160 km paved: 1,011 km unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Cap-Haitien

Airports:
  13 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Military Haiti

Military branches:
  the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air Force
  - have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or unless
  they are constitutionally abolished

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police force (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,626,491 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 948,320 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 98,554 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $26 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Haiti

Disputes - international:
  since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization
  Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite
  efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic
  privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican Republic
  and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered
  Navassa Island

Illicit drugs:
  major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to the US
  and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
  narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
  transactions; pervasive corruption

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Introduction Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Background:
  These uninhabited, barren, sub-Antarctic islands were transferred
  from the UK to Australia in 1947. Populated by large numbers of seal
  and bird species, the islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Geography Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Location:
  islands in the Indian Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
  Madagascar to Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
  53 06 S, 72 31 E

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 412 sq km
  land: 412 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  101.9 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  antarctic

Terrain:
  Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by
  a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak);
  McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km

Natural hazards:
  Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is on Heard Island

Environment - current issues:
  NA

People Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Population: uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Government Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald
  Islands
  conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the
  Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment
  and Heritage

Legal system:
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  the flag of Australia is used

Economy Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Economy - overview:
  No indigenous economic activity, but the Australian Government
  allows limited fishing around the islands.

Communications Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Internet country code: .hm

Transportation Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Australia; Australia conducts
  fisheries patrols

Transnational Issues Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Holy See (Vatican City)

Introduction Holy See (Vatican City)

Background:
  Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula
  for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many
  of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of
  Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when
  Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner"
  popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties,
  which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted
  Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat
  between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier
  treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the
  Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include
  religious freedom, international development, the Middle East,
  terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the
  application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and
  globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic
  faith.

Geography Holy See (Vatican City)

Location:
  Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
  41 54 N, 12 27 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 0.44 sq km
  land: 0.44 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 3.2 km border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry
  summers (May to September)

Terrain:
  low hill

Elevation extremes: lowest point: unnamed location 19 m highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: none of the selected agreements
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy; world's smallest state;
  outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in Rome and Castel Gandolfo
  (the pope's summer residence) enjoy extraterritorial rights

People Holy See (Vatican City)

Population:
  921 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.01% (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
  Italians, Swiss, other

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100%

Government Holy See (Vatican City)

Country name:
  conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City)
  conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City)
  local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano)
  local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Government type:
  ecclesiastical

Capital:
  Vatican City

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the three treaties signed
  with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged, among other things, the
  full sovereignty of the Vatican and established its territorial
  extent; however, the origin of the Papal States, which over the
  years have varied considerably in extent, may be traced back to the
  8th century

National holiday:
  Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24 April (2005)

Constitution:
  new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November
  2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law
  of 1929)

Legal system:
  based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it

Suffrage:
  limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19 April 2005)
  head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
  1 December 1990)
  cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
  elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
  election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of
  the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
  election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Pontifical Commission

Judicial branch:
  there are three tribunals responsible for civil and criminal
  matters within Vatican City; three other tribunals rule on issues
  pertaining to the Holy See
  note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
  XII on 1 May 1946

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none (exclusive of influence exercised by church officers)

International organization participation:
  CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM (guest), OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNHCR, UPU, WIPO,
  WToO (observer), WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121 FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428 FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side) and white with the
  crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter centered in the
  white band

Economy Holy See (Vatican City)

Economy - overview:
  This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an
  annual contribution from Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the
  world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale of postage stamps,
  coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to
  museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments and real
  estate income also account for a sizable portion of revenue. The
  incomes and living standards of lay workers are comparable to those
  of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  essentially services with a small amount of industry; note -
  dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live
  outside the Vatican

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $245.2 million
  expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002)

Industries:
  printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small
  amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and
  financial activities

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Holy See (Vatican City)

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic exchange
  domestic: tied into Italian system
  international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1996)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .va

Internet hosts:
  9 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Holy See (Vatican City)

Highways:
  none; all city streets

Airports:
  none (2004 est.)

Military Holy See (Vatican City)

Military branches:
  Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia Svizzera Pontificia)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited
  security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Transnational Issues Holy See (Vatican City)

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Honduras

Introduction Honduras

Background:
  Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras became
  an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades of
  mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came to
  power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
  anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
  and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist
  guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
  which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion
  in damage.

Geography Honduras

Location:
  Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and
  Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North Pacific Ocean),
  between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 86 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 112,090 sq km
  land: 111,890 sq km
  water: 200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,520 km
  border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
  922 km

Coastline:
  820 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Terrain:
  mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Natural resources:
  timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore, antimony, coal,
  fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 9.55% permanent crops: 3.22% other: 87.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  760 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely susceptible to
  damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean coast

Environment - current issues:
  urban population expanding; deforestation results from logging and
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further land
  degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled development
  and improper land use practices such as farming of marginal lands;
  mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the country's largest
  source of fresh water), as well as several rivers and streams, with
  heavy metals

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean shoreline,
  including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

People Honduras

Population:
  6,975,204
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,452,646/female 1,393,271)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,921,432/female 1,948,656)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 122,146/female 137,053) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.15 years
  male: 18.75 years
  female: 19.56 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.16% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.3 years
  male: 67.71 years
  female: 70.97 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  63,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Honduran(s)
  adjective: Honduran

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%, black
  2%, white 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Languages:
  Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.2%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Government Honduras

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
  conventional short form: Honduras
  local long form: Republica de Honduras
  local short form: Honduras

Government type:
  democratic constitutional republic

Capital:
  Tegucigalpa

Administrative divisions:
  18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Atlantida,
  Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso, Francisco
  Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La Paz,
  Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Legal system:
  rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of
  English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning
  Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system;
  accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27 January
  2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since 27
  January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE LOPEZ
  Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President Alberto DIAZ
  Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
  January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
  27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
  LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
  Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
  2005)
  election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
  52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128 seats;
  members are elected proportionally to the number of votes their
  party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
  elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ Nassar];
  Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal Party or
  PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
  Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
  National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; United
  Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or CODEH;
  Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating Committee of
  Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers Confederation or CGT;
  Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or COHEP; National
  Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH; National Union of
  Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United Federation of Honduran
  Workers or FUTH

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OAS,
  OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702 FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320 FAX: [504] 236-9037

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
  five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered in
  the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
  Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
  Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
  band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
  triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
  AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Economy Honduras

Economy - overview:
  Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere
  with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income and massive
  unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the U.S.-Central
  America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief under the
  Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The country has
  met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a three-year IMF
  Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program in February
  2004. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US, its largest
  trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly coffee, and on
  reduction of the high crime rate.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $18.79 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 12.7% industry: 32.1% services: 55.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.47 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  28.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  53% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.6% highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  56.3 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.467 billion
  expenditures: $1.722 billion, including capital expenditures of $106
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  74.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Industries:
  sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.7% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.626 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.2% hydro: 49.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.771 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  16 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  415 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $258.3 million (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $1.457 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster, lumber

Exports - partners:
  US 54.4%, El Salvador 8.1%, Germany 5.9%, Guatemala 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.332 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw materials,
  chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Imports - partners:
  US 37.5%, Guatemala 6.9%, Mexico 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.3%, El Salvador
  4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.464 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.365 billion (September 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $557.8 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  lempira (HNL)

Currency code:
  HNL

Exchange rates:
  lempiras per US dollar - 18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003), 16.433
  (2002), 15.474 (2001), 14.839 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Honduras

Telephones - main lines in use:
  322,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  326,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
  System

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Radios:
  2.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  570,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hn

Internet hosts:
  1,944 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  168,600 (2002)

Transportation Honduras

Railways: total: 699 km narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 13,603 km paved: 2,775 km unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Merchant marine:
  total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 598,600 GRT/616,158 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 67, chemical tanker 6, container 2,
  liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo
  5, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1,
  specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 44 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 1, Greece 4, Hong Kong
  2, Israel 1, Japan 4, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Singapore 12, South Korea
  6, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1, United States 2, Vanuatu 1,
  Vietnam 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  115 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 104 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Military Honduras

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary 2-3 year military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,448,369 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 955,019 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 77,399 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $100.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Honduras

Disputes - international:
  in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones" (disputed
  areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but despite OAS
  intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation of
  the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a tripartite
  resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca with
  consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador
  continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ
  ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims
  Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a
  joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in
  the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is
  attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in
  1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute
  over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit producer of
  cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally for local
  consumption; corruption is a major problem; some money-laundering
  activity

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Hong Kong

Introduction Hong Kong

Background:
  Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded by China
  the following year; various adjacent lands were added later in the
  19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and the UK on
  19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
  agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
  systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
  imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
  autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
  next 50 years.

Geography Hong Kong

Location:
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
  22 15 N, 114 10 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 1,092 sq km
  land: 1,042 sq km
  water: 50 sq km

Area - comparative:
  six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Coastline:
  733 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from
  spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Terrain:
  hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Natural resources: outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Land use: arable land: 5.05% permanent crops: 1.01% other: 93.94% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Geography - note:
  more than 200 islands

People Hong Kong

Population:
  6,898,686 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 13.8% (male 498,771/female 454,252)
  15-64 years: 73.5% (male 2,479,656/female 2,591,170)
  65 years and over: 12.7% (male 404,308/female 470,529) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 39.6 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.65% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  7.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.5 years
  male: 78.81 years
  female: 84.41 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  0.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
  adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 95%, other 5%

Religions:
  eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Languages:
  Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 93.5%
  male: 96.9%
  female: 89.6% (2002)

Government Hong Kong

Country name:
  conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Hong Kong
  local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
  local short form: Xianggang
  abbreviation: HK

Dependency status:
  special administrative region of China

Government type:
  limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
  none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
  of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is celebrated as
  Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
  Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National People's
  Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent residents
  living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven years;
  indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of functional
  constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn from broad
  regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
  bodies

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members
  and 14 official members
  elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to
  second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee
  dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005;
  Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25
  May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005
  and 24 June 2005; last election 16 June 2005 to fill final two years
  of TUNG's term (next to be held in June 2007)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004 30 seats
  indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected by
  popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group
  62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,
  independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,
  Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; other 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
  Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
  [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
  Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or
  DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman];
  Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party
  [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
  note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
  Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
  pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
  Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
  Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
  Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
  Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
  Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
  executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic
  Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and
  Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber
  of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG
  Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
  NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006 telephone: [852] 2523-9011 FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Flag description: red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in the center

Economy Hong Kong

Economy - overview:
  Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly dependent on
  international trade. Natural resources are limited, and food and raw
  materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports (i.e.,
  including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed GDP in
  dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese
  administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment
  ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy
  with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has
  made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's
  reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per
  capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of
  Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 1997,
  but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past six years because
  of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn in
  2001 and 2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
  outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, a boom in tourism from
  the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a
  return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted
  in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003 and in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $234.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $34,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 11.3% services: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.54 million (October 2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and retail trade,
  restaurants, and hotels 43.7%, financing, insurance, and real estate
  19.2%, transport and communications 7.9%, community and social
  services 18.5%
  note: above data exclude public sector (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $26.6 billion
  expenditures: $31.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  2.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Industries:
  textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping, electronics,
  plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  35.51 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  38.45 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  10.4 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  NA

Natural gas - consumption:
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $14.85 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $268.1 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, footwear,
  watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones, printed material

Exports - partners:
  China 44%, US 17%, Japan 5.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $275.9 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods,
  foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Imports - partners:
  China 43.5%, Japan 12.1%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 5.3%, Singapore 5.3%,
  South Korea 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $123.6 billion (31 December 2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $66.94 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Currency code:
  HKD

Exchange rates:
  Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.788 (2004), 7.7868 (2003),
  7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Hong Kong

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,801,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,241,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic
  and international services
  domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
  network
  international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
  Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
  providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
  Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  4.45 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2004)

Televisions:
  1.84 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hk

Internet hosts:
  591,993 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  17 (2000)

Internet users:
  3,212,800 (2003)

Transportation Hong Kong

Highways: total: 1,831 km paved: 1,831 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Hong Kong

Merchant marine:
  total: 837 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042 GRT/34,554,455 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 446, cargo 119, chemical
  tanker 44, combination ore/oil 2, container 105, liquefied gas 20,
  passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll
  off 5, vehicle carrier 8
  foreign-owned: 453 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Belgium 3, Canada 9,
  China 246, Denmark 3, France 5, Germany 13, Greece 19, India 1,
  Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Japan 51, Norway 16, Philippines 13,
  Singapore 17, South Korea 8, Taiwan 5, Thailand 4, UAE 1, United
  Kingdom 32, United States 3)
  registered in other countries: 373 (2005)

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Hong Kong

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of
  China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA
  Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under
  the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing
  and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou Military
  Region

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,743,972 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,403,088 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 40,343 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of China

Transnational Issues Hong Kong

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces difficult
  challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to
  regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit
  for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs,
  especially among young people

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Howland Island

Introduction Howland Island

Background:
  Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the island was
  officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British companies
  mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day beacon near
  the middle of the west coast that was partially destroyed during
  World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is named in memory of
  the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is administered by the
  US Department of the Interior as a National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Howland Island

Location:
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  0 48 N, 176 38 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 1.6 sq km
  land: 1.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  6.4 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
  low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow
  fringing reef; depressed central area

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Natural resources:
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
  wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines, and
  low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily a
  nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
  and marine wildlife

People Howland Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
  by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)

Government Howland Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Howland Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
  Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Howland Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Howland Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
  landing area along the middle of the west coast

Airports:
  airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling stop on the
  round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN - they left
  Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen again; the
  airstrip is no longer serviceable (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
  Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast
  that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has since been
  rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Military Howland Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
  Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Howland Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Hungary

Introduction Hungary

Background:
  Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire, which
  collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist rule
  following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced withdrawal
  from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military intervention
  by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968, Hungary
  began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called "Goulash
  Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in 1990 and
  initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and the EU
  in 2004.

Geography Hungary

Location:
  Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
  47 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 93,030 sq km
  land: 92,340 sq km
  water: 690 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,171 km
  border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
  Ukraine 103 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on the
  Slovakian border

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
  highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Land use: arable land: 50.09% permanent crops: 2.06% other: 47.85% (2001)

Irrigated land: 2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Environment - current issues: the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management, energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU requirements will require large investments

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes between
  Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between Ukraine and
  Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna (Danube) and Tisza
  Rivers divide the country into three large regions

People Hungary

Population:
  10,006,835 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 813,203/female 769,687)
  15-64 years: 69.1% (male 3,405,559/female 3,511,141)
  65 years and over: 15.1% (male 547,323/female 959,922) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.57 years
  male: 36.1 years
  female: 41.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  13.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.4 years
  male: 68.18 years
  female: 76.89 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Hungarian(s)
  adjective: Hungarian

Ethnic groups:
  Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek Catholic
  2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%, unaffiliated
  14.5% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Government Hungary

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
  conventional short form: Hungary
  local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
  local short form: Magyarorszag

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Budapest

Administrative divisions:
  19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties (singular
  - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
  : counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
  Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
  Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
  Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
  : urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
  Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
  Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok,
  Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
  : capital city: Budapest

Independence:
  1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

National holiday:
  Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Constitution:
  18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April 1972; 18
  October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals and
  constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
  also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
  amendment streamlined the judicial system

Legal system:
  rule of law based on Western model

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29
  September 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
  the recommendation of the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by
  June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
  recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
  election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple
  majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY
  elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12
  note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
  legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
  third round

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional and
  direct representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
  required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
  Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
  party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
  for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE]; Hungarian Civic
  Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman]; Hungarian Democratic
  Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian Democratic People's Party or
  MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman]; Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP
  [Istvan HILLER, chairman]; Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula
  THURMER, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
  (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
  affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270 telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400 FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Economy Hungary

Economy - overview:
  Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to a
  market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
  Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
  economic growth and acceded to the European Union in May 2004. The
  private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of
  and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative
  foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989.
  Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 and together with the
  Czech Republic holds the highest rating among the Central European
  transition economies; however, ratings agencies have expressed
  concerns over Hungary's unsustainable budget and current account
  deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 7% in 2004.
  Unemployment has persisted around the 6% level, but Hungary's labor
  force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the OECD.
  Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy
  challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by
  2008, from about 5% in 2004, and orchestrating an orderly interest
  rate reduction without sparking capital outflows.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $149.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.3% industry: 31.4% services: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.17 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 6.2%, industry 27.1%, services 66.7% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  8.6% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  24.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $46.07 billion
  expenditures: $51.36 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  58.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs, cattle,
  poultry, dairy products

Industries:
  mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
  textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
  9.6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  34.07 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60.1% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 39% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  35.99 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  12.6 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-7.941 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $54.62 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%, food
  products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 31.4%, Austria 6.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 5.6%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $58.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%, fuels and
  electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0% (2003)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 29.2%, Austria 8.3%, Russia 5.7%, Italy 5.5%, Netherlands
  4.9%, China 4.8%, France 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.8 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $57 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $4.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
  forint (HUF)

Currency code:
  HUF

Exchange rates:
  forints per US dollar - 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89
  (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Hungary

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,666,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,862,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized and is
  capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication service
  domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
  services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
  radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
  initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
  international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
  connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
  is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
  terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  7.01 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  4.42 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .hu

Internet hosts:
  383,071 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.6 million (2002)

Transportation Hungary

Railways:
  total: 7,937 km
  broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 159,568 km
  paved: 70,050 km (including 533 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 89,518 km (2002)

Waterways:
  1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs (2003)

Airports:
  44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 18 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 5 (2004 est.)

Military Hungary

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Air Forces

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,303,116 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,780,513 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 63,847 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.75% (2002 est.)

Transnational Issues Hungary

Disputes - international:
  in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending special social
  and cultural benefits and voted down a referendum to extend dual
  citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring states, which
  have objected to such measures; consultations continue between
  Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion the
  Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a
  member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary
  must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis and for
  South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited producer
  of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
  methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
  laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Iceland

Introduction Iceland

Background:
  Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish) immigrants
  during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland boasts the
  world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the Althing,
  established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland was
  subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
  volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
  widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
  island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
  home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
  attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
  are first-rate by world standards.

Geography Iceland

Location:
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

Geographic coordinates:
  65 00 N, 18 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 103,000 sq km
  land: 100,250 sq km
  water: 2,750 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  4,988 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
  winters; damp, cool summers

Terrain:
  mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields; coast
  deeply indented by bays and fiords

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

Natural resources:
  fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

Land use:
  arable land: 0.07%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate wastewater
  treatment

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
  European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
  the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
  Europe

People Iceland

Population:
  296,737 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.1% (male 33,302/female 32,257)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 99,513/female 96,886)
  65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,723/female 19,056) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34 years
  male: 33.53 years
  female: 34.49 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.91% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.19 years
  male: 78.13 years
  female: 82.34 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  220 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Icelander(s)
  adjective: Icelandic

Ethnic groups:
  homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
  population of foreign origin 6%

Religions:
  Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church 2.1%, Roman
  Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%, other Christian
  2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4% (2004)

Languages:
  Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Iceland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
  conventional short form: Iceland
  local long form: Lydhveldidh Island
  local short form: Island

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Reykjavik

Administrative divisions:
  8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland Eystra,
  Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir, Vesturland

Independence:
  1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish Crown);
  17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

Constitution:
  16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1 August
  1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15
  September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched
  positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  parliament
  elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
  popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004
  (next to be held June 2008); following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually the prime minister
  election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the
  vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
  33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
  Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
  Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
  Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for life by
  the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices are
  appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

Political parties and leaders:
  Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green Alliance or
  LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
  KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
  Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
  Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun
  GISLADOTTIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
  chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
  embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
  mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
  telephone: [354] 562-9100
  FAX: [354] 562-9118

Flag description:
  blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the edges of
  the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
  side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Iceland

Economy - overview:
  Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically capitalistic, yet
  with an extensive welfare system (including generous housing
  subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even distribution of
  income. In the absence of other natural resources (except for
  abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily on the
  fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and employs
  8% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to declining
  fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for its main
  exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and ferrosilicon.
  Government policies include reducing the budget and current account
  deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing inflation, revising
  agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying the economy, and
  privatizing state-owned industries. The government remains opposed
  to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders' concern about
  losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's economy has
  been diversifying into manufacturing and service industries in the
  last decade, and new developments in software production,
  biotechnology, and financial services are taking place. The tourism
  sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in ecotourism and
  whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in 1996-2001 at
  3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an environment of
  global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and estimates call for
  strong growth until 2007, slowly dropping until the end of the
  decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $9.373 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 9.6% services: 79.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 158,100 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, fishing and fish processing 10.3%, industry 18.3%, services 71.4% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.154 billion
  expenditures: $4.058 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  35.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish

Industries:
  fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
  geothermal power; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.271 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.1% hydro: 82.5% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (geothermal) (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  7.692 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  15,470 bbl/day (2001)

Current account balance:
  $-570 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.902 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products,
  ferrosilicon, diatomite

Exports - partners:
  UK 19.1%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 11.5%, US 9.8%, Spain 6.8%,
  Denmark 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.307 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  Germany 12.3%, US 9.9%, Norway 9.7%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%, Sweden
  6.7%, Netherlands 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $935 million (2004)

Debt - external:
  $3.073 billion (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  Icelandic krona (ISK)

Currency code:
  ISK

Exchange rates:
  Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 70.192 (2004), 76.709 (2003),
  91.662 (2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Iceland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  190,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  279,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: extensive domestic service
  domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
  cables and microwave radio relay links
  international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  260,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  98,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .is

Internet hosts:
  122,175 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  20 (2001)

Internet users:
  195,000 (2003)

Transportation Iceland

Highways:
  total: 13,004 km
  paved/oiled gravel: 4,331 km
  unpaved: 8,673 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik,
  Seydhisfjordhur

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 30 (2005)

Airports:
  98 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 93
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)

Military Iceland

Military branches:
  no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police, Icelandic Coast
  Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 69,038 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  0

Military - note:
  defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force (IDF)
  headquartered at Keflavik

Transnational Issues Iceland

Disputes - international:
  Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands'
  fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute
  Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends
  beyond 200 nm

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@India

Introduction India

Background:
  The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
  dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
  invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian
  inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions
  starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by
  those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By
  the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually
  all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a
  vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British
  colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought
  independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular
  state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war
  between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming
  the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in
  economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such
  as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive
  overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and
  ethnic and religious strife.

Geography India

Location:
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal,
  between Burma and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 N, 77 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 3,287,590 sq km
  land: 2,973,190 sq km
  water: 314,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 14,103 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
  km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Coastline:
  7,000 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Terrain:
  upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain along
  the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Natural resources:
  coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore, manganese,
  mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas, diamonds,
  petroleum, limestone, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 54.4%
  permanent crops: 2.74%
  other: 42.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
  flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
  pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
  water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
  population is overstraining natural resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian Ocean
  trade routes

People India

Population:
  1,080,264,388 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.2% (male 173,634,432/female 163,932,475)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 356,932,082/female 333,283,590)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 26,542,025/female 25,939,784) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 24.66 years male: 24.64 years female: 24.67 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.4% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.32 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 55.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.35 years
  male: 63.57 years
  female: 65.16 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.9% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5.1 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  310,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese
  encephalitis are high risks in some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Indian(s)
  adjective: Indian

Ethnic groups:
  Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Religions:
  Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other 1.8%,
  unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:
  English enjoys associate status but is the most important language
  for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the
  national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are
  14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu,
  Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri,
  Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu
  spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official
  language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 59.5%
  male: 70.2%
  female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Government India

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of India
  conventional short form: India

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  New Delhi

Administrative divisions:
  28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar Islands*,
  Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh*,
  Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
  Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand,
  Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,
  Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab,
  Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh,
  West Bengal

Independence:
  15 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Constitution:
  26 January 1950; amended many times

Legal system:
  based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative
  acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations;
  separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 26 July 2002);
  Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since NA May 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
  the states for a five-year term; election last held July 2002 (next
  to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of
  Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002
  (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by
  parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
  elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May
  2009)
  election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
  president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or
  Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to
  12 of whom are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen
  by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies;
  members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha
  (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the
  president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May
  2004 (next to be held 2009)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - INC 145, BJP 138, CPI(M) 43, SP 36, RJD 24,
  BSP 19, DMK 16, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 9, JDU 8, SAD 8, PMK 6,
  TDP 5, TRS 5, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, independents 5, other 30

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and remain in
  office until they reach the age of 65)

Political parties and leaders:
  All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C. Jayalalitha
  JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [Debabrata BISWAS]; Asom
  Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP
  [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Lal Krishna ADVANI]; Biju
  Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of India or CPI
  [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India (Marxist) or
  CPI (M) Hakishan Singh SURJEET]; Congress (I) Party [Sonia GANDHI];
  Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a regional party in Tamil Nadu)
  [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC [Sonia GANDHI];
  Indian National League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal (Secular) [H. D.
  Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad YADAV]; Jharkhand
  Mukti Morcha or JMM [leader NA]; Kerala Congress (Mani faction) [K.
  M. MANI]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [leader NA]; Marumalarchi
  Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim League [G. M.
  BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad PAWAR];
  Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [leader NA]; Rashtriya Janata Dal or
  RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or RSP
  [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV]; Shiromani
  Akali Dal or SAD [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal THACKERAY];
  Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telangana Rashtra Samithi or
  TRS [leader NA]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu NAIDU];
  Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
  including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
  Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
  communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
  Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist
  Council of Nagaland in the Northeast

International organization participation:
  AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CERN (observer),
  CP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW,
  PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE,
  UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN
  chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
  Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
  DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD
  embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000
  FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017
  consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
  (Bombay)

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange) (top),
  white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in
  the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has a small
  orange disk centered in the white band

Economy India

Economy - overview:
  India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village farming,
  modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries,
  and a multitude of services. Services are the major source of
  economic growth, though two-thirds of the workforce is in
  agriculture. The UPA government has committed to furthering economic
  reforms and developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of
  the rural poor and boost economic performance. Government controls
  on foreign trade and investment have been reduced in some areas, but
  high tariffs (averaging 20% in 2004) and limits on foreign direct
  investment are still in place. The government has indicated it will
  do more to liberalize investment in civil aviation, telecom, and
  insurance sectors in the near term. Privatization of
  government-owned industries has proceeded slowly, and continues to
  generate political debate; continued social, political, and economic
  rigidities hold back needed initiatives. The economy has posted an
  excellent average growth rate of 6.8% since 1994, reducing poverty
  by about 10 percentage points. India is capitalizing on its large
  numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to
  become a major exporter of software services and software workers.
  Despite strong growth, the World Bank and others worry about the
  combined state and federal budget deficit, running at approximately
  9% of GDP. The huge and growing population is the fundamental
  social, economic, and environmental problem. In late December 2004,
  a major tsunami took nearly 11,000 lives, left almost 6,000 missing,
  destroyed $1.2 billion worth of property, and severely damaged the
  fishing fleet.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.319 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.6% industry: 28.4% services: 48% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  482.2 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 60%, industry 17%, services 23% (1999)

Unemployment rate:
  9.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.8 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $67.3 billion
  expenditures: $104 billion, including capital expenditures of $13.5
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  59.7% of GDP (federal debt only; state debt not included) (2004
  est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
  cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Industries:
  textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
  equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  547.2 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 81.7% hydro: 14.5% nuclear: 3.4% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  510.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  350 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.54 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  780,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  5.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  542.4 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $4.897 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $69.18 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
  leather manufactures

Exports - partners:
  US 17%, UAE 8.8%, China 5.5%, Hong Kong 4.7%, UK 4.5%, Singapore
  4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $89.33 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  China 6.1%, US 6%, Switzerland 5.2%, Belgium 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $126 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $117.2 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Currency (code):
  Indian rupee (INR)

Currency code:
  INR

Exchange rates:
  Indian rupees per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61
  (2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications India

Telephones - main lines in use:
  48.917 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  26,154,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
  telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change;
  local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
  the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
  areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
  of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
  remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only
  one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of
  over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest
  growth in fixed lines
  domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
  rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
  reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
  cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
  organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
  circles each with about three private service providers and one
  state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
  capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the
  world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
  Satellite system (INSAT), with five satellites supporting 33,000
  very small aperture terminals (VSAT)
  international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
  gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
  (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
  Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
  with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link
  Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South
  Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking
  to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai
  (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras),
  provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both
  voice and data traffic (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Radios:
  116 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480 stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Televisions:
  63 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .in

Internet hosts:
  86,871 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  43 (2000)

Internet users:
  18.481 million (2003)

Transportation India

Railways:
  total: 63,230 km (16,693 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,106 km 0.762-m gauge and
  0.610-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 2,525,989 km
  paved: 1,448,655 km
  unpaved: 1,077,334 km (1999)

Waterways:
  14,500 km
  note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for
  mechanized vessels (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 6,171 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km; refined
  products 5,567 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),
  Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam

Merchant marine:
  total: 299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,555,507 GRT/11,069,791 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 85, cargo 75, chemical tanker 13, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 7, liquefied gas 14, passenger 3,
  passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 10 (Australia 1, China 1, Greece 1, UAE 6, United
  Kingdom 1)
  registered in other countries: 30 (2005)

Airports:
  333 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 234 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 47 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78 914 to 1,523 m: 74 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 99 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 45 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 20 (2004 est.)

Military India

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard,
  various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security
  Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border
  Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force,
  Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and
  Defense Security Corps)

Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 287,551,111 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 219,471,999 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 11,446,452 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $18.86 billion (2005)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.93% (2005/06)

Transnational Issues India

Disputes - international:
  China and India launched a security and foreign policy dialogue in
  2005, consolidating discussions related to the dispute over most of
  their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear proliferation,
  Indian claims that China transferred missiles to Pakistan, and other
  matters; recent talks and confidence-building measures have begun to
  defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's largest and most
  militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
  administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
  Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); in 2004, India and
  Pakistan instituted a cease fire in the Kashmir and in 2005,
  restored bus service across the highly militarized Line of Control;
  Pakistan has taken its dispute on the impact and benefits of India's
  building the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir
  to the World Bank for arbitration; UN Military Observer Group in
  India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group of
  peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's ceding
  historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; disputes persist with
  Pakistan over Indus River water sharing; to defuse tensions and
  prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, in 2004, India and
  Pakistan resurveyed a portion of the disputed boundary in Sir Creek
  estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch; Pakistani maps continue
  to show Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat State; discussions with
  Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small section of river
  boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both countries, to
  allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal cross-border trade,
  migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the porous
  border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off
  high-traffic sections; dispute with Bangladesh over New Moore/South
  Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime
  boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan and Burma
  to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding in remote
  areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal continues
  to demarcate minor disputed boundary sections; India has instituted
  a stricter border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents and control
  illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 92,394 (Tibet/China) 60,922 (Sri
  Lanka)
  IDPs: 650,000 (Jammu and Kashmir conflicts; most IDPs are Kashmiri
  Hindus); 113,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
  trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
  international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
  produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
  vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Indian Ocean

Introduction Indian Ocean

Background:
  The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's five oceans
  (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the
  Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access
  waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
  (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
  Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
  Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
  ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
  south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Indian Ocean

Location:
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and
  Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 80 00 E

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 68.556 million sq km
  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
  Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
  Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
  Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  about 5.5 times the size of the US

Coastline:
  66,526 km

Climate:
  northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to
  October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and
  October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February
  in the southern Indian Ocean

Terrain:
  surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system
  of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of
  surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric
  pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in
  the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents,
  while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter
  air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest
  winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean
  Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest
  Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates,
  placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Natural hazards:
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and
  whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea

Geography - note:
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait
  of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait

Economy Indian Ocean

Economy - overview:
  The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle
  East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries
  a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products
  from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are
  of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for
  domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan,
  South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for
  shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in
  the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
  Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
  comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
  offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
  countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
  and Thailand.

Transportation Indian Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South
  Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne
  (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)

Transnational Issues Indian Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Indonesia

Introduction Indonesia

Background:
  The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century;
  the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia
  declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required
  four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and
  UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony.
  Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state. Current issues
  include: alleviating widespread poverty, preventing terrorism,
  continuing the transition to popularly-elected governments after
  four decades of authoritarianism, implementing reforms of the
  banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, and
  holding the military and police accountable for human rights
  violations. Indonesia has been dealing with armed separatist
  movements in Aceh and in Papua.

Geography Indonesia

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the
  Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  5 00 S, 120 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 1,919,440 sq km
  land: 1,826,440 sq km
  water: 93,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,830 km
  border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
  Guinea 820 km

Coastline:
  54,716 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
  mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite, copper,
  fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Land use: arable land: 11.32% permanent crops: 7.23% other: 81.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
  volcanoes, forest fires

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes, sewage; air
  pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles equator;
  strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from Indian
  Ocean to Pacific Ocean

People Indonesia

Population:
  241,973,879 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.1% (male 35,823,456/female 34,590,631)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 79,447,560/female 79,449,399)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 5,526,389/female 7,136,444) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.48 years
  male: 26.03 years
  female: 26.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.45% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.71 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 35.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 40.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 30.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.57 years
  male: 67.13 years
  female: 72.13 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  110,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,400 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya are high risks in some locations (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Indonesian(s)
  adjective: Indonesian

Ethnic groups:
  Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%,
  other 26%

Religions:
  Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist
  1%, other 1% (1998)

Languages:
  Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English,
  Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is Javanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 92.5%
  female: 83.4% (2002 est.)

Government Indonesia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
  conventional short form: Indonesia
  local long form: Republik Indonesia
  local short form: Indonesia
  former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Jakarta

Administrative divisions:
  30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2 special
  regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah istimewa), and 1
  special capital city district** (daerah khusus ibukota); Aceh*,
  Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya Barat, Jakarta Raya**,
  Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat,
  Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Timur, Kepulauan
  Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku, Maluku Utara, Nusa
  Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau, Sulawesi Barat,
  Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi Tenggara, Sulawesi
  Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera Utara,
  Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of decentralization on 1
  January 2001, the 357 districts or regencies became the key
  administrative units responsible for providing most government
  services

Independence:
  17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949
  (Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Constitution:
  August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
  Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous
  concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
  October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
  October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
  October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
  October 2004);
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president were elected for five-year
  terms by direct vote of the citizenry; last held 20 September 2004
  (next to be held in September 2009)
  election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president
  receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat
  (DPR) (550 seats; members elected to serve five-year terms); House
  of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD),
  constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input
  to DPR on issues affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly
  (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and
  impeaching President and in amending constitution; consists of
  popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate
  national policy
  elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P
  18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others
  19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN
  53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50
  note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not
  always follow the number of votes received by parties

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
  president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a
  separate Constitutional Court or Makhama Konstitusi was invested by
  the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court
  assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower
  court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights

Political parties and leaders:
  Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
  chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Subur BUDHISANTOSO, chairman];
  Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA, chairman]; Indonesia
  Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri,
  chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB,
  chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman];
  Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [MAHFUD, acting chairman]; United
  Development Party or PPP [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
  chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
  embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
  mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
  telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
  FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
  consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
  flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
  Poland, which is white (top) and red

Economy Indonesia

Economy - overview:
  Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has restored financial stability
  and pursued sober fiscal policies since the Asian financial crisis,
  but many economic development problems remain, including high
  unemployment, a fragile banking sector, endemic corruption,
  inadequate infrastructure, a poor investment climate, and unequal
  resource distribution among regions. Indonesia became a net oil
  importer in 2004 due to declining production and lack of new
  exploration investment. As a result, Jakarta is not reaping the
  benefits of high world oil prices, and the cost of subsidizing
  domestic fuel prices has placed an increasing strain on the budget.
  Keys to future growth remain internal reform, building up the
  confidence of international and domestic investors, and strong
  global economic growth. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took
  nearly 127,000 lives, left more than 93,000 missing and nearly
  441,000 displaced, and destroyed $4.5 to $5.0 billion worth of
  property.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $827.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.6% industry: 45% services: 40.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  111.5 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  27% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $52.13 billion
  expenditures: $55.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  56.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee, palm oil,
  copra, poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Industries:
  petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear, mining,
  cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  10.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  110.2 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 86.9% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 2.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  92.35 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  971,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.183 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  518,100 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  370,500 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.9 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  77.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  55.3 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  39.7 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.549 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $7.338 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $69.86 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles, rubber

Exports - partners:
  Japan 22.3%, US 12.3%, Singapore 8.4%, South Korea 6.8%, China
  6.4%, Malaysia 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $45.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 13.1%, Japan 13.1%, China 8.8%, US 7%, Thailand 6%,
  Australia 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.2%, South Korea 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $35.82 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $141.5 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $43 billion
  note: Indonesia finished its IMF program in December 2003 but still
  receives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group on Indonesia
  (CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans for 2004 and
  again in 2005; nearly $4 billion in aid money pledged by a variety
  of foreign governments and other groups following the 2004 tsunami;
  money is slated for use in relief and rebuilding efforts in Aceh.

Currency (code):
  Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Currency code:
  IDR

Exchange rates:
  Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 8,938.9 (2004), 8,577.1 (2003),
  9,311.2 (2002), 10,260.8 (2001), 8,421.8 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March, but
  starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Communications Indonesia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7.75 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11.7 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic service fair, international service
  good
  domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
  domestic satellite communications system
  international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Radios:
  31.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  41 (1999)

Televisions:
  13.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .id

Internet hosts:
  62,036 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  24 (2000)

Internet users:
  8 million (2002)

Transportation Indonesia

Railways:
  total: 6,458 km
  narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
  0.750-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 342,700 km
  paved: 158,670 km
  unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  21,579 km
  note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
  km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 850 km; condensate/gas 128 km; gas 8,506 km; oil 7,472
  km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang, Panjang,
  Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

Merchant marine:
  total: 728 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,192,847 GRT/4,319,739 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 409, chemical tanker 19, container
  36, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 41,
  passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 125, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 2
  foreign-owned: 19 (France 1, Japan 3, Philippines 1, Singapore 11,
  Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 2)
  registered in other countries: 113 (2005)

Airports:
  667 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 154 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 44 914 to 1,523 m: 49 under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 513 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 480 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 22 (2004 est.)

Military Indonesia

Military branches:
  Indonesia Armed Forces (TNI): Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL, includes
  Marines, Naval Air arm), Air Force (TNI-AU)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years (2002)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 60,543,028 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 48,687,234 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 2,201,047 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.3 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Indonesia

Disputes - international:
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey
  and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the boundary
  remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the sovereignty
  of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which
  hinders a decision on a northern maritime boundary; a 1997 treaty
  between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of their maritime
  boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award of Sipadan and
  Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left maritime boundary in the
  hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute, culminating in hostile
  confrontations in March 2005 over concessions to the Ambalat oil
  block; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert claims to
  and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia
  and Singapore pledged in 2005 to finalize their 1973 maritime
  boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Batam
  Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants
  create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a
  problem in the Malacca Strait

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 535,000 (government offensives against rebels in Aceh; most
  IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Maluku, and Central Sulawesi
  Provinces); 441,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunmai) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; possible
  growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle heroin

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Iran

Introduction Iran

Background:
  Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979
  after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced
  into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic
  system of government with ultimate political authority nominally
  vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have
  been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US
  Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January
  1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq
  that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes
  between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iran
  has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities
  in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US
  economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued
  involvement. Following the elections of a reformist president and
  Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in
  response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as conservative
  politicians have prevented reform measures from being enacted,
  increased repressive measures, and consolidated their control over
  the government.

Geography Iran

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the
  Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Geographic coordinates:
  32 00 N, 53 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 1.648 million sq km
  land: 1.636 million sq km
  water: 12,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,440 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
  Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
  1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Coastline:
  2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
  Persian Gulf
  continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:
  mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Terrain:
  rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
  mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
  manganese, zinc, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 8.72% permanent crops: 1.39% other: 89.89% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions,
  refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation;
  overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf;
  wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination);
  inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw
  sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which
  are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

People Iran

Population:
  68,017,860 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.23 years
  male: 24.03 years
  female: 24.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.86% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.96 years
  male: 68.58 years
  female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  31,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  800 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Iranian(s)
  adjective: Iranian

Ethnic groups:
  Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab
  3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian,
  and Baha'i 2%

Languages:
  Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%,
  Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.4%
  male: 85.6%
  female: 73% (2003 est.)

Government Iran

Country name:
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
  conventional short form: Iran
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
  local short form: Iran
  former: Persia

Government type:
  theocratic republic

Capital:
  Tehran

Administrative divisions:
  30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
  Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
  Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
  Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
  Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,
  Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,
  Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Independence:
  1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
  note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
  Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
  March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)

Constitution:
  2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency
  and eliminate the prime ministership

Legal system:
  the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Suffrage:
  15 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
  (since 4 June 1989)
  head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August
  2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26
  August 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
  legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
  appointments to the more sensitive ministries
  elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
  the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate
  runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of
  vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%;
  note - 2% of ballots spoiled

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
  Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
  with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004
  (next to be held February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party -
  conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,
  religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary
  court, and a special administrative court

Political parties and leaders:
  formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran
  and most conservatives still prefer to work through political
  pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition
  called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as
  well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved
  considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000;
  groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front
  (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity
  Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari; Mojahedin of the Islamic
  Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society
  (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles
  elections in early 2004; a new apparently conservative group, the
  Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles
  after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders: political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala

International organization participation:
  CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani
  Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209
  Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)
  965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the
  national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the
  shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the
  white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
  repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
  times along the top edge of the red band

Economy Iran

Economy - overview:
  Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector,
  over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create
  major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled
  by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale -
  workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI has continued to
  follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI, with
  limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have
  enabled Iran to amass some $30 billion in foreign exchange reserves,
  but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and
  inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development
  of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with
  leading Western nations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $516.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 40.9% services: 48.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 23 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  11.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  31.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $43.34 billion
  expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  27% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy
  products, wool; caviar

Industries:
  petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction
  materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and
  vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.5% excluding oil (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  129 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.1% hydro: 2.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  119.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  3.962 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.4 million bbl/day (2002 est.)

Oil - exports:
  2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  130.8 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  72.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  3.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  4.92 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  26.7 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $2.1 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $38.79 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and
  nuts, carpets

Exports - partners:
  Japan 18.4%, China 9.7%, Italy 6%, South Africa 5.8%, South Korea
  5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $31.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
  foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military
  supplies

Imports - partners:
  Germany 12.8%, France 8.3%, Italy 7.7%, China 7.2%, UAE 7.2%, South
  Korea 6.1%, Russia 5.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $29.87 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $13.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $408 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  Iranian rial (IRR)

Currency code:
  IRR

Exchange rates:
  rials per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002),
  1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)
  note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime
  since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002

Fiscal year:
  21 March - 20 March

Communications Iran

Telephones - main lines in use:
  14,571,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,376,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and
  expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
  increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
  telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
  connected
  domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
  since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
  radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
  brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
  has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
  subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
  system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
  switches
  international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
  to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
  Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
  UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
  through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
  to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
  4 Inmarsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios:
  17 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.61 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ir

Internet hosts:
  5,269 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  100 (2002)

Internet users:
  4.3 million (2003)

Transportation Iran

Railways:
  total: 7,203 km
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 167,157 km
  paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)

Waterways:
  850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km;
  oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Assaluyeh, Bushehr

Merchant marine:
  total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4, container 14,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker
  30, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

Airports:
  305 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 127 over 3,047 m: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 32 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 178 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 129 under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 13 (2004 est.)

Military Iran

Military branches:
  Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces,
  Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)
  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e
  Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special
  operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)
  Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 18,319,545 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 15,665,725 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 862,056 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.3 billion (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.3% (2003 est.)

Transnational Issues Iran

Disputes - international:
  Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to
  the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime
  boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of
  the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage in direct
  talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over
  Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran stands
  alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the
  Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 1,223,823 (Afghanistan) 124,014
  (Iraq) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic
  narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to
  official Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug
  users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Iraq

Introduction Iraq

Background:
  Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by Britain
  during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a League
  of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over the next
  dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in 1932. A
  "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of
  military strongmen ruled the country, the latest was SADDAM Husayn.
  Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly
  eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait, but
  was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War of
  January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
  Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
  destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
  inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
  over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in
  March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition
  forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure
  and facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government,
  while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The Coalition
  Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim
  Government (IG) in June 2004. Iraqis voted on 30 January 2005 to
  elect a 275-member Transitional National Assembly that will draft a
  permanent constitution and pave the way for new national elections
  at the end of 2005.

Geography Iraq

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Geographic coordinates:
  33 00 N, 44 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 437,072 sq km
  land: 432,162 sq km
  water: 4,910 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,650 km
  border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
  Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Coastline:
  58 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
  mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
  summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
  borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
  melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
  central and southern Iraq

Terrain:
  mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south
  with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and
  Turkey

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah
  Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Land use: arable land: 13.15% permanent crops: 0.78% other: 86.07% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Environment - current issues:
  government water control projects have drained most of the
  inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
  the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
  Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
  displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
  serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
  rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
  Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
  erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of the
  Persian Gulf

People Iraq

Population:
  26,074,906 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 40% (male 5,293,709/female 5,130,826)
  15-64 years: 57% (male 7,530,619/female 7,338,109)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 367,832/female 413,811) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.43 years
  male: 19.35 years
  female: 19.51 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.7% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  32.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 50.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.7 years
  male: 67.49 years
  female: 69.97 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Iraqi(s)
  adjective: Iraqi

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Religions:
  Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Languages:
  Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.4%
  male: 55.9%
  female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Government Iraq

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
  conventional short form: Iraq
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
  local short form: Al Iraq

Government type:
  none; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on 1
  June 2004

Capital:
  Baghdad

Administrative divisions:
  18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al
  Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,
  At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,
  Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Independence:
  3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional
  Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was celebrated
  under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim Government has
  yet to declare a new national holiday

Constitution:
  interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the Transitional
  Administrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8 March 2004 to govern the
  country until an elected Iraqi Government can draft and ratify a new
  constitution in 2005

Legal system:
  based on civil and Islamic law under the Iraqi Interim Government
  (IG) and Transitional Administrative Law (TAL)

Suffrage:
  formerly 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) President Jalal
  TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Deputy Presidents Adil Abd AL-MAHDI
  and Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR (since 6 April 2005); note - the
  President and Deputy Presidents comprise the Presidency Council)
  head of government: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) Prime
  Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI (since April 2005); Deputy Prime
  Ministers Rowsch SHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaq
  al-JABBURI (since May 2005)
  cabinet: 32 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus
  Prime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI, Deputy Prime Ministers Rowsch
  SHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaq al-JABBURI
  elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member Transitional
  National Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution and pave
  the way for new national elections at the end of 2005

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis Watani (consisting of 275
  members elected by a closed-list, proportional-representation system
  for the period between the National Assembly election and the
  formation of a permanent Iraqi government pursuant to the
  establishment of a permanent constitution)
  elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member Transitional
  National Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution and pave
  the way for new national elections at the end of 2005
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  United Iraqi Alliance 48.2%, Democratic Patriotic Alliance of
  Kurdistan 25.7%, Iraqi List 13.8%, others 12.3%; number of seats by
  party - United Iraqi Alliance 140, Democratic Patriotic Alliance of
  Kurdistan 75, Iraqi List 40, others 20

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the
  Presidency Council

Political parties and leaders:
  Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Constitutional Monarchy
  Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahim
  al-JA'FARI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB];
  Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent
  Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic
  Party or IIP [Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; Iraqi National
  Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad
  CHALABI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI,
  chairman]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad ' Ali
  al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI];
  Muslim Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman al-DARI, secretary
  general]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]
  note: the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan, the Iraqi
  List, and the United Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates
  consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political
  parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: an insurgency against the Iraqi Interim Government and Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS,
  NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Rend Rahim
  FRANCKE
  chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James F.
  JEFFREY
  embassy: Baghdad
  mailing address: APO AE 09316
  telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 4354; note - Consular Section
  FAX: NA

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with
  three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the
  white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green Arabic
  script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to the
  left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the
  Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two
  stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that
  of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white
  band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors

Economy Iraq

Economy - overview:
  Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has
  traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings.
  Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international
  economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an
  international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically
  reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting
  large military and internal security forces and allocating resources
  to key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation of
  the UN's oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped
  improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed
  to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and
  some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security
  Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as
  required to meet humanitarian needs. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was
  largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil
  prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while
  medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per
  capita output and living standards were still well below the
  pre-1991 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The
  military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003
  resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic
  administrative structure. Although a comparatively small amount of
  capital plant was damaged during the hostilities, looting, insurgent
  attacks, and sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuild the
  economy. Despite continuing political uncertainty, the Iraqi Interim
  Government (IG) has founded the institutions needed to implement
  economic policy, and has successfully concluded a debt reduction
  agreement with the Paris Club. The high percentage gain estimated
  for GDP in 2004 is the result of starting from a low base.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $54.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  52.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.6% industry: 58.6% services: 27.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  6.7 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  25% to 30% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  25.4% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $17.1 billion
  expenditures: $28.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
  billion (2004 budget)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,
  poultry

Industries:
  petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
  processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  32.6 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.4% hydro: 1.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  33.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  2.25 million bbl/day (2004 est.); note - prewar production (in
  2002) was 2.03 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  383,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.49 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  112.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  2.35 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.35 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.149 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-560 million (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $10.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil (83.9%), crude materials excluding fuels (8.0%), food and
  live animals (5.0%)

Exports - partners:
  US 51.9%, Spain 7.3%, Japan 6.6%, Italy 5.7%, Canada 5.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $9.9 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, medicine, manufactures

Imports - partners:
  Syria 22.9%, Turkey 19.5%, US 9.2%, Jordan 6.7%, Germany 4.9% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $125 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)

Currency (code):
  New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Currency code:
  NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Exchange rates:
  New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003), 0.3109
  (2002), 0.3109 (2001), 0.3109 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Iraq

Telephones - main lines in use: 675,000; note - an unknown number of telephone lines were damaged or destroyed during the March-April 2003 war (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  20,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
  telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
  connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability
  and the construction of mobile and satellite communication facilities
  domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recent
  fighting continue, but sabotage remains a problem; cellular service
  is expected to be in place within two years
  international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
  and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
  Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Radio broadcast stations: after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Radios:
  4.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  21 (2004)

Televisions:
  1.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .iq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Iraq

Railways: total: 2,200 km standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 45,550 km
  paved: 38,399 km
  unpaved: 7,151 km (1999)

Waterways:
  5,275 km (not all navigable)
  note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,895 km), and Third
  River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Merchant marine:
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWT
  by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 3 (2005)

Airports:
  111; note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April 2003
  war (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 79
  over 3,047 m: 21
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  6 (2004 est.)

Military Iraq

Military branches:
  Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi Special
  Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former
  Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air
  Corps) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age; the Iraqi Interim Government is creating a new professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 5,870,640 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,930,074 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 298,518 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Iraq

Disputes - international:
  coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security;
  Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction
  disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;
  Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 150,000 (Palestinian Territories) IDPs: 1,340,280 (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Ireland

Introduction Ireland

Background:
  Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C. Invasions
  by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were finally ended
  when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014. English invasions
  began in the 12th century and set off more than seven centuries of
  Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions and harsh
  repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched off
  several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
  independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
  (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
  Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
  European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
  peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
  against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
  known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being
  implemented with some difficulties.

Geography Ireland

Location:
  Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in
  the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Geographic coordinates:
  53 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 70,280 sq km
  land: 68,890 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: UK 360 km

Coastline: 1,448 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
  winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
  time

Terrain:
  mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills
  and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite, gypsum,
  limestone, dolomite

Land use:
  arable land: 15.2%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 84.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural runoff

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
  America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
  within 100 km of Dublin

People Ireland

Population:
  4,015,676 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 434,225/female 406,730)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,358,086/female 1,354,148)
  65 years and over: 11.5% (male 203,614/female 258,873) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.7 years
  male: 32.9 years
  female: 34.49 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.16% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.56 years
  male: 74.95 years
  female: 80.34 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,800 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective plural)
  adjective: Irish

Ethnic groups:
  Celtic, English

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian 1.6%,
  other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)

Languages:
  English (official) is the language generally used, Irish (official)
  (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western
  seaboard

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98% (1981 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Ireland

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Ireland local long form: none local short form: Eire

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dublin

Administrative divisions:
  26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway,
  Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth,
  Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary,
  Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
  note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Independence:
  6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

National holiday:
  Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution:
  adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Legal system:
  based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous
  concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
  by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October
  2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other
  candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime
  minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by
  the president
  election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
  Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
  note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive
  Democrats

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad
  Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from
  candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated
  by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House
  of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held
  by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002
  (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive
  Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor
  Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party
  3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,
  Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
  others 14

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of
  the prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
  Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party
  [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats
  [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe
  HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM
  (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
  PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
  chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY
  embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
  FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
  has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
  of green (hoist side), white, and red

Economy Ireland

Economy - overview:
  Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with growth
  averaging a robust 7% in 1995-2004. Agriculture, once the most
  important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services. Industry
  accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of the labor
  force. Although exports remain the primary engine for Ireland's
  growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in consumer
  spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita GDP is
  10% above that of the four big European economies and the second
  highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade, the Irish
  Government has implemented a series of national economic programs
  designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce government
  spending, increase labor force skills, and promote foreign
  investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1 January 2002
  along with 11 other EU nations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $126.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.92 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 63% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.3% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  10% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.9 (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $62.51 billion
  expenditures: $63.52 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  31.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy products

Industries:
  steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum mining
  processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing; chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation equipment, passenger
  and commercial vehicles, ship construction and refurbishment; glass
  and crystal; software, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  22.88 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.9% hydro: 2.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  21.78 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  100 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  600 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-2.881 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $103.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals, pharmaceuticals;
  live animals, animal products

Exports - partners:
  US 19.7%, UK 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, Germany 7.7%, France 6%,
  Netherlands 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $60.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Imports - partners:
  UK 35.6%, US 13.8%, Germany 8.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, France 4.2%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $4.152 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $11 billion (1998)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $283 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ireland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.955 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3.4 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern digital system using cable and microwave
  radio relay
  domestic: microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  1.82 million (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ie

Internet hosts:
  162,228 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  22 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.26 million (2003)

Transportation Ireland

Railways:
  total: 3,312 km
  broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
  Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
  (2004)

Highways:
  total: 95,736 km
  paved: 95,736 km (including 125 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,795 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford

Merchant marine:
  total: 39
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 27, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 11 (Germany 3, Italy 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 1,
  United Kingdom 3)
  registered in other countries: 18 (2005)

Airports:
  36 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Ireland

Military branches:
  Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps)

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 977,092 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 814,768 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 29,327 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $700 million (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (FY00/01)

Transnational Issues Ireland

Disputes - international:
  Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
  Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North Africa
  to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic drugs;
  minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
  Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money
  laundering using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies
  involving the offshore financial community remains a concern

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Israel

Introduction Israel

Background:
  Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of
  Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish
  states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the
  Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the
  deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
  Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
  profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
  from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
  Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a
  Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guiding
  an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial
  and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994
  Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel
  withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied
  since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid
  Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted
  between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve
  a permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid out
  a "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which
  envisions a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanent
  status agreement has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence
  ongoing since September 2000. The conflict may have reached a
  turning point with the election in January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS as
  the new Palestinian leader following the November 2004 death of
  Yasir ARAFAT.

Geography Israel

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
  Lebanon

Geographic coordinates:
  31 30 N, 34 45 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 20,770 sq km
  land: 20,330 sq km
  water: 440 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,017 km
  border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
  Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Coastline:
  273 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Terrain:
  Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains;
  Jordan Rift Valley

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Natural resources:
  timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium
  bromide, clays, sand

Land use: arable land: 16.39% permanent crops: 4.17% other: 79.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts; periodic
  earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious
  constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and
  vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in
  the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the
  Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea of
  Galilee is an important freshwater source

People Israel

Population:
  6,276,883
  note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
  about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000
  in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.5% (male 851,415/female 812,095)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,010,888/female 1,986,256)
  65 years and over: 9.8% (male 264,708/female 351,521) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.39 years
  male: 28.58 years
  female: 30.27 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.2% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.32 years
  male: 77.21 years
  female: 81.55 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Israeli(s)
  adjective: Israeli

Ethnic groups:
  Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%,
  Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab)
  (1996 est.)

Religions:
  Jewish 76.5%, Muslim 15.9%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian
  0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2003)

Languages:
  Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
  English most commonly used foreign language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.4%
  male: 97.3%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Israel

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Israel
  conventional short form: Israel
  local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
  local short form: Yisra'el

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in
  1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Tel Aviv

Administrative divisions:
  6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem,
  Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Independence:
  14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
  independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
  the holiday may occur in April or May

Constitution:
  no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are
  filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of
  the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law

Legal system:
  mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in
  personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in
  December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no
  longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
  Knesset
  elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by
  the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000
  (next to be held mid-2007); following legislative elections, the
  president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the
  largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election
  last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall of 2006)
  election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member
  Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,
  received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON
  continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January
  2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition
  government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the
  National Union

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall
  of 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%,
  Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz
  5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%,
  Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%,
  National Democratic Assembly 2.3%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya (YBA) 2.2%,
  United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other
  1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11,
  National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United Torah
  Judaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3,
  National Democratic Assembly 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad BARAKA];
  Green Leaf Party (no longer active) [Boaz WACHTEL and Shlomi
  SANDAK]; Herut (no longer active) [Michael KLEINER]; Labor Party
  [Shimon PERES]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz (merged with
  YAHAD) [Zahava GALON]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad) [Azmi
  BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Ephraim "Efie" EITAM]; National
  Union (Haichud Haleumi) [Avigdor LIBERMAN] (includes Tekuma Moledet
  and Yisra'el Beiteinu); One Nation [David TAL]; Shas [Eliyahu
  YISHAI]; Shinui [Yosef "Tommy" LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd
  al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN]; YAHAD
  [Yossi BEILIN]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA (merged with Likud) [Natan
  SHARANSKY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank
  and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the
  West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes settler
  interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem monitors
  human rights abuses

International organization participation:
  BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, FAO,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578 FAX: [1] (202) 364-5560 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903 mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830 telephone: [972] (3) 519-7369/7453/7454/7457/7458/7551/7575 FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390 consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government

Flag description:
  white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the
  Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal
  blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Economy Israel

Economy - overview:
  Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
  substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude
  oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
  natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
  and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports
  substantial quantities of grain, but is largely self-sufficient in
  other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
  equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
  leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account
  deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad
  and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt
  is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and
  military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties
  in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and
  fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small
  declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,
  with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,
  rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demand
  for Israeli exports boosted GDP by 3.9%.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $129 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $20,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 37.7% services: 59.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 2.68 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6%, manufacturing 20.2%, construction 7.5%, commerce 12.8%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, finance and business 13.1%, personal and other services 6.4%, public services 31.2% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  10.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  18% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.5 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $48.09 billion
  expenditures: $52.11 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  104.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Industries:
  high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
  computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber
  optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,
  beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals
  products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles and
  footwear

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  42.67 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  38.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.387 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  80 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  20.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $211.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $34.41 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
  products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Exports - partners:
  US 36.8%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $36.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
  diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 15%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 7.5%, Switzerland 6.5%, UK 6.1%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $28.48 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $74.46 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $662 million from US (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency abbreviation;
  ILS is the International Organization for Standarization (ISO) code
  for the NIS

Currency code:
  ILS

Exchange rates:
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003),
  4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Israel

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.006 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6.334 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: most highly developed system in the Middle East
  although not the largest
  domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
  all systems are digital
  international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.69 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .il

Internet hosts:
  437,516 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  21 (2000)

Internet users:
  2 million (2002)

Transportation Israel

Railways: total: 640 km standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 16,903 km
  paved: 16,903 km (including 56 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 140 km; oil 1,509 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa

Merchant marine:
  total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 752,873 GRT/881,711 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, container 16
  registered in other countries: 48 (2005)

Airports:
  51 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Israel

Military branches:
  Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps, Navy, Air and Space
  Force (includes Air Defense Forces); historically there have been no
  separate Israeli military services

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36 months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,492,125
  females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,255,902
  females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 53,760
  females: 51,293 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.11 billion (FY03)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  8.7% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Israel

Disputes - international:
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
  subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
  status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel
  continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along
  parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel announced
  its intention to pull out Israeli settlers and withdraw from the
  Gaza Strip and four settlements in the northern West Bank in 2005;
  Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms
  area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the
  UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) headquartered in Jerusalem
  monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated
  incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the
  region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 276,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in northern
  Israel) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive
  in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Italy

Introduction Italy

Background:
  Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the
  peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under King
  Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to a
  close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist
  dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to
  Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the
  monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter
  member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has
  been at the forefront of European economic and political
  unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
  Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,
  corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low
  incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the
  prosperous north.

Geography Italy

Location:
  Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
  Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
  42 50 N, 12 50 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 301,230 sq km
  land: 294,020 sq km
  water: 7,210 sq km
  note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,932.2 km
  border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
  City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Coastline:
  7,600 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in south

Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
  secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Natural resources:
  coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,
  fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil
  reserves, fish, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 27.79%
  permanent crops: 9.53%
  other: 62.68% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
  southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

People Italy

Population:
  58,103,033 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 13.9% (male 4,166,213/female 3,919,288)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 19,554,416/female 19,174,629)
  65 years and over: 19.4% (male 4,698,441/female 6,590,046) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 41.77 years male: 40.24 years female: 43.35 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.07% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.89 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.68 years
  male: 76.75 years
  female: 82.81 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Italian(s)
  adjective: Italian

Ethnic groups:
  Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
  Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
  Greek-Italians in the south)

Religions:
  predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish
  communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Languages:
  Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are
  predominantly German speaking), French (small French-speaking
  minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking
  minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99%
  female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Government Italy

Country name:
  conventional long form: Italian Republic
  conventional short form: Italy
  local long form: Repubblica Italiana
  local short form: Italia
  former: Kingdom of Italy

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Rome

Administrative divisions:
  16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous regions*
  (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,
  Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia
  Giulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte,
  Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria,
  Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto

Independence:
  17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally
  unified until 1870)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Constitution:
  passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended many
  times

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial
  review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where
  minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
  president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
  June 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  approved by the president
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
  seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held May
  2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by
  parliament
  election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - 70%
  note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,
  National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democrats
  and Center Democrats

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato
  della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are
  directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional
  representation; in addition, there are a small number of
  senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;
  members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera
  dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional
  proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006);
  Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May
  2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance
  47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left
  63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  - House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97,
  UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left
  135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista (Italian Communist
  Party) 11, other 68

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
  judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
  parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
  Supreme Courts)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] - Democrats of
  the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular Party, Italian
  Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The Democrats), Sunflower
  Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian Democratic
  Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right Freedom House
  Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of Liberties and
  Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance, The Whiteflower
  Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center, United Christian
  Democrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left or DS [Piero
  FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green Federation
  [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or PdCI [Armando
  COSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI]; merged with PPI
  and I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The Daisy Alliance);
  Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI]; Lega Padana
  [Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN [Gianfranco FINI];
  Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Per le Autonomie [leader NA];
  Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI];
  South Tyrol People's Party or SVP (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler
  ROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance (includes Green Federation, Italian
  Social Democrats); The Daisy Alliance (includes Italian Popular
  Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The
  Democrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; The Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The
  Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers and Autonomous List) [Marco
  PANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europe or UDEUR [Clemente
  MASTELLA]; Union of Christian and Center Democrats or UDC [Marco
  FOLLINI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Italian manufacturers and merchants associations (Confindustria,
  Confcommercio); organized farm groups (Confcoltivatori,
  Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three major trade union
  confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro or CGIL
  [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing, Confederazione Italiana dei
  Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino PEZZOTTA], which is Roman
  Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del Lavoro or UIL [Luigi
  ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE, CEI,
  CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
  (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco consulate(s): Detroit and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624 telephone: [39] (06) 46741 FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356 consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
  similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist
  side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote
  d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
  white, and green
  note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
  1797

Economy Italy

Economy - overview:
  Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same
  total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic
  economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated
  by private companies, and a less developed, welfare-dependent
  agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed
  by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported.
  Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in
  order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions
  and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The
  current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at
  improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Italy has moved
  slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as
  lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor
  market and over-generous pension system, because of the current
  economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. But the
  leadership faces a severe economic constraint: the budget has
  breached the 3% EU deficit ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.609 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.3% industry: 28.8% services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  24.27 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  8.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  27.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $768.9 billion
  expenditures: $820.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  105.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans, grain,
  olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:
  tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food processing,
  textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  261.6 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.6% hydro: 18.4% nuclear: 0% other: 3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  293.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  900 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  51.5 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  61 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  209.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-21.1 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $336.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  engineering products, textiles and clothing, production machinery,
  motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food, beverages and
  tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
  Germany 13.6%, France 12.3%, US 8%, Spain 7.2%, UK 6.9%,
  Switzerland 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $329.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
  products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
  food, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
  Germany 18%, France 10.9%, Netherlands 5.9%, Spain 4.6%, Belgium
  4.4%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $61.5 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $913.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Italy

Telephones - main lines in use:
  26.596 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  55.918 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully automated
  telephone, telex, and data services
  domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
  international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
  for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
  Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
  50.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  30.3 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .it

Internet hosts:
  1,437,511 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  93 (Italy and Holy See) (2000)

Internet users:
  18.5 million (2003)

Transportation Italy

Railways:
  total: 19,319 km (11,613 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 18,001 km 1.435-m gauge (11,333 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,195 km
  0.950-m gauge (158 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 479,688 km
  paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways:
  2,400 km
  note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared
  to road and rail (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna, Taranto,
  Trieste, Venice

Merchant marine:
  total: 565 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 43, chemical tanker 128, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 19, liquefied gas 38, livestock carrier 2,
  passenger 16, passenger/cargo 152, petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated
  cargo 4, roll on/roll off 34, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier
  26
  foreign-owned: 47 (France 3, Greece 7, Monaco 2, Switzerland 5,
  Taiwan 8, Turkey 2, United Kingdom 5, United States 15)
  registered in other countries: 125 (2005)

Airports:
  134 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 96 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 32 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 30 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Italy

Military branches:
  Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana, MMI),
  Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri Corps
  (Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 13,491,260 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 10,963,513 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 286,344 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $28,182.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Italy

Disputes - international:
  Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of
  thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and
  northern Africa

Illicit drugs:
  important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine and
  Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
  laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Jamaica

Introduction Jamaica

Background:
  Jamaica gained full independence within the British Commonwealth in
  1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to
  recurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections in 1980 saw
  the democratic socialists voted out of office. Political violence
  marred elections during the 1990s.

Geography Jamaica

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 77 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 10,991 sq km
  land: 10,831 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,022 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Terrain:
  mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Natural resources:
  bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Land use:
  arable land: 16.07%
  permanent crops: 10.16%
  other: 73.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (especially July to November)

Environment - current issues: heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the
  main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

People Jamaica

Population:
  2,731,832 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.5% (male 385,099/female 367,398)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 897,953/female 893,509)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 83,632/female 104,241) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.25 years
  male: 26.55 years
  female: 27.97 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.71% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.33 years
  male: 71.63 years
  female: 75.12 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.95 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  22,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Jamaican(s)
  adjective: Jamaican

Ethnic groups:
  black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed
  7.3%, other 0.1%

Religions:
  Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%, Anglican 5.5%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist 2.7%, United
  Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Moravian 1.1%),
  Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%

Languages:
  English, patois English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 84.1%
  female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Government Jamaica

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jamaica

Government type:
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Kingston

Administrative divisions:
  14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland,
  Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint
  James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
  note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were
  amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as
  the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Independence:
  6 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Constitution:
  6 August 1962

Legal system:
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
  August 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
  30 March 1992)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
  general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
  minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body
  appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
  prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
  allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
  the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
  seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the
  advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National Democratic
  Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP
  [Percival James PATTERSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
  religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS,
  OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY
  chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
  embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
  Kingston 5
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
  FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Flag description:
  diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green
  (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Economy Jamaica

Economy - overview:
  The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now
  account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its
  foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina. The
  global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacks
  in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy
  rebounded moderately in 2003-04, with brisk tourist seasons. But the
  economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates;
  increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes sliding,
  exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade deficit; large-scale
  unemployment; and a growing internal debt, the result of government
  bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The ratio of debt to GDP
  is close to 150%. Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expected
  to remain in the double digits. Uncertain economic conditions have
  led to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the
  drug trade. In 2004, the government faced the difficult prospect of
  having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt
  payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime
  problem which is hampering economic growth. Attempts at deficit
  control were derailed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, which
  required substantial government spending to repair the damage.
  Despite the hurricane, tourism looks set to enjoy solid growth for
  the foreseeable future.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.13 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.1% industry: 32.7% services: 61.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.14 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20.1%, industry 16.6%, services 63.4% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  19.7% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.7% highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.9 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.793 billion
  expenditures: $3.157 billion, including capital expenditures of $236
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  146.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, vegetables, poultry,
  goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks

Industries:
  tourism, bauxite/alumina, textiles, agro processing, wearing
  apparel, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical
  products, telecommunications

Industrial production growth rate:
  -2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.289 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 96.8% hydro: 1.8% nuclear: 0% other: 1.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.849 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-830.7 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.679 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages,
  chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
  US 17.4%, Canada 14.8%, France 13%, China 10.5%, UK 8.7%,
  Netherlands 7.5%, Norway 6%, Germany 5.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.624 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and
  accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  construction materials

Imports - partners:
  US 38.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.2%, France 5.6%, Japan 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.964 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $16 million (2003)

Currency (code):
  Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Currency code:
  JMD

Exchange rates:
  Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003),
  48.416 (2002), 45.996 (2001), 42.986 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Jamaica

Telephones - main lines in use:
  444,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.4 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1.215 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (1997)

Televisions:
  460,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .jm

Internet hosts:
  1,480 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  21 (2000)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2002)

Transportation Jamaica

Railways:
  total: 272 km
  standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation
  had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer
  operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and
  used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Highways:
  total: 18,700 km
  paved: 13,109 km
  unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky Point

Merchant marine:
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,881 GRT/100,682 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 5, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 8 (Germany 2, Greece 5, UAE 1) (2005)

Airports:
  35 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Military Jamaica

Military branches:
  Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 696,900 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 587,006 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 26,080 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $31.2 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Jamaica

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North
  America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has
  an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major
  concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
  traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Jan Mayen

Introduction Jan Mayen

Background:
  This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling
  captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are
  inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and
  trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
  Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
  Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
  northernmost active volcano on earth.

Geography Jan Mayen

Location:
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian
  Sea, northeast of Iceland

Geographic coordinates:
  71 00 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 373 sq km
  land: 373 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  124.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 4 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Terrain:
  volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic
  activity resumed in 1970

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

People Jan Mayen

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
  the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2005 est.)

Government Jan Mayen

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Dependency status:
  territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo
  through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
  authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
  Defense Communication Service

Legal system:
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of Norway is used

Economy Jan Mayen

Economy - overview:
  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
  resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
  employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the
  island.

Communications Jan Mayen

Radio broadcast stations: AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (Jan Mayen and Svalbard) (2000)

Transportation Jan Mayen

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Jan Mayen

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Norway

Transnational Issues Jan Mayen

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Japan

Introduction Japan

Background:
  In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered in a
  long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to secure
  its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy
  stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the
  Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened its
  ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During
  the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional
  power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia.
  It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island.
  In 1933 Japan occupied Manchuria and in 1937 it launched a
  full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 -
  triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied
  much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II,
  Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of
  the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national
  unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians,
  bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a
  major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of
  unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic
  power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year
  term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Geography Japan

Location:
  Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and the
  Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Geographic coordinates:
  36 00 N, 138 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 377,835 sq km
  land: 374,744 sq km
  water: 3,091 sq km
  note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
  Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
  Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  29,751 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the international
  straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and Eastern and
  Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Natural resources: negligible mineral resources, fish

Land use: arable land: 12.19% permanent crops: 0.96% other: 86.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
  occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
  acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
  threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
  fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
  resources in Asia and elsewhere

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
  strategic location in northeast Asia

People Japan

Population:
  127,417,244 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.3% (male 9,328,584/female 8,866,772)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 42,462,533/female 41,942,835)
  65 years and over: 19.5% (male 10,435,284/female 14,381,236) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 42.64 years male: 40.87 years female: 44.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.05% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.15 years
  male: 77.86 years
  female: 84.61 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Japanese

Ethnic groups:
  Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241, Brazilian
  182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
  note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
  in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
  (2004)

Religions:
  observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
  Christian 0.7%)

Languages:
  Japanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2002)

Government Japan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Japan

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Capital:
  Tokyo

Administrative divisions:
  47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui, Fukuoka,
  Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo, Ibaraki,
  Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi, Kumamoto,
  Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara, Niigata, Oita,
  Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga, Shimane, Shizuoka,
  Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama, Wakayama, Yamagata,
  Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Independence:
  660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Constitution:
  3 May 1947

Legal system:
  modeled after European civil law system with English-American
  influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires
  that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
  legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of
  majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
  minister; KOIZUMI's term as leader of the LDP is scheduled to end in
  September 2006; a new prime minister may be chosen at that time;
  monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors or
  Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
  reelected every three years; 144 members in multi-seat
  constituencies and 98 by proportional representation) and the House
  of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
  four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
  proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
  elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be
  held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11
  September 2005 (next election by September 2009)
  election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,
  others 7; distribution of seats as of October 2004 - LDP 114, DPJ
  84, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5, others 6
  : House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%,
  DPJ 36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito
  31, JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24 (2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
  designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
  cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Seiji MAEHARA, leader; Yukio
  HATOYAMA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo
  SHII, chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito
  [Takenori KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president;
  Tsutomu TAKEBE, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP
  [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7,
  G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA,
  MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE
  (partner), Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UNRWA, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
  chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
  consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
  Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420 mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004 telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000 FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862 consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Flag description:
  white with a large red disk (representing the sun without rays) in
  the center

Economy Japan

Economy - overview:
  Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of
  high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of
  GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of
  second most technologically-powerful economy in the world after the
  US and third-largest economy after the US and China, measured on a
  purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. (Using market exhange rates
  rather than PPP rates, Japan's economy is larger than China's.) One
  notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of
  manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups
  called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
  lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
  force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important
  sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
  materials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highly
  subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
  world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
  of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
  one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly
  15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic
  growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%
  average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed
  markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the
  after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
  contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
  excesses from the stock and real estate markets. From 2000 to 2003,
  government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success
  and were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and
  Asian economies. In 2004, growth improved and the lingering fears of
  deflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge
  government debt, which totals more than 160% of GDP, and the aging
  of the population are two major long-run problems. A rise in taxes
  could be viewed as endangering the revival of growth. Robotics
  constitutes a key long-term economic strength with Japan possessing
  410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots." Internal conflict
  over the proper way to reform the ailing banking system continues.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.745 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.3% industry: 24.7% services: 74.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  66.97 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 5%, industry 25%, services 70% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.8% highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  24.9 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.401 trillion
  expenditures: $1.748 trillion, including capital expenditures
  (public works only) of about $71 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  164.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairy
  products, eggs, fish

Industries:
  among world's largest and technologically advanced producers of
  motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
  nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.044 trillion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 60% hydro: 8.4% nuclear: 29.8% other: 1.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  971 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  20.02 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $170.2 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $538.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors, electrical
  machinery, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 22.7%, China 13.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.4%, Hong Kong
  6.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $401.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals, textiles,
  raw materials (2001)

Imports - partners:
  China 20.7%, US 14%, South Korea 4.9%, Australia 4.3%, Indonesia
  4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, UAE 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $664.6 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  NA (2002 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $7.9 billion (FY03/04)

Currency (code):
  yen (JPY)

Currency code:
  JPY

Exchange rates:
  yen per US dollar - 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39 (2002),
  121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Japan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  71.149 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  86,658,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
  domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
  every kind
  international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
  regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
  (via Guam) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave 21
  (2001)

Radios:
  120.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 211 plus 7,341 repeaters note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV cable services (1999)

Televisions:
  86.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .jp

Internet hosts:
  12,962,065 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  73 (2000)

Internet users:
  57.2 million (2002)

Transportation Japan

Railways:
  total: 23,577 km (16,519 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,265 km
  1.067-m gauge (13,227 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km
  electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 1,171,647 km
  paved: 903,340 km (including 6,851 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 268,307 km (2001)

Waterways:
  1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya, Osaka,
  Tokyo, Yohohama

Merchant marine:
  total: 702 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,149,196 GRT/12,680,544 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 29, chemical tanker 23, container
  13, liquefied gas 53, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 157, petroleum
  tanker 160, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 52, vehicle
  carrier 59
  registered in other countries: 2,233 (2005)

Airports:
  174 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 143 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 39 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 over 3047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 15 (2004 est.)

Military Japan

Military branches:
  Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force
  (Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 27,003,112 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 22,234,663 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 683,147 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $45.841 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Japan

Disputes - international:
  the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and
  Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern
  Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril Islands", occupied
  by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia and claimed
  by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace
  treaty formally ending World War II hostilities; Japan and South
  Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do), occupied by South
  Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both Japan's claims to
  the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and
  Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East
  China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon prospecting

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Jarvis Island

Introduction Jarvis Island

Background:
  First discovered by the British in 1821, the uninhabited island was
  annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in 1879 after tons of guano
  had been removed. The UK annexed the island in 1889, but never
  carried out plans for further exploitation. The US occupied and
  reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World War II, the
  island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge administered by the
  US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the
  middle of the west coast.

Geography Jarvis Island

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  0 22 S, 160 03 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 4.5 sq km
  land: 4.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  8 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Terrain:
  sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing reef

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources:
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial and aquatic
  wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses a maritime
  hazard

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing shrubs;
  primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds,
  shorebirds, and marine wildlife

People Jarvis Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
  used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
  abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
  Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
  permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally
  restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish
  and Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)

Government Jarvis Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the
  Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Jarvis Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Jarvis Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one small boat
  landing area in the middle of the west coast and another near the
  southwest corner of the island

Transportation - note:
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Military Jarvis Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited annually by the US
  Coast Guard

Transnational Issues Jarvis Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Jersey

Introduction Jersey

Background:
  The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent the
  last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway in
  both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II.

Geography Jersey

Location:
  Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
  49 15 N, 2 10 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 116 sq km
  land: 116 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  70 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
  temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Terrain:
  gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
  population concentrated in Saint Helier

People Jersey

Population:
  90,812 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.5% (male 8,222/female 7,658)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 30,296/female 30,561)
  65 years and over: 15.5% (male 6,176/female 7,899) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.89 years
  male: 40.13 years
  female: 41.63 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.32% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.24 years
  male: 76.77 years
  female: 81.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white 6.6%,
  Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
  Methodist, Presbyterian

Languages:
  English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001 census)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Jersey

Country name:
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
  conventional short form: Jersey

Dependency status:
  British crown dependency

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint Helier

Administrative divisions:
  none (British crown dependency)

Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Constitution:
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
  English law and local statute; justice is administered by the Royal
  Court

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air
  Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff
  Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)
  cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
  bailiff appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12 senators
  (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of parishes
  (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year terms);
  the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members - the
  Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor General all
  appointed by the monarch)
  elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 53

Judicial branch:
  Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the bailiff)

Political parties and leaders:
  none; all independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
  white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of the
  flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
  shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Economy Jersey

Economy - overview:
  The Channel Island economy is based on international financial
  services, agriculture, and tourism. In 1996 the finance sector
  accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Potatoes,
  cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export
  crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is
  known worldwide and represents an important export income earner.
  Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts
  for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light
  industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics
  industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of
  knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as
  well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death
  duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come
  close to those of the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.6 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 2% services: 93% (1996)

Labor force:
  52,790 (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.3% (2004)

Budget:
  revenues: $601 million
  expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
  million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Industries:
  tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Exports - partners:
  UK

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, foodstuffs,
  mineral fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  UK

Debt - external:
  none

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency (code):
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672
  (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Jersey

Telephones - main lines in use:
  73,900 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  61,400 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 3 submarine cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .je

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Jersey

Highways: total: 577 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Jersey

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Jersey

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Johnston Atoll

Introduction Johnston Atoll

Background:
  Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed Johnston Atoll in
  1858, but it was the US that mined the guano deposits until the late
  1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were designated wildlife refuges in
  1926. The US Navy took over the atoll in 1934, and subsequently the
  US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The site was used for
  high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and 1960s, and until late
  in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage and disposal site for
  chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now complete. Cleanup and
  closure of the facility was completed in 2004.

Geography Johnston Atoll

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm (1328 km)
  southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way from
  Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  16 45 N, 169 31 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 2.8 sq km
  land: 2.8 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  34 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast trade winds with
  little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Natural resources:
  guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890, terrestrial and
  aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  no natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; Johnston Island and
  Sand Island are natural islands, which have been expanded by coral
  dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island (Hikina) are manmade
  islands formed from coral dredging; the egg-shaped reef is 34 km in
  circumference; closed to the public; a former US nuclear weapons
  test site; site of now-closed Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal
  System (JACADS); most facilities dismantled and cleanup complete in
  2004; some low-growing vegetation

People Johnston Atoll

Population:
  361 no indigenous inhabitants
  note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military
  and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,
  population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical
  Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2004 the island
  population was just above 200 personnel, including US Air Force, US
  Fish and Wildlife Service, and civilian contractor personnel (July
  2005 est.)

Government Johnston Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Honolulu, HI,
  by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the Fish and
  Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the
  National Wildlife Refuge system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Johnston Atoll

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to US military
  personnel and contractors located on the island. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Communications Johnston Atoll

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: 512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice and data lines international: NA (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 256 KB circuit to US Department of Defense-run Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNET) (2002)

Transportation Johnston Atoll

Ports and harbors:
  Johnston Island

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Johnston Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Johnston Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Jordan

Introduction Jordan

Background:
  For most of its history since independence from British
  administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
  A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
  from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
  Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several
  wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary
  elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a
  formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son
  of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his
  father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his
  power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan
  acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to
  participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a
  two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in
  the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in
  April 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government's
  achievements to respect political and human rights and improve
  living standards.

Geography Jordan

Location:
  Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  31 00 N, 36 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 92,300 sq km
  land: 91,971 sq km
  water: 329 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,635 km
  border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
  Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Coastline:
  26 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate:
  mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Terrain:
  mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift
  Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, potash, shale oil

Land use: arable land: 2.67% permanent crops: 1.83% other: 95.5% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  droughts; periodic earthquakes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab
  country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied
  West Bank

People Jordan

Population:
  5,759,732 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 34.5% (male 1,015,084/female 973,220)
  15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,897,643/female 1,656,570)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 106,168/female 111,047) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.62 years
  male: 23.25 years
  female: 21.94 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.56% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  2.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 17.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.24 years
  male: 75.75 years
  female: 80.88 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  600 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Jordanian(s)
  adjective: Jordanian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some
  Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
  Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
  small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle
  classes

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.3%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Government Jordan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  conventional short form: Jordan
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
  local short form: Al Urdun
  former: Transjordan

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  'Amman

Administrative divisions:
  12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
  'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
  Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Independence:
  25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Constitution:
  1 January 1952; amended 1974, 1976, 1984

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
  legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Prince
  HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line to
  inherit the throne
  head of government: Prime Minister Adnan BADRAN (since 7 April
  2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Marwan al-MUASHER and Hisham al-TEL
  (since 3 July 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
  with the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the
  Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55
  seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
  of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
  al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
  of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
  seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
  electoral panel if no women are elected)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next
  to be held NA 2007)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front (IAF)
  10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action
  Front 18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female
  IAF candidate
  note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
  by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
  parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
  were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001
  elections until 2003

Judicial branch:
  Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Political parties and leaders:
  Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma (Nation)
  Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr.
  Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab Progressive
  Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir
  HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional National Party [Ahmad
  al-SHUNNAQ, secretary general; Democratic Arab Islamic Movement
  [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad BATAYNEH,
  secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary
  general]; Islamic al-Walsat Party [Marwan al-FAURI], secretary
  general; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH, secretary
  general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id Dhiyab Ali
  MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd)
  Party [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party
  [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Labor Party [Dr. Mazin Sulayman
  Jiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Muslim Centrist Party [leader NA];
  National Action (Haqq) Party [Tariq al-KAYYALI, secretary general];
  National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary
  general]; National Movement for Direct Democracy [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI,
  secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud
  al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir
  al-HIMSI, secretary general]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
  chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
  Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
  Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
  OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
  chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David M.
  HALE
  embassy: Abdoun, Amman
  mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
  5, APO AE 09892-0200
  telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101
  FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the
  Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and
  green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle
  on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and
  bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
  verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
  points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
  spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is
  based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Economy Jordan

Economy - overview:
  Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water
  and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
  unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since
  assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic
  reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in
  the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
  careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with
  privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
  sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free
  trade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement with
  the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and
  have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most
  of its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan
  more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations forcing the Jordanian
  government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales
  tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on
  exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly
  while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges
  facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing
  the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote
  job creation.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $25.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 26% services: 71.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.41 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.4 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  11.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.483 billion
  expenditures: $3.616 billion, including capital expenditures of $782
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats,
  poultry

Industries:
  phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement,
  potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7.307 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.4% hydro: 0.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  7.094 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  300 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  40 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  103,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
  445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  3.256 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $203.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables,
  manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Exports - partners:
  US 28.9%, Iraq 17.6%, India 7.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,
  manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 19.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 6.8%, US 6.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $5.457 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $7.32 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $500 million (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
  JOD

Exchange rates:
  Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003), 0.709
  (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Jordan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  622,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,325,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service has improved recently with increased
  use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the
  telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to
  pay telephones is needed by the urban public
  domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
  fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
  mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
  international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
  fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
  with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
  FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
  international links total about 4,000

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
  1.66 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  500,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .jo

Internet hosts:
  3,160 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  457,000 (2003)

Transportation Jordan

Railways: total: 505 km narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 7,301 km paved: 7,301 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Al 'Aqabah

Merchant marine:
  total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,
  roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 12 (Greece 3, UAE 9)
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Airports:
  17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Jordan

Military branches:
  Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal
  Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations
  Command (SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls
  under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis
  situations

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are required to register (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,573,995 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,348,076 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 60,625 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.46 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  14.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Jordan

Disputes - international:
  2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending demarcation

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 1,740,170 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 800,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Juan de Nova Island

Introduction Juan de Nova Island

Background:
  Named after a famous 15th century Spanish navigator and explorer,
  the island has been a French possession since 1897. It has been
  exploited for its guano and phosphate. Presently a small military
  garrison oversees a meteorological station.

Geography Juan de Nova Island

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-third
  of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  17 03 S, 42 45 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 4.4 sq km
  land: 4.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about seven times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  24.1 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Natural resources: guano deposits and other fertilizers

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (90% forest) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  wildlife sanctuary

People Juan de Nova Island

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
  meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Government Juan de Nova Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur
  of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (possession of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (possession of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Juan de Nova Island

Economy - overview:
  Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Communications Juan de Nova Island

Communications - note: 1 meteorological station

Transportation Juan de Nova Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Juan de Nova Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Juan de Nova Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Madagascar

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Kazakhstan

Introduction Kazakhstan

Background:
  Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who
  migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as
  a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
  century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
  1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
  were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
  This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
  deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
  non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
  of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
  cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
  country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
  achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
  mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
  and other foreign powers.

Geography Kazakhstan

Location:
  Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural
  River in eastern-most Europe

Geographic coordinates:
  48 00 N, 68 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 2,717,300 sq km
  land: 2,669,800 sq km
  water: 47,500 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 12,012 km
  border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
  km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral Sea, now
  split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian Sea
  (1,894 km)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid

Terrain:
  extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from the plains
  in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
  highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Natural resources:
  major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
  manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
  zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Land use:
  arable land: 7.98%
  permanent crops: 0.05%
  other: 91.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Environment - current issues:
  radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with former defense
  industries and test ranges scattered throughout the country pose
  health risks for humans and animals; industrial pollution is severe
  in some cities; because the two main rivers which flowed into the
  Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it is drying up and
  leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical pesticides and natural
  salts; these substances are then picked up by the wind and blown
  into noxious dust storms; pollution in the Caspian Sea; soil
  pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals and salination from
  poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation practices

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of territory
  enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004, Kazakhstan and
  Russia extended the lease to 2050

People Kazakhstan

Population:
  15,185,844 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.7% (male 1,834,535/female 1,758,988)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 5,075,243/female 5,312,536)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 424,341/female 780,201) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.52 years
  male: 26.92 years
  female: 30.25 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.3% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.55 years
  male: 61.21 years
  female: 72.2 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  16,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Kazakhstani(s)
  adjective: Kazakhstani

Ethnic groups:
  Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%,
  German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Religions:
  Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Languages:
  Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in
  everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
  communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Government Kazakhstan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
  conventional short form: Kazakhstan
  local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
  local short form: none
  former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
  outside the executive branch

Capital:
  Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana in
  December 1998

Administrative divisions:
  14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities* (qala,
  singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola Oblysy
  (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
  (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
  Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
  (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of
  Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
  lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
  Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
  (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the
  lease to 2050

Independence:
  16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Constitution:
  first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January 1993; new
  constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV (chairman of the
  Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected president 1 December
  1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Akhmetzhan YESIMOV (since 14 May
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
  scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
  previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held
  30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
  percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn
  ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
  note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that
  expanded his presidential powers: only he can initiate
  constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government,
  dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint
  administrative heads of regions and cities

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7 senators
  are appointed by the president; other members are popularly elected,
  two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana, and the city
  of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note - formerly composed of 47
  seats) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77 Majilis members
  are elected from the winning party's lists; members are popularly
  elected to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to
  be held December 2005); Majilis - last held 19 September and 3
  October 2004 (next to be held September 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Majilis -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,
  ASAR (All Together) 4, Ak Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1,
  independent 18; note - most independent candidates are affiliated
  with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7 members)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Ak Zhol Party "Bright Path" [Bulat
  ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Lyudmila ZHULANOVA, Alikhan BAYMENOV,
  Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, co-chairs]; ASAR "All Together" [Dariga
  NAZARBAYEVA, chairwoman]; AUL "Village" [Gani KALIYEV]; Civic Party
  [Azat PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or KPK
  [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's Party of
  Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]; Democratic Party of Kazakhstan
  [Maksut NARIKBAEV]; Otan "Fatherland" [Bakhytzhan ZHUMAGULOV, acting
  chairman]; Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV]; Rukhaniyat [Altynshash
  JAGANOVA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel FOKINA];
  Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN]; Kazakhstan
  International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS, executive
  director]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina SAVOSTINA,
  chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors [Dos
  KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
  (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
  chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
  consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
  embassy: 99/97A Fumanova, Samal-2, Almaty, 480099
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [7] (3272) 50-48-02
  FAX: [7] (3272) 50-48-84

Flag description:
  sky blue background representing the endless sky and a gold sun
  with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the center; on
  the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Economy Kazakhstan

Economy - overview:
  Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
  territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
  as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also
  has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.
  Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
  processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
  machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
  tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
  breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
  Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
  short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
  decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
  program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
  a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
  enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
  thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
  reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. Growth remained at
  the high 9% level in 2003 and 2004. The opening of the Caspian
  Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz
  oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity. The
  country has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify
  the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector, by
  developing light industry. Additionally, the policy aims to reduce
  the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel; the
  government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil
  companies over the terms of production agreements, and tensions
  continue.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $118.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  9.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.4% industry: 37.8% services: 54.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  7.95 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  19% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.3% highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.5 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $8.67 billion
  expenditures: $8.968 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  13.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Industries:
  oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc, copper,
  titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron and steel;
  tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric motors,
  construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  10.6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  66.82 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 84.3% hydro: 15.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  62.21 billion kWh (203)

Electricity - exports:
  4.975 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  2.506 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  1.2 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  189,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  890,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  47,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
  11.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  11.01 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  8.696 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.8 trillion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
  $-39.02 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $18.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals 5%,
  machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Russia 15.1%, Bermuda 13.8%, Germany 11%, China 9.9%, France 6.6%,
  Italy 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $13.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%, foodstuffs 8%
  (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 34.6%, China 15.4%, Germany 8.2%, France 5.7%, Ukraine 4.6%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.35 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $26.03 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000 (FY2004)

Currency (code):
  tenge (KZT)

Currency code:
  KZT

Exchange rates:
  tenge per US dollar - 136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003), 153.28 (2002),
  146.74 (2001), 142.13 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Kazakhstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,081,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.027 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
  domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
  cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
  international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
  former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
  radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Radios:
  6.47 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  3.88 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kz

Internet hosts:
  21,984 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (with their own international channels) (2001)

Internet users:
  250,000 (2002)

Transportation Kazakhstan

Railways: total: 13,700 km broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 82,980 km paved: 77,918 km unpaved: 5,062 km (2002)

Waterways:
  4,000 km
  note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 18 km; gas 10,370 km; oil 10,158 km; refined products
  1,187 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk),
  Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (United Kingdom 2) (2005)

Airports:
  314 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 67
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 247
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 27
  under 914 m: 197 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Kazakhstan

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force, Republican
  Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
  obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers NA (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,758,255 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,473,529 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 173,129 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Transnational Issues Kazakhstan

Disputes - international:
  in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with Russia, Turkmenistan, and
  Uzbekistan to commence demarcating their boundaries; delimitation
  with Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed boundary with
  Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains unresolved; equidistant
  seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the
  Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water
  column among any of the littoral states

Illicit drugs:
  significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS markets, as
  well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra (for the drug
  ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
  point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
  Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Kenya

Introduction Kenya

Background:
  Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led
  Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
  Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
  The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
  the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
  legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
  for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
  opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
  and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
  having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
  MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
  elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
  united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
  KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
  campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Geography Kenya

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and
  Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 582,650 sq km
  land: 569,250 sq km
  water: 13,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,477 km
  border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
  Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:
  536 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain:
  low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley;
  fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite,
  gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 8.08% permanent crops: 0.98% other: 90.94% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment - current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
  agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
  Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
  supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
  value

People Kenya

Population:
  33,829,590
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 7,252,075/female 7,124,034)
  15-64 years: 55.2% (male 9,378,428/female 9,295,471)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 356,116/female 423,466) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.19 years
  male: 18.08 years
  female: 18.3 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.56% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to
  220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia
  145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 61.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 64.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 47.99 years
  male: 48.87 years
  female: 47.09 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  6.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.2 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  150,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality: noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:
  Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%,
  Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab)
  1%

Religions:
  Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim
  10%, other 2%
  note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
  the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
  beliefs vary widely

Languages:
  English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
  languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.1%
  male: 90.6%
  female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kenya

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
  conventional short form: Kenya
  former: British East Africa

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Nairobi

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*,
  North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:
  12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:
  12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
  amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Legal system:
  based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
  tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
  amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
  1991

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and
  Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
  and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
  terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
  vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
  avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
  December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
  Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
  "nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
  by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
  ex-officio members)
  elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
  by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High
  Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
  [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
  [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -
  the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National
  Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of
  political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];
  Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava
  MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme
  Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,
  OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHE
  chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiri; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (20) 537-800 FAX: [254] (20) 537-810

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the
  red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
  crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Economy Kenya

Economy - overview:
  The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has
  been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary
  goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended
  Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
  government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
  severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
  causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
  As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had
  resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
  halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
  several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
  in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
  investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at
  1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,
  meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.
  In the key 27 December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old
  reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
  economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made in
  rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, with GDP
  growth edging up to 1.7%. GDP grew a moderate 2.2% in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $34.68 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.3% industry: 18.5% services: 62.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  11.4 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.9 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  14.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.89 billion
  expenditures: $3.443 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
  products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries:
  small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
  textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products; oil
  refining, aluminum, steel, lead, cement; commercial ship repair,
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.475 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 17.7% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 11.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.337 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  175 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-459.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.589 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
  cement

Exports - partners:
  Uganda 13.3%, UK 11.4%, US 10.6%, Netherlands 8.2%, Egypt 4.9%,
  Tanzania 4.5%, Pakistan 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $4.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:
  UAE 12.6%, Saudi Arabia 9.1%, South Africa 8.8%, US 7.7%, India
  7.2%, UK 6.7%, China 6.4%, Japan 5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.5 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $6.792 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $453 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code:
  KES

Exchange rates:
  Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 79.174 (2004), 75.936 (2003),
  78.749 (2002), 78.563 (2001), 76.176 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:
  328,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,590,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except
  for service to business
  domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
  commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
  international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
  3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (2002)

Televisions:
  730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ke

Internet hosts:
  8,325 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  65 (2001)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Kenya

Railways: total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 63,942 km paved: 7,737 km unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Waterways:
  part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2004)

Pipelines:
  refined products 752 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Mombasa

Merchant marine:
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 6 (2005)

Airports:
  221 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Military Kenya

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 7,303,153 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,963,532 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $177.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Kenya

Disputes - international:
  Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's
  north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to
  approximately a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans who
  flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's
  Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya's administrative limits extend
  beyond the treaty border into the Sudan, creating the Ilemi Triangle

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 154,272 (Somalia) 11,139 (Ethiopia)
  63,197 (Sudan)
  IDPs: 350,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)
  (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country
  for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian
  methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant
  potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status
  as a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relatively
  high levels of narcotics-associated activities

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Kingman Reef

Introduction Kingman Reef

Background:
  The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon served as a
  way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa flights
  during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on the reef,
  which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant and diverse
  marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding the reef out
  to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge.

Geography Kingman Reef

Location:
  Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
  6 24 N, 162 24 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 1 sq km
  land: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by prevailing winds

Terrain:
  low and nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of about 1 meter
  makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues:
  none

Geography - note:
  barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to the public

People Kingman Reef

Population: uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Government Kingman Reef

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the
  Interior
  note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted
  restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef
  from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18
  January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be
  administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this
  refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of
  Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Kingman Reef

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Kingman Reef

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and American
  Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and 1938
  (2004 est.)

Military Kingman Reef

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Kingman Reef

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Kiribati

Introduction Kiribati

Background:
  The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and
  complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US
  relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line
  Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography Kiribati

Location:
  Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling
  the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the way from
  Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed
  that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as its Gilbert
  Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line
  Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of the
  International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:
  1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 811 sq km
  land: 811 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
  Phoenix Islands

Area - comparative:
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,143 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources: phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use: arable land: 2.74% permanent crops: 50.68% other: 46.58% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
  occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
  very sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
  heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy
  migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines
  and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in
  Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People Kiribati

Population:
  103,092 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.9% (male 20,342/female 19,806)
  15-64 years: 57.7% (male 29,362/female 30,136)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,477/female 1,969) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.05 years
  male: 19.61 years
  female: 20.58 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.86 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 48.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.71 years
  male: 58.71 years
  female: 64.86 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
  adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:
  Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
  Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church
  of God (1999)

Languages:
  I-Kiribati, English (official)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Kiribati

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
  conventional short form: Kiribati
  note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
  former: Gilbert Islands

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Tarawa

Administrative divisions:
  3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in
  addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line
  Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island
  councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama,
  Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati,
  Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea,
  Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:
  12 July 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:
  12 July 1979

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
  members of the House of Parliament
  elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
  candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete
  in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be held not
  later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
  9.1%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42 seats;
  39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the attorney
  general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other; members
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second
  round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
  note: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
  round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges at all
  levels are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
  Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON]; Maneaban Te
  Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati or MKP
  [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry TONG]
  note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
  in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
  because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
  structures

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an honorary
  consulate in Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador to Fiji
  is accredited to Kiribati

Flag description:
  the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying over a
  yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three horizontal
  wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Economy Kiribati

Economy - overview:
  A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has few
  natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
  exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
  fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
  has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
  constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
  and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
  than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
  development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
  Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
  China equals 25%-50% of GDP. Remittances from workers abroad account
  for more than $5 million each year.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $79 million - supplemented by a nearly equal amount from external sources (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 7%
  services: 63% (1998 est.)

Labor force:
  7,870 economically active, not including subsistence farmers (2001
  est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $28.4 million
  expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Industries:
  fishing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.7% (1991 est.)

Electricity - production:
  7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  6.51 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $35 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Exports - partners:
  France 45.7%, Japan 29.2%, US 9.1%, Thailand 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $83 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous manufactured
  goods, fuel

Imports - partners:
  Australia 33.6%, Fiji 29.8%, Japan 10.3%, New Zealand 6.9%, France
  4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $10 million (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
  1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  NA

Communications Kiribati

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally good quality national and
  international service
  domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati;
  connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless
  service available in Tarawa since 1999
  international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
  Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
  improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Radios:
  17,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Televisions:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ki

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2002)

Transportation Kiribati

Highways: total: 670 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Betio

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
  by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  20 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Kiribati

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
  enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
  are on all islands)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance is
  provided by Australia and NZ

Transnational Issues Kiribati

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Korea, North

Introduction Korea, North

Background:
  An independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most of the
  past millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905 following the
  Russo-Japanese War; five years later, Japan formally annexed the
  entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was split with the
  northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist domination.
  After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the US-backed
  republic in the southern portion by force, North Korea, under its
  founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of ostensible
  diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check against excessive
  Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. It molded political,
  economic, and military policies around the core ideological
  objective of eventual unification of Korea under Pyongyang's
  control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was officially
  designated as KIM's successor in 1980 and assumed a growing
  political and managerial role until his father's death in 1994. He
  assumed full power without opposition. After decades of economic
  mismanagement and resource misallocation, the North since the
  mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its
  population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army
  of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and
  research into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive
  conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international
  community. In December 2002, following revelations it was pursuing a
  nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a
  1994 agreement with the United States to freeze and ultimately
  dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled
  monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In
  January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international
  Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had
  completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract
  weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent."
  From August 2003, North Korea has participated on and off in
  six-party talks with the China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the
  United States to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs.

Geography Korea, North

Location:
  Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
  Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and South Korea

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 127 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 120,540 sq km
  land: 120,410 sq km
  water: 130 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Mississippi

Land boundaries: total: 1,673 km border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Coastline:
  2,495 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
  exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
  vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Climate:
  temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Terrain:
  mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow valleys;
  coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Natural resources:
  coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron ore, copper,
  gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 20.76% permanent crops: 2.49% other: 76.75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding; occasional
  typhoons during the early fall

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; waterborne
  disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and Russia;
  mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

People Korea, North

Population:
  22,912,177 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.2% (male 2,816,844/female 2,735,478)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,668,581/female 7,883,267)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 625,819/female 1,182,188) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.74 years
  male: 30.47 years
  female: 33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.37 years
  male: 68.65 years
  female: 74.22 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.15 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
  racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few
  ethnic Japanese

Religions:
  traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian and
  syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
  note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
  government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
  religious freedom

Languages:
  Korean

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99%

Government Korea, North

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: North Korea
  local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
  local short form: none
  note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: DPRK

Government type:
  Communist state one-man dictatorship

Capital:
  Pyongyang

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4 municipalities (si,
  singular and plural)
  : provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
  Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
  Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
  P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
  Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
  : municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),
  Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Independence:
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
  Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), 9
  September (1948)

Constitution:
  adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972, revised again in
  April 1992, and September 1998

Legal system:
  based on German civil law system with Japanese influences and
  Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note - on 3
  September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
  reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
  position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
  reelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also with
  responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
  credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premier
  head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);
  Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun
  (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
  People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPA
  elections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held in
  September 2008)
  election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
  for positions and ran unopposed

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin Hoeui (687
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected
  without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Judicial branch:
  Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme People's Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong Il, general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control); Social Democratic Party [KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under KWP control)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as consular
  protecting power)

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
  the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side of the red band is
  a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Economy Korea, North

Economy - overview:
  North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned and isolated
  economies, faces desperate economic conditions. Industrial capital
  stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of years of
  underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and power
  output have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its
  eleventh year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land,
  collective farming, weather-related problems, and chronic shortages
  of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries
  have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995, but
  the population remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition and
  deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats
  up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In July
  2002, the government took limited steps toward a freer market
  economy. In 2004, heightened political tensions with key donor
  countries and general donor fatigue threatened the flow of
  desperately needed food aid and fuel aid. Black market prices have
  continued to rise following the increase in official prices and
  wages in the summer of 2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as
  the elderly and unemployed, less able to buy goods. In 2004, the
  regime allowed private markets to sell a wider range of goods and
  permitted private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to
  boost agricultural output. Firm political control remains the
  Communist government's overriding concern, which will constrain any
  further loosening of economic regulations.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $40 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 30.2% industry: 33.8% services: 36% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  9.6 million

Labor force - by occupation:
  agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2003)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA (2003 est.)

Budget: revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs, pork, eggs

Industries:
  military products; machine building, electric power, chemicals;
  mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper, zinc, lead, and
  precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food processing; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  33.62 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29% hydro: 71% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  31.26 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  11,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures (including
  armaments); textiles and fishery products

Exports - partners:
  China 29.9%, South Korea 24.1%, Japan 13.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.1 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment; textiles, grain

Imports - partners:
  China 32.9%, Thailand 10.7%, Japan 4.8% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $12 billion (1996 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA; note - over $117 million in food aid through the World Food
  Program in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral donors and
  non-governmental organizations

Currency (code):
  North Korean won (KPW)

Currency code:
  KPW

Exchange rates:
  official: North Korean won per US dollar - 170 (December 2004), 150
  (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001); market: North Korean won per
  US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Korea, North

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.1 million (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
  international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central Broadcasting
  Station), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2003)

Radios:
  3.36 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae Television, Korean
  Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong Television targeting
  South Korea) (2003)

Televisions:
  1.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Korea, North

Railways: total: 5,214 km standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 31,200 km paved: 1,997 km unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 2,250 km note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Pipelines:
  oil 154 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong, Najin,
  Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang, Wonsan

Merchant marine:
  total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 985,108 GRT/1,389,389 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 191, container 2, livestock carrier
  4, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 5,
  roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 52 (China 1, Denmark 2, France 1, Greece 4, Italy 1,
  Lebanon 4, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 1, Pakistan 2, Romania 10,
  Russia 2, Singapore 2, South Korea 2, Syria 9, Turkey 6, Ukraine 1,
  UAE 3) (2005)

Airports:
  78 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 35 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 23 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 19 (2004 est.)

Military Korea, North

Military branches:
  North Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air Force; Civil
  Security Forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 5,851,801 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 4,810,831 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 194,605 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $5,217.4 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Korea, North

Disputes - international:
  China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of thousands of North
  Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and political
  oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty of certain
  islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers and a section of boundary around
  Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; Military Demarcation Line
  within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has separated North from
  South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime disputes with South over
  the Northern Limit Line; North Korea supports South Korea in
  rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  for years, from the 1970's into the 2000's, citizens of the
  Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of them
  diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad
  while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December
  2004; in recent years, police investigations in Taiwan and Japan
  have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and
  methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant
  ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003;
  all indications point to North Korea emerging as an important
  regional source of illicit drugs targeting markets in Japan, Taiwan,
  the Russian Far East, and China

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Korea, South

Introduction Korea, South

Background:
  Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most
  of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese
  War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally
  annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a republic was set
  up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a
  Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the
  Korean War (1950-53), US and other UN forces intervened to defend
  South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An
  armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a
  demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South
  Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising
  to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South Korean
  voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years of
  military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning
  modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit
  took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the
  North's leader KIM Jong Il.

Geography Korea, South

Location:
  Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
  Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Geographic coordinates:
  37 00 N, 127 30 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 98,480 sq km
  land: 98,190 sq km
  water: 290 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 238 km border countries: North Korea 238 km

Coastline:
  2,413 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the Korea Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
  temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Terrain:
  mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west and south

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Natural resources: coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower potential

Land use: arable land: 17.18% permanent crops: 1.95% other: 80.87% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods; low-level seismic
  activity common in southwest

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water pollution from the
  discharge of sewage and industrial effluents; drift net fishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Korea Strait

People Korea, South

Population:
  48,422,644 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.4% (male 4,952,177/female 4,450,821)
  15-64 years: 72% (male 17,715,267/female 17,147,808)
  65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,670,971/female 2,485,600) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.51 years
  male: 33.53 years
  female: 35.53 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.38% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.85 years
  male: 73.42 years
  female: 80.57 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  8,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Korean(s) adjective: Korean

Ethnic groups:
  homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Religions:
  no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%,
  other 1%

Languages:
  Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 99.2%
  female: 96.6% (2002)

Government Korea, South

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: South Korea
  local long form: Taehan-min'guk
  local short form: none
  note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: ROK

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Seoul

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7 metropolitan cities
  (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
  : provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
  (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
  Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
  Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
  : metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on),
  Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan),
  Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi
  (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Independence:
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

National holiday:
  Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Constitution:
  17 July 1948

Legal system:
  combines elements of continental European civil law systems,
  Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25 February 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004);
  Deputy Prime Ministers HAN Duck-soo (14 March 2005), KIM Jin-pyo
  (since 28 January 2005), and OH Myung (since 18 October 2004)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year
  term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
  February 2008); prime minister appointed by president with consent
  of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
  on prime minister's recommendation
  election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH
  Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP)
  48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats - members elected
  for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat constituencies, 56 by
  proportional representation
  elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;
  byelections held on 30 April 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP
  3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 146, GNP 125, DLP 10, DP
  9, ULD 3, independents 6
  note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party
  reflect results of 2005 byelections involving six seats; MDP became
  DP in May 2005 (2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with consent of
  National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices appointed by
  president based partly on nominations by National Assembly and Chief
  Justice of the court)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung, chairwoman];
  Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; Grand National
  Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; United Liberal Democrats
  or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [MOON Hee-sang, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean Trade Unions;
  Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National Council of
  Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans' Association;
  National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic Alliance of
  Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations; National
  Federation of Student Associations

International organization participation:
  AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lee Tae-sik (designated)
  chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
  Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Agana (Guam) and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710 mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550 telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114 FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Flag description:
  white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the center;
  there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching (Book of
  Changes) in each corner of the white field

Economy Korea, South

Economy - overview:
  Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an incredible
  record of growth and integration into the high-tech modern world
  economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable with levels
  in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, it joined the
  trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP per capita is
  14 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser economies of the
  European Union. This success through the late 1980s was achieved by
  a system of close government/business ties, including directed
  credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of specific industries, and
  a strong labor effort. The government promoted the import of raw
  materials and technology at the expense of consumer goods and
  encouraged savings and investment over consumption. The Asian
  financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed longstanding weaknesses in South
  Korea's development model, including high debt/equity ratios,
  massive foreign borrowing, and an undisciplined financial sector.
  Growth plunged to a negative 6.9% in 1998, then strongly recovered
  to 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001
  because of the slowing global economy, falling exports, and the
  perception that much-needed corporate and financial reforms had
  stalled. Led by consumer spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an
  impressive 7.0%, despite anemic global growth. Economic growth fell
  to 3.1% in 2003 because of a downturn in consumer spending and
  recovered to an estimated 4.6% in 2004 on the strength of rapid
  export growth. The government plans to boost infrastructure spending
  in 2005. Moderate inflation, low unemployment, an export surplus,
  and fairly equal distribution of income characterize this solid
  economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $925.1 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.2% industry: 40.4% services: 56.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  22.9 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  28.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $150.5 billion
  expenditures: $155.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  21.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs,
  chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
  electronics, telecommunications, automobile production, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
  10.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  322.5 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.4% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 36.6% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  293.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.07 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  630,100 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  2.263 million bbl/day (2003)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  20.92 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  21.11 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $26.78 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $250.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment, motor
  vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Exports - partners:
  China 19.7%, US 17%, Japan 8.6%, Hong Kong 7.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $214.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil, steel,
  transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Imports - partners:
  Japan 20.6%, China 13.2%, US 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $199.1 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $160 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA $334 million (2003)

Currency (code):
  South Korean won (KRW)

Currency code:
  KRW

Exchange rates:
  South Korean won per US dollar - 1,145.3 (2004), 1,191.6 (2003),
  1,251.1 (2002), 1,291 (2001), 1,131 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Korea, South

Telephones - main lines in use:
  22.877 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  33,591,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to
  China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth
  stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
  Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:
  47.5 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations: 64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable Operators) (2004)

Televisions:
  15.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kr

Internet hosts:
  694,206 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2000)

Internet users:
  29.22 million (2003)

Transportation Korea, South

Railways: total: 3,472 km standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 86,990 km
  paved: 66,721 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20,269 km (2001)

Waterways: 1,608 km note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Merchant marine:
  total: 601 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,992,656 GRT/11,081,142 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 125, cargo 196, chemical tanker 88, container
  71, liquefied gas 20, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 22, petroleum
  tanker 51, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle
  carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, United Kingdom 1)
  registered in other countries: 366 (2005)

Airports:
  179 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 88 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 21 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 91 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 206 (2004 est.)

Military Korea, South

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime Police
  (Coast Guard)

Military service age and obligation: 20-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since 1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry; excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 12,458,257 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 9,932,026 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 344,723 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $16.18 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Korea, South

Disputes - international:
  Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone
  has separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime
  disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit Line; South Korea
  and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by
  South Korea since 1954

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Kuwait

Introduction Kuwait

Background:
  Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
  Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
  Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
  several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
  ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
  days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
  damaged during 1990-91.

Geography Kuwait

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and Saudi
  Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  29 30 N, 45 45 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 17,820 sq km
  land: 17,820 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 462 km border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Coastline:
  499 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
  dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Terrain:
  flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Natural resources: petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.73% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 99.16% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  60 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring heavy
  rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust storms
  occur throughout the year, but are most common between March and
  August

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Geography - note: strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

People Kuwait

Population: 2,335,648 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 323,382/female 311,700)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,045,589/female 591,243)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 40,439/female 23,295) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.86 years
  male: 28.05 years
  female: 22.12 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.44%
  note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
  expatriates (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  14.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.03 years
  male: 76.01 years
  female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.12% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Kuwaiti(s)
  adjective: Kuwaiti

Ethnic groups:
  Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions:
  Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi, and
  other 15%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.5%
  male: 85.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government Kuwait

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Kuwait
  conventional short form: Kuwait
  local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
  local short form: Al Kuwayt

Government type:
  nominal constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Kuwait

Administrative divisions:
  5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi, Al
  Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Independence:
  19 June 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
  National Day, 25 February (1950)

Constitution:
  approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Legal system:
  civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or have
  resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants at
  age 21
  note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
  naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
  have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
  first time

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since 31
  December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah
  head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
  (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
  the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime
  Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad
  Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
  approved by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21,
  government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
  all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
  Assembly

Judicial branch:
  High Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  none; formation of political parties is illegal

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
  merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
  nationalists

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
  chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
  embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
  palace), Kuwait City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
  09880-9000
  telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308
  FAX: [965] 538-0282

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red with a
  black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates to
  1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Economy Kuwait

Economy - overview:
  Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved crude
  oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves.
  Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues,
  and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural
  development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends
  almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be
  distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with foreign
  oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the country.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $48 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.4% industry: 60.5% services: 39.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 1.42 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $35.82 billion
  expenditures: $19.53 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  practically no crops; fish

Industries:
  petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair,
  desalination, food processing, construction materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  -5% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  32.43 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  30.16 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  2.319 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  293,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  96.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.548 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $12.04 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $27.42 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and refined products, fertilizers

Exports - partners:
  Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%, Taiwan
  9.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $11.12 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Imports - partners:
  US 12.9%, Germany 11.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 5.5%,
  Italy 5%, France 4.5%, China 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $7.333 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $15.02 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA (2001)

Currency (code):
  Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Currency code:
  KWD

Exchange rates:
  Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003), 0.3039
  (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Kuwait

Telephones - main lines in use:
  486,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1.42 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
  domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
  subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
  coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
  telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
  supplied with pay telephones
  international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
  relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
  Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
  2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.175 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Televisions:
  875,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kw

Internet hosts:
  3,437 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  567,000 (2003)

Transportation Kuwait

Highways: total: 4,450 km paved: 3,587 km unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al Ahmadi,
  Mina' Su'ud

Merchant marine:
  total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock
  carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20
  registered in other countries: 19 (2005)

Airports:
  7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Military Kuwait

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force), National
  Guard (2002)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 864,745 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 737,292 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 18,743 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2,584.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Kuwait

Disputes - international:
  Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime
  boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the
  Persian Gulf

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Kyrgyzstan

Introduction Kyrgyzstan

Background:
  A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and proud
  nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864; it
  achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nation-wide
  demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of
  President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990.
  Subsequent presidential elections in July of 2005 were won
  overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. Current
  concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
  expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
  relations, and combating terrorism.

Geography Kyrgyzstan

Location:
  Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 75 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 198,500 sq km
  land: 191,300 sq km
  water: 7,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,878 km
  border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical in
  southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Terrain:
  peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins encompass
  entire nation

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
  highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Natural resources:
  abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and rare earth
  metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas; other
  deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Land use:
  arable land: 7.3%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 92.35%
  note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
  forest (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution; many people get their water directly from
  contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne diseases
  are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty irrigation
  practices

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien Shan range;
  many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

People Kyrgyzstan

Population:
  5,146,281 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.6% (male 827,751/female 796,029)
  15-64 years: 62.3% (male 1,571,476/female 1,632,506)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 123,992/female 194,527) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.39 years
  male: 22.52 years
  female: 24.27 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.29% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 35.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 40.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 30.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.16 years
  male: 64.16 years
  female: 72.38 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,900 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
  adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Ethnic groups:
  Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%, Ukrainian
  1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Religions:
  Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Languages:
  Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.7%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 98.1% (1999 est.)

Government Kyrgyzstan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
  conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
  local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
  local short form: none
  former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bishkek

Administrative divisions:
  7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city* (shaar);
  Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek), Jalal-Abad
  Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty, Ysyk-Kol Oblasty
  (Karakol)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by President AKAYEV
  and passed in a national referendum on 2 February 2003 significantly
  expands the powers of the president at the expense of the legislature

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14 August 2005);
  note - former President Askar AKAYEV resigned effective 11 April
  2005 following widespread protests that forced him to flee the
  country on 24 March 2005
  head of government: Prime Minister Feliks KULOV (since 1 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for NA 2010);
  prime minister nominated by the president for approval by Parliament
  election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of
  vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other
  candidates 7.5%; Feliks KULOV approved as prime minister 55-8

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh consists of the
  Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Legislative
  Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms); note - in accordance with a 2003 referendum, the
  Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75 deputies after the
  27 February 2005 elections
  elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20
  February and 12 March 2000; Legislative Assembly - last held 20
  February and 12 March 2000; elections for the new unicameral body or
  Jorgorku Kenesh were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of
  positions remained undecided and were to be contested in a runoff
  election scheduled for 13 March 2005; election irregularities caused
  widespread protests that resulted in the president being forced to
  flee the country; new legislative elections have not yet been
  rescheduled
  election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total
  seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
  Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4,
  independents 73, other 10
  note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995
  elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of
  People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by the
  Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
  Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Political parties and leaders:
  Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian Labor Party of
  Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of Kyrgyzstan [Erkin
  ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan) [Bolot BEGALIYEV];
  Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba (Banner National
  Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken (Fatherland) [Omurbek
  TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA];
  Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin
  Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party [Bektur ASANOV];
  Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV]; Future of
  Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New Kyrgyzstan)
  [Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz National
  Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan CHYNYBAYEV];
  Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz AITMATOV]; Moya
  Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart OTORBAYEV]; Party of
  Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek BEKBOYEV]; Party of
  Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party of Peasants
  [Esengul ISAKOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human Rights
  [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement; Union of
  Entrepreneurs

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
  chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
  FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139
  consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
  embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
  FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Flag description:
  red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
  representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
  counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
  sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
  representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Economy Kyrgyzstan

Economy - overview:
  Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a predominantly
  agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat are the main
  agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton are exported
  in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold, mercury, uranium,
  and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has been fairly
  progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an improved
  regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first CIS
  country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With fits
  and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in 2001,
  2.1% in 2002, 4% in 2003, and 3.2% in 2004. Much of the government's
  stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production had been
  severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December 1991, but
  by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began to
  increase. Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting relatively
  liberal economic policies. The drop in output at the Kumtor gold
  mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP growth bounced
  back to 6% in 2003 and 2004. The government has made steady strides
  in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and aims to reduce the
  deficit to 3% of GDP in 2004. The government and the international
  financial institutions have been engaged in a comprehensive
  medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth strategy. Further
  restructuring of domestic industry and success in attracting foreign
  investment are keys to future growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $8.495 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.5% industry: 22.8% services: 38.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.7 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  18% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  29 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $431.3 million
  expenditures: $445.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and berries;
  sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Industries:
  small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement, shoes, sawn
  logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold, rare earth
  metals

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  11.72 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 7.6% hydro: 92.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  10.21 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.062 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  375 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-87.92 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $646.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium, natural gas,
  hydropower; machinery; shoes

Exports - partners:
  UAE 28.2%, Russia 19.1%, China 12%, Kazakhstan 11.1%, Switzerland
  6.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $775.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  China 26.3%, Russia 22.3%, Kazakhstan 17.1%, Turkey 5.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $498.7 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.97 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $50 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code):

Currency code:
  KGS

Exchange rates:
  soms per US dollar - 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937 (2002),
  48.378 (2001), 47.704 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Kyrgyzstan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  394,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  53,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000 unsatisfied
  applications for household telephones
  domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
  probably limited to Bishkek region
  international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
  countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
  countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
  switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
  and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TAE) fiber-optic line

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  520,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay programs from
  Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Televisions:
  210,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kg

Internet hosts:
  12,299 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  152,000 (2002)

Transportation Kyrgyzstan

Railways: total: 470 km broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 18,500 km
  paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  600 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Airports:
  52 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Military Kyrgyzstan

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, National Guard (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,193,529 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 871,493 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 61,091 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $19.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Kyrgyzstan

Disputes - international:
  delimitation with Kazakhstan is complete; disputes in Isfara Valley
  delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan; delimitation is
  underway with Uzbekistan but serious disputes around enclaves and
  elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border

Illicit drugs:
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy for CIS
  markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops; transit
  point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the rest of
  Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Laos

Introduction Laos

Background:
  Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late 18th
  century until the late 19th century when it became part of French
  Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the current Lao
  border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control
  of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer
  ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual
  return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment
  laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Geography Laos

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  18 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 236,800 sq km
  land: 230,800 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Utah

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,083 km
  border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
  Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April)

Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mekong River 70 m highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Natural resources: timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Land use:
  arable land: 3.8%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 95.85% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,640 sq km
  note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation -
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  floods, droughts

Environment - current issues: unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the population does not have access to potable water

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
  forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
  boundary with Thailand

People Laos

Population:
  6,217,141 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.6% (male 1,300,094/female 1,289,227)
  15-64 years: 55.2% (male 1,693,494/female 1,737,196)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 88,744/female 108,386) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.74 years
  male: 18.42 years
  female: 19.08 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.42% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 75.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 55.08 years
  male: 53.07 years
  female: 57.17 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,700 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
  adjective: Lao or Laotian

Ethnic groups:
  Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
  (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic
  Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Religions:
  Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various Christian
  denominations 1.5%)

Languages:
  Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66.4%
  male: 77.4%
  female: 55.5% (2002)

Government Laos

Country name:
  conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
  conventional short form: Laos
  local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
  local short form: none

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Vientiane

Administrative divisions:
  16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
  (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
  (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
  Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,
  Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*,
  Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Independence:
  19 July 1949 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Constitution:
  promulgated 14 August 1991

Legal system:
  based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures,
  and socialist practice

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26 February
  1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason (since 27
  March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
  March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since
  3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since
  May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March
  2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26
  February 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
  in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
  approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
  election results: KHAMTAI Siphadon elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats
  increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
  elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Judicial branch:
  People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme Court
  is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
  National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
  People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
  Assembly Standing Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
  Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphadon, party
  president]; other parties proscribed

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition leaders
  fled the country in 1975

International organization participation:
  ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
  (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
  chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546 telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585 FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red
  with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Economy Laos

Economy - overview:
  The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official
  Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
  private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
  low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except
  during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis
  beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
  country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a
  rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
  telecommunications. The government has sponsored major improvements
  in the road system. Electricity is available in only a few urban
  areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
  80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from
  aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
  foreign investment in food processing and mining. In late 2004, Laos
  gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing
  Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on their exports; this
  may help spur growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.28 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49.5% industry: 27.5% services: 23% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.7% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12.3% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $284.3 million
  expenditures: $416.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
  cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Industries:
  tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
  processing, construction, garments, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  9.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.56 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.4% hydro: 98.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.036 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  400 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  125 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-80.76 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $365.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Exports - partners:
  Thailand 19.3%, Vietnam 13.4%, France 8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 5% (2004)

Imports:
  $579.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  Thailand 60.5%, China 10.3%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $193.1 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $2.49 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $243 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  kip (LAK)

Currency code:
  LAK

Exchange rates:
  kips per US dollar - 10,820 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3 (2002),
  8,954.6 (2001), 7,887.6 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Laos

Telephones - main lines in use:
  61,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  55,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: service to general public is poor but improving
  with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an additional
  48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a radiotelephone
  network to communicate with remote areas
  domestic: radiotelephone communications
  international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (1999)

Televisions:
  52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .la

Internet hosts:
  937 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Laos

Highways:
  total: 21,716 km
  paved: 9,664 km
  unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  4,600 km
  note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
  intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)

Pipelines:
  refined products 540 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 35
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Laos

Military branches:
  Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 15-49: 1,500,625 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 954,816 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 73,167 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $10.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.5% (2004)

Military - note:
  Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao
  People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively
  resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding
  to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely
  to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry
  centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics
  transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on
  the Lao-Burma border (2005)

Transnational Issues Laos

Disputes - international:
  Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check
  the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand pledge to complete
  demarcation of boundaries in 2005, while ongoing disputes over
  squatters and boundary encroachment by Thailand including Mekong
  River islets persist; in 2004 Cambodian-Laotian boundary commission
  agrees to re-erect missing markers in two adjoining provinces;
  concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of
  dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Illicit drugs:
  estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease
  from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons,
  a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Latvia

Introduction Latvia

Background:
  After a brief period of independence between the two World Wars,
  Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
  independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
  Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
  Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
  Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Geography Latvia

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
  Lithuania

Geographic coordinates:
  57 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 64,589 sq km
  land: 63,589 sq km
  water: 1,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,150 km
  border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
  Russia 217 km

Coastline:
  531 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  maritime; wet, moderate winters

Terrain:
  low plain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Natural resources: peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.67% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 69.86% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  200 sq km
  note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
  irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
  has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
  industries after the country regained independence; the main
  environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
  and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as
  well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU
  accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full
  enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains, with
  some hills in the east

People Latvia

Population:
  2,290,237 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 169,284/female 161,648)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 770,839/female 819,309)
  65 years and over: 16.1% (male 120,306/female 248,851) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.12 years
  male: 35.95 years
  female: 42.15 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.69% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  13.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.05 years
  male: 65.78 years
  female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Latvian(s)
  adjective: Latvian

Ethnic groups:
  Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%,
  Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Religions:
  Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Languages:
  Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other 4.3%
  (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Government Latvia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
  conventional short form: Latvia
  local long form: Latvijas Republika
  local short form: Latvija
  former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Riga

Administrative divisions:
  26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*: Aizkraukles
  Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons, Cesu Rajons,
  Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons, Gulbenes Rajons,
  Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons, Jurmala*, Kraslavas
  Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas Rajons, Limbazu Rajons,
  Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons, Preilu Rajons,
  Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons, Saldus Rajons, Talsu
  Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras Rajons, Ventspils*,
  Ventspils Rajons

Independence:
  21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918 is
  the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4
  May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August
  1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental Human
  Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had supplemented
  the constitution

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  appointed by the Parliament
  elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
  parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - JL 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%,
  TP 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL
  26, PCTVL 24, TP 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by Parliament)

Political parties and leaders:
  First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights in a
  United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For the
  Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or
  TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS];
  Latvian Green Party or LZP [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS,
  Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts
  BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social
  Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP
  [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New Democrats
  or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People's
  Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis
  SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
  [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
  WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
  chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD-BAILEY
  embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
  mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [371] 703-6200
  FAX: [371] 782-0047

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width), and
  maroon

Economy Latvia

Economy - overview:
  Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
  financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency
  and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries,
  lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of
  companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the
  state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia
  officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU
  membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current
  account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but
  the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue
  collection may lessen the budget deficit. A growing perception that
  many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the
  country's vibrant financial sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $26.53 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.4% industry: 24.8% services: 70.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.17 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  26.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.231 billion
  expenditures: $4.504 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  11.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs;
  fish

Industries:
  buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
  agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
  electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
  dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.547 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 29.1% hydro: 70.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.829 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  2.7 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-1.251 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.569 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals, textiles,
  foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  UK 12.8%, Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia 8%,
  Russia 6.4%, Denmark 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $5.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:
  Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%, Finland
  6.3%, Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.65 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $7.368 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $96.2 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Latvian lat (LVL)

Currency code:
  LVL

Exchange rates:
  lati per US dollar - 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182 (2002),
  0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Latvia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  653,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,219,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
  an international capability independent of the Moscow international
  switch; more facilities are being installed for individual use
  domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
  rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
  subscriber applications
  international: country code - 371; international connections are now
  available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling
  direct connections for most calls (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.76 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.22 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lv

Internet hosts:
  51,758 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  41 (2001)

Internet users:
  936,000 (2003)

Transportation Latvia

Railways:
  total: 2,303 km
  broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 60,472 km
  paved: 57,206 km
  unpaved: 3,265 km (2002)

Waterways:
  300 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Riga, Ventspils

Merchant marine:
  total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
  by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 86 (2005)

Airports:
  50 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 26
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 24
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Latvia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard
  (Zemessardze)

Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 517,713 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 361,098 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 19,137 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $87 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Latvia

Disputes - international:
  the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and
  unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
  ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
  to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
  World War and other issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified
  its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to
  concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms
  part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict
  Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
  Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
  cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable
  to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent
  enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
  offshore companies and the gaming industry; organized crime
  (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
  prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Lebanon

Introduction Lebanon

Background:
  Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
  institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil
  war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
  reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
  political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
  the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
  in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
  conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
  been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
  extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
  country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization, retains its
  weapons. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in
  the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000
  based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus
  justified its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing
  Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to
  implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord.
  Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however,
  encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its
  forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a
  resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its
  interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese
  groups opposed to Syria's presence in Lebanon. Syria finally
  withdrew the remainder of its forces from Lebanon in April of 2005.

Geography Lebanon

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel and
  Syria

Geographic coordinates:
  33 50 N, 35 50 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 10,400 sq km
  land: 10,230 sq km
  water: 170 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 454 km border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Coastline:
  225 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
  Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry summers;
  Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates Lebanon and
  Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a water-deficit
  region, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 16.62%
  permanent crops: 13.98%
  other: 69.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in
  Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial wastes;
  pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

Geography - note:
  Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an
  international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
  protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
  clan, and ethnicity

People Lebanon

Population:
  3,826,018 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 520,270/female 499,609)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,216,738/female 1,324,031)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 120,176/female 145,194) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.34 years
  male: 26.28 years
  female: 28.43 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.63 years
  male: 70.17 years
  female: 75.21 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,800 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Lebanese

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or Nusayri),
  Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite Catholic,
  Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic, Syrian
  Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt, Protestant),
  other 1.3%
  note: seventeen religious sects recognized

Languages:
  Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.4%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Government Lebanon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
  conventional short form: Lebanon
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
  local short form: Lubnan

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Beirut

Administrative divisions:
  6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth, Beqaa,
  Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Independence:
  22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Constitution:
  23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently Charter of
  Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of October 1989

Legal system:
  mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law;
  no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for women at
  age 21 with elementary education

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November 1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June
  2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president and members of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
  term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA);
  note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to
  extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime
  minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in
  consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president
  is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
  the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
  election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
  president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
  10 abstentions

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
  Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
  vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005
  (next to be held 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group -
  Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and
  Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic
  Movement 14; Lebanese Forces 6; Qornet Shewan 5; Popular Bloc 4;
  Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National Socialist Party 2;
  Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Democratic Renewal
  Movement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; Ba'th
  Party 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 5

Judicial branch:
  four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and commercial
  cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional Council
  (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of laws);
  Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and prime
  minister as needed)

Political parties and leaders:
  Ba'th Party [leader NA]; Democratic Gathering [Walid JUNBLATT];
  Democratic Left [leader NA]; Development and Resistance Bloc [Nabih
  BARRI, Amal leader/speaker]; Free Patriotic Movement [Michel AWN];
  Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party [leader NA];
  Kataeb Reform Movement [leader NA]; Lebanese Forces [leader NA];
  Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Nasserite Popular
  Movement [leader NA]; Popular Bloc [leader NA]; Qornet Shewan
  [leader NA]; Syrian National Socialist Party [leader NA]; Tripoli
  Independent Bloc [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
  chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
  consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN embassy: Awkar, Lebanon mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box 2, FPO AE 09836-0002 telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600 FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white (middle,
  double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree centered in
  the white band

Economy Lebanon

Economy - overview:
  The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
  infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
  Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In
  the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical
  and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from
  domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national
  debt, the HARIRI government began an austerity program, reining in
  government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and
  privatizing state enterprises. In November 2002, the government met
  with international donors at the Paris II conference to seek
  bilateral assistance in restructuring its massive domestic debt at
  lower rates of interest. Substantial receipts from donor nations
  stabilized government finances in 2003, but did little to reduce the
  debt, which stood at nearly 180% of GDP. In 2004 the HARIRI
  government issued Eurobonds in an effort to manage maturing debt,
  and the KARAMI government has continued this practice. However,
  privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end
  of 2004, as promised during the Paris II conference.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $18.83 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 21%
  services: 67% (2000)

Labor force:
  2.6 million
  note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
  (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  18% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  28% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  26% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.895 billion
  expenditures: $6.642 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  177.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes, olives,
  tobacco; sheep, goats

Industries:
  banking, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral and
  chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining, metal
  fabricating

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  8.066 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 97.2% hydro: 2.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  8.591 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.09 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-2.389 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.783 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous consumer
  goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric power
  machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Exports - partners:
  Syria 24.9%, UAE 10%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland 6.7%, Saudi Arabia
  5.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $8.162 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat and
  live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Imports - partners:
  Italy 11.2%, France 10.3%, Syria 9.8%, Germany 8.6%, China 5.8%, US
  5.5%, UK 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $16.3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $15.84 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in soft loans
  pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Currency (code):
  Lebanese pound (LBP)

Currency code:
  LBP

Exchange rates:
  Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5 (2003),
  1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Lebanon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  678,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  775,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telecommunications system severely damaged by
  civil war; rebuilding well underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
  international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
  coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but
  inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  2.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.18 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lb

Internet hosts:
  6,998 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  22 (2000)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Lebanon

Railways:
  total: 401 km
  standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
  narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m
  note: rail system became unusable because of damage during the civil
  war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2004)

Highways: total: 7,300 km paved: 6,198 km unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  oil 209 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

Merchant marine:
  total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 26, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated
  cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 6 (Austria 1, Greece 5)
  registered in other countries: 40 (2005)

Airports:
  8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Lebanon

Military branches:
  Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 974,363 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 821,762 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $540.6 million (2002) (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (FY99) (2004)

Transnational Issues Lebanon

Disputes - international:
  intense international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian troops
  and intelligence personnel from Lebanon; Lebanese Government claims
  Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the roughly
  2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been in place
  since 1978

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares in
  2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
  American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
  to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Lesotho

Introduction Lesotho

Background:
  Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence
  from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but
  returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional
  government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of military rule. In
  1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious
  election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African
  and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern
  African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since
  restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
  held in 2002.

Geography Lesotho

Location:
  Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  29 30 S, 28 30 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 30,355 sq km
  land: 30,355 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 909 km border countries: South Africa 909 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Terrain:
  mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m
  highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Natural resources:
  water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,
  building stone

Land use: arable land: 10.87% permanent crops: 0.13% other: 89% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in
  overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
  desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
  redirects water to South Africa

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous,
  more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level

People Lesotho

Population:
  1,867,035
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 36.9% (male 346,930/female 342,459)
  15-64 years: 57.6% (male 526,642/female 548,096)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 42,003/female 60,905) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.19 years
  male: 19.68 years
  female: 20.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.08% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.53 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  25.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 84.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 79.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 34.47 years
  male: 35.49 years
  female: 33.42 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.35 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  28.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  320,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  29,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
  adjective: Basotho

Ethnic groups:
  Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Religions:
  Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Languages:
  Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.8%
  male: 74.5%
  female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Government Lesotho

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  conventional short form: Lesotho
  former: Basutoland

Government type:
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Maseru

Administrative divisions:
  10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
  Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Independence:
  4 October 1966 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Constitution:
  2 April 1993

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note -
  King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to
  February 1995, while his father was in exile
  head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
  majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
  the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
  which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
  a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
  powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
  determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
  regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
  even depose the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
  principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
  and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
  proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
  terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
  in the May 2002 election
  elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
  7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Judicial branch:
  High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the
  advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court;
  customary or traditional court

Political parties and leaders:
  Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE];
  Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho
  National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho
  Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] - the governing
  party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho
  Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or
  MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony
  MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe
  PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE];
  Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, The Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
  chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section) mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho telephone: [266] 22 312666 FAX: [266] 22 310116

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the upper half
  is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield with
  crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band with
  a green triangle in the corner

Economy Lesotho

Economy - overview:
  Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances
  from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the
  Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government
  revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax system to
  reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
  hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
  South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
  of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
  small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
  support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
  rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The garment industry has
  grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade
  benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The
  economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture,
  especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural
  activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income
  remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty
  Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $5.892 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.2% industry: 43.9% services: 40.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 838,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa

Unemployment rate:
  45% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
  49% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.9% highest 10%: 43.4%

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  56 (1986-87)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  39.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $698.5 million
  expenditures: $697.6 million, including capital expenditures of $15
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Industries:
  food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;
  construction; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  15.5% (1999)

Electricity - production:
  314 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
  308 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  16 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-108.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $484.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and
  mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Exports - partners:
  US 97%, Canada 2.1%, UK 0.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $730.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum
  products (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Hong Kong 46.8%, China 25.5%, South Korea 5.6%, Germany 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $402.2 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $735 million (2002)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA $4.4 million

Economic aid - recipient:
  $41.5 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
  LSL; ZAR

Exchange rates:
  maloti per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407
  (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Lesotho

Telephones - main lines in use:
  28,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  92,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: rudimentary system
  domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
  small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
  communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
  international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  NA (2002)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2000)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .ls

Internet hosts:
  119 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  21,000 (2002)

Transportation Lesotho

Highways: total: 5,940 km paved: 1,087 km unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Airports: 28 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Lesotho

Military branches:
  Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 400,457 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 162,857 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $32.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.3% (2004)

Military - note:
  the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future
  structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
  considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
  in political affairs

Transnational Issues Lesotho

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Liberia

Introduction Liberia

Background:
  In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14 years of
  civil war and prompted the resignation of former president Charles
  TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National Transitional
  Government of Liberia (NTGL) - composed of rebel, government, and
  civil society groups - assumed control in October 2003. Chairman
  Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate to oversee efforts to
  rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. The United Nations
  Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence
  throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former
  combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still
  volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic
  structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Geography Liberia

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Cote
  d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Geographic coordinates:
  6 30 N, 9 30 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 111,370 sq km
  land: 96,320 sq km
  water: 15,050 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,585 km
  border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
  306 km

Coastline:
  579 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to cold
  nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling plateau and
  low mountains in northeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 2.28% other: 93.77% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to March)

Environment - current issues: tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw sewage

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
  lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
  grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

People Liberia

Population:
  3,482,211 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.6% (male 765,662/female 751,134)
  15-64 years: 52.8% (male 896,206/female 940,985)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 64,547/female 63,677) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.06 years
  male: 17.69 years
  female: 18.42 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.64% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  44.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  17.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
  countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their
  ability to return (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 128.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 135.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 121.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 38.89 years
  male: 37.03 years
  female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  100,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  7,200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Liberian(s)
  adjective: Liberian

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio, Kru,
  Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
  Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
  immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
  (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a
  few can be written and are used in correspondence

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.5%
  male: 73.3%
  female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Government Liberia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
  conventional short form: Liberia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Monrovia

Administrative divisions:
  15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape Mount,
  Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado, Nimba,
  River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Independence:
  26 July 1847

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Constitution:
  6 January 1986

Legal system:
  dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for
  the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal
  practices for indigenous sector

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003); note
  - this is an interim position until presidential elections in 2005;
  the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
  note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in
  2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
  Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups
  participating in the Liberian peace process
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 11
  October 2005)
  election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
  of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
  (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - TAYLOR
  stepped down in August 2003
  note: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the
  Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
  former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
  Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National
  Transitional Government on 14 October 2003

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and the
  House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular vote
  to serve six-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 11
  October 2005); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997
  (next to be held 11 October 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3,
  Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP) [leader
  NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY]; Liberian
  Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's Party or
  LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader NA];
  National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing party;
  United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or UP
  [Charles CLARKE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU,
  NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Aaron B.
  KOLLIE
  chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
  FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
  embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
  1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
  FAX: [231] 226-148

Flag description:
  11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue square in
  the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the US flag

Economy Liberia

Economy - overview:
  Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much of
  Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around
  Monrovia, while continued international sanctions on diamonds and
  timber exports will limit growth prospects for the foreseeable
  future. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and
  expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly
  endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate
  favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter
  of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local
  manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The
  departure of the former president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in
  August 2003, the establishment of the all-inclusive Transitional
  Government, and the arrival of a UN mission are all necessary for
  the eventual end of the political crisis, but thus far have done
  little to encourage economic development. The reconstruction of
  infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
  will largely depend on generous financial support and technical
  assistance from donor countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.903 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  21.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 76.9% industry: 5.4% services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  85% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  80%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  15% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $85.4 million
  expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Industries:
  rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  488.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  454.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Exports - partners:
  Denmark 29.5%, Germany 18.9%, Poland 14.3%, US 8.9%, Greece 8%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $5.051 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured
  goods; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  South Korea 38.8%, Japan 21.2%, Singapore 12.2%, Croatia 5.3%,
  Germany 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $94 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  Liberian dollar (LRD)

Currency code:
  LRD

Exchange rates:
  Liberian dollars per US dollar - 54.906 (2004), 59.379 (2003),
  61.754 (2002), 48.583 (2001), 40.953 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Liberia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the limited services available are found almost
  exclusively in the capital Monrovia
  domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .21 fixed
  mainlines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
  international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  790,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  70,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lr

Internet hosts:
  14 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2001)

Internet users:
  1,000 (2002)

Transportation Liberia

Railways:
  total: 490 km
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: none of the railways are in operation because of the civil war
  (2004)

Highways:
  total: 10,600 km
  paved: 657 km
  unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Buchanan, Monrovia

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,465 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752 GRT/79,125,329 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 275, cargo 91, chemical
  tanker 173, combination ore/oil 22, container 388, liquefied gas 78,
  passenger 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 324, refrigerated
  cargo 57, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier
  35
  foreign-owned: 1,392 (Argentina 8, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas
  3, Brazil 6, British 1, Canada 2, Chile 1, China 36, Croatia 7,
  Cyprus 1, Denmark 5, France 3, Germany 511, Greece 149, Hong Kong
  29, India 4, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 7, Italy 12, Japan
  106, Latvia 18, Monaco 10, Netherlands 18, Nigeria 1, Norway 57,
  Pakistan 1, Poland 14, Romania 1, Russia 63, Saudi Arabia 23,
  Singapore 29, Slovenia 1, South Korea 4, Sweden 12, Switzerland 10,
  Taiwan 54, Turkey 4, Ukraine 7, UAE 10, United Kingdom 56, United
  States 84, Uruguay 3) (2005)

Airports:
  53 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 51 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Military Liberia

Military branches:
  Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 659,795 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 360,373 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Liberia

Disputes - international:
  although Liberia's domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups,
  warlords, and youth gangs was declared over in 2003, civil unrest
  persists, and in 2004, 133,000 Liberian refugees remained in Guinea,
  72,000 in Cote d'Ivoire, 67,000 in Sierra Leone, and 43,000 in
  Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in Cote
  d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone; since 2003, the UN Mission in Liberia
  (UNMIL) has maintained about 18,000 peacekeepers in Liberia; the
  Cote d'Ivoire Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivoirian
  rebels; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone) 38,325 (Cote
  d'Ivoire)
  IDPs: 500,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
  November 2004) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin and
  South American cocaine for the European and US markets; corruption,
  criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade provide
  significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  major money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Libya

Introduction Libya

Background:
  From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military
  coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own
  political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a
  combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal
  practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people
  themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has
  always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used
  oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside
  Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the
  end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he
  engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to
  gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian
  politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992
  isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight
  103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appeared
  to have decreased after the imposition of sanctions. During the
  1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe.
  UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in
  September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December
  2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its
  programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has
  made significant strides in normalizing relations with western
  nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders
  as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made
  his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to
  Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004
  several outstanding cases against his government for terrorist
  activities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families of
  victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.

Geography Libya

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and
  Tunisia

Geographic coordinates:
  25 00 N, 17 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,759,540 sq km
  land: 1,759,540 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,348 km
  border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
  Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Coastline:
  1,770 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Climate:
  Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Terrain:
  mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Land use: arable land: 1.03% permanent crops: 0.19% other: 98.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to four
  days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources; the
  Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development scheme in
  the world, is being built to bring water from large aquifers under
  the Sahara to coastal cities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

People Libya

Population: 5,765,563 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.9% (male 997,364/female 955,272)
  15-64 years: 62% (male 1,842,775/female 1,729,235)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 117,967/female 122,950) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.68 years
  male: 22.8 years
  female: 22.56 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.33% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.5 years
  male: 74.29 years
  female: 78.82 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  10,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations
  during the transmission season (typically April through October)
  (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Libyan(s)
  adjective: Libyan

Ethnic groups:
  Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
  Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 97%

Languages:
  Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major
  cities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.6%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 72% (2003 est.)

Government Libya

Country name:
  conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
  Jamahiriya
  conventional short form: Libya
  local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
  al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
  local short form: none

Government type:
  Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
  populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Capital:
  Tripoli

Administrative divisions:
  25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya, Al
  'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
  Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
  Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
  Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
  municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Independence:
  24 December 1951 (from Italy)

National holiday:
  Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Constitution:
  11 December 1969; amended 2 March 1977

Legal system:
  based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
  religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
  al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
  but is de facto chief of state
  head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
  (Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)
  cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
  People's Congress
  elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
  people's committees; head of government elected by the General
  People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA)
  election results: NA

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members elected
  indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
  memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
  Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,
  primarily based in London, but has little influence

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  (observer), WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an interest
  section under the protective power of the United Arab Emirates
  Embassy in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US: the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May 1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004

Flag description:
  plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the state
  religion)

Economy Libya

Economy - overview:
  The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the oil
  sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and about
  one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population give
  Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little of
  this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan
  officials in the past four years have made progress on economic
  reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country
  into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN
  sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in
  December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of
  mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya
  were removed in April 2004. Libya faces a long road ahead in
  liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps -
  including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and
  announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a
  transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing
  and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have
  expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the
  production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic
  conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and
  Libya imports about 75% of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $37.48 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8.7% industry: 45.7% services: 45.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.59 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  30% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  9.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.52 billion
  expenditures: $12.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  8.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
  soybeans; cattle

Industries:
  petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles, handicrafts,
  cement

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  20.89 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  19.43 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  1.518 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  38 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.321 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $9.895 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $18.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas

Exports - partners:
  Italy 37%, Germany 16.6%, Spain 11.9%, Turkey 7.1%, France 6.2%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $7.224 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods, food, consumer
  products (1999)

Imports - partners:
  Italy 25.5%, Germany 11%, South Korea 6.1%, UK 5.4%, Tunisia 4.7%,
  Turkey 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $24.18 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.069 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $4.4 million ODA (2002)

Currency (code):
  Libyan dinar (LYD)

Currency code:
  LYD

Exchange rates:
  Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003), 1.2707
  (2002), 0.6051 (2001), 0.5122 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Libya

Telephones - main lines in use:
  750,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  100,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telecommunications system is being modernized;
  mobile cellular telephone system became operational in 1996
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
  tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
  France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
  tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Radios:
  1.35 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Televisions:
  730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ly

Internet hosts:
  67 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  160,000 (2003)

Transportation Libya

Railways:
  0 km
  note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge
  track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2004)

Highways:
  total: 83,200 km
  paved: 47,590 km
  unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf, Tripoli,
  Zawiyah

Merchant marine:
  total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
  by type: cargo 7, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum
  tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (Algeria 1) (2005)

Airports:
  139 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 59
  over 3,047 m: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 80
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 41
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Libya

Military branches:
  Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military service age and obligation:
  17 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,505,675 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,291,624 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 62,034 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.3 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.9% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Libya

Disputes - international:
  Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern Algeria
  and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant disputes;
  various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in southern Libya

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Liechtenstein

Introduction Liechtenstein

Background:
  The Principality of Liechtenstein was established within the Holy
  Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in 1806. Until the
  end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria, but the economic
  devastation caused by that conflict forced Liechtenstein to enter
  into a customs and monetary union with Switzerland. Since World War
  II (in which Liechtenstein remained neutral), the country's low
  taxes have spurred outstanding economic growth. Shortcomings in
  banking regulatory oversight have resulted in concerns about the use
  of the financial institutions for money laundering. Liechtenstein
  has, however, implemented new anti-money-laundering legislation and
  recently concluded a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.

Geography Liechtenstein

Location:
  Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Geographic coordinates:
  47 16 N, 9 32 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 160 sq km
  land: 160 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 76 km border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Coastline:
  0 km (doubly landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow or rain; cool
  to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Terrain:
  mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western third

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Natural resources: hydroelectric potential, arable land

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 0% other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly landlocked countries
  in the world; variety of microclimatic variations based on elevation

People Liechtenstein

Population:
  33,717 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,938/female 3,009)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 11,795/female 11,927)
  65 years and over: 12% (male 1,685/female 2,363) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.22 years
  male: 38.74 years
  female: 39.68 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.82% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.41 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.55 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 83.16 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.51 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
  adjective: Liechtenstein

Ethnic groups:
  Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%, other 6.2%
  (June 2002)

Languages:
  German (official), Alemannic dialect

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Government Liechtenstein

Country name:
  conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
  conventional short form: Liechtenstein
  local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
  local short form: Liechtenstein

Government type:
  hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
  parliamentary basis

Capital:
  Vaduz

Administrative divisions:
  11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers, Eschen,
  Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg, Triesen,
  Triesenberg, Vaduz

Independence:
  23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein established); 12
  July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

National holiday:
  Assumption Day, 15 August

Constitution:
  5 October 1921

Legal system:
  local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November 1989,
  assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
  ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August
  2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
  to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
  head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April
  2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet elected by the parliament, confirmed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is
  usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the
  leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually
  appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote under proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL
  13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal or
  Obergericht

Political parties and leaders:
  Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz FROMMELT];
  Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The Free List or
  FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf RITTER]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005 telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460 FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but the US
  Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a gold crown
  on the hoist side of the blue band

Economy Liechtenstein

Economy - overview:
  Despite its small size and limited natural resources, Liechtenstein
  has developed into a prosperous, highly industrialized,
  free-enterprise economy with a vital financial service sector and
  living standards on a par with its large European neighbors. The
  Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a large number of
  small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum tax rate is 20% -
  and easy incorporation rules have induced many holding or so-called
  letter box companies to establish nominal offices in Liechtenstein,
  providing 30% of state revenues. The country participates in a
  customs union with Switzerland and uses the Swiss franc as its
  national currency. It imports more than 90% of its energy
  requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the European
  Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between the
  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May 1995.
  The government is working to harmonize its economic policies with
  those of an integrated Europe.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $825 million (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  11% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: 40%
  services: NA% (1999)

Labor force:
  29,000 of whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute from Austria,
  Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December 2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31 December 2001
  est.)

Unemployment rate:
  1.3% (September 2002)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $424.2 million
  expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy products

Industries:
  electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products, ceramics,
  pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments, tourism,
  optical instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Exports:
  $2.47 billion (1996)

Exports - commodities:
  small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and video, parts
  for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared foodstuffs,
  electronic equipment, optical products

Exports - partners:
  EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%, Italy 6.6%, UK
  4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Imports:
  $917.3 million (1996)

Imports - commodities:
  agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal goods,
  textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Imports - partners:
  EU, Switzerland

Debt - external:
  $0 (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  none

Currency (code):
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
  CHF

Exchange rates:
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586
  (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Liechtenstein

Telephones - main lines in use:
  19,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11,400 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
  and microwave radio relay

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  21,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Televisions:
  12,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .li

Internet hosts:
  3,727 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  44 (Liechtenstein and Switzerland) (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Liechtenstein

Highways: total: 250 km paved: 250 km unpaved: 0 km

Waterways:
  28 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 20 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  none (2004 est.)

Military Liechtenstein

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Transnational Issues Liechtenstein

Disputes - international:
  in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the restitution of
  Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech Republic
  confiscated in 1945 as German property

Illicit drugs:
  has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money laundering
  remains a concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated offshore
  financial services sector

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Lithuania

Introduction Lithuania

Background:
  Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was annexed by
  the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the first of
  the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but Moscow did not
  recognize this proclamation until September of 1991 (following the
  abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops withdrew in 1993.
  Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy for integration into
  Western European institutions; it joined both NATO and the EU in the
  spring of 2004.

Geography Lithuania

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  56 00 N, 24 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 65,200 sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: NA sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,273 km
  border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
  Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Coastline:
  99 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
  transitional, between maritime and continental; wet, moderate
  winters and summers

Terrain:
  lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Natural resources: peat, arable land

Land use: arable land: 45.22% permanent crops: 0.91% other: 53.87% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum products and chemicals at military bases

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that are
  ancient glacial deposits

People Lithuania

Population:
  3,596,617 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 297,271/female 282,269)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,206,731/female 1,264,359)
  65 years and over: 15.2% (male 186,979/female 359,008) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 37.83 years
  male: 35.25 years
  female: 40.46 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.3% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.92 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.97 years
  male: 68.94 years
  female: 79.28 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,300 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Lithuanian(s)
  adjective: Lithuanian

Ethnic groups:
  Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or unspecified
  3.6% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant (including
  Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other or
  unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other and
  unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Lithuania

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
  conventional short form: Lithuania
  local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
  local short form: Lietuva
  former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Vilnius

Administrative divisions:
  10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus, Kauno,
  Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages, Telsiu,
  Utenos, Vilniaus

Independence:
  11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
  September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February 1918 is
  the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia and
  established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it declared its
  independence from the Soviet Union

Constitution:
  adopted 25 October 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the
  constitutional court

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July 2004)
  head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
  July 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the premier
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held
  June 2009); premier appointed by the president on the approval of
  the Parliament
  election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote
  - Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are directly
  elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
  representation; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working
  for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland
  Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal
  Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center
  Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by
  faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal
  and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New
  Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2,
  independents 6

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; judges for
  all courts appointed by the President

Political parties and leaders:
  Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar TOMASZEVSKI,
  chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS [Andrius
  KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH, chairman];
  Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman]; Liberal
  Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman]; Lithuanian
  Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS, chairman];
  Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania; Lithuanian Social
  Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS, chairman] consists of the
  Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP and the Lithuanian Social
  Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy and Farmer's Union or VNDPS
  [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social Liberals (New Union)
  [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of Christian
  Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young Lithuania and
  New Nationalists

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
  EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860 FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466 consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
  embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius
  mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
  FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

Economy Lithuania

Economy - overview:
  Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most trade with
  Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian financial crisis.
  Unemployment dropped from 11% in 2003 to 8% in 2004. Growing
  domestic consumption and increased investment have furthered
  recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the West.
  Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade Organization and
  joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the large, state-owned
  utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is nearing completion.
  Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been privatized. Foreign
  government and business support have helped in the transition from
  the old command economy to a market economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $45.23 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6.1% industry: 33.4% services: 60.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.63 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  21.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $6.542 billion
  expenditures: $7.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef, milk, eggs;
  fish

Industries:
  metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television sets,
  refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding (small
  ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing, fertilizers,
  agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic components,
  computers, amber

Industrial production growth rate:
  12% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  17.93 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 16.5% hydro: 5.7% nuclear: 77.7% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  10.17 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  6.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  300 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $8.88 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery and
  equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%, foodstuffs
  5% (2001)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 10.2%, Latvia 10.2%, Russia 9.3%, France 6.3%, UK 5.3%,
  Sweden 5.1%, Estonia 5%, Poland 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8%, Denmark
  4.8%, US 4.7%, Switzerland 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $11.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%, transport
  equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%, metals 5%
  (2001)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 23.1%, Germany 16.7%, Poland 7.7%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $4.61 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $10.01 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $228.5 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  litas (LTL)

Currency code:
  LTL

Exchange rates:
  litai per US dollar - 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677 (2002), 4
  (2001), 4 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Lithuania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  824,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,169,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to provide
  an improved international capability and better residential access
  domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
  nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
  mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
  is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
  applications
  international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia
  and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and
  Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  1.9 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  27
  note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
  have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Televisions:
  1.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lt

Internet hosts:
  67,769 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  32 (2001)

Internet users:
  695,700 (2003)

Transportation Lithuania

Railways:
  total: 1,998 km
  broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 77,148 km
  paved: 69,202 km (including 417 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 7,946 km (2002)

Waterways:
  600 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Klaipeda

Merchant marine:
  total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 24, chemical tanker 1,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 12)
  registered in other countries: 16 (2005)

Airports:
  102 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 28 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 68 (2004 est.)

Military Lithuania

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, National Defense Volunteer Forces
  (SKAT)

Military service age and obligation:
  19-45 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
  service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 830,368 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 590,606 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 29,689 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $230.8 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Lithuania

Disputes - international:
  in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land and maritime boundary treaty was
  ratified and a transit regime established through Lithuania linking
  Russia and its Kaliningrad coastal exclave, leaving only
  improvements to the border demarcation in 2005; by 2004, a third of
  the Belarus-Lithuania boundary had been demarcated; the Latvian
  parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with
  Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil; as a member state
  that forms part of the EU's external border, Lithuania must
  implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs from
  Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western Europe
  and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and ecstasy;
  susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
  legislation

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Luxembourg

Introduction Luxembourg

Background:
  Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an
  independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of
  its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of
  autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany
  in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered
  into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following
  year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries
  of the European Economic Community (later the European Union), and
  in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Geography Luxembourg

Location:
  Western Europe, between France and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  49 45 N, 6 10 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 2,586 sq km
  land: 2,586 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries: total: 359 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Terrain:
  mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands
  to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle
  flood plain in the southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Land use: arable land: 23.28% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

People Luxembourg

Population:
  468,571 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 45,768/female 42,980)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 157,453/female 153,927)
  65 years and over: 14.6% (male 27,573/female 40,870) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.51 years
  male: 37.56 years
  female: 39.48 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.06 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  8.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.74 years
  male: 75.45 years
  female: 82.24 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Luxembourger(s)
  adjective: Luxembourg

Ethnic groups:
  Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian,
  Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European (guest and
  resident workers)

Religions:
  87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims (2000)

Languages:
  Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
  language), French (administrative language)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2000 est.)

Government Luxembourg

Country name:
  conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  conventional short form: Luxembourg
  local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
  local short form: Luxembourg

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Luxembourg

Administrative divisions:
  3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Independence:
  1839 (from the Netherlands)

National holiday:
  National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Constitution:
  17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir
  Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
  January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
  elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
  appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
  Deputies
  note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
  DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP
  14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5
  note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
  body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
  appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Judicial branch:
  judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district
  courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and
  tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and
  tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are
  appointed for life by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
  Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast GIBERYEN];
  Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian
  Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party or DP
  [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg Socialist
  Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed Communist
  Party dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other
  minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union);
  Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP
  (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil
  service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des
  Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists);
  LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union)

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, EU,
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
  chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
  consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr. embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue;
  similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and
  is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Economy Luxembourg

Economy - overview:
  This stable, high-income economy - in between France, Belgium, and
  Germany - features solid growth, low inflation, and low
  unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel,
  has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber,
  and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now
  accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than compensated for the
  decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive
  foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms.
  The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for more
  than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU
  members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country
  enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $27.27 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $58,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 0.5%
  industry: 16.3%
  services: 83.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  293,700 (of whom 105,000 are foreign cross-border workers commuting
  primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.5% (December, 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.74 billion
  expenditures: $14.49 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock
  products

Industries:
  banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal
  products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, information
  technology, tourism and banking

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.511 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.3% hydro: 25.2% nuclear: 0% other: 17.5% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.735 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  2.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  6.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  634 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  865 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  867 million cu m (2001 est.)

Exports:
  $13.4 billion f.o.b. (2003)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber
  products, glass

Exports - partners:
  Germany 22.1%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.2%, UK 8.4%, Italy 7.3%,
  Spain 5.9%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $16.3 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  Belgium 29.8%, Germany 22.6%, China 12.6%, France 12%, Netherlands
  4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $147 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Luxembourg

Telephones - main lines in use:
  355,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  473,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed, completely automated and
  efficient system, mainly buried cables
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
  international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
  coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
  285,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1999)

Televisions:
  285,000 (1998 est.)

Internet country code:
  .lu

Internet hosts:
  28,214 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  165,000 (2002)

Transportation Luxembourg

Railways: total: 274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 5,210 km
  paved: 5,210 km (including 126 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 155 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Mertert

Merchant marine:
  total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101 DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 16, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger
  3, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 40 (Belgium 12, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 10,
  Netherlands 4, United States 3) (2005)

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Luxembourg

Military branches:
  Army

Military service age and obligation: a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 110,867 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 90,279 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 2,775 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $231.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Luxembourg

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Macau

Introduction Macau

Background:
  Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
  first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
  signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
  Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
  1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
  formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
  Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
  matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Geography Macau

Location:
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Geographic coordinates:
  22 10 N, 113 33 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 25.4 sq km
  land: 25.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 0.34 km regional border: China 0.34 km

Coastline:
  41 km

Maritime claims:
  not specified

Climate:
  subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Terrain:
  generally flat

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two
  islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

People Macau

Population:
  449,198 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17% (male 39,564/female 36,947)
  15-64 years: 75.1% (male 160,957/female 176,386)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 14,713/female 20,631) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.2 years
  male: 34.9 years
  female: 35.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.87% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 82.12 years
  male: 79.29 years
  female: 85.09 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%,
  other 3.3% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)

Languages:
  Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese
  dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.5%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 92% (2003 est.)

Government Macau

Country name:
  conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Macau
  local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
  Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
  local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Dependency status:
  special administrative region of China

Government type:
  limited democracy

Administrative divisions:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Independence:
  none (special administrative region of China)

National holiday:
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic
  of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated
  as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Constitution:
  Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
  Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Legal system:
  based on Portuguese civil law system

Suffrage:
  direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents
  living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited
  to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently
  registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad
  regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government
  bodies

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
  December 1999)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary,
  four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist
  elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee
  for up to two five-year terms
  election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004;
  received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3
  members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (29 seats; 12 elected by
  popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and seven appointed by the chief
  executive; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 September 2005 (next in September 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - Development Union 12.8%, Macau
  Development Alliance 9%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, New
  Democratic Macau Association 18.2%, others na; seats by political
  group - Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, Macau
  United Citizens' Association 2, New Democratic Macau Association 2,
  New Hope 1, Union Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by
  professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief
  executive

Judicial branch:
  Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Political parties and leaders:
  Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development
  Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG
  On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New
  Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces
  [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent),
  UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (special administrative region of China)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the
  US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Flag description:
  light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water
  in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large
  in center of arc and four smaller

Economy Macau

Economy - overview:
  Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the
  world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and
  tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit
  hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in
  2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002 and 15.6% in 2003. During the
  first three quarters of 2004, Macau registered year-on-year GDP
  increases of more than 20 percent. A rapid rise in the number of
  mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on
  travel, increased public works expenditures, and significant
  investment inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's
  gaming industry drove the recovery. The budget also returned to
  surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a
  hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of
  government revenue. The three companies awarded gambling licenses
  have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory, which will
  boost GDP growth. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the
  mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory
  may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to
  generate growth. Two new casinos were opened by new foreign gambling
  licensees in 2004; development of new infrastructure and facilities
  in preparation for Macau's hosting of the 2005 East Asian Games will
  bolster the construction sector. The Closer Economic Partnership
  Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into
  effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free
  access to the mainland, and the range of products covered by CEPA
  was to be expanded on 1 January 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $9.1 billion (2003)

GDP - real growth rate:
  15.6% (2003)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 7.2% services: 92.7% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  231,500 (3rd Quarter, 2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
  manufacturing 18.3%, construction 8%, transport and communications
  7%, wholesale and retail trade 16.2%, restaurants and hotels 10.9%,
  gambling 11.6%, public sector 8.8%, other services and agriculture
  19.2% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.7% (3rd Quarter, 2004)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (3rd quarter, 2004)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.84 billion
  expenditures: $1.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2003)

Agriculture - products:
  only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers;
  fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important, some of catch is
  exported to Hong Kong; most food requirements are met by imports,
  primarily from China

Industries:
  tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  1.719 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.772 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  1 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  179.7 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $2.58 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2003)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts

Exports - partners:
  US 48.7%, China 13.9%, Germany 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.6%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.76 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods
  (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and
  oils

Imports - partners:
  China 44.4%, Hong Kong 10.6%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 4.9%, Singapore
  4.1%, US 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $2.7 billion (2003)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  pataca (MOP)

Currency code:
  MOP

Exchange rates:
  patacas per US dollar - 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002),
  8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Macau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  174,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  364,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
  maintained for domestic and international services
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
  facility; access to international communications carriers provided
  via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  160,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2003)

Televisions:
  49,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mo

Internet hosts:
  89 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2003)

Transportation Macau

Highways: total: 341 km paved: 341 km unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Macau

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Macau

Military branches:
  China's People's Revolutionary Army (PLA) constitutes the only
  armed force in Macau; several police forces constitute the Security
  Forces of Macau (SFM) that are subordinate to the General
  Secretariat of Security, a body comparable to a ministry of interior
  (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Macau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Macedonia

Introduction Macedonia

Background:
  International recognition of Macedonia's independence from
  Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new
  state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols.
  Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two
  countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over
  Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring
  Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the
  2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue
  to be challenges for Macedonia.

Geography Macedonia

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Geographic coordinates:
  41 50 N, 22 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 25,333 sq km
  land: 24,856 sq km
  water: 477 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Vermont

Land boundaries:
  total: 766 km
  border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with
  heavy snowfall

Terrain:
  mountainous territory covered with deep basins and valleys; three
  large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country bisected by
  the Vardar River

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
  highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Natural resources:
  low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, manganese,
  nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber, arable land

Land use: arable land: 22.26% permanent crops: 1.81% other: 75.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  high seismic risks

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from metallurgical plants

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
  the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and Central
  Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

People Macedonia

Population:
  2,045,262 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.5% (male 217,057/female 202,465)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 707,489/female 697,150)
  65 years and over: 10.8% (male 97,117/female 123,984) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.8 years
  male: 31.7 years
  female: 33.9 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.73 years
  male: 71.28 years
  female: 76.37 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Macedonian(s)
  adjective: Macedonian

Ethnic groups:
  Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%, Serb
  1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Religions:
  Macedonian Orthodox 32.4%, other Christian 0.2%, Muslim 16.9%,
  other and unspecified 50.5% (2002 census)

Languages:
  Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%, Serbian
  1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.1%
  male: 98.2%
  female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Macedonia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
  conventional short form: Macedonia; note - the provisional
  designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic
  of Macedonia (FYROM)
  local long form: Republika Makedonija
  local short form: Makedonija
  former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
  Macedonia

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Skopje

Administrative divisions:
  85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom (Skopje),
  Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo, Brvenica,
  Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje), Centar Zupa,
  Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo, Demir Hisar,
  Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba (Skopje),
  Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko, Ilinden,
  Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo, Kisela Voda
  (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka, Krivogastani,
  Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska Kamenica, Makedonski
  Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino, Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid,
  Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica, Prilep, Probistip, Radovis,
  Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro
  Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica, Studenicani, Suto Orizari
  (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo, Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles,
  Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste, Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino,
  Zrnovci
  note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
  collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Independence:
  8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters endorsing
  independence from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
  Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint Elijah's
  Day and Ilinden

Constitution:
  adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991; amended
  November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments
  strengthening minority rights

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
  the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
  government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be
  held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election
  last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on
  second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,
  Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the
  Assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members elected by
  popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of the overall
  vote the parties gain in each of six electoral districts; all serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5),
  VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration
  16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity
  2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Constitutional
  Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican Judicial
  Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic Alternative or DA
  [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic League of the Bosniaks
  [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or PDSH/DPA [Arben
  XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan STOILJKOVIC];
  Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic Republican
  Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA]; Democratic Union of
  Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for Integration
  or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party [Marjan GJORCEV];
  Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for
  Macedonian National Unity or VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT)
  [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-True Macedonian Option or VMRO-Vistinska [Boris
  ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian
  Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna
  JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV];
  National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers'
  Party [Vejljo TANTAROV]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
  [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or
  SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or
  SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition
  (including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI]; United Party for
  Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA]; Movement for
  Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA]

International organization participation:
  ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer),
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063 FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093 consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120 Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch) telephone: [389] 2 311-6180 FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Flag description:
  a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the edges of
  the red field

Economy Macedonia

Economy - overview:
  At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
  developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
  total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
  Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated
  advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence
  of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the down-sized Yugoslavia, one of
  its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute
  about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic
  growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000.
  However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade,
  and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
  insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
  trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
  security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
  2002 to 0.9%, then rose by a moderate 3.4% in 2003, and is estimated
  at 1.3% in 2004. Unemployment at one-third of the workforce remains
  a critical economic problem. Much of the extensive grey market
  activity falls outside official statistics.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $14.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.2% industry: 26% services: 62.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  855,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  37.7% (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.198 billion
  expenditures: $1.245 billion, including capital expenditures of $114
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, grapes, rice, tobacco, corn, millet, cotton, sesame,
  mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry, mutton

Industries:
  coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood
  products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.273 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.7% hydro: 16.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  7.216 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  953 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  22,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-311 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.629 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron and steel

Exports - partners:
  Serbia and Montenegro 31.4%, Germany 19.9%, Greece 8.9%, Croatia
  6.9%, US 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.677 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products,
  automobiles

Imports - partners:
  Greece 15.4%, Germany 13.1%, Serbia and Montenegro 10.4%, Slovenia
  8.6%, Bulgaria 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Romania 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $928 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.863 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $250 million (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  Macedonian denar (MKD)

Currency code:
  MKD

Exchange rates:
  Macedonian denars per US dollar - 49.41 (2004), 54.32 (2003), 64.35
  (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Macedonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  560,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  830,000 (2005)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 389

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mk

Internet hosts:
  3,738 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Macedonia

Railways: total: 699 km standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 8,684 km
  paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004)

Airports:
  17 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Macedonia

Military branches:
  Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes Air and Air
  Defense Command)

Military service age and obligation: conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of conscript duty is 6 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (January 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 498,259 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 411,156 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 16,686 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  6% (FY01/02 est.)

Transnational Issues Macedonia

Disputes - international:
  ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the boundary
  with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and
  Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject the
  use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have returned)
  (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and hashish;
  minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for Europe;
  although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic and not a
  financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a mostly
  cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or prosecutions
  for money laundering to date)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Madagascar

Introduction Madagascar

Background:
  Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony
  in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free
  presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17
  years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential
  race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was
  returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was
  contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc
  RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In
  April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the
  winner.

Geography Madagascar

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 47 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 587,040 sq km
  land: 581,540 sq km
  water: 5,500 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  4,828 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Climate:
  tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Natural resources:
  graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands,
  semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 5.07% permanent crops: 1.03% other: 93.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10,900 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Environment - current issues: soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique
  Channel

People Madagascar

Population:
  18,040,341 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female 4,745,971)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female 299,209) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.46 years
  male: 17.24 years
  female: 17.67 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.03% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 76.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 56.95 years
  male: 54.57 years
  female: 59.4 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  7,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
  adjective: Malagasy

Ethnic groups:
  Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed
  African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka,
  Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Languages:
  French (official), Malagasy (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68.9%
  male: 75.5%
  female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Government Madagascar

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
  conventional short form: Madagascar
  local long form: Republique de Madagascar
  local short form: Madagascar
  former: Malagasy Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Antananarivo

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa,
  Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Independence:
  26 June 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Constitution:
  19 August 1992 by national referendum

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held November 2006);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%,
  Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats;
  two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members
  will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the
  seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
  be held NA 2006)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD
  5, others 3, independents 22

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute
  Cour Constitutionnelle

Political parties and leaders:
  Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot
  RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National
  Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or
  FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
  RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
  [Evariste MARSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee
  for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council
  of Christian Churches or FFKM

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
  chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
  embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
  mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
  telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
  FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical
  white band of the same width on hoist side

Economy Madagascar

Economy - overview:
  Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has
  since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of
  privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the
  country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
  level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of
  the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
  employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in
  recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States.
  Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
  primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA
  has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002
  political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year.
  Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces
  of economic policy for the next few years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $14.56 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 29.3% industry: 16.7% services: 54% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  7.3 million (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  38.1 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  14.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $783.7 million
  expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca),
  beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Industries:
  meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles,
  glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum,
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  840.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 36.1% hydro: 63.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  781.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-281.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $868.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite,
  petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.147 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Imports - partners:
  France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius
  6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $500.3 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.6 billion (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $354 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  Madagascar ariary (MGA)

Currency code:
  MGF

Exchange rates:
  Malagasy francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003),
  1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Madagascar

Telephones - main lines in use:
  59,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  279,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: system is above average for the region
  domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
  and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
  international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
  3.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  325,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mg

Internet hosts:
  773 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  70,500 (2003)

Transportation Madagascar

Railways: total: 732 km narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 49,827 km paved: 5,780 km unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  600 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Merchant marine:
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  116 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 87 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 42 under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)

Military Madagascar

Military branches:
  People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and
  Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18 months
  (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,542,797 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,218,662 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 187,000 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $44.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Madagascar

Disputes - international:
  claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan
  de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used
  mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Malawi

Introduction Malawi

Background:
  Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland became
  the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades of
  one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
  held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution,
  which came into full effect the following year. Current President
  Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president
  failed to amend the constitution to permit another term, has
  struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still
  leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption
  efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions.
  Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on
  agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Geography Malawi

Location:
  Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
  13 30 S, 34 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 118,480 sq km
  land: 94,080 sq km
  water: 24,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Land boundaries: total: 2,881 km border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to
  November)

Terrain:
  narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills, some
  mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
  boundary with Mozambique 37 m
  highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
  uranium, coal, and bauxite

Land use: arable land: 23.38% permanent crops: 1.49% other: 75.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  280 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's most
  prominent physical feature

People Malawi

Population:
  12,158,924
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.9% (male 2,877,568/female 2,823,296)
  15-64 years: 50.4% (male 3,041,352/female 3,081,762)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 132,175/female 202,771) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.34 years
  male: 16.04 years
  female: 16.65 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  43.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  23.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 103.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 41.43 years
  male: 41.66 years
  female: 41.2 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.98 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  14.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  900,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  84,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Malawian(s)
  adjective: Malawian

Ethnic groups:
  Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni, Ngonde,
  Asian, European

Religions:
  Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census)

Languages:
  Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%,
  Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other
  3.6% (1998 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 62.7%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Government Malawi

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
  conventional short form: Malawi
  former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
  Protectorate, Nyasaland

Government type:
  multiparty democracy

Capital:
  Lilongwe

Administrative divisions:
  27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Chitipa,
  Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga (Kasupe),
  Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata Bay,
  Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo, Zomba

Independence:
  6 July 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Constitution:
  18 May 1994

Legal system:
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
  election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
  vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,
  Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,
  Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UDF 74, MCP 60, Independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed by the
  president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the Judicial
  Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi Congress
  Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP [Kampelo
  KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE [George
  MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC (coalition of MAFUNDE, MDP,
  MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP) [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; Movement for
  Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National
  Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party
  or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Congress for Democracy or NCD [Hetherwick
  NTABA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's
  Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party
  or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF
  [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA] - governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard Herbert SANDE
  chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David
  GILMOUR
  embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
  mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
  telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
  FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green with a
  radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Government - note:
  the executive exerts considerable influence over the legislature

Economy Malawi

Economy - overview:
  Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
  countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
  of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
  nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The
  performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as
  tobacco accounts for over 50% of exports. The economy depends on
  substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World
  Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was
  approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  program. The government faces strong challenges, including
  developing a market economy, improving educational facilities,
  facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly
  growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that
  fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, the anticorruption
  campaign championed by President MUTHARIKA may help encourage
  investment and economic growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.41 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 54.8% industry: 19.2% services: 26% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.5 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  55% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  10.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $536 million
  expenditures: $635.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  228.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Industries:
  tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.088 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 3.3% hydro: 96.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.012 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-55.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $503.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood products,
  apparel

Exports - partners:
  South Africa 13.5%, US 12%, Germany 11.6%, Egypt 8.4%, UK 6.6%,
  Mozambique 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $521.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
  transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 37.3%, India 8.1%, Mozambique 7.7%, Zimbabwe 7.2%,
  Tanzania 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $160.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3.129 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $540 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Currency code:
  MWK

Exchange rates:
  Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 108.894 (2004), 97.433 (2003),
  76.687 (2002), 72.197 (2001), 59.544 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Malawi

Telephones - main lines in use:
  85,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  135,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and radiotelephone communications stations
  international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a third
  station held in standby status) (2001)

Radios:
  2.6 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .mw

Internet hosts:
  18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2002)

Internet users:
  36,000 (2003)

Transportation Malawi

Railways: total: 797 km narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 28,400 km paved: 5,254 km unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Waterways: 700 km note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Airports:
  42 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Malawi

Military branches:
  Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval Detachment),
  Police (includes Mobile Force Unit)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
  (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,320,190 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 995,084 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $11.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Malawi

Disputes - international: disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Malaysia

Introduction Malaysia

Background:
  During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain established
  colonies and protectorates in the area of current Malaysia; these
  were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948, the British-ruled
  territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the Federation of Malaya,
  which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was formed in 1963 when
  the former British colonies of Singapore and the East Malaysian
  states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of Borneo joined
  the Federation. The first several years of the country's history
  were marred by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine
  claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the Federation in
  1965.

Geography Malaysia

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern
  one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and
  the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  2 30 N, 112 30 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 329,750 sq km
  land: 328,550 sq km
  water: 1,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 2,669 km border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Coastline:
  4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607 km)

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  specified boundary in the South China Sea

Climate:
  tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
  (October to February) monsoons

Terrain:
  coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Natural resources: tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas, bauxite

Land use: arable land: 5.48% permanent crops: 17.61% other: 76.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding, landslides, forest fires

Environment - current issues: air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions; water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from Indonesian forest fires

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

Geography - note:
  strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern South China
  Sea

People Malaysia

Population:
  23,953,136 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33% (male 4,067,006/female 3,837,758)
  15-64 years: 62.4% (male 7,488,367/female 7,447,047)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 490,334/female 622,624) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.92 years
  male: 23.32 years
  female: 24.54 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.8% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
  immigrants from other countries in the region (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.24 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 75.11 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.07 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  52,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  2,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Malaysian(s)
  adjective: Malaysian

Ethnic groups:
  Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, Indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others
  7.8% (2004 est.)

Religions:
  Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
  addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Languages:
  Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese,
  Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu,
  Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
  note: in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are
  spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.7%
  male: 92%
  female: 85.4% (2002)

Government Malaysia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Malaysia former: Federation of Malaysia

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy
  note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
  consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
  all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
  and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and
  Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government;
  powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution;
  under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain
  constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own
  immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of
  Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
  Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Capital:
  Kuala Lumpur
  note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
  Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Administrative divisions:
  13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
  Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
  Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal
  territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
  Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Independence:
  31 August 1957 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Constitution:
  31 August 1957; amended 16 September 1963

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
  the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
  Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
  December 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
  31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul
  Razak (since 7 January 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
  elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
  of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
  December 2001 (next to be held in 2006); prime minister designated
  from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
  of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
  election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
  Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or Dewan
  Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26 appointed
  by the state legislatures) and the House of Representatives or Dewan
  Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next
  must be held by 2009)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,
  DAP 12, PAS 6, PKR 1, independent 1

Judicial branch:
  Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on the
  advice of the prime minister)

Political parties and leaders:
  ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,
  consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party
  or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
  Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
  Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
  Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
  VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
  Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
  Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti
  Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti
  Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's
  Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
  United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad
  Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization
  (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard
  DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk
  Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party
  or SPDP [William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action
  Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic
  Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI
  Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN
  AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG];
  opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA
  consists of PAS and PKR

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
  OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul Khalid
  chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
  FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152 telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000 FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Flag description:
  14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with white
  (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the crescent
  and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design was based
  on the flag of the US

Economy Malaysia

Economy - overview:
  Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from 1971
  through the late 1990's from a producer of raw materials into an
  emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively driven
  by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result, Malaysia was
  hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump in the
  information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in 2001
  grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports, but a
  substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
  mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in
  2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
  notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
  SARS and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community.
  Growth topped 7% in 2004. Healthy foreign exchange reserves, low
  inflation, and a small external debt are all strengths that make it
  unlikely that Malaysia will experience a financial crisis similar to
  the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on continued growth
  in the US, China, and Japan, top export destinations and key sources
  of foreign investment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $229.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.2% industry: 33.6% services: 59.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  10.49 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  8% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.4% highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  49.2 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  21.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $25.33 billion
  expenditures: $29.33 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  45.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah -
  subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak - rubber,
  pepper, timber

Industries:
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
  manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
  and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
  petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
  production and refining, logging

Industrial production growth rate:
  10.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  75.33 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.5% hydro: 10.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  68.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  70 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  785,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  460,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  3.2 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.23 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $11.81 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $123.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and
  wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 18.8%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.1%, China 6.7%, Hong Kong 6%,
  Thailand 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $99.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics, vehicles,
  iron and steel products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Japan 16.1%, US 14.6%, Singapore 11.2%, China 9.9%, Thailand 5.6%,
  Taiwan 5.5%, South Korea 5%, Germany 4.5%, Indonesia 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $55.27 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $53.36 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  ringgit (MYR)

Currency code:
  MYR

Exchange rates:
  ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2004), 3.8 (2003), 3.8 (2002), 3.8
  (2001), 3.8 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Malaysia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,571,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  11,124,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system; international service excellent
  domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
  mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
  relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
  satellite system with 2 earth stations
  international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
  Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
  Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Radios:
  10.9 million (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  10.8 million (1999)

Internet country code:
  .my

Internet hosts:
  107,971 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  7 (2000)

Internet users:
  8,692,100 (2003)

Transportation Malaysia

Railways:
  total: 1,890 km (207 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 65,877 km
  paved: 51,318 km
  unpaved: 14,559 km (2001)

Waterways:
  7,200 km
  note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km
  (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined products 114
  km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bintulu, Johor, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, George Town
  (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Merchant marine:
  total: 346 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397 GRT/7,539,178 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 45, cargo 109, chemical tanker 38, container
  47, liquefied gas 26, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 62, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle
  carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 77 (China 1, Hong Kong 12, Japan 3, Singapore 61)
  registered in other countries: 59 (2005)

Airports:
  117 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 38 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 79 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Malaysia

Military branches:
  Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian Navy
  (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force
  (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 5,584,231 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,574,854 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 244,418 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.03% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Malaysia

Disputes - international:
  Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together
  with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; while
  the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
  Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is not the
  legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; Malaysia
  was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the national oil
  companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on conducting
  marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; disputes continue
  over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land
  reclamation, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra
  Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih - but parties agree to ICJ
  arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ awarded
  Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and
  Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary in the
  hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute, culminating in hostile
  confrontations in March 2005 over concessions to the Ambalat oil
  block; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim
  southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with
  Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a now
  dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; in 2003,
  Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their disputed
  offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have stalemated
  prompting consideration of international adjudication; Malaysia's
  land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; piracy
  remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking prosecuted
  vigorously and carries severe penalties

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Maldives

Introduction Maldives

Background:
  The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and then under
  British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three years after
  independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM - currently
  in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands' political
  scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004, the
  president and his government have pledged to embark upon democratic
  reforms, including a more representative political system and
  expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being developed
  on the archipelago.

Geography Maldives

Location:
  Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest
  of India

Geographic coordinates:
  3 15 N, 73 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 300 sq km
  land: 300 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  644 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March);
  rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Terrain:
  flat, with white sandy beaches

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
  Atoll 2.4 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 13.33%
  permanent crops: 16.67%
  other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level rise

Environment - current issues: depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies; global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited islands,
  plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with strategic
  location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

People Maldives

Population:
  349,106 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.9% (male 78,794/female 74,505)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 94,488/female 90,624)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,339/female 5,356) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.69 years
  male: 17.58 years
  female: 17.8 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.82% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 56.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.06 years
  male: 62.76 years
  female: 65.42 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Maldivian(s)
  adjective: Maldivian

Ethnic groups:
  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim

Languages:
  Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic),
  English spoken by most government officials

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.2%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Government Maldives

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
  conventional short form: Maldives
  local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
  local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Male

Administrative divisions:
  19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other first-order
  administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu, Gaafu Alifu,
  Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu, Laamu,
  Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa, Vaavu

Independence:
  26 July 1965 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Constitution:
  adopted 1 January 1998

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
  primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11 November
  1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
  November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
  must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
  margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
  election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
  referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
  Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected by
  popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50

Judicial branch:
  High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  although political parties are not banned, none exist

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
  chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US Ambassador to
  Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic visits there

Flag description:
  red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a vertical
  white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the hoist side
  of the flag

Economy Maldives

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and
  more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90%
  of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
  tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The
  Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989
  initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the
  private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
  allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing
  continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the
  limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic
  labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
  mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
  accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
  impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
  country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level. In
  late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000
  displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20% industry: 18% services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  88,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  NEGL% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
  expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
  million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Industries:
  fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
  processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
  mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (1996 est.)

Electricity - production:
  124.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  115.7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, clothing

Exports - partners:
  US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK 9.8%,
  Germany 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing,
  intermediate and capital goods

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%, Malaysia
  7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $281 million (2003 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA (1995)

Currency (code):
  rufiyaa (MVR)

Currency code:
  MVR

Exchange rates:
  rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8 (2002),
  12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Maldives

Telephones - main lines in use:
  28,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  41,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: minimal domestic and international facilities
  domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
  inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
  international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  35,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .mv

Internet hosts:
  532 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Maldives

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Male

Merchant marine:
  total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 57,118 GRT/72,831 DWT
  by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2,
  refrigerated cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Maldives

Military branches:
  National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground forces),
  Air Element, Coast Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 71,774 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 56,687 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $41.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Maldives

Disputes - international:
  none

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 12,000 (26 December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mali

Introduction Mali

Background:
  The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in
  1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few
  months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
  Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
  transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
  presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
  President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
  economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
  two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
  succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Geography Mali

Location:
  Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
  17 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.24 million sq km
  land: 1.22 million sq km
  water: 20,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 7,243 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
  858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
  Senegal 419 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy, humid,
  and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Terrain:
  mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna in
  south, rugged hills in northeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
  highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Natural resources:
  gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum,
  granite, hydropower
  note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
  known but not exploited

Land use: arable land: 3.82% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 96.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons; recurring
  droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate supplies
  of potable water; poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
  cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
  northern, arid Saharan

People Mali

Population:
  12,291,529 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,910,944/female 2,876,010)
  15-64 years: 50% (male 2,955,496/female 3,185,666)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 165,867/female 197,546) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.35 years
  male: 15.79 years
  female: 16.92 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.74% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  46.77 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  19.05 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 116.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 123.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 110.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.64 years
  male: 46.68 years
  female: 50.66 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  140,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  12,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Malian(s)
  adjective: Malian

Ethnic groups:
  Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
  Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Religions:
  Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Languages:
  French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 46.4%
  male: 53.5%
  female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Government Mali

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mali
  conventional short form: Mali
  local long form: Republique de Mali
  local short form: Mali
  former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bamako

Administrative divisions:
  8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
  Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Independence:
  22 September 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Constitution:
  adopted 12 January 1992

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review
  of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was formally
  established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30
  April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held
  May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
  vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held July
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party
  chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
  [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
  Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
  Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
  [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
  Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
  Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
  National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
  secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
  GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
  chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, chairman];
  Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
  TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
  or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
  Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and
  Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement and
  Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950 FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako telephone: [223] (2) 223-833 FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Mali

Economy - overview:
  Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of its
  land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
  distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
  riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
  nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
  fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
  commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
  to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
  with gold. The government has continued its successful
  implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
  that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
  investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
  devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
  economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2004. Worker
  remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
  continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 45% industry: 17% services: 38% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  3.93 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas; 70%
  of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.5 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $764 million
  expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products: cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
  food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA (FY96/97)

Electricity - production:
  700 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.7% hydro: 58.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: 651 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $915 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, gold, livestock

Exports - partners:
  China 31.6%, Pakistan 10%, Italy 6.9%, Thailand 5.8%, Germany 5.1%,
  India 4.8%, Bangladesh 4.5%, Taiwan 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $927 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  France 14.5%, Senegal 9.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.6% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $3.3 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $596.4 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mali

Telephones - main lines in use:
  56,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  250,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
  provides only minimal service
  domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
  radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
  relay in progress
  international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1 note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International (2001)

Radios:
  570,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  45,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ml

Internet hosts:
  187 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (2001)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Mali

Railways: total: 729 km narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 15,100 km paved: 1,827 km unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,815 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Koulikoro

Airports:
  28 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 19 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Military Mali

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, National Guard

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,206,728 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,231,930 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $22.4 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mali

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Malta

Introduction Malta

Background:
  Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The
  island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
  remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
  decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
  island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
  financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
  member in May of 2004.

Geography Malta

Location:
  Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily
  (Italy)

Geographic coordinates:
  35 50 N, 14 35 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 316 sq km
  land: 316 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Climate:
  Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal cliffs

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Natural resources: limestone, salt, arable land

Land use: arable land: 28.13% permanent crops: 3.13% other: 68.74% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing reliance on desalination

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest
  islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) being
  inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are
  discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
  between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Malta

Population:
  398,534 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 36,056/female 34,097)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,537/female 135,666)
  65 years and over: 13.6% (male 23,184/female 30,994) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.36 years
  male: 36.91 years
  female: 39.84 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.42% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.86 years
  male: 76.7 years
  female: 81.15 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Maltese

Ethnic groups:
  Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians, with
  strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 98%

Languages:
  Maltese (official), English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.8%
  male: 92%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Government Malta

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Malta
  conventional short form: Malta
  local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
  local short form: Malta

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Valletta

Administrative divisions: none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local Councils carry out administrative orders

Independence:
  21 September 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Constitution:
  1964 constitution; amended many times

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
  five-year term; election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by
  April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
  deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
  the prime minister
  election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; percent of
  House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
  additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
  vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
  0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Political parties and leaders:
  Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD [Harry
  VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT]; Nationalist Party
  or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
  chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
  consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William
  GRANT
  embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
  Malta VLT 01
  mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR01
  telephone: [356] 2561 4000
  FAX: [356] 21 243229

Flag description:
  two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
  upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
  edged in red

Economy Malta

Economy - overview:
  Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic location, and
  a productive labor force. Malta produces only about 20% of its food
  needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no domestic energy
  sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade, manufacturing
  (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism. Continued
  sluggishness in the European economy is holding back exports,
  tourism, and overall growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.223 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $18,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 23% services: 74% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  160,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  26.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.27 billion
  expenditures: $2.549 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes, citrus, cut
  flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Industries:
  tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction; food
  and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  2.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-241 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.625 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Exports - partners:
  US 15.7%, France 15.5%, Singapore 14.5%, UK 11.2%, Germany 10.8%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $3.407 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
  semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Imports - partners:
  Italy 25.4%, France 13.1%, UK 12%, Germany 8.9%, US 5.2%, Singapore
  4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.865 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $130 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Maltese lira (MTL)

Currency code:
  MTL

Exchange rates:
  Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3444 (2004), 0.3773 (2003), 0.4337
  (2002), 0.4501 (2001), 0.4382 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Malta

Telephones - main lines in use:
  208,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  290,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal requirements
  domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
  international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
  255,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (2000)

Televisions:
  280,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mt

Internet hosts:
  7,156 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2002)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2002)

Transportation Malta

Highways: total: 2,222 km paved: 2,000 km unpaved: 222 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401 GRT/41,176,791 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 438, cargo 303, chemical
  tanker 70, combination ore/oil 2, container 54, liquefied gas 8,
  livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum
  tanker 162, refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 26, specialized
  tanker 1, vehicle carrier 13
  foreign-owned: 1,080 (Austria 3, Azerbaijan 1, Bangladesh 3, Belgium
  12, British 1, Bulgaria 18, Canada 9, China 15, Croatia 10, Cyprus
  2, Czech Republic 2, Estonia 2, Finland 1, France 5, Germany 51,
  Greece 527, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 7, Iran 4, Israel 26, Italy 17,
  Japan 2, Latvia 30, Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 3, Netherlands
  3, Norway 42, Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 4, Romania 5, Russia
  64, Slovenia 3, South Korea 4, Sweden 3, Switzerland 32, Syria 6,
  Taiwan 1, Turkey 87, Ukraine 25, UAE 5, United Kingdom 8, United
  States 3)
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Malta

Military branches:
  Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime elements)
  (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
  (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 90,651 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 74,525 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $31.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Malta

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Western
  Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Man, Isle of

Introduction Man, Isle of

Background:
  Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th
  century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
  British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
  extinct Manx Gaelic language.

Geography Man, Isle of

Location:
  Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and
  Ireland

Geographic coordinates:
  54 15 N, 4 30 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 572 sq km
  land: 572 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than three times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  160 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
  temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third
  of the time

Terrain:
  hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Natural resources:
  none

Land use:
  arable land: 9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
  (2002)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air
  pollution

Geography - note:
  one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a
  bird sanctuary

People Man, Isle of

Population:
  75,049 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,681/female 6,365)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 24,693/female 24,482)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,163/female 7,665) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.48 years
  male: 38.16 years
  female: 40.89 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.52% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.34 years
  male: 74.98 years
  female: 81.87 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
  adjective: Manx

Ethnic groups:
  Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Religions:
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society
  of Friends

Languages:
  English, Manx Gaelic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Man, Isle of

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Isle of Man

Dependency status:
  British crown dependency

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Douglas

Administrative divisions:
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
  by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with
  its own elections

Independence:
  none (British crown dependency)

National holiday:
  Tynwald Day, 5 July

Constitution:
  unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not
  embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Legal system:
  English common law and Manx statute

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN (since 26
  October 2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
  by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held
  December 2010)
  election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the
  Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (an 11-member
  body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor
  and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the
  House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
  held November 2006)
  election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
  Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
  by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
  independents 19

Judicial branch:
  High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord
  Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor)

Political parties and leaders: Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA] note: most members sit as independents

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (British crown dependency)

Flag description:
  red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center;
  the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in
  order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag,
  a two-sided emblem is used

Economy Man, Isle of

Economy - overview:
  Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the
  economy. The government's policy of offering incentives to
  high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on
  the island has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in
  high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once
  the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP.
  Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to
  EU markets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.113 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  39,690 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%,
  construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
  retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
  public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
  entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Unemployment rate:
  0.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.6% (March 2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $485 million
  expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY00/01 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Industries:
  financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.2% (FY96/97)

Exports:
  $NA

Exports - commodities:
  tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Exports - partners:
  UK (2000)

Imports:
  $NA

Imports - commodities:
  timber, fertilizers, fish

Imports - partners:
  UK (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672
  (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Man, Isle of

Telephones - main lines in use:
  51,000 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
  international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
  earth station, submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Televisions:
  27,490 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .im

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Man, Isle of

Railways: total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003)

Highways: total: 800 km paved: 800 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
  Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey

Merchant marine:
  total: 267 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,834,626 GRT/11,354,689 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 54, chemical tanker 45, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 15, liquefied gas 46, passenger/cargo 2,
  petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 10,
  specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 253 (Australia 1, Bahamas 8, Denmark 39, France 2,
  Germany 55, Greece 20, Hong Kong 3, Italy 7, Japan 4, Netherlands 2,
  New Zealand 1, Norway 18, Singapore 2, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, United
  Kingdom 86, United States 2)
  registered in other countries: 9 (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Man, Isle of

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Man, Isle of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Marshall Islands

Introduction Marshall Islands

Background:
  After almost four decades under US administration as the
  easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands,
  the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a Compact
  of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a result of US
  nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and 1962. The
  Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Reagan
  Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile defense
  network.

Geography Marshall Islands

Location:
  Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  9 00 N, 168 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 181.3 sq km
  land: 181.3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro,
  Rongelap, and Utirik

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  370.4 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to November; islands
  border typhoon belt

Terrain:
  low coral limestone and sand islands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Natural resources:
  coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Land use:
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 38.89%
  other: 44.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km

Natural hazards:
  infrequent typhoons

Environment - current issues: inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing vessels

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and 1,152 islands;
  Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites; Kwajalein, the
  famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US missile test
  range

People Marshall Islands

Population:
  59,071 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.2% (male 11,488/female 11,071)
  15-64 years: 59.1% (male 17,887/female 17,023)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 771/female 831) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.95 years
  male: 19.98 years
  female: 19.92 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.27% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  33.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.01 years
  male: 68.05 years
  female: 72.06 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Marshallese

Ethnic groups:
  Micronesian

Religions:
  Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman Catholic 8.4%, Bukot
  nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian 3.6%, other 1%, none
  1.5% (1999 census)

Languages:
  Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 census)
  note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese
  and English are official languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 93.6%
  female: 93.7% (1999)

Government Marshall Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall Islands
  conventional short form: Marshall Islands
  former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Government type:
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 21 October 1986 and
  the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Capital:
  Majuro

Administrative divisions:
  33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk, Arno, Aur,
  Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat, Jaluit, Jemo,
  Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap, Mejit, Mili,
  Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang, Utirik,
  Wotho, Wotje

Independence:
  21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Constitution:
  1 May 1979

Legal system:
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
  members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003
  (next to be held November 2007)
  election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
  Parliament vote - 100%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than November 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
  note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
  matters affecting customary law and practice

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders: traditionally there have been no formally organized political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters, formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings" have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFC, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236 consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
  embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
  Islands 96960-1379
  telephone: [692] 247-4011
  FAX: [692] 247-4012

Flag description:
  blue with two stripes radiating from the lower hoist-side corner -
  orange (top) and white; there is a white star with four large rays
  and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the two stripes

Economy Marshall Islands

Economy - overview:
  US Government assistance is the mainstay of this tiny island
  economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence, is
  concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops are
  coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to
  handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a
  small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the
  labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The
  islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
  Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US
  will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands
  (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI
  contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government
  downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism
  and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and
  less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held
  GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $115 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 16% services: 70% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  28,700 (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Unemployment rate:
  30.9% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $42 million
  expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit, fruits; pigs, chickens

Industries:
  copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from shell, wood, and
  pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 1% (solar)

Exports:
  $9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Exports - partners:
  US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Imports:
  $54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels, beverages and tobacco

Imports - partners:
  US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China, Philippines (2000)

Debt - external:
  $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is the legal tender

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Marshall Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  600 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: digital switching equipment; modern services
  include telex, cellular, internet, international calling, caller ID,
  and leased data circuits
  domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
  seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
  shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
  international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
  system on Kwajalein (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
  note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
  Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
  on Kwajalein (2002)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .mh

Internet hosts:
  6 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  1,400 (2003)

Transportation Marshall Islands

Highways:
  total: 64.5 km
  paved: 64.5 km
  unpaved: NA km
  note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise
  stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Majuro

Merchant marine:
  total: 540 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092 GRT/28,176,762 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 83, cargo 47, chemical tanker
  77, combination ore/oil 12, container 88, liquefied gas 16,
  passenger 8, petroleum tanker 192, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
  on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 462 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bermuda 1, Canada 4,
  Chile 2, Croatia 2, Cyprus 7, Denmark 2, Georgia 1, Germany 124,
  Greece 106, Hong Kong 7, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 5, Latvia 6, Monaco
  9, Netherlands 4, New Zealand 1, Norway 21, Philippines 1, Russia 1,
  Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, Spain 1, Switzerland 5,
  Taiwan 1, Turkey 11, Ukraine 1, UAE 3, United Kingdom 15, United
  States 112) (2005)

Airports:
  15 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Marshall Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Marshall Islands

Disputes - international: claims US territory of Wake Island

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Martinique

Introduction Martinique

Background:
  Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently remained a
  French possession except for three brief periods of foreign
  occupation.

Geography Martinique

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  14 40 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 1,100 sq km
  land: 1,060 sq km
  water: 40 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  350 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to October);
  vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every eight years on
  average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Terrain:
  mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Natural resources: coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Land use: arable land: 10.38% permanent crops: 9.43% other: 80.19% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average of one
  major natural disaster every five years)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May 1902 erupted
  and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre, killing 30,000
  inhabitants

People Martinique

Population:
  432,900 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22.4% (male 49,112/female 47,697)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 145,531/female 145,250)
  65 years and over: 10.5% (male 20,423/female 24,887) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.61 years
  male: 32.95 years
  female: 34.28 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.76% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.04 years
  male: 79.43 years
  female: 78.64 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Martiniquais

Ethnic groups:
  African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%, East
  Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu 0.5%,
  other 3.5% (1997)

Languages:
  French, Creole patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.7%
  male: 97.4%
  female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Government Martinique

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Martinique
  conventional short form: Martinique
  local long form: Departement de la Martinique
  local short form: Martinique

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Fort-de-France

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France)

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note - took
  office 8 February 2004
  head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
  (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
  MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
  unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 28 March 2004 (next
  to be held by March 2010)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
  candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
  won a plurality; Regional Assembly (second round) - percent of vote
  by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9,
  other 4
  note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
  held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
  also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
  to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
  candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
  by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT]; Martinique
  Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE]; Martinique
  Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique Socialist
  Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats and
  Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
  Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
  Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
  Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union for
  Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
  League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

International organization participation:
  UPU, WCL, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by a white
  cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the flag of
  France is used for official occasions

Economy Martinique

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and light
  industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the small
  industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with most
  of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana exports
  are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat, vegetable,
  and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to a chronic
  trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid from
  France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has become
  more important than agricultural exports as a source of foreign
  exchange.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $6.117 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 11% services: 83% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
  165,900 (1998)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Unemployment rate:
  27.2% (1998)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.9% (1990)

Budget:
  revenues: $900 million
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
  million (1996)

Agriculture - products:
  pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables, sugarcane

Industries:
  construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.178 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.095 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples (2001 est.)

Exports - partners:
  France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Imports:
  $2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction materials,
  vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
  $180 million (1994)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Martinique

Telephones - main lines in use:
  172,000 est (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  319,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to
  Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  82,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  66,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mq

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  40,000 (2002)

Transportation Martinique

Highways:
  total: 2,105 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Fort-de-France, La Trinite, Marin

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Martinique

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Martinique

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and
  Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mauritania

Introduction Mauritania

Background:
  Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the southern
  third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in 1976, but
  relinquished it after three years of raids by the Polisario
  guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory. Maaouya Ould
  Sid Ahmed TAYA siezed power in a coup in 1984. Opposition parties
  were legalized and a new constitution approved in 1991. Two
  multiparty presidential elections since then were widely seen as
  flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections were
  generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005 deposed
  President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by Col. Ely
  Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power for up to
  two years while it created conditions for genuine democratic
  institutions. For now, however, Mauritania remains, a one-party
  state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions between
  its black population and the Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

Geography Mauritania

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Senegal and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 N, 12 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,030,700 sq km
  land: 1,030,400 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,074 km
  border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
  Western Sahara 1,561 km

Coastline:
  754 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Terrain:
  mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central hills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Natural resources: iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, fish

Land use: arable land: 0.48% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 99.51% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in March and
  April; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated by drought
  are contributing to desertification; very limited natural fresh
  water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only perennial
  river; locust infestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  most of the population concentrated in the cities of Nouakchott and
  Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the southern part of the
  country

People Mauritania

Population:
  3,086,859 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 45.8% (male 707,728/female 704,616)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 792,589/female 813,763)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,560/female 40,603) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.98 years
  male: 16.71 years
  female: 17.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 73.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 52.73 years
  male: 50.52 years
  female: 55 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks
  in some locations
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality: noun: Mauritanian(s) adjective: Mauritanian

Ethnic groups:
  mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Religions:
  Muslim 100%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 41.7%
  male: 51.8%
  female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritania

Country name:
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
  conventional short form: Mauritania
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
  local short form: Muritaniyah

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Nouakchott

Administrative divisions:
  12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital district*;
  Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol, Guidimaka, Hodh
  Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*, Tagant, Tiris
  Zemmour, Trarza

Independence:
  28 November 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Constitution:
  12 July 1991

Legal system:
  a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA (since 12
  December 1984); note - President TAYA deposed in a coup by the
  Military Council for Justice and Democracy led by Col. Ely Ould
  Mohamed VALL on 3 August 2005
  head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since
  8 August 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
  for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis al-Shuyukh
  (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two years;
  members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms) and
  the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2006); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
  (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%,
  RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS
  64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Alliance for
  Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE]; Democratic and Social
  Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party) [President Maaouya Ould Sid
  Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for Renewal and Concorde or PMRC
  [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National Union for Democracy and
  Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party for Liberty, Equality and
  Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA]; Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould
  CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould
  BOULKHEIR]; Popular Social and Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed
  Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould
  MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH];
  Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed Ould SIDI BABA]; Union
  for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint MOUKNASS]
  note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002
  although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the
  National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12
  July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of Mauritanian
  Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary general];
  Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM [Samory
  Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM [Mohamed Ely
  Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member),
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM
  chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish Embassy), Nouakchott mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663 FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Flag description:
  green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow, horizontal
  crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the crescent,
  star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Mauritania

Economy - overview:
  Half the population still depends on agriculture and livestock for
  a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and subsistence farmers
  were forced into the cities by recurrent droughts in the 1970s and
  1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits of iron ore, which account
  for nearly 40% of total exports. The decline in world demand for
  this ore, however, has led to cutbacks in production. The nation's
  coastal waters are among the richest fishing areas in the world, but
  overexploitation by foreigners threatens this key source of revenue.
  The country's first deepwater port opened near Nouakchott in 1986.
  In the past, drought and economic mismanagement resulted in a
  buildup of foreign debt. In February 2000, Mauritania qualified for
  debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  initiative and in December 2001 received strong support from donor
  and lending countries at a triennial Consultative Group review. In
  2001, exploratory oil wells in tracts 80 km offshore indicated
  potential extraction at current world oil prices. A new investment
  code approved in December 2001 improved the opportunities for direct
  foreign investment. Ongoing negotiations with the IMF involve
  problems of economic reforms and fiscal discipline. Substantial oil
  production and exports probably will not begin until 2006. Meantime
  the government emphasizes reduction of poverty, improvement of
  health and education, and promoting privatization of the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $5.534 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 29% services: 46% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  786,000 (2001)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $421 million
  expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
  million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Industries:
  fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Industrial production growth rate:
  2% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  190.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 85.9% hydro: 14.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  176.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $541 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Exports - partners:
  Japan 13.1%, France 11%, Spain 9.7%, Germany 9.7%, Italy 9.6%,
  Belgium 7.5%, China 6.1%, Russia 4.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $860 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital goods,
  foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 14.1%, US 7.6%, China 6.4%, Spain 5.8%, UK 4.6%, Germany
  4.3%, Belgium 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $2.5 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $220 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  ouguiya (MRO)

Currency code:
  MRO

Exchange rates:
  ouguiyas per US dollar - NA(2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74 (2002),
  255.63 (2001), 238.92 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mauritania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  31,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  300,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire lines,
  minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone communications
  stations (improvements being made)
  domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
  domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
  regional capitals
  international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  410,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2002)

Televisions:
  98,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .mr

Internet hosts:
  25 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Mauritania

Railways: 717 km standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 7,660 km paved: 866 km unpaved: 6,794 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Airports:
  24 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Mauritania

Military branches:
  Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine Mauritanienne;
  includes Naval Infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne Islamique de
  Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2 years;
  majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in Air
  Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 606,463 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 370,513 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $20.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mauritania

Disputes - international: Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in recent years

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mauritius

Introduction Mauritius

Background:
  Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was subsequently
  held by the Dutch, French, and British before independence was
  attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular free elections and
  a positive human rights record, the country has attracted
  considerable foreign investment and has earned one of Africa's
  highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar
  prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some protests over
  standards of living in the Creole community.

Geography Mauritius

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  20 17 S, 57 33 E

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 2,040 sq km
  land: 2,030 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
  Brandon), and Rodrigues

Area - comparative:
  almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  177 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May
  to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Terrain:
  small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains encircling
  central plateau

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Natural resources:
  arable land, fish

Land use: arable land: 49.26% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 47.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  200 sq km (2000 est.)

Natural hazards:
  cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded by reefs
  that may pose maritime hazards

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the main island, from which the country derives its name, is of
  volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs

People Mauritius

Population:
  1,230,602 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.4% (male 151,043/female 148,847)
  15-64 years: 69.1% (male 424,472/female 425,974)
  65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,506/female 48,760) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.5 years
  male: 29.65 years
  female: 31.46 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.84% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.38 years
  male: 68.4 years
  female: 76.41 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  700 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mauritian(s)
  adjective: Mauritian

Ethnic groups:
  Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%, Franco-Mauritian
  2%

Religions:
  Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christian 8.6%, Muslim
  16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Languages:
  Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4% (official), other 3.7%,
  unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.6%
  male: 88.6%
  female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mauritius

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
  conventional short form: Mauritius

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Port Louis

Administrative divisions:
  9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black River,
  Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses,
  Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart, Rodrigues*, Savanne

Independence:
  12 March 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Constitution:
  12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system with elements of English common
  law in certain areas

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7 October
  2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25 February
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
  (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
  election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
  elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
  NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by popular vote,
  4 appointed by the election commission from the losing political
  parties to give representation to various ethnic minorities; members
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held September
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
  36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party or MLP
  [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM [Paul
  BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat Party
  or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist Movement or
  MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues Movement or MR
  [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples Organization or OPR
  [Serge CLAIR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various labor unions

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
  chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
  embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
  mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
  mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
  DC 20521-2450
  telephone: [230] 202-4400
  FAX: [230] 208-9534

Flag description:
  four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green

Economy Mauritius

Economy - overview:
  Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
  low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
  diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
  sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
  of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
  equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
  infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
  grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
  of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
  expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic
  information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted
  more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India
  and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has
  reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector,
  has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and
  Opportunity Act (AGOA).

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $15.68 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.6% industry: 30% services: 62.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 560,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry 36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels 16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  10.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  10% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37 (1987 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.231 billion
  expenditures: $1.582 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  29.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle, goats; fish

Industries:
  food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles, clothing;
  chemicals, metal products, transport equipment, nonelectrical
  machinery; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  8% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.836 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.8% hydro: 9.2% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.707 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $284.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.012 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Exports - partners:
  UK 33.1%, France 20.4%, US 14.8%, Madagascar 5.1%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.245 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum
  products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 11.3%, China 9.4%, India 9.3%, France 9.2%, Bahrain
  5.3%, Japan 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.676 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.78 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $42 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Currency code:
  MUR

Exchange rates:
  Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.499 (2004), 27.902 (2003),
  29.962 (2002), 29.129 (2001), 26.25 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Mauritius

Telephones - main lines in use:
  348,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  462,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system with good service
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
  international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
  radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
  cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Radios:
  420,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  258,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mu

Internet hosts:
  3,985 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2003)

Transportation Mauritius

Highways:
  total: 2,000 km
  paved: 1,960 km (including 60 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 40 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Port Louis

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 6 (India 4, Switzerland 2) (2005)

Airports:
  6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Mauritius

Military branches:
  National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile
  Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 313,271 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 248,659 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $12.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mauritius

Disputes - international:
  Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British
  Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who reside
  chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship but no right to
  patriation in the UK; claims French-administered Tromelin Island

Illicit drugs:
  minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from South Asia;
  small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally; significant
  offshore financial industry creates potential for money laundering,
  but corruption levels are relatively low and the government appears
  generally to be committed to regulating its banking industry

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mayotte

Introduction Mayotte

Background:
  Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of the
  Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
  that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
  independence.

Geography Mayotte

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about one-half
  of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  12 50 S, 45 10 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 374 sq km
  land: 374 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  185.2 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during northeastern
  monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to November)

Terrain:
  generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Benara 660 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  cyclones during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

People Mayotte

Population:
  193,633 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.2% (male 44,926/female 44,521)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 54,713/female 46,156)
  65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,666/female 1,651) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.96 years
  male: 18.04 years
  female: 15.87 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.93% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.58 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 62.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 56.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.39 years
  male: 59.22 years
  female: 63.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Mahoran

Ethnic groups:
  NA

Religions:
  Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Languages:
  Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language) spoken by
  35% of the population

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Mayotte

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
  conventional short form: Mayotte

Dependency status:
  territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Mamoutzou

Administrative divisions:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Independence:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January 2005)
  head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI
  (since NA 2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
  elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%,
  PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP
  9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1
  note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
  held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
  elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election in June
  2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
  44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular Movement
  or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; FARC [leader NA]; Federation of Mahorans or RPR
  (UMP) [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department Status Mayotte or
  MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of Mayotte or MRC
  [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of French Parti
  Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French Democracy or UDF
  [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Mayotte

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural sector,
  including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
  self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
  requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
  of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
  an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
  obstacle to the development of tourism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $466.8 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:
  48,800 (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  38% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1991 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Industries:
  newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Exports:
  $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts, coffee,
  cinnamon

Exports - partners:
  France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Imports:
  $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, metals,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance (1995)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mayotte

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  21,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system administered by French Department
  of Posts and Telecommunications
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
  radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (2001)

Televisions:
  3,500 (1994)

Internet country code:
  .yt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Mayotte

Highways: total: 93 km paved: 72 km unpaved: 21 km

Ports and harbors:
  Dzaoudzi

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Mayotte

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of French
  forces stationed on the island

Transnational Issues Mayotte

Disputes - international: claimed by Comoros

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mexico

Introduction Mexico

Background:
  The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under
  Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early
  in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw
  Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over
  half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery.
  Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages,
  underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable
  income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the
  largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states.
  Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910
  Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
  government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
  of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
  as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Geography Mexico

Location:
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico,
  between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Guatemala and the US

Geographic coordinates:
  23 00 N, 102 00 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 1,972,550 sq km
  land: 1,923,040 sq km
  water: 49,510 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Land boundaries: total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Coastline: 9,330 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  varies from tropical to desert

Terrain:
  high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus; desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Natural resources: petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 12.99% permanent crops: 1.31% other: 85.7% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
  earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
  Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Environment - current issues:
  scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to urban
  migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted in
  north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
  southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
  urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
  deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
  the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
  subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
  note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
  deforestation national security issues

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize), one of
  the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated in
  Mexico

People Mexico

Population:
  106,202,903 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.1% (male 16,844,400/female 16,159,511)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 32,521,043/female 34,704,093)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 2,715,010/female 3,258,846) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.93 years
  male: 24.04 years
  female: 25.85 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.17% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.19 years
  male: 72.42 years
  female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  160,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  5,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mexican(s)
  adjective: Mexican

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
  Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Religions:
  nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Languages:
  Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous
  languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.2%
  male: 94%
  female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Government Mexico

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Mexican States
  conventional short form: Mexico
  local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
  local short form: Mexico

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Administrative divisions:
  31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district*
  (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja California
  Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Colima,
  Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco,
  Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon, Oaxaca,
  Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
  Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
  Yucatan, Zacatecas

Independence:
  16 September 1810 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Constitution:
  5 February 1917

Legal system:
  mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial
  review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
  attorney general requires consent of the Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held 2 July 2006)
  election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
  vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
  (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists of the
  Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by popular
  vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the basis of
  each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of Deputies or
  Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are directly
  elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; remaining 200
  members are allocated on the basis of each party's popular vote,
  also for three-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
  to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
  (next to be held 2 July 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222,
  PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special
  elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won
  one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional
  representation seat

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia Nacional
  (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with consent
  of the Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
  Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
  Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado];
  Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ
  Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];
  Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; Workers
  Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or COPARMEX;
  Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN; Confederation of
  Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National Chambers of
  Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade Business
  Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing Goods and
  Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation Industries
  or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC; National Union
  of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican Workers or
  CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants or CROC;
  Roman Catholic Church

International organization participation:
  APEC, BCIE, BIS, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6, G-15,
  G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carlos Alberto de ICAZA
  Gonzalez
  chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
  FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
  Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
  (California), Corpus Christi (Texas), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit,
  Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California),
  Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas City (Missouri), Las Vegas, McAllen
  (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California),
  Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Salt
  Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson,
  Yuma (Arizona)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
  embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
  Distrito Federal
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
  telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
  FAX: [52] (55) 5525-5040
  consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
  consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red;
  the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in its
  beak) is centered in the white band

Economy Mexico

Economy - overview:
  Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the trillion
  dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded industry
  and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private sector.
  Recent administrations have expanded competition in seaports,
  railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation, natural gas
  distribution, and airports. Per capita income is one-fourth that of
  the US; income distribution remains highly unequal. Trade with the
  US and Canada has tripled since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994.
  Mexico has 12 free trade agreements with over 40 countries
  including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, the European Free Trade
  Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of trade under free trade
  agreements. The government is cognizant of the need to upgrade
  infrastructure, modernize the tax system and labor laws, and provide
  incentives to invest in the energy sector, but progress is slow.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.006 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4% industry: 27.2% services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  34.73 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  53.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $160 billion
  expenditures: $158 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
  tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Industries:
  food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel, petroleum,
  mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
  tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  203.6 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 78.7% hydro: 14.2% nuclear: 4.2% other: 2.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  189.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  98.65 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  367.7 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  3.46 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.752 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.863 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  205,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  18 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  47.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  55.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  7.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  420 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-4.113 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $182.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
  vegetables, coffee, cotton

Exports - partners:
  US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Spain 1.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $190.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural machinery,
  electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair parts for motor
  vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Imports - partners:
  US 53.7%, China 7%, Japan 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $60.67 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $149.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.166 billion (1995)

Currency (code):
  Mexican peso (MXN)

Currency code:
  MXN

Exchange rates:
  Mexican pesos per US dollar - 11.286 (2004), 10.789 (2003), 9.656
  (2002), 9.342 (2001), 9.456 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mexico

Telephones - main lines in use:
  15,958,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  28.125 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2 main
  lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening to
  competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development, but
  Telmex remains dominant
  domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
  but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
  outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
  earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
  considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
  international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
  Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
  America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
  domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;
  linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;
  high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to
  the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy
  (1997)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Radios:
  31 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  25.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mx

Internet hosts:
  1,333,406 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  51 (2000)

Internet users:
  10.033 million (2002)

Transportation Mexico

Railways: total: 17,634 km standard gauge: 17,634 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 329,532 km
  paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  2,900 km
  note: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)

Pipelines:
  crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural gas
  13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Altamira, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico,
  Topolobampo, Veracruz

Merchant marine:
  total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas
  5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Germany 1, UAE 1, United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 6 (2005)

Airports:
  1,833 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 233
  over 3,047 m: 12
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 84
  914 to 1,523 m: 80
  under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1,600
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
  914 to 1,523 m: 454
  under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Military Mexico

Military branches:
  Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena): Army and Air Force (FAM)
  Secretariat of the Navy (Semar): Naval Air and Marines (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for voluntary enlistment (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 24,488,008 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 19,058,337 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,063,233 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $6.043 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mexico

Disputes - international:
  prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and
  infrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharing
  arrangements with the US; the US has stepped up efforts to stem
  nationals from Mexico, Central America, and other parts of the world
  from illegally crossing the border with Mexico

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in 1994
  in eastern Chiapas Region) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 - 4,400
  hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
  cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
  have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
  heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
  to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
  US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percent
  of estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug
  syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the
  country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant
  money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Micronesia, Federated States of

Introduction Micronesia, Federated States of

Background:
  In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory
  under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986
  independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with
  the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns
  include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on
  US aid.

Geography Micronesia, Federated States of

Location:
  Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  6 55 N, 158 15 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 702 sq km
  land: 702 sq km
  water: 0 sq km (fresh water only)
  note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands,
  and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Area - comparative:
  four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  6,112 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern
  islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with
  occasionally severe damage

Terrain:
  islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low,
  coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Natural resources:
  forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Land use:
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 45.71%
  other: 48.58% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
  overfishing, climate change, pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  four major island groups totaling 607 islands

People Micronesia, Federated States of

Population:
  108,105 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674)
  15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.08% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.75 years
  male: 67.96 years
  female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s) adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Ethnic groups:
  nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Languages:
  English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese,
  Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 91%
  female: 88% (1980 est.)

Government Micronesia, Federated States of

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia
  conventional short form: none
  former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the
  Pacific Islands)
  abbreviation: FSM

Government type:
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and
  the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Capital:
  Palikir

Administrative divisions:
  4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Independence:
  3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Constitution:
  10 May 1979

Legal system:
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003);
  Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
  2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
  among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
  held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed
  constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
  president and vice president failed
  election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
  Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
  of Congress vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state
  to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member
  districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members
  elected by popular vote)
  elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003
  (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last
  held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  no formal parties

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU,
  MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne K. HALE embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia 96941 telephone: [691] 320-2187 FAX: [691] 320-2186

Flag description:
  light blue with four white five-pointed stars centered; the stars
  are arranged in a diamond pattern

Economy Micronesia, Federated States of

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and
  fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting,
  except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist
  industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate
  facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The
  Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the
  Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual
  aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and
  the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts
  to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term
  economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US
  assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector.
  Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain
  major impediments to long-term growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $277 million
  note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
  million annually (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 50%
  industry: 4%
  services: 46% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  two-thirds are government employees

Unemployment rate:
  16% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  26.7%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants)
  expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava
  (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

Industries:
  tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture,
  craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  192 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
  NA

Electricity - consumption:
  178.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
  $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Exports - partners:
  Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Imports:
  $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

Imports - partners:
  US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
  $53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3
  billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid
  has been subsequently reduced

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Micronesia, Federated States of

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,100 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
  mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground
  stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service
  available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
  international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  9,400 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Televisions:
  2,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .fm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,000 (2002)

Transportation Micronesia, Federated States of

Highways: total: 240 km paved: 42 km unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Tomil Harbor

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005)

Airports:
  6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Micronesia, Federated States of

Military branches:
  no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the
  paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit,
  is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the
  Office of the Attorney General (2003)

Military - note:
  Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a sovereign, self-governing
  state in free association with the US; FSM is totally dependent on
  the US for its defense

Transnational Issues Micronesia, Federated States of

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Midway Islands

Introduction Midway Islands

Background:
  The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867. The laying of
  the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the islands, brought
  the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947, Midway was used
  as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The US naval victory
  over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of the turning
  points of World War II. The islands continued to serve as a naval
  station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a national
  wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to the
  public; it is now temporarily closed.

Geography Midway Islands

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about one-third of the
  way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Geographic coordinates:
  28 13 N, 177 22 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.2 sq km
  land: 6.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island

Area - comparative:
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  15 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Terrain:
  low, nearly level

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Natural resources: wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge and open to the
  public for wildlife-related recreation in the form of wildlife
  observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling, and scuba
  diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for reorganization at
  present (2004)

People Midway Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people make up the
  staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services contractor
  living at the atoll (July 2005 est.)

Government Midway Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from
  Washington, DC, by the US Navy; on 31 October 1996, through a
  presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the
  atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Midway Islands

Economy - overview:
  The economy is based on providing support services for the national
  wildlife refuge activities located on the islands. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Transportation Midway Islands

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Sand Island

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
  airfield serves as an emergency landing site for commercial
  aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Military Midway Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Midway Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Moldova

Introduction Moldova

Background:
  Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the Soviet
  Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the
  USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory
  east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
  population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
  "Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova
  became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its
  president in 2001.

Geography Moldova

Location:
  Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Geographic coordinates:
  47 00 N, 29 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 33,843 sq km
  land: 33,371 sq km
  water: 472 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Maryland

Land boundaries: total: 1,389 km border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  moderate winters, warm summers

Terrain:
  rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Dniester River 2 m highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Natural resources: lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Land use: arable land: 55.3% permanent crops: 10.79% other: 33.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Environment - current issues:
  heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides
  such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil
  erosion from poor farming methods

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
  minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

People Moldova

Population:
  4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.2% (male 459,452/female 442,725)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,489,813/female 1,606,202)
  65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,038/female 288,191) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.22 years
  male: 30.14 years
  female: 34.27 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.22% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.27 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 40.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 65.18 years
  male: 61.12 years
  female: 69.43 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 300 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Moldovan(s)
  adjective: Moldovan

Ethnic groups:
  Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%,
  Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
  note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Religions:
  Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000)

Languages:
  Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language),
  Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Government Moldova

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
  conventional short form: Moldova
  local long form: Republica Moldova
  local short form: none
  former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet
  Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Chisinau

Administrative divisions:
  32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities
  (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala
  autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
  : counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
  Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
  Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
  Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
  Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
  : municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
  : autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
  : territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului

Independence:
  27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August 1994;
  replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of
  legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is
  unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts
  many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
  (OSCE) documents

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
  2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January
  2002)
  cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held NA 2009); note -
  prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with
  Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime
  minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the
  Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime
  minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of
  confidence 19 April 2001
  election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president;
  parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile
  TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence
  - 75 of 101

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
  electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic
  Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party -
  PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
  constitutional judicature)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes: Democratic
  Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS,
  Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN]; Communist
  Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir VORONIN, first
  chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [373] (22) 408-300 FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

Flag description:
  same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue
  (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
  Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
  carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
  right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
  is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
  head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Economy Moldova

Economy - overview:
  Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe despite
  recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a favorable
  climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a
  result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring
  fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import almost
  all of its energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages contributed
  to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union
  in December 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort after
  independence, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed
  prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises,
  backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed
  interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the
  World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The
  economy returned to positive growth of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001,
  7.2% in 2002, 6.3% in 2003, and 6.8% in 2004. Further reforms will
  come slowly because of strong political forces backing government
  controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor
  agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $8.581 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 22.4% industry: 24.8% services: 52.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.36 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002
  est.)

Population below poverty line:
  80% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.2% highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.6 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $648.1 million
  expenditures: $634.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  63.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed,
  tobacco; beef, milk

Industries:
  food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
  refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
  vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  17% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.876 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 90.6% hydro: 9.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.605 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-148.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.03 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Exports - partners:
  Russia 35.8%, Italy 13.9%, Romania 10%, Germany 7.3%, Ukraine 6.6%,
  Belarus 6%, US 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.83 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  textiles (2000)

Imports - partners:
  Ukraine 24.6%, Russia 12.2%, Romania 9.3%, Germany 8.5%, Italy 7.4%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $390 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $100 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Moldovan leu (MDL)

Currency code:
  MDL

Exchange rates:
  lei per US dollar - 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571 (2002),
  12.865 (2001), 12.434 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Moldova

Telephones - main lines in use:
  706,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  338,200 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside
  Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
  domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
  cellular telephone service being introduced
  international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
  Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
  and Intersputnik

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  3.22 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.26 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .md

Internet hosts:
  11,984 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (1999)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2002)

Transportation Moldova

Railways:
  total: 1,138 km
  broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 12,719 km
  paved: 10,977 km
  unpaved: 1,742 km (2002)

Waterways:
  424 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 606 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT
  by type: cargo 2 (2005)

Airports:
  23 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Military Moldova

Military branches:
  National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; national service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,066,459 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 693,913 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 43,729 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $8.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Moldova

Disputes - international:
  Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs posts to monitor
  transit through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region which
  remains under OSCE supervision

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in Transdniestrian
  region in 1991) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS
  consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest
  Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the
  US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Monaco

Introduction Monaco

Background:
  Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a
  railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then,
  the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling
  facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation
  center.

Geography Monaco

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern
  coast of France, near the border with Italy

Geographic coordinates:
  43 44 N, 7 24 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 1.95 sq km
  land: 1.95 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km

Coastline:
  4.1 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
  Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Terrain:
  hilly, rugged, rocky

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See);
  almost entirely urban

People Monaco

Population:
  32,409 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,563/female 2,445)
  15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,909/female 10,217)
  65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,972/female 4,303) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 45.25 years
  male: 43.27 years
  female: 47.19 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.43% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  7.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.57 years
  male: 75.7 years
  female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
  adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Ethnic groups:
  French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%

Languages:
  French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Monaco

Country name:
  conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
  conventional short form: Monaco
  local long form: Principaute de Monaco
  local short form: Monaco

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Monaco

Administrative divisions:
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
  by the US Government, but there are four quarters (quartiers,
  singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville,
  Monte-Carlo

Independence:
  1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

National holiday:
  National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Constitution:
  17 December 1962

Legal system:
  based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
  head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
  appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
  candidates presented by the French Government

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
  members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
  representation; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UNAM 21, UND 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch
  on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA]; Union
  for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of Monaco
  or UNAM) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IFRCS, IHO,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in
  Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the
  flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is
  white (top) and red

Economy Monaco

Economy - overview:
  Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a popular
  resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. In
  2001, a major construction project extended the pier used by cruise
  ships in the main harbor. The principality has successfully sought
  to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting
  industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and
  thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established
  residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and
  offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors,
  including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service.
  Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous
  French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income
  figures; the estimates below are extremely rough.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $870 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 17% industry: NA% services: NA% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  30,540 (January 1994)

Unemployment rate:
  22% (1999)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.9% (2000)

Budget:
  revenues: $518 million
  expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1995)

Agriculture - products:
  none

Industries:
  tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh
  note: electricity supplied by France

Exports:
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Imports:
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Debt - external:
  $18 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Monaco

Telephones - main lines in use:
  33,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  19,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
  connected by cable into the French communications system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Radios:
  34,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (1998)

Televisions:
  25,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .mc

Internet hosts:
  533 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  16,000 (2002)

Transportation Monaco

Highways: total: 50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Monaco

Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Airports:
  none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter service
  (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
  France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2004 est.)

Military Monaco

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard performs
  ceremonial duties (2003)

Transnational Issues Monaco

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mongolia

Introduction Mongolia

Background:
  The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under Chinggis
  KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death the
  empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but these
  broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually retired to
  their original steppe homelands and later came under Chinese rule.
  Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
  Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the
  ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually
  yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition
  (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Since
  then, parliamentary elections returned the MPRP overwhelmingly to
  power in 2000 and produced a coalition government in 2004.

Geography Mongolia

Location:
  Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Geographic coordinates:
  46 00 N, 105 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 1,564,116 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries: total: 8,220 km border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature ranges)

Terrain:
  vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains in west
  and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
  highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Natural resources:
  oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, nickel,
  zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Land use: arable land: 0.77% permanent crops: 0% other: 99.23% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  840 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and "zud," which
  is harsh winter conditions

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the policies
  of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
  industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
  burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
  environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
  deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
  agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
  desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
  the environment

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

People Mongolia

Population:
  2,791,272 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28.7% (male 407,547/female 392,440)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 943,418/female 945,063)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 44,413/female 58,391) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.28 years
  male: 23.93 years
  female: 24.64 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.45% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 53.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 57.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 50.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.52 years
  male: 62.3 years
  female: 66.86 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 500 (2003 est)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Mongolian(s)
  adjective: Mongolian

Ethnic groups:
  Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%, other
  (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Religions:
  Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%, Muslim
  4% (2004)

Languages:
  Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8%
  male: 98%
  female: 97.5% (2002)

Government Mongolia

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Mongolia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Mongol Uls
  former: Outer Mongolia

Government type:
  mixed parliamentary/presidential

Capital:
  Ulaanbaatar

Administrative divisions:
  21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1 municipality*
  (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy, Bulgan, Darhan
  Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan, Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber,
  Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon, Ovorhangay, Selenge,
  Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Independence:
  11 July 1921 (from China)

National holiday:
  Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Constitution:
  12 February 1992

Legal system:
  blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental"
  or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on
  judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ (since 20 August
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28 September 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in
  consultation with the president
  elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties
  represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms;
  election last held 22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009);
  following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
  majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great
  Hural
  election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of
  vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (MPRP) 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN
  (DP) 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN (MRP) 13.92%, Badarchyn
  ERDENEBAT (M-MNSDP) 12.59%; Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ elected prime minister
  by the State Great Hural 74 to 0

Legislative branch:
  unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms
  elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,
  independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%; seats by
  party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following June 2004
  election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and provincial
  courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts; judges are
  nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved by the
  president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil Courage
  Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic Party
  or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist
  Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian
  People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian
  Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]
  note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in
  2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;
  MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO (observer), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
  chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ
  embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [976] (11) 329095
  FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Flag description:
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and red;
  centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national emblem
  ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
  representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
  symbol)

Economy Mongolia

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based on
  herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits;
  copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large
  part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height
  one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at
  the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw
  Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and
  natural disasters, as well as economic growth due to reform
  embracing free-market economics and extensive privatization of the
  formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in
  2000, 2001, and 2002 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero
  or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for
  Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to
  privatization. Growth improved from 2002 at 4% to 2003 at 5%, due
  largely to high copper prices and new gold production, with the
  government claiming a 10.6% growth rate for 2004 that is
  unconfirmed. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily impacted by
  its neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum
  products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia,
  leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia's chief
  export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy.
  The World Bank and other international financial institutions
  estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the
  official economy. The actual size of this grey - largely cash -
  economy is difficult to calculate since the money does not pass
  through the hands of tax authorities or the banking sector.
  Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and
  illegally constitute a sizeable portion. Money laundering is growing
  as an accompanying concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt
  with Russia at the end of 2003 on very favorable terms. Mongolia,
  which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand
  its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and
  trade regimes.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $5.332 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  10.6% according to official estimate (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.6% industry: 21.4% services: 58% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 1.488 million (2003)

Labor force - by occupation: herding/agriculture 42%, mining 4%, manufacturing 6%, trade 14%, services 29%, public sector 5%, other 3.7% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  6.7% (2003)

Population below poverty line:
  36.1% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $582 million
  expenditures: $602 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops, sheep, goats, cattle,
  camels, horses

Industries:
  construction and construction materials; mining (coal, copper,
  molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages;
  processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber
  manufacturing

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.692 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.209 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - exports:
  8.2 million kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - imports:
  130.5 million kWh (2004 est.)

Oil - production:
  542 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  497 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $853 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere, wool, hides,
  fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Exports - partners:
  China 47.8%, US 17.9%, UK 15.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $1 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products, industrial
  consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Imports - partners:
  Russia 33.3%, China 23.6%, Japan 7.4%, South Korea 6%, US 4.6%
  (2004)

Debt - external:
  $1.191 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $215 million (2003)

Currency (code):
  togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Currency code:
  MNT

Exchange rates:
  togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5 (2003),
  1,110.3 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mongolia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  142,300 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  404,400 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: network is improving with international direct
  dialing available in many areas
  domestic: very low density of about 6.5 telephones for each thousand
  persons; two wireless providers cover all but two provinces
  international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
  155,900 (1999)

Television broadcast stations: 52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:
  168,800 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .mn

Internet hosts:
  1,000 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  220,000 (2004)

Transportation Mongolia

Railways: total: 1,810 km broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 49,256 km paved: 8,874 km unpaved: 40,376 km (2002)

Waterways:
  580 km
  note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge
  River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry
  little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May
  to September (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 54, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo
  1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 38 (China 2, Lebanon 1, Philippines 1, Russia 10,
  Singapore 10, South Korea 1, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 1, UAE 4,
  Vietnam 6) (2005)

Airports:
  46 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Mongolia

Military branches:
  Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian People's Army (MPA), Mongolian
  People's Air Force (MPAF) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18-25 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 736,182 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 570,435 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 34,674 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $23.1 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Mongolia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Montserrat

Introduction Montserrat

Background:
  Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population
  fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano
  that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity
  since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.

Geography Montserrat

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  16 45 N, 62 12 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 102 sq km
  land: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  40 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
  complex) 914 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere
  Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Environment - current issues:
  land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation

Geography - note:
  the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains seven active
  volcanoes

People Montserrat

Population:
  9,341
  note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
  resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
  (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,109/female 1,072)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 2,923/female 3,201)
  65 years and over: 11.1% (male 536/female 500) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 28.56 years
  male: 28.29 years
  female: 28.79 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.04% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.71 years
  male: 76.54 years
  female: 80.98 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Montserratian(s) adjective: Montserratian

Ethnic groups:
  black, white

Religions:
  Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day
  Adventist, other Christian denominations

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1970 est.)

Government Montserrat

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Montserrat

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity; interim
  government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in the Carr's
  Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat)

Administrative divisions:
  3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  effective 19 December 1989

Legal system:
  English common law and statutory law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May 2004)
  head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
  minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
  finance secretary
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party usually becomes chief minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly elected;
  members serve five-year terms)
  note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
  general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
  elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPLM 7, NPP 2
  note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
  constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
  ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of
  the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
  High Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New People's
  Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow
  harp with her arm around a black cross

Economy Montserrat

Economy - overview:
  Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a
  damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June
  1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and
  social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the
  island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited
  the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the
  lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops.
  Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation
  to the volcano and on public sector construction activity. The UK
  has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
  reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
  uninhabitable for another decade.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $29 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 5.4%
  industry: 13.6%
  services: 81% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
  4,521 (lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity) (2000
  est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  6% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $31.4 million
  expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
  million (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products: cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers, livestock products

Industries:
  tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.674 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $700,000 (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot peppers, live
  plants, cattle

Exports - partners:
  US, Antigua and Barbuda

Imports:
  $17 million (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured
  goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Imports - partners:
  US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Debt - external:
  $8.9 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending
  $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Montserrat

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  70 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-664

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ms

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  17 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Montserrat

Highways:
  total: 227 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km
  note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
  road system (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Plymouth

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Montserrat

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Montserrat

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Morocco

Introduction Morocco

Background:
  In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa,
  successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th
  century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR
  (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age.
  In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half
  century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's
  sovereignty steadily eroded; in 1912, the French imposed a
  protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle
  with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city
  of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new
  country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
  during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
  territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
  resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.
  Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September
  2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.

Geography Morocco

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Geographic coordinates:
  32 00 N, 5 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 446,550 sq km
  land: 446,300 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,017.9 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
  (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
  1,835 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Terrain:
  northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas of
  bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
  highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Land use: arable land: 19.61% permanent crops: 2.17% other: 78.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

People Morocco

Population:
  32,725,847 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.1% (male 5,349,247/female 5,150,497)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 10,259,808/female 10,346,608)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 708,921/female 910,766) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.61 years
  male: 23.11 years
  female: 24.13 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.57% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.29 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 41.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 45.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.66 years
  male: 68.35 years
  female: 73.07 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  15,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2004)

Nationality: noun: Moroccan(s) adjective: Moroccan

Ethnic groups:
  Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions:
  Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of
  business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.7%
  male: 64.1%
  female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Government Morocco

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
  conventional short form: Morocco
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
  local short form: Al Maghrib

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Rabat

Administrative divisions:
  14 regions: Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha, Doukkala-Abda,
  Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es Smara,
  Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental,
  Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal,
  Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
  note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political
  status of which is considered undetermined by the United States
  Government; one additional region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, falls
  entirely within Western Sahara; another region,
  Laayoune-Boujdour-Sahia El Hamra, falls mostly within Western
  Sahara; a small portion of this region, in the southwestern part of
  the country, falls within Moroccan-administered territory as
  recognized by the United States; the province of Guelmim-Es Smara
  lies in both entities

Independence:
  2 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
  Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30 July
  (1999)

Constitution:
  10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
  bicameral legislature) September 1996

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law system;
  judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of
  Supreme Court

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch following legislative elections

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber of
  Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local councils,
  professional organizations, and labor syndicates for nine-year
  terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three years) and a
  lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats; 295 by
  multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of women;
  members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to
  be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
  September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,
  USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives
  - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,
  PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of the
  Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of Liberties or
  ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj [Abdellah EL HARIF];
  Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS [Ahmed BENJELLOUN];
  Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI]; Citizen's Initiatives
  for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU]; Constitutional Union or UC
  [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and Independence Party or PDI
  [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social Movement or MDS [Mahmoud
  ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD [Aissa OUARDIGHI];
  Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN]; Environment and Development
  Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of Democratic Forces or FFD
  [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas
  El FASSI]; Justice and Development Party or PJD [Saad Eddine
  OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML [Mohamed ZIANE]; National
  Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI]; National Ittihadi
  Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA]; National Popular
  Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally of Independents
  or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular Forces or UNFP
  [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL OUAZZANI,
  chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail ALAOUI];
  Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party of the
  Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER]; Popular
  Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development Party or
  PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC [Lahcen
  MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed
  El-YAZGHI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI]; General
  Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL]; Moroccan
  Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National Labor Union
  of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan Workers or
  UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982 FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718 telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65 FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61 consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Flag description:
  red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known as
  Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and green
  are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red is
  more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian gulf;
  design dates to 1912

Economy Morocco

Economy - overview:
  Morocco faces problems typical for developing countries:
  restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
  activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable growth.
  Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the
  World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible
  for current account transactions. In 2004 Moroccan authorities
  instituted measures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by
  signing a free trade agreement with the US and selling government
  shares in the state telecommunications company and in the largest
  state-owned bank. Favorable rainfall over the past two years has
  boosted agricultural output and GDP growth passed 4% in 2004. In
  2005 the budget deficit is expected to rise sharply - from 1.9% of
  GDP in 2004 - because of substantial increases in wages and oil
  subsidies. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for
  freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and
  job prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $134.6 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.2% industry: 35.8% services: 43% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  11.02 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 40%, industry 15%, services 45% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  19% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  39.5 (1998-99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $12.86 billion
  expenditures: $15.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.19
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  70.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Industries:
  phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing, leather
  goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  13.91 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 95.4% hydro: 4.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  14.24 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  1.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  300 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  665.4 million cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $765.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $9.754 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude minerals,
  fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products, fruits,
  vegetables

Exports - partners:
  France 33.6%, Spain 17.4%, UK 7.7%, Italy 4.7%, US 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $15.63 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications equipment,
  wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Imports - partners:
  France 18.2%, Spain 12.1%, Italy 6.6%, Germany 6%, Russia 5.7%,
  Saudi Arabia 5.4%, China 4.2%, US 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $15.14 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $17.07 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $218 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
  MAD

Exchange rates:
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003), 11.021
  (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Morocco

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,219,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,332,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system with all important capabilities;
  however, density is low with only 4.6 main lines available for each
  100 persons
  domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
  microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
  principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
  network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
  service employs microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
  microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
  coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
  Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
  Tunisia (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Radios:
  6.64 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ma

Internet hosts:
  3,627 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  800,000 (2003)

Transportation Morocco

Railways: total: 1,907 km standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 57,694 km
  paved: 32,551 km (including 481 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,143 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier

Merchant marine:
  total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 236,131 GRT/252,367 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo
  13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom
  1) (2005)

Airports:
  63 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Morocco

Military branches:
  Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (Force Aerienne Royale
  Marocaine)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 7,908,864 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,484,787 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 353,377 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2,305.6 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Morocco

Disputes - international:
  claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty remains
  unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since
  September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and
  parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals; Morocco
  protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
  Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
  Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions
  have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting
  limits on exploration and refugee interdiction since Morocco's 2002
  rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from
  the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching
  areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly directed
  to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South America
  destined for Western Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Mozambique

Introduction Mozambique

Background:
  Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a close with
  independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites, economic
  dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a prolonged civil
  war hindered the country's development. The ruling Front for the
  Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally abandoned Marxism
  in 1989, and a new constitution the following year provided for
  multiparty elections and a free market economy. A UN-negotiated
  peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique National
  Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In December
  2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim CHISSANO
  stepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected successor,
  Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the sound economic
  policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Geography Mozambique

Location:
  South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel, between
  South Africa and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 801,590 sq km
  land: 784,090 sq km
  water: 17,500 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,571 km
  border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
  105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Coastline:
  2,470 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical to subtropical

Terrain:
  mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus in
  northwest, mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Natural resources:
  coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite

Land use: arable land: 5.1% permanent crops: 0.3% other: 94.6% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in central and
  southern provinces

Environment - current issues: a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences; desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant poaching for ivory is a problem

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most fertile part
  of the country

People Mozambique

Population:
  19,406,703
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
  Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2005
  est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.1% (male 4,206,654/female 4,157,898)
  15-64 years: 54.1% (male 5,088,250/female 5,416,573)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 224,682/female 312,646) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.29 years
  male: 17.74 years
  female: 18.83 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.48% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.79 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  20.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 130.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 135.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 125.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 40.32 years
  male: 39.9 years
  female: 40.75 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  12.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  110,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Mozambican(s)
  adjective: Mozambican

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, and
  others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Religions:
  Catholic 23.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, Muslim 17.8%, other 17.8%,
  none 23.1% (1997 census)

Languages:
  Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8% (official; spoken
  by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe 7.6%, Cisena
  6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%, other foreign
  languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47.8%
  male: 63.5%
  female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Government Mozambique

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
  conventional short form: Mozambique
  local long form: Republica de Mocambique
  local short form: Mocambique
  former: Portuguese East Africa

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Maputo

Administrative divisions:
  10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city (cidade)*;
  Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de Maputo*,
  Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Independence:
  25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Constitution:
  30 November 1990

Legal system:
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2 February 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
  2009); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote
  - Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (250
  seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on a secret
  ballot to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo
  29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its professional
  judges are appointed by the president and some are elected by the
  Assembly); other courts include an Administrative Court, customs
  courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
  note: although the constitution provides for a separate
  Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence
  the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Political parties and leaders:
  Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de Liberatacao de
  Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, president];
  Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union (Resistencia Nacional
  Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE [Afonso DHLAKAMA,
  president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e Democracia)
  or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO Issa,
  chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para Paz e
  Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga Mocambicana dos
  Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president]; Human Rights and
  Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or DHD [Artemisia
  FRANCO, secretary general]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISET, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146 FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Helen LA LIME
  embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
  mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
  telephone: [258] (1) 492797
  FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and yellow with
  a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the black band is
  edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow five-pointed
  star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black superimposed on an
  open white book

Economy Mozambique

Economy - overview:
  At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the world's poorest
  countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal civil war from
  1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the government embarked
  on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to stabilize the
  economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance and with
  political stability since the multi-party elections in 1994, have
  led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth rate. Inflation
  was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s although it
  returned to double digits in 2000-03. Fiscal reforms, including the
  introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the customs service,
  have improved the government's revenue collection abilities. In
  spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent upon foreign
  assistance for much of its annual budget, and the majority of the
  population remains below the poverty line. Subsistence agriculture
  continues to employ the vast majority of the country's workforce. A
  substantial trade imbalance persists although the opening of the
  MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest foreign investment
  project to date has increased export earnings. Additional investment
  projects in titanium extraction and processing and garment
  manufacturing should further close the import/export gap.
  Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced through
  forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily Indebted Poor
  Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is now at a
  manageable level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $23.38 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.1% industry: 32.1% services: 46.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  9.2 million (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  21% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  70% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  39.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  47% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.186 billion
  expenditures: $1.398 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $479.4 million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca), corn,
  coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes, sunflowers;
  beef, poultry

Industries:
  food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints), aluminum,
  petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  8.859 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.9% hydro: 97.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.046 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  7.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  3.907 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  63.71 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-101.2 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $689.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber; bulk
  electricity

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 60.9%, South Africa 12.9%, Malawi 3.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $972.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal products,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 41.4%, Netherlands 11%, Portugal 3.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.206 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $966 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $632.8 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  metical (MZM)

Currency code:
  MZM

Exchange rates:
  meticais per US dollar - 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003), 23,678
  (2002), 20,704 (2001), 15,227 (2000)
  note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
  weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
  transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Mozambique

Telephones - main lines in use:
  83,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  428,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system but not available generally
  (telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000 persons)
  domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
  connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
  international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
  730,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2001)

Televisions:
  67,600 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .mz

Internet hosts:
  3,249 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2002)

Internet users:
  50,000 (2002)

Transportation Mozambique

Railways: total: 3,123 km narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 30,400 km paved: 5,685 km unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora Bassa
  Lake) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 649 km; refined products 292 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT by type: cargo 2 foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2005)

Airports: 158 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 22 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 87 (2004 est.)

Military Mozambique

Military branches:
  Mozambique Armed Defense Forces: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense
  Forces, Logistics Command

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $117.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Mozambique

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish and heroin,
  and South American cocaine probably destined for the European and
  South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local consumption)
  and methaqualone (for export to South Africa); corruption and poor
  regulatory capability makes the banking system vulnerable to money
  laundering, but the lack of a well-developed financial
  infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Namibia

Introduction Namibia

Background:
  South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa during
  World War I and administered it as a mandate until after World War
  II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist South-West
  Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group launched a war
  of independence for the area that was soon named Namibia, but it was
  not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end its administration in
  accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire region. Namibia won
  its independence in 1990 and has been governed by SWAPO since.
  Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in November 2004 in a
  landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led the country during
  its first 14 years of self rule.

Geography Namibia

Location:
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola
  and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  22 00 S, 17 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 825,418 sq km
  land: 825,418 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,936 km
  border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
  967 km, Zambia 233 km

Coastline:
  1,572 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Terrain:
  mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari Desert in
  east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium, cadmium, zinc,
  salt, hydropower, fish
  note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Land use:
  arable land: 0.99%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.01% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  prolonged periods of drought

Environment - current issues:
  very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
  wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  first country in the world to incorporate the protection of the
  environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
  protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

People Namibia

Population:
  2,030,692
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.7% (male 396,247/female 389,543)
  15-64 years: 57.7% (male 586,900/female 584,779)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 33,524/female 39,699) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.79 years
  male: 19.63 years
  female: 19.94 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.73% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.16 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  18.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.93 years
  male: 44.71 years
  female: 43.13 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.18 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  21.3% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  210,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  16,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Namibian(s)
  adjective: Namibian

Ethnic groups:
  black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
  note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
  to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
  7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Religions:
  Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous beliefs
  10% to 20%

Languages:
  English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of the
  population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
  indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84%
  male: 84.4%
  female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Government Namibia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
  conventional short form: Namibia
  former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Windhoek

Administrative divisions:
  13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
  Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Independence:
  21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Constitution:
  ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 15 November
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
  election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of
  vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26 seats;
  two members are chosen from each regional council to serve six-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
  determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16
  November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4
  note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
  Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic Turnhalle
  Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president]; Monitor
  Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa People's
  Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United Democratic
  Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540 FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek telephone: [264] (61) 221601 FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Flag description:
  a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper left
  section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower right
  section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
  contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Economy Namibia

Economy - overview:
  The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and processing
  of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP. Rich
  alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
  gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
  nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
  uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
  silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
  population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
  agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
  of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
  major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
  region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
  one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 in
  constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
  economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
  pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
  enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
  investment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fish
  production led growth in 2003-04.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $14.76 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.3% industry: 30.8% services: 57.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  840,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  35% (1998)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  70 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.788 billion
  expenditures: $1.956 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Industries:
  meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining (diamond,
  lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  1.167 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
  NA

Electricity - consumption:
  1.92 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  65 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  900 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $234.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.356 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle, processed
  fish, karakul skins

Exports - partners:
  EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Imports:
  $1.473 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $360 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.136 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
  NAD; ZAR

Exchange rates:
  Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),
  10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Namibia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  127,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  223,700 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each 100
  persons
  domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
  relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
  by open wire; 100% digital
  international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South
  Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to
  other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South
  African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;
  satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  232,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  60,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .na

Internet hosts:
  3,164 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  65,000 (2003)

Transportation Namibia

Railways: total: 2,382 km narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 42,237 km paved: 5,406 km unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  136 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 115
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 71
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Military Namibia

Military branches:
  Namibian Defense Force: Army (includes Air Wing), Navy, Police

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $168.4 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Namibia

Disputes - international:
  border commission has yet to resolve small residual disputes with
  Botswana along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu marshlands
  along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest Namibia's
  planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on Popa
  Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of the
  boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported and in 2004
  Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to
  build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing
  a short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia, boundary in the
  river

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Nauru

Introduction Nauru

Background:
  Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
  century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
  Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
  1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
  independent republic.

Geography Nauru

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the Marshall
  Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  0 32 S, 166 55 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 21 sq km
  land: 21 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  30 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to
  February)

Terrain:
  sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs with
  phosphate plateau in center

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks collect
  rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging desalination
  plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90 years - mainly
  by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the central 90% of
  Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining land resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
  Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

People Nauru

Population:
  13,048 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.5% (male 2,511/female 2,379)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 3,895/female 4,012)
  65 years and over: 1.9% (male 132/female 119) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.24 years
  male: 19.76 years
  female: 20.78 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.83% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 62.73 years
  male: 59.16 years
  female: 66.48 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Nauruan(s)
  adjective: Nauruan

Ethnic groups:
  Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European 8%

Religions:
  Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Languages:
  Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English
  widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
  commercial purposes

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Nauru

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
  conventional short form: Nauru
  former: Pleasant Island

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Administrative divisions:
  14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada,
  Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Independence:
  31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered UN
  trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Constitution:
  29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)

Legal system:
  acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
  election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary
  elections for president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party
  3, independents 15

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG]; Nauru
  Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party [leader
  NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN office
  at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017; telephone:
  (212) 937-0074
  consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to Fiji
  is accredited to Nauru

Flag description:
  blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the center and
  a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the hoist side;
  the star indicates the country's location in relation to the Equator
  (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12 original
  tribes of Nauru

Economy Nauru

Economy - overview:
  Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from exports
  of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other resources
  exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from Australia,
  its former occupier and later major source of support. The
  rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from
  phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the
  exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of
  phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion
  the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result
  of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual
  bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on
  wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments,
  privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some
  overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the
  registration of offshore banks and corporations. In 2004 the
  deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant
  continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and
  economy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensive
  statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP
  varying widely.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $60 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA

Labor force - by occupation: employed in mining phosphates, public administration, education, and transportation

Unemployment rate:
  90% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -3.6% (1993)

Budget:
  revenues: $23.4 million
  expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY95/96)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts

Industries:
  phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  30 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  27.9 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $640,000 f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  phosphates

Exports - partners:
  South Africa 43.4%, Germany 20.7%, India 11.8%, Japan 7.2%, Poland
  4% (2004)

Imports:
  $19.8 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Imports - partners:
  Australia 65.6%, Indonesia 5.4%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $33.3 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
  1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Nauru

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,500 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate local and international radiotelephone
  communication provided via Australian facilities
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  7,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  500 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  300 (2002)

Transportation Nauru

Highways: total: 30 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Nauru

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Nauru

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,963 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal agreement,
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Nauru

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action Task
  Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued
  failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Navassa Island

Introduction Navassa Island

Background:
  This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857 for its
  guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The lighthouse,
  built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration of Navassa
  Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department of the
  Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island described it as
  a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the following year it
  became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual scientific expeditions
  have continued.

Geography Navassa Island

Location:
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west of Tiburon
  Peninsula of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
  18 25 N, 75 02 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 5.4 sq km
  land: 5.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  8 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  marine, tropical

Terrain:
  raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by
  vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:
  guano

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo
  Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to support
  goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:
  uninhabited
  note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
  (July 2005 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and
  Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean
  Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in
  September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of
  Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern
  side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced
  against the island

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview:
  subsistence fishing and commercial trawling activities within
  refuge waters

Transportation Navassa Island

Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:
  In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule
  by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
  government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
  within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
  insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
  to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire
  between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.
  In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,
  including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October
  2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for
  "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were
  subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing
  insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the
  king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime
  minister who formed a four-party coalition government, which the
  king subsequently tasked with paving the way for elections to be
  held in spring of 2005. Citing dissatisfaction with the government's
  lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency, the king in
  February 2005 dissolved the government and assumed power.

Geography Nepal

Location:
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
  28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 140,800 sq km
  land: 136,800 sq km
  water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries: total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical
  summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:
  Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
  region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:
  quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of
  lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 21.68% permanent crops: 0.64% other: 77.68% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine
  depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
  monsoons

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
  contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural
  runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular
  emissions

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
  eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the
  world's tallest - on the border with China

People Nepal

Population:
  27,676,547 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39% (male 5,575,157/female 5,221,794)
  15-64 years: 57.3% (male 8,137,410/female 7,720,691)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 499,039/female 522,456) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.07 years
  male: 19.91 years
  female: 20.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.2% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  31.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 66.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 59.8 years
  male: 60.09 years
  female: 59.5 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  61,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:
  Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang
  5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,
  unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%
  (2001 census)
  note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages:
  Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana)
  5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%,
  unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
  note: many in government and business also speak English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 45.2%
  male: 62.7%
  female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
  conventional short form: Nepal

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Kathmandu

Administrative divisions:
  14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
  Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
  Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:
  1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday:
  Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Constitution:
  9 November 1990

Legal system:
  based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the
  throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA
  Bir Bikram Shah)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA; note - the
  Prime Minister resigned in Februrary 2005
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the prime minister; note - the King dissolved the Cabinet in
  February 2005
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
  note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
  the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
  of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
  believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
  wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
  still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
  days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Legislative branch:

: bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next election NA); note - Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by
  the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
  other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav
  Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA,
  chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra
  BAHADUR, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA,
  president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party
  president; Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Nepal Sadbhavana
  (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party
  president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man
  BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also known as PRAHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from Communist Party of Nepal/Maoist, chief negotiator]; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MICAH, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC,
  SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kedar Bhakta SHRESTHA
  chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
  embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [977] (1) 411179
  FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Flag description:
  red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
  right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
  moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:
  Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the
  world with 40% of its population living below the poverty line.
  Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
  for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
  Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
  produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security
  concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease
  in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable
  scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas
  of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade
  or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of
  the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its
  remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife,
  and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $39.53 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 40% industry: 20% services: 40% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16%

Unemployment rate:
  47% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  42% (1995-96)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.7 (FY95/96)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $665 million
  expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY99/00 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:
  tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
  mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.7% (FY99/00)

Electricity - production:
  2.054 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 8.5% hydro: 91.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.005 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  142 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  237 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $568 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade
  with India (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:
  India 47.4%, US 22.7%, Germany 8.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.419 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:
  India 46.3%, China 10.8%, UAE 9.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $2.7 billion (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $424 million (FY00/01)

Currency (code):
  Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:
  NPR

Exchange rates:
  Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003),
  77.877 (2002), 74.949 (2001), 71.094 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:
  371,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  50,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
  radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
  network
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
  microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios:
  840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .np

Internet hosts:
  917 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  80,000 (2002)

Transportation Nepal

Railways: total: 59 km narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 13,223 km paved: 4,073 km unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Airports: 46 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Military Nepal

Military branches:
  Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service),
  Nepalese Police Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,107,091 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4.193 million (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 308,031 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $99.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:
  joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
  sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
  border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
  cross-border activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 104,235 (Bhutan)
  IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces
  and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
  international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
  Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:
  The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium
  seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained
  neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by
  Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the
  Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The
  country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and
  participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 41,526 sq km
  land: 33,883 sq km
  water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:
  mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
  southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
  highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
  arable land

Land use: arable land: 26.71% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 72.32% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
  nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
  vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling

Geography - note:
  located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
  Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:
  16,407,491 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 1,523,316/female 1,453,232)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,627,007/female 5,491,802)
  65 years and over: 14.1% (male 974,037/female 1,338,097) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.04 years
  male: 38.22 years
  female: 39.9 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.53% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.81 years
  male: 76.25 years
  female: 81.51 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
  adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:
  Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly
  Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999
  est.)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%,
  other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)

Languages:
  Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Netherlands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
  conventional short form: Netherlands
  local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
  local short form: Nederland

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions:
  12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
  Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,
  Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland,
  Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas:
  Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:
  23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries
  conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; it was not until
  1648 that Spain recognized their independence)

National holiday:
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
  to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
  adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002

Legal system:
  civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution
  does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent
  WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
  July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
  2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
  Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
  note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
  apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet
  on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:
  bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
  Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
  country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second
  Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held
  May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
  held May 2007)
  election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
  Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
  CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
  Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
  PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
  8, D66 6, other 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the
  monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel
  VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or
  D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or
  PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Gerard van AS]; People's Party
  for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Jozias VAN AARTSEN];
  Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Netherlands Trade Union Federation (FNV) (consisting of a merger of
  Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union
  Federation (CNV); Trade Union Federation of Middle and High
  Personnel (MHP); Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
  Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational
  firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
  chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
  embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
  mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
  telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
  FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
  consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar
  to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;
  one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I,
  Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:
  The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends
  heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial
  relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current
  account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation
  hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,
  chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly
  mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor
  force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry
  and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,
  began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country
  continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting
  foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in
  2001-04, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four
  years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the
  EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $481.1 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.4% industry: 24.5% services: 73.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  7.53 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.6 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $256.9 billion
  expenditures: $274.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
  agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,
  microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  90.61 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 89.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 4.3% other: 5.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  100.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  20.9 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.693 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $19.9 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $293.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
  Germany 25%, Belgium 12.4%, UK 10.1%, France 9.9%, Italy 6%, US
  4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $252.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs,
  clothing

Imports - partners:
  Germany 17.9%, Belgium 9.9%, US 7.9%, China 7.4%, UK 6.4%, France
  4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $21.44 billion (2003)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10.004 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  12.5 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
  domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
  telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
  network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
  System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
  international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
  Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
  15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nl

Internet hosts:
  4,518,226 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  52 (2000)

Internet users:
  8.5 million (2003)

Transportation Netherlands

Railways: total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 116,500 km
  paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways:
  5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716
  km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Amsterdam, Groningen, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen,
  Zaanstad

Merchant marine:
  total: 558 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 361, chemical tanker 32, container
  48, liquefied gas 13, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum
  tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off 15, specialized
  tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 139 (Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Canada 1, Denmark 4,
  Finland 7, Germany 62, Ireland 13, Norway 9, Sweden 19, United
  Kingdom 6, United States 11)
  registered in other countries: 223 (2005)

Airports:
  27 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Netherlands

Military branches:
  Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air
  Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke
  Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Constabulary, Defense Interservice Command
  (DICO) (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 3,557,918 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 2,856,691 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 99,934 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.408 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  major European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, and other
  synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish
  entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial
  sector vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:
  Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao
  was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity
  (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th
  century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly
  discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is
  shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and
  is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called
  Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:
  Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of
  five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of
  Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the
  US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 960 sq km
  land: 960 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
  Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
  tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
  generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are
  rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are
  subject to hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided
  geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint
  Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)
  group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:
  219,958 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.2% (male 27,302/female 26,002)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 70,838/female 77,148)
  65 years and over: 8.5% (male 7,673/female 10,995) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.46 years
  male: 30.86 years
  female: 34.01 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.82% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 10.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.83 years
  male: 73.58 years
  female: 78.2 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:
  mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other
  Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%
  (2001 census)

Languages:
  Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),
  English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,
  Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
  local long form: none
  local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
  former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:
  an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
  autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government
  responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:
  parliamentary

Capital:
  Willemstad; note - located on Curacao, the largest of the islands

Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
  to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
  29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as
  amended

Legal system:
  based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law
  influence

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
  1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
  July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
  the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
  by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
  by NA 2006)
  note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP
  Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia

Legislative branch:
  unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St.
  Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP
  note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of
  several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led
  government on 4 April 2004

Judicial branch:
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne YS]; C 93 [Stanley
  BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
  Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
  Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
  Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
  Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
  LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
  National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party or PNP
  [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth
  GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UP Bonaire [Ramonsito
  BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.];
  People's Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK
  [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL];
  Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA
  [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp
  [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI];
  Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers'
  Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
  note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,
  WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
  consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
  mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
  telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
  FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description:
  white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on
  a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars
  are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the
  five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao,
  Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Economy Netherlands Antilles

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays
  of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world.
  Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past
  eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a
  well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the
  region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US
  and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate
  water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary
  problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging
  population.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.45 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  89,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15.6% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $710.8 million
  expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:
  tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining
  (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),
  light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.005 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  934.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $1.579 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US 20.4%, Panama 11.2%, Guatemala 8.8%, Haiti 7.1%, Bahamas, The
  5.6%, Honduras 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.233 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:
  Venezuela 51.1%, US 21.9%, Netherlands 5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $1.35 billion (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
  IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its
  support with $40 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:
  ANG

Exchange rates:
  Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2004), 1.79
  (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:
  81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  81,000 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally adequate facilities
  domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
  international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (2004)

Televisions:
  69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .an

Internet hosts:
  119 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km

Ports and harbors:
  Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

Merchant marine:
  total: 168 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007 GRT/1,668,499 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 23, cargo 72, chemical tanker
  2, container 21, liquefied gas 6, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3,
  refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 158 (Belgium 5, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Hong
  Kong 3, Netherlands 71, Peru 1, Sweden 9, Turkey 7, United Kingdom
  2, United States 1) (2005)

Airports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2038 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
  National Guard, Police Force

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for military recruitment; no conscription (July 2002)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 54,200 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 45,273 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,720 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and
  Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:
  Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the
  19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It
  served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for
  independence during the 1980s and early 1990s has dissipated.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 19,060 sq km
  land: 18,575 sq km
  water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  2,254 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
  coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0.38% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 99.29% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards:
  cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:
  erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
  consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
  the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
  small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:
  216,494 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29% (male 32,030/female 30,714)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 70,294/female 69,506)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 6,513/female 7,437) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.5 years
  male: 27.16 years
  female: 27.84 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.28% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.04 years
  male: 71.07 years
  female: 77.16 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.31 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: New Caledonian(s)
  adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,
  Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:
  French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91%
  male: 92%
  female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
  conventional short form: New Caledonia
  local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
  local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Noumea

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on
  independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is
  scheduled for 2014

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the
  islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
  1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15
  July 2005)
  head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle
  THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)
  cabinet: Consultative Committee
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
  - last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was
  elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats;
  members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees
  Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3
  note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate;
  elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later
  than September 2007; between now and 2010 New Caledonia will gain a
  second seat in the French Senate); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats
  to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June
  2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
  Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caleonian
  Union or UC [leader NA]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des
  Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy
  GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak
  Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA]
  (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or
  PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in
  the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The
  Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour
  l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,
  but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
  Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
  [Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:
  New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
  Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and
  food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
  substantial financial support from France - equal to more than
  one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
  economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
  with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
  outlook for the next several years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.158 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5% industry: 30% services: 65% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
  79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed) (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  19% (1996)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.6% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $861.3 million
  expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
  million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Industries:
  nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:
  1.581 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 76.3% hydro: 23.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.471 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $448 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:
  Japan 22%, France 16.5%, Taiwan 12.3%, South Korea 12%, Spain 6.3%,
  Australia 6.1%, China 4.8%, South Africa 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.007 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  France 40.3%, Singapore 10.9%, Australia 9.1%, New Zealand 4.9%
  (2004)

Debt - external:
  $79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $880 million annual subsidy from France (1998)

Currency (code):
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
  XPF

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04
  (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  52,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  80,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  52,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nc

Internet hosts:
  4,449 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  60,000 (2003)

Transportation New Caledonia

Highways:
  total: 5,432 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Noumea

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  25 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 6 (2004 est.)

Military New Caledonia

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces
  (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues New Caledonia

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@New Zealand

Introduction New Zealand

Background:
  The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In
  1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the
  Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
  Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
  British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
  land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
  peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
  dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
  New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
  lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
  address longstanding Maori grievances.

Geography New Zealand

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 S, 174 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 268,680 sq km
  land: 268,021 sq km
  water: NA
  note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
  Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  15,134 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Terrain:
  predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
  limestone

Land use: arable land: 5.6% permanent crops: 6.99% other: 87.41% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by
  species introduced from outside

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the
  southernmost national capital in the world

People New Zealand

Population:
  4,035,461 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 21.4% (male 441,836/female 421,065)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,356,095/female 1,343,728)
  65 years and over: 11.7% (male 206,650/female 266,087) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.65 years
  male: 32.92 years
  female: 34.4 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.02% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.66 years
  male: 75.67 years
  female: 81.78 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: New Zealander(s)
  adjective: New Zealand

Ethnic groups:
  European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%,
  other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist
  2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other
  3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Maori (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government New Zealand

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: New Zealand
  abbreviation: NZ

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Wellington

Administrative divisions:
  16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,
  Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui,
  Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman,
  Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Dependent areas:
  Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Independence:
  26 September 1907 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
  over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
  consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of
  the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act
  1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987,
  effective 1 January 1987

Legal system:
  based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts
  for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4
  April 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
  1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament
  (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in single-member
  constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and 51 proportional
  seats chosen from party lists, all to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later
  than 15 November 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%,
  NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand
  1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7,
  Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1
  note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats
  increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat
  than its entitlement under the party vote

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - Judges appointed
  by the Governor-General

Political parties and leaders:
  ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS and
  Rod DONALD]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA]; National Party or NP
  [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP [Winston PETERS]; New
  Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK]; Progressive Party [James
  (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986),
  APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
  CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800 FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
  embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
  96531-1034
  telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
  FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
  consulate(s) general: Auckland

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with
  four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer
  half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
  constellation

Economy New Zealand

Economy - overview:
  Over the past 20 years the government has transformed New Zealand
  from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary British market
  access to a more industrialized, free market economy that can
  compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real incomes (but
  left behind many at the bottom of the ladder), broadened and
  deepened the technological capabilities of the industrial sector,
  and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita income has risen
  for six consecutive years and is now more than $23,000 in purchasing
  power parity terms. New Zealand is heavily dependent on trade -
  particularly in agricultural products - to drive growth. Exports are
  equal to about 20% of GDP. Thus far the economy has been resilient,
  and the Labor Government promises that expenditures on health,
  education, and pensions will increase proportionately to output.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $92.51 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.6% industry: 27.4% services: 68% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.05 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 10%, industry 25%, services 65% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.3% highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $38.29 billion
  expenditures: $36.12 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  22.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables; wool, beef,
  lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish

Industries:
  food processing, wood and paper products, textiles, machinery,
  transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  38.39 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.6% hydro: 57.8% nuclear: 0% other: 10.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  35.71 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  58.94 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-3.647 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $19.85 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish, machinery

Exports - partners:
  Australia 21%, US 14.4%, Japan 11.3%, China 5.7%, UK 4.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $19.77 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft, petroleum,
  electronics, textiles, plastics

Imports - partners:
  Australia 22.4%, US 11.3%, Japan 11.2%, China 9.7%, Germany 5.2%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $4.805 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $47.34 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $99.7 million

Currency (code):
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003),
  2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications New Zealand

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1.765 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.599 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international systems
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and
  Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  3.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  1.926 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .nz

Internet hosts:
  474,395 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  36 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.11 million (2003)

Transportation New Zealand

Railways: total: 3,898 km narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 92,382 km
  paved: 59,124 km (including at least 169 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 33,258 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km; refined
  products 304 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Merchant marine:
  total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 1, bulk carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Isle of Man 1)
  registered in other countries: 5 (2005)

Airports:
  116 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 70 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Military New Zealand

Military branches:
  New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New Zealand Air
  Force

Military service age and obligation:
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be
  deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 984,700 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 809,519 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 29,738 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.147 billion (FY03/04)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY02)

Transnational Issues New Zealand

Disputes - international: asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross Dependency) [see Antarctica]

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Nicaragua

Introduction Nicaragua

Background:
  The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish colony from
  Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from Spain was
  declared in 1821 and the country became an independent republic in
  1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first half of the
  19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region in
  subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental manipulation
  and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and resulted in a
  short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist Sandinista guerrillas
  to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist rebels in El Salvador
  caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista contra guerrillas through
  much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990, 1996, and again in 2001
  saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country has slowly rebuilt its
  economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by Hurricane Mitch in
  1998.

Geography Nicaragua

Location:
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 85 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 129,494 sq km
  land: 120,254 sq km
  water: 9,240 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the state of New York

Land boundaries: total: 1,231 km border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Coastline: 910 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation

Climate:
  tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Terrain:
  extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central interior
  mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by volcanoes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Natural resources:
  gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Land use: arable land: 15.94% permanent crops: 1.94% other: 82.12% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  880 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  largest country in Central America; contains the largest freshwater
  body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

People Nicaragua

Population:
  5,465,100 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.2% (male 1,036,487/female 999,226)
  15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,623,065/female 1,638,017)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 73,935/female 94,370) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.56 years
  male: 20.15 years
  female: 20.98 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.92% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  24.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.33 years
  male: 68.27 years
  female: 72.49 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,400 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Nicaraguan(s)
  adjective: Nicaraguan

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black 9%,
  Amerindian 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%, Episcopal
  0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)

Languages:
  Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995 census)
  note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.5%
  male: 67.2%
  female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Government Nicaragua

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
  conventional short form: Nicaragua
  local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
  local short form: Nicaragua

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Managua

Administrative divisions:
  15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 2
  autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
  autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
  Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
  Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Independence:
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Constitution:
  9 January 1987; reforms in 1995 and 2000

Legal system:
  civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts

Suffrage:
  16 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10 January
  2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January 2002);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
  January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
  2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
  2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
  56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN)
  1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92 seats;
  members are elected by proportional representation and party lists
  to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one seat
  for runner-up in previous Presidential election
  elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
  (ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%,
  FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN
  38, PCN 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for five-year
  terms by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon, Oscar
  WENDOLYN Vargas, Karla WHITE]; Central American Unionist Party or
  PUCA [leader NA]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando
  TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario
  RAPPACCIOLI]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ
  Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National
  Unity or PLIUN [leader NA]; Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC
  [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo
  NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or PALI [leader NA]; Nicaraguan
  Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina];
  Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista
  National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra];
  Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [leader NA]; Unity Alliance or
  AU [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella group of
  eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or ATC,
  Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
  Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
  Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
  Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
  Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
  Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
  umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
  Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
  Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
  or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
  Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
  Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
  business groups

International organization participation:
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5 December
  2003)
  chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
  Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua mailing address: APO AA 34021 telephone: [505] 266-6010 FAX: [505] 266-9074

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue with
  the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
  NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
  the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
  the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
  the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
  blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Economy Nicaragua

Economy - overview:
  Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries, faces low per
  capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external debt.
  Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the globe.
  While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic stability
  over the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far too low to
  meet the country's needs. As a result of successful performance
  under its International Monetary Fund policy program and other
  efforts, Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4 billion in
  foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) initiative. Even after this reduction, however, the
  government continues to bear a significant foreign and domestic debt
  burden. If ratified, the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement
  (CAFTA) will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract
  investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. While
  President BOLANOS enjoys the support of the international financial
  bodies, his internal political base is meager.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $12.34 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 20.7% industry: 24.7% services: 54.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.93 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30.5%, industry 17.3%, services 52.2% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 45% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  55.1 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  28% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $725.5 million
  expenditures: $1.039 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  69.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco, sesame,
  soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Industries:
  food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products, textiles,
  clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages, footwear,
  wood

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.553 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 83.9% hydro: 7.7% nuclear: 0% other: 8.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.318 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  6.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  15.3 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  25,770 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  738 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  27,950 bbl/day (2003)

Current account balance:
  $-843.1 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold, peanuts

Exports - partners:
  US 64.8%, El Salvador 7%, Mexico 3.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  US 22.6%, Costa Rica 8.5%, Venezuela 8.4%, Guatemala 6.8%, Mexico
  5.8%, El Salvador 4.9%, South Korea 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $670 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.573 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $541.8 million (2003)

Currency (code):
  gold cordoba (NIO)

Currency code:
  NIO

Exchange rates:
  gold cordobas per US dollar - 15.937 (2004), 15.105 (2003), 14.251
  (2002), 13.372 (2001), 12.684 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Nicaragua

Telephones - main lines in use:
  171,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  202,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by foreign
  investment
  domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
  expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
  international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  320,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ni

Internet hosts:
  7,094 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  90,000 (2002)

Transportation Nicaragua

Railways: total: 6 km narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 18,712 km paved: 2,126 km unpaved: 16,586 km (2002)

Waterways:
  2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)

Pipelines:
  oil 54 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Airports:
  176 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)

Military Nicaragua

Military branches:
  Army (includes Navy, Air Force)

Military service age and obligation:
  17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,309,970 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 1,051,425 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 65,170 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $32.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Nicaragua

Disputes - international:
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and against
  Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
  involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
  Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; the
  1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite
  resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca,
  which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over
  navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
  transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Niger

Introduction Niger

Background:
  Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger
  hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a
  five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999
  were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council
  that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999. Niger
  is one of the poorest countries in the world with minimal government
  services and insufficient funds to develop its resource base. The
  largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is frequently
  disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region of Africa.

Geography Niger

Location:
  Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1.267 million sq km
  land: 1,266,700 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,697 km
  border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
  Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Terrain:
  predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains
  in south; hills in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Niger River 200 m
  highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Natural resources:
  uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum, gypsum,
  salt, petroleum

Land use: arable land: 3.54% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 96.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  660 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts

Environment - current issues: overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world: northern
  four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna, suitable for
  livestock and limited agriculture

People Niger

Population:
  11,665,937 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.3% (male 2,811,539/female 2,704,498)
  15-64 years: 50.6% (male 2,890,119/female 3,009,281)
  65 years and over: 2.1% (male 130,953/female 119,547) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.25 years
  male: 15.8 years
  female: 16.72 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.63% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  48.3 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  21.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 121.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 125.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 117.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.5 years
  male: 43.54 years
  female: 43.45 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  70,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,800 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality: noun: Nigerien(s) adjective: Nigerien

Ethnic groups:
  Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri)
  4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French
  expatriates

Religions:
  Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Languages:
  French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 17.6%
  male: 25.8%
  female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Government Niger

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Niger
  conventional short form: Niger
  local long form: Republique du Niger
  local short form: Niger

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Niamey

Administrative divisions:
  8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital district*
  (commune urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua,
  Tillaberi, Zinder

Independence:
  3 August 1960 (from France)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 18 July 1999

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December 1999);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
  1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
  appointed by the president and shares some executive
  responsibilities with the president
  cabinet: 27-member Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December
  2009); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent of
  vote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from 83
  seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, Party for Socialism
  and Democracy in Niger 1, other 8

Judicial branch:
  State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA]; Democratic
  Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic
  and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE];
  National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara
  [TANDJA Mamadou, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and
  Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou
  DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or
  PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for Socialism and Democracy
  in Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Social Democracy or RSD [Cheiffou
  AMADOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or
  UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227 FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64 FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with
  a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white
  band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel
  centered in the white band

Economy Niger

Economy - overview:
  Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, a landlocked
  Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence crops,
  livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits. Drought
  cycles, desertification, a 3.3% population growth rate, and the drop
  in world demand for uranium have undercut the economy. Niger shares
  a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central bank, the
  Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven other
  members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000, Niger
  qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International Monetary
  Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and concluded
  an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and Growth
  Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC
  initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service
  obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care,
  primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and
  other programs geared at poverty reduction. Nearly half of the
  government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future
  growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and
  other mineral resources.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $9.716 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39% industry: 17% services: 44% (2001)

Labor force:
  70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  63% (1993 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.5 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign sources
  expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178
  million (2002 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice;
  cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Industries:
  uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food processing,
  chemicals, slaughterhouses

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  266.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  327.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  80 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Exports - partners:
  France 41%, Nigeria 22.4%, Japan 15.3%, Switzerland 6%, Spain 4.1%,
  Ghana 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Imports - partners:
  France 14.4%, US 10.3%, French Polynesia 9.4%, Nigeria 7.8%, Cote
  d'Ivoire 7.5%, Japan 5.2%, China 5.1%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $341 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Niger

Telephones - main lines in use:
  22,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  24,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
  communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
  southwestern area of Niger
  domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
  relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
  international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Televisions:
  125,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ne

Internet hosts:
  134 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2002)

Transportation Niger

Highways:
  total: 10,100 km
  paved: 798 km
  unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  300 km
  note: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March
  (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  none

Airports:
  27 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Niger

Military branches:
  Niger Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army, National
  Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
  obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,135,680 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,180,027 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 126,719 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $33.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Niger

Disputes - international:
  Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant dispute;
  much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria,
  remains undemarcated, and states expect a ruling in 2005 from the
  ICJ over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; only Nigeria
  and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to
  ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Nigeria

Introduction Nigeria

Background:
  Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new constitution was
  adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to civilian government
  was completed. The president faces the daunting task of rebuilding a
  petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have been squandered through
  corruption and mismanagement, and institutionalizing democracy. In
  addition, the OBASANJO administration must defuse longstanding
  ethnic and religious tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation
  for economic growth and political stability. Despite some
  irregularities, the April 2003 elections marked the first civilian
  transfer of power in Nigeria's history.

Geography Nigeria

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin and
  Cameroon

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 923,768 sq km
  land: 910,768 sq km
  water: 13,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,047 km
  border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
  1,497 km

Coastline:
  853 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in north

Terrain:
  southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus; mountains
  in southeast, plains in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone, niobium,
  lead, zinc, arable land

Land use: arable land: 31.29% permanent crops: 2.96% other: 65.75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; flooding

Environment - current issues: soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil; has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land; rapid urbanization

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows southward
  through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in the Gulf of
  Guinea

People Nigeria

Population:
  128,771,988
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 27,466,766/female 27,045,092)
  15-64 years: 54.6% (male 35,770,593/female 34,559,414)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,874,157/female 2,055,966) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.63 years
  male: 18.71 years
  female: 18.55 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.37% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  17.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 91.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 46.74 years
  male: 46.21 years
  female: 47.29 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  310,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly endemic areas for Lassa fever (2004)

Nationality: noun: Nigerian(s) adjective: Nigerian

Ethnic groups:
  Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more than
  250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and
  politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo
  (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Religions:
  Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Languages:
  English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68%
  male: 75.7%
  female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Government Nigeria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
  conventional short form: Nigeria

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
  transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices
  have now moved to Abuja

Administrative divisions:
  36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra,
  Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo,
  Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
  Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
  Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Independence:
  1 October 1960 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted May 1999

Legal system:
  based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12 northern
  states), and traditional law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Federal Executive Council
  elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two
  four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held
  NA 2007)
  election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of
  vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,
  Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats - 3 from
  each state plus one from Abuja, members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (346 seats,
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA
  2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to
  be held NA 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%,
  ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP
  27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD
  34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal Court of
  Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on the advice
  of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Political parties and leaders:
  Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All Nigeria
  Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand
  Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI];
  Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
  Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
  Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force or NDPVF [Mujahid Dokubo
  ASARI]; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
  OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR
  chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELL
  embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
  mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
  telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
  FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green

Economy Nigeria

Economy - overview:
  Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,
  corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic
  management, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilian
  administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify
  the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil
  sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings,
  and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence
  agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population
  growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the
  country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.
  Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000,
  Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a
  $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.
  Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing
  to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for
  additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year
  the government has begun showing the political will to implement the
  market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the
  banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage
  demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of
  earnings from the oil industry. During 2003 the government began
  deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the
  country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic
  Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run
  program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
  for fiscal and monetary management. GDP rose strongly in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $125.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 36.3% industry: 30.5% services: 33.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  55.67 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.6% highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.6 (1996-97)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  16.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $11.78 billion
  expenditures: $11.47 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava
  (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber; fish

Industries:
  crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton, rubber,
  wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other construction
  materials, food products, footwear, chemicals, fertilizer, printing,
  ceramics, steel, small commercial ship construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  19.85 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 61.9% hydro: 38.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  18.43 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  30 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  2.356 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  34 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.007 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $5.228 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $33.99 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Exports - partners:
  US 47.5%, Brazil 10.7%, Spain 7.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $17.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured goods, food
  and live animals

Imports - partners:
  China 9.4%, US 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Netherlands 5.9%, France 5.4%,
  Germany 4.9%, Italy 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.71 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $30.55 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  IMF $250 million (1998)

Currency (code):
  naira (NGN)

Currency code:
  NGN

Exchange rates:
  nairas per US dollar - 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58 (2002),
  111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Nigeria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  853,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,149,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by poor
  maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been made
  domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
  radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19
  earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular
  facilities and the Internet are available
  international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic
  submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Radios:
  23.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Televisions:
  6.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ng

Internet hosts:
  1,142 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2000)

Internet users:
  750,000 (2003)

Transportation Nigeria

Railways:
  total: 3,557 km
  narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
  standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 194,394 km
  paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and creeks)
  (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined products
  3,626 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt

Merchant marine:
  total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 31,
  refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 2, Pakistan 1)
  registered in other countries: 25 (2005)

Airports:
  70 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 36 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Nigeria

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 26,804,314 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 15,053,936 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,353,161 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $544.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Nigeria

Disputes - international:
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and maritime
  boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission to resolve
  differences bilaterally and have commenced with demarcation in
  less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in
  the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the Bakassi
  Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces while
  much of the indigenous population opposes cession; in 2004, some
  17,000 Nigerian refugees fleeing ethnic conflicts between
  pastoralists and farmers in 2002 still reside in Cameroon; the ICJ
  ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial
  Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but
  imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the unresolved
  Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial
  Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River
  all contribute to the delay in implementation; a joint task force
  was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the
  maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Benin on the Okpara
  River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad
  Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also
  includes Chad and Niger

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and Muslims
  since President OBASANJO's election in 1999) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for European, East
  Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for Nigerian
  narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major money-laundering center;
  massive corruption and criminal activity; remains on Financial
  Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for
  continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering
  control regime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Niue

Introduction Niue

Background:
  Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic differences
  between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest of the Cook
  Islands, have caused it to be separately administered. The
  population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200 in
  1966 to about 2,150 in 2005), with substantial emigration to New
  Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Geography Niue

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Geographic coordinates:
  19 02 S, 169 52 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 260 sq km
  land: 260 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  64 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Terrain:
  steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Natural resources:
  fish, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 15.38%
  permanent crops: 11.54%
  other: 73.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons

Environment - current issues: increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: one of world's largest coral islands

People Niue

Population: 2,166 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  0% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Niuean(s)
  adjective: Niuean

Ethnic groups:
  Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,
  Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely related
  to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints 8.8%,
  Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day Adventist
  1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan;
  English

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 95% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Niue

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Niue former: Savage Island

Dependency status:
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
  Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
  responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
  at the request of the Government of Niue

Government type:
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Alofi

Administrative divisions:
  none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
  second order

Independence:
  on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
  government in free association with New Zealand

National holiday:
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
  over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
  19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Legal system:
  English common law
  note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
  and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
  John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12
  May 2005 (next to be held May 2008)
  election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier; percent of
  Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN
  (independent) 15%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
  roll and 14 are village representatives)
  elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Political parties and leaders:
  Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of
  Independents or AI [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand)

Flag description:
  yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant;
  the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars - a large
  one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each arm of
  the bold red cross

Economy Niue

Economy - overview:
  The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
  geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
  Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
  is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
  used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
  expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
  agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
  although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
  primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
  honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
  collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
  years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration
  of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
  promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although
  former Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will
  shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New
  Zealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastating
  hurricane in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic
  programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been
  dependent on foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.6 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -0.3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: 55%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
  government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (1995)

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava
  (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Industries:
  tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.79 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $137,200 (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit
  products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Exports - partners:
  New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Imports:
  $2.38 million (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
  lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Debt - external:
  $418,000 (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Currency (code):
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003),
  2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Niue

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,100 est (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  400 (2002)

Telephone system:
  domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
  island
  international: country code - 683

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .nu

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Niue

Highways: total: 234 km paved: 86 km unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Niue

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Niue

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Norfolk Island

Introduction Norfolk Island

Background:
  Two British attempts at establishing the island as a penal colony
  (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In 1856, the
  island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of the
  Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Geography Norfolk Island

Location:
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  29 02 S, 167 57 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 34.6 sq km
  land: 34.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  32 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (especially May to July)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost inaccessible cliffs,
  but the land slopes down to the sea in one small southern area on
  Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is situated

People Norfolk Island

Population: 1,828 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 20.2% 15-64 years: 63.9% 65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.01% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Net migration rate:
  NA

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
  adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Ethnic groups:
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New Zealander,
  Polynesians

Religions:
  Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church in Australia
  11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian 2.4%,
  Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none 18.1%
  (2001 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century English and
  ancient Tahitian

Literacy:
  NA

Government Norfolk Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
  conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Dependency status:
  territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth
  responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of
  Environment, Sport, and Territories

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Kingston

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of Australia)

Independence:
  none (territory of Australia)

National holiday:
  Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn Islanders), 8 June
  (1856)

Constitution:
  Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Legal system:
  based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English
  common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or
  Norfolk Island law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the UK
  and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant TAMBLING (since
  1 November 2003)
  head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey
  Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
  the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
  acts as an advisor to the administrator
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
  election last held 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)
  election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;
  percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members elected by
  electors who have nine equal votes each but only four votes can be
  given to any one candidate; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
  (note - no political parties)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of Australia)

Flag description:
  three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and green with a
  large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in the slightly wider
  white band

Economy Norfolk Island

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily increased over
  the years and has brought a level of prosperity unusual among
  inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural sector has
  become self-sufficient in the production of beef, poultry, and eggs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA

Labor force:
  1,345

Labor force - by occupation:
  tourism 90%, subsistence agriculture 10%

Unemployment rate:
  0%

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: $20 million
  expenditures: $20 million, including capital expenditures of $2
  million (FY99/00)

Agriculture - products:
  Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals, vegetables,
  fruit; cattle, poultry

Industries:
  tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2002)

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Exports:
  $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY99/00)

Exports - commodities:
  postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm,
  small quantities of avocados

Exports - partners:
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Imports:
  $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Imports - commodities:
  NA

Imports - partners:
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003),
  1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Norfolk Island

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32) circuits
  (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August 2002 island
  referendum) (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: free local calls
  international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
  Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Radios:
  2,500 (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that bring in
  Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Televisions:
  1,200 (1996)

Internet country code:
  .nf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  700

Transportation Norfolk Island

Highways: total: 80 km paved: 53 km unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Ports and harbors:
  none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Norfolk Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of Australia

Transnational Issues Norfolk Island

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Northern Mariana Islands

Introduction Northern Mariana Islands

Background:
  Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the
  1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links
  with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A
  covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US
  was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into
  effect in 1978.

Geography Northern Mariana Islands

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters
  of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  15 12 N, 145 45 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 477 sq km
  land: 477 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,482 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine; moderated by northeast trade winds, little
  seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy
  season July to October

Terrain:
  southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing
  coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Natural resources:
  arable land, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 13.04%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 82.61% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August
  to November)

Environment - current issues: contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development

Geography - note: strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean

People Northern Mariana Islands

Population:
  80,362 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 8,332/female 7,646)
  15-64 years: 78.5% (male 26,121/female 36,982)
  65 years and over: 1.6% (male 646/female 635) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.33 years
  male: 31.54 years
  female: 28.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.61% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.51 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  8.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.71 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.78 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.88 years
  male: 73.31 years
  female: 78.61 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
  Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%, Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%,
  mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Religions:
  Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs
  and taboos may still be found)

Languages:
  Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%, Chamorro 22.4%, English
  10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%, other 9.6% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 96% (1980 est.)

Government Northern Mariana Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
  former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Dependency status:
  commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the
  Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior,
  Office of Insular Affairs

Government type:
  commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor,
  lieutenant governor, and legislature

Capital:
  Saipan

Administrative divisions:
  none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order:
  Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Independence:
  none (commonwealth in political union with the US)

National holiday:
  Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Constitution:
  Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
  effective 1 January 1978; Covenant Agreement effective 4 November
  1986

Legal system:
  based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws,
  and taxation

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens
  but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since 14 January
  2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since 14 January 2002)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005)
  election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
  race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 42.8%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the
  House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5
  November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
  (next to be held 5 November 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
  Democratic Party 1, independent 1
  note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
  delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
  "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
  - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Judicial branch:
  Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [NA];
  Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau)

Flag description:
  blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray
  silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in
  building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath

Economy Northern Mariana Islands

Economy - overview:
  The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from
  the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated
  government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs
  about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of
  GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have
  exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial
  difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The
  agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
  producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
  production is by far the most important industry with employment of
  17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
  duty and quota exemptions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $900 million
  note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Labor force:
  6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717
  foreign workers (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.2% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $193 million
  expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY01/02 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Industries:
  tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh

Exports:
  NA

Exports - commodities:
  garments

Exports - partners:
  US (2000)

Imports:
  NA

Imports - commodities:
  food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  US, Japan (2000)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  extensive funding from US

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Northern Mariana Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  21,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,000 (2000)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two
  cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite
  networks) (1997)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .mp

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Northern Mariana Islands

Highways: total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)

Ports and harbors:
  Saipan, Tinian

Airports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Northern Mariana Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Northern Mariana Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Norway

Introduction Norway

Background:
  Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off following the
  adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in 994. Conversion
  of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next several decades. In
  1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with Denmark that was to last
  for more than four centuries. In 1814, Norwegians resisted the
  cession of their country to Sweden and adopted a new constitution.
  Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to let Norway keep its
  constitution in return for accepting the union under a Swedish king.
  Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century led to a 1905
  referendum granting Norway independence. Although Norway remained
  neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to its shipping.
  Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of World War II, but
  was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi Germany (1940-45).
  In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of
  NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s
  boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on
  containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for
  the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in
  1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Geography Norway

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, west of Sweden

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 10 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 324,220 sq km
  land: 307,860 sq km
  water: 16,360 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,542 km
  border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Coastline:
  25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long fjords,
  numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km; length of
  island coastlines 58,133 km)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current; colder
  interior with increased precipitation and colder summers; rainy
  year-round on west coast

Terrain:
  glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken by
  fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply indented
  by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, titanium,
  pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  rockslides, avalanches

Environment - current issues:
  water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely affecting
  lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
  indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
  routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
  in world

People Norway

Population:
  4,593,041 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.5% (male 459,418/female 437,734)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 1,531,249/female 1,484,656)
  65 years and over: 14.8% (male 286,343/female 393,641) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.17 years
  male: 37.29 years
  female: 39.07 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.4% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  11.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.45 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.4 years
  male: 76.78 years
  female: 82.17 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2,100 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Norwegian(s)
  adjective: Norwegian

Ethnic groups:
  Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Religions:
  Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other
  Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Languages:
  Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small
  Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Government Norway

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
  conventional short form: Norway
  local long form: Kongeriket Norge
  local short form: Norge

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Oslo

Administrative divisions:
  19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
  Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
  Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
  Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Dependent areas:
  Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

Independence:
  7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden dissolved); 26
  October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the union)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Constitution:
  17 May 1814; amended many times

Legal system:
  mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
  traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
  when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
  July 1973)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17
  October 2005)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
  parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch with the approval of the parliament

Legislative branch:
  modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote by proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%,
  Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party
  8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal
  Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party
  - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23,
  Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party
  11, Liberal Party 10
  note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two
  chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
  or Lagting

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party [Dagfinn
  HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party [Erna
  SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars
  SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party
  [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
  ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000 FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870 consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707 telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50 FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Flag description:
  red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the edges
  of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist
  side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Norway

Economy - overview:
  The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
  capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
  government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
  the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
  The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
  hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
  its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas
  accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
  export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
  during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes
  sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with
  privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide,
  Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when
  the oil and gas will begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been
  saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum
  Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $150
  billion. After lackluster growth of 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003, GDP
  growth picked up to 3.3% in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $183 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.2% industry: 36.3% services: 61.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.38 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services 74% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  4.3% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25.8 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $134 billion
  expenditures: $116.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  33.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Industries:
  petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper
  products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  125.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.4% hydro: 99.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  107.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  3.31 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $30.52 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $76.64 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment, metals,
  chemicals, ships, fish

Exports - partners:
  UK 22.4%, Germany 12.9%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.6%, US 8.4%,
  Sweden 6.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $45.96 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Sweden 15.7%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.5%, China 5%, US
  4.9%, Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.3%, Finland 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Currency (code):
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
  NOK

Exchange rates:
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003),
  7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Norway

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3.343 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,163,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
  advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
  domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
  prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
  systems instead of fixed-wire systems
  international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4
  coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  4.03 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  2.03 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .no

Internet hosts:
  593,850 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.288 million (2002)

Transportation Norway

Railways: total: 4,077 km standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 91,852 km
  paved: 71,185 km (including 178 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20,667 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water 746
  km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo, Sture

Merchant marine:
  total: 740 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495 GRT/27,449,456 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 51, cargo 168, chemical tanker 142,
  combination ore/oil 20, container 3, liquefied gas 81, passenger 5,
  passenger/cargo 113, petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 6, roll
  on/roll off 30, vehicle carrier 42
  foreign-owned: 174 (Belgium 1, China 3, Cyprus 5, Denmark 28,
  Estonia 2, Finland 5, Germany 4, Hong Kong 52, Iceland 3, Italy 3,
  Japan 3, Lithuania 1, Monaco 1, Netherlands 4, Poland 2, Saudi
  Arabia 7, Singapore 10, Sweden 24, United States 16)
  registered in other countries: 1,117 (2005)

Airports:
  101 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 65 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 36 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Norway

Military branches:
  Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coastal Rangers and
  Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force (Kongelige Norske
  Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age for women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,014,592 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 827,016 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 29,179 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4,033.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Norway

Disputes - international:
  Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud Land
  and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia and
  Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea
  and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
  within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Oman

Introduction Oman

Background:
  In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has ruled as
  sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has opened
  the country to the outside world and has preserved a long-standing
  political and military relationship with the UK. Oman's moderate,
  independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations
  with all Middle Eastern countries.

Geography Oman

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian
  Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Geographic coordinates:
  21 00 N, 57 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 212,460 sq km
  land: 212,460 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Land boundaries: total: 1,374 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Coastline: 2,092 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
  southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Terrain:
  central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
  gypsum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.12% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 99.74% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  620 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
  interior; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very limited
  natural fresh water resources

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
  Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

People Oman

Population: 3,001,583 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.6% (male 652,028/female 626,698)
  15-64 years: 54.9% (male 978,183/female 668,814)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 41,366/female 34,494) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.13 years
  male: 21.88 years
  female: 16.45 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.32% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  36.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.46 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.13 years
  male: 70.92 years
  female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,300 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Omani(s)
  adjective: Omani

Ethnic groups:
  Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
  Bangladeshi), African

Religions:
  Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 75.8% male: 83.1% female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Government Oman

Country name:
  conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
  conventional short form: Oman
  local long form: Saltanat Uman
  local short form: Uman
  former: Muscat and Oman

Government type:
  monarchy

Capital:
  Muscat

Administrative divisions:
  5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates*
  (muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
  Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar*

Independence:
  1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Constitution:
  none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
  decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a
  constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal
  succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from
  holding interests in companies doing business with the government,
  establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
  liberties for Omani citizens

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the
  monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003, suffrage
  was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members of the
  military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura elections are
  scheduled for 2007

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said al-Said
  (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said
  al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
  al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
  powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
  members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has
  some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only
  advisory powers)
  elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court
  note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
  judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani al-KHUSSAIBY
  chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
  embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
  mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
  Muscat
  telephone: [968] 24-698989
  FAX: [968] 24-699771

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width with
  a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national emblem
  (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed swords
  in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the vertical band

Economy Oman

Economy - overview:
  Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable oil
  and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low inflation.
  The government is privatizing its utilities and diversifying its
  economy to attract foreign investment. Oman continues to liberalize
  its markets and joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in
  November 2000. To reduce unemployment and limit dependence on
  foreign countries, the government is encouraging the replacement of
  expatriate workers with local people, i.e., Omanization. Training in
  information technology, business management, and English support
  this objective. Industrial development plans focus on gas resources,
  metal manufacturing, petrochemicals, and international transshipment
  ports.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $38.09 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 41.1% services: 55.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  920,000 (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  15% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  13.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $9.291 billion
  expenditures: $8.747 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  10.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Industries:
  crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied natural
  gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel,
  chemicals, optic fiber

Industrial production growth rate:
  -1.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.896 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  9.792 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  775,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  54,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  721,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  5.5 billion bbl (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  829.7 billion cu m (2003)

Current account balance:
  $2.674 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $13.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Exports - partners:
  China 29.5%, South Korea 17.5%, Japan 11.5%, Thailand 10.6%, UAE
  7.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $6.373 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  livestock, lubricants

Imports - partners:
  UAE 21.2%, Japan 16.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 6%, Germany 5.1%, US 4.7%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $4.144 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.814 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $76.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Omani rial (OMR)

Currency code:
  OMR

Exchange rates:
  Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003), 0.3845
  (2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Oman

Telephones - main lines in use:
  233,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  464,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
  microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
  coaxial cable
  domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
  domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
  international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Radios:
  1.4 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Televisions:
  1.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .om

Internet hosts:
  726 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  180,000 (2002)

Transportation Oman

Highways:
  total: 34,965 km
  paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
  by type: passenger 1 (2005)

Airports:
  136 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 130 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 52 914 to 1,523 m: 34 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Oman

Military branches:
  Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman,
  Royal Air Force of Oman (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 719,871 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 581,444 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 26,391 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $252.99 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  11.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues Oman

Disputes - international:
  boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in 2003
  for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah
  exclave, but details have not been made public

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Pacific Ocean

Introduction Pacific Ocean

Background:
  The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans
  (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and
  Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the
  La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres
  Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization
  in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean,
  removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Geography Pacific Ocean

Location:
  body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the
  Western Hemisphere

Geographic coordinates:
  0 00 N, 160 00 W

Map references:
  Political Map of the World

Area:
  total: 155.557 million sq km
  note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
  China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
  Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
  tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global
  surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Coastline:
  135,663 km

Climate:
  planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit
  remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and
  westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal
  fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of
  Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America;
  continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less
  pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude
  in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a
  rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden
  winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the
  winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to
  the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and
  east Asia from May to December

Terrain:
  surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a
  clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and
  in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in
  the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
  Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
  reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
  eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
  western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
  Trench, which is the world's deepest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel
  aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Natural hazards:
  surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity
  sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to
  tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to
  December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones
  (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and
  Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September);
  cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial
  Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the
  western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme
  north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific
  can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Environment - current issues:
  endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter,
  seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and
  South China Sea

Geography - note:
  the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon
  Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific
  Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean;
  dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the
  southwestern Pacific Ocean

Economy Pacific Ocean

Economy - overview:
  The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and
  particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides
  low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing
  grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel
  for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish
  catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and
  gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy
  supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of
  recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in
  world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new
  drillings.

Transportation Pacific Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung (Taiwan), Los
  Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South Korea), San
  Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney
  (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Transportation - note:
  Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to
  Puget Sound (Washington state)

Transnational Issues Pacific Ocean

Disputes - international: some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Pakistan

Introduction Pakistan

Background:
  The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim state of
  Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely Hindu India
  was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and Pakistan have
  fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the disputed Kashmir
  territory. A third war between these countries in 1971 - in which
  India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of Bengalis in
  Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate
  nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear weapons testing,
  Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The dispute over the state
  of Kashmir is ongoing, but recent discussions and
  confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened tensions.

Geography Pakistan

Location:
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on the east
  and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Geographic coordinates:
  30 00 N, 70 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 803,940 sq km
  land: 778,720 sq km
  water: 25,220 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,774 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
  km, Iran 909 km

Coastline:
  1,046 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in north

Terrain:
  flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
  Balochistan plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Natural resources:
  land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum, poor
  quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Land use: arable land: 27.87% permanent crops: 0.87% other: 71.26% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in north and
  west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August)

Environment - current issues: water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion routes
  between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

People Pakistan

Population:
  162,419,946 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.6% (male 33,104,311/female 31,244,297)
  15-64 years: 56.3% (male 46,759,333/female 44,685,828)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,189,122/female 3,437,055) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.58 years
  male: 19.44 years
  female: 19.74 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.03% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.42 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.45 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 72.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 63 years
  male: 62.04 years
  female: 64.01 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.14 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  74,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,900 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous
  leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Pakistani(s)
  adjective: Pakistani

Ethnic groups:
  Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from
  India at the time of partition and their descendants)

Religions:
  Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other 3%

Languages:
  Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu
  8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English
  (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government
  ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 48.7%
  male: 61.7%
  female: 35.2% (2004 est.)

Government Pakistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
  conventional short form: Pakistan
  former: West Pakistan

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Islamabad

Administrative divisions:
  4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**; Balochistan,
  Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital Territory**,
  North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
  note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
  Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Independence:
  14 August 1947 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Constitution:
  12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with amendments 30
  December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31 December 2002;
  amended 31 December 2003

Legal system:
  based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
  Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
  parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Executive branch:
  note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999, Chief of
  Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee,
  General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's constitution and
  assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on 12 May 2000,
  Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup
  and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative authority for three
  years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001, MUSHARRAF named himself
  as president and was sworn in, replacing Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a
  referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's presidency was
  extended by five more years; on 1 January 2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote
  of confidence in the Senate, National Assembly, and four provincial
  assemblies
  chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
  term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
  presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
  2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August
  2004 with 191 of the votes

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the Senate (100
  seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by provincial
  assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National Assembly (342
  seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10 seats represent
  minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
  held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
  2002 (next to be held by October 2006)
  election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
  PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
  BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
  votes by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
  PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
  PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president); Federal
  Islamic or Shari'a Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan National
  Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch National
  Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch National
  Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori Watan Party
  or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH [Sajid MIR];
  Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam,
  Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN]; Jamiat
  Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ]; Jamiat
  Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Millat Party or MP
  [Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [Qazi
  Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A
  [Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muttahida Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H
  [Afaq AHMAD]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha
  JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan
  ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN];
  Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic
  Party or PDP [Mehbooba Mufti SAYEED]; Pakistan Muslim League,
  Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League,
  Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League
  or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as of May 2004, the PML/Q
  changed its name to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA;
  Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's
  Party or PPP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party
  Parliamentarians or PPPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf
  or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
  note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  military remains most important political force; ulema (clergy),
  landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also influential

International organization participation:
  ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
  OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jehangir KARAMAT
  chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-3277
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
  consulate(s): Chicago, Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
  embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
  telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
  FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
  consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Flag description:
  green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of religious
  minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and star are
  centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color green are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Pakistan

Economy - overview:
  Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has suffered
  from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of foreign
  investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring
  India. However, IMF-approved government policies, bolstered by
  generous foreign assistance and renewed access to global markets
  since 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last
  three years. The government has made substantial macroeconomic
  reforms since 2000, although progress on more politically sensitive
  reforms has slowed. For example, in the third and final year of its
  $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility, Islamabad
  has continued to require waivers for energy sector reforms. While
  long-term prospects remain uncertain, given Pakistan's low level of
  development, medium-term prospects for job creation and poverty
  reduction are the best in nearly a decade. Islamabad has raised
  development spending from about 2% of GDP in the 1990s to 4% in
  2003, a necessary step towards reversing the broad underdevelopment
  of its social sector. GDP growth, spurred by double-digit gains in
  industrial production over the past year, has become less dependent
  on agriculture. Foreign exchange reserves continued to reach new
  levels in 2004, supported by robust export growth and steady worker
  remittances.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $347.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 22.6%
  industry: 24.1%
  services: 53.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  45.43 million
  note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
  of child labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 42%, industry 20%, services 38% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8.3% plus substantial underemployment (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  32% (FY00/01 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.1% highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41 (FY98/99)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.8% (FY03/04 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.4% of GDP (FY03/04 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.45 billion
  expenditures: $16.51 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  71.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk, beef,
  mutton, eggs

Industries:
  textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
  construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Industrial production growth rate:
  13.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  75.27 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 68.8% hydro: 28.2% nuclear: 3% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  52.66 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  61,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  365,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  325.5 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  695.6 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $15.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn), rice,
  leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets and
  rugs

Exports - partners:
  US 23.5%, UAE 7.4%, UK 7.3%, Germany 5%, Hong Kong 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $14.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics, transportation
  equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron and steel, tea

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 11.6%, UAE 10%, US 9.7%, China 8.4%, Japan 6.5%,
  Kuwait 5.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $12.58 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $33.97 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Currency (code):
  Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Currency code:
  PKR

Exchange rates:
  Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 58.258 (2004), 57.752 (2003),
  59.724 (2002), 61.927 (2001), 53.648 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Pakistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,982,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,624,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but improving;
  service is adequate for government and business use, in part because
  major businesses have established their own private systems; since
  1988, the government has promoted investment in the national
  telecommunications system on a priority basis, significantly
  increasing network capacity; despite major improvements in trunk and
  urban systems, telecommunication services are still not readily
  available to the majority of the rural population
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
  cellular, and satellite networks
  international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational
  international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);
  microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Radios:
  13.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  3.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pk

Internet hosts:
  15,124 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  30 (2000)

Internet users:
  1.5 million (2002)

Transportation Pakistan

Railways:
  total: 8,163 km
  broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 257,683 km
  paved: 152,033 km (including 339 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 105,650 km (2001)

Pipelines:
  gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Merchant marine:
  total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 329,486 GRT/512,506 DWT
  by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 3
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Airports:
  131 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 92 over 3,047 m: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 22 1,524 to 2,437 m: 32 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 15 (2004 est.)

Military Pakistan

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18 (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 39,028,014 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 29,428,747 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,969,055 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.848 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Pakistan

Disputes - international:
  recent talks and confidence-building measures have begun to defuse
  tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's largest and most
  militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
  administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
  Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer
  Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group
  of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's
  ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; in 2004, India and
  Pakistan instituted a cease fire in the Kashmir, and in 2005
  restored bus service across the highly militarized Line of Control;
  Pakistan has taken its dispute on the impact and benefits of India's
  building the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir
  to the World Bank for arbitration and in general the two states
  still dispute Indus River water sharing; to defuse tensions and
  prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan
  resurveyed a portion of the disputed Sir Creek estuary at the mouth
  of the Rann of Kutch in 2004; Pakistani maps continue to show
  Junagadh in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan with UN
  assistance had repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees and has
  undertaken a census to count the remaining million or more, many of
  whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan maintains troops in
  remote tribal areas to control the border with Afghanistan and root
  out organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities;
  regular meetings with Afghan and Coalition allies aim to resolve
  periodic claims of boundary encroachments

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 1,064,230 (Afghanistan)
  IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South
  Waziristan) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  opium poppy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, North-West
  Frontier Province, and Balochistan Province has rebounded since it
  was nearly eliminated in 2001; key transit point for Afghan drugs,
  including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for Western
  markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes related to
  drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling remain
  problems

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Palau

Introduction Palau

Background:
  After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
  Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
  Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
  the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
  into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Geography Palau

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean, southeast of
  the Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  7 30 N, 134 30 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 458 sq km
  land: 458 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,519 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Terrain:
  varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
  Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
  reefs

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Natural resources:
  forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products, deep-seabed
  minerals

Land use:
  arable land: 8.7%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 86.95% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (June to December)

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to the
  marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
  practices, and overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
  island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
  battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

People Palau

Population:
  20,303 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 2,768/female 2,601)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 7,565/female 6,436)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 443/female 490) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.43 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 30.36 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.39% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.14 years
  male: 66.98 years
  female: 73.48 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.46 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Palauan(s)
  adjective: Palauan

Ethnic groups:
  Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures) 69.9%,
  Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, Filipino 15.3%, Chinese
  4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, other or unspecified 3.2% (2000
  census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8% (indigenous
  to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%,
  Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other religion 3.1%, unspecified or none
  16.4% (2000 census)

Languages:
  Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese
  and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and
  Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official), Filipino 13.5%,
  English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%, Japanese 1.5%, other
  Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92%
  male: 93%
  female: 90% (1980 est.)

Government Palau

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Palau
  conventional short form: Palau
  local long form: Beluu er a Belau
  local short form: Belau
  former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Government type:
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Capital:
  Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km northeast of
  Koror

Administrative divisions:
  16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel, Koror,
  Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang, Ngchesar,
  Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Independence:
  1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Constitution:
  1 January 1981

Legal system:
  based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal,
  common, and customary laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
  January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
  January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 November
  2004 (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president;
  percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS
  33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -
  Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of the
  Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population
  basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next
  to be held November 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
  independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates -
  percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member
  elected)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC,
  MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006 telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814 FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281 consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: US ambassador to the Philippines is accredited to
  Palau
  embassy: Koror (no street address)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
  telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
  FAX: [680] 488-2911

Flag description:
  light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon) shifted
  slightly to the hoist side

Economy Palau

Economy - overview:
  The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture,
  and fishing. The government is the major employer of the work force,
  relying heavily on financial assistance from the US. Business and
  tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The population enjoys a
  per capita income twice that of the Philippines and much of
  Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist sector have been
  greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in the Pacific, the
  rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries, and the
  willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure development.

GDP (purchasing power parity): $174 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA

Labor force:
  9,845 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20%, industry NA, services NA (1990)

Unemployment rate:
  2.3% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.4% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $57.7 million
  expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1
  million (FY98/99 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Industries:
  tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
  garment making

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production by source:
  NA

Exports:
  $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Exports - partners:
  US, Japan, Singapore (2000)

Imports:
  $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, South Korea (2000)

Debt - external:
  $0 (FY99/00)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $155.8 million ; note - the Compact of Free Association with the
  US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1 October
  1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over 15 years
  in return for furnishing military facilities

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Palau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  12,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (cable) (2005)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Transportation Palau

Highways: total: 61 km paved: 36 km unpaved: 25 km

Ports and harbors:
  Koror

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Palau

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of Free
  Association between Palau and the US, the US military is granted
  access to the islands for 50 years

Transnational Issues Palau

Disputes - international: border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines, Indonesia

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Palmyra Atoll

Introduction Palmyra Atoll

Background:
  The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and the US
  included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
  archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
  include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
  Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
  preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
  mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
  Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
  January 2001.

Geography Palmyra Atoll

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way between
  Hawaii and American Samoa

Geographic coordinates:
  5 52 N, 162 06 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 11.9 sq km
  land: 11.9 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  14.5 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Terrain:
  very low

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Natural resources: terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (2005)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut trees, and
  balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

People Palmyra Atoll

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy staff, US
  Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2005 est.)

Government Palmyra Atoll

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Dependency status:
  incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered
  from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US
  Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded
  areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 nm
  territorial sea or within the lagoon

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Palmyra Atoll

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Transportation Palmyra Atoll

Highways:
  most of the roads and many causeways built during World War II are
  unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Ports and harbors:
  West Lagoon

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Palmyra Atoll

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Palmyra Atoll

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Panama

Introduction Panama

Background:
  With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and promptly
  signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction of a canal
  and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of the
  structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by the
  US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
  1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
  from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
  Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
  in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
  deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
  Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
  or on 31 December 1999.

Geography Panama

Location:
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Geographic coordinates:
  9 00 N, 80 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 78,200 sq km
  land: 75,990 sq km
  water: 2,210 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 555 km border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Coastline: 2,490 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season (May
  to January), short dry season (January to May)

Terrain:
  interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
  plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Natural resources:
  copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.36% permanent crops: 1.98% other: 90.66% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land bridge
  connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal that links
  North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific Ocean

People Panama

Population:
  3,039,150 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.8% (male 460,840/female 443,359)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 984,558/female 956,748)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 91,383/female 102,262) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.18 years
  male: 25.89 years
  female: 26.48 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.25 years
  male: 72.68 years
  female: 77.93 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.9% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Panamanian(s)
  adjective: Panamanian

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and mixed
  (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians bilingual

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 93.2%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Government Panama

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Panama
  conventional short form: Panama
  local long form: Republica de Panama
  local short form: Panama

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Panama

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 territory*
  (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon, Darien, Herrera,
  Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*(Kuna Yala), and Veraguas

Independence:
  3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain 28
  November 1821)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Constitution:
  11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and 2004

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in
  the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1 September
  2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1 September
  2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since 1
  September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
  September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
  September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since
  1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 2004
  (next to be held 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will
  have only one vice president.
  election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent
  of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany
  30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%
  note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),
  PP (Popular Party)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative Assembly)
  or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms; note - in 2009, the number of seats will
  change to 71)
  elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, CD 2, PP 2, PLN 1, other 5
  note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
  plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
  cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
  formula

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine judges
  appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three courts of
  appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
  Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party
  or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or
  MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the
  Arnulfista Party) [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Popular Party or
  PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA];
  Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council of
  Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private Enterprise
  or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar Workers
  (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or APEDE;
  Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers Confederation of
  the Republic of Panama or CTRP

International organization participation:
  FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES,
  LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
  chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
  embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
  Zona 5, Panama City 5
  mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
  telephone: [507] 207-7000
  FAX: [507] 227-1964

Flag description:
  divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are white
  (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and plain
  red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and white with
  a red five-pointed star in the center

Economy Panama

Economy - overview:
  Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a well-developed
  services sector that accounts for four-fifths of GDP. Services
  include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free Zone,
  insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A slump
  in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global slowdown,
  and the withdrawal of US military forces held back economic growth
  in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004 led by export-oriented services
  and a construction boom stimulated by tax incentives. The government
  has been backing tax reforms, reform of the social security program,
  new regional trade agreements, and development of tourism.
  Unemployment remains high.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $20.57 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 7.2%
  industry: 13%
  services: 79.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.32 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
  labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  37% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  48.5 (1997)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.095 billion
  expenditures: $3.737 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  69.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables; livestock;
  shrimp

Industries:
  construction, brewing, cement and other construction materials,
  sugar milling

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.873 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 37% hydro: 61.3% nuclear: 0% other: 1.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.473 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  120 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  61 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  40,520 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-469.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $5.699 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Exports - partners:
  US 50.5%, Sweden 6.6%, Spain 5.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, Costa Rica
  4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.164 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  US 33.3%, Netherlands Antilles 8.1%, Japan 6%, Costa Rica 5.7%,
  Mexico 4.6%, Colombia 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.076 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $8.78 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $197.1 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  PAB; USD

Exchange rates:
  balboas per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1 (2001), 1
  (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Panama

Telephones - main lines in use:
  386,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  834,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: domestic and international facilities well
  developed
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
  the Central American Microwave System

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  815,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  510,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pa

Internet hosts:
  7,129 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2002)

Transportation Panama

Railways:
  total: 355 km
  standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 11,643 km
  paved: 4,028 km (including 30 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 7,615 km (2000 est.)

Waterways:
  800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Merchant marine:
  total: 5,005 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929 GRT/183,615,337
  DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,548, cargo 886, chemical
  tanker 465, combination ore/oil 13, container 605, liquefied gas
  183, livestock carrier 8, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 77,
  petroleum tanker 521, refrigerated cargo 298, roll on/roll off 97,
  specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 256
  foreign-owned: 4,388 (Andorra 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas
  1, Belgium 14, Brazil 1, Canada 1, Chile 14, China 310, Colombia 5,
  Croatia 1, Cuba 9, Cyprus 7, Denmark 13, Egypt 15, France 7, Germany
  23, Greece 546, Hong Kong 159, India 8, Indonesia 46, Ireland 1,
  Isle of Man 2, Israel 3, Italy 8, Japan 1814, Jordan 9, Latvia 2,
  Lithuania 5, Malaysia 11, Maldives 1, Malta 1, Mexico 4, Monaco 8,
  Netherlands 22, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6, Norway 66, Pakistan 1,
  Peru 13, Philippines 15, Poland 19, Portugal 8, Romania 13, Russia
  4, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 54, South Africa 3, South Korea 292,
  Spain 41, Sri Lanka 1, Sudan 1, Sweden 4, Switzerland 188, Syria 7,
  Taiwan 301, Thailand 10, Trinidad & Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 18,
  Ukraine 9, UAE 83, United Kingdom 29, United States 88, Venezuela
  20, Vietnam 2, Yemen 1) (2005)

Airports:
  105 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 44 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

Military Panama

Military branches:
  an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces, but
  there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF includes
  the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service, and
  National Air Service)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 733,031 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 511,905 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $147 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.1% (2004)

Military - note:
  on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
  abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
  creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
  Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
  the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
  temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
  "external aggression"

Transnational Issues Panama

Disputes - international: organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate within the border region with Panama

Illicit drugs:
  major cocaine transshipment point and primary money-laundering
  center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering activity is
  especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore financial center;
  negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring of financial
  transactions is improving; official corruption remains a major
  problem

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Papua New Guinea

Introduction Papua New Guinea

Background:
  The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in
  the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south)
  in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which
  occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to
  administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A
  nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in
  1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Geography Papua New Guinea

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island
  of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean,
  east of Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 S, 147 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 462,840 sq km
  land: 452,860 sq km
  water: 9,980 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 820 km border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Coastline:
  5,152 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon
  (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Natural resources: gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 0.46% permanent crops: 1.44% other: 98.1% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the
  country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud
  slides; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing
  commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
  projects; severe drought

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest
  swamps along southwest coast

People Papua New Guinea

Population:
  5,545,268 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,072,910/female 1,037,635)
  15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,662,166/female 1,559,685)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 99,777/female 113,095) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.09 years
  male: 21.25 years
  female: 20.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.26% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 51.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 47.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.93 years
  male: 62.76 years
  female: 67.21 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  16,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  600 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2004)

Nationality: noun: Papua New Guinean(s) adjective: Papua New Guinean

Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London
  Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs
  34%

Languages:
  Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by
  1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
  note: 715 indigenous languages - many unrelated

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 64.6%
  male: 71.1%
  female: 57.7% (2002)

Government Papua New Guinea

Country name:
  conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
  conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
  former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
  abbreviation: PNG

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Port Moresby

Administrative divisions:
  20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands,
  East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay,
  Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern
  Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain

Independence:
  16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Constitution:
  16 September 1975

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
  August 2002); deputy prime minister (vacant)
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
  general on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
  governor general

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House
  of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from
  provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
  completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
  completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
  later than June 2007
  election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,
  URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;
  seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU
  6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political
  parties is fluid (2003)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
  general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after
  consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges
  are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN, party leader];
  Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL, party leader];
  National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE, party leader; George
  MANOA, party president]; National Party [Melchior PEP, party
  leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris HAIVETA,
  party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA, party
  leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA, party leader];
  Papua New Guinea Party (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM)
  [Sir Mekere MORAUTA, party leader]; People's Action Party or PAP
  [Moses MALADINA, party leader]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Ekis
  ROPENU, party leader]; People's National Congress or PNC [Peter
  O'NEILL, party leader]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Andrew
  BAING, party leader]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE, party
  leader]; Rural People's Party [Peter NAMUS, party leader]; United
  Party [Bire KIMASOPA, party leader]; United Resources Party or URP
  [Tim NEVILLE, party leader] (2004)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
  chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
  20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FITTS embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle
  is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower
  triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the
  Southern Cross constellation centered

Economy Papua New Guinea

Economy - overview:
  Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but
  exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost
  of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence
  livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including
  oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The
  economy has improved over the past two years, following a prolonged
  period of instability. Former Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA had
  tried to restore integrity to state institutions, to stabilize the
  kina, restore stability to the national budget, to privatize public
  enterprises where appropriate, and to ensure ongoing peace on
  Bougainville. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which
  accounts for 20% of the national budget. Challenges face Prime
  Minister Michael SOMARE, including gaining further investor
  confidence, continuing efforts to privatize government assets,
  maintaining the support of members of Parliament, and balancing
  relations with Australia, the former colonial ruler.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.99 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 34.5% industry: 34.7% services: 30.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.32 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 85%, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  37% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.7% highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.9 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  13.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.174 billion
  expenditures: $1.232 billion, including capital expenditures of $344
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes,
  fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork

Industries:
  copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip
  production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil
  production; construction, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  1.679 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 54.1% hydro: 45.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.561 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  46,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  170 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  385.5 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $29.15 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.437 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish,
  prawns

Exports - partners:
  Australia 28%, Japan 5.8%, Germany 4.7%, China 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.353 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels,
  chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Australia 46.4%, Singapore 21.6%, Japan 4.3%, New Zealand 4.2%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $635.8 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $2.463 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $400 million (1999 est.)

Currency (code):
  kina (PGK)

Currency code:
  PGK

Exchange rates:
  kina per US dollar - 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002),
  3.3887 (2001), 2.7822 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Papua New Guinea

Telephones - main lines in use:
  62,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  15,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide
  radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and
  international radio communication services
  domestic: mostly radiotelephone
  international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
  Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
  international radio communication service

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Radios:
  410,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 3 (all in the Port Moresby area) note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2004)

Televisions:
  59,841 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .pg

Internet hosts:
  389 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2000)

Internet users:
  75,000 (2002)

Transportation Papua New Guinea

Highways: total: 19,600 km paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  10,940 km (2003)

Pipelines:
  oil 264 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul

Merchant marine:
  total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586 GRT/60,934 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 1, petroleum
  tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6) (2005)

Airports:
  571 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 550 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Papua New Guinea

Military branches:
  Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime Operations
  Element, Air Operations Element)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,264,728 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 902,432 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $16.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Papua New Guinea

Disputes - international:
  relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal
  cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods
  smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and
  secessionists

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Paracel Islands

Introduction Paracel Islands

Background:
  The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds
  and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina
  annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island;
  maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has
  occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a
  South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands
  are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Geography Paracel Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South
  China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the
  northern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  16 30 N, 112 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: NA sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  NA

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  518 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  mostly low and flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Natural resources: none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the
  northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group

People Paracel Islands

Population: no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Government Paracel Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Economy Paracel Islands

Economy - overview:
  China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.

Transportation Paracel Islands

Ports and harbors:
  small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island
  being expanded

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Paracel Islands

Military - note: occupied by China

Transnational Issues Paracel Islands

Disputes - international: occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Paraguay

Introduction Paraguay

Background:
  In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70), Paraguay
  lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its territory. It
  stagnated economically for the next half century. In the Chaco War
  of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were won from
  Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo STROESSNER was
  overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in political
  infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular presidential
  elections have been held since then.

Geography Paraguay

Location:
  Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Geographic coordinates:
  23 00 S, 58 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 406,750 sq km
  land: 397,300 sq km
  water: 9,450 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than California

Land boundaries: total: 3,920 km border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the eastern
  portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Terrain:
  grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran Chaco
  region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the river,
  and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
  highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Land use: arable land: 7.6% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.17% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  local flooding in southeast (early September to June); poorly
  drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste disposal
  pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil; population
  concentrated in southern part of country

People Paraguay

Population:
  6,347,884 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.9% (male 1,223,479/female 1,184,134)
  15-64 years: 57.3% (male 1,825,473/female 1,809,810)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 140,935/female 164,053) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.2 years
  male: 20.94 years
  female: 21.46 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.48% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 30.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.89 years
  male: 72.35 years
  female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  600 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Paraguayan(s) adjective: Paraguayan

Ethnic groups:
  mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant 10%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 93% (2003 est.)

Government Paraguay

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
  conventional short form: Paraguay
  local long form: Republica del Paraguay
  local short form: Paraguay

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Asuncion

Administrative divisions:
  17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1
  capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
  Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
  Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
  Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Independence:
  14 May 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May annually)

Constitution:
  promulgated 20 June 1992

Legal system:
  based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
  2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
  2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
  2003 (next to be held April 2008)
  election results: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos elected president; percent
  of vote - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
  Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
  SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of Senators
  or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara
  de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
  held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
  (next to be held April 2008)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  - ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
  appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or Consejo
  de la Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
  Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR [Herminio
  CACERES, interim president]; Movimiento Union Nacional de Ciudadanos
  Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting chairman]; Patria
  Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL
  Niella]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis TORALES Kenney];
  Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio Cesar FRANCO];
  Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto FILIZZOLA Pallares]
  note: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos on leave as party leader of the Colorado
  Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar
  OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a ten-year
  prison term

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National
  Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos
  or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers
  Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central
  or CUT

International organization participation:
  CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
  NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
  chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
  consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
  embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
  mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
  telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
  FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Flag description:
  three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue with an
  emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the emblem
  is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the left)
  bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star within a
  green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within
  two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears the seal
  of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty and the
  words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
  REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Economy Paraguay

Economy - overview:
  Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large informal
  sector. This sector features both reexport of imported consumer
  goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
  thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
  the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
  are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
  derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
  subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
  annually in 1995-97, but averaged near-zero growth in 1998-2001 and
  contracted by 2.3 percent in 2002, in response to regional contagion
  and an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth desease. On a per capita basis,
  real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute
  Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty,
  corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial
  internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Aided by a
  firmer exchange rate and perhaps a greater confidence in the
  economic policy of the Duarte FRUTOS administration, the economy
  rebounded in 2003 and 2004, posting modest growth each year.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $29.93 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25.3% industry: 24.9% services: 49.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.66 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 45%

Unemployment rate:
  15.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  36% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  57.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.123 billion
  expenditures: $1.129 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  39.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
  (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Industries:
  sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,
  metallurgic, electric power

Industrial production growth rate:
  0% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  48.36 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 99.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.469 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  42.51 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-36.11 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.936 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity, wood,
  leather

Exports - partners:
  Uruguay 27.8%, Brazil 19.2%, Argentina 6.3%, Switzerland 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.33 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
  electrical machinery

Imports - partners:
  Brazil 30.9%, Argentina 23.3%, China 16.6%, US 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.164 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3.239 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  guarani (PYG)

Currency code:
  PYG

Exchange rates:
  guarani per US dollar - 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003), 5,716.3
  (2002), 4,105.9 (2001), 3,486.4 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Paraguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
  273,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,770,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: meager telephone service; principal switching
  center is Asuncion
  domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Radios:
  925,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (2003)

Televisions:
  990,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .py

Internet hosts:
  9,243 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2000)

Internet users:
  120,000 (2003)

Transportation Paraguay

Railways: total: 441 km standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 29,500 km paved: 14,986 km unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)

Waterways:
  3,100 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Merchant marine:
  total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
  by type: cargo 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum
  tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Argentina 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  878 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 866
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 323
  under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.)

Military Paraguay

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Aviation, River Defense Corps, Coast
  Guard), Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,345,022 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,109,166 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 63,058 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $53.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Paraguay

Disputes - international:
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders
  is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics
  trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Illicit drugs:
  major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
  consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for
  Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets,
  Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity,
  especially in the Tri-Border Area

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Peru

Introduction Peru

Background:
  Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
  civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
  captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence
  was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
  After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic
  leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth
  of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in
  1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the
  economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.
  Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian
  measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
  dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third
  term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and
  corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of
  that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the
  spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of
  government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of
  corruption.

Geography Peru

Location:
  Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between
  Chile and Ecuador

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 S, 76 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 1,285,220 sq km
  land: 1.28 million sq km
  water: 5,220 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,536 km
  border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
  Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Coastline:
  2,414 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to
  frigid in Andes

Terrain:
  western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
  (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Natural resources:
  copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
  phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 2.89% permanent crops: 0.4% other: 96.71% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity

Environment - current issues: deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake,
  with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak, is the
  ultimate source of the Amazon River

People Peru

Population:
  27,925,628 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 31.5% (male 4,479,278/female 4,323,356)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 8,891,785/female 8,776,343)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 685,179/female 769,687) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.95 years
  male: 24.69 years
  female: 25.21 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.36% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 31.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.53 years
  male: 67.77 years
  female: 71.37 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  82,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Peruvian(s)
  adjective: Peruvian

Ethnic groups:
  Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
  15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian
  0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)

Languages:
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number
  of minor Amazonian languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.7%
  male: 93.5%
  female: 82.1% (2004 est.)

Government Peru

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Peru
  conventional short form: Peru
  local long form: Republica del Peru
  local short form: Peru

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Lima

Administrative divisions:
  25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province*
  (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,
  Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La
  Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua,
  Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Independence:
  28 July 1821 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Constitution:
  31 December 1993

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70; note
  - members of the military and national police may not vote

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28 July
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; additionally, the constitution provides for two vice
  presidents, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President
  David WAISMAN Rjavinsthi (since 28 July 2001)
  head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
  July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government; additionally, the constitution provides for two vice
  presidents, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President
  David WAISMAN Rjavinsthi (since 28 July 2001)
  note: Prime Minister Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI (since 25 August 2005)
  does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
  president
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
  with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
  election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
  president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
  Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
  Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PP 26.3%, APRA 19.7%,
  UN 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - PP 47, APRA 28,
  UN 17, FIM 11, others 17

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are
  appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Political parties and leaders:
  Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega];
  National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru
  Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also
  referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria
  Americana or APRA) [Alan GARCIA]; Popular Action or AP [Javier DIAZ
  Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
  [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
  Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
  Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
  Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

International organization participation:
  APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
  (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
  chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
  FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston,
  Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco,
  Washington, DC

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
  embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
  APO AA 34031-5000
  telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
  FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Flag description:
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
  with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
  features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
  quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
  framed by a green wreath

Economy Peru

Economy - overview:
  Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal
  region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering
  Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the
  mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent
  fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals
  subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of
  infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of
  inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by an
  average 4 percent per year during the period 2002-2004, with a
  stable exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian
  bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late
  2004, reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's
  prudent fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment.
  Despite the strong macroeconomic performance, the TOLEDO
  administration remained unpopular in 2004, and unemployment and
  poverty have stayed persistently high.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $155.3 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 27% services: 65% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  11 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 9%, industry 18%, services 73% (2001)

Unemployment rate:
  9.6% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  54% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  49.8 (2000)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.6 billion
  expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
  billion, for general government, excluding private enterprises (2004
  est.)

Public debt:
  44.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains, grapes,
  oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish

Industries:
  mining and refining of minerals and metals, petroleum extraction
  and refining, natural gas, fishing and fish processing, textiles,
  clothing, food processing, steel, metal fabrication

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  22.88 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 14.5% hydro: 84.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0.8% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  20.22 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  95,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  408.8 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  910 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  910 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  245.1 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-30 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $12.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products, coffee

Exports - partners:
  US 29.5%, China 9.9%, UK 9%, Chile 5.1%, Japan 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $9.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery, vehicles,
  iron and steel, wheat, paper

Imports - partners:
  US 30.3%, Spain 11.5%, Chile 7.2%, Brazil 5.4%, Colombia 5.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $12.7 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $29.79 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $491 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  nuevo sol (PEN)

Currency code:
  PEN

Exchange rates:
  nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165
  (2002), 3.5068 (2001), 3.49 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Peru

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,839,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,908,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate for most requirements
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Radios:
  6.65 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  3.06 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pe

Internet hosts:
  65,868 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.85 million (2003)

Transportation Peru

Railways:
  total: 3,462 km
  standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 78,230 km
  paved: 10,452 km
  unpaved: 67,778 km (2001)

Waterways:
  8,808 km
  note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
  of Lago Titicaca (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
  note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of
  the Amazon and its tributaries

Merchant marine:
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,666 GRT/17,611 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Airports:
  234 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 52 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 20 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 182 1,524 to 2,437 m: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Peru

Military branches:
  Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes
  Naval Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
  del Peru; FAP)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,647,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,938,417 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 277,105 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $829.3 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Peru

Disputes - international:
  Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile
  to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis; organized illegal
  narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's shared
  border; Peru does not support Bolivia's claim to restore maritime
  access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the Peruvian
  border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are indigenous
  peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging opium
  producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15 percent to 31,150
  hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of the cocaine base
  is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine,
  while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to the
  international drug market; increasing amounts of base and finished
  cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for use in
  the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Philippines

Introduction Philippines

Background:
  The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th
  century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the
  Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a
  self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and
  was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a
  10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese
  occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together
  during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines
  attained their independence. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS
  ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into
  exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was
  hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full
  political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was
  elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by
  greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US
  closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was
  elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,
  Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy
  impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread
  demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a
  six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats
  from armed communist insurgencies and from Muslim separatists in the
  south.

Geography Philippines

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the
  South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Geographic coordinates:
  13 00 N, 122 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 300,000 sq km
  land: 298,170 sq km
  water: 1,830 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Arizona

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  36,289 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from
  coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also
  claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in
  breadth
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest
  monsoon (May to October)

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Natural resources:
  timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Land use:
  arable land: 18.95%
  permanent crops: 16.77%
  other: 64.28% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to
  six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes;
  destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues: uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably
  located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies:
  the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and
  Luzon Strait

People Philippines

Population:
  87,857,473 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.4% (male 15,869,636/female 15,255,588)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 26,503,785/female 26,722,511)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 1,523,213/female 1,982,740) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.27 years
  male: 21.77 years
  female: 22.8 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.84% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.31 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.91 years
  male: 67.03 years
  female: 72.92 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  9,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Filipino(s)
  adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups:
  Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Llocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%,
  Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000
  census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%,
  Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other 1.8%,
  unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Languages:
  two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English;
  eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or
  Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 92.5%
  female: 92.7% (2002)

Government Philippines

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
  conventional short form: Philippines
  local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
  local short form: Pilipinas

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Manila

Administrative divisions:
  79 provinces and 116 chartered cities
  : provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
  Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
  Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
  Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
  Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern
  Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,
  Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,
  Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
  Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,
  Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
  Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,
  Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
  Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,
  Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,
  Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
  : chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
  Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
  Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,
  Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
  Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General
  Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
  Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
  Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
  Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
  Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,
  Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,
  Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San
  Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San
  Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San
  Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,
  Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,
  Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental), Tanauan,
  Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
  Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Independence:
  12 June 1898 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 June (1898)
  note: 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from
  Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US

Constitution:
  2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system:
  based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20 January
  2001); note - president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
  January 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of
  Commission of Appointments
  elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
  elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms;
  election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
  election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
  elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
  Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24
  seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected at large
  by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
  representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
  elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
  Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
  than 250 members)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
  2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
  (next to be held in May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
  13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
  7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there
  are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was
  elected Vice President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in
  opposition; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20;
  party-listers 24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting
  representatives because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and serve until 70
  years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special court for
  hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Political parties and leaders:
  Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or
  LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president]; Lakas Ng Edsa (National Union of
  Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA, president; Gloria
  MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, chairperson]; Liberal Party or LP [Franklin
  DRILON, president; Jose ATIENZA, JR., chairman]; National People's
  Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman emeritus; Frisco SAN
  JUAN, president]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL, president]; Pwersa
  ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph
  ESTRADA, president; Juan Ponce ENRILE, chairman]; Aksyon Demokratiko
  Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma [Renato DE VILLA, chairman];
  PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president]; Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR,
  president]; People's Reform Party [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO,
  president}

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
  HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael
  MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
  [Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; Bayan
  Muna [Reps. Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.];
  BUHAY [Reps. Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep.
  Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; GABRIELA
  [Rep. Liza MAZA]; PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA [Rep. Renato MAGTUBO] (2003)

International organization participation:
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
  NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
  chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Darryl N. JOHNSON
  (Ambassador-designate Michael MICHALAK)
  embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
  mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
  telephone: [63] (2) 523-6300
  FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing peace and
  justice) and red (representing courage); a white equilateral
  triangle based on the hoist side represents equality; the center of
  the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays, each
  representing one of the first eight provinces that sought
  independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a
  small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major
  geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
  the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown
  upside down with the red band at the top

Economy Philippines

Economy - overview:
  The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian financial
  crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by annual
  remittances of $7-8 billion from overseas workers and no sustained
  runup in asset prices or foreign borrowing prior to the crisis. From
  a 0.6% decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in
  2000, but slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic
  slowdown, an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP
  growth accelerated to 4.3% in 2002, 4.7% in 2003, and about 6% in
  2004, reflecting the continued resilience of the service sector, and
  improved exports and agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will take
  a higher, sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in
  poverty alleviation given the Philippines' high annual population
  growth rate and unequal distribution of income. The Philippines also
  faces higher oil prices, higher interest rates on its dollar
  borrowings, and higher inflation. Fiscal constraints limit Manila's
  ability to finance infrastructure and social spending. The
  Philippines' consistently large budget deficit has produced a high
  debt level and has forced Manila to spend a large portion of the
  national government budget on debt service. Large, unprofitable
  public enterprises, especially in the energy sector, contribute to
  the government's debt because of slow progress on privatization.
  Credit rating agencies are increasingly concerned about the
  Philippines' ability to sustain the debt; legislative progress on
  new revenue measures will weigh heavily on credit rating decisions.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $430.6 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.8% industry: 31.9% services: 53.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  35.86 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 36%, industry 16%, services 48% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  11.7% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  46.6 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $12.22 billion
  expenditures: $15.84 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.4
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  74.2% of GDP (September 2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, casavas, pineapples,
  fish, mangoes, pork, eggs, beef

Industries:
  electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals,
  chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining,
  fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  52.86 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.6% hydro: 17.5% nuclear: 0% other: 26.9% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  46.05 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  26,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  338,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  312,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  152 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
  2.5 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  25 million cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  107.6 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
  $3.6 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $38.63 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments,
  optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts, copper
  products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  Japan 20.1%, US 18.2%, Netherlands 9%, Hong Kong 7.9%, China 6.7%,
  Singapore 6.6%, Taiwan 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $37.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles and vehicle
  parts, plastic, chemicals, grains

Imports - partners:
  US 18.8%, Japan 17.4%, Singapore 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%, South Korea
  6.2%, China 6%, Malaysia 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $16.05 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
  $55.6 billion (September 2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA commitments, $2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
  Philippine peso (PHP)

Currency code:
  PHP

Exchange rates:
  Philippine pesos per US dollar - 56.04 (2004), 54.203 (2003),
  51.604 (2002), 50.993 (2001), 44.192 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,310,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  15.201 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine
  cable services; domestic and inter-island service adequate
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
  international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific
  Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
  Japan

Radio broadcast stations: AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5 note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the language of the target audience (2004)

Radios:
  11.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)

Televisions:
  3.7 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ph

Internet hosts:
  38,440 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  33 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.5 million (2002)

Transportation Philippines

Railways: total: 897 km narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2004)

Highways: total: 202,124 km paved: 19,202 km unpaved: 182,922 km (2002)

Waterways: 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila, Surigao

Merchant marine:
  total: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,524,259 GRT/6,437,171 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 85, cargo 109, chemical tanker 13, container
  5, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 15, passenger 11,
  passenger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 47, refrigerated cargo 23, roll
  on/roll off 17, vehicle carrier 14
  foreign-owned: 69 (Canada 1, China 2, Germany 2, Greece 5, Hong Kong
  2, Japan 31, Malaysia 2, Netherlands 20, Norway 1, UAE 1, United
  States 2)
  registered in other countries: 40 (2005)

Airports:
  255 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 82 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 35 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 173 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 68 under 914 m: 100 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Philippines

Military branches:
  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Coast
  Guard, Marine Corps), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 20,131,179 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 15,170,096 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 907,542 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $805.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (2004)

Transnational Issues Philippines

Disputes - international:
  The Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the Spratly
  Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also
  claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has
  eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in
  March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines,
  and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic
  activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant
  claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the
  Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of
  attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and MILF and Abu
  Sayyaf groups) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the
  US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin
  and crystal methamphetamine; domestic methamphetamine production is
  a growing problem; remains on Financial Action Task Force
  Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued failure
  to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Pitcairn Islands

Introduction Pitcairn Islands

Background:
  Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the British and settled
  in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
  Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become a British colony (in
  1838) and today remains the last vestige of that empire in the South
  Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New Zealand, has thinned the
  population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to less than 50 today.

Geography Pitcairn Islands

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about midway between
  Peru and New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  25 04 S, 130 06 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 47 sq km
  land: 47 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  51 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast trade winds; rainy
  season (November to March)

Terrain:
  rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with cliffs

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Natural resources:
  miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
  note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
  discovered offshore

Land use:
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons (especially November to March)

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (only a small portion of the original forest remains
  because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Geography - note:
  Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger island of
  Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural harbor; supplies
  must be transported by rowed longboat from larger ships stationed
  offshore

People Pitcairn Islands

Population: 46 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  -0.01% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Net migration rate:
  NA

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Total fertility rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Pitcairn Islander(s) adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Ethnic groups:
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian wives

Religions:
  Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Languages:
  English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th century English
  dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Literacy:
  NA

Government Pitcairn Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie, and Oeno Islands
  conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Adamstown

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional reforms in 1940;
  further refined by the Local Government Ordinance of 1964

Legal system:
  local island by-laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand and Governor
  (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL (since NA
  December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES (since
  September 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and the
  Island Council
  head of government: Governor Richard FELL; mayor and chairman of the
  Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15 December 2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
  commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by
  popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004
  (next to be held December 2007)
  election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
  Island Council

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by popular vote, 1
  nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by the governor
  including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island Mayor, and a
  commissioner liaising between the governor and council; elected
  members serve one-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Judicial branch:
  Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Judicial
  Officers are appointed by the Governor

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green, and light blue with a
  shield featuring a yellow anchor

Economy Pitcairn Islands

Economy - overview:
  The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist on fishing,
  subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps. The fertile
  soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits and
  vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas, yams,
  and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The major
  sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to collectors and
  the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October 2004, more than
  one-quarter of Pitcairn's labor force was arrested, putting the
  economy in a bind, since their services were required as lighter
  crew to load or unload passing ships.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 15 able-bodied men (2004)

Labor force - by occupation: no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: $746,000
  expenditures: $1.028 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY04/05)

Agriculture - products:
  wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats, chickens

Industries:
  postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a small diesel-powered
  generator

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Exports:
  NA

Exports - commodities:
  fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Exports - partners:
  NA

Imports:
  NA

Imports - commodities:
  fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour, sugar, other
  foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  NA

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $3.465 million (2004)

Currency (code):
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003),
  2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Pitcairn Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: satellite phone services
  domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
  international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio operators (VP6) (2004)

Radios:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .pn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  NA

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Pitcairn Islands

Highways: total: 6.4 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 6.4 km

Ports and harbors:
  Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Airports:
  none (2004 est.)

Military Pitcairn Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Pitcairn Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Poland

Introduction Poland

Background:
  Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the middle of
  the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th century.
  During the following century, the strengthening of the gentry and
  internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of agreements
  between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned
  Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its independence in 1918
  only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II.
  It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but its
  government was comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil
  in 1980 led to the formation of the independent trade union
  "Solidarity" that over time became a political force and by 1990 had
  swept parliamentary elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy"
  program during the early 1990s enabled the country to transform its
  economy into one of the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland
  currently suffers low GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity
  suffered a major defeat in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it
  failed to elect a single deputy to the lower house of Parliament,
  and the new leaders of the Solidarity Trade Union subsequently
  pledged to reduce the Trade Union's political role. Poland joined
  NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Geography Poland

Location:
  Central Europe, east of Germany

Geographic coordinates:
  52 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 312,685 sq km
  land: 304,465 sq km
  water: 8,220 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Mexico

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,788 km
  border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
  km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
  444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Coastline:
  491 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Climate:
  temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
  frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
  thundershowers

Terrain:
  mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
  highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Natural resources:
  coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
  arable land

Land use: arable land: 45.91% permanent crops: 1.12% other: 52.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding

Environment - current issues:
  situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy industry
  and increased environmental concern by post-Communist governments;
  air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of sulfur dioxide
  emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the resulting acid rain
  has caused forest damage; water pollution from industrial and
  municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal of hazardous
  wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as industrial
  establishments bring their facilities up to European Union code, but
  at substantial cost to business and the government

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
  historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and the
  lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

People Poland

Population:
  38,635,144 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 3,319,176/female 3,150,859)
  15-64 years: 70.3% (male 13,506,153/female 13,638,265)
  65 years and over: 13% (male 1,912,431/female 3,108,260) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.43 years
  male: 34.52 years
  female: 38.49 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.03% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.74 years
  male: 70.71 years
  female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  14,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Pole(s)
  adjective: Polish

Ethnic groups:
  Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other
  and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox 1.3%,
  Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Languages:
  Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Poland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Poland
  conventional short form: Poland
  local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
  local short form: Polska

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Warsaw

Administrative divisions:
  16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Dolnoslaskie,
  Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie,
  Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie,
  Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie,
  Zachodniopomorskie

Independence:
  11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Constitution:
  adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by national
  referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Legal system:
  mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
  Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
  of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
  legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
  final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
  Justice in Strasbourg

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23 December
  1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004);
  Deputy Prime Minister Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA (since 24 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
  the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
  the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005);
  prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  and confirmed by the Sejm
  election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
  percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
  OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the Senate or
  Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote on a
  provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house, the
  Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
  proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
  designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
  used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
  elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by
  September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to
  be held by September 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm -
  percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%,
  LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO
  56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2
  note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
  only

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
  indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
  the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic
  Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or KL
  [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Jozef OLEKSY]; Dom
  Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw
  FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL];
  Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish
  Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction
  of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD
  [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish
  Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej
  LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI];
  Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP
  [Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan GUZ];
  Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade Union
  [Janusz SNIADEK]

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CE,
  CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802 FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State, 5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch) telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000 FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688 consulate(s) general: Krakow

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to the
  flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Economy Poland

Economy - overview:
  Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization
  throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among
  transition economies. Even so, much remains to be done, especially
  in bringing down unemployment. The privatization of small and
  medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on establishing
  new firms has encouraged the development of the private business
  sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside persistent
  corruption are hampering its further development. Poland's
  agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor,
  inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and
  privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads,
  and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in
  health care, education, the pension system, and state administration
  have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further
  progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in
  Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling
  the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers,
  most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of
  social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by
  about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under
  discussion in the legislature but could be trumped by election-year
  politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging
  exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004,
  though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's
  appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic
  states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU
  funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap
  the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural
  subsidies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $463 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.9% industry: 31.3% services: 65.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  17.02 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  19.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  18.4% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  31.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $44.52 billion
  expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Industries:
  machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  10% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  133.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.1% hydro: 1.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  117.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  11.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-3.831 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $75.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%, food and live
  animals 7.6% (2003)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic 4.3%,
  Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $81.61 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels, lubricants, and related
  materials 9.1% (2003)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China 4.6%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $41.88 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $99.15 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
  zloty (PLN)

Currency code:
  PLN

Exchange rates:
  zlotych per US dollar - 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08 (2002),
  4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000)
  note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Poland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  12.3 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17.401 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
  process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
  state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
  for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
  cellular telephone use
  domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
  networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
  international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  20.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Televisions:
  13.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pl

Internet hosts:
  804,915 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  19 (2000)

Internet users:
  8.97 million (2003)

Transportation Poland

Railways:
  total: 23,852 km
  broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational)
  (11,962 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 364,697 km
  paved: 249,088 km (including 399 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 115,609 km (2001)

Waterways:
  3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Merchant marine:
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll
  off 1
  registered in other countries: 107 (2005)

Airports:
  123 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 84 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 40 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 39 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Poland

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Navy, Polish Air Force (PSP)

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for compulsory military service after January 1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only allowed to serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 9,673,712 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 7,740,164 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 275,521 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.5 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.71% (2002)

Transnational Issues Poland

Disputes - international:
  as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border,
  Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
  major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the international
  market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin American
  illicit drugs to Western Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Portugal

Introduction Portugal

Background:
  Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and 16th
  centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
  destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
  Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
  A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
  decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
  left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
  following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
  colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
  (now the EU) in 1986.

Geography Portugal

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, west of
  Spain

Geographic coordinates:
  39 30 N, 8 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 92,391 sq km
  land: 91,951 sq km
  water: 440 sq km
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Land boundaries: total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Coastline: 1,793 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and drier in
  south

Terrain:
  mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
  the Azores 2,351 m

Natural resources:
  fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten,
  silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land,
  hydropower

Land use:
  arable land: 21.75%
  permanent crops: 7.81%
  other: 70.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and vehicle
  emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
  Modification

Geography - note:
  Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along western
  sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Portugal

Population:
  10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 916,234/female 839,935)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,468,844/female 3,538,779)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 744,787/female 1,057,633) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 38.2 years
  male: 36.06 years
  female: 40.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.39% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.53 years
  male: 74.25 years
  female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  22,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Portuguese

Ethnic groups:
  homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African descent
  who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less than
  100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Languages:
  Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.3%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Government Portugal

Country name:
  conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
  conventional short form: Portugal
  local long form: Republica Portuguesa
  local short form: Portugal

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Lisbon

Administrative divisions:
  18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2 autonomous
  regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma); Aveiro,
  Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra,
  Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre, Porto,
  Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Independence:
  1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910 (independent
  republic proclaimed)

National holiday:
  Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes Day, the
  day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Constitution:
  25 April 1976; revised many times

Legal system:
  civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
  constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
  body to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held January 2006);
  following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
  leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the president
  election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
  - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
  (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da Republica (230
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February
  2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after
  dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked
  confidence in the four-month center-right government
  election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%,
  CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14,
  PP 12, BE 8

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges appointed for
  life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Political parties and leaders:
  Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular Party or
  PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese Communist Party or PCP
  [Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose SOCRATES
  Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Luis
  Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto LOUCA];
  Unitarian Democratic Coalition or UDC [Jeronimo de SOUSA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
  ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO,
  ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves CATARINO
  chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
  consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
  Francisco
  consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Adrienne
  S. O'NEAL
  embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
  mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE
  09726
  telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
  FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
  consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Flag description:
  two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and red
  (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
  dividing line

Economy Portugal

Economy - overview:
  Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly service-based
  economy since joining the European Community in 1986. Over the past
  decade, successive governments have privatized many state-controlled
  firms and liberalized key areas of the economy, including the
  financial and telecommunications sectors. The country qualified for
  the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began circulating the
  euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member economies.
  Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of the past
  decade, but fell back in 2001-04. GDP per capita stands at
  two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. A poor educational
  system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity
  and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by
  lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for
  foreign direct investment. The government faces tough choices in its
  attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping
  the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $188.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 5.9% industry: 30.2% services: 63.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  5.48 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.1% highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  35.6 (1994-95)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $74.38 billion
  expenditures: $79.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats, poultry,
  beef, dairy products

Industries:
  textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals and
  metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and
  plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications
  equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship
  construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  43.28 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 64.5% hydro: 31.3% nuclear: 0% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  42.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  3.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-8.12 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $37.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
  products, hides

Exports - partners:
  Spain 25%, France 14%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.6%, US 6%, Italy 4.3%,
  Netherlands 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $52.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum, textiles,
  agricultural products

Imports - partners:
  Spain 29.3%, Germany 14.3%, France 9.3%, Italy 6.1%, UK 4.6%,
  Netherlands 4.6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $12.3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $274.7 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $271 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Portugal

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,278,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,341,400 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has achieved a
  state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed capabilities and
  a main line telephone density of 53%
  domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
  radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
  international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
  NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
  for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.02 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 62 (plus 166 repeaters) note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Televisions:
  3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pt

Internet hosts:
  346,078 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.6 million (2002)

Transportation Portugal

Railways:
  total: 2,850 km
  broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 17,135 km
  paved: 14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,399 km (2002)

Waterways:
  210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Merchant marine:
  total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 38, chemical tanker 14, container 7,
  liquefied gas 9, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9,
  roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 8
  foreign-owned: 97 (Australia 1, Belgium 6, Denmark 5, Germany 18,
  Greece 4, Iceland 1, Italy 11, Japan 8, Lebanon 1, Malta 1, Norway
  4, Spain 19, Switzerland 4)
  registered in other countries: 28 (2005)

Airports:
  65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Military Portugal

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air Force
  (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard (Guarda
  Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory military service was ended in 2004 (January 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,435,042 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,952,819 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 67,189 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3,497.8 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.3% (2003)

Transnational Issues Portugal

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest Asian
  heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);
  transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
  consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Puerto Rico

Introduction Puerto Rico

Background:
  Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was
  claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus' second
  voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial rule
  that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and African
  slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result
  of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
  citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
  1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
  self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
  chose to retain commonwealth status.

Geography Puerto Rico

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Geographic coordinates:
  18 15 N, 66 30 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 9,104 sq km
  land: 8,959 sq km
  water: 145 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  501 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:
  mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north; mountains
  precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most coastal
  areas

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources: some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and offshore oil

Land use: arable land: 3.95% permanent crops: 5.52% other: 90.53% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
  erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Geography - note:
  important location along the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to
  the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest and best natural
  harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and high central
  mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast relatively dry;
  fertile coastal plain belt in north

People Puerto Rico

Population:
  3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 22% (male 441,594/female 421,986)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066)
  65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.23 years
  male: 32.5 years
  female: 35.87 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.47% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.29 years
  male: 74.35 years
  female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  7,397 (1997)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Puerto Rican

Ethnic groups:
  white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%, Amerindian 0.4%,
  Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Languages:
  Spanish, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Government Puerto Rico

Country name:
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Dependency status:
  commonwealth associated with the US

Government type:
  commonwealth

Capital:
  San Juan

Administrative divisions:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
  municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
  Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
  Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
  Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
  Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
  Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
  Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
  Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
  Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
  Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
  German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
  Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
  Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Independence:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

National holiday:
  US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico Constitution Day,
  25 July (1952)

Constitution:
  ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July 1952,
  effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:
  based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of
  justice

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do
  not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
  2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  legislature
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2008)
  election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;
  percent of vote - 48.4%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at least 27
  seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51
  seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD
  40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%,
  PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1
  note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
  to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
  House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
  he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
  held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results -
  percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis
  FORTUNO elected resident commissioner

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance composed of
  two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for
  all these courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  Senate)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National Republican
  Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive Party or PNP
  (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic Party or PPD
  (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican Independence
  Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed Forces of
  Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as the
  Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

International organization participation:
  ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Flag description:
  five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side bears
  a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design initially
  influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag, with the
  colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Economy Puerto Rico

Economy - overview:
  Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean
  region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as
  the primary locus of economic activity and income. Encouraged by
  duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US firms have
  invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US minimum wage
  laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy production and
  other livestock products as the main source of income in the
  agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important
  source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million
  tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the
  slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $68.95 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 45% services: 54% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  1.3 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  12% (2002)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  6.5% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $6.7 billion
  expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY99/00)

Agriculture - products: sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas, livestock products, chickens

Industries:
  pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  22.09 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.2% hydro: 0.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  20.54 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Exports:
  $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Exports - commodities:
  chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum, beverage
  concentrates, medical equipment

Exports - partners:
  US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic 1.4% (2002
  est.)

Imports:
  $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Imports - commodities:
  chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food, fish, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA (2001)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Puerto Rico

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,329,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,211,111 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system integrated with that of the US by
  high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with high-speed data
  capability
  domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
  international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  2.7 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 (19 relay stations) (2004)

Televisions:
  1.021 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pr

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  76 (2000)

Internet users:
  600,000 (2002)

Transportation Puerto Rico

Railways: total: 96 km narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 25,328 km
  paved: 23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,363 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
  by type: roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Puerto Rico

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary National Guard,
  Police Force

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Puerto Rico

Disputes - international: increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year looking for work

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Qatar

Introduction Qatar

Background:
  Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed
  itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling
  into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas
  revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy
  was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by
  the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current
  Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup
  in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes
  with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues
  enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the
  world.

Geography Qatar

Location:
  Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  25 30 N, 51 15 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 11,437 sq km
  land: 11,437 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Land boundaries: total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Coastline:
  563 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
  the median line

Climate:
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Terrain:
  mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish

Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum
  deposits

People Qatar

Population:
  863,051 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295)
  15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 31.57 years
  male: 36.87 years
  female: 22.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.61% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.54 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  15.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 2.28 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.67 years
  male: 71.15 years
  female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Qatari(s)
  adjective: Qatari

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Religions:
  Muslim 95%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 89.1%
  female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Government Qatar

Country name:
  conventional long form: State of Qatar
  conventional short form: Qatar
  local long form: Dawlat Qatar
  local short form: Qatar
  note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
  between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Government type:
  traditional monarchy

Capital:
  Doha

Administrative divisions:
  10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al
  Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan
  al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Independence:
  3 September 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Constitution:
  ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the
  Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Legal system:
  discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil
  codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
  personal matters

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995
  when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad
  al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin
  Khalifa al-Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent
  by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the
  positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of the Armed
  Forces
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani,
  brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
  Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, brother of the monarch
  (since 20 January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM
  bin JABIR al-Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister
  since 1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad
  al-ATTIYAH (since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA
  1992)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
  note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
  Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
  at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
  for the CMC was held in March 1999

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members
  appointed)
  note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
  were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
  terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which
  came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member
  Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
  two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the
  remaining members

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal
  note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two
  court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher
  court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM,
  IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
  OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak al-KHALIFA
  chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
  consulate(s) general: Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
  embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
  mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
  telephone: [974] 488 4101
  FAX: [974] 488 4298

Flag description:
  maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the
  hoist side

Economy Qatar

Economy - overview:
  Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of export
  earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have given
  Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West
  European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion
  barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
  years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 14 trillion
  cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
  the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore
  natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil
  production. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade
  surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural
  gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest
  per-capita income countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $19.49 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.3% industry: 58.2% services: 41.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  140,000 (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.7% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $10.17 billion
  expenditures: $7.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  NA

Agriculture - products:
  fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Industries:
  crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,
  petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship
  repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  10% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  9.727 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  9.046 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  790,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  30,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  16 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  18.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  14.41 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $5.187 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners:
  Japan 41.9%, South Korea 15.8%, Singapore 9.1%, India 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $6.15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  France 26.6%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 6.3%, Germany 5.2%,
  Japan 5.2%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.351 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $18.62 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Qatari rial (QAR)

Currency code:
  QAR

Exchange rates:
  Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002),
  3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Qatar

Telephones - main lines in use:
  184,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  376,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
  microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
  Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  256,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  230,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .qa

Internet hosts:
  221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  126,000 (2003)

Transportation Qatar

Highways: total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Doha

Merchant marine:
  total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 8, liquefied gas 2,
  petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) (2005)

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Qatar

Military branches:
  Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari
  Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service; Land Force's enlisted personnel are largely nonprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 302,873 note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 238,566 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 7,851 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $723 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  10% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Qatar

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Reunion

Introduction Reunion

Background:
  The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the
  17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by
  influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the
  island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost
  the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade
  route.

Geography Reunion

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  21 06 S, 55 36 E

Map references:
  World

Area:
  total: 2,517 sq km
  land: 2,507 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  207 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry
  from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Terrain:
  mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Natural resources: fish, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.6% permanent crops: 1.2% other: 85.2% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la
  Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de
  la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis,
  which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean

People Reunion

Population:
  776,948 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.4% (male 120,698/female 115,108)
  15-64 years: 63.6% (male 243,668/female 250,143)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 19,234/female 28,097) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.72 years
  male: 25.53 years
  female: 27.92 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.38% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  19.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.95 years
  male: 70.55 years
  female: 77.52 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Reunionese

Ethnic groups:
  French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Languages:
  French (official), Creole widely used

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.9%
  male: 87%
  female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Government Reunion

Country name:
  conventional long form: Department of Reunion
  conventional short form: Reunion
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile de la Reunion
  former: Bourbon Island

Dependency status:
  overseas department of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint-Denis

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons

Independence:
  none (overseas department of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Laurent CAYREL (since 16 July 2005)
  head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
  POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
  Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
  Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
  held NA 2010)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
  UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
  round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
  22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
  note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
  elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
  PCR 1

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the
  Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
  GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  InOC, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas department of France)

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Reunion

Economy - overview:
  The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
  services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
  than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
  The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
  industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
  the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
  poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
  tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
  off than other segments of the population, often approaching
  European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
  unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
  The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
  seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
  Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
  France.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.57 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 8% industry: 19% services: 73% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  309,900 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)

Unemployment rate:
  36% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $1.26 billion
  expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn

Industries:
  sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.166 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 55.5% hydro: 44.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.084 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $214 million f.o.b. (1997)

Exports - commodities:
  sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%,
  (1993)

Exports - partners:
  France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)

Imports:
  $2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
  transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Reunion

Telephones - main lines in use:
  300,000 est (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  489,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis
  domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to
  Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic
  submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe
  and Asia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Radios:
  173,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Televisions:
  127,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .re

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  150,000 (2002)

Transportation Reunion

Highways:
  total: 1,214 km (including 88 km of four-lane roads) (2001)

Ports and harbors:
  Le Port

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (France 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Reunion

Military branches:
  no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (includes
  Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 183,421 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 142,578 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 7,339 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Reunion

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Romania

Introduction Romania

Background:
  The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under
  the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their
  autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted
  the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its
  independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and
  acquired new territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied
  with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of
  the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed
  an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of
  a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the
  king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took
  power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly
  oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown
  and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
  government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a
  fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party,
  governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in
  Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the
  National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a
  surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential
  elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority
  with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various
  ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks
  with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to
  address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and
  democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the
  EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.

Geography Romania

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and
  Ukraine

Geographic coordinates:
  46 00 N, 25 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 237,500 sq km
  land: 230,340 sq km
  water: 7,160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,508 km
  border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
  169 km

Coastline:
  225 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog; sunny
  summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Terrain:
  central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of Moldavia
  on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from the
  Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal, iron
  ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 40.82% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 56.93% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic structure
  and climate promote landslides

Environment - current issues: soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta wetlands

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  controls most easily traversable land route between the Balkans,
  Moldova, and Ukraine

People Romania

Population:
  22,329,977 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.9% (male 1,818,488/female 1,727,598)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 7,726,903/female 7,801,441)
  65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,342,827/female 1,912,720) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 36.39 years male: 35.04 years female: 37.77 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.12% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.74 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.35 years
  male: 67.86 years
  female: 75.06 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  350 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Romanian(s)
  adjective: Romanian

Ethnic groups:
  Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%, German
  0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)

Religions:
  Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,
  Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and
  Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and
  unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Languages:
  Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Government Romania

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Romania local long form: none local short form: Romania

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Bucharest

Administrative divisions:
  41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
  (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
  Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi,
  Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
  Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
  Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
  Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Independence:
  9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire;
  independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin;
  kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic
  proclaimed)

National holiday:
  Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December (1918)

Constitution:
  8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003

Legal system:
  former mixture of civil law system and communist legal theory; is
  now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two
  candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009
  and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
  NASTASE 48.77%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or Senat
  (137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
  proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are
  elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
  basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
  November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004
  (next to be held 28 November 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
  PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -
  PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies
  - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
  PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM
  48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the president on
  the recommendation of the Superior Council of Magistrates, a board
  of eleven judges and six prosecutors elected by parliament)

Political parties and leaders:
  Conservative Party [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly Humanist Party or
  PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of
  Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party
  or PNL [Calin Popescu TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater
  Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA], formerly Party of Social Democracy
  in Romania or PDSR

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  various human rights and professional associations

International organization participation: ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851 FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State, 5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch) telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042 FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395 branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red;
  the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the yellow
  band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
  resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Economy Romania

Economy - overview:
  Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a largely
  obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to the
  country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
  three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
  Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
  construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
  4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, has been accompanied
  by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and
  the curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's
  completion of the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time
  Romania has successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989
  revolution. In July 2004, the executive board of the IMF approved a
  24-month standby agreement for $367 million. The Romanian
  authorities do not intend to draw on this agreement, however,
  viewing it simply as a precaution. Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic
  gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty,
  while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the business
  environment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $171.5 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.1% industry: 33.7% services: 53.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  9.66 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 31.6%, industry 30.7%, services 37.7% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  6.3% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  28.9% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.4% highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.8 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $22.1 billion
  expenditures: $23.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes, grapes;
  eggs, sheep

Industries:
  textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly, mining,
  timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
  processing, petroleum refining

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  56.53 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.5% hydro: 27.6% nuclear: 9.9% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  57.5 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  3.046 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  962 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  128,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  253,800 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  12.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  18.5 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  111.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-3.631 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $23.54 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery and
  equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
  Italy 21.4%, Germany 15%, France 8.5%, Turkey 7%, UK 6.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $28.43 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals, textile and
  products, basic metals, agricultural products

Imports - partners:
  Italy 17.2%, Germany 14.9%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Turkey 4.2%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $16.21 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
  $24.59 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  leu (ROL)

Currency code:
  ROL

Exchange rates:
  lei per US dollar - 32,637 (2004), 33,200 (2003), 33,055 (2002),
  29,061 (2001), 21,709 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Romania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.3 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6.9 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
  domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
  mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
  one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
  have no service
  international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
  in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several
  international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  7.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  5.25 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ro

Internet hosts:
  50,807 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  38 (2000)

Internet users:
  4 million (2003)

Transportation Romania

Railways:
  total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
  broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 198,755 km
  paved: 100,173 km (including 113 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 98,582 km (2002)

Waterways:
  1,731 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Merchant marine:
  total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 20, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2,
  petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 2 (Italy 2)
  registered in other countries: 39 (2005)

Airports:
  61 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Military Romania

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR),
  Special Operations, Civil Defense (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 in wartime; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 5,061,984 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 3,932,579 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 172,093 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $985 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.47% (2002)

Transnational Issues Romania

Disputes - international:
  Romania and Ukraine have taken their dispute over
  Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea
  maritime boundary to the ICJ for adjudication; Romania also opposes
  Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border
  through Ukraine to the Black Sea; Hungary amended the status law
  extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians
  in Romania, to which Romania had objected

Illicit drugs:
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin transiting the
  Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American cocaine bound for
  Western Europe; although not a significant financial center, role as
  a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable to laundering which occurs
  via the banking system, currency exchange houses, and casinos

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Russia

Introduction Russia

Background:
  Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was able
  to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
  centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
  principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
  continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
  Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
  Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
  century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
  Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led
  to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and
  to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists
  under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR.
  The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian
  dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of
  lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
  decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
  introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
  attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
  released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
  independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
  efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
  replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
  Communist period. While some progress has been made on the economic
  front, recent years have seen a recentralization of power under
  Vladimir PUTIN and an erosion in nascent democratic institutions. A
  determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Geography Russia

Location:
  Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
  Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
  Pacific Ocean

Geographic coordinates:
  60 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 17,075,200 sq km
  land: 16,995,800 sq km
  water: 79,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 20,017 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
  (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
  1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
  Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
  km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
  km

Coastline:
  37,653 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much
  of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the
  polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid
  in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool along
  Arctic coast

Terrain:
  broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest
  and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border
  regions

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Natural resources:
  wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural
  gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
  note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
  exploitation of natural resources

Land use: arable land: 7.33% permanent crops: 0.11% other: 92.56% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
  development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
  earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
  summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
  Russia

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric
  plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial, municipal,
  and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and seacoasts;
  deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from improper
  application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of sometimes
  intense radioactive contamination; groundwater contamination from
  toxic waste; urban solid waste management; abandoned stocks of
  obsolete pesticides

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Geography - note:
  largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
  located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
  size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
  too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
  tallest peak

People Russia

Population:
  143,420,309 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.6% (male 10,704,617/female 10,173,313)
  15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,429,716/female 52,799,740)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 6,405,027/female 13,907,896) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.15 years male: 34.99 years female: 41.03 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.37% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 67.1 years
  male: 60.55 years
  female: 74.04 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  860,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Russian(s)
  adjective: Russian

Ethnic groups:
  Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%, Chuvash
  1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Religions:
  Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Languages:
  Russian, many minority languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Government Russia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Russian Federation
  conventional short form: Russia
  local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
  local short form: Rossiya
  former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Government type:
  federation

Capital:
  Moscow

Administrative divisions:
  49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respublik,
  singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnykh okrugov,
  singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev, singular - kray), 2
  federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast
  (avtonomnaya oblast')
  : oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan',
  Belgorod, Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo,
  Kaliningrad, Kaluga, Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy),
  Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk,
  Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk,
  Omsk, Orenburg, Orel, Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
  (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
  (Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
  Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
  : republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
  (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
  (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
  Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
  Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
  Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
  Mordoviya (Saransk), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), North Ossetia
  (Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
  : autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'),
  Evenk (Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Komi-Permyak (Kudymkar), Koryak
  (Palana), Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr [Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka),
  Ust'-Orda Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
  : krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,
  Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'
  : federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)
  : autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Constitution:
  adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting
  president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
  March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
  the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected other
  individuals; all are appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
  staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
  decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
  Security Council also reports directly to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); note
  - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
  exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
  the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
  until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
  three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
  of the Duma
  election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;
  percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay
  KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists of the
  Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July 2000,
  members appointed by the top executive and legislative officials in
  each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts, krays,
  republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal cities of
  Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year terms) and the
  State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats; currently 225 seats
  elected by proportional representation from party lists winning at
  least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from single-member
  constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
  NA December 2007)
  election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
  clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
  the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR
  11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,
  LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other
  7, independents 65, repeat election required 3

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration;
  judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation
  Council on the recommendation of the president

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy
  Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
  [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Dmitriy
  ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Right Forces or
  SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina
  Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris
  Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich
  YAVLINSKIY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN
  (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE,
  Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer),
  ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708 FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735 consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721 telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000 FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090 consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Economy Russia

Economy - overview:
  Russia ended 2004 with its sixth straight year of growth, averaging
  6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although high oil
  prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers of this
  economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven demand
  have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital
  investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last five
  years, and real personal incomes have realized average increases
  over 12%. Russia has also improved its international financial
  position since the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign debt
  declining from 90% of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export earnings
  have allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from only $12
  billion to some $120 billion at yearend 2004. These achievements,
  along with a renewed government effort to advance structural
  reforms, have raised business and investor confidence in Russia's
  economic prospects. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Economic
  growth slowed down in the second half of 2004 and the Russian
  government forecasts growth of only 4.5% to 6.2% for 2005. Oil,
  natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of
  exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices.
  Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or
  modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth.
  Other problems include a weak banking system, a poor business
  climate that discourages both domestic and foreign investors,
  corruption, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. In
  addition, a string of investigations launched against a major
  Russian oil company, culminating with the arrest of its CEO in the
  fall of 2003, have raised concerns by some observers that President
  PUTIN is granting more influence to forces within his government
  that desire to reassert state control over the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.408 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 4.9% industry: 33.9% services: 61.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  71.83 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  8.3% plus considerable underemployment (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  25% (January 2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.9% highest 10%: 47% (2001)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  39.9 (2001)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $106.4 billion
  expenditures: $93.33 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef, milk

Industries:
  complete range of mining and extractive industries producing coal,
  oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building from
  rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
  defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced
  electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation
  equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery,
  tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and
  transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer
  durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  915 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 66.3% hydro: 17.2% nuclear: 16.4% other: 0.1% (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  894.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  20.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  12.65 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  8.42 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2.31 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  6.11 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  69 billion bbl (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  578.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  405.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  171 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  47 trillion cu m (2003)

Current account balance:
  $46.04 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $162.5 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
  products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
  military manufactures

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 9.1%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 6.4%, Italy 6.2%, China 6%,
  US 5%, Switzerland 4.7%, Turkey 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $92.91 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat, sugar,
  semifinished metal products

Imports - partners:
  Germany 15.3%, Ukraine 8.8%, China 6.9%, Japan 5.7%, Kazakhstan 5%,
  US 4.6%, Italy 4.6%, France 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $124.5 billion (3 December 2004 e)

Debt - external:
  $169.6 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
  non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000
  est.)

Currency (code):
  Russian ruble (RUR)

Currency code:
  RUR

Exchange rates:
  Russian rubles per US dollar - 28.814 (2004), 30.692 (2003), 31.349
  (2002), 29.169 (2001), 28.129 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Russia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  35.5 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  17,608,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the telephone system underwent significant
  changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000 companies licensed
  to offer communication services; access to digital lines has
  improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet and e-mail
  services are improving; Russia has made progress toward building the
  telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a market economy;
  however, a large demand for main line service remains unsatisfied
  domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
  Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
  telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
  infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
  available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
  still outdated, inadequate, and low density
  international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
  by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several
  cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;
  satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
  Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Radios:
  61.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7,306 (1998)

Televisions:
  60.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su" that
  was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status and
  ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and
  several Russian commercial entities

Internet hosts:
  560,874 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  300 (June 2000)

Internet users:
  6 million (2002)

Transportation Russia

Railways:
  total: 87,157 km
  broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
  note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
  industries (2004)

Highways:
  total: 537,289 km
  paved: 362,133 km
  unpaved: 175,156 km (2001)

Waterways:
  96,000 km
  note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
  Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539 km; refined products
  13,771 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk,
  Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy

Merchant marine:
  total: 1,194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472 GRT/5,505,118 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 45, cargo 767, chemical
  tanker 20, combination ore/oil 48, container 21, passenger 11,
  passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 213, refrigerated cargo 46, roll
  on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 56 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Estonia 2, Germany 1, Hong
  Kong 1, Latvia 3, Norway 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 28, Ukraine 10, United
  Kingdom 2, United States 4)
  registered in other countries: 326 (2005)

Airports:
  2,586 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 577
  over 3,047 m: 55
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 197
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 128
  914 to 1,523 m: 98
  under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2,009
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 111
  914 to 1,523 m: 257
  under 914 m: 1,597 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  36 (2004 est.)

Military Russia

Military branches:
  Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne Troops
  (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV) are
  independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three
  branches

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17 years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into the armed forces in 2003; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans as of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory service to 1 year by 2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 35,247,049 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 21,049,651 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,286,069 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Russia

Disputes - international:
  in 2004, China and Russia divided up the islands in the Amur,
  Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, ending a century-old border dispute; the
  sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri,
  Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern
  Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the
  Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by
  Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty
  formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agree
  on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small,
  strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE
  observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the
  Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed
  treaties were signed and ratified with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in
  the Caspian Sea but no consensus exists on dividing the water column
  among the littoral states; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime
  limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond
  Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone;
  various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
  areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but
  the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in 1996, the
  Estonia-Russia technical border agreement was initialed but both
  have been hesitant to sign and ratify it, with Russia asserting that
  Estonia needs to better assimilate Russian-speakers and Estonian
  groups advocating realignment of the boundary based more closely on
  the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic
  Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; the
  Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and
  unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
  ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
  to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
  World War and other issues; in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land and
  maritime boundary treaty was ratified and a transit regime
  established through Lithuania linking Russia and its Kaliningrad
  coastal exclave, leaving only improvements to the border demarcation
  in 2005; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is complete, but
  states have agreed to defer demarcation; Russia and Ukraine continue
  talks but still dispute the alignment of a maritime boundary through
  the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov; Kazakhstan and Russia continue
  demarcation of their long border; Russian Duma has not yet ratified
  1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 368,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
  producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
  government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
  transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
  cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
  Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
  of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
  key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Rwanda

Introduction Rwanda

Background:
  In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the majority
  ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king. Over the
  next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and some
  150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The children of
  these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front
  (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with several
  political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic tensions,
  culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly 800,000 Tutsis
  and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the Hutu regime and
  ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2 million Hutu
  refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to neighboring
  Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since then, most of
  the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000 that remain
  in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have formed an
  extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the RPF tried
  in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and political
  reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in March 1999 and
  its first post-genocide presidential and legislative elections in
  August and September 2003, respectively - the country continues to
  struggle to boost investment and agricultural output, and ethnic
  reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived Tutsi
  political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and
  intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across
  the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in
  the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder
  Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Geography Rwanda

Location:
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates:
  2 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 26,338 sq km
  land: 24,948 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
  total: 893 km
  border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
  January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Terrain:
  mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
  altitude declining from west to east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
  highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Natural resources:
  gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore), methane,
  hydropower, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 40.54%
  permanent crops: 12.16%
  other: 47.3% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
  northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel;
  overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
  population predominantly rural

People Rwanda

Population:
  8,440,820
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,777,178/female 1,762,252)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 2,328,686/female 2,356,572)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 87,155/female 128,977) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.48 years
  male: 18.26 years
  female: 18.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.43% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  16.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 91.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 96.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 85.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 46.96 years
  male: 45.92 years
  female: 48.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.49 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  5.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  250,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  22,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Rwandan(s)
  adjective: Rwandan

Ethnic groups:
  Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim 4.6%,
  indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Languages:
  Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
  (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
  commercial centers

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.4%
  male: 76.3%
  female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

People - note:
  Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Government Rwanda

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
  conventional short form: Rwanda
  local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
  local short form: Rwanda
  former: Ruanda

Government type:
  republic; presidential, multiparty system

Capital:
  Kigali

Administrative divisions:
  12 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in
  Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); Butare, Byumba,
  Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali
  Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Independence:
  1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 4 June 2003

Legal system:
  based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law;
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
  popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
  Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53 seats;
  members elected by direct vote)
  elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held Chamber of
  Deputies - NA 2008; Senate - NA 2011)
  election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF
  40, PSD 7, PL 6

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial Courts;
  District Courts; mediation committees

Political parties and leaders:
  Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA]; Democratic
  Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA]; Democratic
  Republican Movement or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin KABANDA];
  Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal Party or PL
  [Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal (officially banned)
  [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and Charles NTAKARUTINKA]; Rwandan Patriotic
  Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Vincent
  BIRUTA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
  chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Henderson
  PATRICK
  embassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
  mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
  telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03
  FAX: [250] 57 2128

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width), yellow, and
  green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end of the blue
  band

Economy Rwanda

Economy - overview:
  Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the population
  engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the most densely
  populated country in Africa; landlocked with few natural resources
  and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange earners are coffee
  and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's fragile economic base,
  severely impoverished the population, particularly women, and eroded
  the country's ability to attract private and external investment.
  However, Rwanda has made substantial progress in stabilizing and
  rehabilitating its economy to pre-1994 levels, although poverty
  levels are higher now. GDP has rebounded and inflation has been
  curbed. Export earnings, however, have been hindered by low beverage
  prices, depriving the country of much needed hard currency. Despite
  Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food production often does not keep pace
  with population growth, requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to
  receive substantial aid money and was approved for IMF-World Bank
  Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late
  2000. Kigali's high defense expenditures have caused tension between
  the government and international donors and lending agencies. An
  energy shortage and instability in neighboring states may slow
  growth in 2005, while the lack of adequate transportation linkages
  to other countries continues to handicap export growth.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $10.43 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 41.1% industry: 21.2% services: 37.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.6 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 90%

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.2% highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.9 (1985)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $354.5 million
  expenditures: $385 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from chrysanthemums),
  bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Industries:
  cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
  furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production:
  166.7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 2.3% hydro: 97.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  195 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  40 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-212.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $69.78 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Exports - partners:
  Indonesia 64.2%, China 3.6%, Germany 2.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $260 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum products,
  cement and construction material

Imports - partners:
  Kenya 24.4%, Germany 7.4%, Belgium 6.6%, Uganda 6.3%, France 5.1%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $210.9 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $372.9 million (1999)

Currency (code):
  Rwandan franc (RWF)

Currency code:
  RWF

Exchange rates:
  Rwandan francs per US dollar - 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003), 476.33
  (2002), 442.8 (2001), 393.44 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Rwanda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  23,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  134,000
  note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
  provincial capitals (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: telephone system primarily serves business and
  government
  domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
  provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
  telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
  radiotelephone
  international: country code - 250; international connections employ
  microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
  communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
  1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
  service)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a system of
  repeaters, three international FM programs include the BBC, VOA, and
  Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)

Radios:
  601,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2004)

Televisions:
  NA; probably less than 1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .rw

Internet hosts:
  1,495 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2002)

Internet users:
  25,000 (2002)

Transportation Rwanda

Highways: total: 12,000 km paved: 996 km unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Airports:
  9 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Rwanda

Military branches:
  Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 16 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 2,004,750 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 1,103,823 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $50.1 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Rwanda

Disputes - international:
  Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic groups,
  associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government
  forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region, transcending the
  boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
  Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources -
  government heads pledge to end conflicts, but localized violence
  continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; DROC and Rwanda
  established a border verification mechanism in 2005 to address
  accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the
  Congo providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and
  bases to attack Rwandan forces; as of 2004, Rwandan refugees lived
  in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Zambia

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of the
  Congo)
  IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of
  the Congo, 1997-99; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Helena

Introduction Saint Helena

Background:
  Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint
  Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century. It
  acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's exile, from 1815
  until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call
  declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Ascension
  Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Gough
  Island has a meteorological station.

Geography Saint Helena

Location:
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway between South
  America and Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  15 56 S, 5 42 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 410 sq km
  land: 410 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
  of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
  Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  60 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by trade winds;
  Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by trade winds
  (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Terrain:
  Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered plateaus and plains
  note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 12.9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 87.1% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere else in the
  world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles and sooty terns

People Saint Helena

Population:
  7,460 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.8% (male 715/female 691)
  15-64 years: 71.3% (male 2,745/female 2,575)
  65 years and over: 9.8% (male 330/female 404) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.4 years
  male: 35.61 years
  female: 35.21 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.59% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.76 years
  male: 74.86 years
  female: 80.81 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Saint Helenian(s)
  adjective: Saint Helenian

Ethnic groups:
  African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Religions:
  Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 20 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1987 est.)

Government Saint Helena

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Jamestown

Administrative divisions:
  1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*, Saint
  Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)

Constitution:
  1 January 1989

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  NA years of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY
  (since 15 October 2004)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
  officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
  the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the speaker, 3
  ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court; Juvenile Court

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ICFTU, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of the flag;
  the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted sailing ship

Economy Saint Helena

Economy - overview:
  The economy depends largely on financial assistance from the UK,
  which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost one-half of
  annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns income from
  fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts. Because there
  are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek employment on
  Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $18 million (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: NA

Labor force:
  3,500
  note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly construction) 48%,
  services 46% (1987 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  14% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (1997 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $11.2 million
  expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY92/93)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on Tristan da
  Cunha)

Industries:
  construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy woodwork), fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  5 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.65 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $17 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna), coffee,
  handicrafts

Exports - partners:
  Tanzania 30.3%, US 23.8%, Japan 10.4%, UK 7.1%, Spain 6.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $42 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed, building
  materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Imports - partners:
  UK 35.7%, US 17.6%, South Africa 17.5%, Tanzania 10.4%, Australia
  5.5%, Spain 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  NA (1996)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Currency (code):
  Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Currency code:
  SHP

Exchange rates:
  Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Helena

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1997)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: can communicate worldwide
  domestic: automatic network
  international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint
  Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable
  relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  3,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0
  note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
  and distributed by cable (2002)

Televisions:
  2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  500 (2002)

Communications - note:
  Gough Island has a meteorological station

Transportation Saint Helena

Highways:
  total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da
  Cunha 20 km)
  paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km)
  unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km) (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Helena

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Saint Helena

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Kitts and Nevis

Introduction Saint Kitts and Nevis

Background:
  First settled by the British in 1623, the islands became an
  associated state with full internal autonomy in 1967. The island of
  Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in 1971. Saint Kitts and
  Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998, a vote in Nevis on a
  referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell short of the two-thirds
  majority needed. Nevis is once more trying to separate from the
  Saint Kitts.

Geography Saint Kitts and Nevis

Location:
  Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about one-third of the way
  from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  17 20 N, 62 45 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis 93 sq km)
  land: 261 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  135 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical tempered by constant sea breezes; little seasonal
  temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Terrain:
  volcanic with mountainous interiors

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Natural resources: arable land

Land use: arable land: 19.44% permanent crops: 2.78% other: 77.78% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes (July to October)

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat and ball, the two
  volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide channel called The
  Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball bat-shaped Saint
  Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in the center of its
  almost circular namesake island and its ball shape complements that
  of its sister island

People Saint Kitts and Nevis

Population:
  38,958 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 28% (male 5,586/female 5,330)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 12,424/female 12,403)
  65 years and over: 8.3% (male 1,328/female 1,887) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.6 years
  male: 26.78 years
  female: 28.38 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.38% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.15 years
  male: 69.31 years
  female: 75.16 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s) adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Ethnic groups:
  predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Religions:
  Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Languages:
  English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1980 est.)

Government Saint Kitts and Nevis

Country name:
  conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
  conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis
  former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Capital:
  Basseterre

Administrative divisions:
  14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint Anne Sandy Point,
  Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland, Saint James
  Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree, Saint Mary
  Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown, Saint Peter
  Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle Island,
  Trinity Palmetto Point

Independence:
  19 September 1983 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Constitution:
  19 September 1983

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville SEBASTIAN
  (since 1 January 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
  1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
  with the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
  usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3 appointed and 11
  popularly elected from single-member constituencies; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
  the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Political parties and leaders:
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance AMORY]; Nevis Reformation
  Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's Action Movement or PAM
  [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor Party or SKNLP [Dr.
  Denzil DOUGLAS]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OAS, OECS,
  OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts and Nevis; the US
  Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Kitts and Nevis

Flag description:
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side by a broad black band
  bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the black band is edged in
  yellow; the upper triangle is green, the lower triangle is red

Economy Saint Kitts and Nevis

Economy - overview:
  Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the Saint Kitts economy until
  the 1970s. Although the crop still dominates the agricultural
  sector, activities such as tourism, export-oriented manufacturing,
  and offshore banking have assumed larger roles in the economy.
  Tourism revenues are now the chief source of the islands' foreign
  exchange. The opening of a 470-room resort in February 2003 was
  expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $339 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -1.9% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 25.8% services: 70.7% (2001)

Labor force:
  18,170 (June 1995)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  4.5% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.7% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $89.7 million
  expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
  $19.5 million (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas; fish

Industries:
  sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt, copra, clothing, footwear,
  beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  105.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  98.44 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $70 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, food, electronics, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  US 57.5%, Canada 9%, Portugal 8.3%, UK 6.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $195 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Ukraine 44.7%, US 22.1%, Trinidad and Tobago 8.8%, UK 6.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $171 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saint Kitts and Nevis

Telephones - main lines in use:
  23,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good interisland and international connections
  domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic
  cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in
  November 2004
  international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
  by submarine cable or Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  28,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:
  10,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .kn

Internet hosts:
  51 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  10,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Kitts and Nevis

Railways:
  total: 50 km
  narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
  plantations during harvest season (2003)

Highways:
  total: 320 km
  paved: 136 km
  unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Ports and harbors:
  Basseterre, Charlestown

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Kitts and Nevis

Military branches:
  Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes Coast Guard), Royal
  Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Saint Kitts and Nevis

Disputes - international:
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
  Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
  permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
  portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; some money-laundering activity

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Lucia

Introduction Saint Lucia

Background:
  The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested
  between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th
  centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to
  the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence
  in 1979.

Geography Saint Lucia

Location:
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  13 53 N, 60 68 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 616 sq km
  land: 606 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  158 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from
  January to April, rainy season from May to August

Terrain:
  volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Natural resources:
  forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs,
  geothermal potential

Land use: arable land: 6.56% permanent crops: 22.95% other: 70.49% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes and volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking cone-shaped
  peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural highlights
  of the Caribbean

People Saint Lucia

Population:
  166,312 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.3% (male 25,937/female 24,391)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 52,813/female 54,544)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,172/female 5,455) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.81 years
  male: 24.03 years
  female: 25.66 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.28% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.05 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.61 years
  male: 70.05 years
  female: 77.42 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.21 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian

Ethnic groups:
  black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%, Pentecostal 5.7%,
  Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%, Rastafarian 2.1%,
  other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001 census)

Languages:
  English (official), French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 90.1%
  male: 89.5%
  female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

Government Saint Lucia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Government type:
  Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Castries

Administrative divisions:
  11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery,
  Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Independence:
  22 February 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Constitution:
  22 February 1979

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
  September 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
  May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members
  appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice
  of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with
  religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly
  (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member
  constituencies to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
  held in December 2006)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
  55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla,
  Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada,
  Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent
  and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia Freedom Party
  or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth
  ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher HUNTE];
  United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador
  to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Flag description:
  blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the
  upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Economy Saint Lucia

Economy - overview:
  Changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased
  competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
  diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island
  nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,
  especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The
  manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
  area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
  industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though
  unemployment needs to be cut.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $866 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.3% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7% industry: 20% services: 73% (2002 est.)

Labor force: 43,800 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing 24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $141.2 million
  expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
  $25.1 million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Industries:
  clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated
  cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  -8.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  270.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  251.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $66 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil

Exports - partners:
  UK 41.4%, US 16.5%, Brazil 11.6%, Barbados 5.8%, Antigua and
  Barbuda 4.6%, Dominica 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $267 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation
  equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Imports - partners:
  US 27.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 20.4%, UK 8%, Venezuela 7.6%, Finland
  7% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $214 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $51.8 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Saint Lucia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  51,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  14,300 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: system is automatically switched
  international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay
  link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
  tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these
  countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  111,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Televisions:
  32,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lc

Internet hosts:
  41 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  15 (2000)

Internet users:
  13,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Lucia

Highways: total: 1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Lucia

Military branches:
  Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit,
  Coast Guard)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Saint Lucia

Disputes - international:
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
  Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
  permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
  portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and
  Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Introduction Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Background:
  First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands
  represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North
  American possessions.

Geography Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Location:
  Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south
  of Newfoundland (Canada)

Geographic coordinates:
  46 50 N, 56 20 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 242 sq km
  land: 242 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the
  Miquelon groups

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  120 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy

Terrain:
  mostly barren rock

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use: arable land: 13.04% permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard

Environment - current issues: recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Geography - note: vegetation scanty

People Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Population:
  7,012 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24% (male 861/female 825)
  15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,330/female 2,251)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 335/female 410) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 33.7 years
  male: 33.39 years
  female: 33.96 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.21% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  13.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -4.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.46 years
  male: 76.13 years
  female: 80.9 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.03 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Ethnic groups:
  Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 99%

Languages:
  French (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1982 est.)

Government Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre
  and Miquelon
  conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon
  local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Dependency status:
  self-governing territorial collectivity of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Saint-Pierre

Administrative divisions:
  none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at
  the second order

Independence:
  none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French
  control since 1763)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as
  housing and taxation

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Prefect Albert DUPUY (since 10 January 2005)
  head of government: President of the General Council Marc
  PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
  - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
  French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
  president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
  council

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from
  Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
  note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
  2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
  National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
  second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1

Judicial branch:
  Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Political parties and leaders:
  Left Radical Party or PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la
  Republique or RPR (now UMP) [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS
  [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Flag description:
  a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue
  background with yellow wavy lines under the ship; on the hoist side,
  a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called
  ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the
  corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four
  sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine
  pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized
  yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three
  heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque
  Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used
  for official occasions

Economy Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Economy - overview:
  The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by
  fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of
  Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of
  disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the
  number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration
  panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km
  to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although
  it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are
  heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living
  standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost
  economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way
  for development of the energy sector.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $48.3 million - supplemented by annual payments from France of
  about $60 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 3,261 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation: fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.8% (1997)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (1991-96 average)

Budget:
  revenues: $70 million
  expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:
  fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  43.08 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  40.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $10 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and
  crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 41.3%, US 19.9%, Spain 14.9%, France 10%, Germany 4.1%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $106 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building
  materials

Imports - partners:
  France 37.6%, Canada 25.3%, Ireland 25.2%, Italy 5.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  approximately $60 million in annual grants from France

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
  most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic
  satellite system

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Televisions:
  4,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .pm

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Highways: total: 114 km paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km

Ports and harbors:
  Saint-Pierre

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Introduction Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Background:
  Disputed between France and the United Kingdom in the 18th century,
  Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted
  in 1969 and independence in 1979.

Geography Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Geographic coordinates:
  13 15 N, 61 12 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km)
  land: 389 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  84 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May
  to November)

Terrain:
  volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, cropland

Land use:
  arable land: 17.95%
  permanent crops: 17.95%
  other: 64.1% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a
  constant threat

Environment - current issues: pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

People Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Population:
  117,534 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 16,208/female 15,621)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 40,287/female 37,883)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,280/female 4,255) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.36 years
  male: 26.21 years
  female: 26.53 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.27% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.62 years
  male: 71.78 years
  female: 75.51 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s)
  adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Ethnic groups:
  black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Religions:
  Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Hindu, Seventh-Day
  Adventist, other Protestant

Languages:
  English, French patois

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 96%
  male: 96%
  female: 96% (1970 est.)

Government Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the
  Commonwealth

Capital:
  Kingstown

Administrative divisions:
  6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint
  George, Saint Patrick

Independence:
  27 October 1979 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Constitution:
  27 October 1979

Legal system:
  based on English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE
  (since 2 September 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
  the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives
  and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular
  vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  ULP 12, NDP 3

Judicial branch:
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of
  the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Political parties and leaders:
  National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or
  NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken
  BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's
  Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph
  GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or
  SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS,
  OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the
  Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines

Flag description:
  three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and
  green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V
  pattern

Economy Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Economy - overview:
  Economic growth in this lower-middle-income country hinges upon
  seasonal variations in the agricultural and tourism sectors.
  Tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in 1994,
  1995, and 2002, and tourism in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered
  low arrivals following 11 September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a
  small offshore banking sector and has moved to adopt international
  regulatory standards. Saint Vincent is also a large producer of
  marijuana and is being used as a transshipment point for illegal
  narcotics from South America.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $342 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.7% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 10% industry: 26% services: 64% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  67,000 (1984 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  15% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  -0.4% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $94.6 million
  expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices, small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, fish

Industries:
  food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch

Industrial production growth rate:
  -0.9% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  91.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 69.3% hydro: 30.7% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  84.82 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $38 million (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis
  racquets

Exports - partners:
  UK 33.5%, Barbados 13.1%, Saint Lucia 11.5%, Trinidad and Tobago
  9.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%, US 5.3%, Grenada 5.3%, Dominica 4.1%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $174 million (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,
  minerals and fuels

Imports - partners:
  US 37.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 21.3%, UK 10.5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $167.2 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998)

Currency (code):
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Currency code:
  XCD

Exchange rates:
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7
  (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Telephones - main lines in use:
  27,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  10,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
  radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
  Grenadines
  international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from
  Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to
  Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through
  Saint Lucia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  77,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Televisions:
  18,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vc

Internet hosts:
  4 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  15 (2000)

Internet users:
  7,000 (2002)

Transportation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Highways: total: 829 km paved: 580 km unpaved: 249 km (2002)

Ports and harbors:
  Kingstown

Merchant marine:
  total: 657 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,967,418 GRT/9,041,023 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 112, cargo 366, chemical tanker 18,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 24, liquefied gas 4, livestock
  carrier 6, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 19, petroleum tanker 29,
  refrigerated cargo 48, roll on/roll off 22, specialized tanker 2,
  vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 554 (Australia 2, Bangladesh 5, Barbados 1, Belgium
  1, British 5, Bulgaria 17, China 115, Congo 1, Croatia 7, Cuba 1,
  Czech Republic 1, Denmark 12, Egypt 2, Estonia 19, France 12,
  Germany 8, Greece 99, Guyana 3, Hong Kong 10, Iceland 11, India 6,
  Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 18, Kenya 4, Latvia 9, Lebanon 6,
  Lithuania 3, Monaco 4, Netherlands 7, Nigeria 3, Norway 19, Pakistan
  4, Poland 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 20, Saudi Arabia 3,
  Serbia & Montenegro 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 6, South Korea 3, Spain
  2, Sweden 1, Switzerland 7, Syria 6, Trinidad & Tobago 1, Tunisia 2,
  Turkey 16, Ukraine 6, UAE 21, United Kingdom 10, United States 24)
  (2005)

Airports:
  6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Disputes - international:
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
  Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
  permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
  portion of the Caribbean Sea

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; small-scale cannabis cultivation

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Samoa

Introduction Samoa

Background:
  New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa at
  the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer the
  islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962, when
  the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
  independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
  from its name in 1997.

Geography Samoa

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  13 35 S, 172 20 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 2,944 sq km
  land: 2,934 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  403 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to
  October)

Terrain:
  two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands and
  uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,
  rugged mountains in interior

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

Natural resources: hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 21.2% permanent crops: 24.38% other: 54.42% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons; active volcanism

Environment - current issues:
  soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

People Samoa

Population:
  177,287 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 24,517/female 23,660)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 73,495/female 44,208)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,204/female 6,203) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.59 years
  male: 27.42 years
  female: 21.42 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.23% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -11.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.66 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.72 years
  male: 67.93 years
  female: 73.65 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3

Nationality:
  noun: Samoan(s)
  adjective: Samoan

Ethnic groups:
  Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and Polynesian
  blood), Europeans 0.4%

Religions:
  Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,
  Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist
  3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,
  unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Samoan (Polynesian), English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Government Samoa

Country name:
  conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
  conventional short form: Samoa
  former: Western Samoa

Government type:
  mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Apia

Administrative divisions:
  11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
  Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
  Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

Independence:
  1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January 1962
  is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered UN
  trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is celebrated

Constitution:
  1 January 1962

Legal system:
  based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of
  legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state from
  1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
  (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
  1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister in 1996, when
  former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
  TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after
  TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
  state on the prime minister's advice
  elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
  chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
  a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
  state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected by
  voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
  districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or
  part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a
  village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to
  the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
  not later than March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and Titles
  Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights Protection
  Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman]; Samoan
  Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman]
  (opposition)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
  FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited to
  Samoa
  embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Apia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
  telephone: [685] 21631/22696
  FAX: [685] 22030

Flag description:
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant bearing
  five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern Cross
  constellation

Economy Samoa

Economy - overview:
  The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
  development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and
  fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
  Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
  of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
  manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
  decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
  is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
  tourists visited the islands in 2001. One factory in the Foreign
  Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical
  harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. The Samoan Government
  has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement
  of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting
  the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor
  market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign
  reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is
  stable, and inflation is low.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14% industry: 23% services: 63% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  90,000 (2000 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA; note - substantial underemployment

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $105 million
  expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2001-02)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

Industries:
  food processing, building materials, auto parts

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.8% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  122 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  113.5 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $14 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
  garments, beer

Exports - partners:
  Australia 67.2%, US 5.7%, Indonesia 5.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $113 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand 25.1%, Fiji 21.5%, Taiwan 9.1%, Australia 8.9%,
  Singapore 8.5%, Japan 7.5%, US 4.7% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $197 million (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $42.9 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  tala (SAT)

Currency code:
  SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

Exchange rates:
  tala per US dollar - 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763 (2002),
  3.478 (2001), 3.2864 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  June 1 - May 31

Communications Samoa

Telephones - main lines in use:
  11,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,700 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  174,849 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2002)

Televisions:
  8,634 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .ws

Internet hosts:
  8,225 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  4,000 (2002)

Transportation Samoa

Highways: total: 790 km paved: 332 km unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Apia

Merchant marine: total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT by type: cargo 1 foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2005)

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Samoa

Military branches:
  no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
  informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
  any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

Transnational Issues Samoa

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@San Marino

Introduction San Marino

Background:
  The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See and Monaco)
  also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According to
  tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino in
  301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of Italy.
  Social and political trends in the republic also track closely with
  those of its larger neighbor.

Geography San Marino

Location:
  Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Geographic coordinates:
  43 46 N, 12 25 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 61.2 sq km
  land: 61.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Terrain:
  rugged mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Natural resources: building stone

Land use: arable land: 16.67% permanent crops: 0% other: 83.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Geography - note:
  landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after the Holy See
  and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

People San Marino

Population:
  28,880 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943)
  65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.29 years
  male: 39.91 years
  female: 40.65 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.3% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.62 years
  male: 78.13 years
  female: 85.43 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sammarinese

Ethnic groups:
  Sammarinese, Italian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic

Languages:
  Italian

Literacy:
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97%
  female: 95% (1976 est.)

Government San Marino

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
  conventional short form: San Marino
  local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
  local short form: San Marino

Government type:
  independent republic

Capital:
  San Marino

Administrative divisions:
  9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello); Acquaviva, Borgo
  Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano, Fiorentino,
  Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Independence:
  3 September 301

National holiday:
  Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Constitution:
  8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the functions
  of a constitution

Legal system:
  based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Claudio MUCCIOLI
  and Captain Regent Antonello BACCIOCHI (for the period 1 October
  2005 - 31 March 2006)
  head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
  Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003)
  cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
  for a five-year term
  elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
  and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
  September 2005 (next to be held March 2006); secretary of state for
  foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
  Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003
  (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled)
  election results: Claudio MUCCIOLI and Antonello BACCIOCHI elected
  captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI
  elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
  percent of legislative vote - NA%
  note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
  selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
  of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
  Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
  has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
  assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
  secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
  prerogatives of a prime minister

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande e Generale
  (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%,
  PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS
  15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Judicial branch:
  Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Political parties and leaders:
  Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in Movement or IM
  [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader NA]; Party of
  Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian Democratic
  Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular Alliance of
  Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino Socialist Party or
  PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO,
  WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
  honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York
  honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US Consul
  General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue with the
  national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat of arms
  has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked by a
  wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word LIBERTAS
  (Liberty)

Economy San Marino

Economy - overview:
  The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000 more than 3
  million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries are banking,
  wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main agricultural
  products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of output and
  standard of living are comparable to those of the most prosperous
  regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $940 million (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.5% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force:
  18,500 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.6% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2001)

Budget:
  revenues: $400 million
  expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products: wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef, cheese, hides

Industries:
  tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics, cement, wine

Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (1997 est.)

Exports:
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Exports - commodities: building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked goods, hides, ceramics

Imports:
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Imports - commodities:
  wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $NA

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications San Marino

Telephones - main lines in use:
  20,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  16,800 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate connections
  domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
  Italian system
  international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
  international network

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  16,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from Italy) (1997)

Televisions:
  9,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sm

Internet hosts:
  1,763 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  14,300 (2002)

Transportation San Marino

Highways: total: 220 km paved: 220 km unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Airports: none (2004 est.)

Military San Marino

Military branches:
  Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note - performs
  ceremonial duties and limited police assistance

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $700,000 (FY00/01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of Italy

Transnational Issues San Marino

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Sao Tome and Principe

Introduction Sao Tome and Principe

Background:
  Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the
  islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the
  19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of
  which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was
  achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the
  late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the
  political environment has been one of continued instability with
  frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003.
  The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have
  a significant impact on the country's economy.

Geography Sao Tome and Principe

Location:
  Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the
  Equator, west of Gabon

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 7 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,001 sq km
  land: 1,001 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  209 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain:
  volcanic, mountainous

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Natural resources: fish, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.25% permanent crops: 48.96% other: 44.79% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  100 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a
  chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous

People Sao Tome and Principe

Population:
  187,410 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007)
  15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.12 years
  male: 15.53 years
  female: 16.71 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.16% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.99 years
  male: 65.43 years
  female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Sao Tomean(s)
  adjective: Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups:
  mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros
  (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from
  Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais
  born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Religions:
  Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%,
  other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Portuguese (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.3%
  male: 85%
  female: 62% (1991 est.)

Government Sao Tome and Principe

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe
  conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe
  local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe
  local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Independence:
  12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution:
  approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990

Legal system:
  based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo SILVEIRA (since 7
  June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA resigned 2 June 2005
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  proposal of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held July 2006); prime
  minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
  president
  election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao
  Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for
  Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats
  by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23,
  Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change
  Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or
  ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and
  Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da
  COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA];
  Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does
  have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary
  Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor,
  New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the
  Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a
  nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and
  green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the
  center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the
  hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Sao Tome and Principe

Economy - overview:
  This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on
  cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially
  declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but
  strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome
  has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods,
  and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had
  difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on
  concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200
  million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted
  Poor Countries (HIPC) program, but lacking a formal poverty
  reduction program with the IMF, it has not benefited from subsequent
  HIPC debt reductions. Sao Tome's external debt stands at over $300
  million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist
  industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in
  recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price
  controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development
  of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich
  Gulf of Guinea. The first production license was sold to a
  consortium led by US-based oil firms. Much of the 2005 budget is
  dependent upon the sale of additional production licenses.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $214 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 16.5%
  industry: 15.4%
  services: 68.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing
  note: shortages of skilled workers

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  54% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  14% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $27.94 million
  expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Industries:
  light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  17 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 41.2% hydro: 58.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  15.81 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-31.5 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $6.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, Poland
  5.1%, France 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $41 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum
  products

Imports - partners:
  Portugal 52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.8%, South Africa
  4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $29.78 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $318 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Currency (code):
  dobra (STD)

Currency code:
  STD

Exchange rates:
  dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3
  (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sao Tome and Principe

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: adequate facilities
  domestic: minimal system
  international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Radios:
  38,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2002)

Televisions:
  23,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .st

Internet hosts:
  1,069 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  15,000 (2003)

Transportation Sao Tome and Principe

Highways: total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Sao Tome

Merchant marine:
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005)

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Sao Tome and Principe

Military branches:
  Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard,
  Presidential Guard (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 33,438 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 25,950 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $700,000 (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.8% (2004)

Military - note:
  Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no
  resouces at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating
  unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and
  maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years
  in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in
  the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as
  reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being
  addressed with foreign assistance as intial steps towards the
  improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security
  concerns; command is excersized from the president, through the
  Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)

Transnational Issues Sao Tome and Principe

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Saudi Arabia

Introduction Saudi Arabia

Background:
  In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and
  set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. A son
  of ABD AL-AZIZ rules the country today, and the country's Basic Law
  stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of the aging
  sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. Following Iraq's
  invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal
  family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops
  to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following
  year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after
  Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension between the
  royal family and the public until the US military's near-complete
  withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first major terrorist
  attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which occurred in May and
  November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the part of the Saudi
  government to counter domestic terrorism and extremism, which also
  coincided with a slight upsurge in media freedom and announcement of
  government plans to phase in partial political representation. A
  burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely
  dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing
  governmental concerns.

Geography Saudi Arabia

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of
  Yemen

Geographic coordinates:
  25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 1,960,582 sq km
  land: 1,960,582 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,431 km
  border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
  676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:
  2,640 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
  harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:
  mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use: arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues:
  desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack
  of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the
  development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal
  pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great
  leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and
  Suez Canal

People Saudi Arabia

Population: 26,417,599 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,149,960/female 4,952,138)
  15-64 years: 59.4% (male 8,992,348/female 6,698,633)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,694/female 289,826) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.28 years
  male: 22.84 years
  female: 19.28 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.31% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.34 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.21 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 13.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.46 years
  male: 73.46 years
  female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Saudi(s)
  adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Religions:
  Muslim 100%

Languages:
  Arabic

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 78.8%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Government Saudi Arabia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
  local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Government type:
  monarchy

Capital:
  Riyadh

Administrative divisions:
  13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud
  ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash
  Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran,
  Tabuk

Independence:
  23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

National holiday:
  Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution:
  governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that
  articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was
  introduced in 1993

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced;
  commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  adult male citizens age 21 or older
  note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
  municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February
  through April 2005

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
  Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin
  Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January
  1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz
  Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin
  Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January
  1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
  includes many royal family members
  elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced
  its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local
  and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period
  of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal
  and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal
  council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April
  2005

Legislative branch:
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman
  appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Turki al-Faysal bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag description:
  green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or
  Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is
  no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white
  horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to
  the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al
  Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Economy Saudi Arabia

Economy - overview:
  This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over
  major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25% of the world's
  proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of
  petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector
  accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of
  export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector.
  Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play an important
  role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service
  sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing
  the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization
  of the telecommunications company. The government is encouraging
  private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and
  increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population.
  Priorities for government spending in the short term include
  additional funds for education and for the water and sewage systems.
  Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted political
  and social conservatism.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $310.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4.2%
  industry: 67.2%
  services: 28.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  6.62 million
  note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
  non-national (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  25% (unofficial estimate) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $104.8 billion
  expenditures: $78.66 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  75% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens,
  eggs, milk

Industries:
  crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals,
  ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement,
  construction, fertilizer, plastics, commercial ship repair,
  commercial aircraft repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  138.2 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  128.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  9.021 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.55 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - exports:
  7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  261.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  56.4 billion cu m (2002)

Natural gas - consumption:
  56.4 billion cu m (2002)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2002)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  6.339 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $51.5 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $113 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:
  US 18.2%, Japan 14.9%, South Korea 9.5%, China 6.1%, Taiwan 4.5%,
  Singapore 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $36.21 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles,
  textiles

Imports - partners:
  US 15.3%, Japan 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, China 6.6%, UK 5.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $23.62 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $34.35 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon;
  since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance
  to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in
  Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans
  to Iraq

Currency (code):
  Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code:
  SAR

Exchange rates:
  Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2004), 3.745 (2003), 3.745
  (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 March - 28 February

Communications Saudi Arabia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  3,502,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,238,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
  fiber-optic cable systems
  international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,
  Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to
  Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;
  satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian
  Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  6.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  117 (1997)

Televisions:
  5.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sa

Internet hosts:
  15,931 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  22 (2003)

Internet users:
  1.5 million (2003)

Transportation Saudi Arabia

Railways:
  total: 1,392 km
  standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
  sidings) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 152,044 km
  paved: 45,461 km
  unpaved: 106,583 km (2000)

Pipelines:
  condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km; oil
  5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Merchant marine:
  total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706 GRT/1,963,191 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 12, container 4, passenger/cargo
  8, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 14 (Egypt 2, Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 5, Singapore 1,
  Sudan 1, UAE 1, United Kingdom 3)
  registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Airports:
  201 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 72
  over 3,047 m: 32
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 129
  over 3047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 72
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  5 (2004 est.)

Military Saudi Arabia

Military branches:
  Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National
  Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 7,648,999 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,592,709 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 247,334 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $18 billion (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  10% (2002)

Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia

Disputes - international:
  despite resistance from nomadic groups, the demarcation of the
  Saudi Arabia-Yemen boundary established under the 2000 Jeddah Treaty
  is almost complete; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a
  concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal
  cross-border activities in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and
  Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran;
  because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
  of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 240,000 (Palestinian Territories)
  (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin,
  cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering center, improving
  anti-money-laundering legislation

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Senegal

Introduction Senegal

Background:
  Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The Gambia to
  form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the
  envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out,
  and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a southern
  separatist group sporadically has clashed with government forces
  since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in
  international peacekeeping.

Geography Senegal

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Geographic coordinates:
  14 00 N, 14 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 196,190 sq km
  land: 192,000 sq km
  water: 4,190 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,640 km
  border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
  338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Coastline:
  531 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong
  southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by hot,
  dry, harmattan wind

Terrain:
  generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Natural resources: fish, phosphates, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 12.78% permanent crops: 0.21% other: 87.01% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  710 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note:
  westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is almost
  an enclave within Senegal

People Senegal

Population:
  11,126,832 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,404,461/female 2,360,167)
  15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,901,689/female 3,122,854)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 161,173/female 176,488) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.15 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 18.7 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.48% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 58.9 years
  male: 57.37 years
  female: 60.47 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  44,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  3,500 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Senegalese

Ethnic groups:
  Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka 3%,
  Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Religions:
  Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly Roman
  Catholic)

Languages:
  French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.2%
  male: 50%
  female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Government Senegal

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
  conventional short form: Senegal
  local long form: Republique du Senegal
  local short form: Senegal

Government type:
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
  Dakar

Administrative divisions:
  11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick,
  Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thies,
  Ziguinchor

Independence:
  4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was
  achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 7 January 2001

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the
  government's accounting office; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  under new constitution; election last held under prior constitution
  (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19 March 2000 (next to be held
  February 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
  in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
  DIOUF (PS) 41.51%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120 seats;
  members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
  had 140 seats
  elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or
  Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial system was
  reformed in 1992

Political parties and leaders:
  African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as
  PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party of
  Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or AFP
  [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also
  known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic League-Labor
  Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front for
  Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
  Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
  or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
  DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
  Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a
  coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic
  Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC,
  UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
  chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Alan ROTH
  embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
  mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
  telephone: [221] 823-4296
  FAX: [221] 822-2991

Flag description:
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red
  with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Economy Senegal

Economy - overview:
  In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious economic
  reform program with the support of the international donor
  community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
  currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
  French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
  steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
  1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
  program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during
  1995-2003. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single
  digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
  (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with
  a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. Senegal
  still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance, however. Under
  the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries debt relief program,
  Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its
  bilateral, multilateral, and private sector debt.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $18.36 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.9% industry: 21.4% services: 62.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.65 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 70%

Unemployment rate:
  48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  54% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.3 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.572 billion
  expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  55.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes, green
  vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Industries:
  agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertilizer
  production, petroleum refining, construction materials, ship
  construction and repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.737 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.615 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-518.8 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.374 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates, cotton

Exports - partners:
  India 14.4%, Mali 13.1%, France 9.8%, Italy 7.3%, Spain 6.6%,
  Guinea-Bissau 5.6%, Gambia, The 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.128 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Imports - partners:
  France 24.8%, Nigeria 11.9%, Thailand 6.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $820 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3.476 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $362.6 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Senegal

Telephones - main lines in use:
  228,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  575,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: good system
  domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
  cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
  international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios:
  1.24 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (1997)

Televisions:
  361,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sn

Internet hosts:
  672 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2002)

Internet users:
  225,000 (2003)

Transportation Senegal

Railways: total: 906 km narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 14,576 km
  paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
  unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)

Waterways:
  1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance rivers) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 564 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Dakar

Airports:
  20 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Senegal

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Air Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,183,343 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,300,502 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 124,096 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $107.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Senegal

Disputes - international:
  The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem Senegalese citizens
  from the Casamance region fleeing separatist violence, cross border
  raids, and arms smuggling

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 17,000 (clashes between government troops and separatists in
  Casamance region) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and
  South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America; illicit
  cultivator of cannabis

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Serbia and Montenegro

Introduction Serbia and Montenegro

Background:
  The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was formed in 1918; its
  name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929. Occupation by Nazi Germany
  in 1941 was resisted by various paramilitary bands that fought each
  other as well as the invaders. The group headed by Marshal TITO took
  full control upon German expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his
  new government and its successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer
  their own path between the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the
  next four and a half decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO
  Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia,
  Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina were recognized as independent
  states in 1992. The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro
  declared a new "Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in April 1992
  and, under President Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military
  intervention efforts to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics
  into a "Greater Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately
  unsuccessful and led to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992.
  In 1998-99, massive expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries
  of ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo provoked an international
  response, including the NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of
  a NATO-led force (KFOR), in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of
  2000, brought about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav
  KOSTUNICA as president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for
  his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for
  the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against
  humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted,
  and it was once more accepted into UN organizations under the name
  of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by
  the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June
  1999, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244,
  pending a determination by the international community of its future
  status. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin components of
  Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser relationship. These
  talks became a reality in February 2003 when lawmakers restructured
  the country into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia
  and Montenegro. The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro
  includes a provision that allows either republic to hold a
  referendum after three years that would allow for their independence
  from the state union.

Geography Serbia and Montenegro

Location:
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between Albania
  and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Geographic coordinates:
  44 00 N, 21 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 102,350 sq km
  land: 102,136 sq km
  water: 214 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,246 km
  border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km,
  Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km,
  Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km

Coastline:
  199 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  in the north, continental climate (cold winters and hot, humid
  summers with well distributed rainfall); central portion,
  continental and Mediterranean climate; to the south, Adriatic
  climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively
  cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Terrain:
  extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile plains; to the east,
  limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast, ancient mountains and
  hills; to the southwest, extremely high shoreline with no islands
  off the coast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Natural resources:
  oil, gas, coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, antimony,
  chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium, pyrite, limestone,
  marble, salt, hydropower, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 33.35%
  permanent crops: 3.2%
  other: 63.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  570 sq km

Natural hazards:
  destructive earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  pollution of coastal waters from sewage outlets, especially in
  tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air pollution around Belgrade
  and other industrial cities; water pollution from industrial wastes
  dumped into the Sava which flows into the Danube

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  controls one of the major land routes from Western Europe to Turkey
  and the Near East; strategic location along the Adriatic coast

People Serbia and Montenegro

Population:
  10,829,175 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 1,014,443/female 943,702)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 3,610,646/female 3,632,365)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 699,446/female 928,573) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.79 years
  male: 35.3 years
  female: 38.29 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.03% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.73 years
  male: 72.15 years
  female: 77.51 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  10,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
  adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Ethnic groups:
  Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%, Hungarian 3.3%, other
  12.6% (1991)

Religions:
  Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%, Protestant 1%, other
  11%

Languages:
  Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.4%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Government Serbia and Montenegro

Country name:
  conventional long form: Serbia and Montenegro
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Srbija i Crna Gora
  local short form: none
  former: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  abbreviation: SCG

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Belgrade

Administrative divisions:
  2 republics (republike, singular - republika); and 2 nominally
  autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular - autonomna
  pokrajina); Kosovo* (temporarily under UN administration, per UN
  Security Council Resolution 1244), Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Independence:
  27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or FRY - now Serbia
  and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed successor to the
  Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

National holiday:
  National Day, 27 April

Constitution:
  4 February 2003

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet
  elections: president elected by the parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held 2007)
  election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the
  parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian, 35 Montenegrin -
  filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for the first two
  years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls for direct
  elections
  elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS
  8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Judicial branch:
  The Court of Serbia and Montenegro; judges are elected by the
  Serbia and Montenegro Parliament for six-year terms
  note: since the promulgation of the 2003 Constitution, the Federal
  Court has constitutional and administrative functions; it has an
  equal number of judges from each republic

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC]; Democratic Party of Serbia or
  DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic Party of Socialists of
  Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC]; Democratic Serbian Party of
  Montenegro or DSS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; G17 Plus [Miroljub LABUS]; New
  Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Liberal Party of Montenegro or LSCG
  [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; People's Party of Montenegro or NS [Dragan SOC];
  Power of Serbia Movement or PSS [Bogoljub KARIC]; Serbian Radical
  Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC]; Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO
  [Vuk DRASKOVIC]; Serbian Socialist Party or SPS (former Communist
  Party and party of Slobodan MILOSEVIC) [Ivica DACIC, president of
  Main Board]; Social Democratic Party of Montenegro or SDP [Ranko
  KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's Party of Montenegro or SNP [Predrag
  BULATOVIC]
  note: the following political parties participate in elections and
  institutions only in Kosovo, which has been governed by the UN under
  UNSCR 1244 since 1999: Albanian Christian Democratic Party or PSHDK
  [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush
  HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Serbia or GIS [Slavisa
  PETKOVIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit
  RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA];
  Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party of
  PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP
  [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergj DEDAJ]; Ora
  [Veton SURROI]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Bislim
  HOTI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular
  Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Prizren-Dragas
  Initiative or PDI [Ismajl KARADOLAMI]; Serb List for Kosovo and
  Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or
  PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]; Vakat [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Political Council for Presevo, Medvedja and Bujanovac or PCPMB
  [leader NA]; Group for Changes of Montenegro or GZP [Nebojsa
  MEDOJEVIC]

International organization participation:
  BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
  chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
  consulate(s) general: Chicago

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 consulate(s): Podgorica note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Pristina, Kosovo; telephone: [381](38)549-516; FAX: [381](38)549-890

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and red

Economy Serbia and Montenegro

Economy - overview:
  MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an extended period of
  economic sanctions, and the damage to Yugoslavia's infrastructure
  and industry during the NATO airstrikes in 1999 left the economy
  only half the size it was in 1990. After the ousting of former
  Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in October 2000, the Democratic
  Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition government implemented
  stabilization measures and embarked on an aggressive market reform
  program. After renewing its membership in the IMF in December 2000,
  a down-sized Yugoslavia continued to reintegrate into the
  international community by rejoining the World Bank (IBRD) and the
  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). A World
  Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors' Conference held in June
  2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic restructuring. An agreement
  rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion Paris Club government debts
  was concluded in November 2001 - it wrote off 66% of the debt - and
  the London Club of private creditors forgave $1.7 billion of debt,
  just over half the total owed, in July 2004. The smaller republic of
  Montenegro severed its economy from federal control and from Serbia
  during the MILOSEVIC era and continues to maintain its own central
  bank, uses the euro instead of the Yugoslav dinar as official
  currency, collects customs tariffs, and manages its own budget.
  Kosovo's economy continues to transition to a market-based system,
  and is largely dependent on the international community and the
  diaspora for financial and technical assistance. The euro and the
  Yugoslav dinar are both accepted currencies in Kosovo. While
  maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK continues to work with the
  European Union and Kosovo's local provisional government to
  accelerate economic growth, lower unemployment, and attract foreign
  investment to help Kosovo integrate into regional economic
  structures. The complexity of Serbia and Montenegro political
  relationships, slow progress in privatization, legal uncertainty
  over property rights, scarcity of foreign-investment and a
  substantial foreign trade deficit are holding back the economy.
  Arrangements with the IMF, especially requirements for fiscal
  discipline, are an important element in policy formation. Severe
  unemployment remains a key political economic problem for this
  entire region.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $26.27 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.5% industry: 27.6% services: 56.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.2 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  30%
  note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  30% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  14.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $9.773 billion
  expenditures: $10.46 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  80% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
  machine building (aircraft, trucks, and automobiles; tanks and
  weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural machinery); metallurgy
  (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, chromium, antimony, bismuth,
  cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite, nonferrous ore, iron ore,
  limestone); consumer goods (textiles, footwear, foodstuffs,
  appliances); electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, and
  pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  31.64 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 62.9% hydro: 37.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  32.33 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  400 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  3.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  64,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  24.07 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-3.008 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.245 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw materials

Exports - partners:
  Italy 29%, Germany 16.6%, Austria 7%, Greece 6.7%, France 4.9%,
  Slovenia 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $9.538 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, fuels and lubricants,
  manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals, raw materials

Imports - partners:
  Germany 18.5%, Italy 16.5%, Austria 8.3%, Slovenia 6.7%, Bulgaria
  4.7%, France 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.55 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $12.97 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several
  years)

Currency (code):
  new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Montenegro the euro is legal
  tender; in Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav dinar are legal

Currency code:
  CSD, EUR

Exchange rates:
  new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - 64.1915 (official rate: 65)
  (2002)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Serbia and Montenegro

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,611,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,634,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 381; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 771 (including 86 strong stations and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and Vojvodina) (1997)

Televisions:
  2.75 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .cs

Internet hosts:
  20,207 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  847,000 (2003)

Transportation Serbia and Montenegro

Railways: total: 4,380 km standard gauge: 4,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1,364 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 45,290 km
  paved: 28,261 km (including 374 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 17,029 km (2002)

Waterways:
  587 km
  note: Danube River traffic delayed by pontoon bridge at Novi Sad;
  plan to replace by summer of 2005 (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bar

Merchant marine:
  total: 2
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Finland 1, Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Airports:
  44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Serbia and Montenegro

Military branches:
  Serbian and Montenegrin Armed Forces (Vojska Srbije i Crne Gore,
  VSCG): Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Forces (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  19 years of age (nine months compulsory service) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 2,389,729 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 1,959,166 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 81,033 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $654 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Serbia and Montenegro

Disputes - international:
  Kosovo remains unresolved administered by several thousand
  peacekeepers from the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo
  (UNMIK) since 1999, with Kosovar Albanians overwhelmingly supporting
  and Serbian officials opposing Kosovo independence; the
  international community had agreed to begin a process to determine
  final status but contingency of solidifying multi-ethnic democracy
  in Kosovo has not been satisfied; ethnic Albanians in Kosovo refuse
  demarcation of the boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the
  2000 Macedonia-Serbia and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Serbia
  and Montenegro have delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia
  and Herzegovina, but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 99,170 (Bosnia) 188,656 (Croatia)
  IDPs: 225,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999)
  (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin moving to Western
  Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Seychelles

Introduction Seychelles

Background:
  A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for the islands
  ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter. Independence came
  in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close with a new
  constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
  presidential elections were held in 2001; President RENE, who had
  served since 1977, was re-elected. In April 2004 RENE stepped down
  and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president.

Geography Seychelles

Location:
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  4 35 S, 55 40 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 455 sq km
  land: 455 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  491 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast monsoon
  (late May to September); warmer season during northwest monsoon
  (March to May)

Terrain:
  Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky, hilly; others
  are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Natural resources:
  fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Land use:
  arable land: 2.22%
  permanent crops: 13.33%
  other: 84.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare; short
  droughts possible

Environment - current issues:
  water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: 41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

People Seychelles

Population:
  81,188 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 10,839/female 10,601)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 26,709/female 28,025)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,622/female 3,392) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.7 years
  male: 26.62 years
  female: 28.76 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.43% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -5.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.82 years
  male: 66.41 years
  female: 77.4 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
  adjective: Seychellois

Ethnic groups:
  mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.1%,
  other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other non-Christian
  1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Languages:
  Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%, unspecified 0.2%
  (2002 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 91.4%
  female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Government Seychelles

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
  conventional short form: Seychelles

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Victoria

Administrative divisions:
  23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau, Anse
  Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne, Beau
  Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on Mahe),
  Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
  Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
  Louis, Takamaka

Independence:
  29 June 1976 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Constitution:
  18 June 1993

Legal system:
  based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
  2006)
  election results: France Albert RENE re-elected president; percent
  of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
  44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
  presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
  elections; France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and Vice
  President James MICHEL was sworn in as president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34 seats - 25
  elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional basis to
  parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held by 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
  DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
  note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
  percentage that each party won of the total vote

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE]; Mouvement
  Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL]; Seychelles National
  Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or UO) [Wavel
  RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or SPPF [France
  Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
  FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the ambassador to
  Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Flag description:
  five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red, white, and
  green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Economy Seychelles

Economy - overview:
  Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this Indian Ocean
  archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
  near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
  which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
  70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
  the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
  hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
  moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
  development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. A
  sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
  1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11
  September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in
  1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna
  sectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit.
  Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign
  exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black
  market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange
  rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector may
  remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as
  Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $626 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.8% industry: 28.7% services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  30,900 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  39.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $318.3 million
  expenditures: $298.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  122.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Industries:
  fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla, coir (coconut
  fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture; beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  218 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  202.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-98.42 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $256.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum products
  (reexports)

Exports - partners:
  UK 27.7%, France 15.8%, Spain 12.6%, Japan 8.6%, Italy 7.5%,
  Germany 5.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $393.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Saudi Arabia 15.5%, Spain 13.3%, France 10.3%, Singapore 7%, South
  Africa 6.8%, Italy 6.7%, UK 4.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $70.94 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $218.1 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $16.4 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Currency code:
  SCR

Exchange rates:
  Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2004), 5.4007 (2003), 5.48
  (2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Seychelles

Telephones - main lines in use:
  21,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  54,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: effective system
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
  archipelago
  international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
  communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
  countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  42,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  11,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sc

Internet hosts:
  264 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  11,700 (2002)

Transportation Seychelles

Highways: total: 373 km paved: 315 km unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Victoria

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2005)

Airports:
  15 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Seychelles

Military branches:
  Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes Navy Wing,
  Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 21,612 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 16,122 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $12.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Seychelles

Disputes - international: together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Sierra Leone

Introduction Sierra Leone

Background:
  The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and the
  Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands of
  deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about
  one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in
  neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force
  and contributions from the World Bank and international community,
  demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces
  (CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in
  May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its
  authority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in
  Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005,
  deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the
  tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present
  challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.

Geography Sierra Leone

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
  and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 71,740 sq km
  land: 71,620 sq km
  water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter
  dry season (December to April)

Terrain:
  coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland
  plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:
  diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 6.98% permanent crops: 0.89% other: 92.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  290 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
  February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues:
  rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting
  of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn
  agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
  civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,
  making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People Sierra Leone

Population:
  6,017,643 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,318,508/female 1,371,164)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,068/female 1,637,276)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 93,047/female 103,580) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.53 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.84 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.22% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  42.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  20.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
  returning (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 143.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 161.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 125.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 39.87 years
  male: 37.74 years
  female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
  adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:
  20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%),
  Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were
  settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees
  from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,
  Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:
  Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Languages:
  English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende
  (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in
  the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of
  freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a
  lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but
  understood by 95%)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende,
  Temne, or Arabic
  total population: 29.6%
  male: 39.8%
  female: 20.5% (2000 est.)

Government Sierra Leone

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
  conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Freetown

Administrative divisions:
  3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence:
  27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution:
  1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system:
  based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996,
  reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
  1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
  approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
  to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007); note -
  president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
  election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
  vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12
  filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
  22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and Liberation Party
  or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; Sierra Leone
  People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  trade unions and student unions

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
  chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light
  blue

Economy Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:
  Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous
  inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial
  mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and
  social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social
  disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds
  of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture.
  Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and
  of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans to reopen
  bauxite and rutile mines shut down during an 11 year civil war have
  not been implemented due to lack of foreign investment. Alluvial
  diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings.
  The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic
  peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad,
  which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and
  supplement government revenues. International financial institutions
  contributed over $600 million in development aid and budgetary
  support in 2003.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $3.335 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 49% industry: 30% services: 21% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  68% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  62.9 (1989)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $96 million
  expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry,
  cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Industries:
  diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles,
  cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship
  repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  255.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  237.4 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $49 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Exports - partners:
  Belgium 61.6%, Germany 11.8%, US 5.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $264 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants,
  chemicals (1995)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 14%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.7%, UK 9.1%, US 8.4%, China 5.6%,
  Netherlands 5%, South Africa 4.1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $103 million (2001 est.)

Currency (code):
  leone (SLL)

Currency code:
  SLL

Exchange rates:
  leones per US dollar - 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099
  (2002), 1,986.2 (2001), 2,092.1 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sierra Leone

Telephones - main lines in use:
  24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  67,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
  domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
  Freetown to Bo and Kenema
  international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios:
  1.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1999)

Televisions:
  53,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sl

Internet hosts:
  277 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2001)

Internet users:
  8,000 (2002)

Transportation Sierra Leone

Highways: total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Waterways:
  800 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 2 (2005)

Airports:
  10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Military Sierra Leone

Military branches:
  Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air
  Wing, Maritime Wing)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,110,077 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 552,785 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $13.2 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Sierra Leone

Disputes - international:
  domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups, warlords, and youth
  gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone perpetuate
  insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms trafficking, ethnic
  conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN Mission in Sierra Leone
  (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone
  since 1999; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its forces from
  the town of Yenga occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 67,000 (Liberia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background:
  Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It
  joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
  later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
  world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
  links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage
  handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading
  nations of Western Europe.

Geography Singapore

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates:
  1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 692.7 sq km
  land: 682.7 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  193 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
  defined in treaties and practice

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
  Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon
  from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early
  evening thunderstorms

Terrain:
  lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment
  area and nature preserve

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:
  fish, deepwater ports

Land use:
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 98.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;
  limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal
  smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population:
  4,425,720 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16% (male 366,971/female 342,295)
  15-64 years: 75.9% (male 1,639,842/female 1,719,829)
  65 years and over: 8.1% (male 157,636/female 199,147) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.76 years
  male: 36.4 years
  female: 37.07 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.56% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  10.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 81.62 years
  male: 79.05 years
  female: 84.39 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Singaporean(s)
  adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups:
  Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

Religions:
  Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%,
  other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Languages:
  Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese
  5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other
  0.9% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 96.6%
  female: 88.6% (2002)

Government Singapore

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
  conventional short form: Singapore

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Singapore

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday:
  National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution:
  3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
  Singapore Constitution)

Legal system:
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
  September 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
  2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);
  Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime
  Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN
  Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last
  appointed 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011);
  following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader
  of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by
  president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
  election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president
  in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified
  three other would-be candidates

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine
  nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest
  to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member
  elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
  25 June 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
  constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the
  advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the
  president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders:
  governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong];
  opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LING How
  Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group);
  Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP,
  PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan];
  Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); Singapore
  National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group);
  Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group);
  Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist
  side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed
  portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white
  five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy - overview:
  Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy,
  enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable
  prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the Big 4 West
  European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,
  particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in
  2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology
  sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in
  2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The government
  hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to
  the external business cycle and will continue efforts to establish
  Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal
  stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal
  flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by
  8 percent, by far the economy's best performance since 2000.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $120.9 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $27,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0% negligible industry: 32.6% services: 67.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.18 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%, other 16% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  3.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $17.05 billion
  expenditures: $18.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish,
  ornamental fish

Industries:
  electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,
  petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed
  food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction,
  life sciences, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate:
  11.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  35.33 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  32 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports: 2.5 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $8.8 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $174 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods,
  chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners:
  Malaysia 15.2%, US 13%, Hong Kong 9.8%, China 8.6%, Japan 6.4%,
  Taiwan 4.6%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $155.2 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Malaysia 15.3%, US 12.7%, Japan 11.7%, China 9.9%, Taiwan 5.7%,
  South Korea 4.3%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $112.8 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $19.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code:
  SGD

Exchange rates:
  Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003),
  1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,896,100 (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,521,800 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent service
  domestic: excellent domestic facilities
  international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia
  (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
  Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios:
  2.6 million (2000)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (2003)

Televisions:
  1.33 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sg

Internet hosts:
  484,825 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  9 (2000)

Internet users:
  2.31 million (2002)

Transportation Singapore

Highways:
  total: 3,130 km
  paved: 3,130 km (including 150 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 139 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Singapore

Merchant marine:
  total: 923 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290 GRT/36,393,317 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 138, cargo 86, chemical tanker 115,
  combination ore/oil 5, container 180, liquefied gas 42, livestock
  carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 316, refrigerated
  cargo 3, vehicle carrier 36
  foreign-owned: 487 (Australia 5, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 10, China 15,
  Denmark 34, Germany 7, Greece 5, Hong Kong 43, India 3, Indonesia
  54, Japan 83, Malaysia 31, Norway 83, Philippines 3, Russia 1,
  Slovenia 1, South Korea 12, Sweden 12, Taiwan 44, Thailand 17, UAE
  6, United Kingdom 12, United States 5)
  registered in other countries: 276 (2005)

Airports:
  10 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Singapore

Military branches:
  Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense (2005)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months beginning December 2004 (December 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Singapore

Disputes - international:
  disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to
  Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge
  construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau
  Batu Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute
  within three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to
  finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining
  unresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in
  the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs:
  as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is
  vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
  transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
  laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Slovakia

Introduction Slovakia

Background:
  In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form
  Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia
  became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet
  influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became
  free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1
  January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of
  2004.

Geography Slovakia

Location:
  Central Europe, south of Poland

Geographic coordinates:
  48 40 N, 19 30 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 48,845 sq km
  land: 48,800 sq km
  water: 45 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about twice the size of New Hampshire

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,524 km
  border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
  km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Terrain:
  rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in
  the south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
  highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Natural resources:
  brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and
  manganese ore; salt; arable land

Land use: arable land: 30.16% permanent crops: 2.62% other: 67.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health
  risks; acid rain damaging forests

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous; the
  Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic lakes
  and valleys

People Slovakia

Population:
  5,431,363 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.1% (male 475,263/female 453,340)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 1,919,222/female 1,939,097)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 241,610/female 402,831) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 35.43 years
  male: 33.85 years
  female: 37.25 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.15% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 7.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.5 years
  male: 70.52 years
  female: 78.68 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Slovak(s)
  adjective: Slovak

Ethnic groups:
  Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%, Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%,
  other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other
  or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%,
  other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2001 est.)

Government Slovakia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Slovak Republic
  conventional short form: Slovakia
  local long form: Slovenska Republika
  local short form: Slovensko

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Bratislava

Administrative divisions:
  8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky,
  Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky

Independence:
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and
  Slovakia)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Constitution:
  ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993; changed in
  September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended
  February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership

Legal system:
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the
  obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe
  (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
  October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October
  1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998);
  Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;
  percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%;
  Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002
  note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada
  Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of
  proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
  15.1%, Smer 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
  party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12),
  opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union
  5, and independents 10)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
  Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
  nominees approved by the National Council)

Political parties and leaders:
  Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Direction
  (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA]; Movement for
  Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; Movement for a Democratic
  Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens
  Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or
  SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI]; Slovak
  Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian
  Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS
  [Peter SULOVSKY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
  Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
  Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Scott N.
  THAYER
  embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
  mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
  telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
  FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
  superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
  side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Economy Slovakia

Economy - overview:
  Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a
  centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
  government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic
  stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
  complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
  and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom
  with business-friendly policies, such as labor market liberalization
  and a 19% flat tax. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations
  in 2001-04, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at
  an unacceptable 15% in 2003-04, remains the economy's Achilles heel.
  Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $78.89 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 30.1% services: 66.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 2.2 million (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.8%, industry 29.3%, construction 9%, services 55.9% (2003)

Unemployment rate:
  13.1% (31 December 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  26.3 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $15.44 billion
  expenditures: $16.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  46.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry;
  forest products

Industries:
  metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas,
  coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery;
  paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles;
  textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  31.15 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 30.3% hydro: 16% nuclear: 53.6% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  28.89 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  8 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  6 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  190 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  6.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  7.504 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $29.24 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%, base
  metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4%% (2004
  est.)

Exports - partners:
  Germany 34.4%, Czech Republic 14.7%, Austria 8.2%, Italy 5.8%,
  Poland 5.3%, US 4.5%, Hungary 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $29.67 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate manufactured
  goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous manufactured
  goods 10.2% (2003)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 26.1%, Czech Republic 21.3%, Russia 9.1%, Austria 6.6%,
  Poland 4.9%, Italy 4.9% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $14.91 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $19.54 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and cohesion
  funds (2004-06)

Currency (code):
  Slovak koruna (SKK)

Currency code:
  SKK

Exchange rates:
  koruny per US dollar - 32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327 (2002),
  48.355 (2001), 46.035 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Slovakia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,294,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  3,678,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a modernization and privatization program is
  increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting
  time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality
  domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
  digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
  especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
  added
  international: country code - 421; three international exchanges
  (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;
  Slovakia is participating in several international
  telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of
  external services

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  3.12 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Televisions:
  2.62 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sk

Internet hosts:
  89,592 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,375,800 (2003)

Transportation Slovakia

Railways:
  total: 3,662 km
  broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 42,970 km
  paved: 37,698 km (including 302 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,272 km (2002)

Waterways:
  172 km (on Danube River) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bratislava, Komarno

Merchant marine:
  total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 18 (Bulgaria 8, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Syria 1, Turkey
  6, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports:
  34 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Slovakia

Military branches:
  Army of the Slovak Republic (Armady Slovenskej Republika): Land
  Command, Air Forces (Vozdushne Sily), Training and Support Command,
  Logistics Command (2005)

Military service age and obligation: complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force is planned for 1 January 2007; 82% of Slovak armed forces were volunteers as of January 2005; volunteers include women, with minimum age of 17 years; 18 years of age for compulsory military service (January 2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,351,848 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,089,645 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 41,544 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $406 million (2002)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.89% (2002)

Transnational Issues Slovakia

Disputes - international:
  Hungary amended its status law extending special social and
  cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, to which
  Slovakia had protested; consultations continue between Slovakia and
  Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the
  Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a
  member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia
  must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western
  Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Slovenia

Introduction Slovenia

Background:
  The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and Austria
  until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in forming
  a new multinational state, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World
  War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
  though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
  with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
  succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short
  10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and
  a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a
  modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and the EU in the spring
  of 2004.

Geography Slovenia

Location:
  Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
  Austria and Croatia

Geographic coordinates:
  46 07 N, 14 49 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 20,273 sq km
  land: 20,151 sq km
  water: 122 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,334 km
  border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
  Hungary 102 km

Coastline:
  46.6 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate with mild
  to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and valleys to the
  east

Terrain:
  a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain region
  adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys with
  numerous rivers to the east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Natural resources:
  lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver, hydropower,
  forests

Land use: arable land: 8.6% permanent crops: 1.49% other: 89.91% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding and earthquakes

Environment - current issues: Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste; pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals; forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country controls some
  of Europe's major transit routes

People Slovenia

Population:
  2,011,070 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14% (male 145,016/female 137,012)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 715,629/female 704,079)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 118,298/female 191,036) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.23 years
  male: 38.65 years
  female: 41.75 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.03% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  8.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.14 years
  male: 72.42 years
  female: 80.1 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  280 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Slovene(s)
  adjective: Slovenian

Ethnic groups:
  Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or
  unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Religions:
  Catholic 57.8%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim 2.4%,
  unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002 census)

Languages:
  Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4%
  (2002 census)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: 99.7% male: 99.7% female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Government Slovenia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
  conventional short form: Slovenia
  local long form: Republika Slovenija
  local short form: Slovenija
  former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Government type:
  parliamentary democratic republic

Capital:
  Ljubljana

Administrative divisions:
  182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
  municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
  Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
  Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
  Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
  Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
  Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
  Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
  Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
  Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
  Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
  Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
  Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
  Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
  Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
  Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
  Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
  Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
  Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
  Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
  Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
  Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
  Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
  Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
  Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
  Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
  Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
  Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
  Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
  Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
  Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
  Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
  Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
  Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
  Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
  Zuzemberk, Zrece
  note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Independence:
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

National holiday:
  Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
  in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 November 2004
  (next National Assembly elections to be held October 2008)
  election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
  - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected
  prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or Drzavni
  Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected on a
  proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and
  proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National
  Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body
  organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers;
  it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,
  and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to
  five-year terms by an electoral college)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be
  held October 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,
  ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
  seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS
  4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
  (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
  nominated by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS [Anton
  ROUS]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Anton ROP]; New Slovenia or
  NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene Democratic Party or SDS [Janez JANSA];
  Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC]; Slovene People's
  Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party or SMS [Darko
  KRANJC]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD [Borut PAHOR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member),
  FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363 FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563 consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State, 7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140 telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500 FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red, with
  the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav, Slovenia's
  highest peak, in white against a blue background at the center;
  beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and rivers, and
  above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an inverted
  triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the Counts of
  Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th and early
  15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist side of the
  flag centered in the white and blue bands

Economy Slovenia

Economy - overview:
  Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe, enjoys a GDP
  per capita substantially higher than that of the other transitioning
  economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia became the
  first transition country to graduate from borrower status to donor
  partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy proceeded at
  an accelerated pace in 2002-04. Despite lackluster performance in
  Europe in 2001-04, Slovenia maintained moderate growth. Structural
  reforms to improve the business environment have allowed for greater
  foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and have helped to lower
  unemployment. Further measures to curb inflation are still needed.
  Corruption and the high degree of coordination between government,
  business, and central bank policy were issues of concern in the
  run-up to Slovenia's 1 May 2004 accession to the European Union. In
  mid-2004 Slovenia agreed to adopt the euro by 2007 and, therefore,
  must keep its debt levels, budget deficits, interest rates, and
  inflation levels within the EU's Maastrict criteria.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $39.41 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 36% services: 60% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  870,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 6%, industry 40%, services 55% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
  6.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  28.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.36 billion
  expenditures: $13.99 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle, sheep,
  poultry

Industries:
  ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc smelting,
  electronics (including military electronics), trucks, electric power
  equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals, machine tools

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  12.49 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 35.2% hydro: 27.3% nuclear: 36.8% other: 0.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  11.8 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  7.448 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  5.194 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-51.64 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $14.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, chemicals,
  food

Exports - partners:
  Germany 18.3%, Italy 11.6%, Austria 11.5%, France 7.4%, Croatia
  7.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $16.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, chemicals,
  fuels and lubricants, food

Imports - partners:
  Germany 19.9%, Italy 17%, Austria 14.9%, France 10.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $8.493 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $14.65 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  tolar (SIT)

Currency code:
  SIT

Exchange rates:
  tolars per US dollar - 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25 (2002),
  242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Slovenia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  812,300 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,739,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: 100% digital (2000)
  international: country code - 386

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  805,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  48 (2001)

Televisions:
  710,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .si

Internet hosts:
  45,491 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  11 (2000)

Internet users:
  750,000 (2002)

Transportation Slovenia

Railways: total: 1,201 km standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 20,250 km
  paved: 20,250 km (including 456 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Koper

Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 23

Airports:
  14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Slovenia

Military branches:
  Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Military service age and obligation: 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription abolished in 2003 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 17-49: 496,929 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 17-49: 405,593 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 12,816 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $370 million (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Slovenia

Disputes - international:
  the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which
  would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to Slovenia
  and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in dispute;
  as a member state that forms part of the EU's external border,
  Slovenia must implement the strict Schengen border rules to curb
  illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe while
  encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Illicit drugs:
  minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin bound
  for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Solomon Islands

Introduction Solomon Islands

Background:
  The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon Islands in the
  1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II occurred on
  these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and independence
  two years later. Ethnic violence, government malfeasance, and
  endemic crime have undermined stability and civil society. In June
  2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the assistance of
  Australia in reestablishing law and order; the following month, an
  Australian-led multinational force arrived to restore peace and
  disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance Mission to the
  Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in restoring law and
  order and rebuilding government institutions.

Geography Solomon Islands

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Papua
  New Guinea

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 S, 159 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 28,450 sq km
  land: 27,540 sq km
  water: 910 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  5,313 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and weather

Terrain:
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Natural resources: fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead, zinc, nickel

Land use: arable land: 0.64% permanent crops: 2% other: 97.36% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically active region with
  frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding coral reefs
  are dead or dying

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on sea routes between the South Pacific Ocean,
  the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

People Solomon Islands

Population:
  538,032 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 114,860/female 110,404)
  15-64 years: 54.9% (male 149,400/female 145,970)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,371/female 9,027) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.63 years
  male: 18.5 years
  female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.68% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  30.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.66 years
  male: 70.16 years
  female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Solomon Islander(s)
  adjective: Solomon Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%, other 1.1%,
  unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Religions:
  Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South Seas
  Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church 10.3%,
  Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other 2.4%,
  unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Languages:
  Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English
  is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population
  note: 120 indigenous languages

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Solomon Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Solomon Islands
  former: British Solomon Islands

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Honiara

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central, Choiseul,
  Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell and Bellona,
  Temotu, Western

Independence:
  7 July 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Constitution:
  7 July 1978

Legal system:
  English common law, which is widely disregarded

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
  December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
  years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members elected from
  single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
  December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
  20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
  18

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
  Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's Alliance Party
  or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Mannaseh
  Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for Change Coalition or
  SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands Labor Party or SILP
  [Joses TUHANUKU]
  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
  coalitions

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands (embassy closed
  July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to the
  Solomon Islands

Flag description:
  divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the lower
  hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue with five
  white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the lower
  triangle is green

Government - note:
  June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought the intervention
  of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament approved the
  request for intervention in July 2003; troops from Australia, New
  Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24 July 2003. By
  the end of 2004 the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon
  Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 302 police officers and 120
  military in addition to civilian technical advisors.

Economy Solomon Islands

Economy - overview:
  The bulk of the population depends on agriculture, fishing, and
  forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most manufactured
  goods and petroleum products must be imported. The islands are rich
  in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead, zinc, nickel, and
  gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional Assistance Mission to the
  Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic violence, the closing of key
  businesses, and an empty government treasury culminated in economic
  collapse. RAMSI has enabled a return to law and order, a new period
  of economic stability, and modest growth as the economy rebuilds.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $800 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 42% industry: 11% services: 47% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  26,840 (1999)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $49.7 million
  expenditures: $75.1 million, including capital expenditures of $0
  (2003)

Agriculture - products: cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes, vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Industries:
  fish (tuna), mining, timber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  32 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  29.76 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $74 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  China 27.8%, South Korea 17.1%, Thailand 15.7%, Japan 9.7%,
  Philippines 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $67 million f.o.b. (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Australia 24.6%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 7.7%, Fiji 4.8%,
  Papua New Guinea 4.7% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $180.4 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Currency code:
  SBD

Exchange rates:
  Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.4847 (2004), 7.5059
  (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Solomon Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,600 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:
  57,000 (1997)

Televisions:
  3,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sb

Internet hosts:
  398 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,200 (2002)

Transportation Solomon Islands

Highways: total: 1,360 km paved: 34 km unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor, Yandina

Airports:
  33 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 31 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Military Solomon Islands

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Solomon Islands

Disputes - international:
  Australian Defense Force leads the Regional Assistance Mission to
  the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) at the invitation of the Solomon
  Islands' Government to maintain civil and political order and
  reinforce regional security

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Somalia

Introduction Somalia

Background:
  The regime of Mohamed SIAD Barre was ousted in January 1991;
  turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed in the years
  since. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent
  Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions
  of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not
  recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable
  existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and
  economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and
  American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and
  Nugaal and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared
  autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since
  1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides
  towards reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but
  has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with
  Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag.
  Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in
  the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN
  withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order
  still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional
  National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti,
  expired in August 2003. New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed
  has formed a new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of
  a 275-member parliament. It was established in October 2004 to
  replace the TNG but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions
  regarding the establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are
  ongoing in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting
  for control of the capital city as well as for other southern
  regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further
  complicates the picture.

Geography Somalia

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean,
  east of Ethiopia

Geographic coordinates:
  10 00 N, 49 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 637,657 sq km
  land: 627,337 sq km
  water: 10,320 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries: total: 2,340 km border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

Coastline:
  3,025 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Climate:
  principally desert; December to February - northeast monsoon,
  moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May to October
  - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the south,
  irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili) between
  monsoons

Terrain:
  mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

Natural resources:
  uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin, gypsum,
  bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

Land use: arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.04% other: 98.29% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains in
  summer; floods during rainy season

Environment - current issues:
  famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human health
  problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern approaches to
  Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

People Somalia

Population:
  8,591,629
  note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
  1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
  complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
  in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,918,209/female 1,905,974)
  15-64 years: 52.9% (male 2,278,406/female 2,263,602)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 96,256/female 129,182) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.59 years
  male: 17.53 years
  female: 17.65 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.38% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  45.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  16.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  5.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 116.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 126.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 107.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 48.09 years
  male: 46.36 years
  female: 49.87 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  43,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Somali(s)
  adjective: Somali

Ethnic groups:
  Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs 30,000)

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim

Languages:
  Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 37.8%
  male: 49.7%
  female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

Government Somalia

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Somalia former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

Government type:
  no permanent national government; transitional, parliamentary
  federal government

Capital:
  Mogadishu

Administrative divisions:
  18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
  Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
  Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
  Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

Independence:
  1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which became
  independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian Somaliland,
  which became independent from the Italian-administered UN
  trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

National holiday:
  Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26 June
  (1960) in Somaliland

Constitution:
  25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
  note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as
  the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

Legal system:
  no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some
  localities

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October 2004); note
  - a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a 275-member
  parliament was established in October 2004 but remains resident in
  Nairobi, Kenya, and has not extablished effective governance inside
  Somalia
  head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 24
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the
  Transitional Federal Assembly
  election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland
  region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal
  Assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly
  note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal
  Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each
  of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye)
  with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

Judicial branch:
  following the breakdown of the central government, most regions
  have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either secular,
  traditional clan-based arbitration, or Islamic (Shari'a) law with a
  provision for appeal of all sentences

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8
  May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in
  Washington and at the United Nations

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are
  represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations
  Avenue, Gigira, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO
  AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

Flag description:
  light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue
  field influenced by the flag of the UN

Government - note:
  although an interim government was created in 2004 other governing
  bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of
  the country, including the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, and
  traditional clan and faction strongholds

Economy Somalia

Economy - overview:
  Somalia's economic fortunes are driven by its deep political
  divisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence as
  the "Republic of Somaliland"; the northeastern region of Puntland is
  a semi-autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is
  riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life
  continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively
  easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with
  livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of
  export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock,
  because of Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the
  sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for
  their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population.
  Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's
  principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined
  goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector,
  based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been
  looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy,
  Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow.
  Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major
  cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the
  continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange
  services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500
  million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main
  market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic
  gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security.
  The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have
  interfered with any broad-based economic development and
  international aid arrangements. In 2004 Somalia's overdue financial
  obligations to the IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's
  GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed
  skeptically. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took an
  estimated 150 lives and caused destruction of properity in coastal
  areas.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $4.597 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 65% industry: 10% services: 25% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and services 29%

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates cannot
  be sensibly determined (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
  cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts, rice,
  sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

Industries:
  a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
  wireless communication

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  240.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  223.5 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

Exports - partners:
  UAE 39.3%, Thailand 24.3%, Yemen 12.2%, Oman 4.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, qat

Imports - partners:
  Djibouti 30.1%, Kenya 13.7%, India 8.6%, Brazil 8.5%, Oman 4.4%,
  UAE 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $3 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $60 million (1999 est.)

Currency (code):
  Somali shilling (SOS)

Currency code:
  SOS

Exchange rates:
  Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000), 2,620
  (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January 1996
  est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
  note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
  country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
  currency, the Somaliland shilling

Fiscal year:
  NA

Communications Somalia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  100,000 (2002 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  35,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the public telecommunications system was almost
  completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
  private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
  charge the lowest international rates on the continent
  domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
  Mogadishu and in several other population centers
  international: country code - 252; international connections are
  available from Mogadishu by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1 FM in
  Somaliland (2001)

Radios:
  470,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4
  note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

Televisions:
  135,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .so

Internet hosts:
  4 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (one each in Boosaaso, Hargeisa, and Mogadishu) (2000)

Internet users:
  89,000 (2002)

Transportation Somalia

Highways: total: 22,100 km paved: 2,608 km unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

Airports:
  60 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 54 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 29 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Somalia

Military branches:
  A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim government;
  numerous factions and clans maintain independent militias, and the
  Somaliland and Puntland regional governments maintain their own
  security and police forces

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,787,727 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,022,360 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $18.9 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.9% (2003)

Transnational Issues Somalia

Disputes - international:
  "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to land-locked
  Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional states;
  "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek support from
  neighboring states in their secessionist aspirations and in
  conflicts with each other; Ethiopia has only an administrative line
  with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances
  with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Somali Interim
  Government, which plans eventual relocation from Kenya to Mogadishu;
  rival militia and clan fighting in southern Somalia periodically
  spills over into Kenya; most of the remaining 23,000 Somali refuges
  in Ethiopia are expected to be repatriated in 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 375,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition for
  resources) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@South Africa

Introduction South Africa

Background:
  After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many
  of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found their own
  republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred
  wealth and immigration and intensified the subjugation of the native
  inhabitants. The Boers resisted British encroachments, but were
  defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The resulting Union of South
  Africa operated under a policy of apartheid - the separate
  development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to apartheid
  politically and ushered in black majority rule.

Geography South Africa

Location:
  Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1,219,912 sq km
  land: 1,219,912 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
  Edward Island)

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,862 km
  border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
  km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

Coastline:
  2,798 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool
  nights

Terrain:
  vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal
  plain

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

Natural resources:
  gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel,
  phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium,
  salt, natural gas

Land use:
  arable land: 12.08%
  permanent crops: 0.79%
  other: 87.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  prolonged droughts

Environment - current issues:
  lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water
  conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing
  supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban
  discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion;
  desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely
  surrounds Swaziland

People South Africa

Population:
  44,344,136
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,760,137/female 6,682,013)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,860,727/female 14,750,496)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 893,360/female 1,397,403) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 23.98 years
  male: 23.12 years
  female: 24.86 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.31% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  21.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 61.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 57.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 43.27 years
  male: 43.47 years
  female: 43.06 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  21.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5.3 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  370,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: South African(s)
  adjective: South African

Ethnic groups:
  black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5%
  (2001 census)

Religions:
  Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%,
  Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, other Christian
  36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1% (2001
  census)

Languages:
  IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%,
  English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2%
  (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 87%
  female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Government South Africa

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
  conventional short form: South Africa
  former: Union of South Africa
  abbreviation: RSA

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center and
  Bloemfontein the judicial center

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal,
  Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape, Western Cape

Independence:
  31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a republic in
  1961 following an October 1960 referendum

National holiday:
  Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Constitution:
  10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified by the
  Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
  President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
  February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Legal system:
  based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
  Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
  2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
  Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
  2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2009)
  election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
  Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
  note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consisting of the National Assembly (400
  seats; members are elected by popular vote under a system of
  proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and the
  National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by each
  of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has special
  powers to protect regional interests, including the safeguarding of
  cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities); note -
  following the implementation of the new constitution on 3 February
  1997 the former Senate was disbanded and replaced by the National
  Council of Provinces with essentially no change in membership and
  party affiliations, although the new institution's responsibilities
  have been changed somewhat by the new constitution
  elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
  last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
  69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;
  seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other
  21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High Courts;
  Magistrate Courts

Political parties and leaders: African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI, president]; Democratic Alliance or DA (formed from the merger of the Democratic Party or DP and the Freedom Alliance or FA) [Anthony LEON]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI, president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA, president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU [Zwelinzima VAVI,
  general secretary]; South African Communist Party or SACP [Blade
  NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National Civics
  Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national president]; note
  - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the ANC

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB, OPCW,
  PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,
  UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima MASEKELA
  chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jendayi E. FRAZER
  embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
  telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
  FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
  consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

Flag description:
  two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by
  a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y, the arms of
  which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y embraces a black
  isosceles triangle from which the arms are separated by narrow
  yellow bands; the red and blue bands are separated from the green
  band and its arms by narrow white stripes

Economy South Africa

Economy - overview:
  South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant
  supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal,
  communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that
  ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure
  supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers
  throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to
  lower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economic
  problems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack
  of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. South
  African economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic,
  focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to
  increase job growth and household income.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $491.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.6% industry: 31.2% services: 65.2% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  16.63 million economically active (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  26.2% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  59.3 (1993-94)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $47.43 billion
  expenditures: $52.54 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  45.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton,
  wool, dairy products

Industries:
  mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium),
  automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and
  steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  202.6 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 93.5% hydro: 1.1% nuclear: 5.5% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  189.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  6.95 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  7.873 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-2.48 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $41.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals, machinery and
  equipment (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
  US 10.2%, UK 9.2%, Japan 9%, Germany 7.1%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $39.42 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, scientific
  instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)

Imports - partners:
  Germany 14.2%, US 8.5%, China 7.5%, Japan 6.9%, UK 6.9%, France 6%,
  Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Iran 5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $11.68 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $27.01 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $487.5 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  rand (ZAR)

Currency code:
  ZAR

Exchange rates:
  rand per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002),
  8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications South Africa

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.844 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  16.86 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: the system is the best developed and most
  modern in Africa
  domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
  cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
  radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
  centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
  Elizabeth, and Pretoria
  international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  17 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  6 million (2000)

Internet country code:
  .za

Internet hosts:
  288,633 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  150 (2001)

Internet users:
  3.1 million (2002)

Transportation South Africa

Railways:
  total: 20,872 km
  narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 436
  km 0.610-m gauge
  note: includes a 1,210 km commuter rail system (2004)

Highways:
  total: 275,971 km
  paved: 57,568 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 218,403 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined products 1,354
  km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay,
  Saldanha Bay

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT
  by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 7 (2005)

Airports:
  728 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 144 over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 51 914 to 1,523 m: 67 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 584 1,524 to 2,437 m: 34 914 to 1,523 m: 300 under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.)

Military South Africa

Military branches:
  South African National Defense Force (SANDF): Army, Navy, Air
  Force, Joint Operations, Joint Support, Military Intelligence,
  Military Health Service (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; women have a long
  history of military service in non-combat roles - dating back to
  World War I (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 10,354,769 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,927,757 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 512,407 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $3.172 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Military - note:
  with the end of apartheid and the establishment of majority rule,
  former military, black homelands forces, and ex-opposition forces
  were integrated into the South African National Defense Force
  (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was considered complete

Transnational Issues South Africa

Disputes - international:
  South Africa has placed military along the border to stem the
  thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political
  persecution; managed dispute with Namibia over the location of the
  boundary in the Orange River

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana, and cocaine;
  cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market for illicit
  methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India through various
  east African countries; illicit cultivation of marijuana; attractive
  venue for money launderers given the increasing level of organized
  criminal and narcotics activity in the region

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@Southern Ocean

Introduction Southern Ocean

Background:
  A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the
  spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean -
  from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
  Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of
  Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with
  the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth
  largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean,
  Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).

Geography Southern Ocean

Location:
  body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica

Geographic coordinates:
  65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique
  distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally
  encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies
  between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and
  encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 20.327 million sq km
  note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
  Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
  other tributary water bodies

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of the US

Coastline:
  17,968 km

Climate:
  sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees
  Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and
  frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between
  ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to
  the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere
  on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south
  latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the
  Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees
  Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds
  from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter

Terrain:
  the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its
  extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic
  continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge
  lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133
  meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6
  million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square
  kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the
  Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
  perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
  transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
  times the flow of all the world's rivers

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich
  Trench
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Natural resources:
  probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the
  continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits,
  sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals -
  none exploited; krill, fishes

Natural hazards:
  huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller
  bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter
  thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large
  annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by
  glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and
  large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October;
  most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue

Environment - current issues:
  increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic
  ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity
  (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish;
  illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years,
  especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
  Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
  affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
  mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
  note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
  comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Environment - international agreements:
  the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements
  regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these
  agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling
  Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south
  [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
  west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
  sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
  Resources (regulates fishing)
  note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
  exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
  (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic
  Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very
  cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the
  north

Geography - note:
  the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and
  Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best
  natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it
  is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar
  Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the
  south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current
  extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees
  south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South
  Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds

Economy Southern Ocean

Economy - overview:
  Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed 112,934 metric
  tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian toothfish.
  International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce
  illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01
  season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and
  antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248
  tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and
  Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Transportation Southern Ocean

Ports and harbors:
  McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
  note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
  Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short
  periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without
  icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government
  research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to
  commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60
  degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty
  observers (see Article 7)

Transportation - note:
  Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal

Transnational Issues Southern Ocean

Disputes - international:
  Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but
  Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert
  claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the
  Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
  extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
  Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea
  ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or
  maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves
  (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal
  claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and
  150 degrees west

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Introduction South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Background:
  The islands lie approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands
  and have been under British administration since 1908, except for a
  brief period in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on
  South Georgia, was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station.
  Famed explorer Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to
  his ill-fated attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some
  20 months later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
  successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
  Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
  is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
  the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
  populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
  marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
  exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Geography South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Location:
  Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east
  of the tip of South America

Geographic coordinates:
  54 30 S, 37 00 W

Map references:
  Antarctic Region

Area:
  total: 3,903 sq km
  land: 3,903 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
  Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
  of some nine islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  NA km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  variable, with mostly westerly winds throughout the year
  interspersed with periods of calm; nearly all precipitation falls as
  snow

Terrain:
  most of the islands, rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and
  mountainous; South Georgia is largely barren and has steep,
  glacier-covered mountains; the South Sandwich Islands are of
  volcanic origin with some active volcanoes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Natural resources:
  fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
  sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  the South Sandwich Islands have prevailing weather conditions that
  generally make them difficult to approach by ship; they are also
  subject to active volcanism

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the north coast of South Georgia has several large bays, which
  provide good anchorage; reindeer, introduced early in the 20th
  century, live on South Georgia

People South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
  2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the
  British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on
  Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2005
  est.)

Government South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional short form: none

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina;
  administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is
  concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen
  ELIZABETH II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South
  Georgia, is a scientific base

Legal system:
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate
  from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms
  centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a
  shield with a golden lion centered; the shield is supported by a fur
  seal on the left and a penguin on the right; a reindeer appears
  above the shield, and below it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM
  PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the Lion Protect its Own Land)

Economy South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Economy - overview:
  Some fishing takes place in adjacent waters. There is a potential
  source of income from harvesting finfish and krill. The islands
  receive income from postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of
  fishing licenses, and harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels.
  Tourism from specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Communications South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Radio broadcast stations:
  0 (2003)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (2003)

Internet country code:
  .gs

Transportation South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Ports and harbors:
  Grytviken

Airports:
  none (2004 est.)

Military South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Disputes - international:
  Argentina, which claims the islands in its constitution and briefly
  occupied the islands by force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer
  seek settlement by force

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Spain

Introduction Spain

Background:
  Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
  ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
  failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
  the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
  and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
  but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
  second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
  the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
  Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
  terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Geography Spain

Location:
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean
  Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains, southwest of
  France

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 4 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 504,782 sq km
  land: 499,542 sq km
  water: 5,240 sq km
  note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands
  and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
  coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon
  de Velez de la Gomera

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,917.8 km
  border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
  Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Coastline:
  4,964 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Climate:
  temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy
  along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and
  cool along coast

Terrain:
  large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
  Pyrenees in north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Natural resources:
  coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten,
  mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin,
  potash, hydropower, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 26.07%
  permanent crops: 9.87%
  other: 64.06% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and effluents
  from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality and
  quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

People Spain

Population:
  40,341,462 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,994,124/female 2,815,456)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 13,762,281/female 13,664,762)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,965,859/female 4,138,980) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 39.51 years male: 38.18 years female: 40.93 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.15% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 79.52 years
  male: 76.18 years
  female: 83.08 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  140,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Spaniard(s) adjective: Spanish

Ethnic groups:
  composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Languages:
  Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%; note -
  Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages
  are official regionally

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 98.7%
  female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Government Spain

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
  conventional short form: Spain
  local short form: Espana

Government type:
  parliamentary monarchy

Capital:
  Madrid

Administrative divisions:
  17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
  comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,
  singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares
  (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,
  Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,
  Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,
  Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
  note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small
  islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez
  de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central
  government, are all located off the coast of Morocco and are
  collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de
  Soberania)

Independence:
  the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of independent
  kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in the early 8th
  century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the small Christian
  redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost immediately,
  culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this event completed
  the unification of several kingdoms and is traditionally considered
  the forging of present-day Spain

National holiday:
  National Day, 12 October

Constitution:
  6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Legal system:
  civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975); Heir
  Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
  head of government: President of the Government and Prime Minister
  Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice
  President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency)
  Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second
  Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES
  (since 18 April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
  note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
  consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are
  non-binding
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004
  (next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the
  monarch on the proposal of the president
  election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected
  president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
  Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
  directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
  regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
  Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March
  2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be
  held March 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE
  38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC
  1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress
  12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by
  party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,
  CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU
  2, CC 3, other 8

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Political parties and leaders:
  Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Canarian Coalition
  or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO Baute];
  Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a coalition of
  the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur MAS i Gavarro]
  and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep Antoni DURAN y
  LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate coalition grouping
  four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA) [leader NA]; Galician
  Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel QUINTANA]; Party of
  Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN Martin]; Popular
  Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Republican Left of Catalonia or ERC
  [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist Workers Party or PSOE
  [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or IU (a coalition of
  parties including the PCE and other small parties) [Gaspar
  LLAMAZARES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor
  unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of
  Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or
  USO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers'
  Commissions or CC.OO.; Nunca Mas (Galician for "Never Again"; formed
  in response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill)

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
  ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340 FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J. Robert
  MANZANARES
  embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
  mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
  telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
  FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
  consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width), and red
  with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band;
  the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the Pillars of
  Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and Ceuta) on
  either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Economy Spain

Economy - overview:
  The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging five
  percent annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early
  1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994.
  Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita
  basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The
  center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully
  worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching
  the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR
  administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,
  and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to
  that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration
  but remains high at 10.4%. Growth of 2.5% in 2003 and 2.6% in 2004
  was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European
  economy. The socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has initiated
  economic and social reforms that are generally popular among the
  masses of people but that are anathema to religious and other
  conservative elements. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic
  policies of an integrated Europe, reducing unemployment, and
  absorbing widespread social changes will pose challenges to Spain
  over the next few years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $937.6 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $23,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.5% industry: 28.5% services: 68% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 19.33 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 5.3%, manufacturing, mining, and construction 30.1%, services 64.6% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  32.5 (1990)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  25.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $383.7 billion
  expenditures: $386.4 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $12.8 billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  53.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus; beef,
  pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Industries:
  textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
  metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
  machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,
  pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  229 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 50.4% hydro: 18.2% nuclear: 27.2% other: 4.1% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  218.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  4.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  9.8 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-30.89 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $172.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, medicines,
  other consumer goods

Exports - partners:
  France 19.3%, Germany 11.7%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 9%, Italy 9%, US 4%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $222 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;
  foodstuffs, consumer goods; measuring and medical control instruments

Imports - partners:
  Germany 16.6%, France 15.8%, Italy 8.9%, UK 6.3%, Netherlands 4.8%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $19.7 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $771.1 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Currency (code):
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Currency code:
  EUR

Exchange rates:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Spain

Telephones - main lines in use:
  17,567,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  37,506,700 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
  teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
  Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  13.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 224 (plus 2,105 repeaters) note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88 repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Televisions:
  16.2 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .es

Internet hosts:
  1,056,950 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  56 (2000)

Internet users:
  9.789 million (2003)

Transportation Spain

Railways:
  total: 14,781 km (7,718 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 11,829 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,926 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km
  0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 664,852 km
  paved: 658,203 km (including 11,152 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,649 km (2001)

Waterways:
  1,045 km (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 7,306 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,512 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna,
  Tarragona, Valencia

Merchant marine:
  total: 182 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 22, chemical tanker 16, container
  19, liquefied gas 8, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum
  tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle
  carrier 7
  foreign-owned: 29 (Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2, Norway 6,
  United States 7, Uruguay 2)
  registered in other countries: 192 (2005)

Airports:
  156 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 95 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 61 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 8 (2004 est.)

Military Spain

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Naval Infantry

Military service age and obligation:
  20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 9,366,588 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 7,623,356 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 233,384 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9,906.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.2% (2003)

Transnational Issues Spain

Disputes - international:
  in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to
  remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"
  arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK
  and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater
  autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves
  of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de Velez de la Gomera,
  Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters;
  Morocco serves as the primary launching site of illegal migration
  into Spain from North Africa

Illicit drugs:
  key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American
  cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;
  destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  heroin; money-laundering site for European earnings of Colombian
  narcotics trafficking organizations

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Spratly Islands

Introduction Spratly Islands

Background:
  The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or
  reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially
  by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their entirety by
  China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia
  and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by relatively
  small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia, the
  Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a fishing
  zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any formal
  claim.

Geography Spratly Islands

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the South China
  Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam to the
  southern Philippines

Geographic coordinates:
  8 38 N, 111 55 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: less than 5 sq km
  land: less than 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
  scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
  China Sea

Area - comparative:
  NA

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  926 km

Maritime claims:
  NA

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  flat

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Natural resources: fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas potential

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of numerous reefs and
  shoals

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the
  central South China Sea; includes numerous small islands, atolls,
  shoals, and coral reefs

People Spratly Islands

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
  claimant states (2004)

Government Spratly Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Economy Spratly Islands

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing. The proximity
  to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins suggests the
  potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is largely
  unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential reserves;
  commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Transportation Spratly Islands

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Spratly Islands

Military - note:
  Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small islands or reefs, of
  which about 45 are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, the
  Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Transnational Issues Spratly Islands

Disputes - international:
  all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and
  Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;
  in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that
  encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has not
  publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
  which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
  of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the
  Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratlys

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Sri Lanka

Introduction Sri Lanka

Background:
  The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C.,
  probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced beginning in
  about the mid-third century B.C., and a great civilization developed
  at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from circa 200 B.C. to circa
  A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070 to 1200). In the 14th
  century, a south Indian dynasty seized power in the north and
  established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th
  century and by the Dutch in the 17th century, the island was ceded
  to the British in 1796, became a crown colony in 1802, and was
  united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it became independent
  in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972. Tensions between
  the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists erupted into war in
  1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic conflict that
  continues to fester. After two decades of fighting, the government
  and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a cease-fire in
  February 2002, with Norway brokering peace negotiations.

Geography Sri Lanka

Location:
  Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Geographic coordinates:
  7 00 N, 81 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 65,610 sq km
  land: 64,740 sq km
  water: 870 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,340 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March); southwest
  monsoon (June to October)

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in south-central
  interior

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Natural resources:
  limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates, clay,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 13.86% permanent crops: 15.7% other: 70.44% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by
  poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from mining
  activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources being
  polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste disposal; air
  pollution in Colombo

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

People Sri Lanka

Population:
  20,064,776
  note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
  armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
  Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils
  have sought refuge in the West (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 24.5% (male 2,508,384/female 2,397,986)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 6,658,765/female 7,059,468)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 670,813/female 769,360) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 29.44 years
  male: 28.38 years
  female: 30.51 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.79% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.63 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.17 years
  male: 70.6 years
  female: 75.86 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,500 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Sri Lankan(s)
  adjective: Sri Lankan

Ethnic groups:
  Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri
  Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census
  provisional data)

Religions:
  Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
  unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Languages:
  Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national
  language) 18%, other 8%
  note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
  competently by about 10% of the population

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.3%
  male: 94.8%
  female: 90% (2003 est.)

Government Sri Lanka

Country name:
  conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
  conventional short form: Sri Lanka
  former: Serendib, Ceylon

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
  8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North Western,
  Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern province
  may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Independence:
  4 February 1948 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Constitution:
  adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; new constitution
  proposed in 2002

Legal system:
  a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch,
  Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA (since
  12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE (since 6 April 2004) is
  the prime minister; the president is considered both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
  (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE is the prime
  minister (since 6 April 2004); the president is considered both the
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
  2005)
  election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
  president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA 51%,
  Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by popular vote
  on the basis of a modified proportional representation system by
  district to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
  SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,
  UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral
  alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,
  EPDP 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders:
  All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon Workers
  Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP [D.
  GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
  [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
  [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
  or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP
  [Tilvan SILVA]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE];
  National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation
  Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or
  SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika
  Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff
  HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA];
  Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil
  National Alliance or TNA [R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation
  Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP
  [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.
  CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,
  represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or
  LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for a
  separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
  National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

International organization participation:
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB,
  OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028) FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD
  embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
  mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
  telephone: [94] (11) 244-8007
  FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Flag description:
  yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has two equal
  vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other panel is
  a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a sword, and
  there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow field appears
  as a border around the entire flag and extends between the two panels

Economy Sri Lanka

Economy - overview:
  In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and its import
  substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies and
  export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are food
  processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
  telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2003, plantation
  crops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
  textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
  annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
  deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
  economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
  saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
  combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
  global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
  4.0% in 2002 and to 5.2% in both 2003 and 2004. About 800,000 Sri
  Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1
  billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and
  east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow
  over the economy. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about
  31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced,
  and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $80.58 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 19.1% industry: 26.2% services: 54.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  7.26 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  7.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  22% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.5% highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34.4 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.34 billion
  expenditures: $4.686 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  104.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea, rubber,
  coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Industries:
  rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
  commodities; telecommunications, insurance, and banking; clothing,
  cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.1% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  6.697 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 51.7% hydro: 48.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  6.228 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-587.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $5.306 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds, rubies;
  coconut products; rubber manufactures, fish

Exports - partners:
  US 32.4%, UK 13.5%, India 6.8%, Germany 4.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $7.265 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs, machinery
  and transportation equipment

Imports - partners:
  India 18%, Singapore 8.7%, Hong Kong 7.7%, China 5.7%, Iran 5.2%,
  Japan 5.1%, Malaysia 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.475 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $10.85 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $577 million (1998)

Currency (code):
  Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Currency code:
  LKR

Exchange rates:
  Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 101.194 (2004), 96.521 (2003),
  95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sri Lanka

Telephones - main lines in use:
  881,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  931,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: very inadequate domestic service, particularly
  in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization of national
  telephone company and encouragement to private investment; good
  international service (1999)
  domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
  microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
  and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
  is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
  at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
  international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and
  Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  3.85 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  21 (1997)

Televisions:
  1.53 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .lk

Internet hosts:
  1,882 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  200,000 (2002)

Transportation Sri Lanka

Railways: total: 1,449 km broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 11,650 km paved: 11,068 km unpaved: 582 km (2002)

Waterways:
  160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Colombo, Galle

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT
  by type: cargo 18, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 10)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  14 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Sri Lanka

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,933,217 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,789,627 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 174,049 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $514.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Sri Lanka

Disputes - international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 362,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to Tamil conflict); 555,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Sudan

Introduction Sudan

Background:
  Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
  dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
  Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the
  remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in
  northern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim,
  non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, but
  broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects
  resulted in more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
  displaced over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum
  in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha
  peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy
  for six years, after which a referendum for independence is
  scheduled to be held. A separate conflict that broke out in the
  western region of Darfur in 2003 resulted in tens of thousands of
  deaths and over 1 million displaced, but by early 2005, peackeeping
  troops had stabilized the situation.

Geography Sudan

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 2,505,810 sq km
  land: 2.376 million sq km
  water: 129,810 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 7,687 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
  km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:
  853 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by
  region (April to November)

Terrain:
  generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
  northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
  highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,
  tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.83% permanent crops: 0.18% other: 92.99% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
  periodic drought

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

People Sudan

Population:
  40,187,486 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.2% (male 8,865,331/female 8,488,982)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 10,952,566/female 10,930,218)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 513,679/female 436,710) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.07 years
  male: 17.86 years
  female: 18.29 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.6% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 58.54 years
  male: 57.33 years
  female: 59.8 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  2.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  400,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  23,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sudanese

Ethnic groups:
  black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5%
  (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,
  Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
  note: program of "Arabization" in process

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 61.1%
  male: 71.8%
  female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Government Sudan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
  conventional short form: Sudan
  local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
  local short form: As-Sudan
  former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Government type:
  authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989;
  government is run by an alliance of the military and the National
  Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF),
  which espouses an Islamist platform

Capital:
  Khartoum

Administrative divisions:
  26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile),
  Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El
  Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah
  (Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),
  Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al
  Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr
  al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Gharb Kurdufan (Western
  Kordofan), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern
  Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile),
  Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur
  (Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al
  Istiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Independence:
  1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Constitution:
  12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim
  constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June
  1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
  suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Legal system:
  based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991,
  the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in
  the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the
  northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
  religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4
  August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20
  September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4
  August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20
  September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
  National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
  or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
  election results: Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates
  received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged;
  all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack
  of guarantees for a free and fair election
  note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary
  Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served
  concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
  and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed
  president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for
  the first time in March 1996

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90
  elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National
  Congress; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
  election results: NCP 355, others 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law
  revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept
  the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence
  against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress
  Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC
  [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; National
  Democratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan
  People's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma Party
  [Sadiq al-MAHDI]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad
  Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
  chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerard M.
  GALLUCCI
  embassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum
  mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
  telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700
  FAX: [249] (11) 774137
  note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a
  green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy Sudan

Economy - overview:
  Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic
  policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces
  formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per
  capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF
  macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and
  in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,
  along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.
  Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded
  export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 6.4% in 2004.
  Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,
  employing 80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, and
  accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed
  and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including the
  long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the
  Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural
  prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below
  the poverty line for years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $76.19 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38.7% industry: 20.3% services: 41% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  18.7% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.057 billion
  expenditures: $2.965 billion, including capital expenditures of $304
  million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  79.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,
  sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
  potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Industries:
  oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
  distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,
  automobile/light truck assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.581 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 52.1% hydro: 47.9% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  345,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  275,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.6 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  99.11 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-763.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.395 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,
  gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners:
  China 66.9%, Japan 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.496 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,
  medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:
  China 13%, Saudi Arabia 11.5%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.1%, India 4.8%,
  Germany 4.5%, Australia 4.1%, Japan 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.652 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $21 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $172 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Currency code:
  SDD

Exchange rates:
  Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003),
  263.31 (2002), 258.7 (2001), 257.12 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sudan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  900,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  650,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
  standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
  1996 and have expanded substantially
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
  communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
  system with 14 earth stations
  international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  7.55 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (1997)

Televisions:
  2.38 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sd

Internet hosts:
  NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2002)

Internet users:
  300,000 (2003)

Transportation Sudan

Railways:
  total: 5,995 km
  narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for
  cotton plantations (2004)

Highways:
  total: 11,900 km
  paved: 4,320 km
  unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers)
  (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Port Sudan

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (2005)

Airports:
  75 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 63 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Sudan

Military branches:
  Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force,
  Popular Defense Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 3 years (August 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 8,291,695 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 5,427,474 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 442,915 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $587 million (2001 est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3% (1999) (2004)

Transnational Issues Sudan

Disputes - international:
  the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia
  fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of its
  border states who provide shelter for fleeing refugees and cover to
  disparate domestic and foreign conflicting elements; since 2003,
  Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have driven about
  200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; large numbers of
  Sudanese refugees have also fled to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the
  Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
  southern Sudan provides shelter to Ugandans seeking periodic
  protection from soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army; Sudan
  accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to
  demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by
  civil and ethnic fighting in Sudan; Kenya's administrative boundary
  extends into the southern Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle";
  Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer triangular areas that
  extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd
  Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is
  economically developing the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty
  Line; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water
  and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations from
  the Central African Republic along the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 108,251 (Eritrea) 5,023 (Chad) 7,983
  (Uganda)
  IDPs: 4.367 million (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing
  genocide) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Suriname

Introduction Suriname

Background:
  Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five years
  later the civilian government was replaced by a military regime that
  soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule through a
  succession of nominally civilian administrations until 1987, when
  international pressure finally forced a democratic election. In
  1989, the military overthrew the civilian government, but a
  democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Geography Suriname

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  French Guiana and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
  4 00 N, 56 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 163,270 sq km
  land: 161,470 sq km
  water: 1,800 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Coastline: 386 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Terrain:
  mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
  highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Natural resources:
  timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold, and small
  amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Land use: arable land: 0.37% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 99.57% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  smallest independent country on South American continent; mostly
  tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna that, for
  the most part, is increasingly threatened by new development;
  relatively small population, mostly along the coast

People Suriname

Population:
  438,144 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.6% (male 66,537/female 63,182)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 144,285/female 136,942)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 12,092/female 15,106) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 26.13 years
  male: 25.72 years
  female: 26.58 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.39 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 23.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.96 years
  male: 66.75 years
  female: 71.27 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  5,200 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Surinamer(s)
  adjective: Surinamese

Ethnic groups:
  Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their ancestors
  emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the 19th
  century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
  "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
  the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
  10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Religions:
  Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian), Roman
  Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Languages:
  Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
  (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
  Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
  among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88%
  male: 92.3%
  female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

Government Suriname

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
  conventional short form: Suriname
  local long form: Republiek Suriname
  local short form: Suriname
  former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Government type:
  constitutional democracy

Capital:
  Paramaribo

Administrative divisions:
  10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
  Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
  Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Independence:
  25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Constitution:
  ratified 30 September 1987

Legal system:
  based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12 August
  2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12 August
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
  August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
  the members of the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
  receives a a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National
  Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger
  People's United Assembly (869 representatives from the national,
  local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last
  held 25 May 2005 (next to be held 25 May 2010)

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%,
  VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23,
  NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3

Judicial branch:
  Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate court
  (justices are nominated for life)

Political parties and leaders:
  A-Combinatie (coalition of Brotherhood and Unity in Politics or BEP
  [Caprino ALENDY], General Interior Development Party or ABOP [Ronnie
  BRUNSWIJK], Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union or PALU [Jim
  HOK], Seeka [Paul ABENA]); Alternative-1 or A-1 (a coalition of
  Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 [Winston JESSURUN], Democrats
  of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or
  NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan
  SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti JESSURUN]); National
  Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New Front for Democracy
  and Development or NF (a coalition includes National Party Suriname
  or NPS (Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE],
  Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party
  or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party for Democracy and Development in
  Unity or DOE [Marten Schalkwijk]; People's Alliance for Progress or
  VVV (a coalition of Democratic National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000
  [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots Party for Renewal and Democracy or
  BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for National Unity and Solidarity of the
  Highest Order or KTPI [Willy SOEMITA], Party for Progression,
  Justice, and Perserverance or PPRS [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL
  [Raymond SAPOEN]); Union of Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj
  PANDAY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];
  Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];
  Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

International organization participation:
  ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDB,
  IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA,
  NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878 consulate(s) general: Miami

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place, Washington, DC, 20521-3390 telephone: [597] 472900 FAX: [597] 420800

Flag description:
  five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white, red
  (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
  large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Economy Suriname

Economy - overview:
  The economy is dominated by the alumina industry, which accounts
  for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings. Suriname's
  economic prospects for the medium term will depend on continued
  commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and to the
  introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and promote
  competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
  austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
  While - in 2002 - President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
  for civil servants, threatening his earlier gains in stabilizing the
  economy, he has not repeated this promise in the run-up to the May
  2005 elections. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
  flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
  financing, but plans to phase out funds over the next five years.
  The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability
  to control inflation and on the development of projects in the
  bauxite and gold mining sectors. Prospects for local onshore oil
  production are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil
  drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company
  (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol and Mearsk.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.885 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13% industry: 22% services: 65% (2001 est.)

Labor force:
  104,000 (2003)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2000)

Population below poverty line:
  70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  23% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $400 million
  expenditures: $440 million, including capital expenditures of $34
  million (2003)

Agriculture - products:
  paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains, peanuts;
  beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Industries:
  bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil, lumbering, food
  processing, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.5% (1994 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.984 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 25.2% hydro: 74.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.845 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  12,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  99 million bbl (2004)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (2004)

Exports:
  $495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Exports - partners:
  Norway 29.3%, US 15.1%, Canada 12.5%, Belgium 10.2%, France 8.4%,
  UAE 6.1%, Iceland 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  US 26.2%, Netherlands 19.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.5%, Japan 6.6%,
  China 4.6%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $321 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
  assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
  (1998)

Currency (code):
  Surinam dollar (SRD)

Currency code:
  SRG

Exchange rates:
  Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004), Surinamese
  guilders per US dollar - 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002), 2.1785
  (2001), 1.3225 (2000)
  note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
  rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
  subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January
  2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as replacement
  for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Suriname

Telephones - main lines in use:
  79,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  168,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: international facilities are good
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  300,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Televisions:
  63,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sr

Internet hosts:
  18 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  20,000 (2002)

Transportation Suriname

Highways: total: 4,492 km paved: 1,168 km unpaved: 3,324 km (2002)

Waterways:
  1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m) (2003)

Pipelines:
  oil 51 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Paramaribo

Merchant marine:
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  46 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Military Suriname

Military branches:
  National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 111,582 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 77,793 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $7.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.7% (2003)

Transnational Issues Suriname

Disputes - international:
  area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and Riviere
  Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a triangle
  of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic
  dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
  arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
  the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
  waters

Illicit drugs:
  growing transshipment point for South American drugs destined for
  Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Svalbard

Introduction Svalbard

Background:
  First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the islands
  served as an international whaling base during the 17th and 18th
  centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five years
  later it officially took over the territory.

Geography Svalbard

Location:
  Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents Sea,
  Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Geographic coordinates:
  78 00 N, 20 00 E

Map references:
  Arctic Region

Area:
  total: 62,049 sq km
  land: 62,049 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3,587 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 4 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
  not recognized by Russia

Climate:
  arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool summers, cold
  winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and north coasts of
  Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most of the year

Terrain:
  wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west coast
  clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and north
  coasts

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Land use:
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
  cloudberry) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit point for
  coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts of the
  northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of nine main
  islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total area

People Svalbard

Population: 2,701 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  -0.02% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
  NA%

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0% (2001)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  0 (2001)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  0 (2001)

Ethnic groups:
  Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3% (1998)

Languages:
  Norwegian, Russian

Literacy:
  NA

Government Svalbard

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
  Spitzbergen)

Dependency status:
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the
  Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in
  Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty
  was awarded to Norway

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Longyearbyen

Independence:
  none (territory of Norway)

National holiday:
  NA

Legal system:
  NA

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January 1991)
  head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001)
  and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
  governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
  Justice

International organization participation:
  none

Flag description:
  the flag of Norway is used

Economy Svalbard

Economy - overview:
  Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The treaty
  of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to exploit
  mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although US, UK,
  Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past, the only
  companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The settlements on
  Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian state-owned
  coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian population on the
  island, runs many of the local services, and provides most of the
  local infrastructure. There is also some hunting of seal, reindeer,
  and fox.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: $11.5 million
  expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.9984% hydro: 42.0016% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Exports:
  $NA

Imports:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Currency (code):
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Currency code:
  NOK

Exchange rates:
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802 (2003),
  7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000)

Communications Svalbard

Telephones - main lines in use:
  NA

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: probably adequate
  domestic: local telephone service
  international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
  unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .sj

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  13 (Svalbard and Jan Mayen) (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Svalbard

Highways: total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km

Ports and harbors:
  Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Airports:
  4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Svalbard

Military - note: demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Transnational Issues Svalbard

Disputes - international: despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Swaziland

Introduction Swaziland

Background:
  Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed by the
  British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in 1968.
  Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the monarchy
  (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow political
  reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed Botswana
  as the country with the world's highest known rates of HIV/AIDS
  infection

Geography Swaziland

Location:
  Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Geographic coordinates:
  26 30 S, 31 30 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 17,363 sq km
  land: 17,203 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 535 km border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  varies from tropical to near temperate

Terrain:
  mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
  highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Natural resources:
  asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests, small gold
  and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Land use: arable land: 10.35% permanent crops: 0.7% other: 88.95% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  690 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  drought

Environment - current issues:
  limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations being
  depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
  degradation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

People Swaziland

Population:
  1,173,900
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 40.6% (male 240,643/female 235,895)
  15-64 years: 55.6% (male 327,661/female 325,400)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 19,273/female 25,028) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.72 years
  male: 18.53 years
  female: 18.92 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.25% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  25.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 69.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 33.22 years
  male: 32.49 years
  female: 33.98 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  38.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  17,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Swazi(s)
  adjective: Swazi

Ethnic groups:
  African 97%, European 3%

Religions:
  Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral worship)
  40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai, Methodist,
  Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Languages:
  English (official, government business conducted in English),
  siSwati (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 81.6%
  male: 82.6%
  female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Government Swaziland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
  conventional short form: Swaziland

Government type:
  monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Capital:
  Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative capital

Administrative divisions:
  4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Independence:
  6 September 1968 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Constitution:
  a constitution was due to be adopted in November 2003 but was
  delayed and scheduled for early 2005

Legal system:
  based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and
  Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
  head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14
  November 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
  the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body, consists of the
  Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of Assembly and 20
  appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year terms) and the
  House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the monarch and 55
  elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
  held October 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
  nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
  council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
  candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
  narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Judicial branch:
  High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are appointed
  by the monarch

Political parties and leaders:
  political parties are banned by the government - the following are
  considered political associations; Imbokodvo National Movement or
  INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or NNLC [Obed
  DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement or PUDEMO
  [Mario MASUKU, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
  NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
  chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUCKE embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445 FAX: [268] 404-5959

Flag description:
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width), and blue;
  the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band is a large
  black and white shield covering two spears and a staff decorated
  with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Economy Swaziland

Economy - overview:
  In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture occupies
  more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector has
  diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
  important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
  importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
  remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
  border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
  Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and
  to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs
  duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
  remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically
  earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere
  for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and
  sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than
  one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004
  because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population
  was infected by HIV/AIDS.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $6.018 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 16.1% industry: 43.4% services: 40.5% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  383,200 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  34% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  40% (1995)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $494.6 million
  expenditures: $552.7 million, including capital expenditures of $147
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus, pineapples,
  sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Industries:
  mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink
  concentrates, textile and apparel

Industrial production growth rate:
  3.7% (FY95/96)

Electricity - production:
  402 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 58% hydro: 42% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.173 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  799 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-82.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $900.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
  refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Exports - partners:
  South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs,
  petroleum products, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $320.5 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $320 million (2002 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $104 million (2001)

Currency (code):
  lilangeni (SZL)

Currency code:
  SZL

Exchange rates:
  emalangeni per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407
  (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Swaziland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  46,200 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  88,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced system
  domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
  low-capacity, microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
  170,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 plus 7 relay stations (2004)

Televisions:
  23,000 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .sz

Internet hosts:
  1,401 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2002)

Internet users:
  27,000 (2003)

Transportation Swaziland

Railways: total: 301 km narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 3,107 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)

Airports: 18 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Military Swaziland

Military branches:
  Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force (includes Air
  Wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; both sexes are
  eligible for military service (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 248,676 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 98,530 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $40.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (2004)

Transnational Issues Swaziland

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Sweden

Introduction Sweden

Background:
  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
  participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
  was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
  formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
  elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
  2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
  the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
  vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and
  economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU
  until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Sweden

Location:
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Geographic coordinates:
  62 00 N, 15 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 449,964 sq km
  land: 410,934 sq km
  water: 39,030 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries: total: 2,233 km border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Coastline:
  3,218 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion of
  straits to high seas)
  exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
  cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Terrain:
  mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad
  -2.41 m
  highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium,
  arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 6.54% permanent crops: 0.01% other: 93.45% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf of
  Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Environment - current issues:
  acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North Sea and
  the Baltic Sea

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and North
  Seas

People Sweden

Population:
  9,001,774 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.1% (male 791,215/female 747,621)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,990,436/female 2,904,873)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 677,161/female 890,468) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 40.6 years
  male: 39.49 years
  female: 41.75 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.17% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.36 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.4 years
  male: 78.19 years
  female: 82.74 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  3,600 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Swede(s)
  adjective: Swedish

Ethnic groups:
  indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami minorities;
  foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns, Yugoslavs,
  Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Religions:
  Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish,
  Buddhist

Languages:
  Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1979 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Sweden

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
  conventional short form: Sweden
  local long form: Konungariket Sverige
  local short form: Sverige

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Stockholm

Administrative divisions:
  21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
  Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
  Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
  Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
  Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Independence:
  6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

National holiday:
  Flag Day, 6 June

Constitution:
  1 January 1975

Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September 1973);
  Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree, daughter of
  the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
  1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election
  last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
  election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
  out of 349 votes

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote on a proportional representation basis to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
  Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
  Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
  Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
  33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by the
  prime minister and the cabinet)

Political parties and leaders:
  Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party [Goran
  HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party spokespersons are
  Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party or V (formerly
  Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars LEIJONBORG];
  Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT]; Social Democratic
  Party [Goran PERSSON]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
  ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
  NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
  UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702 telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600 FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BIVINS embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State, 5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch) telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00 FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Flag description:
  blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the flag;
  the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
  style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Economy Sweden

Economy - overview:
  Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century, Sweden
  has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed system of
  high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It has a modern
  distribution system, excellent internal and external communications,
  and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and iron ore
  constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward
  foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
  industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
  of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
  2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
  resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
  by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
  declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank
  (the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its inflation target
  of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003, but picked up in 2004.
  Presumably because of generous sicktime benefits, Swedish workers
  report in sick more often than other Europeans. On 14 September
  2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
  concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $255.4 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $28,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2% industry: 29% services: 69% (2001)

Labor force:
  4.46 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  25 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $201.3 billion
  expenditures: $199.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  51.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Industries:
  iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and telephone
  parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed foods,
  motor vehicles

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  142.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 4% hydro: 50.8% nuclear: 43% other: 2.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  138.1 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  14.8 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  20.1 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  949 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  968 million cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $24.08 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $121.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron
  and steel products, chemicals

Exports - partners:
  US 10.7%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.6%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 6.7%,
  Finland 5.7%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8%, Belgium 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $97.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
  Germany 18.7%, Denmark 9.2%, Norway 7.6%, UK 7.5%, Netherlands
  6.8%, Finland 6.4%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $19.99 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $66.5 billion (1994)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Currency (code):
  Swedish krona (SEK)

Currency code:
  SEK

Exchange rates:
  Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003), 9.7371
  (2002), 10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Sweden

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,579,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7.949 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  facilities; automatic system
  domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
  traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
  additional telephone channels
  international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
  and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
  shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
  (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  8.25 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  4.6 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .se

Internet hosts:
  945,221 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  29 (2000)

Internet users:
  5.125 million (2002)

Transportation Sweden

Railways: total: 11,481 km standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 213,237 km
  paved: 167,604 km (including 1,542 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 45,633 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 798 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund,
  Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

Merchant marine:
  total: 205 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 33, chemical tanker 51, passenger 4,
  passenger/cargo 37, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 37,
  specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 22
  foreign-owned: 42 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 6,
  Italy 7, Japan 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9)
  registered in other countries: 155 (2005)

Airports:
  254 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 154 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 82 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 100 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Sweden

Military branches:
  Army, Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN), Air Force (Flygvapnet)

Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until the age of 47 (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 1,838,427 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 1,493,668 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 58,724 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $5.729 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.7% (2004)

Transnational Issues Sweden

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Switzerland

Introduction Switzerland

Background:
  The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance
  among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined
  the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence
  from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovreignty and
  neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and
  the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The
  political and economic integration of Europe over the past half
  century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international
  organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its
  neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN
  member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and
  international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to
  neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location:
  Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates:
  47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 41,290 sq km
  land: 39,770 sq km
  water: 1,520 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
  total: 1,852 km
  border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
  Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
  winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain:
  mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central
  plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
  highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10.42% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.97% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid
  rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural
  fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
  southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has
  the highest elevations in the Alps

People Switzerland

Population:
  7,489,370 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 643,497/female 597,565)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 2,570,544/female 2,522,365)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 472,769/female 682,630) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.77 years
  male: 38.75 years
  female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.49% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  9.77 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 80.39 years
  male: 77.58 years
  female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.42 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  13,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
  adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups:
  German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other
  Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1%
  (2000 census)

Languages:
  German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian
  (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese
  1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000
  census)
  note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national
  languages, but only the first three are official languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government Switzerland

Country name:
  conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
  conventional short form: Switzerland
  local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
  Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
  local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
  (Italian)

Government type:
  formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a federal
  republic

Capital:
  Bern

Administrative divisions:
  26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular
  - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,
  Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
  Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,
  Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
  Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence:
  1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday:
  Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution:
  revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament
  18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially
  entered into force 1 January 2000

Legal system:
  civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of
  legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general
  obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
  Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
  Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
  (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
  Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
  terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004
  (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of
  Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice
  president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German),
  Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian)
  consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil
  des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats
  - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or
  Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
  Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
  vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
  2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
  National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held
  October 2007)
  election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3;
  National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%,
  FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
  seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
  other small parties 14

Judicial branch:
  Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
  Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste
  Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
  Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic
  People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or
  CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito
  Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
  Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD,
  president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische
  Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,
  Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne
  KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party
  (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist
  Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
  Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president];
  Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
  Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
  Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and
  other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA,
  ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
  chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description:
  red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that
  does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy Switzerland

Economy - overview:
  Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market
  economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a
  per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European
  economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic
  practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their
  international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for
  investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and
  has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the
  anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to
  about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise
  to 1.8% in 2004. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than
  half the EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $251.9 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $33,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  3.77 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)

Unemployment rate:
  3.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.1 (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $131.5 billion
  expenditures: $140.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  57.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Industries:
  machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  63.47 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  54.53 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  32.3 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  27.8 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $40.95 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $130.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners:
  Germany 20.2%, US 10.5%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 5.1%, Spain 4%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $121.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,
  textiles

Imports - partners:
  Germany 32.8%, Italy 11.3%, France 9.9%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5%,
  Austria 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $69.58 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $NA (2000)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency (code):
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code:
  CHF

Exchange rates:
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586
  (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Switzerland

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5.419 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6.172 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
  international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ch

Internet hosts:
  667,275 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users:
  2.556 million (2002)

Transportation Switzerland

Railways:
  total: 4,527 km
  standard gauge: 3,232 km 1.435-m gauge (3,211 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,285 km 1.000-m gauge (1,273 km electrified); 10 km
  0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 71,212 km
  paved: 71,212 km (including 1,706 of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Waterways:
  65 km
  note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
  Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Basel

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 3
  foreign-owned: 6 (United Kingdom 6)
  registered in other countries: 291 (2005)

Airports:
  65 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Switzerland

Military branches:
  Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe)

Military service age and obligation: the Swiss Confederation states that "every Swiss male is obligated to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis, but are not drafted (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 1,707,694 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 1,375,889 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 46,319 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $2.548 billion (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Switzerland

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering
  and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant
  legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and
  nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore
  entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and
  consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Syria

Introduction Syria

Background:
  Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I,
  Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In
  the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel.
  Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an ostensible
  peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005. Over the past
  decade, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the
  return of the Golan Heights.

Geography Syria

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and
  Turkey

Geographic coordinates:
  35 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 185,180 sq km
  land: 184,050 sq km
  water: 1,130 sq km
  note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than North Dakota

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,253 km
  border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
  375 km, Turkey 822 km

Coastline:
  193 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 41 nm

Climate:
  mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild,
  rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with
  snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Terrain:
  primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
  mountains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
  highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron
  ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 25.22% permanent crops: 4.43% other: 70.35% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  dust storms, sandstorms

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water
  pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes; inadequate
  potable water

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the
  Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

People Syria

Population:
  18,448,752
  note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
  Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
  about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 37.4% (male 3,556,795/female 3,350,267)
  15-64 years: 59.3% (male 5,601,971/female 5,333,799)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 288,868/female 317,052) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.37 years
  male: 20.24 years
  female: 20.51 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.34% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  28.29 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.03 years
  male: 68.75 years
  female: 71.38 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Syrian(s)
  adjective: Syrian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
  Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
  Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Languages:
  Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely
  understood; French, English somewhat understood

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.9%
  male: 89.7%
  female: 64% (2003 est.)

Government Syria

Country name:
  conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
  conventional short form: Syria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
  local short form: Suriyah
  former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Government type:
  republic under military regime since March 1963

Capital:
  Damascus

Administrative divisions:
  14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
  Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
  Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Independence:
  17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Constitution:
  13 March 1973

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
  courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice
  Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and
  Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
  head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
  September 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
  President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
  2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
  and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
  - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
  note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
  Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
  to the People's Council on 25 June 2000

Legislative branch:
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
  33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
  constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
  alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year
  terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation;
  State Security Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National
  Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance
  (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD,
  secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal
  Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI];
  Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf
  Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI];
  Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance [leader
  NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [leader NA]; Muslim Brotherhood
  (operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine al-BAYANOUNI];
  National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA
  chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342 FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, colors
  associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green
  five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
  former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
  represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
  the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has
  three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
  centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold
  Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design
  dates to 1980

Economy Syria

Economy - overview:
  Real GDP growth rose to 2.3 percent in 2004, a slight increase from
  2003 when the predominantly statist economy suffered from
  disruptions caused by the war in Iraq and other developments in the
  region. Annual real GDP growth has averaged 2.3 percent for the last
  seven years. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic
  reforms in the last few years, including cutting interest rates,
  opening private banks, consolidating some of the multiple exchange
  rates, and raising prices on some subsidized foodstuffs.
  Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the
  government. Long run economic constraints include declining oil
  production and exports and pressure on water supplies caused by
  rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water
  pollution.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $60.44 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2.3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 25% industry: 31% services: 44% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  5.12 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 30%, industry 27%, services 43% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  20% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  20% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $6.58 billion
  expenditures: $9.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.67
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets;
  beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Industries:
  petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate
  rock mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  7% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  26.15 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 57.6% hydro: 42.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  24.32 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  525,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  240,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  285,000 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  240.7 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $1.1 billion (2003)

Exports:
  $6.086 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton fiber,
  clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Exports - partners:
  Italy 22.7%, France 18%, Turkey 12.9%, Iraq 9%, Saudi Arabia 6.2%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $5.042 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery, food
  and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
  products, plastics, yarn, paper

Imports - partners:
  Turkey 9.4%, Ukraine 8.7%, China 7.8%, Russia 5.4%, Saudi Arabia
  5.2%, US 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $5 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4 billion (excludes military debt and debt to Russia) (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $180 million (2002 est.)

Currency (code):
  Syrian pound (SYP)

Currency code:
  SYP

Exchange rates:
  Syrian pounds per US dollar - (official rate): 11.225 (2004),
  11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000),
  (parallel market rate in Amman and Beirut) NA (2004), 52.8 (2003),
  52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2002), 49.4 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Syria

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,099,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  400,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system currently undergoing significant
  improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
  1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,
  Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  4.15 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  1.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .sy

Internet hosts:
  11 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  220,000 (2002)

Transportation Syria

Railways:
  total: 2,711 km
  standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 45,697 km
  paved: 6,489 km (including 1,001 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 39,208 km (2002)

Waterways:
  900 km (not economically significant) (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Baniyas, Latakia

Merchant marine:
  total: 120 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 105, container 1, livestock carrier
  4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 12 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Jordan 2, Lebanon 7, Romania 1)
  registered in other countries: 73 (2005)

Airports:
  92 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 26 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 66 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Syria

Military branches:
  Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force (includes
  Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
  obligation - 30 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,356,413 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,453,888 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 225,113 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 5.9% (FY00)

Transnational Issues Syria

Disputes - international:
  Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong UN
  Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone since
  1964; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights; international
  pressure prompts the removal of Syrian troops and intelligence
  personel stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria protests
  Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates waters;
  2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border dispute with
  Jordan

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 413,827 (Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 170,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
  Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and
  Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls, bank
  privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Taiwan

Introduction Taiwan

Background:
  In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan.
  Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the
  Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists
  fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946
  constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five decades,
  the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the
  native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan
  underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist
  to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the
  island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers."
  The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship
  between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual
  unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.

Geography Taiwan

Location:
  Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea, Philippine Sea,
  South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the Philippines, off
  the southeastern coast of China

Geographic coordinates:
  23 30 N, 121 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 35,980 sq km
  land: 32,260 sq km
  water: 3,720 sq km
  note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  1,566.3 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June to
  August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Terrain:
  eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently rolling
  plains in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Natural resources:
  small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and asbestos

Land use:
  arable land: 24%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 75% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes and typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
  sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
  endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
  international status
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of
  Taiwan's international status

Geography - note:
  strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the Luzon
  Strait

People Taiwan

Population:
  22,894,384 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 19.7% (male 2,349,077/female 2,156,755)
  15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,205,933/female 7,980,056)
  65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,107,708/female 1,094,855) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 34.14 years
  male: 33.71 years
  female: 34.57 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.63% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.26 years
  male: 74.49 years
  female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
  note: example: he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan
  adjective: Taiwan

Ethnic groups:
  Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%, aborigine 2%

Religions:
  mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian 4.5%,
  other 2.5%

Languages:
  Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.1% (2003)

Government Taiwan

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Taiwan local long form: none local short form: T'ai-wan former: Formosa

Government type:
  multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected president
  and unicameral legislature

Capital:
  Taipei

Administrative divisions:
  includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller islands
  near central island and off coast of China's Fujian Province; Taiwan
  is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and plural), 5
  municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special
  municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)
  : counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung
  county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu,
  P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung,
  T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin
  : municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan
  : special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city
  note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization;
  special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization
  for street and place names within city boundaries, other local
  authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems

National holiday:
  Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10 October
  (1911)

Constitution:
  25 December 1946; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000) and
  Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank
  HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
  the Executive Yuan) - WU Rong-i) (since 18 February 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March
  2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the
  president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the premier
  election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of
  vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by popular
  vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes received
  by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas Chinese
  constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes received
  by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular vote among
  aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms) and
  unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body; delegates
  nominated by parties and elected by proportional representation six
  to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to amend Constitution,
  impeach president, or change national borders)
  note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the
  National Assembly on 7 June 2005, the number of seats in the
  legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the
  election in 2007; the amendments also eliminate the National
  Assembly, thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature
  elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be
  held in December 2007); National Assembly - last held 14 May 2005
  election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
  38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;
  seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,
  independents 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPP
  42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others 6.6%; seats by party - DPP
  127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others 17 (2005)

Judicial branch:
  Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with consent of
  the Legislative Yuan)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang, chairman];
  Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou, chairman];
  People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu), chairman];
  Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang, chairman]; other
  minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Taiwan independence movement, various business and environmental
  groups
  note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
  mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
  and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
  legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
  identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan
  currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate
  outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's
  people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan
  independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
  with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
  include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
  UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the
  World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for
  Taiwan Nation Building

International organization participation:
  APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people of the US are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Diplomatic representation from the US: none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite 1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX: [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road, Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX: [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building, Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2) 2757-7162

Flag description:
  red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Economy Taiwan

Economy - overview:
  Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing
  guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities.
  In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and
  industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have provided the
  primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is
  substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest.
  Agriculture contributes less than 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952.
  Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia. China has
  overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because
  of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial
  strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its
  neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global
  economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by
  the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed
  Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth
  ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels. Output
  recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global
  slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans; and the
  essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in 2003-04. Growing
  economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor, e.g.,
  exports to China of parts and equipment for the assembly of goods
  for export to developed countries.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $576.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.7% industry: 30.9% services: 67.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  10.22 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 8%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  1% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 6.7% highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $67.41 billion
  expenditures: $76.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  32.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef, milk; fish

Industries:
  electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals, textiles,
  iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing, vehicles,
  consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Industrial production growth rate:
  12.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  158.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 6% nuclear: 22.6% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  147.4 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  2.9 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  38.23 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $21.16 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $170.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles,
  plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Exports - partners:
  China, including Hong Kong 37%, US 16%, Japan 7.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $165.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision
  instruments (2002)

Imports - partners:
  Japan 26%, US 13%, China, including Hong Kong 11%, South Korea 6.9%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $246.5 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $55.5 billion (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Currency code:
  TWD

Exchange rates:
  new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 33.422 (2004), 34.418 (2003),
  34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December 2000
  for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Communications Taiwan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  13.355 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  25,089,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: provides telecommunications service for every
  business and private need
  domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
  international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to
  Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
  Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Radios:
  16 million (1994)

Television broadcast stations:
  29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  8.8 million (1998)

Internet country code:
  .tw

Internet hosts:
  2,777,085 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (2000)

Internet users:
  13.8 million (2005)

Transportation Taiwan

Railways:
  total: 2,497 km
  narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)
  note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar
  Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products
  and limited numbers of passengers (2004)

Highways:
  total: 37,299 km
  paved: 35,621 km (including 608 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine:
  total: 126 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, container 37,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 9, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)
  registered in other countries: 432 (2005)

Airports:
  40 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 37 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Military Taiwan

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
  Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
  Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Military service age and obligation:
  19-40 years of age for military service (being lowered to 35 years
  of age in July 2005); service obligation 22 months (being shortened
  to 18 months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (2005)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 19-49: 5,883,828 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 19-49: 4,749,537 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 174,173 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $7.574 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Taiwan

Disputes - international:
  involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia, Philippines,
  Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands; the 2002
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
  eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code of
  conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands are
  occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003, China
  and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims to the
  uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's
  unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East China Sea
  where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Illicit drugs:
  regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
  problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;
  renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tajikistan

Introduction Tajikistan

Background:
  The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and 1870s,
  but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the Revolution
  of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely contested and
  not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan became independent in
  1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union and has now completed
  its transition from the civil war that plagued the country from 1992
  to 1997. There have been no major security incidents in recent
  years, although the country remains the poorest in the region.
  Attention by the international community in the wake of the war in
  Afghanistan has brought increased economic development assistance,
  which could create jobs and increase stability in the long term.
  Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade
  Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Geography Tajikistan

Location:
  Central Asia, west of China

Geographic coordinates:
  39 00 N, 71 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 143,100 sq km
  land: 142,700 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,651 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters; semiarid to
  polar in Pamir Mountains

Terrain:
  Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley
  in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
  highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal, lead,
  zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Land use: arable land: 6.61% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 92.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  earthquakes and floods

Environment - current issues: inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the Trans-Alay Range in
  the north and the Pamirs in the southeast; highest point, Qullai
  Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was the tallest mountain
  in the former USSR

People Tajikistan

Population:
  7,163,506 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 38.5% (male 1,390,220/female 1,368,268)
  15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,022,764/female 2,040,524)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 150,372/female 191,358) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.73 years
  male: 19.45 years
  female: 20.02 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.15% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  32.58 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 110.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 122.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 98.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.56 years
  male: 61.68 years
  female: 67.59 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Tajikistani(s)
  adjective: Tajikistani

Ethnic groups:
  Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%, other 2.6%
  (2000 census)

Religions:
  Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Languages:
  Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and business

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Government Tajikistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
  conventional short form: Tajikistan
  local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
  local short form: Tojikiston
  former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dushanbe

Administrative divisions: 2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1 autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand) note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Independence:
  9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Constitution:
  6 November 1994

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6 November 1994;
  head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19 November 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
  minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
  constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
  set a limit of two seven-year terms for the president
  election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
  vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the Assembly
  of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon (63
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy (33
  seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
  deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 February and 13 March 2000 for the Assembly
  of Representatives (next to be held NA 2010) and 23 March 2000 for
  the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - PDPT 74%, CPT 13%, Islamic Revival Party 8%, other 5%; seats
  by party - PDPT 49, CPT 4, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5,
  vacant 3; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - NA

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV]; Islamic Revival
  Party [Said Abdullo NURI]; People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan
  or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or SDPT
  [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn NAZRIYEV];
  Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  there are three unregistered political parties: Agrarian Party or
  APT [Hikmatullo NASRIDDINOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton QUVVATOV];
  Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hamrohon ZARIPOV
  chancery: 1725 K Street NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
  FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is still handled in Almaty at: 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty, Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48, 21-03-52, 24-15-60 FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62, 51-00-28

Flag description:
  three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of white, and
  green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold, five-pointed stars is
  located in the center of the white stripe

Economy Tajikistan

Economy - overview:
  Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among the 15
  former Soviet republics. Only 5% to 6% of the land area is arable.
  Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied but
  limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten.
  Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower
  facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry
  and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the
  already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
  industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
  people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
  experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
  privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
  further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
  however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
  reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
  debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
  in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
  period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
  Tajikistan.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.95 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  10.5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23.7% industry: 24.3% services: 52% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  3.187 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  40% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  60% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.2% highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  34.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $311.2 million
  expenditures: $321.5 million, including capital expenditures of $86
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
  aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement, vegetable
  oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and freezers

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.2% (2002 est.)

Electricity - production:
  15.08 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 1.9% hydro: 98.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  14.41 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  3.974 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  4.359 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Current account balance:
  $-52 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.13 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Netherlands 41.4%, Turkey 15.3%, Uzbekistan 7.2%, Latvia 7.1%,
  Switzerland 6.9%, Russia 6.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide, machinery and
  equipment, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Russia 20.2%, Uzbekistan 14.2%, Kazakhstan 12.8%, Azerbaijan 7.2%,
  US 6.7%, China 4.8%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $145.3 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $888 million (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $60.7 million from US (2001)

Currency (code):
  somoni

Currency code:
  TJS

Exchange rates:
  Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614 (2003),
  2.7641 (2002), 2.3722 (2001), 2.0763 (2000)
  note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,
  with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Tajikistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  242,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  47,600 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poorly developed and not well maintained; many
  towns are not linked to the national network
  domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave
  radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the
  Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to
  international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth
  stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Radios:
  1.291 million (1991)

Television broadcast stations:
  13 (2001)

Televisions:
  820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tj

Internet hosts:
  69 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  4 (2002)

Internet users:
  4,100 (2003)

Transportation Tajikistan

Railways: total: 482 km broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 27,767 km paved: NA unpaved: NA (2000)

Waterways:
  200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 541 km; oil 38 km (2004)

Airports:
  55 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Military Tajikistan

Military branches:
  Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,556,415 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,244,941 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 87,846 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $35.4 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.9% (FY01)

Transnational Issues Tajikistan

Disputes - international:
  boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of Pamir
  Mountain range to China in return for China relinquishing claims to
  28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands but neither state has published
  maps of ceded areas and demarcation has not yet commenced; talks
  continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove minefields;
  disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with Kyrgyzstan

Illicit drugs:
  major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and,
  to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
  cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption; Tajikistan
  seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in Central Asia and
  stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates (heroin and raw opium)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tanzania

Introduction Tanzania

Background:
  Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged to form
  the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an end in
  1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country since
  the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular opposition
  have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which the ruling
  party won despite international observers' claims of voting
  irregularities.

Geography Tanzania

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and
  Mozambique

Geographic coordinates:
  6 00 S, 35 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 945,087 sq km
  land: 886,037 sq km
  water: 59,050 sq km
  note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than twice the size of California

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,861 km
  border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
  km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Coastline:
  1,424 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Terrain:
  plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north, south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Natural resources:
  hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds, gemstones,
  gold, natural gas, nickel

Land use: arable land: 4.52% permanent crops: 1.08% other: 94.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season; drought

Environment - current issues:
  soil degradation; deforestation; desertification; destruction of
  coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent droughts affected
  marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by illegal hunting and
  trade, especially for ivory

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three of the
  largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
  second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
  world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

People Tanzania

Population:
  36,766,356
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 44% (male 8,100,216/female 8,074,171)
  15-64 years: 53.4% (male 9,665,957/female 9,963,772)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 418,080/female 544,160) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.62 years
  male: 17.36 years
  female: 17.89 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.83% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  38.16 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  16.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 98.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 88.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 45.24 years
  male: 44.56 years
  female: 45.94 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.06 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  8.8% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.6 million (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  160,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever and plague are high
  risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Tanzanian(s)
  adjective: Tanzanian

Ethnic groups:
  mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu consisting of
  more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian, European, and
  Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and native African

Religions:
  mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs 35%;
  Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Languages:
  Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in
  Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
  administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
  Zanzibar), many local languages
  note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
  living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
  is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
  of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
  lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
  most people is one of the local languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili (Swahili),
  English, or Arabic
  total population: 78.2%
  male: 85.9%
  female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Government Tanzania

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
  conventional short form: Tanzania
  former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been transferred to
  Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital; the National
  Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Administrative divisions:
  26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera, Kigoma,
  Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara, Mwanza,
  Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga, Singida,
  Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North, Zanzibar
  Urban/West

Independence:
  26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December 1961 (from
  UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became independent 19
  December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with Zanzibar 26 April
  1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar; renamed
  United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

National holiday:
  Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Constitution:
  25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts
  limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23 November
  1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July 2001);
  note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
  November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
  2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
  matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
  office on 29 October 2000
  cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
  appointed by the president from among the members of the National
  Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
  2000 (next to be held 30 October 2005); prime minister appointed by
  the president
  election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
  percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
  LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232 elected by
  popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the president, five
  to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives; members serve
  five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws that apply to
  the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly enacts laws
  that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own House of
  Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the Zanzibar
  House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by universal
  suffrage to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held 30 October
  2005)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,
  Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16

Judicial branch:
  Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court of
  Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
  (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
  president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
  Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
  higher courts)

Political parties and leaders:
  Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
  Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
  (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
  or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
  [Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
  Lyatonga MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125 FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015 FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Flag description:
  divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the lower
  hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
  lower triangle is blue

Economy Tanzania

Economy - overview:
  Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The economy
  depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost half of
  GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work force.
  Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated crops
  to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured the
  processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods. The
  World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral donors
  have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date economic
  infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in 1991-2002
  featured a pickup in industrial production and a substantial
  increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Recent banking reforms
  have helped increase private sector growth and investment. Continued
  donor assistance and solid macroeconomic policies supported real GDP
  growth of nearly 6% in 2004.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $23.71 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 43.2% industry: 17.2% services: 39.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  19 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  36% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  38.2 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.985 billion
  expenditures: $2.074 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
  chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat, cassava
  (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Industries:
  agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal twine),
  diamond, gold and iron mining, soda ash, oil refining, shoes,
  cement, apparel, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.4% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.727 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 18.9% hydro: 81.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.566 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  30 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  11.33 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-327.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.248 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Exports - partners:
  India 9.1%, Spain 8.3%, Netherlands 6.4%, Japan 5.8%, UK 5%, China
  4.8%, Kenya 4.7% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.972 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment, industrial
  raw materials, crude oil

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 13.1%, China 8.1%, India 6.6%, Kenya 5.6%, UAE 5.5%,
  US 4.9%, UK 4.8%, Bahrain 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.175 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $7.321 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.2 billion (2001)

Currency (code):
  Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Currency code:
  TZS

Exchange rates:
  Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,089.33 (2004), 1,038.42
  (2003), 966.58 (2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use:
  149,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  891,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system operating below capacity and being
  modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture terminal)
  system under construction
  domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio
  relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being
  made digital
  international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  8.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (1999)

Televisions:
  103,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tz

Internet hosts:
  5,534 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  250,000 (2003)

Transportation Tanzania

Railways: total: 3,690 km narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 88,200 km paved: 3,704 km unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal avenues of
  commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 29 km; oil 866 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City

Merchant marine:
  total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,481 GRT/31,011 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 4
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  123 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 112 1,524 to 2,437 m: 19 914 to 1,523 m: 60 under 914 m: 33 (2004 est.)

Military Tanzania

Military branches:
  Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing, Air
  Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service

Military service age and obligation: 15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $20.6 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Tanzania

Disputes - international:
  disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi)
  and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 447,877 (Burundi) 153,155 (Democratic
  Republic of the Congo) 3,036 (Somalia) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  growing role in transshipment of southwest and southeast Asian
  heroin and south American cocaine destined for south African,
  European, and US markets and of south Asian methaqualone bound for
  southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Thailand

Introduction Thailand

Background:
  A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century.
  Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian
  country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
  bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
  alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
  following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence
  in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

Geography Thailand

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of
  Thailand, southeast of Burma

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 100 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 514,000 sq km
  land: 511,770 sq km
  water: 2,230 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,863 km
  border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
  Malaysia 506 km

Coastline:
  3,219 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
  September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
  southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain:
  central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources:
  tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish,
  gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Land use: arable land: 29.36% permanent crops: 6.46% other: 64.18% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the
  water table; droughts

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People Thailand

Population:
  65,444,371
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.9% (male 7,988,529/female 7,633,405)
  15-64 years: 68.6% (male 22,195,625/female 22,731,767)
  65 years and over: 7.5% (male 2,251,112/female 2,643,933) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.88 years
  male: 30.11 years
  female: 31.66 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.87% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 71.95 years
  male: 69.65 years
  female: 74.37 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  570,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  58,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some locations animal contact disease: rabies water contact disease: leptospirosis (2004)

Nationality: noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:
  Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Religions:
  Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000
  census)

Languages:
  Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
  regional dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 90.5% (2002)

Government Thailand

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
  conventional short form: Thailand
  former: Siam

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Bangkok

Administrative divisions:
  76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang
  Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,
  Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng
  Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon
  (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha
  Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,
  Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
  Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
  Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
  Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
  Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
  Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
  Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
  Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
  Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Independence:
  1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday:
  Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Constitution:
  new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Legal system:
  based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
  head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9
  February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHITCHAI Wannasathi (since
  11 March 2005), PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004), SOMKHIT
  Chatusiphithak (since 11 March 2005), SURAKIAT Sathianthai (since 11
  March 2005); SURIYA Chungrungruankit (since 3 August 2005), SUWAT
  Liptapanlop (since 3 August 2005), WISANU Kruangam (since 8 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  note: there is also a Privy Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is
  designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
  following national elections for the House of Representatives, the
  leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually
  is appointed prime minister by the king

Legislative branch:
  bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or
  Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen
  Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
  22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of
  Representatives - last held 6 February 2005 (next to be held in
  February 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa];
  People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai
  Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai
  Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: KASIT Piromya
  chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC
  20007-3681
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
  embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
  mailing address: APO AP 96546
  telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
  FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
  consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description:
  five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width),
  white, and red

Economy Thailand

Economy - overview:
  Thailand has a well developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise
  economy, and welcomes foreign investment. Thailand has fully
  recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and was one of
  East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Increased consumption and
  investment spending and strong export growth pushed GDP growth up to
  6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. The
  highly popular government's expansionist policy, including major
  support of village economic development, has raised concerns about
  fiscal discipline and the health of financial institutions. Bangkok
  has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners
  in an effort to boost exports and maintain high growth, and in 2004
  began negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the US. In late
  December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and
  caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of
  Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $524.8 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 44.3% services: 46.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  36.43 million (November 2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  1.5% (November 2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  10% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  51.1 (2002)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.5% of GDP (Jan - Sep 2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $30.86 billion
  expenditures: $31.94 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  47.6% of GDP (November 2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Industries:
  tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages,
  tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric
  appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits,
  furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten producer, and
  third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  118.9 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 91.3% hydro: 6.4% nuclear: 0% other: 2.4% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  106.1 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  188 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  600 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  225,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  600 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Natural gas - production:
  18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  368.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Current account balance:
  $6.736 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $87.91 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry,
  automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Exports - partners:
  US 15.9%, Japan 13.9%, China 7.3%, Singapore 7.2%, Malaysia 5.4%,
  Hong Kong 5.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $80.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer
  goods, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Japan 23.6%, China 8.6%, US 7.6%, Malaysia 5.8%, Singapore 4.4%,
  Taiwan 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $48.3 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
  $50.59 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $72 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  baht (THB)

Currency code:
  THB

Exchange rates:
  baht per US dollar - 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002),
  44.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Thailand

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,617,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  26.5 million (2005)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas
  like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is
  planned to be complete by 2006
  domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and
  commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and
  outpacing fixed lines
  international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for
  APCN submarine cable

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
  13.96 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  15.19 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .th

Internet hosts:
  103,700 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  15 (2000)

Internet users:
  6,971,500 (2003)

Transportation Thailand

Railways: total: 4,071 km narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 57,403 km paved: 56,542 km unpaved: 861 km (2000 est.)

Waterways: 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Merchant marine:
  total: 386 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597 GRT/3,104,712 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 57, cargo 142, chemical tanker 12, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 21, liquefied gas 25, passenger 3,
  passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 89, refrigerated cargo 30, roll
  on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 55 (Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Norway 45, Singapore 6)
  registered in other countries: 35 (2005)

Airports:
  109 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 65 over 3,047 m: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 44 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 3 (2004 est.)

Military Thailand

Military branches:
  Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine
  Corps), Royal Thai Air Force

Military service age and obligation: 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obliation - 2 years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 21-49: 14.984 million (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 21-49: 10,342,337 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 530,493 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.775 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2003)

Transnational Issues Thailand

Disputes - international:
  separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern
  provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem
  terrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced border
  surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand
  pledge to complete demarcation of their boundary in 2005; despite
  continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain
  with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic
  rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia and
  Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers;
  Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and
  obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia
  by ICJ decision in 1962; ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand
  to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops resulting
  in Thailand sheltering about 118,000 Burmese refugees in 2004;
  Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam
  construction on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists
  in Burma and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of
  hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan
  Province

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 118,407 (Burma) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit
  point for heroin en route to the international drug market from
  Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
  cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
  countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
  efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
  amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing
  indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Togo

Introduction Togo

Background:
  French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
  installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the
  21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
  in the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by
  President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
  maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has come under
  fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is
  plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral and multilateral
  aid to Togo remains frozen, the European Union initiated a partial
  resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004.
  Upon his death in February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by
  his son Faure GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military
  and in contravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged by
  popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders.
  GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and agreed to hold elections in
  late April 2005.

Geography Togo

Location:
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
  Ghana

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 1 10 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 56,785 sq km
  land: 54,385 sq km
  water: 2,400 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Land boundaries: total: 1,647 km border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Coastline: 56 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 30 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Terrain:
  gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau;
  low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Land use: arable land: 46.15% permanent crops: 2.21% other: 51.64% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
  winter; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and the
  use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards and
  hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban areas

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
  geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

People Togo

Population:
  5,681,519
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.2% (male 1,232,759/female 1,224,060)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,505,737/female 1,571,201)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 60,799/female 86,963) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 17.78 years
  male: 17.42 years
  female: 18.14 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.17% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  33.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  11.8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 66.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 57.01 years
  male: 55.02 years
  female: 59.06 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  110,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  10,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Togolese

Ethnic groups:
  native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,
  Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Religions:
  indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Languages:
  French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the
  two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled
  Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 60.9%
  male: 75.4%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Government Togo

Country name:
  conventional long form: Togolese Republic
  conventional short form: Togo
  local long form: Republique Togolaise
  local short form: none
  former: French Togoland

Government type:
  republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Capital:
  Lome

Administrative divisions:
  5 regions (regions, singular - region); Kara, Plateaux, Savanes,
  Centrale, Maritime

Independence:
  27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Constitution:
  multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the
  Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Legal system:
  French-based court system

Suffrage:
  NA years of age; universal adult

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February 2005);
  note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was succeeded
  by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April 2005
  validated the succession
  head of government: Prime Minister Edem KODJO (since 8 June 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held NA); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of
  vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas
  LAWSON 1.0%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.6%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
  note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
  the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Political parties and leaders:
  Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace and
  Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for Development
  and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the Togolese People
  or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress
  or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]
  note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President
  GNASSINGBE, was the only party until the formation of multiple
  parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212 FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94 FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Flag description:
  five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom) alternating
  with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red square in
  the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African colors of
  Ethiopia

Economy Togo

Economy - overview:
  This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
  commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
  for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
  imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
  earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is
  the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production
  fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of
  developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,
  supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic
  reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in
  line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on
  following through on privatization, increased openness in government
  financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and
  continued support from foreign donors.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $8.684 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 39.5% industry: 20.4% services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  1.74 million (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  32% (1989 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $239.2 million
  expenditures: $273.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans, rice,
  millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Industries:
  phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,
  textiles, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  108.8 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 98.7% hydro: 1.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  451.2 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-125.6 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $663.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Exports - partners:
  Burkina Faso 16.4%, Ghana 15.1%, Benin 9.4%, Mali 7.6%, China 7.5%,
  India 5.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $824.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Imports - partners:
  China 25.5%, India 13.3%, France 11.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $267.4 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Currency code:
  XOF

Exchange rates:
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 528.29
  (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Togo

Telephones - main lines in use:
  60,600 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  220,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
  radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile
  cellular system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
  system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
  international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  940,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  73,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tg

Internet hosts:
  82 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  3 (2001)

Internet users:
  210,000 (2003)

Transportation Togo

Railways: total: 568 km narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 7,520 km paved: 2,376 km unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Kpeme, Lome

Merchant marine:
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  9 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Togo

Military branches:
  Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
  (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,148,890 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 629,933 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $35.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (2004)

Transnational Issues Togo

Disputes - international:
  in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
  commission continues to resurvey the boundary

Illicit drugs:
  transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
  laundering not a significant problem

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tokelau

Introduction Tokelau

Background:
  Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island
  groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in
  1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Geography Tokelau

Location:
  Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  9 00 S, 172 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 10 sq km
  land: 10 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  101 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Terrain:
  low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Environment - current issues:
  very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to
  emigration to New Zealand

Geography - note:
  consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number
  of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three
  meters above sea level

People Tokelau

Population: 1,405 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 42% 15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.01% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  NA

Death rate:
  NA

Net migration rate:
  NA

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA
  male: -9 years
  female: -9 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tokelauan(s)
  adjective: Tokelauan

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian

Religions:
  Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
  note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
  Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
  the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Languages:
  Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Literacy:
  NA

Government Tokelau

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Tokelau

Dependency status:
  self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are
  drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of
  self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New
  Zealand

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Independence:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

National holiday:
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
  over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Constitution:
  administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970

Legal system:
  New Zealand and local statutes

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General of New Zealand Dame Silvia
  CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); New Zealand is represented by
  Administrator Neil WALTER (since 1 March 2003)
  head of government: Pio TUIA (since February 2005); note - position
  rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)
  cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,
  consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku
  (village mayors) functions as a cabinet
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the
  head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves
  a one-year term

Legislative branch:
  unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional
  representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to
  serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats,
  Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers
  limited legislative power on the General Fono
  elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
  jurisdiction in Tokelau

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  UNESCO (associate), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Flag description:
  the flag of New Zealand is used

Economy Tokelau

Economy - overview:
  Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of
  resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
  agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
  from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
  services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
  principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
  stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
  families from relatives in New Zealand.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.5 million (1993 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $430,800
  expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
  $37,300 (1987 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats

Industries:
  small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited
  craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Exports:
  $98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Exports - commodities:
  stamps, copra, handicrafts

Exports - partners:
  New Zealand (2000)

Imports:
  $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand (2000)

Debt - external:
  $0

Economic aid - recipient:
  from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Currency (code):
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Currency code:
  NZD

Exchange rates:
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003),
  2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 April - 31 March

Communications Tokelau

Telephones - main lines in use:
  300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2001)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system;
  domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
  international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
  government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite
  earth stations, established in 1997

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)

Radios:
  1,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tk

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Tokelau

Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004
  est.)

Military Tokelau

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Transnational Issues Tokelau

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tonga

Introduction Tonga

Background:
  The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
  Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
  1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
  independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
  Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Geography Tonga

Location:
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds
  of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 175 00 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 748 sq km
  land: 718 sq km
  water: 30 sq km

Area - comparative:
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  419 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May),
  cool season (May to December)

Terrain:
  most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
  formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Natural resources:
  fish, fertile soil

Land use:
  arable land: 23.61%
  permanent crops: 43.06%
  other: 33.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity on
  Fonuafo'ou

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared for
  agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from starfish
  and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting threatens
  native sea turtle populations

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

People Tonga

Population:
  112,422 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 36.2% (male 20,738/female 19,907)
  15-64 years: 59.7% (male 33,226/female 33,853)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,031/female 2,667) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 20.46 years
  male: 19.93 years
  female: 21.02 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.98% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  25.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.53 years
  male: 67.05 years
  female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tongan(s)
  adjective: Tongan

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Religions:
  Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Languages:
  Tongan, English

Literacy:
  definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
  total population: 98.9%
  male: 98.8%
  female: 99% (1996 est.)

Government Tonga

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
  conventional short form: Tonga
  former: Friendly Islands

Government type:
  hereditary constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Nuku'alofa

Administrative divisions:
  3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Independence:
  4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

National holiday:
  Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Constitution:
  4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Legal system:
  based on English law

Suffrage:
  21 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December 1965)
  head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
  (since 3 January 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER
  (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: cabinet consists of 16 members, 12 appointed by the monarch
  for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the
  Legislative Assembly including 2 each from the Nobles and Peoples
  representatives serving three year terms
  note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
  the Cabinet, and two governors
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
  reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
  selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
  vote; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT
  70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
  Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
  justice of the Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders:
  there are no political parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev. Simote
  VEA, chairman]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022 telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025 FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024 consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to Fiji is
  accredited to Tonga

Flag description:
  red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner

Economy Tonga

Economy - overview:
  Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a narrow
  export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas, and
  vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make up
  two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high
  proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the
  second largest source of hard currency earnings following
  remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and
  remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade
  deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the
  private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is
  committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a
  reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social
  services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in
  inflation, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues
  facing the government.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $244 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.5% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 23% industry: 13% services: 64% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  33,910 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  13.3% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  10.3% (2002 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $39.9 million
  expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9
  million (FY99/00 est.)

Agriculture - products: squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa, coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Industries:
  tourism, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
  8.6% (FY98/99)

Electricity - production:
  24.79 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  23.06 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $27 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Exports - partners:
  Japan 37.1%, China 18.7%, US 17.7%, Taiwan 8.7%, New Zealand 7.4%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $86 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  New Zealand 37.1%, Fiji 24.3%, Australia 9.1%, China 8.9%, US 6.3%
  (2004)

Debt - external:
  $63.4 million (2001)

Economic aid - recipient:
  Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Currency (code):
  pa'anga (TOP)

Currency code:
  TOP

Exchange rates:
  pa'anga per US dollar - 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952 (2002),
  2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Tonga

Telephones - main lines in use:
  11,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  9,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: competition between Tonga Telecommunications
  Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications Tonga (SCT) is
  accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT recently granted
  authority to develop high-speed digital service for telephone,
  Internet, and television
  domestic: fully automatic switched network
  international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:
  61,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (2004)

Televisions:
  2,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .to

Internet hosts:
  18,906 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  2,900 (2002)

Transportation Tonga

Highways: total: 680 km paved: 184 km unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Nuku'alofa

Merchant marine:
  total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT
  by type: cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 1, France 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Romania 2,
  United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Airports:
  6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tonga

Military branches:
  Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal Guard),
  Maritime Force (includes Air Wing)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Tonga

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction Trinidad and Tobago

Background:
  The islands came under British control in the 19th century;
  independence was granted in 1962. The country is one of the most
  prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum and natural
  gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in Tobago, is
  targeted for expansion and is growing.

Geography Trinidad and Tobago

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Geographic coordinates:
  11 00 N, 61 00 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 5,128 sq km
  land: 5,128 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  362 km

Maritime claims:
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin

Climate:
  tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Terrain:
  mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Land use: arable land: 14.62% permanent crops: 9.16% other: 76.22% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  outside usual path of hurricanes and other tropical storms

Environment - current issues: water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is the world's
  largest natural reservoir of asphalt

People Trinidad and Tobago

Population:
  1,088,644 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.7% (male 115,594/female 109,665)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 403,301/female 369,664)
  65 years and over: 8.3% (male 40,638/female 49,782) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 30.91 years
  male: 30.46 years
  female: 31.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.74% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  12.81 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -10.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 66.73 years
  male: 65.6 years
  female: 67.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  3.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  29,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  1,900 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
  adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Ethnic groups:
  Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed 20.5%, other 1.2%,
  unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%, Baptist 7.2%,
  Pentecostal 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other Christian 5.8%,
  Muslim 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none 1.9% (2000 census)

Languages:
  English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish, Chinese

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Government Trinidad and Tobago

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
  conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Port-of-Spain

Administrative divisions: 9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3 borough corporations, and 1 ward : regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin, Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco : city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando; : borough corporations: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas : ward: Tobago

Independence:
  31 August 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Constitution:
  1 August 1976

Legal system:
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in
  the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George Maxwell RICHARDS (since 17 March
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
  elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
  of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
  five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held
  in 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the
  leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
  election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent
  of electoral college vote - 43%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31 seats; 16 members
  appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President, 6 by the
  opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the House of
  Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
  to be held by October 2007)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
  55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16
  note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members
  serving four-year terms

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the High Court of Justice
  and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is appointed by the
  president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader
  of the opposition; other justices are appointed by the president on
  the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission); High Court
  of Justice; Court of Appeals; the highest court of appeal is the
  Privy Council in London

Political parties and leaders:
  National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR [Lennox SANKERSINGH];
  People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick MANNING]; Team Unity or
  TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National Congress or UNC [Basdeo
  PANDAY]; Democratic Action Committee or DAC [Hochoy CHARLES], note -
  only active in Tobago

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

International organization participation:
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette VALERE
  chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
  embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
  mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
  telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176
  FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Flag description:
  red with a white-edged black diagonal band from the upper hoist
  side to the lower fly side

Economy Trinidad and Tobago

Economy - overview:
  Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas,
  has earned a reputation as an excellent investment site for
  international businesses. Tourism is a growing sector, although not
  proportionately as important as in many other Caribbean islands. The
  economy benefits from low inflation and a growing trade surplus.
  Prospects for growth in 2004 are good as prices for oil,
  petrochemicals, and liquified natural gas are expected to remain
  high, and foreign direct investment continues to grow to support
  expanded capacity in the energy sector. The government is coping
  with a rise in violent crime.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.48 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 2.7% industry: 47% services: 50.3% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 590,000 (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  10.4% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  21% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.25 billion
  expenditures: $3.193 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $117.3 million (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  54.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Industries:
  petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing, cement, beverage,
  cotton textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.2% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  5.743 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.8% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0.2% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.341 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  140,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Natural gas - production:
  25 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  13.76 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  11.79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  589 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Current account balance:
  $1.548 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $6.671 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, steel products,
  fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Exports - partners:
  US 67.1%, Jamaica 5.7%, France 3.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $4.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transportation equipment, manufactured goods, food, live
  animals

Imports - partners:
  US 23.9%, Venezuela 11.5%, Germany 11.2%, Brazil 10.7%, Spain 6.4%,
  Italy 5.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.927 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $2.94 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $24 million (1999 est.)

Currency (code):
  Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Currency code:
  TTD

Exchange rates:
  Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar - 6.299 (2004), 6.2951
  (2003), 6.2487 (2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Trinidad and Tobago

Telephones - main lines in use:
  325,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  361,900 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: excellent international service; good local
  service
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and
  Guyana

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  680,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (2004)

Televisions:
  425,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tt

Internet hosts:
  8,003 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  17 (2000)

Internet users:
  138,000 (2002)

Transportation Trinidad and Tobago

Highways: total: 8,320 km paved: 4,252 km unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178 GRT/3,633 DWT
  by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 4 (2005)

Airports:
  6 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Trinidad and Tobago

Military branches:
  Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force, Coast Guard
  (includes Air Wing) (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription
  (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 293,094 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 203,531 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $66.7 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  0.6% (2003)

Transnational Issues Trinidad and Tobago

Disputes - international:
  Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS that the northern
  limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with Venezuela
  extends into its waters; Guyana has also expressed its intention to
  challenge this boundary as it may extend into its waters as well

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US
  and Europe; producer of cannabis

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tromelin Island

Introduction Tromelin Island

Background:
  First explored by the French in 1776, the island came under the
  jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it serves as a sea
  turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important meteorological
  station.

Geography Tromelin Island

Location:
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar

Geographic coordinates:
  15 52 S, 54 25 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 1 sq km
  land: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  3.7 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  climatologically important location for forecasting cyclones;
  wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

People Tromelin Island

Population: uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Government Tromelin Island

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tromelin Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Tromelin

Dependency status:
  possession of France; administered by the Administrateur Superieur
  of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of France is used

Economy Tromelin Island

Economy - overview: no economic activity

Communications Tromelin Island

Communications - note: important meteorological station

Transportation Tromelin Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; offshore anchorage only

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tromelin Island

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Tromelin Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Mauritius

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tunisia

Introduction Tunisia

Background:
  Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
  BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
  country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
  establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
  recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
  its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
  pressure for a more open political society.

Geography Tunisia

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria
  and Libya

Geographic coordinates:
  34 00 N, 9 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 163,610 sq km
  land: 155,360 sq km
  water: 8,250 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Georgia

Land boundaries: total: 1,424 km border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Coastline: 1,148 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm

Climate:
  temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers;
  desert in south

Terrain:
  mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south merges
  into the Sahara

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
  highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Land use:
  arable land: 17.86%
  permanent crops: 13.74%
  other: 68.4% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues: toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and Tunisia are
  discussing the commercial exploitation of the continental shelf
  between their countries, particularly for oil exploration

People Tunisia

Population:
  10,074,951 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.3% (male 1,316,308/female 1,234,309)
  15-64 years: 68.1% (male 3,437,880/female 3,418,591)
  65 years and over: 6.6% (male 321,287/female 346,576) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.29 years
  male: 26.78 years
  female: 27.82 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.99% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.89 years
  male: 73.2 years
  female: 76.71 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2004)

Nationality: noun: Tunisian(s) adjective: Tunisian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Religions:
  Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Languages:
  Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French
  (commerce)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.3%
  male: 83.4%
  female: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Government Tunisia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
  conventional short form: Tunisia
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
  local short form: Tunis

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Tunis

Administrative divisions:
  24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous (Bin
  'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah), Jendouba
  (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn), Kebili
  (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba (Manubah),
  Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul (Nabul), Sfax
  (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana (Silyanah), Sousse
  (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar), Tunis, Zaghouan
  (Zaghwan)

Independence:
  20 March 1956 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Constitution:
  1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Legal system:
  based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session

Suffrage:
  20 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7 November
  1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
  November 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
  fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,
  Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Judicial branch:
  Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Political parties and leaders:
  Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic Rally
  Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD [President
  Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal Social
  Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats or MDS
  [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed BOUCHIHA];
  Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist Democratic
  Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is
  outlawed

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer), FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM,
  OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Nejib HACHANA
  chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
  FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON
  embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
  Goulette, Tunisia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [216] 71 107-000
  FAX: [216] 71 962-115

Flag description:
  red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent nearly
  encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Economy Tunisia

Economy - overview:
  Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural, mining,
  energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental control of
  economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened over the
  past decade with increasing privatization, simplification of the tax
  structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive social
  policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia
  relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9%
  in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism.
  Better rains in 2003 and 2004, however, helped push GDP growth above
  5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat
  operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade
  with the European Union. Broader privatization, further
  liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign
  investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of
  the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $70.88 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.8% industry: 31.8% services: 54.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 3.55 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  13.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  7.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  41.7 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  24.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $6.799 billion
  expenditures: $7.573 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  59.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruit,
  beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Industries:
  petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore), tourism,
  textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  10.72 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.5% hydro: 0.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  10.05 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  10 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  90 million kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  77.16 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $71.85 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $9.926 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, agricultural
  products, hydrocarbons

Exports - partners:
  France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $11.52 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:
  France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.509 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $14.71 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $114.6 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  Tunisian dinar (TND)

Currency code:
  TND

Exchange rates:
  Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885 (2003),
  1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Tunisia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,163,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,899,900 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: above the African average and continuing to be
  upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis; Internet
  access available
  domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial
  cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial
  cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in
  Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  2.06 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  920,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tn

Internet hosts:
  281 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  630,000 (2003)

Transportation Tunisia

Railways:
  total: 2,152 km
  standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 18,997 km
  paved: 12,424 km (including 142 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,573 km (2001)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira

Merchant marine:
  total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, passenger/cargo
  4, petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Airports:
  30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Tunisia

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force (2003)

Military service age and obligation: 20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 2,441,741 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 2,035,431 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 108,817 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $356 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Tunisia

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Turkey

Introduction Turkey

Background:
  Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants of
  the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who was
  later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."
  Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging
  social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party
  rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950
  election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful
  transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have
  multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of
  instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),
  which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political
  power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the
  ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then
  Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus
  in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since
  acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"
  which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984
  by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's
  Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the
  Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives, but
  after the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents
  largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK
  announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK
  increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a
  member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the
  European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many
  reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to
  begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Geography Turkey

Location:
  southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of Turkey
  west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe), bordering
  the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering the
  Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Geographic coordinates:
  39 00 N, 35 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 780,580 sq km
  land: 770,760 sq km
  water: 9,820 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,648 km
  border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
  Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Coastline:
  7,200 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea and in
  Mediterranean Sea
  exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary
  agreed upon with the former USSR

Climate:
  temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher in
  interior

Terrain:
  high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain; several
  mountain ranges

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Natural resources:
  coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold, barite,
  borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
  magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
  land, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 30.93% permanent crops: 3.31% other: 65.76% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along an
  arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Environment - current issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus, Sea
  of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
  Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
  eastern portion of the country

People Turkey

Population:
  69,660,559 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 26% (male 9,232,439/female 8,897,135)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 23,806,367/female 23,053,536)
  65 years and over: 6.7% (male 2,140,242/female 2,530,840) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.7 years
  male: 27.52 years
  female: 27.89 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.09% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  5.96 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 41.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 72.36 years
  male: 69.94 years
  female: 74.91 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided (2001
  est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Turk(s)
  adjective: Turkish

Ethnic groups:
  Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Religions:
  Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)

Languages:
  Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 94.3%
  female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Government Turkey

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
  conventional short form: Turkey
  local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Turkiye

Government type:
  republican parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Ankara

Administrative divisions:
  81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,
  Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,
  Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,
  Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,
  Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,
  Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta,
  Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu,
  Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya,
  Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,
  Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,
  Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,
  Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Independence:
  29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

National holiday:
  Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Constitution:
  7 November 1982

Legal system:
  civil law system derived from various European continental legal
  systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations;
  note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although
  Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European
  Convention on Human Rights

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May
  2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among members
  of parliament
  election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third
  ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%
  note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National
  Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third
  ballot

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
  Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
  - a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
  on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
  a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister, on
  14 March 2003
  election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
  DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
  - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
  10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as
  of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5,
  vacant 1

Judicial branch:
  Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay); Council of
  State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military High Court
  of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic
  People's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Justice and Development
  Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
  [Emin SIRIN]; Motherland Party or ANAP [Ali Talip OZDEMIR];
  Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Republican
  People's Party or CHP (includes the New Turkey Party) [Deniz
  BAYKAL]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated as Contentment Party)
  or SP [Necmettin ERBEKAN]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP
  [Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct
  Way Party) or DYP [Mehmet AGAR]
  note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of
  the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
  Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
  CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
  or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim
  USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or
  TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or
  TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
  [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
  TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
  Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC, EBRD,
  ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700 FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823 telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555 FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019 consulate(s) general: Istanbul consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Flag description:
  red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is toward
  the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just outside
  the crescent opening

Economy Turkey

Economy - overview:
  Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry and
  commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in 2004
  still accounted for more than 35% of employment. It has a strong and
  rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays a major
  role in basic industry, banking, transport, and communication. The
  largest industrial sector is textiles and clothing, which accounts
  for one-third of industrial employment; it faces stiff competition
  in international markets with the end of the global quota system.
  However, other sectors, notably the automotive and electronics
  industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's export mix. In
  recent years the economic situation has been marked by erratic
  economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth has exceeded
  6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been interrupted by
  sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001. Inflation, in
  recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to 9.3% by 2004 -
  a 30-year low. Despite these strong economic gains in 2002-04, which
  were largely due to renewed investor interest in emerging markets,
  IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the economy is still plagued
  with high debt and deficits. The public sector fiscal deficit
  exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to the huge burden of interest
  payments, which accounted for more than 40% of central government
  spending in 2004, and to populist spending. Foreign direct
  investment (FDI) in Turkey remains low - averaging less than $1
  billion annually, but further economic and judicial reforms and
  prospective EU membership are expected to boost FDI. A major
  political and economic issue over the next decade is whether or not
  Turkey will become a member of the EU.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $508.7 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  8.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11.7% industry: 29.8% services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  25.3 million
  note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 35.9%, industry 22.8%, services 41.2% (3rd quarter,
  2004)

Unemployment rate:
  9.3% (plus underemployment of 4.0%) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  20% (2002)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  42 (2003)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  17.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $78.53 billion
  expenditures: $110.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;
  livestock

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite, copper,
  boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Industrial production growth rate:
  16.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  139.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 79.3% hydro: 20.4% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  117.9 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  433 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  3.6 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  8.685 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-15.3 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $69.46 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport
  equipment

Exports - partners:
  Germany 13.9%, UK 8.8%, US 7.7%, Italy 7.4%, France 5.8%, Spain
  4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $94.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
  equipment

Imports - partners:
  Germany 12.9%, Russia 9.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.4%, US 4.8%, China
  4.6%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $37.1 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $16.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  ODA, $635.8 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  Turkish lira (TRL), New Turkish lira (YTL) after 1 January 2005

Currency code:
  TRL, YTL

Exchange rates:
  Turkish liras per US dollar - 1,425,500 (2004), 1,500,900 (2003),
  1,507,200 (2002), 1,225,600 (2001), 625,200 (2000)
  Note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish Lira (TRL)was converted to
  New Turkish Lira (YTL) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 New Turkish
  Lira

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Turkey

Telephones - main lines in use:
  18,916,700 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  27,887,500 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and expansion,
  especially with cellular telephones
  domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
  increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
  technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
  fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating
  communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
  domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile
  cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
  international: country code - 90; international service is provided
  by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black
  Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,
  and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile
  satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios:
  11.3 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  20.9 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tr

Internet hosts:
  355,215 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2001)

Internet users:
  5.5 million (2003)

Transportation Turkey

Railways: total: 8,697 km standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 354,421 km
  paved: 147,404 km (including 1,851 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 207,017 km (2002)

Waterways:
  1,200 km (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Kocaeli (Izmit),
  Skhira, Toros

Merchant marine:
  total: 526 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,666,895 GRT/7,311,504 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 108, cargo 228, chemical tanker 45,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 6, passenger 5,
  passenger/cargo 50, petroleum tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 22, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 3, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1,
  Switzerland 1)
  registered in other countries: 231 (2005)

Airports:
  119 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 87
  over 3,047 m: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  14 (2004 est.)

Military Turkey

Military branches:
  Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces (includes
  Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  20 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 16,756,323 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 13,905,901 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 679,734 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $12.155 billion (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.3% (2003)

Military - note:
  in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but badly
  equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but only
  one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six were
  mechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has produced
  highly moblie forces with greatly enhanced firepower in accordance
  with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)

Transnational Issues Turkey

Disputes - international:
  complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece in the
  Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria and Iraq
  protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper Euphrates
  waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in
  Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over Nagorno-Karabakh

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 350,000-1,000,000 (fighting from 1984-99 between Kurdish PKK
  and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern provinces) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western Europe and
  - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea routes;
  major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking
  organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
  imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey
  as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over
  areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
  concentrate

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Turkmenistan

Introduction Turkmenistan

Background:
  Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a
  Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the
  dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute
  control over the country and opposition is not tolerated. Extensive
  hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to this
  underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were to
  be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to
  develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to
  break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Geography Turkmenistan

Location:
  Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Kazakhstan

Geographic coordinates:
  40 00 N, 60 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 488,100 sq km
  land: 488,100 sq km
  water: negl.

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,736 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
  km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
  0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea (1,768 km)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  subtropical desert

Terrain:
  flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to mountains in the
  south; low mountains along border with Iran; borders Caspian Sea in
  west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note - Sarygamysh Koli is a
  lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water level that fluctuates
  above and below the elevation of Vpadina Akchanaya (the lake has
  dropped as low as -110 m)
  highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Land use: arable land: 3.72% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.14% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural chemicals,
  pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor irrigation
  methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large share of the
  flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to that river's
  inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate portions of
  the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert, which
  occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

People Turkmenistan

Population:
  4,952,081 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 35.7% (male 909,113/female 860,128)
  15-64 years: 60.2% (male 1,462,198/female 1,516,836)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 78,119/female 125,687) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 21.56 years
  male: 20.68 years
  female: 22.44 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.81% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  27.68 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 73.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 69.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.39 years
  male: 58.02 years
  female: 64.93 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2004 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Turkmen(s)
  adjective: Turkmen

Ethnic groups:
  Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Religions:
  Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages:
  Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 98.3% (1995 est.)

Government Turkmenistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turkmenistan
  local long form: none
  local short form: Turkmenistan
  former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
  outside the executive branch

Capital:
  Ashgabat

Administrative divisions:
  5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal Welayaty
  (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz Welayaty, Lebap
  Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Constitution:
  adopted 18 May 1992

Legal system:
  based on civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers
  Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first direct
  presidential election occurred); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of
  Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first
  direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
  December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk
  Maslahaty)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when
  NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note -
  President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by
  the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the
  cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president
  election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
  opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Legislative branch:
  under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a
  unicameral People's Council or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative
  body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular
  vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a
  unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last
  held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
  election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -
  all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of
  Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV
  note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of
  the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative
  organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and
  the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its
  supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the
  constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the
  president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and
  the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of
  making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative
  branches of government

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat NIYAZOV]
  note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
  opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the
  two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and
  Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris
  SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25
  November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is
  led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of
  Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of
  opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
  chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
  embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000
  mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070
  telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
  FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Flag description:
  green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist side,
  containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs) stacked
  above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive branches on
  the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars appear in
  the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the red stripe

Economy Turkmenistan

Economy - overview:
  Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive agriculture
  in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources. One-half of its
  irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was the world's
  tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years have led to a
  nearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an authoritarian
  ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based social structure,
  Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to economic reform,
  hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its inefficient
  economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In 1998-2004,
  Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate export
  routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive short-term
  external debt. At the same time, however, total exports rose by
  perhaps 30% in 2003 and 19% in 2004, largely because of higher
  international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the near
  future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty, the
  burden of foreign debt, the government's irrational use of oil and
  gas revenues, and its unwillingness to adopt market-oriented
  reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and
  GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In
  particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $27.6 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: IMF estimate: 7.5% note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these estimates are notoriously unreliable (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 28.5% industry: 42.7% services: 28.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  2.32 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 48.2%, industry 13.8%, services 37% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  60% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  58% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  40.8 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  29% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.05 billion
  expenditures: $3.05 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, grain; livestock

Industries:
  natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Industrial production growth rate:
  official government estimate: 22% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  11.41 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 99.9% hydro: 0.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  8.908 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  1.136 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  43.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.43 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $114 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles

Exports - partners:
  Ukraine 46.6%, Iran 17.3%, Turkey 4.2%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.85 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  US 11.8%, Russia 9.7%, UAE 9.2%, Ukraine 9%, Turkey 8.6%, Germany
  8%, France 5%, Georgia 4.6%, Iran 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $3.034 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $16 million from the US (2001)

Currency (code):
  Turkmen manat (TMM)

Currency code:
  TMM

Exchange rates:
  Turkmen manats per US dollar - 10,100 (2004), 10,034 (2003), 10,098
  (2002), 5,200 (2001)
  note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 21,000
  manats to the dollar

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Turkmenistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  374,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  52,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: poorly developed
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave
  radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased
  connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new
  telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new
  exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey
  via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  1.225 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Televisions:
  820,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .tm

Internet hosts:
  524 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1

Internet users:
  8,000 (2002)

Transportation Turkmenistan

Railways: total: 2,440 km broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 24,000 km paved: 19,488 km unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland waterways)
  (2003)

Pipelines:
  gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Turkmenbasy

Merchant marine:
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,
  refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)

Airports:
  53 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 23 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Turkmenistan

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2004)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,132,833 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 759,978 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 56,532 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $90 million (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.4% (FY99)

Transnational Issues Turkmenistan

Disputes - international:
  cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates
  water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; bilateral
  talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and contested
  oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of land boundary
  with Kazakhstan has started but Caspian seabed delimitation remains
  stalled

Illicit drugs:
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and Western
  European markets; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals bound
  for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction Turks and Caicos Islands

Background:
  The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when
  they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's
  independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965
  to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate
  governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982,
  the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas
  territory.

Geography Turks and Caicos Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast
  of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Geographic coordinates:
  21 45 N, 71 35 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 430 sq km
  land: 430 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  389 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry

Terrain:
  low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Natural resources: spiny lobster, conch

Land use: arable land: 2.33% permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  frequent hurricanes

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater

Geography - note: about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

People Turks and Caicos Islands

Population:
  20,556 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,396/female 3,277)
  15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,900/female 6,220)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.35 years
  male: 28.08 years
  female: 26.62 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  11.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.51 years
  male: 72.28 years
  female: 76.84 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: none adjective: none

Ethnic groups:
  black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10%

Religions:
  Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other
  14% (1990)

Languages:
  English (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

People - note:
  destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound
  for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US

Government Turks and Caicos Islands

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of the UK

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Grand Turk

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday:
  Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Constitution:
  introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised
  5 March 1988

Legal system:
  based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica
  and The Bahamas

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1953),
  represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11 July 2005)
  head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15
  August 2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and
  five appointed by the governor from among the members of the
  Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly
  elected; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
  seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
  2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
  has 5

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive
  National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description:
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and
  the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the
  shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus

Economy Turks and Caicos Islands

Economy - overview:
  The Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and
  offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for
  domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of
  tourists, accounting for more than half of the annual 93,000
  visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue also
  include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $216 million (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 4,848 (1990 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services

Unemployment rate:
  10% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4% (1995)

Budget:
  revenues: $47 million
  expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997-98 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Industries:
  tourism, offshore financial services

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  5 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.65 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day

Oil - consumption:
  0 bbl/day

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $169.2 million (2000)

Exports - commodities:
  lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Exports - partners:
  US, UK

Imports:
  $175.6 million (2000)

Imports - commodities:
  food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction
  materials

Imports - partners:
  US, UK

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $4.1 million (1997)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Turks and Caicos Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  5,700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  1,700 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fully digital system with international direct
  dialing
  domestic: full range of services available
  international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  8,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television
  networks) (2004)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .tc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  14 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Turks and Caicos Islands

Highways: total: 121 km paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Ports and harbors:
  Grand Turk, Providenciales

Airports:
  8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Turks and Caicos Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

Transnational Issues Turks and Caicos Islands

Disputes - international:
  have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the
  US and Europe

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Tuvalu

Introduction Tuvalu

Background:
  In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
  Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
  Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
  Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
  British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
  Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
  for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Geography Tuvalu

Location:
  Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the South
  Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 S, 178 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 26 sq km
  land: 26 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  24 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to November);
  westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Terrain:
  very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there were
  three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive to
  changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:
  since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
  potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
  storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
  desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
  because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
  clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
  reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
  very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions
  and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
  underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
  Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
  should make evacuation necessary

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six of the
  coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti, and
  Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
  have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

People Tuvalu

Population:
  11,636 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 30.8% (male 1,823/female 1,756)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 3,620/female 3,847)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 229/female 361) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 24.45 years
  male: 23.36 years
  female: 25.85 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.47% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  21.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.01 years
  male: 65.79 years
  female: 70.33 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Tuvaluan(s)
  adjective: Tuvaluan

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Religions:
  Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist
  1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Languages:
  Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Tuvalu

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tuvalu
  former: Ellice Islands
  note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's
  eight traditionally inhabited islands

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
  debating republic status in 1992

Capital:
  Funafuti; note - administrative offices are located in Vaiaku
  Village on Fongafale Islet

Administrative divisions:
  none

Independence:
  1 October 1978 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Constitution:
  1 October 1978

Legal system:
  NA

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA (since 11 October
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
  minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
  of Parliament; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held
  following parliamentary elections in 2006)
  election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA resigned parliamentary seat on 27
  August 2004 following no-confidence vote on 25 August 2004;
  succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA in an acting
  capacity on 27 August 2004; Maatia TOAFA confirmed Prime Minister in
  a Parliamentary election (8-7 vote) on 11 October 2004

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of Assembly
  (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Judicial branch:
  High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside over its
  sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of Appeal in
  Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Political parties and leaders: there are no political parties but members of Parliament usually align themselves in informal groupings

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Diplomatic representation in the US: Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York 10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Flag description:
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
  with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Economy Tuvalu

Economy - overview:
  Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of nine
  coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
  resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
  primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
  visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the
  sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000
  Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has
  begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources
  decline. Substantial income is received annually from an
  international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and
  the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise
  investments and conservative withdrawals, this fund has grown from
  an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US
  government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of
  payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its
  dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector
  reforms, including privatization of some government functions and
  personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue
  from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the
  lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new
  technology sources could increase substantially over the next
  decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise
  imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and
  telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,
  official transfers, and income from overseas investments.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $12.2 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Labor force: 7,000 (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea, reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  5% (2000 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $22.5 million
  expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2
  million (2000 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  coconuts; fish

Industries:
  fishing, tourism, copra

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA

Exports:
  $1 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, fish

Exports - partners:
  Germany 56.5%, Fiji 14.3%, Italy 10.9%, UK 7.7%, Poland 4.9% (2004)

Imports:
  $79 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Imports - partners:
  Fiji 50.2%, Japan 18.1%, Australia 9.6%, China 8%, New Zealand 5.5%
  (2004)

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $13 million; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and the US
  (1999 est.)

Currency (code):
  Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan dollar

Currency code:
  AUD

Exchange rates:
  Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598
  (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Tuvalu

Telephones - main lines in use:
  700 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
  communications
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
  international: country code - 688; international calls can be made
  by satellite

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  4,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  0 (2004)

Televisions:
  800

Internet country code:
  .tv

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,300 (2002)

Transportation Tuvalu

Highways: total: 8 km paved: 0 km unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Funafuti

Merchant marine:
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,993 GRT/86,048 DWT
  by type: cargo 20, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 16 (China 9, Germany 2, Hong Kong 4, Thailand 1)
  (2005)

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Tuvalu

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; national police force

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Tuvalu

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Uganda

Introduction Uganda

Background:
  Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial
  regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some
  300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under
  Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives.
  During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential
  and legislative elections.

Geography Uganda

Location:
  Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 236,040 sq km
  land: 199,710 sq km
  water: 36,330 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries:
  total: 2,698 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
  km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
  February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain:
  mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources:
  copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 25.88%
  permanent crops: 10.65%
  other: 63.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
  Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:
  landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People Uganda

Population:
  27,269,482
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 50.1% (male 6,875,663/female 6,784,378)
  15-64 years: 47.7% (male 6,511,867/female 6,494,859)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 263,790/female 338,925) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 14.97 years
  male: 14.87 years
  female: 15.08 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.31% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  47.39 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  12.8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 67.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 71.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 51.59 years
  male: 50.74 years
  female: 52.46 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  530,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  78,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
  sickness) are high risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Ugandan(s)
  adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:
  Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%,
  Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%,
  Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi
  2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs
  18%

Languages:
  English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used
  in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts),
  Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages,
  preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be
  taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan
  languages, Swahili, Arabic

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 79.5%
  female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uganda

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
  conventional short form: Uganda

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Kampala

Administrative divisions:
  56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi,
  Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido,
  Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese,
  Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi,
  Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara,
  Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola,
  Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule,
  Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Independence:
  9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution:
  8 October 1995

Legal system:
  in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on
  English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI
  (since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state
  and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in
  the supervision of the cabinet
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
  legislators
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -
  first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was
  held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
  percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza
  BESIGYE 27.8%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly elected by
  popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special interest
  groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex
  officio members; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006);
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved
  by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the
  president)

Political parties and leaders:
  only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the NRM)
  [President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate unfettered;
  note - the president maintains that the Movement is not a political
  party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty of all
  Ugandans
  note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
  while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
  parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
  the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
  OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
  Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
  MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Flag description:
  six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black,
  yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and
  depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist
  side

Economy Uganda

Economy - overview:
  Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils,
  regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt.
  Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing
  over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export
  revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign
  countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and
  stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising
  producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum
  products, and improving civil service wages. The policy changes are
  especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and
  export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned in a solid
  performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of
  infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports,
  reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic security, and the
  return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Corruption within the
  government and slippage in the government's determination to press
  reforms raise doubts about the continuation of strong growth. In
  2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief
  worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC
  debt relief added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was
  solid despite continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's
  principal export. Solid growth in 2003-04 reflected an upturn in
  Uganda's export markets.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $39.39 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 35.8% industry: 20.8% services: 43.6% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  12.41 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  37.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.491 billion
  expenditures: $1.727 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  73.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Industries:
  sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement, steel production

Industrial production growth rate:
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  1.775 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.9% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  1.401 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  250 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-590.8 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $621.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
  horticultural products

Exports - partners:
  Kenya 15%, Netherlands 10.7%, Belgium 9%, France 4.4%, Germany 4.4%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $1.306 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners:
  Kenya 32.3%, UAE 7.3%, South Africa 6.5%, India 5.8%, China 5.6%,
  UK 5.1%, US 4.8%, Japan 4.8% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.2 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $3.865 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Currency (code):
  Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code:
  UGX

Exchange rates:
  Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003),
  1,797.6 (2002), 1,755.7 (2001), 1,644.5 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

Communications Uganda

Telephones - main lines in use:
  61,000 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  776,200 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have
  been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is
  essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
  domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular
  systems for short-range traffic
  international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
  Tanzania

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios:
  5 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Televisions:
  500,000 (2001)

Internet country code:
  .ug

Internet hosts:
  2,692 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  2 (2000)

Internet users:
  125,000 (2003)

Transportation Uganda

Railways: total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Highways: total: 27,000 km paved: 1,809 km unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  300 km (on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and
  parts of Albert Nile) (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Airports:
  29 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Military Uganda

Military branches:
  Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air Wing

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 5,012,620 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,889,808 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $170.3 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Uganda

Disputes - international:
  Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups,
  rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces;
  Ugandan refugees have fled the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) into the
  southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; LRA forces
  have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): 184,731 (Sudan) 18,000 (Rwanda) IDPs: 1.4 million note - ongoing Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion, mainly in the north; LRA frequently attacks IDP camps (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Ukraine

Introduction Ukraine

Background:
  Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan Rus, which
  during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and most powerful
  state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and Mongol
  invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy of
  Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
  The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
  for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
  Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
  mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
  continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
  autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
  18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
  the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
  1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
  independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
  brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
  and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
  and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
  deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991
  with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the
  legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at
  economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass
  protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the
  authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow
  a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a
  reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. The new government presents
  its citizens with hope that the country may at last attain true
  freedom and prosperity.

Geography Ukraine

Location:
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania,
  and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

Geographic coordinates:
  49 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
  Asia, Europe

Area:
  total: 603,700 sq km
  land: 603,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,663 km
  border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
  Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
  1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

Coastline:
  2,782 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern Crimean
  coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest in west
  and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from cool
  along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm across
  the greater part of the country, hot in the south

Terrain:
  most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and plateaus,
  mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians), and in the
  Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

Natural resources:
  iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
  graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
  arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 56.21%
  permanent crops: 1.61%
  other: 42.18% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water pollution;
  deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast from 1986
  accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds

Geography - note:
  strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and Asia;
  second-largest country in Europe

People Ukraine

Population:
  47,425,336 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 15.6% (male 3,783,725/female 3,619,754)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 15,619,989/female 16,992,628)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 2,497,851/female 4,911,389) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.22 years male: 34.91 years female: 41.21 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.63% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  16.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 20.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 69.68 years
  male: 64.39 years
  female: 75.31 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  1.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  360,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  20,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Ukrainian(s)
  adjective: Ukrainian

Ethnic groups:
  Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan 0.5%,
  Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian 0.3%,
  Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate 19%, Orthodox (no particular
  jurisdiction) 16%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow Patriarchate 9%,
  Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%,
  Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.)

Languages:
  Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%; small Romanian-, Polish-,
  and Hungarian-speaking minorities

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

People - note:
  the sex trafficking of Ukrainian women is a serious problem that
  has only recently been addressed

Government Ukraine

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ukraine
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ukrayina
  former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
  Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Kiev (Kyyiv)

Administrative divisions:
  24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous republic*
  (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista, singular -
  misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Chernivtsi, Crimea
  or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'), Dnipropetrovs'k,
  Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson, Khmel'nyts'kyy,
  Kirovohrad, Kiev (Kyyiv)**, Kyyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv, Mykolayiv,
  Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil', Vinnytsya,
  Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya, Zhytomyr
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January (1918),
  the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet
  Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day

Constitution:
  adopted 28 June 1996

Legal system:
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23 January
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yuriy YEKHANUROV (since 22
  September 2005); First Deputy Prime Minister - Stanislav STASHEVSKYY
  (since 27 September 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
  approved by the Supreme Council
  note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
  originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
  significantly revamped and strengthened under former-President
  KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security
  policy on domestic and international matters and advising the
  president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft
  presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president;
  and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  note - a special repeat runoff presidential election between Viktor
  YUSHCHENKO and Viktor YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004
  after the earlier 21 November 2004 contest - won by Mr. YANUKOVYCH -
  was invalidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread
  and significant violations; prime minister and deputy prime
  ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme
  Council
  election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of
  vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats; under
  recent amendments to Ukraine's election law, the Rada's seats are
  allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3% or
  more of the national electoral vote; members serve five-year terms
  beginning with the next election in 2006)
  elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 24%,
  CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%,
  United Social Democratic Party 6%, other 24%; seats by party/bloc -
  Our Ukraine 101, Regions of Ukraine 61, CPU 59, Working Ukraine 14,
  United Social Democratic Party 33, Agrarian Party 22, SPU 20, Yuliya
  Tymoshenko Bloc 19, United Ukraine 19, People's Democratic
  Party-Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 16, Center Group 15,
  Democratic Initiatives 14, unaffiliated 57 (December 2004)
  note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
  Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
  Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
  Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; these factions have since
  undergone a number of changes

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Agrarian Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; Communist Party of Ukraine or
  CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan HAVRYSH];
  Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Our Ukraine bloc
  (comprised of several parties the most prominent of which are Rukh,
  the Ukrainian People's Party, Reforms and Order, and Solidarity)
  [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Valeriy
  PUSTOVOYTENKO]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH]; Socialist
  Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman]; United Social
  Democratic Party [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK]; Working Ukraine [Serhiy
  TYHYPKO]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]
  note: as well as numerous smaller parties; United Ukraine and Center
  Group are not actual political parties, but rather deputy groups
  (factions not based on a party)

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer), ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mykhailo B. REZNIK
  chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 349-2920
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador John E. HERBST
  embassy: 10 Yuriia Kotsiubynskoho Street, 04053 Kiev
  mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850
  telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000
  FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
  represent grainfields under a blue sky

Economy Ukraine

Economy - overview: After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the most important economic component of the former Soviet Union, producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic. Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise, its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements. Shortly after independence in December 1991, the Ukrainian Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external shocks. Ukrainian government officials have taken some steps to reform the country's Byzantine tax code, such as the implementation of lower tax rates aimed at bringing more economic activity out of Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more improvements are needed, including closing tax loopholes and eliminating tax privileges and exemptions. Reforms in the more politically sensitive areas of structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in 2000 showed strong export-based growth of 6% - the first growth since independence - and industrial production grew 12.9%. The economy continued to expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and industrial output grew by over 14%. Growth of 4.6% in 2002 was more moderate, in part a reflection of faltering growth in the developed world. In general, growth has been undergirded by strong domestic demand, low inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence. Growth was a sturdy 9.3% in 2003 and a remarkable 12% in 2004, despite a loss of momentum in needed economic reforms.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $299.1 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  12% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18% industry: 45.1% services: 36.9% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  21.11 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 24%, industry 32%, services 44% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  3.5% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
  underemployed workers; the International Labor Organization
  calculates that Ukraine's real unemployment level is around 9-10
  percent (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  29% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  29 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  18.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $13.57 billion
  expenditures: $12.26 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
  note - these estimates probably do not include the government's
  doubling of pensions in September of 2004 (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

Industries:
  coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals, machinery and
  transport equipment, chemicals, food processing (especially sugar)

Industrial production growth rate:
  16.5% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  180 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 48.6% hydro: 7.9% nuclear: 43.5% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  132 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  1.2 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  72,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  303,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  395 million bbl (9 November 2004)

Natural gas - production:
  19.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  79.86 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  5.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  60.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  560.7 billion cu m (9 November 2004)

Current account balance:
  $4.584 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $32.91 billion (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

Exports - partners:
  Russia 18%, Germany 5.8%, Turkey 5.7%, Italy 5%, US 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $31.45 billion (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  Russia 41.8%, Germany 9.6%, Turkmenistan 6.7% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $11.33 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $16.37 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2 billion (1998)

Currency (code):
  hryvnia (UAH)

Currency code:
  UAH

Exchange rates:
  hryvnia per US dollar - 5.3192 (2004), 5.3327 (2003), 5.3266
  (2002), 5.3722 (2001), 5.4402 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Ukraine

Telephones - main lines in use:
  10,833,300 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  4.2 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development plan,
  running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk lines,
  international connections, and the mobile cellular system
  domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
  telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
  more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
  satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic
  trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system
  is expanding at a high rate
  international: country code - 380; two new domestic trunk lines are
  a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three
  Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic
  Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;
  additional international service is provided by the
  Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and
  by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik
  satellite systems

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

Radios:
  45.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from Russia) (1997)

Televisions:
  18.05 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ua

Internet hosts:
  94,345 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  260 (2001)

Internet users:
  3.8 million (2003)

Transportation Ukraine

Railways: total: 22,473 km broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 169,679 km paved: 164,249 km unpaved: 5,430 km (2002)

Waterways:
  1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 20,069 km; oil 4,540 km; refined products 4,169 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa, Reni,
  Yuzhnyy

Merchant marine:
  total: 201 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 675,904 GRT/709,802 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 148, container 4, passenger 7,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 11, roll
  on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Russia 1)
  registered in other countries: 113 (2005)

Airports:
  656 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 174
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 57
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 70 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 482
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 34
  under 914 m: 428 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  8 (2004 est.)

Military Ukraine

Military branches:
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Viyskovo-Povitryani Syly),
  Air Defense Forces (2002)

Military service age and obligation: 18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 11,067,239 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 7,114,337 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 378,176 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $617.9 million (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.4% (FY02)

Transnational Issues Ukraine

Disputes - international:
  1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains un-ratified due to
  unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing
  border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is
  complete but the parties have agreed to defer demarcation; maritime
  boundary through the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait remains unresolved
  despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going
  expert-level discussions; Moldova and Ukraine have established joint
  customs posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away
  Transnistria Region which remains under OSCE supervision; Ukraine
  and Romania have taken their dispute over Ukrainian-administered
  Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary to the ICJ
  for adjudication; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a
  navigation canal from the Danube border through the Ukraine to the
  Black Sea

Illicit drugs:
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for CIS
  consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the West;
  limited government eradication program; used as transshipment point
  for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin America, and
  Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved
  anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the
  Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and
  Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering
  regime continues to be monitored by FATF

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@United Arab Emirates

Introduction United Arab Emirates

Background:
  The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast granted the UK control
  of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th century treaties. In
  1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash
  Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to form the United
  Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by Ra's al Khaymah.
  The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of leading West
  European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and its moderate
  foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a vital role in
  the affairs of the region.

Geography United Arab Emirates

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf,
  between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  24 00 N, 54 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 82,880 sq km
  land: 82,880 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Maine

Land boundaries: total: 867 km border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

Coastline: 1,318 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  desert; cooler in eastern mountains

Terrain:
  flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling sand dunes of vast
  desert wasteland; mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas

Land use: arable land: 0.6% permanent crops: 2.25% other: 97.15% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  720 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues: lack of natural freshwater resources compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution from oil spills

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Geography - note:
  strategic location along southern approaches to Strait of Hormuz, a
  vital transit point for world crude oil

People United Arab Emirates

Population:
  2,563,212
  note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
  1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
  there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 25.3% (male 331,269; female 317,977)
  15-64 years: 71.1% (male 1,115,826; female 707,058)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 66,404; female 24,678) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 27.9 years
  male: 35.2 years
  female: 22.9 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.54% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.58 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.691 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.442 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 14.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.24 years
  male: 72.73 years
  female: 77.87 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.18% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Emirati(s)
  adjective: Emirati

Ethnic groups:
  Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South Asian 50%, other
  expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians) 8% (1982)
  note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

Religions:
  Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and other 4%

Languages:
  Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77.9%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Government United Arab Emirates

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
  local short form: none
  former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
  abbreviation: UAE

Government type:
  federation with specified powers delegated to the UAE federal
  government and other powers reserved to member emirates

Capital:
  Abu Dhabi

Administrative divisions:
  7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi),
  'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah), Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al
  Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

Independence:
  2 December 1971 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

Constitution:
  2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

Legal system:
  federal court system introduced in 1971; applies to all emirates
  except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah, which are not fully
  integrated into the federal system; all emirates have secular courts
  to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial matters and Islamic
  courts to review family and religious disputes

Suffrage:
  none

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan
  (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi) (since 4
  November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum (since
  8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
  head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
  (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
  Minister SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990);
  Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
  seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
  authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
  federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Supreme Council (composed of rulers of the seven emirates) for
  five-year terms; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death
  of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
  Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and deputy prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan elected
  president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid
  al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or Majlis al-Ittihad
  al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the rulers of the
  constituent states to serve two-year terms)
  elections: none
  note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

Judicial branch:
  Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad al-DHAHIRI chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400 FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432 note: consulates in New York and Houston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
  embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,
  Abu Dhabi
  mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
  telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
  FAX: [971] (2) 414-2469
  consulate(s) general: Dubai

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and black with
  a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

Economy United Arab Emirates

Economy - overview:
  The UAE has an open economy with a high per capita income and a
  sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is based on oil and gas
  output (about 30% of GDP), and the fortunes of the economy fluctuate
  with the prices of those commodities. Since the discovery of oil in
  the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has undergone a profound
  transformation from an impoverished region of small desert
  principalities to a modern state with a high standard of living. At
  present levels of production, oil and gas reserves should last for
  more than 100 years. The government has increased spending on job
  creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening up its
  utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April 2004, the
  UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) with
  Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake negotiations
  toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $63.67 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  5.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 58.5%
  services: 37.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  2.36 million
  note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  2.4% (2001)

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  20.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $23.68 billion
  expenditures: $25.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs, dairy products; fish

Industries:
  petroleum, fishing, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, commercial ship
  repair, petrochemicals, construction materials, some boat building,
  handicrafts, textiles

Industrial production growth rate:
  4% (2000)

Electricity - production:
  45.12 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  36.51 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  2.335 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  310,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - proved reserves:
  97.8 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  44.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  33.7 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  7.19 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  6.06 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $6.3 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $69.48 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried fish, dates

Exports - partners:
  Japan 24.9%, South Korea 9.9%, India 5.4%, Thailand 5.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $45.66 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

Imports - partners:
  China 10%, India 9.8%, Japan 6.8%, Germany 6.5%, UK 6.2%, France
  6.1%, US 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $18.64 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.9 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has
  given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries (2004)

Currency (code):
  Emirati dirham (AED)

Currency code:
  AED

Exchange rates:
  Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.6725 (2004), 3.6725 (2003),
  3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000)
  note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications United Arab Emirates

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,135,800 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2,972,300 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital
  network with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones; key
  centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
  international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
  submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;
  tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi
  Arabia

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

Radios:
  820,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  15 (2004)

Televisions:
  310,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ae

Internet hosts:
  56,283 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,110,200 (2003)

Transportation United Arab Emirates

Highways:
  total: 1,088 km
  paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid petroleum gas 300 km; oil
  2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali, Mina' Rashid, Mina'
  Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan

Merchant marine:
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477 GRT/739,823 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, chemical tanker 5, container 6,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 21, roll
  on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 14 (Greece 2, Kuwait 6)
  registered in other countries: 200 (2005)

Airports:
  35 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Military United Arab Emirates

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard), Air and Air Defense
  Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal Police Force)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 653,181 note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 526,671 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 30,706 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.6 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.1% (FY00)

Transnational Issues United Arab Emirates

Disputes - international:
  because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
  of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still unknown; boundary
  agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in 2003 for entire
  border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al Madhah enclaves,
  but contents of the agreement and maps showing the alignment have
  not been published; UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab
  League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Lesser
  and Greater Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island

Illicit drugs:
  the UAE is a drug transshipment point for traffickers given its
  proximity to southwest Asian drug producing countries; the UAE's
  position as a major financial center makes it vulnerable to money
  laundering; anti-money-laundering controls improving

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@United Kingdom

Introduction United Kingdom

Background:
  Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime power of the
  19th century, played a leading role in developing parliamentary
  democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith,
  the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface.
  The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously
  depleted in two World Wars. The second half witnessed the
  dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern
  and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of
  the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the
  Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy; it
  currently is weighing the degree of its integration with continental
  Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain outside the Economic
  and Monetary Union for the time being. Constitutional reform is also
  a significant issue in the UK. The Scottish Parliament, the National
  Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were
  established in 1999, but the latter is suspended due to bickering
  over the peace process.

Geography United Kingdom

Location:
  Western Europe, islands including the northern one-sixth of the
  island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North
  Sea, northwest of France

Geographic coordinates:
  54 00 N, 2 00 W

Map references:
  Europe

Area:
  total: 244,820 sq km
  land: 241,590 sq km
  water: 3,230 sq km
  note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: total: 360 km border countries: Ireland 360 km

Coastline:
  12,429 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
  accordance with agreed upon boundaries

Climate:
  temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds over the North
  Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are overcast

Terrain:
  mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to rolling plains in
  east and southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: The Fens -4 m
  highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

Natural resources:
  coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc, gold, tin,
  limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica sand, slate,
  arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 23.46%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 76.33% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  winter windstorms; floods

Environment - current issues:
  continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met Kyoto
  Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and intends to
  meet the legally binding target and move towards a domestic goal of
  a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the government aims to
  reduce the amount of industrial and commercial waste disposed of in
  landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to recycle or compost at
  least 25% of household waste, increasing to 33% by 2015; between
  1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling increased from 8.8% to
  10.3%

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note:
  lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km from France
  and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel; because of
  heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from
  tidal waters

People United Kingdom

Population:
  60,441,457 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 17.7% (male 5,490,592/female 5,229,691)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 20,329,272/female 19,855,862)
  65 years and over: 15.8% (male 4,063,357/female 5,472,683) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 38.99 years male: 37.89 years female: 40.13 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.28% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  10.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.38 years
  male: 75.94 years
  female: 80.96 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  51,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
  adjective: British

Ethnic groups:
  white (English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish
  2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%,
  other 1.6% (2001 census)

Religions:
  Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist)
  71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1%
  (2001 census)

Languages:
  English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of Wales), Scottish
  form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five or more years of
  schooling
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Government United Kingdom

Country name:
  conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and
  Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland,
  and Wales
  conventional short form: United Kingdom
  abbreviation: UK

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  London

Administrative divisions:
  England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London boroughs, 12 cities
  and boroughs, 10 districts, 12 cities, 3 royal boroughs
  : boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,
  Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale,
  Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool,
  Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,
  North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland,
  Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull,
  Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,
  Stockton-on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford,
  Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton
  : counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire,
  Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex,
  Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire,
  Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
  Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, North Yorkshire,
  Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire,
  Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire
  : London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,
  Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,
  Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,
  Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge,
  Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham
  Forest, Wandsworth
  : cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds,
  Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield,
  Sunderland, Wakefield, Westminster
  : districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire,
  North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,
  Rutland, South Gloucestershire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire,
  Wokingham
  : cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull,
  Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth,
  Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York
  : royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,
  Windsor and Maidenhead
  : Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties
  : districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,
  Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,
  Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle,
  Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
  : cities: Belfast, Derry
  : counties: County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County
  Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone
  : Scotland - 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,
  Argyll and Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries
  and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East
  Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife,
  Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North
  Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross,
  Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire,
  Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West
  Lothian;
  : Wales - 11 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties
  : county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy,
  Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon
  Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham
  : counties: Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire,
  Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, The
  Vale of Glamorgan
  : cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea

Dependent areas:
  Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin
  Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey,
  Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint Helena and
  Ascension, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Turks and
  Caicos Islands

Independence:
  England has existed as a unified entity since the 10th century; the
  union between England and Wales, begun in 1284 with the Statute of
  Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an Act of Union; in
  another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland agreed to
  permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union of Great
  Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the adoption of
  the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the
  Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of Ireland; six
  northern Irish counties remained part of the United Kingdom as
  Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the United
  Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in 1927

National holiday:
  the UK does not celebrate one particular national holiday

Constitution:
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Legal system:
  common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental
  influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the
  Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); Heir
  Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14 November 1948)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
  1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually the prime minister

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords (consists of
  approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and 26 clergy) and
  House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless the House is
  dissolved earlier)
  elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
  provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
  of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
  there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
  in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May
  2005 (next to be held by May 2010)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;
  seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62,
  other 31; note - as of 30 September 2005 the seats by party - Labor
  354, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 62, other 34
  note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
  (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
  of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
  1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in
  October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
  Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

Judicial branch:
  House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several Lords of Appeal in
  Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life); Supreme Courts of
  England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising the Courts of
  Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown Courts);
  Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

Political parties and leaders:
  Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD]; Democratic
  Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY]; Labor Party
  [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles KENNEDY]; Party
  of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Dafydd IWAN]; Scottish National Party or SNP
  [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland) [Gerry ADAMS]; Social
  Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern Ireland) [Mark DURKAN];
  Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Sir Reg EMPEY]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of British
  Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

International organization participation:
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
  Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING
  chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, and Seattle

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires David T.
  JOHNSON
  embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE
  mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
  telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000
  FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124
  consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Flag description:
  blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
  England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red cross of
  Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is superimposed on
  the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron saint of Scotland);
  properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly called the Union
  Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue Ensign) have been
  the basis for a number of other flags including other Commonwealth
  countries and their constituent states or provinces, as well as
  British overseas territories

Economy United Kingdom

Economy - overview:
  The UK, a leading trading power and financial center, is one of the
  quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western Europe. Over the
  past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership
  and contained the growth of social welfare programs. Agriculture is
  intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards,
  producing about 60% of food needs with less than 2% of the labor
  force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and oil reserves; primary
  energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one of the highest shares
  of any industrial nation. Services, particularly banking, insurance,
  and business services, account by far for the largest proportion of
  GDP while industry continues to decline in importance. GDP growth
  slipped in 2001-03 as the global downturn, the high value of the
  pound, and the bursting of the "new economy" bubble hurt
  manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in 2004, to 3.2% growth.
  The economy is one of the strongest in Europe; inflation, interest
  rates, and unemployment remain low. The relatively good economic
  performance has complicated the BLAIR government's efforts to make a
  case for Britain to join the European Economic and Monetary Union
  (EMU). Critics point out that the economy is doing well outside of
  EMU, and they cite public opinion polls that continue to show a
  majority of Britons opposed to the euro. Meantime, the government
  has been speeding up the improvement of education, transport, and
  health services, at a cost in higher taxes.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.782 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  3.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 26.3% services: 72.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  29.78 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1.5%, industry 19.1%, services 79.5% (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  4.8% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  17% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.1% highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.8 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $834.9 billion
  expenditures: $896.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  39.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle, sheep, poultry; fish

Industries:
  machine tools, electric power equipment, automation equipment,
  railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor vehicles and
  parts, electronics and communications equipment, metals, chemicals,
  coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food processing,
  textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  395.9 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 73.8% hydro: 0.9% nuclear: 23.7% other: 1.6% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  337.4 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  2.959 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  5.119 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  1.957 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1.692 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.498 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  1.084 million bbl/day (2003)

Oil - proved reserves:
  25.41 billion bbl (2003)

Natural gas - production:
  105.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  92.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  2.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  714.9 billion cu m (2003)

Current account balance:
  $-33.46 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $347.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food, beverages, tobacco

Exports - partners:
  US 15.3%, Germany 10.8%, France 9.2%, Ireland 6.8%, Netherlands 6%,
  Belgium 5.1%, Spain 4.5%, Italy 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $439.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Germany 13%, US 9.3%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.6%, Belgium 4.9%,
  China 4.3%, Italy 4.3% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $48.73 billion (2004)

Debt - external:
  $4.71 trillion (2003)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $4.2 billion (2004)

Currency (code):
  British pound (GBP)

Currency code:
  GBP

Exchange rates:
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672
  (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  6 April - 5 April

Communications United Kingdom

Telephones - main lines in use:
  34.898 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  49.677 million (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: technologically advanced domestic and
  international system
  domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
  fiber-optic systems
  international: country code - 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
  Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
  at least 8 large international switching centers

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios:
  84.5 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
  30.5 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .uk

Internet hosts:
  3,398,708 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  more than 400 (2000)

Internet users:
  25 million (2002)

Transportation United Kingdom

Railways:
  total: 17,274 km
  standard gauge: 16,814 km 1.435-m gauge (5,296 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 460 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 392,931 km
  paved: 392,931 km (including 3,431 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2003)

Waterways:
  3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate 370 km; gas 21,446 km; liquid petroleum gas 59 km; oil
  6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Hound Point, Immingham, Milford Haven, Liverpool, London,
  Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport

Merchant marine:
  total: 429 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,181,284 GRT/9,566,275 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 55, chemical tanker 48, container
  134, liquefied gas 11, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum
  tanker 40, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle
  carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 202 (Australia 3, Canada 15, Denmark 38, Finland 2,
  Germany 56, Greece 4, Ireland 1, Italy 9, Netherlands 12, Norway 28,
  South Africa 4, Sweden 15, Taiwan 7, United States 8)
  registered in other countries: 446 (2005)

Airports:
  471 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 334 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 33 1,524 to 2,437 m: 150 914 to 1,523 m: 86 under 914 m: 57 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 137 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 112 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 11 (2004 est.)

Military United Kingdom

Military branches:
  Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for voluntary military service (January 2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 14,607,724 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 12,046,268 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $42,836.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.4% (2003)

Transnational Issues United Kingdom

Disputes - international:
  in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by referendum to
  remain a British colony and against a "total shared sovereignty"
  arrangement while demanding participation in talks between the UK
  and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant Gibraltar greater
  autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago
  (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants since
  their eviction in 1965; most Chagosians reside in Mauritius, and in
  2001 were granted UK citizenship but no right to patriation in the
  UK; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by Argentina, which still
  claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and
  the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim in Antarctica (British
  Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim and partially overlaps
  Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim
  that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Illicit drugs:
  producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and synthetic
  precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian heroin, Latin
  American cocaine, and synthetic drugs; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@United States

Introduction United States

Background:
  Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776
  and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of
  America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and
  20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the
  nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a
  number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic experiences
  in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and the Great
  Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II
  and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most
  powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low
  unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Geography United States

Location:
  North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Geographic coordinates:
  38 00 N, 97 00 W

Map references:
  North America

Area:
  total: 9,631,418 sq km
  land: 9,161,923 sq km
  water: 469,495 sq km
  note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Area - comparative:
  about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of
  Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly larger
  than Brazil); slightly larger than China; almost two and a half
  times the size of the European Union

Land boundaries:
  total: 12,034 km
  border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
  Mexico 3,141 km
  note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
  is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Coastline:
  19,924 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: not specified

Climate:
  mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in
  Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River,
  and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low winter
  temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
  January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
  of the Rocky Mountains

Terrain:
  vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in
  east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged,
  volcanic topography in Hawaii

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
  highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Natural resources:
  coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium, bauxite, gold,
  iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten, zinc, petroleum,
  natural gas, timber

Land use:
  arable land: 19.13%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 80.65% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around Pacific Basin;
  hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts; tornadoes
  in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in California; forest fires
  in the west; flooding; permafrost in northern Alaska, a major
  impediment to development

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US and Canada; the
  US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning
  of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of pesticides and
  fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in much of the
  western part of the country require careful management;
  desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Geography - note:
  world's third-largest country by size (after Russia and Canada) and
  by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley is highest point
  in North America and Death Valley the lowest point on the continent

People United States

Population:
  295,734,134 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 20.6% (male 31,095,725/female 29,703,997)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 98,914,382/female 99,324,126)
  65 years and over: 12.4% (male 15,298,676/female 21,397,228) (2005
  est.)

Median age: total: 36.27 years male: 34.94 years female: 37.6 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.92% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.71 years
  male: 74.89 years
  female: 80.67 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.6% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  950,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  14,000 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: American(s)
  adjective: American

Ethnic groups:
  white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and Alaska native
  1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2% (2003 est.)
  note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
  Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
  descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
  origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
  (white, black, Asian, etc.)

Religions:
  Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
  1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Languages:
  English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and
  Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1999 est.)

Government United States

Country name:
  conventional long form: United States of America
  conventional short form: United States
  abbreviation: US or USA

Government type:
  Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital:
  Washington, DC

Administrative divisions:
  50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
  California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia*,
  Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
  Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan,
  Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
  Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North
  Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South
  Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
  Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Dependent areas:
  American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
  Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
  Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
  Islands, Wake Island
  note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
  the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a
  political relationship with all four political units: the Northern
  Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
  (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands
  signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
  October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact
  of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau
  concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1
  October 1994)

Independence:
  4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Constitution:
  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Legal system:
  federal court system based on English common law; each state has
  its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana's) is
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
  state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
  last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of
  popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY
  (Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats, one-third are
  renewed every two years; two members are elected from each state by
  popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for life on
  condition of good behavior by the president with confirmation by the
  Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United States District
  Courts; State and County Courts

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party [leader NA];
  Libertarian Party [Steve DAMERELL]; Republican Party [Ken MEHLMAN]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EAPC, EBRD, FAO,
  G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (guest), NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security
  Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL,
  UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Flag description:
  13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating
  with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset
  horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows
  of five stars; the 50 stars represent the 50 states, the 13 stripes
  represent the 13 original colonies; known as Old Glory; the design
  and colors have been the basis for a number of other flags,
  including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and Puerto Rico

Economy United States

Economy - overview:
  The US has the largest and most technologically powerful economy in
  the world, with a per capita GDP of $40,100. In this market-oriented
  economy, private individuals and business firms make most of the
  decisions, and the federal and state governments buy needed goods
  and services predominantly in the private marketplace. US business
  firms enjoy considerably greater flexibility than their counterparts
  in Western Europe and Japan in decisions to expand capital plant, to
  lay off surplus workers, and to develop new products. At the same
  time, they face higher barriers to entry in their rivals' home
  markets than the barriers to entry of foreign firms in US markets.
  US firms are at or near the forefront in technological advances,
  especially in computers and in medical, aerospace, and military
  equipment; their advantage has narrowed since the end of World War
  II. The onrush of technology largely explains the gradual
  development of a "two-tier labor market" in which those at the
  bottom lack the education and the professional/technical skills of
  those at the top and, more and more, fail to get comparable pay
  raises, health insurance coverage, and other benefits. Since 1975,
  practically all the gains in household income have gone to the top
  20% of households. The response to the terrorist attacks of 11
  September 2001 showed the remarkable resilience of the economy. The
  war in March/April 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the
  subsequent occupation of Iraq, required major shifts in national
  resources to the military. The rise in GDP in 2004 was undergirded
  by substantial gains in labor productivity. The economy suffered
  from a sharp increase in energy prices in the second half of 2004.
  Long-term problems include inadequate investment in economic
  infrastructure, rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging
  population, sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of
  family income in the lower economic groups.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.75 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $40,100 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.9% industry: 19.7% services: 79.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 147.4 million (includes unemployed) (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing, extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.7%, managerial, professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25.5%, other services 16.3% note: figures exclude the unemployed (2004)

Unemployment rate:
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  12% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  45 (2004)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  15.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.862 trillion
  expenditures: $2.338 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  65% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton; beef, pork,
  poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Industries:
  leading industrial power in the world, highly diversified and
  technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor vehicles,
  aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food
  processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Industrial production growth rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.839 trillion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 71.4% hydro: 5.6% nuclear: 20.7% other: 2.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  3.66 trillion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  13.36 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  36.23 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  7.8 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  5.195 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $-646.5 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $795 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%, industrial
  supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods (transistors,
  aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers, telecommunications
  equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles, medicines) 15.0%
  (2003)

Exports - partners:
  Canada 23%, Mexico 13.6%, Japan 6.7%, UK 4.4%, China 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.476 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9% (crude oil
  8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications equipment,
  motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power machinery),
  consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines, furniture,
  toys) (2003)

Imports - partners:
  Canada 17%, China 13.8%, Mexico 10.3%, Japan 8.7%, Germany 5.2%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $85.94 billion (2003)

Debt - external:
  $1.4 trillion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.5457 (2004), 0.6139 (2003), 0.6661
  (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000); Canadian dollars per US dollar
  - 1.3014 (2004), 1.4045 (2003), 1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851
  (2000); Japanese yen per US dollar - 108.13 (2004), 116.08 (2003),
  125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000); euros per US dollar -
  0.8048 (2004), 0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.08540
  (2000)

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications United States

Telephones - main lines in use:
  181,599,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  158.722 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: a large, technologically advanced, multipurpose
  communications system
  domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
  relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
  telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
  telephone traffic throughout the country
  international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use;
  satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16
  Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4
  Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4,854, FM 8,950, shortwave 18 (2004)

Radios:
  575 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Televisions:
  219 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .us

Internet hosts:
  115,311,958 (2002)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  7,000 (2002 est.)

Internet users:
  159 million (2002)

Transportation United States

Railways: total: 227,736 km standard gauge: 227,736 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Highways:
  total: 6,393,603 km
  paved: 4,180,053 km (including 74,406 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,213,550 km (2003)

Waterways:
  41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
  Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Pipelines:
  petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long Beach, Los
  Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa, Texas City
  note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the
  Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually.

Merchant marine:
  total: 486 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,436,658 GRT/14,630,116 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 19, cargo 152, chemical
  tanker 19, container 92, passenger 17, passenger/cargo 57, petroleum
  tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 28, vehicle
  carrier 14
  foreign-owned: 49 (Australia 2, Canada 8, China 1, Denmark 20,
  Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Singapore 11, Sweden 1, United
  Kingdom 1)
  registered in other countries: 680 (2005)

Airports:
  14,857 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5,128
  over 3,047 m: 188
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 221
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,375
  914 to 1,523 m: 2,383
  under 914 m: 961 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9,729
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 160
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,718
  under 914 m: 7,843 (2004 est.)

Heliports:
  155 (2004 est.)

Military United States

Military branches:
  Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard (Coast
  Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of Homeland
  Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the Navy)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 67,742,879
  females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 54,609,050
  females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 2,143,873
  females: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $370.7 billion (FY04 est.) (March 2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  3.3% (FY03 est.) (February 2004)

Transnational Issues United States

Disputes - international:
  prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices and
  infrastructure in the border region strains water-sharing
  arrangements with Mexico; the US has stepped up efforts to stem
  nationals from Mexico, Central America, and other parts of the world
  from crossing illegally into the United States from Mexico; illegal
  immigrants from the Caribbean, notably Haiti and the Dominican
  Republic, attempt to enter the US through Florida by sea; 1990
  Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still awaits Russian
  Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes with Canada at
  Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the
  disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; US and Canada seek
  greater cooperation in monitoring people and commodities crossing
  the border; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree on a
  maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from
  Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can
  terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa Island; US
  has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has reserved the
  right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of any other
  state; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island

Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees (country of origin): the United States admitted 52,868 refugees during FY03/04 including: 13,331 (Somalia), 6,000 (Laos), 3,482 (Ukraine), 2,959 (Cuba), 1,787 (Iran); note - 27,239 refugees have been admitted as of 31 May 2005

Illicit drugs:
  consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through Mexico and the
  Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and increasingly
  methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality Southeast
  Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana, depressants,
  stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine; money-laundering
  center

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Uruguay

Introduction Uruguay

Background:
  Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military
  stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to became an
  important commercial center. Annexed by Brazil as a separate
  province in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later
  and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The
  administrations of President BATLLE in the early 20th century
  established widespread political, social, and economic reforms. A
  violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in
  the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control
  of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been
  crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout
  the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's
  political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Geography Uruguay

Location:
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Argentina and Brazil

Geographic coordinates:
  33 00 S, 56 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 176,220 sq km
  land: 173,620 sq km
  water: 2,600 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Land boundaries: total: 1,564 km border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Coastline: 660 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Terrain:
  mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Natural resources: arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Land use: arable land: 7.43% permanent crops: 0.23% other: 92.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and occasional
  violent wind which blows north from the Argentine pampas), droughts,
  floods; because of the absence of mountains, which act as weather
  barriers, all locations are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes
  from weather fronts

Environment - current issues: water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry; inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
  second-smallest South American country (after Suriname); most of
  the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
  grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

People Uruguay

Population:
  3,415,920 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.2% (male 403,041/female 389,427)
  15-64 years: 63.6% (male 1,076,960/female 1,095,833)
  65 years and over: 13.2% (male 183,877/female 266,782) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.46 years
  male: 31.02 years
  female: 33.95 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.47% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 11.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.13 years
  male: 72.92 years
  female: 79.45 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.3% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  6,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Uruguayan(s)
  adjective: Uruguayan

Ethnic groups:
  white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically
  nonexistent)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population attends
  church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing or other
  31%

Languages:
  Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on the
  Brazilian frontier)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 97.6%
  female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Government Uruguay

Country name:
  conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  conventional short form: Uruguay
  local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
  local short form: Uruguay
  former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Government type:
  constitutional republic

Capital:
  Montevideo

Administrative divisions:
  19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Artigas,
  Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
  Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
  Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Independence:
  25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Constitution:
  27 November 1966, effective February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973,
  new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
  constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
  January 1997

Legal system:
  based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005) and
  Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005)
  and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
  parliamentary approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
  2004 (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote
  - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING
  10.3%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber
  of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
  Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
  be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
  October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected
  for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or Blanco
  [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo
  Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad Front
  Coalition (Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio) or EP-FA [Tabare
  VAZQUEZ]; Independent Party (Partido Independiente) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural Association
  of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan Construction League,
  Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's association),
  Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional organization),
  Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization), the
  Catholic Church, students

International organization participation:
  CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA,
  Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB,
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos GIANELLI Derois
  chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
  consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200 mailing address: APO AA 34035 telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777 FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Flag description:
  nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom) alternating
  with blue; there is a white square in the upper hoist-side corner
  with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as the Sun of May and
  16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Economy Uruguay

Economy - overview:
  Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an export-oriented
  agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and high levels of
  social spending. After averaging growth of 5% annually during
  1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major downturn,
  stemming largely from the spillover effects of the economic problems
  of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For instance, in
  2001-02 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars deposited in
  Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan peso and a massive
  rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years dropped by
  nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the serious banking
  crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation surged,
  and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with the IMF
  limited the damage. The debt swap with private creditors carried out
  in 2003, which extended the maturity dates on nearly half of
  Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt, substantially alleviated the
  country's amortization burden in the coming years and restored
  public confidence. The economy grew about 10% in 2004 as a result of
  high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, the weakness of the
  dollar against the euro, growth in the region, low international
  interest rates, and greater export competitiveness.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $49.27 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  10.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7.9% industry: 27.4% services: 64.8% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  1.56 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Unemployment rate:
  13% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  21% of households (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.7% highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.8 (1999)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7.6% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  9.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.332 billion
  expenditures: $3.787 billion, including capital expenditures of $193
  million (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Industries:
  food processing, electrical machinery, transportation equipment,
  petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  22% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.536 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.7% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0.3% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.878 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  954 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  434.2 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  64.5 million cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  65 million cu m (2003 est.)

Current account balance:
  $181.8 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Exports - partners:
  US 17.3%, Brazil 16%, Germany 6.3%, Argentina 6.2%, Mexico 4.2%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $2.071 billion f.o.b. (2003)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Imports - partners:
  Argentina 19.5%, Brazil 19%, Paraguay 12.9%, US 9.2%, China 6%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $2.362 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $12.8 billion (March 2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Currency code:
  UYU

Exchange rates:
  Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.704 (2004), 28.209 (2003),
  21.257 (2002), 13.319 (2001), 12.1 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Uruguay

Telephones - main lines in use:
  946,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  652,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: fully digitalized
  domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
  nationwide microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Radios:
  1.97 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  23 (2002)

Televisions:
  782,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .uy

Internet hosts:
  87,630 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  14 (2001)

Internet users:
  400,000 (2002)

Transportation Uruguay

Railways:
  total: 2,073 km
  standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
  partial use (2004)

Highways: total: 8,983 km paved: 8,081 km unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,600 km (2002)

Pipelines:
  gas 192 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Montevideo

Merchant marine:
  total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum
  tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1)
  registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

Airports:
  64 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 14 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 50 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Military Uruguay

Military branches:
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime Prefecture in
  wartime), Air Force

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 764,408 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 637,445 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $257.5 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (2004)

Transnational Issues Uruguay

Disputes - international:
  uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
  Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
  Argentina

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Uzbekistan

Introduction Uzbekistan

Background:
  Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Stiff
  resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
  suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
  Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
  led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
  which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
  rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
  gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
  mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
  by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of
  human rights and democratization.

Geography Uzbekistan

Location:
  Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Geographic coordinates:
  41 00 N, 64 00 E

Map references:
  Asia

Area:
  total: 447,400 sq km
  land: 425,400 sq km
  water: 22,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than California

Land boundaries:
  total: 6,221 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Coastline:
  0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the southern
  portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Maritime claims:
  none (doubly landlocked)

Climate:
  mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild winters;
  semiarid grassland in east

Terrain:
  mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad, flat
  intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya, Syr
  Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east surrounded
  by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral Sea in west

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
  highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver, copper, lead
  and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Land use: arable land: 10.83% permanent crops: 0.83% other: 88.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing concentrations of
  chemical pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then
  blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and contribute to
  desertification; water pollution from industrial wastes and the
  heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause of many human
  health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil contamination
  from buried nuclear processing and agricultural chemicals, including
  DDT

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly landlocked
  countries in the world

People Uzbekistan

Population:
  26,851,195 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.5% (male 4,575,443/female 4,408,146)
  15-64 years: 61.7% (male 8,201,993/female 8,371,933)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 528,334/female 765,346) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.36 years
  male: 21.74 years
  female: 23 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.67% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  26.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 71.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.19 years
  male: 60.82 years
  female: 67.73 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  11,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Uzbekistani
  adjective: Uzbekistani

Ethnic groups:
  Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak 2.5%,
  Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Religions:
  Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Languages:
  Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.3%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Uzbekistan

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
  conventional short form: Uzbekistan
  local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
  local short form: Ozbekiston
  former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type:
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power
  outside the executive branch

Capital:
  Tashkent (Toshkent)

Administrative divisions:
  12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1 autonomous
  republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon Viloyati,
  Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati, Namangan
  Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
  Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
  Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
  Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Independence:
  1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Constitution:
  new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Legal system:
  evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent judicial
  system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March 1990, when
  he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
  approval of the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
  amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
  held December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed
  by the president
  election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an Upper
  House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
  governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by
  the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
  held December 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
  unaffiliated 10
  note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and confirmed
  by the Supreme Assembly)

Political parties and leaders:
  Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom TOSHMUHAMMADOVA,
  chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly Tiklanish) or
  MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal Democratic Party of
  Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman]; People's Democratic
  Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party) [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first
  secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or Fidokorlar National Democratic
  Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note - Fatherland Progress Party
  merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik (Unity)
  Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom) Democratic
  Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December 1992; Ezgulik
  Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free Farmers' Party or
  Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights Society of
  Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human Rights
  Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum [leader
  NA]

International organization participation:
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
  chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
  FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
  consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
  embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
  FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and green
  separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and 12
  white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Economy Uzbekistan

Economy - overview:
  Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11% consists of
  intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than 60% of its
  population lives in densely populated rural communities. Uzbekistan
  is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a large producer
  of gold and oil, and a regionally significant producer of chemicals
  and machinery. Following independence in December 1991, the
  government sought to prop up its Soviet-style command economy with
  subsidies and tight controls on production and prices. Uzbekistan
  responded to the negative external conditions generated by the Asian
  and Russian financial crises by emphasizing import substitute
  industrialization and by tightening export and currency controls
  within its already largely closed economy. The government, while
  aware of the need to improve the investment climate, sponsors
  measures that often increase, not decrease, the government's control
  over business decisions. A sharp increase in the inequality of
  income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of society since
  independence. In 2003, the government accepted the obligations of
  Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund (IMF), providing
  for full currency convertibility. However, strict currency controls
  and tightening of borders have lessened the effects of
  convertibility and have also led to some shortages that have further
  stifled economic activity.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $47.59 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.4% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 38% industry: 26.3% services: 35.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  14.64 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Unemployment rate:
  0.6% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  28% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 22% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  44.7 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3% (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $2.457 billion
  expenditures: $2.482 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  41.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Industries:
  textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy, gold
  petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.2% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  47.7 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 88.2% hydro: 11.8% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  46.66 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  6.8 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  143,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  297 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  63.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  45.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  17.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  937.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $461.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $3.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral fertilizers,
  ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles (1998 est.)

Exports - partners:
  Russia 22%, China 14.7%, Turkey 6.4%, Tajikistan 6.1%, Kazakhstan
  4.2%, Bangladesh 4% (2004)

Imports:
  $2.82 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%, chemicals, metals
  (1998 est.)

Imports - partners:
  Russia 26.8%, South Korea 12.6%, US 8%, Germany 7.7%, Kazakhstan
  6.3%, China 5.8%, Turkey 5.1%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $1.603 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.351 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $87.4 million from the US (2003)

Currency (code):
  Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Currency code:
  UZS

Exchange rates:
  Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 1,020 (2004), 971.265 (2003),
  771.03 (2001), 423.832 (2001), 236.61 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Uzbekistan

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,717,100 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  320,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious need of
  modernization
  domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
  technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
  Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
  industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
  had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
  for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
  Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
  international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave
  radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased
  connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the
  completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
  fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian
  facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides
  an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite
  earth stations - NA (1998)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Radios:
  10.8 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1 cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in regional capitals (2003)

Televisions:
  6.4 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .uz

Internet hosts:
  1,040 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  42 (2000)

Internet users:
  492,000 (2003)

Transportation Uzbekistan

Railways: total: 3,950 km broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 81,600 km paved: 71,237 km unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  1,100 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Termiz (Amu Darya)

Airports:
  226 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 33 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 193 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 187 (2004 est.)

Military Uzbekistan

Military branches:
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,340,220 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,609,621 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 324,722 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $200 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2% (FY97)

Transnational Issues Uzbekistan

Disputes - international:
  cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates
  water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation
  with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is
  underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and
  elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks
  continue with Tajikistan to delimit border and remove minefields

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 3,000 (forced population transfers by government from
  villages near Tajikistan border) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian and, to a
  lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit cultivation
  of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for domestic
  consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by government crop
  eradication program; transit point for heroin precursor chemicals
  bound for Afghanistan

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Vanuatu

Introduction Vanuatu

Background:
  The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th
  century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
  administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Geography Vanuatu

Location:
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 S, 167 00 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 12,200 sq km
  land: 12,200 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  2,528 km

Maritime claims: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October;
  moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by
  cyclones from December to April

Terrain:
  mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Natural resources: manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Land use: arable land: 2.46% permanent crops: 7.38% other: 90.16% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism causes
  minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Environment - current issues:
  a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable
  supply of potable water; deforestation

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands;
  several of the islands have active volcanoes

People Vanuatu

Population:
  205,754 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 33.3% (male 35,039/female 33,553)
  15-64 years: 63.1% (male 66,311/female 63,502)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 3,878/female 3,471) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 22.64 years
  male: 22.68 years
  female: 22.59 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.52% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  23.06 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 57.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 52.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 62.49 years
  male: 61 years
  female: 64.05 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
  adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Ethnic groups:
  Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Religions:
  Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
  beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
  unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Languages:
  local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or
  Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified
  0.7% (1999 Census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74%
  male: NA%
  female: NA% (1999 est.)

Government Vanuatu

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
  conventional short form: Vanuatu
  former: New Hebrides

Government type:
  parliamentary republic

Capital:
  Port-Vila (Efate)

Administrative divisions:
  6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Independence:
  30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Constitution:
  30 July 1980

Legal system:
  unified system being created from former dual French and British
  systems

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004);
  Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11
  December 2004
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
  college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
  councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
  be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime
  minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general
  elections in 2008)
  election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
  votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
  note - political party associations are fluid
  note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
  and language

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after
  consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
  opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
  the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Political parties and leaders:
  Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or
  MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [leader NA]; Union of
  Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land
  Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
  [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have
  a Permanent Mission to the UN

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua
  New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Flag description:
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a black
  isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a
  black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
  points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
  centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
  namele leaves, all in yellow

Economy Vanuatu

Economy - overview:
  This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale
  agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population.
  Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000
  visitors in 2004, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral
  deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
  deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
  Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
  hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
  vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
  markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than
  3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the
  government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore
  financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to
  boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a
  second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main
  suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $580 million (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  3.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $52.6 million
  expenditures: $54.3 million, including capital expenditures of
  $700,000 (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products: copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts, fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Industries:
  food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  48.42 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  45.03 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  $26.6 million f.o.b. (2003)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Exports - partners:
  Thailand 47%, Malaysia 18.4%, Japan 7.5%, Belgium 5.4%, China 4.9%
  (2004)

Imports:
  $138 million c.i.f. (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Imports - partners:
  Taiwan 24%, Australia 16.5%, Japan 11.4%, Singapore 8.5%, New
  Zealand 7.2%, Fiji 6.3%, US 4.4% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $83.7 million (2002)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $27.5 million (2002)

Currency (code):
  vatu (VUV)

Currency code:
  VUV

Exchange rates:
  vatu per US dollar - 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2 (2002),
  145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Vanuatu

Telephones - main lines in use:
  6,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  7,800 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Radios:
  67,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  1 (2004)

Televisions:
  2,300 (1999)

Internet country code:
  .vu

Internet hosts:
  512 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  7,500 (2003)

Transportation Vanuatu

Highways: total: 1,070 km paved: 256 km unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Ports and harbors:
  Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Merchant marine:
  total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 16, container 1, liquefied gas 2,
  refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 52 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Estonia 1, Greece 1,
  Israel 1, Japan 25, New Zealand 1, Poland 11, Russia 1, Switzerland
  2, Thailand 1, United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Airports:
  30 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Military Vanuatu

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; security forces comprise the Vanuatu
  Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF),
  which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police Maritime
  Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint responsibility
  of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF, and PMW (2003)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues Vanuatu

Disputes - international: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Venezuela

Introduction Venezuela

Background:
  Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the collapse
  of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and Ecuador).
  For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela was ruled
  by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted the oil
  industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically elected
  governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns include: a
  polarized political environment, a politicized military,
  drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing
  internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry
  with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations
  that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Geography Venezuela

Location:
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Geographic coordinates:
  8 00 N, 66 00 W

Map references:
  South America

Area:
  total: 912,050 sq km
  land: 882,050 sq km
  water: 30,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Land boundaries: total: 4,993 km border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Coastline: 2,800 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 15 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate:
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Terrain:
  Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest; central plains
  (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other minerals,
  hydropower, diamonds

Land use: arable land: 2.95% permanent crops: 0.92% other: 96.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  540 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Environment - current issues: sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation; urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining operations

Environment - international agreements: party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  on major sea and air routes linking North and South America; Angel
  Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest waterfall

People Venezuela

Population:
  25,375,281 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 29.9% (male 3,909,876/female 3,667,958)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 8,287,255/female 8,209,599)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 590,236/female 710,357) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.6 years
  male: 24.98 years
  female: 26.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.4% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 74.31 years
  male: 71.27 years
  female: 77.58 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.7% - note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  110,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  4,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Venezuelan(s)
  adjective: Venezuelan

Ethnic groups:
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African, indigenous
  people

Religions:
  nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Languages:
  Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.4%
  male: 93.8%
  female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Government Venezuela

Country name:
  conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  conventional short form: Venezuela
  local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
  local short form: Venezuela

Government type:
  federal republic

Capital:
  Caracas

Administrative divisions:
  23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal district*
  (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency** (dependencia
  federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas, Bolivar,
  Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**, Distrito
  Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas, Nueva
  Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas, Yaracuy, Zulia
  note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
  island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Independence:
  5 July 1811 (from Spain)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Constitution:
  30 December 1999

Legal system:
  open, adversarial court system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April
  2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April
  2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
  vote - 60%
  note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted
  in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ
  fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of
  terminating his presidency immediately

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms; three
  seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
  elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
  opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
  (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
  12-year term)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Action or AD [Jesus MENDEZ Quijada]; Fifth Republic
  Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT [Jose
  ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward Socialism
  or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or Convergencia [Juan
  Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R [Andres VELASQUEZ];
  Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela
  Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS groups;
  Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor organization
  dominated by the Democratic Action)

International organization participation:
  CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
  MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera
  chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
  embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
  Arriba, Caracas 1080
  mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
  telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
  FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and red with
  the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and an arc of
  seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Economy Venezuela

Economy - overview:
  Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the petroleum sector,
  accounting for roughly one-third of GDP, around 80% of export
  earnings, and over half of government operating revenues. A
  disastrous two-month national oil strike from December 2002 to
  February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The economy
  remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2% after an 8.9% fall
  in 2002. Despite continued domestic instability, output recovered
  strongly in 2004, aided by high oil prices. Both inflation and
  unemployment remain fundamental problems.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $145.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  16.8% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0.1% industry: 46.5% services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  12.25 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  17.1% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  47% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 0.8% highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  49.5 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  22.4% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  12.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $26.91 billion
  expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables, coffee; beef,
  pork, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
  petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
  processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Industrial production growth rate:
  12.3% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  89.7 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 31.7% hydro: 68.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  89.3 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  450 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  30 million kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  2.6 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  500,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
  2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  78 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  4.19 trillion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $14.59 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $35.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural
  products, basic manufactures

Exports - partners:
  US 55.6%, Netherlands Antilles 4.7%, Dominican Republic 2.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $14.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport equipment,
  construction materials

Imports - partners:
  US 28.8%, Colombia 9.9%, Brazil 7%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $25.75 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $33.29 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $74 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  bolivar (VEB)

Currency code:
  VEB

Exchange rates:
  bolivares per US dollar - 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003), 1,161
  (2002), 723.7 (2001), 680 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Venezuela

Telephones - main lines in use:
  2,841,800 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  6,463,600 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern and expanding
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
  substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
  substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
  installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
  digital multimedia services
  international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
  PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
  the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Radios:
  10.75 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  4.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ve

Internet hosts:
  35,301 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  16 (2000)

Internet users:
  1,274,400 (2002)

Transportation Venezuela

Railways: total: 682 km standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Highways:
  total: 96,155 km
  paved: 32,308 km
  unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  7,100 km
  note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing
  vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)

Pipelines:
  extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km; refined
  products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Merchant marine:
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 19, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, Mexico 1, Russia
  2, Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 20 (2005)

Airports:
  369 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 242 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 88 under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)

Military Venezuela

Military branches:
  National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, FAN): Ground
  Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
  (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air
  Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or
  National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 6,236,012 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,907,947 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 252,396 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $1.687 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.5% (2004)

Transnational Issues Venezuela

Disputes - international:
  claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in Guyana,
  preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has
  expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before
  UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
  Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over Los
  Monjes islands and maritime boundary near the Gulf of Venezuela;
  Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities
  penetrate Venezuela's shared border region resulting in several
  thousand residents migrating away from the border; US, France and
  the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to
  Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf
  extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint
  Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  protest Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation
  and other states' recognition of it

Illicit drugs:
  small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the processing
  of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large quantities of
  cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country from Colombia
  bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
  money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
  and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
  targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
  Colombian insurgents on border

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Vietnam

Introduction Vietnam

Background:
  The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed
  by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence
  was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule
  until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi
  MINH, who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to
  South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the
  government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a
  cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese
  forces overran the South. Despite the return of peace, for over two
  decades the country experienced little economic growth because of
  conservative leadership policies. Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities
  have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural
  reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more
  competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to
  experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population
  of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers
  and religious persecution.

Geography Vietnam

Location:
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin,
  and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Geographic coordinates:
  16 00 N, 106 00 E

Map references:
  Southeast Asia

Area:
  total: 329,560 sq km
  land: 325,360 sq km
  water: 4,200 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Land boundaries: total: 4,639 km border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Coastline: 3,444 km (excludes islands)

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
  (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
  mid-March)

Terrain:
  low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands; hilly,
  mountainous in far north and northwest

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil and
  gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 19.97% permanent crops: 5.95% other: 74.08% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive flooding,
  especially in the Mekong River delta

Environment - current issues:
  logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute to
  deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and overfishing
  threaten marine life populations; groundwater contamination limits
  potable water supply; growing urban industrialization and population
  migration are rapidly degrading environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
  City

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km across
  at its narrowest point

People Vietnam

Population:
  83,535,576 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 12,065,777/female 11,212,299)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 27,406,456/female 28,024,250)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,889,585/female 2,937,209) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 25.51 years
  male: 24.47 years
  female: 26.68 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.04% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  17.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 25.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 70.61 years
  male: 67.82 years
  female: 73.6 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.4% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  220,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  9,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
  and plague are high risks in some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Vietnamese

Ethnic groups:
  Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome 1.4%, Hoa
  1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Religions:
  Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,
  Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Languages:
  Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second
  language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area languages
  (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.3%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 86.9% (2002)

Government Vietnam

Country name:
  conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  conventional short form: Vietnam
  local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
  local short form: Viet Nam
  abbreviation: SRV

Government type:
  Communist state

Capital:
  Hanoi

Administrative divisions:
  59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5 municipalities (thu
  do, singular and plural)
  : provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
  Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
  Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,
  Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh,
  Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
  Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
  Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
  Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
  Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
  Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
  : municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh

Independence:
  2 September 1945 (from France)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Constitution:
  15 April 1992

Legal system:
  based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September
  1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29
  September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu KHOAN (8 August 2002) and
  Pham Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime
  minister and ratification of National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
  members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
  to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
  elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
  among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the prime minister
  election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
  10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
  election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Judicial branch:
  Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a five-year
  term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the president)

Political parties and leaders:
  only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc MANH,
  general secretary]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737 FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917 consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002 telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500 FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510 consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Flag description: red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Economy Vietnam

Economy - overview:
  Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in the last
  30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the loss of
  financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the rigidities of a
  centrally planned economy. Substantial progress was achieved from
  1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low level of
  development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth averaged
  around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian financial
  crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy and
  temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress towards a
  market oriented economy. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in
  1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 7% in 2000-04 even against
  the background of global recession. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese
  authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic
  liberalization and international integration. They have moved to
  implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and
  to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. However,
  equitization of state-owned enterprises and reduction in the
  proportion of non-performing loans has fallen behind schedule.
  Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry
  into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade in December 2001 have
  led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic
  regime. Vietnam's exports to the US doubled in 2002 and again in
  2003. Vietnam is working toward accession to the WTO in 2005. Among
  other benefits, accession will allow Vietnam to take advantage of
  the phase out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which
  eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1
  January 2005. Vietnam is working to promote job creation to keep up
  with the country's high population growth rate. However, in 2004,
  high levels of inflation prompted Vietnamese authorities to tighten
  monetary and fiscal policies.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $227.2 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  7.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 21.8% industry: 40.1% services: 38.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  42.98 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  28.9% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 3.6% highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  36.1 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  9.5% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  36.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $10.66 billion
  expenditures: $13.09 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
  billion (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  65.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  paddy rice, coffee, fish and seafood, rubber, cotton, tea, pepper,
  soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas, poultry

Industries:
  food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining, cement,
  chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Industrial production growth rate:
  16% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  34.48 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 43.7% hydro: 56.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  32.06 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  359,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  650 million bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  192.6 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $-2.061 billion (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $23.72 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea, garments,
  shoes

Exports - partners:
  US 20.2%, Japan 13.6%, China 9%, Australia 7%, Germany 5.9%,
  Singapore 4.8%, UK 4.6% (2004)

Imports:
  $26.31 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer, steel
  products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Imports - partners:
  China 13.7%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea 10.8%, Japan 10.5%,
  Singapore 10.5%, Thailand 6.2%, Hong Kong 4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $6.51 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $16.55 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international donors for 2000 (2004)

Currency (code):
  dong (VND)

Currency code:
  VND

Exchange rates:
  dong per US dollar - 15,746 (2004), 15,510 (2003), 15,280 (2002),
  14,725 (2001), 14,168 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Vietnam

Telephones - main lines in use:
  4.402 million (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  2.742 million (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort into
  modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system, but its
  performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern neighbors
  domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
  Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
  microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially
  increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
  international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Radios:
  8.2 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
  3.57 million (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vn

Internet hosts:
  340 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  3.5 million (2003)

Transportation Vietnam

Railways:
  total: 2,600 km
  standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge
  dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m
  gauges (2004)

Highways: total: 93,300 km paved: 23,418 km unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft) (2004)

Pipelines:
  condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined products 206
  km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Merchant marine:
  total: 194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,170,621 GRT/1,798,376 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 142, chemical tanker 3, container 2,
  liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 11 (2005)

Airports:
  24 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Vietnam

Military branches:
  People's Army of Vietnam: Ground Forces, People's Navy Command
  (includes Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast Guard

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service
  obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 21,341,813 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 16,032,358 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 915,572 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $650 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  2.5% (FY98)

Transnational Issues Vietnam

Disputes - international:
  southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check
  the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese
  squatters and armed encroachments along border; in 2004
  Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commission agrees to erect missing
  markers in two adjoining provinces; demarcation of the China-Vietnam
  boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary
  delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,
  implementation has been delayed; China occupies Paracel Islands also
  claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with
  China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the
  Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants;
  Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the
  Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,
  the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Illicit drugs:
  minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point for
  Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine
  addiction problems

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Virgin Islands

Introduction Virgin Islands

Background: During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Geography Virgin Islands

Location:
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic
  Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates:
  18 20 N, 64 50 W

Map references:
  Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
  total: 352 sq km
  land: 349 sq km
  water: 3 sq km

Area - comparative:
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  188 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low
  humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season
  September to November

Terrain:
  mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Natural resources: sun, sand, sea, surf

Land use: arable land: 11.76% permanent crops: 2.94% other: 85.3% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA

Natural hazards:
  several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts
  and floods; occasional earthquakes

Environment - current issues:
  lack of natural freshwater resources

Geography - note:
  important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane
  for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural
  deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

People Virgin Islands

Population:
  108,708 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.1% (male 12,676/female 12,421)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 34,069/female 37,918)
  65 years and over: 10.7% (male 5,125/female 6,499) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 36.52 years
  male: 35.6 years
  female: 37.33 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  -0.07% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.2 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 8.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.91 years
  male: 75.08 years
  female: 82.96 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups:
  black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000
  census)

Religions:
  Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 7%

Languages:
  English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French
  Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Virgin Islands

Country name:
  conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
  conventional short form: Virgin Islands
  former: Danish West Indies

Dependency status:
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations
  between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the
  Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Charlotte Amalie

Administrative divisions:
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative
  divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
  islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas

National holiday:
  Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Constitution:
  Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Legal system:
  based on US laws

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal; note - island residents are US citizens
  but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5
  January 1999)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor;
  percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John
  de JONGH 24.4%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
  note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
  US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
  (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M.
  CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Judicial branch:
  US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit
  jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the governor
  for 10-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:
  Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens'
  Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (territory of the US)

Flag description:
  white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the
  large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle
  holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other
  with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a
  blue panel

Economy Virgin Islands

Economy - overview:
  Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP
  and employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year.
  The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles,
  electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. The agricultural
  sector is small, with most food being imported. International
  business and financial services are a small but growing component of
  the economy. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at
  Saint Croix. The islands are subject to substantial damage from
  storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to
  support construction projects in the private sector, to expand
  tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.5 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  2% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 19% services: 80% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
  48,900 (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  9.3% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (2003)

Budget: revenues: $560 expenditures: NA (2003)

Agriculture - products:
  fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Industries:
  tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling,
  construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.035 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  962.6 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  NA

Exports - commodities:
  refined petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US, Puerto Rico

Imports:
  NA

Imports - commodities:
  crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials

Imports - partners:
  US, Puerto Rico

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  US dollar (USD)

Currency code:
  USD

Exchange rates:
  the US dollar is used

Fiscal year:
  1 October - 30 September

Communications Virgin Islands

Telephones - main lines in use:
  69,400 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  41,000 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: modern system with total digital switching,
  uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  domestic: full range of services available
  international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections
  (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 17, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
  107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  16 (2004)

Televisions:
  68,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .vi

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  50 (2000)

Internet users:
  30,000 (2002)

Transportation Virgin Islands

Highways:
  total: 1,257 km
  paved: 1,192 km
  unpaved: 65 km
  note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the
  road is practiced (2003)

Ports and harbors:
  Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Airports:
  2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Military Virgin Islands

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Virgin Islands

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Wake Island

Introduction Wake Island

Background:
  The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station. An
  important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In December
  1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held until the end
  of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was developed as a
  stopover and refueling site for military and commercial aircraft
  transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's airstrip has been
  used by the US military and some commercial cargo planes, as well as
  for emergency landings. There are over 700 landings a year on the
  island.

Geography Wake Island

Location:
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the
  way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  19 17 N, 166 36 E

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  19.3 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical

Terrain:
  atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater volcano;
  central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Natural resources:
  none

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  occasional typhoons

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency landing
  location for transpacific flights

People Wake Island

Population:
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor
  personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were
  present (July 2005 est.)

Government Wake Island

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Wake Island

Dependency status:
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington,
  DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are
  conducted by the US Air Force

Legal system:
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
  the flag of the US is used

Economy Wake Island

Economy - overview:
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to contractors
  located on the island. All food and manufactured goods must be
  imported.

Electricity - production:
  NA

Communications Wake Island

Telephone system:
  general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN circuit off the
  Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service provided by satellite (1998)

Television broadcast stations: 0 (1997)

Transportation Wake Island

Ports and harbors:
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Airports:
  1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Transportation - note:
  formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used by US
  military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency landings

Military Wake Island

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support facility is
  part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS)
  administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)

Transnational Issues Wake Island

Disputes - international: claimed by Marshall Islands

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Wallis and Futuna

Introduction Wallis and Futuna

Background:
  Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and
  18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over
  the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted
  to become a French overseas territory.

Geography Wallis and Futuna

Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of
  the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
  13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references:
  Oceania

Area:
  total: 274 sq km
  land: 274 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),
  Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Area - comparative:
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  129 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
  tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season
  (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
  average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain:
  volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 5%
  permanent crops: 25%
  other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  NA

Environment - current issues:
  deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)
  largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel
  source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the
  mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
  there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
  natural fresh water resources

Geography - note:
  both island groups have fringing reefs

People Wallis and Futuna

Population: 16,025 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  NA%

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
  Caledonia (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
  adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Languages:
  Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%,
  French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50%
  male: 50%
  female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government Wallis and Futuna

Country name:
  conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
  conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
  local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
  local short form: Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status:
  overseas territory of France

Government type:
  NA

Capital:
  Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Independence:
  none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
  French legal system

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
  1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE FURST (since 18
  January 2005)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
  KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
  members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
  Territorial Assembly
  note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
  Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
  the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7
  note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
  one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
  elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September
  2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (now
  UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002
  (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Judicial branch:
  none; justice generally administered under French law by the high
  administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary
  law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders:
  Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de
  Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Clovis
  LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire
  Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or
  UDF [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  FZ, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
  a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off center
  toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red background; the flag
  of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist
  quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview:
  The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with
  about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and
  vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the
  population is employed in government. Revenues come from French
  Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South
  Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New
  Caledonia.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $60 million (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

Budget:
  revenues: $20 million
  expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Industries:
  copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Exports:
  $250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Exports - commodities:
  copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners:
  Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

Imports:
  $300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Imports - commodities:
  chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners:
  France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  assistance from France

Currency (code):
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
  XPF

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04
  (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 681

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2000)

Televisions:
  NA

Internet country code:
  .wf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  900 (2002)

Transportation Wallis and Futuna

Highways:
  total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
  paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
  unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

Ports and harbors:
  Leava, Mata-Utu

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,754 GRT/1,187 DWT by type: passenger 4 foreign-owned: 4 (France 3, United States 1) (2005)

Airports: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military Wallis and Futuna

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international: none

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@West Bank

Introduction West Bank

Background:
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government
  Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993,
  provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of
  Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West
  Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and
  responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the
  Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of
  the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza
  Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip
  and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo
  Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional
  areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995
  Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol
  Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998
  Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh
  Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility
  during the transitional period for external and internal security
  and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct
  negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank
  that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were
  derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The
  resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
  Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian
  Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent
  agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir
  ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS
  in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict.

Geography West Bank

Location:
  Middle East, west of Jordan

Geographic coordinates:
  32 00 N, 35 15 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 5,860 sq km
  land: 5,640 sq km
  water: 220 sq km
  note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
  of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
  Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
  depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 404 km border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm
  to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Terrain:
  mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren
  in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Natural resources:
  arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 16.9%
  permanent crops: 18.97%
  other: 64.13% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  droughts

Environment - current issues:
  adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Geography - note:
  landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal
  aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem
  settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August
  2003 est.)

People West Bank

Population:
  2,385,615
  note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
  West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 530,197/female 504,794)
  15-64 years: 53.2% (male 649,610/female 619,335)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 34,803/female 46,876) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 18.14 years
  male: 17.99 years
  female: 18.3 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.13% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  32.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 19.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 73.08 years
  male: 71.33 years
  female: 74.95 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  4.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Ethnic groups:
  Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Religions:
  Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8%

Languages:
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians),
  English (widely understood)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 96.3%
  female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Government West Bank

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: West Bank

Economy West Bank

Economy - overview:
  The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the Palestine
  Authority - has experienced a general decline in economic growth and
  a degradation in economic conditions made worse since the second
  intifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely the
  result of the Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border
  closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which
  disrupted labor and commodity market relationships. In 2001, and
  even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestine
  Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant,
  the disruption of administrative structure, and widespread business
  closures. Including the Gaza Strip, the UN estimates that more than
  100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israeli
  settlements, or in joint industrial zones, have lost their jobs.
  International aid of $2 billion to the West Bank and Gaza strip in
  2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some
  reforms in the government's financial operations. Meanwhile,
  unemployment has continued at more than half the labor force.
  ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves open more political options that could
  affect the economy.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $1.8 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  6% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (2002 est.)

Labor force:
  364,000 (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  27.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  59% (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $676.6 million
  expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
  note - these budget data include Gaza Strip (2003)

Agriculture - products:
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Industries:
  generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles,
  soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
  Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the
  settlements and industrial centers

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East
  Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to
  Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;
  the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most
  Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian
  municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own
  electricity from small power plants

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - imports:
  NA kWh

Exports:
  $205 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip (2002)

Exports - commodities:
  olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Exports - partners:
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Imports:
  $1.5 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip (2002)

Imports - commodities:
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Imports - partners:
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Debt - external:
  $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)

Currency (code):
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Currency code:
  ILS; JOD

Exchange rates:
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003),
  4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Communications West Bank

Telephones - main lines in use: 301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA
  note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
  responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
  note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM
  station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are
  reported to be in operation (2000)

Radios:
  NA; note - most Palestinian households have radios (1999)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA; note - many Palestinian households have televisions (1999)

Internet country code:
  .ps

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  8 (1999)

Internet users:
  145,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2003)

Transportation West Bank

Highways:
  total: 4,500 km
  paved: 2,700 km
  unpaved: 1,800 km
  note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
  settlements (1997 est.)

Airports:
  3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Military West Bank

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  NA

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  NA

Transnational Issues West Bank

Disputes - international:
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status
  subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent
  status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel
  continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along
  parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel announced
  its intention to pull out settlers and withdraw from four
  settlements in the northern West Bank in 2005; since 1948, about 350
  peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO),
  headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice
  agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist
  other UN personnel in the region

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 665,246 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA)) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Western Sahara

Introduction Western Sahara

Background:
  Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara
  (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in
  1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the
  Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991
  UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status
  has been repeatedly postponed.

Geography Western Sahara

Location:
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Mauritania and Morocco

Geographic coordinates:
  24 30 N, 13 00 W

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 266,000 sq km
  land: 266,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:
  about the size of Colorado

Land boundaries: total: 2,046 km border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

Coastline:
  1,110 km

Maritime claims:
  contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

Climate:
  hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce
  fog and heavy dew

Terrain:
  mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces
  rising to small mountains in south and northeast

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
  highest point: unnamed location 463 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates, iron ore

Land use:
  arable land: 0.02%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.98% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  NA sq km

Natural hazards:
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and
  spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely
  restricting visibility

Environment - current issues:
  sparse water and lack of arable land

Environment - international agreements: party to: none of the selected agreements signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas

People Western Sahara

Population: 273,008 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate:
  NA

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Sex ratio:
  NA

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

Total fertility rate:
  NA children born/woman

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: intermediate food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations during the transmission season (typically April through November) (2004)

Nationality: noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s) adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups:
  Arab, Berber

Religions:
  Muslim

Languages:
  Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Literacy: definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%

Government Western Sahara

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Western Sahara
  former: Spanish Sahara

Government type:
  legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty unresolved;
  territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front (Popular Front
  for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de Oro), which in
  February 1976 formally proclaimed a government-in-exile of the
  Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by President Mohamed
  ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between Morocco and Mauritania in
  April 1976, with Morocco acquiring northern two-thirds; Mauritania,
  under pressure from Polisario guerrillas, abandoned all claims to
  its portion in August 1979; Morocco moved to occupy that sector
  shortly thereafter and has since asserted administrative control;
  the Polisario's government-in-exile was seated as an OAU member in
  1984; guerrilla activities continued sporadically, until a
  UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6 September 1991

Capital:
  none

Administrative divisions:
  none (under de facto control of Morocco)

Suffrage:
  none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed

Executive branch:
  none

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  none

International organization participation:
  none

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none

Economy Western Sahara

Economy - overview:
  Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate
  mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The
  territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural
  production, and most of the food for the urban population must be
  imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by
  the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed
  contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which
  has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in
  Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - NA

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.)

Labor force:
  12,000

Labor force - by occupation:
  animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

Unemployment rate:
  NA

Population below poverty line:
  NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA

Budget:
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Agriculture - products:
  fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep,
  goats (kept by nomads)

Industries:
  phosphate mining, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA

Electricity - production:
  90 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  83.7 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Exports:
  NA

Exports - commodities:
  phosphates 62%

Exports - partners:
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners
  are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Imports:
  NA

Imports - commodities:
  fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners
  are included in overall Moroccan accounts

Debt - external:
  NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  NA

Currency (code):
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Currency code:
  MAD

Exchange rates:
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744 (2003),
  11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Western Sahara

Telephones - main lines in use:
  about 2,000 (1999 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1999)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: sparse and limited system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by
  microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
  Rabat, Morocco

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios:
  56,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  6,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .eh

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  NA

Transportation Western Sahara

Highways: total: 6,200 km paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)

Ports and harbors:
  Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Airports:
  11 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Transnational Issues Western Sahara

Disputes - international:
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty
  remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
  effect since September 1991, administered by the UN Mission for the
  Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts to hold a
  referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all
  brokered proposals

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@World

Introduction World

Background:
  Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating world
  wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of vast
  colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology, from
  the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to the
  landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western alliance
  and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living standards in
  North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased concerns about the
  environment, including loss of forests, shortages of energy and
  water, the decline in biological diversity, and air pollution; (h)
  the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate emergence of
  the US as the only world superpower. The planet's population
  continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2 billion in 1930,
  3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1988, and 6
  billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued exponential
  growth in science and technology raises both hopes (e.g., advances
  in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even more lethal
  weapons of war).

Geography World

Map references:
  Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World, Standard
  Time Zones of the World

Area:
  total: 510.072 million sq km
  land: 148.94 million sq km
  water: 361.132 million sq km
  note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Area - comparative:
  land area about 16 times the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not counting
  shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia, each border
  14 other countries
  note: 43 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
  Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
  Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
  Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
  Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay,
  Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
  Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two
  of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Coastline:
  356,000 km
  note: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no other
  countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and
  Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
  Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,
  British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,
  Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)
  Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,
  Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe
  Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
  Lands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard
  Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Jamaica, Jan
  Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Juan de Nova
  Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Isle of
  Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated
  States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa
  Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
  Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,
  Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts
  and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,
  Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
  Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and
  Tobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,
  Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan

Maritime claims:
  a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries make
  the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline as
  described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:
  territorial sea - 12 nm , contiguous zone - 24 nm , and exclusive
  economic zone - 200 nm ; additional zones provide for exploitation
  of continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone;
  boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries
  from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm

Climate:
  two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather narrow
  temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to
  subtropical climates

Terrain:
  the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in the
  Pacific Ocean

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
  note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
  the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
  Ocean
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:
  the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
  depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
  plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
  (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
  serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
  beginning to address

Land use: arable land: 10.73% permanent crops: 1% other: 88.27% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones), natural
  disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions)

Environment - current issues: large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters, pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Geography - note:
  the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old, just
  about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the universe

People World

Population:
  6,446,131,400 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 919,726,623; female 870,468,158)
  15-64 years: 64.9% (male 2,117,230,183; female 2,066,864,970)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 207,903,775; female 263,627,270)
  note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus
  a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and
  the total for world age structure (2005 est.)

Median age: total: 27.6 years male: 27 years female: 28.2 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  1.14% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  20.15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 50.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 64.33 years
  male: 62.73 years
  female: 66.04 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Religions:
  Christians 32.84% (of which Roman Catholics 17.34%, Protestants
  5.78%, Orthodox 3.44%, Anglicans 1.27%), Muslims 19.9%, Hindus
  13.29%, Buddhists 5.92%, Sikhs 0.39%, Jews 0.23%, other religions
  12.63%, non-religious 12.44%, atheists 2.36% (2003 est.)

Languages:
  Chinese, Mandarin 13.69%, Spanish 5.05%, English 4.84%, Hindi
  2.82%, Portuguese 2.77%, Bengali 2.68%, Russian 2.27%, Japanese
  1.99%, German, Standard 1.49%, Chinese, Wu 1.21% (2004 est.)
  note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82%
  male: 87%
  female: 77%
  note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults
  are found in only eight countries (India, China, Bangladesh,
  Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Egypt); of all the
  illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low
  literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, South and West
  Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arab states, where around
  one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Government World

Administrative divisions:
  271 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Legal system:
  all members of the UN are parties to the statute that established
  the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Economy World

Economy - overview: Global output rose by 4.9% in 2004, led by China (9.1%), Russia (6.7%), and India (6.2%). The other 14 successor nations of the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as strong performers, in the 7% range of growth. Growth results posted by the major industrial countries varied from a small gain in Italy (1.3%) to a strong gain by the United States (4.4%). The developing nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally, the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods, funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the former Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada. Externally, the central government is losing decisionmaking powers to international bodies, notably the European Union. In Western Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The addition of 75 million people each year to an already overcrowded globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification, underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view, are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. After the coalition victory, the complex political difficulties and the high economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major global problems that continued into 2005.

GDP (purchasing power parity): GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $55.5 trillion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 32%
  services: 64% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  NA

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate:
  30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
  non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
  unemployment

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA % highest 10%: NA %

Inflation rate (consumer prices): developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries 5% to 60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation in several Third World countries (2004 est.)

Industries:
  dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in computers,
  robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical equipment;
  most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a small
  portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly adjusting to
  these technological forces; the accelerated development of new
  industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating already
  grim environmental problems

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  15.29 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA hydro: NA nuclear: NA other: NA (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  14.28 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - exports:
  500.8 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - imports:
  497.6 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Oil - production:
  76.01 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  77.04 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.025 trillion bbl (1 January 2002 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  2.637 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  2.599 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  693.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  718.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  161.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $8.819 trillion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Exports - partners:
  US 15.7%, Germany 7.7%, China 5.4%, France 5.1%, UK 5.1%, Japan
  4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $8.754 trillion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and services

Imports - partners:
  Germany 9.4%, US 9.3%, China 8.5%, Japan 6.5%, France 4.5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $12.7 trillion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $154 billion official development assistance (ODA) (2004)

Communications World

Telephones - main lines in use:
  843,923,500 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  NA

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Radios:
  NA

Television broadcast stations:
  NA

Televisions:
  NA

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  10,350 (2000 est.)

Internet users:
  604,111,719 (2002 est.)

Transportation World

Railways:
  total: 1,115,205 km
  broad gauge: 257,481 km
  standard gauge: 671,413 km
  narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)

Highways: total: 32,345,165 km paved: 19,403,061 km unpaved: 12,942,104 km (2002)

Waterways:
  671,886 km (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total ships: 30,936 (2005)

Airports:
  49,973 (2004)

Military World

Military expenditures - dollar figure: aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion dollars (1999 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

Transnational Issues World

Disputes - international:
  stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 325 international land
  boundaries separate the 192 independent states and 73 dependencies,
  areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;
  ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states
  into separate political entities as much as history, physical
  terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes
  arbitrary and imposed boundaries; maritime states have claimed
  limits and have so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and
  joint development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide
  for national security at sea; boundary, borderland/resource, and
  territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to
  violent or militarized; most disputes over the alignment of
  political boundaries are confined to short segments and are today
  less common and less hostile than borderland, resource, and
  territorial disputes; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and
  unmanaged boundaries, however, encourage illegal cross-border
  activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial
  disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they
  may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic clashes continue
  to be responsible for much of the territorial fragmentation around
  the world; disputes over islands at sea or in rivers frequently form
  the source of territorial and boundary conflict; other sources of
  contention include access to water and mineral (especially
  petroleum) resources, fisheries, and arable land; nonetheless, most
  nations cooperate to clarify their international boundaries and to
  resolve territorial and resource disputes peacefully; regional
  discord directly affects the sustenance and welfare of local
  populations, often leaving the world community to cope with
  resultant refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, deforestation,
  and desertification

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated
  that in December 2003 there was a global population of 9.7 million
  refugees and as many as 25 million IDPs

Illicit drugs:
  cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 173,450 hectares
  - almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;
  potential cocaine production during 2003 is estimated at 728 metric
  tons (or 835 metric tons of export quality cocaine); coca
  eradication programs continue in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru; 376
  metric tons of export quality cocaine are documented to have been
  seized in 2003, and 26 metric tons disrupted (jettisoned or
  destroyed); consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to
  have been 800 metric tons
  opiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 137,944
  hectares in 2003 - mostly in Southwest and Southeast Asia - with 44%
  in Afghanistan, potentially produced 3,775 metric tons of opium,
  which conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 429 metric
  tons of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have been undertaken
  in Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, and
  Vietnam

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Yemen

Introduction Yemen

Background:
  North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918. The
  British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern port
  of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became South
  Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a Marxist
  orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of Yemenis
  from the south to the north contributed to two decades of hostility
  between the states. The two countries were formally unified as the
  Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist movement in 1994
  was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and Yemen agreed to a
  delimitation of their border.

Geography Yemen

Location:
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea,
  between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 N, 48 00 E

Map references:
  Middle East

Area:
  total: 527,970 sq km
  land: 527,970 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
  or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
  Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries: total: 1,746 km border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Coastline: 1,906 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Climate:
  mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in western
  mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot, dry,
  harsh desert in east

Terrain:
  narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
  mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
  desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Natural resources:
  petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal, gold,
  lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Land use: arable land: 2.78% permanent crops: 0.24% other: 96.98% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Environment - current issues:
  very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of
  potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea
  and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes

People Yemen

Population:
  20,727,063 (July 2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 4,905,831/female 4,727,177)
  15-64 years: 50.8% (male 5,364,711/female 5,172,811)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 274,166/female 282,367) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.54 years
  male: 16.53 years
  female: 16.56 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.45% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  43.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 61.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 56.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 61.75 years
  male: 59.89 years
  female: 63.71 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  12,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality: noun: Yemeni(s) adjective: Yemeni

Ethnic groups:
  predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Religions:
  Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small numbers of
  Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Languages:
  Arabic

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.2%
  male: 70.5%
  female: 30% (2003 est.)

Government Yemen

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
  conventional short form: Yemen
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
  local short form: Al Yaman
  former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and
  People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Sanaa

Administrative divisions:
  19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan, 'Adan, Ad
  Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al Mahwit,
  'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib, Sa'dah,
  San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
  note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of
  Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Independence:
  22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of the
  Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
  Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
  (Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen had become
  independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
  Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

National holiday:
  Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Constitution:
  16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Legal system:
  based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local
  tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May 1990,
  the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the merger
  of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd al-Rab
  Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4
  April 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a
  seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by
  constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999
  (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the
  president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president
  election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%

Legislative branch:
  a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001 created
  a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111 seats;
  members appointed by the president) and a House of Representatives
  (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
  Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
  there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some of
  the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC [President
  Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah [Shaykh
  Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party [Abdel Malik
  al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr. Qassim
  SALAAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
  note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a
  landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no
  longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn
  al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had
  been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a
  loyal opposition party, represents the remnants of the former South
  Yemeni leadership; leaders of the 1994 secessionist movement have
  been pardoned by President SALIH and some are now returning to Yemen
  from exile

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer),
  OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760 FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI
  embassy: Saawan Street, Sanaa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
  telephone: [967] (1) 303-151 through 159
  FAX: [967] (1) 303-160/161/162/164/165

Flag description:
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraq
  which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
  horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
  of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Economy Yemen

Economy - overview:
  Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, has reported
  strong growth since 2000, but its economic fortunes depend mostly on
  oil. Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported structural adjustment
  program designed to modernize and streamline the economy, which has
  led to substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring. Yemen has
  worked to maintain tight control over spending and to implement
  additional components of the IMF program, but a high population
  growth rate and internal political dissension complicate the
  government's task. Plans include a diversification of the economy,
  encouragement of tourism, and more efficient use of scarce water
  resources.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $16.25 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.9% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 15.5% industry: 44.7% services: 39.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force: 5.98 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services, construction, industry, and commerce account for less than one-fourth of the labor force

Unemployment rate:
  35% (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  45.2% (2003)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  33.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  12.2% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  16.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $4.251 billion
  expenditures: $4.568 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  46.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic shrub),
  coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats, cattle,
  camels), poultry; fish

Industries:
  crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale production
  of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing; handicrafts;
  small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate:
  3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  3.04 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.827 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  417,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  78,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  370,300 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports:
  NA

Oil - proved reserves:
  4 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  480 billion cu m (2004)

Current account balance:
  $369.9 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $4.468 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Exports - partners:
  Thailand 33.8%, China 30.3%, Singapore 7.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $3.734 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Imports - partners:
  UAE 12.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.7%, China 8.8%, France 7.3%, India 4.4%,
  US 4.4%, Kuwait 4.2% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $5.3 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.4 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements) (2003-07 disbursements)

Currency (code):
  Yemeni rial (YER)

Currency code:
  YER

Exchange rates:
  Yemeni rials per US dollar - 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003), 175.63
  (2002), 168.67 (2001), 161.72 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Yemen

Telephones - main lines in use:
  542,200 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  411,100 (2002)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have been
  made to create a national telecommunications network
  domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
  cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone
  systems
  international: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
  Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:
  1.05 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:
  470,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ye

Internet hosts:
  138 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  1 (2000)

Internet users:
  100,000 (2002)

Transportation Yemen

Highways: total: 67,000 km paved: 7,705 km unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)

Pipelines:
  gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Aden, Nishtun

Merchant marine:
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,766 GRT/24,794 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (2005)

Airports:
  44 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Military Yemen

Military branches:
  Army (includes Special Forces), Naval Forces and Coastal Defenses
  (includes Marines), Air Force (includes Air Defense Forces),
  Republican Guard (2002)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 4,058,223 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,790,705 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 236,517 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $885.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  7.8% (2003)

Military - note:
  a Coast Guard was established in 2002

Transnational Issues Yemen

Disputes - international:
  Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to
  Yemen by the ICJ in 1999; despite resistance from nomadic groups,
  the demarcation of the Saudi Arabia-Yemen boundary established under
  the 2000 Jeddah Treaty is almost complete; Yemen protests Saudi
  erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to
  stem illegal cross-border activities in sections of the boundary

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 60,901 (Somalia) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Zambia

Introduction Zambia

Background:
  The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the South
  Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in 1923.
  During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred development
  and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon independence in
  1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper prices and a
  prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991 brought an end
  to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996 saw blatant
  harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001 was marked by
  administrative problems with three parties filing a legal petition
  challenging the election of ruling party candidate Levy MWANAWASA.
  The new president launched a far-reaching anti-corruption campaign
  in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution of former President
  Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in late 2003.
  Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in the
  National Assembly.

Geography Zambia

Location:
  Southern Africa, east of Angola

Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 752,614 sq km
  land: 740,724 sq km
  water: 11,890 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Texas

Land boundaries:
  total: 5,664 km
  border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
  338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to April)

Terrain:
  mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
  highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Natural resources:
  copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium,
  hydropower

Land use: arable land: 7.08% permanent crops: 0.03% other: 92.9% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  460 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Environment - current issues:
  air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral extraction and
  refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds; poaching seriously
  threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and large cat populations;
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water
  treatment presents human health risks

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
  Zimbabwe

People Zambia

Population:
  11,261,795
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 2,626,911/female 2,609,857)
  15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,848,402/female 2,904,376)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 118,043/female 154,206) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 16.46 years
  male: 16.26 years
  female: 16.67 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  2.12% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  41.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  20.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 88.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 39.7 years
  male: 39.43 years
  female: 39.98 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  5.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  16.5% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  920,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  89,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Zambian(s)
  adjective: Zambian

Ethnic groups:
  African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Religions:
  Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Languages:
  English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda,
  Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 80.6%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Government Zambia

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
  conventional short form: Zambia
  former: Northern Rhodesia

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Lusaka

Administrative divisions:
  9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
  Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Independence:
  24 October 1964 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Constitution:
  24 August 1991

Legal system:
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
  Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
  Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006);
  vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
  - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
  Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
  SATA 3%, other 5%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
  UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
  seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
  1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are appointed by
  the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction to hear civil
  and criminal cases)

Political parties and leaders:
  Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum for
  Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage Party or
  HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF [Roger
  CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD [Levy
  MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for Development or
  NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr. Sam CHIPUNGU];
  Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian Republican Party or
  ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Gwendoline
  KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP [Francis NKHOMA,
  president]; United Party for National Development or UPND [Anderson
  MAZOKA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719 FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka telephone: [260] (1) 250-955 FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Flag description:
  green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist side),
  black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer edge of
  the flag

Economy Zambia

Economy - overview:
  Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform, Zambia's
  economic growth remains somewhat below the 5% to 7% needed to reduce
  poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned copper
  mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses generated
  by the industry and greatly improved the chances for copper mining
  to return to profitability and spur economic growth. Copper output
  increased in 2004 and is expected to increase again in 2005, due to
  higher copper prices and the opening of new mines. The maize harvest
  was again good in 2004, helping boost GDP and agricultural exports.
  Cooperation continues with international bodies on programs to
  reduce poverty, including a new lending arrangement with the IMF in
  the second quarter, 2004. A tighter monetary policy will help cut
  inflation, but Zambia still has a serious problem with fiscal
  discipline.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $9.409 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4.6% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 14.9% industry: 28.9% services: 56.1% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.63 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Unemployment rate:
  50% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  86% (1993)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.1% highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  52.6 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  18.3% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  41.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.129 billion
  expenditures: $1.307 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  127.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables, flowers,
  tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle, goats, pigs,
  poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Industries:
  copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs, beverages,
  chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Industrial production growth rate:
  6.9% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.167 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.5% hydro: 99.5% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  5.345 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  2.25 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-181.4 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.548 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers, cotton

Exports - partners:
  South Africa 25.6%, UK 17%, Switzerland 16%, Tanzania 7.4%,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 7%, Zimbabwe 5.8% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.519 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 46.2%, UK 14.2%, UAE 7.1%, Zimbabwe 6% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $345 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $5.353 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $651 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Currency code:
  ZMK

Exchange rates:
  Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,778.9 (2004), 4,733.3 (2003),
  4,398.6 (2002), 3,610.9 (2001), 3,110.8 (2000)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Zambia

Telephones - main lines in use:
  88,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  241,000 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the best
  in Sub-Saharan Africa
  domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
  towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;
  Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal
  (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
  international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Radios:
  1.2 million (2001)

Television broadcast stations:
  9 (2002)

Televisions:
  277,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .zm

Internet hosts:
  1,880 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2001)

Internet users:
  68,200 (2003)

Transportation Zambia

Railways:
  total: 2,173 km
  narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
  (TAZARA) (2004)

Highways:
  total: 91,440 km
  paved: 20,117 km
  unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Waterways:
  2,250 km
  note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers
  (2003)

Pipelines:
  oil 771 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Mpulungu

Airports:
  109 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 99
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 62
  under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Military Zambia

Military branches:
  Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force, Police,
  National Service

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,219,739 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,043,702 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $106.8 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.8% (2004)

Transnational Issues Zambia

Disputes - international:
  in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections and joined Namibia in
  supporting plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over
  the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not
  clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; 90,000
  Angolan refugees were repatriated from Zambia by 2004, the remaining
  160,000 are expected to return in 2005

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  refugees (country of origin): 158,894 (Angola) 58,405 (Democratic
  Republic of the Congo) 5,767 (Rwanda) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone, small
  amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
  possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
  with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
  an unattractive venue for money launderers

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@Zimbabwe

Introduction Zimbabwe

Background:
  The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa Company in
  1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored whites in
  power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
  independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
  complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
  (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
  finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
  in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
  the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
  the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
  redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
  farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
  of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
  rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
  Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
  pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
  brutal repression of regime opponents.

Geography Zimbabwe

Location:
  Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

Geographic coordinates:
  20 00 S, 30 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 390,580 sq km
  land: 386,670 sq km
  water: 3,910 sq km

Area - comparative:
  slightly larger than Montana

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,066 km
  border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
  225 km, Zambia 797 km

Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
  none (landlocked)

Climate:
  tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to March)

Terrain:
  mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high veld);
  mountains in east

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
  highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

Natural resources:
  coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore,
  vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

Land use: arable land: 8.32% permanent crops: 0.34% other: 91.34% (2001)

Irrigated land:
  1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

Environment - current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste and heavy metal pollution

Environment - international agreements:
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary with
  Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria Falls on
  the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

People Zimbabwe

Population:
  12,746,990
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 39.2% (male 2,522,609/female 2,474,131)
  15-64 years: 57.1% (male 3,686,354/female 3,592,662)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 235,478/female 235,756) (2005 est.)

Median age:
  total: 19.26 years
  male: 19.28 years
  female: 19.24 years (2005 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.51% (2005 est.)

Birth rate:
  29.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate:
  24.66 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Net migration rate:
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population negligible migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2005 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 67.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 70.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 39.13 years
  male: 40.2 years
  female: 38.03 years (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  24.6% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  1.8 million (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  170,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases:
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Nationality:
  noun: Zimbabwean(s)
  adjective: Zimbabwean

Ethnic groups:
  African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and Asian 1%,
  white less than 1%

Religions:
  syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%, Christian
  25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

Languages:
  English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the Ndebele,
  sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 90.7%
  male: 94.2%
  female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

Government Zimbabwe

Country name:
  conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
  conventional short form: Zimbabwe
  former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

Government type:
  parliamentary democracy

Capital:
  Harare

Administrative divisions:
  8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status; Bulawayo*,
  Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East,
  Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South,
  Midlands

Independence:
  18 April 1980 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

Constitution:
  21 December 1979

Legal system:
  mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since 31
  December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
  31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
  House of Assembly
  elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
  signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
  province) and elected by popular vote for a 6-year term; election
  last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2008); co-vice
  presidents appointed by the president
  election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

Legislative branch:
  unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by popular
  vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10 occupied
  by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied by
  provincial governors appointed by the president)
  elections: last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC
  39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, Independents
  1

Judicial branch:
  Supreme Court; High Court

Political parties and leaders:
  Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI]; National
  Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA]; United
  Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National Union-Ndonga or
  ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African National
  Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE]; Zimbabwe
  African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU]; Crisis
  in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of Trade
  Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

International organization participation:
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
  ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
  chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594 FAX: [263] (4) 796488

Flag description:
  seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black, red,
  yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in black
  with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird representing
  the long history of the country is superimposed on a red
  five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which symbolizes
  peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral wealth, red -
  blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands for the native
  people

Economy Zimbabwe

Economy - overview:
  The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of difficult
  economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable fiscal
  deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and bare
  shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
  dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
  suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
  Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 133% at the end
  of 2004, while the exchange rate fell from 24 Zimbabwean dollars per
  US dollar to 6,200 in the same time period. The government's land
  reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly
  damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of
  exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $24.37 billion (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  -8.2% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 18.1% industry: 24.3% services: 57.7% (2004 est.)

Labor force:
  4.23 million (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 66%, industry 10%, services 24% (1996)

Unemployment rate:
  70% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  70% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1.97% highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  50.1 (1995)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  133% (2004 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  9.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $1.325 billion
  expenditures: $1.593 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Public debt:
  52.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Agriculture - products:
  corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts; sheep,
  goats, pigs

Industries:
  mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay, numerous
  metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products, cement,
  chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs, beverages

Industrial production growth rate:
  -7.8% (2004 est.)

Electricity - production:
  8.839 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 47% hydro: 53% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
  11.22 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  3 billion kWh (2002)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA

Oil - imports:
  NA

Current account balance:
  $-230.3 million (2004 est.)

Exports:
  $1.409 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

Exports - partners:
  South Africa 31.5%, Switzerland 7.4%, UK 7.3%, China 6.1%, Germany
  4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.599 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures, chemicals,
  fuels

Imports - partners:
  South Africa 46.9%, Botswana 3.6%, UK 3.4% (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $57 million (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $4.086 billion (2004 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on
  humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

Currency (code):
  Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

Currency code:
  ZWD

Exchange rates:
  Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 4,303.28 (2004), 697.424 (2003),
  55.036 (2002), 55.052 (2001), 44.418 (2000)
  note: these are official exchange rates, non-official rates vary
  significantly

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

Communications Zimbabwe

Telephones - main lines in use:
  300,900 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  379,100 (2003)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: system was once one of the best in Africa, but
  now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000 outstanding
  requests for connection despite an equally large number of installed
  but unused main lines
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
  installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet
  connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
  and for some of the smaller ones
  international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and
  Gweru)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

Radios:
  1.14 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  16 (1997)

Televisions:
  370,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .zw

Internet hosts:
  4,501 (2003)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  6 (2000)

Internet users:
  500,000 (2002)

Transportation Zimbabwe

Railways: total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2004)

Highways: total: 18,338 km paved: 8,692 km unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)

Waterways:
  on Lake Kariba, length small (2003)

Pipelines:
  refined products 261 km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
  Binga, Kariba

Airports:
  404 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 387 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 186 under 914 m: 196 (2004 est.)

Military Zimbabwe

Military branches:
  Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of
  Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 2,840,053 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: 1,148,590 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $217 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  4.3% (2004)

Transnational Issues Zimbabwe

Disputes - international:
  Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has placed
  military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of
  Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution;
  Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to
  plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi
  River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly
  delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
  IDPs: 100,000-150,000 (MUGABE-led political violence, human rights
  violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2004)

Illicit drugs:
  transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin, mandrax,
  and methamphetamines destined for the South African and European
  markets

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2001 GDP (purchasing power parity)

Afghanistan
  $21.5 billion (2003 est.)

Albania
  $17.46 billion (2004 est.)

Algeria
  $212.3 billion (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  $500 million (2000 est.)

Andorra
  $1.9 billion (2003 est.)

Angola
  $23.17 billion (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  $112 million (2002 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $750 million (2002 est.)

Argentina
  $483.5 billion (2004 est.)

Armenia
  $13.65 billion (2004 est.)

Aruba
  $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

Australia
  $611.7 billion (2004 est.)

Austria
  $255.9 billion (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $30.01 billion (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $5.295 billion (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  $13.01 billion (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  $275.7 billion (2004 est.)

Barbados
  $4.569 billion (2004 est.)

Belarus
  $70.5 billion (2004 est.)

Belgium
  $316.2 billion (2004 est.)

Belize
  $1.778 billion (2004 est.)

Benin
  $8.338 billion (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  $2.33 billion (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  $2.9 billion (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  $22.33 billion (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $26.21 billion (2004 est.)

Botswana
  $15.05 billion (2004 est.)

Brazil
  $1.492 trillion (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $2.498 billion (2004 est.)

Brunei
  $6.842 billion (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  $61.63 billion (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $15.74 billion (2004 est.)

Burma
  $74.3 billion (2004 est.)

Burundi
  $4.001 billion (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  $26.99 billion (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  $30.17 billion (2004 est.)

Canada
  $1.023 trillion (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  $600 million (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $1.391 billion (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
  $4.248 billion (2004 est.)

Chad
  $15.66 billion (2004 est.)

Chile
  $169.1 billion (2004 est.)

China
  $7.262 trillion (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  $281.1 billion (2004 est.)

Comoros
  $441 million (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $42.74 billion (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $2.324 billion (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  $105 million (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  $37.97 billion (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $24.78 billion (2004 est.)

Croatia
  $50.33 billion (2004 est.)

Cuba
  $33.92 billion (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $15.71 billion
  north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $4.54 billion (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  $172.2 billion (2004 est.)

Denmark
  $174.4 billion (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  $619 million (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $384 million (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $55.68 billion (2004 est.)

East Timor
  $370 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  $49.51 billion (2004 est.)

Egypt
  $316.3 billion (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  $32.35 billion (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $1.27 billion (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  $4.154 billion (2004 est.)

Estonia
  $19.23 billion (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  $54.89 billion (2004 est.)

European Union
  $11.65 trillion (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $75 million (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $1 billion (2001 est.)

Fiji
  $5.173 billion (2004 est.)

Finland
  $151.2 billion (2004 est.)

France
  $1.737 trillion (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  $1.551 billion (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

Gabon
  $7.966 billion (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  $2.799 billion (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $768 million (2003 est.)

Georgia
  $14.45 billion (2004 est.)

Germany
  $2.362 trillion (2004 est.)

Ghana
  $48.27 billion (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  $769 million (2000 est.)

Greece
  $226.4 billion (2004 est.)

Greenland
  $1.1 billion (2001 est.)

Grenada
  $440 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  $3.513 billion (2003 est.)

Guam
  $3.2 billion (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  $59.47 billion (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  $2.59 billion (2003 est.)

Guinea
  $19.5 billion (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $1.008 billion (2004 est.)

Guyana
  $2.899 billion (2004 est.)

Haiti
  $12.05 billion (2004 est.)

Honduras
  $18.79 billion (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  $234.5 billion (2004 est.)

Hungary
  $149.3 billion (2004 est.)

Iceland
  $9.373 billion (2004 est.)

India
  $3.319 trillion (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  $827.4 billion (2004 est.)

Iran
  $516.7 billion (2004 est.)

Iraq
  $54.4 billion (2004 est.)

Ireland
  $126.4 billion (2004 est.)

Israel
  $129 billion (2004 est.)

Italy
  $1.609 trillion (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  $11.13 billion (2004 est.)

Japan
  $3.745 trillion (2004 est.)

Jersey
  $3.6 billion (2003 est.)

Jordan
  $25.5 billion (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $118.4 billion (2004 est.)

Kenya
  $34.68 billion (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  $79 million - supplemented by a nearly equal amount from
  external sources (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  $40 billion (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  $925.1 billion (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  $48 billion (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $8.495 billion (2004 est.)

Laos
  $11.28 billion (2004 est.)

Latvia
  $26.53 billion (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  $18.83 billion (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  $5.892 billion (2004 est.)

Liberia
  $2.903 billion (2004 est.)

Libya
  $37.48 billion (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $825 million (1999 est.)

Lithuania
  $45.23 billion (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  $27.27 billion (2004 est.)

Macau
  $9.1 billion (2003)

Macedonia
  $14.4 billion (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  $14.56 billion (2004 est.)

Malawi
  $7.41 billion (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  $229.3 billion (2004 est.)

Maldives
  $1.25 billion (2002 est.)

Mali
  $11 billion (2004 est.)

Malta
  $7.223 billion (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  $2.113 billion (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  $115 million (2001 est.)

Martinique
  $6.117 billion (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  $5.534 billion (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  $15.68 billion (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  $466.8 million (2003 est.)

Mexico
  $1.006 trillion (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $277 million
  note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100
  million annually (2002 est.)

Moldova
  $8.581 billion (2004 est.)

Monaco
  $870 million (2000 est.)

Mongolia
  $5.332 billion (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  $29 million (2002 est.)

Morocco
  $134.6 billion (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  $23.38 billion (2004 est.)

Namibia
  $14.76 billion (2004 est.)

Nauru
  $60 million (2001 est.)

Nepal
  $39.53 billion (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  $481.1 billion (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $2.45 billion (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  $3.158 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  $92.51 billion (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  $12.34 billion (2004 est.)

Niger
  $9.716 billion (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  $125.7 billion (2004 est.)

Niue
  $7.6 million (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands $900 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)

Norway
  $183 billion (2004 est.)

Oman
  $38.09 billion (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  $347.3 billion (2004 est.)

Palau $174 million note: GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2001 est.)

Panama
  $20.57 billion (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $11.99 billion (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  $29.93 billion (2004 est.)

Peru
  $155.3 billion (2004 est.)

Philippines
  $430.6 billion (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  $463 billion (2004 est.)

Portugal
  $188.7 billion (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $68.95 billion (2004 est.)

Qatar
  $19.49 billion (2004 est.)

Reunion
  $4.57 billion (2004 est.)

Romania
  $171.5 billion (2004 est.)

Russia
  $1.408 trillion (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  $10.43 billion (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  $18 million (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $339 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  $866 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon $48.3 million - supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (2003 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $342 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
  $1 billion (2002 est.)

San Marino
  $940 million (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $214 million (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $310.2 billion (2004 est.)

Senegal
  $18.36 billion (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $26.27 billion (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  $626 million (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $3.335 billion (2004 est.)

Singapore
  $120.9 billion (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  $78.89 billion (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  $39.41 billion (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $800 million (2002 est.)

Somalia
  $4.597 billion (2004 est.)

South Africa
  $491.4 billion (2004 est.)

Spain
  $937.6 billion (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $80.58 billion (2004 est.)

Sudan
  $76.19 billion (2004 est.)

Suriname
  $1.885 billion (2004 est.)

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $6.018 billion (2004 est.)

Sweden
  $255.4 billion (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  $251.9 billion (2004 est.)

Syria
  $60.44 billion (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  $576.2 billion (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  $7.95 billion (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  $23.71 billion (2004 est.)

Thailand
  $524.8 billion (2004 est.)

Togo
  $8.684 billion (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  $1.5 million (1993 est.)

Tonga
  $244 million (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $11.48 billion (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  $70.88 billion (2004 est.)

Turkey
  $508.7 billion (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $27.6 billion (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $216 million (2002 est.)

Tuvalu
  $12.2 million (2000 est.)

Uganda
  $39.39 billion (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  $299.1 billion (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $63.67 billion (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  $1.782 trillion (2004 est.)

United States
  $11.75 trillion (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  $49.27 billion (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $47.59 billion (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  $580 million (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  $145.2 billion (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  $227.2 billion (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  $2.5 billion (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  $60 million (2004 est.)

West Bank
  $1.8 billion (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  GWP (gross world product) - purchasing power parity - $55.5
  trillion (2004 est.)

Yemen
  $16.25 billion (2004 est.)

Zambia
  $9.409 billion (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $24.37 billion (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2002 Population growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
  4.77%
  note: this rate does not take into consideration the recent war and
  its continuing impact (2005 est.)

Albania
  0.52% (2005 est.)

Algeria
  1.22% (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  -0.11% (2005 est.)

Andorra
  0.95% (2005 est.)

Angola
  1.9% (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  1.77% (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0.57% (2005 est.)

Argentina
  0.98% (2005 est.)

Armenia
  -0.25% (2005 est.)

Aruba
  0.47% (2005 est.)

Australia
  0.87% (2005 est.)

Austria
  0.11% (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0.59% (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0.67% (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  1.51% (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  2.09% (2005 est.)

Barbados
  0.33% (2005 est.)

Belarus
  -0.09% (2005 est.)

Belgium
  0.15% (2005 est.)

Belize
  2.33% (2005 est.)

Benin
  2.82% (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  0.64% (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  2.11% (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  1.49% (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0.44% (2005 est.)

Botswana
  0% (2005 est.)

Brazil
  1.06% (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Brunei
  1.9% (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  -0.89% (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  2.53% (2005 est.)

Burma
  0.42% (2005 est.)

Burundi
  2.22% (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  1.81% (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  1.93% (2005 est.)

Canada
  0.9% (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.67% (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  2.64% (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  1.49% (2005 est.)

Chad
  2.95% (2005 est.)

Chile
  0.97% (2005 est.)

China
  0.58% (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  0% (2005 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0% (2005 est.)

Colombia
  1.49% (2005 est.)

Comoros
  2.91% (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  2.98% (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  1.31% (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  1.48% (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Croatia
  -0.02% (2005 est.)

Cuba
  0.33% (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  0.54% (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  -0.05% (2005 est.)

Denmark
  0.34% (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Dominica
  -0.27% (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  1.29% (2005 est.)

East Timor
  2.09% (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  1.24% (2005 est.)

Egypt
  1.78% (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  1.75% (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  2.42% (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  2.51% (2005 est.)

Estonia
  -0.65% (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  2.36% (2005 est.)

European Union
  0.15% (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2.44% (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0.62% (2005 est.)

Fiji
  1.4% (2005 est.)

Finland
  0.16% (2005 est.)

France
  0.37% (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  2.1% (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.52% (2005 est.)

Gabon
  2.45% (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  2.93% (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  3.77% (2005 est.)

Georgia
  -0.35% (2005 est.)

Germany
  0% (2005 est.)

Ghana
  1.25% (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  0.17% (2005 est.)

Greece
  0.19% (2005 est.)

Greenland
  -0.02% (2005 est.)

Grenada
  0.19% (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  0.92% (2005 est.)

Guam
  1.46% (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  2.57% (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  0.29% (2005 est.)

Guinea
  2.37% (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1.96% (2005 est.)

Guyana
  0.26% (2005 est.)

Haiti
  2.26% (2005 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0.01% (2005 est.)

Honduras
  2.16% (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  0.65% (2005 est.)

Hungary
  -0.26% (2005 est.)

Iceland
  0.91% (2005 est.)

India
  1.4% (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  1.45% (2005 est.)

Iran
  0.86% (2005 est.)

Iraq
  2.7% (2005 est.)

Ireland
  1.16% (2005 est.)

Israel
  1.2% (2005 est.)

Italy
  0.07% (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  0.71% (2005 est.)

Japan
  0.05% (2005 est.)

Jersey
  0.32% (2005 est.)

Jordan
  2.56% (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0.3% (2005 est.)

Kenya
  2.56% (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  2.25% (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  0.9% (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  0.38% (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  3.44%
  note: this rate reflects a return to pre-Gulf crisis immigration of
  expatriates (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.29% (2005 est.)

Laos
  2.42% (2005 est.)

Latvia
  -0.69% (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  1.26% (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  0.08% (2005 est.)

Liberia
  2.64% (2005 est.)

Libya
  2.33% (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  0.82% (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  -0.3% (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.25% (2005 est.)

Macau
  0.87% (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  0.26% (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  3.03% (2005 est.)

Malawi
  2.06% (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  1.8% (2005 est.)

Maldives
  2.82% (2005 est.)

Mali
  2.74% (2005 est.)

Malta
  0.42% (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0.52% (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  2.27% (2005 est.)

Martinique
  0.76% (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  0.84% (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  3.93% (2005 est.)

Mexico
  1.17% (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  -0.08% (2005 est.)

Moldova
  0.22% (2005 est.)

Monaco
  0.43% (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  1.45% (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  1.04% (2005 est.)

Morocco
  1.57% (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  1.48% (2005 est.)

Namibia
  0.73% (2005 est.)

Nauru
  1.83% (2005 est.)

Nepal
  2.2% (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  0.53% (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0.82% (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  1.28% (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  1.02% (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  1.92% (2005 est.)

Niger
  2.63% (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  2.37% (2005 est.)

Niue
  0% (2005 est.)

Norfolk Island
  -0.01% (2005 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.61% (2005 est.)

Norway
  0.4% (2005 est.)

Oman
  3.32% (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  2.03% (2005 est.)

Palau
  1.39% (2005 est.)

Panama
  1.26% (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2.26% (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  2.48% (2005 est.)

Peru
  1.36% (2005 est.)

Philippines
  1.84% (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  -0.01% (2005 est.)

Poland
  0.03% (2005 est.)

Portugal
  0.39% (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0.47% (2005 est.)

Qatar
  2.61% (2005 est.)

Reunion
  1.38% (2005 est.)

Romania
  -0.12% (2005 est.)

Russia
  -0.37% (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  2.43% (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  0.59% (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0.38% (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  1.28% (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0.21% (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0.27% (2005 est.)

Samoa
  -0.23% (2005 est.)

San Marino
  1.3% (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  3.16% (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  2.31% (2005 est.)

Senegal
  2.48% (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0.03% (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  0.43% (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  2.22% (2005 est.)

Singapore
  1.56% (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  0.15% (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  -0.03% (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  2.68% (2005 est.)

Somalia
  3.38% (2005 est.)

South Africa
  -0.31% (2005 est.)

Spain
  0.15% (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0.79% (2005 est.)

Sudan
  2.6% (2005 est.)

Suriname
  0.25% (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  -0.02% (2005 est.)

Swaziland
  0.25% (2005 est.)

Sweden
  0.17% (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  0.49% (2005 est.)

Syria
  2.34% (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  0.63% (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  2.15% (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  1.83% (2005 est.)

Thailand
  0.87% (2005 est.)

Togo
  2.17% (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  -0.01% (2005 est.)

Tonga
  1.98% (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  -0.74% (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  0.99% (2005 est.)

Turkey
  1.09% (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1.81% (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  2.9% (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  1.47% (2005 est.)

Uganda
  3.31% (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  -0.63% (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  1.54% (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.28% (2005 est.)

United States
  0.92% (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  0.47% (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  1.67% (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  1.52% (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  1.4% (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  1.04% (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  -0.07% (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  3.13% (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  1.14% (2005 est.)

Yemen
  3.45% (2005 est.)

Zambia
  2.12% (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0.51% (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2003 GDP - real growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
  7.5% (2004 est.)

Albania
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  6.1% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  2% (2003 est.)

Angola
  11.7% (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3% (2002 est.)

Argentina
  8.3% (2004 est.)

Armenia
  9% (2004 est.)

Aruba
  -1.5% (2002 est.)

Australia
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Austria
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  9.8% (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  3% (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Barbados
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Belarus
  6.4% (2004 est.)

Belgium
  2.6% (2004 est.)

Belize
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Benin
  5% (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  2% (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  5.3% (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  3.7% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5% (2004 est.)

Botswana
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Brazil
  5.1% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1% (2002 est.)

Brunei
  3.2% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.3% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  4.8% (2004 est.)

Burma
  -1.3% (2004 est.)

Burundi
  3% (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Canada
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  5% (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
  0.5% (2004 est.)

Chad
  38% (2004 est.)

Chile
  5.8% (2004 est.)

China
  9.1% (official data) (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA%

Colombia
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Comoros
  2% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  7.5% (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  3.7% (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  7.1% (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  3.9% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  -1% (2004 est.)

Croatia
  3.7% (2004 est.)

Cuba
  3% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 3.2% north Cyprus: 2.6% (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  3.7% (2004 est.)

Denmark
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  3.5% (2002 est.)

Dominica
  -1% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  1.7% (2004 est.)

East Timor
  1% (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  5.8% (2004 est.)

Egypt
  4.5% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  20% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Estonia
  6% (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  11.6% (2004 est.)

European Union
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  10% (2001 est.)

Fiji
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Finland
  3% (2004 est.)

France
  2.1% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA% (2001 est.)

Gabon
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  6% (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  4.5% (2003 est.)

Georgia
  9.5% (2004 est.)

Germany
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Ghana
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  3.7% (2004 est.)

Greenland
  1.8% (2001 est.)

Grenada
  2.5% (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  2.6% (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  3% (2003 est.)

Guinea
  1% (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.6% (2004 est.)

Guyana
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Haiti
  -3.5% (2004 est.)

Honduras
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  7.9% (2004 est.)

Hungary
  3.9% (2004 est.)

Iceland
  1.8% (2004 est.)

India
  6.2% (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Iran
  6.3% (2004 est.)

Iraq
  52.3% (2004 est.)

Ireland
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Israel
  3.9% (2004 est.)

Italy
  1.3% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Japan
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  9.1% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  1.5% (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  1% (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  4.6% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  6.8% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  6% (2004 est.)

Laos
  6% (2004 est.)

Latvia
  7.6% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  4% (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Liberia
  21.8% (2004 est.)

Libya
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  11% (1999 est.)

Lithuania
  6.6% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Macau
  15.6% (2003)

Macedonia
  1.3% (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Malawi
  4% (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  7.1% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  2.3% (2002 est.)

Mali
  4% (2004 est.)

Malta
  1% (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  NA%

Marshall Islands
  1% (2001 est.)

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  3% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1% (2002 est.)

Moldova
  6.8% (2004 est.)

Monaco
  0.9% (2000 est.)

Mongolia
  10.6% according to official estimate (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  -1% (2002 est.)

Morocco
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  8.2% (2004 est.)

Namibia
  4.8% (2004 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  3% (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  1.2% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0.5% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  4.8% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  4% (2004 est.)

Niger
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  6.2% (2004 est.)

Niue
  -0.3% (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Oman
  1.2% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Palau
  1% (2001 est.)

Panama
  6% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Peru
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Philippines
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Portugal
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  2.7% (2004 est.)

Qatar
  8.7% (2004 est.)

Reunion
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Romania
  8.1% (2004 est.)

Russia
  6.7% (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  -1.9% (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  3.3% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0.7% (2002 est.)

Samoa
  5% (2002 est.)

San Marino
  7.5% (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  6% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  5% (2004 est.)

Senegal
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  6.5% (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  1.5% (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6% (2004 est.)

Singapore
  8.1% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  5.3% (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  3.9% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  5.8% (2003 est.)

Somalia
  2.8% (2004 est.)

South Africa
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Spain
  2.6% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Sudan
  6.4% (2004 est.)

Suriname
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Sweden
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Syria
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  6% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  10.5% (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  5.8% (2004 est.)

Thailand
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Togo
  3% (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  5.7% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Turkey
  8.2% (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  IMF estimate: 7.5%
  note: official government statistics show 21.4% growth, but these
  estimates are notoriously unreliable (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.9% (2000 est.)

Tuvalu
  3% (2000 est.)

Uganda
  5% (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  12% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  5.7% (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  3.2% (2004 est.)

United States
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  10.2% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  1.1% (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  16.8% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  7.7% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2% (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  6% (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Yemen
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Zambia
  4.6% (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -8.2% (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2004 GDP - per capita

Afghanistan
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Albania
  purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

Algeria
  purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2000 est.)

Andorra
  purchasing power parity - $26,800 (2003 est.)

Angola
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  purchasing power parity - $7,500 (2002 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  purchasing power parity - $11,000 (2002 est.)

Argentina
  purchasing power parity - $12,400 (2004 est.)

Armenia
  purchasing power parity - $4,600 (2004 est.)

Aruba
  purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

Australia
  purchasing power parity - $30,700 (2004 est.)

Austria
  purchasing power parity - $31,300 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)

Barbados
  purchasing power parity - $16,400 (2004 est.)

Belarus
  purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2004 est.)

Belgium
  purchasing power parity - $30,600 (2004 est.)

Belize
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.)

Benin
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  purchasing power parity - $36,000 (2003 est.)

Bhutan
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2003 est.)

Bolivia
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2004 est.)

Botswana
  purchasing power parity - $9,200 (2004 est.)

Brazil
  purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  purchasing power parity - $38,500 (2004 est.)

Brunei
  purchasing power parity - $23,600 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  purchasing power parity - $8,200 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

Burma
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

Burundi
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

Canada
  purchasing power parity - $31,500 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2002 est.)

Cayman Islands
  purchasing power parity - $32,300 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

Chad
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.)

Chile
  purchasing power parity - $10,700 (2004 est.)

China
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2004 est.)

Colombia
  purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2004 est.)

Comoros
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

Croatia
  purchasing power parity - $11,200 (2004 est.)

Cuba
  purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $20,300 (2004
  est.); north Cyprus: purchasing power parity - $7,135 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  purchasing power parity - $16,800 (2004 est.)

Denmark
  purchasing power parity - $32,200 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2002 est.)

Dominica
  purchasing power parity - $5,500 (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

East Timor
  purchasing power parity - $400 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2004 est.)

Egypt
  purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

Estonia
  purchasing power parity - $14,300 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

European Union
  purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) purchasing power parity - $25,000 (2002 est.)

Faroe Islands
  purchasing power parity - $22,000 (2001 est.)

Fiji
  purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)

Finland
  purchasing power parity - $29,000 (2004 est.)

France
  purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  purchasing power parity - $8,300 (2003 est.)

French Polynesia
  purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2003 est.)

Gabon
  purchasing power parity - $5,900 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2003 est.)

Georgia
  purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.)

Germany
  purchasing power parity - $28,700 (2004 est.)

Ghana
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  purchasing power parity - $27,900 (2000 est.)

Greece
  purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.)

Greenland
  purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2001 est.)

Grenada
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  purchasing power parity - $7,900 (2003 est.)

Guam
  purchasing power parity - $21,000 (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)

Guyana
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)

Haiti
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

Honduras
  purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  purchasing power parity - $34,200 (2004 est.)

Hungary
  purchasing power parity - $14,900 (2004 est.)

Iceland
  purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)

India
  purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  purchasing power parity - $3,500 (2004 est.)

Iran
  purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.)

Iraq
  purchasing power parity - $2,100 (2004 est.)

Ireland
  purchasing power parity - $31,900 (2004 est.)

Israel
  purchasing power parity - $20,800 (2004 est.)

Italy
  purchasing power parity - $27,700 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  purchasing power parity - $4,100 (2004 est.)

Japan
  purchasing power parity - $29,400 (2004 est.)

Jersey
  purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2003 est.)

Jordan
  purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2004 est.)

Kenya
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  purchasing power parity - $19,200 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  purchasing power parity - $21,300 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

Laos
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

Latvia
  purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  purchasing power parity - $3,200 (2004 est.)

Liberia
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

Libya
  purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  purchasing power parity - $25,000 (1999 est.)

Lithuania
  purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  purchasing power parity - $58,900 (2004 est.)

Macau
  purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003)

Macedonia
  purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

Malawi
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  purchasing power parity - $9,700 (2004 est.)

Maldives
  purchasing power parity - $3,900 (2002 est.)

Mali
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

Malta
  purchasing power parity - $18,200 (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  purchasing power parity - $28,500 (2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2001 est.)

Martinique
  purchasing power parity - $14,400 (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  purchasing power parity - $12,800 (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  purchasing power parity - $2,600 (2003 est.)

Mexico
  purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

Moldova
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

Monaco
  purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2000 est.)

Mongolia
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2002 est.)

Morocco
  purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2004 est.)

Namibia
  purchasing power parity - $7,300 (2004 est.)

Nauru
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

Nepal
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  purchasing power parity - $29,500 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2004 est.)

Niger
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2004 est.)

Niue
  purchasing power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.)

Norfolk Island
  purchasing power parity - NA

Northern Mariana Islands purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)

Norway
  purchasing power parity - $40,000 (2004 est.)

Oman
  purchasing power parity - $13,100 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)

Palau
  purchasing power parity - $9,000 (2001 est.)

Panama
  purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  purchasing power parity - $4,800 (2004 est.)

Peru
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2004 est.)

Philippines
  purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  purchasing power parity - NA

Poland
  purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

Portugal
  purchasing power parity - $17,900 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  purchasing power parity - $17,700 (2004 est.)

Qatar
  purchasing power parity - $23,200 (2004 est.)

Reunion
  purchasing power parity - $6,000 (2004 est.)

Romania
  purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.)

Russia
  purchasing power parity - $9,800 (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  purchasing power parity - $1,300 (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  purchasing power parity - $2,500 (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  purchasing power parity - $5,400 (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2001
  est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  purchasing power parity - $2,900
  (2002 est.)

Samoa
  purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.)

San Marino
  purchasing power parity - $34,600 (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  purchasing power parity - $12,000 (2004 est.)

Senegal
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  purchasing power parity - $2,400 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  purchasing power parity - $7,800 (2002 est.)

Sierra Leone
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

Singapore
  purchasing power parity - $27,800 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  purchasing power parity - $19,600 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

Somalia
  purchasing power parity - $600 (2004 est.)

South Africa
  purchasing power parity - $11,100 (2004 est.)

Spain
  purchasing power parity - $23,300 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2004 est.)

Sudan
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

Suriname
  purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  purchasing power parity - $5,100 (2004 est.)

Sweden
  purchasing power parity - $28,400 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  purchasing power parity - $33,800 (2004 est.)

Syria
  purchasing power parity - $3,400 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  purchasing power parity - $700 (2004 est.)

Thailand
  purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.)

Togo
  purchasing power parity - $1,600 (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.)

Tonga
  purchasing power parity - $2,300 (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  purchasing power parity - $7,100 (2004 est.)

Turkey
  purchasing power parity - $7,400 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  purchasing power parity - $5,700 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands purchasing power parity - $11,500 (2002 est.)

Tuvalu
  purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2000 est.)

Uganda
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  purchasing power parity - $6,300 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  purchasing power parity - $25,200 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  purchasing power parity - $29,600 (2004 est.)

United States
  purchasing power parity - $40,100 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  purchasing power parity - $14,500 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  purchasing power parity - $1,800 (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  purchasing power parity - $2,900 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  purchasing power parity - $5,800 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  purchasing power parity - $2,700 (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  purchasing power parity - $17,200 (2002 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.)

West Bank
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  purchasing power parity - NA

World
  purchasing power parity - $8,800 (2004 est.)

Yemen
  purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)

Zambia
  purchasing power parity - $900 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2006 Dependency status

Akrotiri
  overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator
  who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

American Samoa
  unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US;
  administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
  Interior

Anguilla
  overseas territory of the UK

Aruba
  part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in
  internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the
  Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and
  foreign affairs

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  territory of Australia; administered by
  the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Baker Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Bassas da India
  possession of France; administered by the
  Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Bermuda
  overseas territory of the UK

Bouvet Island
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar
  Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo

British Indian Ocean Territory overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

British Virgin Islands overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing

Cayman Islands overseas territory of the UK

Christmas Island
  territory of Australia; administered by the
  Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services

Clipperton Island
  possession of France; administered by France from
  French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  territory of Australia; administered from
  Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional
  Services

Cook Islands
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand;
  Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand
  retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in
  consultation with the Cook Islands

Coral Sea Islands
  territory of Australia; administered from Canberra
  by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Dhekelia
  overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator
  who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

Europa Island
  possession of France; administered by the
  Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  overseas territory of the UK; also
  claimed by Argentina

Faroe Islands
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948

French Guiana
  overseas department of France

French Polynesia
  overseas lands of France; overseas territory of
  France from 1946-2004

French Southern and Antarctic Lands overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Michel CHAMPON (since 20 December 2004), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves HERMOSO (since NA)

Gibraltar overseas territory of the UK

Glorioso Islands
  possession of France; administered by the
  Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Greenland
  part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas
  administrative division of Denmark since 1979

Guadeloupe
  overseas department of France

Guam
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy
  relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the
  Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior

Guernsey
  British crown dependency

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage

Hong Kong
  special administrative region of China

Howland Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Jan Mayen
  territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from
  Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however,
  authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian
  Defense Communication Service

Jarvis Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US
  Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge
  system

Jersey
  British crown dependency

Johnston Atoll
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the
  Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as
  part of the National Wildlife Refuge system

Juan de Nova Island
  possession of France; administered by the
  Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Kingman Reef
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the
  Department of the Interior
  note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted
  restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef
  from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18
  January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be
  administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this
  refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of
  Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit

Macau
  special administrative region of China

Man, Isle of
  British crown dependency

Martinique
  overseas department of France

Mayotte
  territorial collectivity of France

Midway Islands
  unincorporated territory of the US; formerly
  administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy; on 31 October
  1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and
  control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife
  Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National
  Wildlife Refuge system

Montserrat
  overseas territory of the UK

Navassa Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered by
  the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from
  the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto
  Rico; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and
  maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on
  the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim
  advanced against the island

Netherlands Antilles
  an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the
  Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954;
  Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

New Caledonia
  overseas territory of France since 1956

Niue
  self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974;
  Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains
  responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these
  responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised
  at the request of the Government of Niue

Norfolk Island
  territory of Australia; Canberra administers
  Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the
  Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories

Northern Mariana Islands
  commonwealth in political union with the
  US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US
  Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs

Palmyra Atoll
  incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but
  administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service
  of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs
  of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine
  excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within
  the 12 nm territorial sea or within the lagoon

Pitcairn Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

Puerto Rico
  commonwealth associated with the US

Reunion
  overseas department of France

Saint Helena
  overseas territory of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  self-governing territorial collectivity of
  France

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  overseas territory of
  the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland
  Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the
  Falkland Islands, representing Queen ELIZABETH II; Grytviken,
  formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base

Svalbard
  territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department
  of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing
  in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920)
  sovereignty was awarded to Norway

Tokelau
  self-administering territory of New Zealand; note -
  Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions
  and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free
  association with New Zealand

Tromelin Island
  possession of France; administered by the
  Administrateur Superieur of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

Turks and Caicos Islands
  overseas territory of the UK

Virgin Islands
  organized, unincorporated territory of the US with
  policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the
  jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the
  Interior

Wake Island
  unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
  Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the
  island are conducted by the US Air Force

Wallis and Futuna
  overseas territory of France

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2007 Diplomatic representation from the US

Afghanistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zalmay KHALILZAD
  embassy: The Great Masood Road, Kabul
  mailing address: 6180 Kabul Place, Dulles, VA 20189-6180
  telephone: [00] (2) 230-0436
  FAX: [0093] (2) 230-1364

Akrotiri
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marcie B. RIES
  embassy: Rruga Elbasanit, Labinoti #103, Tirana
  mailing address: U. S. Department of State, 9510 Tirana Place,
  Dulles, VA 20189-9510
  telephone: [355] (4) 247285
  FAX: [355] (4) 374957 and [355] (4) 232222

Algeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard W. ERDMAN
  embassy: 4 Chemin Cheikh Bachir El-Ibrahimi, Algiers
  mailing address: B. P. 408, Alger-Gare, 16030 Algiers
  telephone: [213] (21) 691-425/255/186
  FAX: [213] (21) 69-39-79

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  the US does not have an embassy in Andorra; the US
  Ambassador to Spain is accredited to Andorra; US interests in
  Andorra are represented by the Consulate General's office in
  Barcelona (Spain); mailing address: Paseo Reina Elisenda, 23, 08034
  Barcelona, Spain; telephone: [34] (93) 280-2227; FAX: [34] (93)
  280-6175

Angola
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia EFFIRD
  embassy: number 32 Rua Houari Boumedienne (in the Miramar area of
  Luanda), Luanda
  mailing address: international mail: Caixa Postal 6468, Luanda;
  pouch: American Embassy Luanda, Department of State, Washington, DC
  20521-2550
  telephone: [244] (2) 445-481, 447-028, 446-224
  FAX: [244] (2) 446-924

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  the US does not have an embassy in Antigua and
  Barbuda (embassy closed 30 June 1994); the US Ambassador to Barbados
  is accredited to Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ
  embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires
  mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO
  address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034
  telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533
  FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Armenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. EVANS
  embassy: 18 Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan 375019
  mailing address: American Embassy Yerevan, Department of State, 7020
  Yerevan Place, Washington, DC 20521-7020
  telephone: [374](1) 521-611, 520-791, 542-117, 542-132, 524-661,
  527-001, 524-840
  FAX: [374](1) 520-800

Aruba
  the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General
  to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Australia
  chief of mission: William A. STANTON, Charge d'Affaires ad
  interim
  embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital
  Territory 2600
  mailing address: APO AP 96549
  telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600
  FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970
  consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Austria
  chief of mission: Ambassador William Lee LYONS BROWN, Jr.
  embassy: Boltzmanngasse 16, A-1090, Vienna
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [43] (1) 31339-0, 31375, 31335
  FAX: [43] (1) 3100682

Azerbaijan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Reno L. HARNISH III
  embassy: 83 Azadlyg Prospecti, Baku AZ1007
  mailing address: American Embassy Baku, Department of State, 7050
  Baku Place, Washington, DC 20521-7050
  telephone: [9] (9412) 98-03-35, 36, 37
  FAX: [9] (9412) 656-671

Bahamas, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ROOD
  embassy: 42 Queen Street, Nassau
  mailing address: local or express mail address: P. O. Box N-8197,
  Nassau; Department of State, 3370 Nassau Place, Washington, DC
  20521-3370
  telephone: [1] (242) 322-1181, 328-2206 (after hours)
  FAX: [1] (242) 356-0222

Bahrain
  chief of mission: Ambassador William T. MONROE
  embassy: Building #979, Road 3119 (next to Al-Ahli Sports Club),
  Block 331, Zinj District, Manama
  mailing address: American Embassy Manama, PSC 451, FPO AE
  09834-5100; international mail: American Embassy, Box 26431, Manama
  telephone: [973] 1724-2700
  FAX: [973] 1725-6242 (consular)

Bangladesh
  chief of mission: Ambassador Harry K. THOMAS, Jr.
  embassy: Madani Avenue, Baridhara, Dhaka 1212
  mailing address: G. P. O. Box 323, Dhaka 1000
  telephone: [880] (2) 885-5500
  FAX: [880] (2) 882-3744

Barbados
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary E. KRAMER
  embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street,
  Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055
  telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950
  FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379

Belarus
  chief of mission: Ambassador George A. KROL
  embassy: 46 Starovilenskaya St., Minsk 220002
  mailing address: PSC 78, Box B Minsk, APO 09723
  telephone: [375] (17) 210-12-83, 217-7347, 217-7348
  FAX: [375] (17) 234-7853

Belgium
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tom C. KOROLOGOS
  embassy: Regentlaan 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111
  FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725

Belize
  chief of mission: Ambassador Russell F. FREEMAN
  embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City
  telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163
  FAX: [501] 2-30802

Benin
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wayne NEILL
  embassy: Rue Caporal Bernard Anani, Cotonou
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 2012, Cotonou
  telephone: [229] 30-06-50
  FAX: [229] 30-06-70

Bermuda
  chief of mission: Deputy Chief of Mission Antoinette BOECKER
  consulate(s) general: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire DVO3
  mailing address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; American Consulate
  General Hamilton, Department of State, 5300 Hamilton Place,
  Washington, DC 20520-5300
  telephone: [1] (441) 295-1342
  FAX: [1] (441) 295-1592, [1] (441) 296-9233

Bhutan
  the US and Bhutan have no formal diplomatic relations,
  although informal contact is maintained between the Bhutanese and US
  Embassy in New Delhi (India)

Bolivia
  chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE
  embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz
  mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
  telephone: [591] (2) 2430120, 2430251
  FAX: [591] (2) 2433900

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Douglas L.
  McELHANEY
  embassy: Alipasina 43, 71000 Sarajevo
  mailing address: use street address
  telephone: [387] (33) 445-700
  FAX: [387] (33) 659-722
  branch office(s): Banja Luka, Mostar

Botswana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph HUGGINS
  embassy: address NA, Gaborone
  mailing address: Embassy Enclave, P. O. Box 90, Gaborone
  telephone: [267] 353982
  FAX: [267] 312782

Brazil
  chief of mission: Ambassador John DANILOVICH
  embassy: Avenida das Nacoes, Quadra 801, Lote 3, Distrito Federal
  Cep 70403-900, Brasilia
  mailing address: Unit 3500, APO AA 34030
  telephone: [55] (61) 312-7000
  FAX: [55] (61) 225-9136
  consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo
  consulate(s): Recife

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
  embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
  Begawan
  mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
  telephone: [673] (2) 229670
  FAX: [673] (2) 225293

Bulgaria
  chief of mission: Ambassador James William PARDEW
  embassy: 16 Kozyak Street, Sofia 1407
  mailing address: American Embassy Sofia, Department of State, 5740
  Sofia Place, Washington, DC 20521-5740
  telephone: [359] (2) 937-5100
  FAX: [359] (2) 937-5230

Burkina Faso
  chief of mission: Ambassador Anthony HOLMES
  embassy: 602 Avenue Raoul Follereau, Koulouba, Secteur 4
  mailing address: 01 B. P. 35, Ouagadougou 01; pouch mail - U. S.
  Department of State, 2440 Ouagadougou Place, Washington, DC
  20521-2440
  telephone: [226] 306723
  FAX: [226] 303890

Burma
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ
  embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
  mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881
  FAX: [95] (1) 256 018

Burundi
  chief of mission: Ambassador James Howard YELLIN
  embassy: Avenue des Etats-Unis, Bujumbura
  mailing address: B. P. 1720, Bujumbura
  telephone: [257] 223454
  FAX: [257] 222926

Cambodia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph A. MUSSOMELI
  embassy: 27 EO Street 240, Phnom Penh
  mailing address: Box P, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [855] (23) 216-436/438
  FAX: [855] (23) 216-437/811

Cameroon
  chief of mission: Ambassador George McDade STAPLES
  embassy: Rue Nachtigal, Yaounde
  mailing address: P. O. Box 817, Yaounde; pouch: American Embassy,
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-2520
  telephone: [237] 223-05-12, 222-25-89, 222-17-94, 223-40-14
  FAX: [237] 223-07-53
  branch office(s): Douala

Canada
  chief of mission: Ambassador David H. WILKINS
  embassy: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8
  mailing address: P. O. Box 5000, Ogdensburgh, NY 13669-0430
  telephone: [1] (613) 238-5335, 4470
  FAX: [1] (613) 688-3082
  consulate(s) general: Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto,
  Vancouver, Winnipeg

Cape Verde
  chief of mission: Ambassador Donald C. JOHNSON
  embassy: Rua Abilio m. Macedo 81, Praia
  mailing address: C. P. 201, Praia
  telephone: [238] 261 56 16, 261 56 17
  FAX: [238] 261 13 55

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James
  PANOS
  embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui
  mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui
  telephone: [236] 61 02 00
  FAX: [236] 61 44 94
  note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff

Chad
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marc WALL
  embassy: Avenue Felix Eboue, N'Djamena
  mailing address: B. P. 413, N'Djamena
  telephone: [235] (51) 70-09
  FAX: [235] (51) 56-54

Chile
  chief of mission: Ambassador Craig A. KELLY
  embassy: Avenida Andres Bello 2800, Las Condes, Santiago
  mailing address: APO AA 34033
  telephone: [56] (2) 232-2600
  FAX: [56] (2) 330-3710

China
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clark T. RANDT, Jr.
  embassy: Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600 Beijing
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 50, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [86] (10) 6532-3831
  FAX: [86] (10) 6532-6929
  consulate(s) general: Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai,
  Shenyang

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  chief of mission: Ambassador William B. WOOD
  embassy: Calle 22D-BIS, numbers 47-51, Apartado Aereo 3831
  mailing address: Carrera 45 #22D-45, Bogota, D.C., APO AA 34038
  telephone: [57] (1) 315-0811
  FAX: [57] (1) 315-2197

Comoros
  the US does not have an embassy in Comoros; the ambassador
  to Mauritius is accredited to Comoros

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador
  Aubrey HOOKS
  embassy: 310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa
  mailing address: Unit 31550, APO AE 09828
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  FAX: [243] (88) 43467

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roger A. MEECE
  embassy: NA
  mailing address: NA
  telephone: [243] (88) 43608
  note: the embassy is temporarily collocated with the US Embassy in
  the Democratic Republic of the Congo (US Embassy Kinshasa, 310
  Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa)

Cook Islands
  none (self-governing in free association with New
  Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Douglas M. BARNES
  embassy: Calle 120 Avenida O, Pavas, San Jose
  mailing address: APO AA 34020
  telephone: [506] 220-3939
  FAX: [506] 519-2305

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aubrey HOOKS
  embassy: 5 Rue Jesse Owens, Abidjan
  mailing address: B. P. 1712, Abidjan 01
  telephone: [225] 20 21 09 79
  FAX: [225] 20 22 32 59

Croatia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph FRANK
  embassy: 2 Thomas Jefferson, 10010 Zagreb
  mailing address: use street address
  telephone: [385] (1) 661-2200
  FAX: [385] (1) 661-2373

Cuba
  none; note - the US has an Interests Section in the Swiss
  Embassy, headed by Principal Officer James C. CASON; address: USINT,
  Swiss Embassy, Calzada between L and M Streets, Vedado, Havana;
  telephone: [53] (7) 833-3551 through 3559 (operator assistance
  required); FAX: [53] (7) 833-3700; protecting power in Cuba is
  Switzerland

Cyprus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael KLOSSON
  embassy: corner of Metochiou and Ploutarchou Streets, Engomi, 2407
  Nicosia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 24536, 1385 Nikosia
  telephone: [357] (22) 393939
  FAX: [357] (22) 780944

Czech Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador William J. CABANISS
  embassy: Trziste 15, 11801 Prague 1
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [420] (2) 5753-0663
  FAX: [420] (2) 5753-0583

Denmark
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Sally M. LIGHT
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds Alle 24, 2100 Copenhagen
  mailing address: PSC 73, APO AE 09716
  telephone: [45] 35 55 31 44
  FAX: [45] 35 43 02 23

Dhekelia
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marguerita RAGSDALE
  embassy: Plateau du Serpent, Boulevard Marechal Joffre, Djibouti
  mailing address: B. P. 185, Djibouti
  telephone: [253] 35 39 95
  FAX: [253] 35 39 40

Dominica
  the US does not have an embassy in Dominica; the US
  Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Dominica

Dominican Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hans H. HERTELL
  embassy: corner of Calle Cesar Nicolas Penson and Calle Leopoldo
  Navarro, Santo Domingo
  mailing address: Unit 5500, APO AA 34041-5500
  telephone: [1] (809) 221-2171
  FAX: [1] (809) 686-7437

East Timor
  chief of mission: Ambassador Grover Joseph REES
  embassy: Avenida de Portugal, Praia dos Conqueiros, Dili
  mailing address: Department of State, 8250 Dili Place, Washington,
  DC 20521-8250
  telephone: (670) 332-4684
  FAX: (670) 331-3206

Ecuador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kristie Anne KENNEY
  embassy: Avenida 12 de Octubre y Avenida Patria, Quito
  mailing address: APO AA 34039
  telephone: [593] (2) 256-2890
  FAX: [593] (2) 250-2052
  consulate(s) general: Guayaquil

Egypt
  chief of mission: Ambassador designate Francis J. RICCIARDONE,
  Jr
  embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
  mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
  telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300
  FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200

El Salvador
  chief of mission: Ambassador H. Douglas BARCLAY
  embassy: Final Boulevard Santa Elena Sur, Antiguo Cuscatlan, La
  Libertad, San Salvador
  mailing address: Unit 3116, APO AA 34023
  telephone: [503] 278-4444
  FAX: [503] 278-5522

Equatorial Guinea
  the US does not have an embassy in Equatorial
  Guinea (embassy closed September 1995); the US ambassador to
  Cameroon is accredited to Equatorial Guinea; the US State Department
  is considering opening a Consulate Agency in Malabo

Eritrea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
  embassy: Franklin D. Roosevelt Street, Asmara
  mailing address: P. O. Box 211, Asmara
  telephone: [291] (1) 120004
  FAX: [291] (1) 127584

Estonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aldona Zofia WOS
  embassy: Kentmanni 20, 15099 Tallinn
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [372] 668-8100
  FAX: [372] 668-8134

Ethiopia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia A. BRAZEAL
  embassy: Entoto Street, Addis Ababa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1014, Addis Ababa
  telephone: [251] (1) 550666
  FAX: [251] (1) 551328

European Union
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rockwell SCHNABEL
  embassy: 13 Zinnerstraat/Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels
  mailing address: same as above
  telephone: [32] (2) 508-2222
  FAX: [32] (2) 512-5720

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division
  of Denmark)

Fiji
  chief of mission: Ambassador David L. LYON
  embassy: 31 Loftus Street, Suva
  mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
  telephone: [679] 331-4466
  FAX: [679] 330-0081

Finland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Earle I. MACK
  embassy: Itainen Puistotie 14B, 00140 Helsinki
  mailing address: APO AE 09723
  telephone: [358] (9) 616250
  FAX: [358] (9) 6162 5800

France
  chief of mission: Ambassador Howard H. LEACH
  embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel, 75008 Paris Cedex 08
  mailing address: PSC 116, APO AE 09777
  telephone: [33] (1) 43-12-22-22
  FAX: [33] (1) 42 66 97 83
  consulate(s) general: Marseille, Strasbourg

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France)

Gabon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barrie R. WALKLEY
  embassy: Boulevard du Bord de Mer, Libreville
  mailing address: Centre Ville, B. P. 4000, Libreville
  telephone: [241] 76 20 03 through 76 20 04, after hours - 74 34 92
  FAX: [241] 74 55 07

Gambia, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph D. STAFFORD, III
  embassy: Kairaba Avenue, Fajara, Banjul
  mailing address: P. M. B. No. 19, Banjul
  telephone: [220] 392856, 392858, 391971
  FAX: [220] 392475

Georgia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard M. MILES
  embassy: #25 Atoneli Street, T'bilisi 0105
  mailing address: 7060 Tbilisi Place, Washington, DC 20521-7060
  telephone: [995] (32) 989-967/68
  FAX: [995] (32) 933-759

Germany
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel R. COATS
  embassy: Neustaedtische Kirchstrasse 4-5, 10117 Berlin; note - a new
  embassy will be built near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin; ground
  was broken in October 2004 and completion is scheduled for 2008
  mailing address: PSC 120, Box 1000, APO AE 09265
  telephone: [49] (030) 8305-0
  FAX: [49] (030) 8305-1215
  consulate(s) general: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg,
  Leipzig, Munich

Ghana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
  embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra
  mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra
  telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348
  FAX: [233] (21) 701-813

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Glorioso Islands
  none (possession of France)

Greece
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles RIES
  embassy: 91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, 10160 Athens
  mailing address: PSC 108, APO AE 09842-0108
  telephone: [30] (210) 721-2951
  FAX: [30] (210) 645-6282
  consulate(s) general: Thessaloniki

Greenland
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
  Denmark)

Grenada
  chief of mission: the US Ambassador to Barbados is
  accredited to Grenada
  embassy: Lance-aux-Epines Stretch, Saint George's
  mailing address: P. O. Box 54, Saint George's, Grenada, West Indies
  telephone: [1] (473) 444-1173 through 1176
  FAX: [1] (473) 444-4820

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  chief of mission: Ambassador John R. HAMILTON
  embassy: 7-01 Avenida Reforma, Zone 10, Guatemala City
  mailing address: APO AA 34024
  telephone: [502] 2331-1541/55
  FAX: [502] 2334-8477

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jackson MCDONALD
  embassy: Rue Ka 038, Conakry
  mailing address: B. P. 603, Conakry
  telephone: [224] 41 15 20, 41 15 21, 41 15 23
  FAX: [224] 41 15 22

Guinea-Bissau
  the US Embassy suspended operations on 14 June 1998 in
  the midst of violent conflict between forces loyal to then President
  VIEIRA and military-led junta; US embassy Dakar is responsible for
  covering Guinea-Bissau: telephone - [221] 823-4296; FAX - [221]
  822-5903

Guyana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roland BULLEN
  embassy: 100 Young and Duke Streets, Kingston, Georgetown
  mailing address: P. O. Box 10507, Georgetown
  telephone: [592] 225-4900 through 4909
  FAX: [592] 225-8497

Haiti
  chief of mission: Ambassador James B. FOLEY
  embassy: 5 Harry S Truman Boulevard, Port-au-Prince
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1761, Port-au-Prince
  telephone: [509] 222-0354, 222-0269, 222-0200, 222-0327
  FAX: [509] 223-1641 or 222-0200 ext 460

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  embassy: Villa Domiziana, Via delle Terme Deciane 26, 00153 Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box 66, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 4674-3428
  FAX: [39] (06) 575-8346

Honduras
  chief of mission: Ambassador Larry Leon PALMER
  embassy: Avenida La Paz, Apartado Postal No. 3453, Tegucigalpa
  mailing address: American Embassy, APO AA 34022, Tegucigalpa
  telephone: [504] 238-5114, 236-9320
  FAX: [504] 236-9037

Hong Kong
  chief of mission: Consul General James B. CUNNINGHAM
  consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 1, FPO AP 96521-0006
  telephone: [852] 2523-9011
  FAX: [852] 2524-0860

Hungary
  chief of mission: Ambassador George Herbert WALKER
  embassy: Szabadsag ter 12, H-1054 Budapest
  mailing address: pouch: American Embassy Budapest, 5270 Budapest
  Place, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-5270
  telephone: [36] (1) 475-4400
  FAX: [36] (1) 475-4764

Iceland
  chief of mission: Ambassador James I. GADSDEN
  embassy: Laufasvegur 21, 101 Reykjavik
  mailing address: US Embassy, PSC 1003, Box 40, FPO AE 09728-0340
  telephone: [354] 562-9100
  FAX: [354] 562-9118

India
  chief of mission: Ambassador David C. MULFORD
  embassy: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [91] (11) 2419-8000
  FAX: [91] (11) 2419-0017
  consulate(s) general: Chennai (Madras), Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai
  (Bombay)

Indonesia
  chief of mission: Ambassador B. Lynn PASCOE
  embassy: Jalan 1 Medan Merdeka Selatan 3-5, Jakarta 10110
  mailing address: Unit 8129, Box 1, FPO AP 96520
  telephone: [62] (21) 3435-9000
  FAX: [62] (21) 385-7189
  consulate(s) general: Surabaya

Iran
  none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland

Iraq
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires James
  F. JEFFREY
  embassy: Baghdad
  mailing address: APO AE 09316
  telephone: 00-1-240-553-0584 ext. 4354; note - Consular Section
  FAX: NA

Ireland
  chief of mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY
  embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777
  FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Israel
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER
  embassy: 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63903
  mailing address: PSC 98, Box 29, APO AE 09830
  telephone: [972] (3) 519-7369/7453/7454/7457/7458/7551/7575
  FAX: [972] (3) 516-4390
  consulate(s) general: Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission,
  established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign
  government

Italy
  chief of mission: Ambassador Melvin F. SEMBLER
  embassy: Via Vittorio Veneto 119/A, 00187-Rome
  mailing address: PSC 59, Box 100, APO AE 09624
  telephone: [39] (06) 46741
  FAX: [39] (06) 488-2672, 4674-2356
  consulate(s) general: Florence, Milan, Naples

Jamaica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sue McCourt COBB
  embassy: Jamaica Mutual Life Center, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor,
  Kingston 5
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859
  FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001

Japan
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
  embassy: 10-5 Akasaka 1-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420
  mailing address: Unit 45004, Box 258, APO AP 96337-5004
  telephone: [81] (03) 3224-5000
  FAX: [81] (03) 3505-1862
  consulate(s) general: Naha (Okinawa), Osaka-Kobe, Sapporo
  consulate(s): Fukuoka, Nagoya

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  David M. HALE
  embassy: Abdoun, Amman
  mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box
  5, APO AE 09892-0200
  telephone: [962] (6) 592-0101
  FAX: [962] (6) 592-4102

Juan de Nova Island
  none (possession of France)

Kazakhstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador John M. ORDWAY
  embassy: 99/97A Fumanova, Samal-2, Almaty, 480099
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [7] (3272) 50-48-02
  FAX: [7] (3272) 50-48-84

Kenya
  chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY
  embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiri; P. O. Box 606
  Village Market Nairobi
  mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
  telephone: [254] (20) 537-800
  FAX: [254] (20) 537-810

Kiribati
  the US does not have an embassy in Kiribati; the ambassador
  to Fiji is accredited to Kiribati

Korea, North
  none (Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang represents the US as
  consular protecting power)

Korea, South
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher R. HILL
  embassy: 82 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-710
  mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 15550, APO AP 96205-5550
  telephone: [82] (2) 397-4114
  FAX: [82] (2) 738-8845

Kuwait
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard LEBARON
  embassy: Bayan, Area 14, Al-Masjed Al-Aqsa Street (near the Bayan
  palace), Kuwait City
  mailing address: P. O. Box 77 Safat 13001 Kuwait; or PSC 1280 APO AE
  09880-9000
  telephone: [965] 539-5307, 5308
  FAX: [965] 538-0282

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen M. YOUNG
  embassy: 171 Prospect Mira, Bishkek 720016
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [996] (312) 551-241, (517) 777-217
  FAX: [996] (312) 551-264

Laos
  chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia M. HASLACH
  embassy: 19 Rue Bartholonie, B. P. 114, Vientiane
  mailing address: American Embassy, Box V, APO AP 96546
  telephone: [856] (21) 212581, 212582, 212585
  FAX: [856] (21) 212584

Latvia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Catherine TODD-BAILEY
  embassy: 7 Raina Boulevard, Riga LV-1510
  mailing address: American Embassy Riga, PSC 78, Box Riga, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [371] 703-6200
  FAX: [371] 782-0047

Lebanon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey D. FELTMAN
  embassy: Awkar, Lebanon
  mailing address: P. O. Box 70-840, Antelias, Lebanon; PSC 815, Box
  2, FPO AE 09836-0002
  telephone: [961] (4) 542600, 543600
  FAX: [961] (4) 544136

Lesotho
  chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY
  embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho
  telephone: [266] 22 312666
  FAX: [266] 22 310116

Liberia
  chief of mission: Ambassador John William BLANEY III
  embassy: 111 United Nations Drive, P. O. Box 10-0098, Mamba Point,
  1000 Monrovia, 10 Liberia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [231] 226-370 through 226-380
  FAX: [231] 226-148

Libya
  the US suspended all embassy activities in Tripoli in May
  1980, resumed embassy activities in February 2004 under the
  protective power of the US interests section of the Belgian Embassy
  in Tripoli, then opened a Liaison Office in Tripoli in June 2004

Liechtenstein
  the US does not have an embassy in Liechtenstein, but
  the US Ambassador to Switzerland is also accredited to Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Stephen D. MULL
  embassy: 2600 Akmenu 6, Vilnius
  mailing address: American Embassy, Vilnius, PSC 78, Box V, APO AE
  09723
  telephone: [370] (5) 266 5500
  FAX: [370] (5) 266 5510

Luxembourg
  chief of mission: Ambassador Peter TERPELUK, Jr.
  embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City
  mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE
  09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box
  9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail)
  telephone: [352] 46 01 23
  FAX: [352] 46 14 01

Macau
  the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by
  the US Consulate General in Hong Kong

Macedonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lawrence Edward BUTLER
  embassy: Bul. Ilindenska bb, 1000 Skopje
  mailing address: American Embassy Skopje, Department of State, 7120
  Skopje Place, Washington, DC 20521-7120 (pouch)
  telephone: [389] 2 311-6180
  FAX: [389] 2 311-7103

Madagascar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wanda L. NESBITT
  embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101
  mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo
  telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56
  FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39

Malawi
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  David GILMOUR
  embassy: Area 40, Plot 24, Kenyatta Road
  mailing address: P. O. Box 30016, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
  telephone: [265] (1) 773 166
  FAX: [265] (1) 770 471

Malaysia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher J. LAFLEUR
  embassy: 376 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
  mailing address: P. O. Box No. 10035, 50700 Kuala Lumpur; American
  Embassy Kuala Lumpur, APO AP 96535-8152
  telephone: [60] (3) 2168-5000
  FAX: [60] (3) 2142-2207

Maldives
  the US does not have an embassy in Maldives; the US
  Ambassador to Sri Lanka is accredited to Maldives and makes periodic
  visits there

Mali
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vicki HUDDLESTONE
  embassy: Rue Rochester NY and Rue Mohamed V, Bamako
  mailing address: B. P. 34, Bamako
  telephone: [223] (2) 223-833
  FAX: [223] (2) 223-712

Malta
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  William GRANT
  embassy: 3rd Floor, Development House, Saint Anne Street, Floriana,
  Malta VLT 01
  mailing address: P. O. Box 535, Valletta, Malta, CMR01
  telephone: [356] 2561 4000
  FAX: [356] 21 243229

Man, Isle of
  none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Greta N. MORRIS
  embassy: Oceanside, Mejen Weto, Long Island, Majuro
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1379, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall
  Islands 96960-1379
  telephone: [692] 247-4011
  FAX: [692] 247-4012

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph E. LEBARON
  embassy: 288 Rue Abdallaye (between Presidency building and Spanish
  Embassy), Nouakchott
  mailing address: BP 222, Nouakchott
  telephone: [222] 525-2660/525-2663
  FAX: [222] 25-25-92

Mauritius
  chief of mission: Ambassador John PRICE
  embassy: 4th Floor, Rogers House, John Kennedy Street, Port Louis
  mailing address: international mail: P. O. Box 544, Port Louis; US
  mail: American Embassy, Port Louis, Department of State, Washington,
  DC 20521-2450
  telephone: [230] 202-4400
  FAX: [230] 208-9534

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antonio O. GARZA
  embassy: Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, 06500 Mexico,
  Distrito Federal
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9000, Brownsville, TX 78520-0900
  telephone: [52] (55) 5080-2000
  FAX: [52] (55) 5525-5040
  consulate(s) general: Ciudad Juarez, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana
  consulate(s): Hermosillo, Matamoros, Merida, Nogales, Nuevo, Laredo

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of mission: Ambassador Suzanne
  K. HALE
  embassy: 101 Upper Pics Road, Kolonia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1286, Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States
  of Micronesia 96941
  telephone: [691] 320-2187
  FAX: [691] 320-2186

Moldova
  chief of mission: Ambassador Heather M. HODGES
  embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [373] (22) 408-300
  FAX: [373] (22) 23-30-44

Monaco
  the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul
  General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco

Mongolia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela J. SLUTZ
  embassy: Micro Region 11, Big Ring Road, C.P.O. 1021, Ulaanbaatar 13
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 300, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [976] (11) 329095
  FAX: [976] (11) 320776

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas T. RILEY
  embassy: 2 Avenue de Mohamed El Fassi, Rabat
  mailing address: PSC 74, Box 021, APO AE 09718
  telephone: [212] (37) 76 22 65
  FAX: [212] (37) 76 56 61
  consulate(s) general: Casablanca

Mozambique
  chief of mission: Ambassador Helen LA LIME
  embassy: Avenida Kenneth Kuanda 193, Maputo
  mailing address: P. O. Box 783, Maputo
  telephone: [258] (1) 492797
  FAX: [258] (1) 490448

Namibia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joyce BARR
  embassy: Ausplan Building, 14 Lossen Street, Windhoek
  mailing address: Private Bag 12029 Ausspannplatz, Windhoek
  telephone: [264] (61) 221601
  FAX: [264] (61) 229792

Nauru
  the US does not have an embassy in Nauru; the US Ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Nauru

Nepal
  chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
  embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [977] (1) 411179
  FAX: [977] (1) 419963

Netherlands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
  embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
  mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
  telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209
  FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
  consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Netherlands Antilles
  chief of mission: Consul General Robert E.
  SORENSON
  consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
  mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
  telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
  FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
  chief of mission: Ambassador Charles J. SWINDELLS
  embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
  96531-1034
  telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
  FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
  consulate(s) general: Auckland

Nicaragua
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Calandra MOORE
  embassy: Kilometer 4.5 Carretera Sur, Managua
  mailing address: APO AA 34021
  telephone: [505] 266-6010
  FAX: [505] 266-9074

Niger
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gail Dennise Thomas MATHIEU
  embassy: Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey
  mailing address: B. P. 11201, Niamey
  telephone: [227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64
  FAX: [227] 73 31 67, 72-31-46

Nigeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador John CAMPBELL
  embassy: 7 Mambilla Drive, Abuja
  mailing address: P. O. Box 554, Lagos
  telephone: [234] (9) 523-0916/0906/5857/2235/2205
  FAX: [234] (9) 523-0353

Niue
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New
  Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Norway
  chief of mission: Ambassador John D. ONG
  embassy: Drammensveien 18, 0244 Oslo
  mailing address: PSC 69, Box 1000, APO AE 09707
  telephone: [47] (22) 44 85 50
  FAX: [47] (22) 44 33 63

Oman
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Lewis BALTIMORE III
  embassy: Jameat A'Duwal Al Arabiya Street, Al Khuwair area, Muscat
  mailing address: P. O. Box 202, P.C. 115, Madinat Al-Sultan Qaboos,
  Muscat
  telephone: [968] 24-698989
  FAX: [968] 24-699771

Pakistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ryan CROCKER
  embassy: Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna 5, Islamabad
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1048, Unit 62200, APO AE 09812-2200
  telephone: [92] (51) 2080-0000
  FAX: [92] (51) 2276427
  consulate(s): Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar

Palau
  chief of mission: US ambassador to the Philippines is
  accredited to Palau
  embassy: Koror (no street address)
  mailing address: P. O. Box 6028, Republic of Palau 96940
  telephone: [680] 488-2920, 2990
  FAX: [680] 488-2911

Panama
  chief of mission: Ambassador Linda Ellen WATT
  embassy: Avenida Balboa and Calle 37, Apartado Postal 0816-02561,
  Zona 5, Panama City 5
  mailing address: American Embassy Panama, Unit 0945, APO AA 34002
  telephone: [507] 207-7000
  FAX: [507] 227-1964

Papua New Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FITTS
  embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby
  mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State,
  Washington DC 20521-4240
  telephone: [675] 321-1455
  FAX: [675] 321-3423

Paraguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador John F. KEANE
  embassy: 1776 Avenida Mariscal Lopez, Casilla Postal 402, Asuncion
  mailing address: Unit 4711, APO AA 34036-0001
  telephone: [595] (21) 213-715
  FAX: [595] (21) 213-728

Peru
  chief of mission: Ambassador J. Curtis STRUBLE
  embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33
  mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima),
  APO AA 34031-5000
  telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000
  FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037

Philippines
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Darryl N. JOHNSON
  (Ambassador-designate Michael MICHALAK)
  embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila
  mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000
  telephone: [63] (2) 523-6300
  FAX: [63] (2) 522-4361

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Victor ASHE
  embassy: Aleje Ujazdowskie 29/31 00-540 Warsaw
  mailing address: American Embassy Warsaw, US Department of State,
  5010 Warsaw Place, Washington, DC 20521-5010 (pouch)
  telephone: [48] (22) 504-2000
  FAX: [48] (22) 504-2688
  consulate(s) general: Krakow

Portugal
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Adrienne S. O'NEAL
  embassy: Avenida das Forcas Armadas, 1600-081 Lisbon
  mailing address: Apartado 4258, 1507 Lisboa Codex; PSC 83, APO AE
  09726
  telephone: [351] (21) 727-3300
  FAX: [351] (21) 726-9109
  consulate(s): Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Chase UNTERMEYER
  embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha
  mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha
  telephone: [974] 488 4101
  FAX: [974] 488 4298

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France)

Romania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Jack Dyer CROUCH II
  embassy: Strada Tudor Arghezi 7-9, Bucharest
  mailing address: American Embassy Bucharest, Department of State,
  5260 Bucharest Place, Washington, DC 20521-5260 (pouch)
  telephone: [40] (21) 210-4042
  FAX: [40] (21) 210-0395
  branch office(s): Cluj-Napoca

Russia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW
  embassy: Bolshoy Devyatinskiy Pereulok No. 8, 121099 Moscow
  mailing address: PSC-77, APO AE 09721
  telephone: [7] (095) 728-5000
  FAX: [7] (095) 728-5090
  consulate(s) general: Saint Petersburg, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg

Rwanda
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Henderson PATRICK
  embassy: 337 Boulevard de la Revolution, Kigali
  mailing address: B. P. 28, Kigali
  telephone: [250] 50 56 01 through 03
  FAX: [250] 57 2128

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Kitts
  and Nevis; the US Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint
  Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia
  the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US
  Ambassador to Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  the US does not have an embassy in
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador to Barbados is
  accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
  chief of mission: US Ambassador to New Zealand is accredited
  to Samoa
  embassy: Accident Compensation Board (ACB) Building, 5th Floor, Apia
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3430, Apia
  telephone: [685] 21631/22696
  FAX: [685] 22030

San Marino
  the US does not have an embassy in San Marino; the US
  Consul General in Florence (Italy) is accredited to San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
  the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome
  and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and
  Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the
  islands

Saudi Arabia
  chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER
  embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
  mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE
  09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693
  telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800
  FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989
  consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Senegal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard Alan ROTH
  embassy: Avenue Jean XXIII at the corner of Rue Kleber, Dakar
  mailing address: B. P. 49, Dakar
  telephone: [221] 823-4296
  FAX: [221] 822-2991

Serbia and Montenegro chief of mission: Ambassador Michael C. POLT embassy: Kneza Milosa 50, 11000 Belgrade mailing address: 5070 Belgrade Place, Washington, DC 20521-5070 telephone: [381] (11) 361-9344 FAX: [381] (11) 361-8230 consulate(s): Podgorica note: there is a branch office in Pristina at 30 Nazim Hikmet 38000 Pristina, Kosovo; telephone: [381](38)549-516; FAX: [381](38)549-890

Seychelles
  the US does not have an embassy in Seychelles; the
  ambassador to Mauritius is accredited to the Seychelles

Sierra Leone
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas N. HULL
  embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485
  FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Singapore
  chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN
  embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
  mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
  telephone: [65] 6476-9100
  FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Slovakia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Scott N. THAYER
  embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
  mailing address: P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava
  telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338
  FAX: [421] (2) 5443-0096

Slovenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas B. ROBERTSON
  embassy: Presernova 31, 1000 Ljubljana
  mailing address: American Embassy Ljubljana, Department of State,
  7140 Ljubljana Place, Washington, DC 20521-7140
  telephone: [386] (1) 200-5500
  FAX: [386] (1) 200-5555

Solomon Islands
  the US does not have an embassy in Solomon Islands
  (embassy closed July 1993); the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is
  accredited to the Solomon Islands

Somalia
  the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are
  represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at United Nations
  Avenue, Gigira, Nairobi; mailing address: Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO
  AE 09831; telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000; FAX [254] (20) 363-6157

South Africa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jendayi E. FRAZER
  embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001
  telephone: [27] (12) 342-1048
  FAX: [27] (12) 342-2244
  consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none (overseas
  territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires J.
  Robert MANZANARES
  embassy: Serrano 75, 28006 Madrid
  mailing address: PSC 61, APO AE 09642
  telephone: [34] (91) 587-2200
  FAX: [34] (91) 587-2303
  consulate(s) general: Barcelona

Sri Lanka
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jeffrey J. LUNSTEAD
  embassy: 210 Galle Road, Colombo 3
  mailing address: P. O. Box 106, Colombo
  telephone: [94] (11) 244-8007
  FAX: [94] (11) 243-7345

Sudan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Gerard M. GALLUCCI
  embassy: Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum
  mailing address: P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
  telephone: [249] (11) 774611 or 774700
  FAX: [249] (11) 774137
  note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum

Suriname
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marsha E. BARNES
  embassy: Dr. Sophie Redmondstraat 129, Paramaribo
  mailing address: Department of State, 3390 Paramaribo Place,
  Washington, DC, 20521-3390
  telephone: [597] 472900
  FAX: [597] 420800

Swaziland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lewis LUCKE
  embassy: Central Bank Building, Warner Street, Mbabane
  mailing address: P. O. Box 199, Mbabane
  telephone: [268] 404-6441 through 404-6445
  FAX: [268] 404-5959

Sweden
  chief of mission: Ambassador M. Teel BIVINS
  embassy: Dag Hammarskjolds VAG 31, SE-11589 Stockholm
  mailing address: American Embassy Stockholm, Department of State,
  5750 Stockholm Place, Washington, DC 20521-5750 (pouch)
  telephone: [46] (08) 783 53 00
  FAX: [46] (08) 661 19 64

Switzerland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD
  embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
  FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Syria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY
  embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus
  mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus
  telephone: [963] (11) 333-1342
  FAX: [963] (11) 331-9678

Taiwan
  none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the
  people on Taiwan are maintained through an unofficial
  instrumentality - the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) - which has
  offices in the US and Taiwan; US office at 1700 N. Moore St., Suite
  1700, Arlington, VA 22209-1996, telephone: [1] (703) 525-8474, FAX:
  [1] (703) 841-1385); Taiwan offices at #7 Lane 134, Hsin Yi Road,
  Section 3, Taipei, Taiwan, telephone: [886] (2) 2162-2000, FAX:
  [886] (2) 2162-2251; #2 Chung Cheng 3rd Road, 5th Floor, Kao-hsiung,
  Taiwan, telephone: [886] (7) 238-7744, FAX: [886] (7) 238-5237; and
  the American Trade Center, Room 3208 International Trade Building,
  Taipei World Trade Center, 333 Keelung Road Section 1, Taipei,
  Taiwan 10548, telephone: [886] (2) 2720-1550, FAX: [886] (2)
  2757-7162

Tajikistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Richard E. HOAGLAND
  embassy: 10 Pavlova Street, Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734003; note - the
  embassy in Dushanbe is not yet fully operational; most business is
  still handled in Almaty at: 531 Sayfullin Street, Almaty,
  Kazakhstan, telephone 7-3272-58-79-61, FAX 7-3272-58-79-68
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [992] (372) 21-03-48, 21-03-52, 24-15-60
  FAX: [992] (372) 21-03-62, 51-00-28

Tanzania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Robert V. ROYALL
  embassy: 140 Msese Road, Kinondoni District, Dar es Salaam
  mailing address: P. O. Box 9123, Dar es Salaam
  telephone: [255] (22) 2666-010 through 2666-015
  FAX: [255] (22) 2666-701, 2668-501

Thailand
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
  embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
  mailing address: APO AP 96546
  telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
  FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
  consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Togo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gregory ENGLE
  embassy: Angle Rue Kouenou and Rue 15 Beniglato, Lome
  mailing address: B. P. 852, Lome
  telephone: [228] 221 29 91 through 221 29 94
  FAX: [228] 221 79 52

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  the US does not have an embassy in Tonga; the ambassador to
  Fiji is accredited to Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roy L. AUSTIN
  embassy: 15 Queen's Park West, Port-of-Spain
  mailing address: P. O. Box 752, Port-of-Spain
  telephone: [1] (868) 622-6372 through 6376, 622-6176
  FAX: [1] (868) 628-5462

Tunisia
  chief of mission: Ambassador William J. HUDSON
  embassy: Zone Nord-Est des Berges du Lac Nord de Tunis, 2045 La
  Goulette, Tunisia
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [216] 71 107-000
  FAX: [216] 71 962-115

Turkey
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eric S. EDELMAN
  embassy: 110 Ataturk Boulevard, Kavaklidere, 06100 Ankara
  mailing address: PSC 93, Box 5000, APO AE 09823
  telephone: [90] (312) 455-5555
  FAX: [90] (312) 467-0019
  consulate(s) general: Istanbul
  consulate(s): Adana; note - there is a Consular Agent in Izmir

Turkmenistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tracey A. JACOBSON
  embassy: 9 Pushkin (1984) Street, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 774000
  mailing address: 7070 Ashgabat Place, Washington, D.C. 20521-7070
  telephone: [9] (9312) 35-00-45
  FAX: [9] (9312) 39-26-14

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  the US does not have an embassy in Tuvalu; the US ambassador
  to Fiji is accredited to Tuvalu

Uganda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jimmy KOLKER
  embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala
  mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
  telephone: [256] (41) 234-142
  FAX: [256] (41) 258-451

Ukraine
  chief of mission: Ambassador John E. HERBST
  embassy: 10 Yuriia Kotsiubynskoho Street, 04053 Kiev
  mailing address: 5850 Kiev Place, Washington, DC 20521-5850
  telephone: [380] (44) 490-4000
  FAX: [380] (44) 490-4085

United Arab Emirates
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michele SISON
  embassy: Embassies District, Plot 38 Sector W59-02, Street No. 4,
  Abu Dhabi
  mailing address: P. O. Box 4009, Abu Dhabi
  telephone: [971] (2) 414-2200
  FAX: [971] (2) 414-2469
  consulate(s) general: Dubai

United Kingdom
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires David T. JOHNSON
  embassy: 24/31 Grosvenor Square, London, W1A 1AE
  mailing address: PSC 801, Box 40, FPO AE 09498-4040
  telephone: [44] (0) 20 7499-9000
  FAX: [44] (0) 20 7629-9124
  consulate(s) general: Belfast, Edinburgh

Uruguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin J. SILVERSTEIN
  embassy: Lauro Muller 1776, Montevideo 11200
  mailing address: APO AA 34035
  telephone: [598] (2) 418-7777
  FAX: [598] (2) 418-8611

Uzbekistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jon PURNELL
  embassy: 82 Chilanzarskaya, Tashkent 700115
  mailing address: use embassy street address
  telephone: [998] (71) 120-5450
  FAX: [998] (71) 120-6335

Vanuatu
  the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador
  to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu

Venezuela
  chief of mission: Ambassador William R. BROWNFIELD
  embassy: Calle F con Calle Suapure, Urbanizacion Colinas de Valle
  Arriba, Caracas 1080
  mailing address: P. O. Box 62291, Caracas 1060-A; APO AA 34037
  telephone: [58] (212) 975-9234, 975-6411
  FAX: [58] (212) 975-8991

Vietnam
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael W. MARINE
  embassy: 7 Lang Ha Road, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
  mailing address: PSC 461, Box 400, FPO AP 96521-0002
  telephone: [84] (4) 772-1500
  FAX: [84] (4) 772-1510
  consulate(s) general: Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas C. KRAJESKI
  embassy: Saawan Street, Sanaa
  mailing address: P. O. Box 22347, Sanaa
  telephone: [967] (1) 303-151 through 159
  FAX: [967] (1) 303-160/161/162/164/165

Zambia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin George BRENNAN
  embassy: corner of Independence and United Nations Avenues
  mailing address: P. O. Box 31617, Lusaka
  telephone: [260] (1) 250-955
  FAX: [260] (1) 252-225

Zimbabwe
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph G. SULLIVAN
  embassy: 172 Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare
  mailing address: P. O. Box 3340, Harare
  telephone: [263] (4) 250-593 and 250-594
  FAX: [263] (4) 796488

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2008 Transportation - note

Arctic Ocean
  sparse network of air, ocean, river, and land routes;
  the Northwest Passage (North America) and Northern Sea Route
  (Eurasia) are important seasonal waterways

Atlantic Ocean
  Kiel Canal and Saint Lawrence Seaway are two
  important waterways; significant domestic commercial and
  recreational use of Intracoastal Waterway on central and south
  Atlantic seaboard and Gulf of Mexico coast of US

Baker Island
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Georgia
  transportation network is in poor condition resulting from
  ethnic conflict, criminal activities, and fuel shortages; network
  lacks maintenance and repair

Howland Island
  Earhart Light is a day beacon near the middle of the
  west coast that was partially destroyed during World War II, but has
  since been rebuilt; named in memory of famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART

Jarvis Island
  there is a day beacon near the middle of the west coast

Midway Islands
  airfield serves as an emergency landing site for
  commercial aircraft crossing the Pacific Ocean

Pacific Ocean
  Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast
  Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)

Southern Ocean
  Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through
  the Panama Canal

Wake Island
  formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used
  by US military, some commercial cargo planes, and for emergency
  landings

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2010 Age structure (%)

Afghanistan
  0-14 years: 44.7% (male 6,842,857/female 6,524,485)
  15-64 years: 52.9% (male 8,124,077/female 7,713,603)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 353,193/female 370,772) (2005 est.)

Albania
  0-14 years: 25.6% (male 476,989/female 434,298)
  15-64 years: 65.8% (male 1,199,964/female 1,144,886)
  65 years and over: 8.6% (male 141,559/female 165,416) (2005 est.)

Algeria
  0-14 years: 29% (male 4,811,086/female 4,626,271)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 10,861,862/female 10,701,459)
  65 years and over: 4.7% (male 719,460/female 811,715) (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  0-14 years: 35.7% (male 10,705/female 9,956)
  15-64 years: 61.3% (male 18,351/female 17,125)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 664/female 1,080) (2005 est.)

Andorra
  0-14 years: 14.8% (male 5,471/female 4,995)
  15-64 years: 71.5% (male 26,463/female 23,977)
  65 years and over: 13.7% (male 4,780/female 4,863) (2005 est.)

Angola
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 2,454,209/female 2,407,083)
  15-64 years: 53.7% (male 3,059,339/female 2,955,060)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 139,961/female 175,134) (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  0-14 years: 23.2% (male 1,561/female 1,517)
  15-64 years: 69.9% (male 4,767/female 4,501)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 405/female 503) (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 9,767/female 9,427)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 23,466/female 23,250)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 1,085/female 1,727) (2005 est.)

Argentina
  0-14 years: 25.6% (male 5,170,721/female 4,938,171)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 12,626,711/female 12,627,026)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 1,712,117/female 2,463,197) (2005
  est.)

Armenia
  0-14 years: 21.6% (male 339,453/female 305,214)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 938,734/female 1,074,240)
  65 years and over: 10.9% (male 131,519/female 193,744) (2005 est.)

Aruba
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 7,308/female 6,960)
  15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,736/female 25,068)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,486/female 5,008) (2005 est.)

Australia
  0-14 years: 19.8% (male 2,038,809/female 1,943,563)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 6,815,600/female 6,695,189)
  65 years and over: 12.9% (male 1,145,274/female 1,452,002) (2005
  est.)

Austria
  0-14 years: 15.6% (male 656,058/female 624,574)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,790,673/female 2,756,612)
  65 years and over: 16.6% (male 543,626/female 813,148) (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 1,063,731/female 1,028,684)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,533,762/female 2,665,381)
  65 years and over: 7.8% (male 245,758/female 374,658) (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 42,142/female 42,096)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 97,865/female 101,047)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 7,616/female 11,024) (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 96,807/female 94,863)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 275,792/female 197,424)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 12,078/female 11,381) (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  0-14 years: 33.1% (male 24,590,207/female 23,162,420)
  15-64 years: 63.5% (male 46,764,824/female 44,868,733)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 2,650,683/female 2,282,761) (2005 est.)

Barbados
  0-14 years: 20.6% (male 28,813/female 28,634)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 96,590/female 100,622)
  65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,432/female 15,163) (2005 est.)

Belarus
  0-14 years: 16% (male 839,292/female 804,738)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 3,481,432/female 3,672,991)
  65 years and over: 14.6% (male 498,717/female 1,003,313) (2005 est.)

Belgium
  0-14 years: 16.9% (male 892,995/female 855,177)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 3,435,282/female 3,373,917)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 745,178/female 1,061,839) (2005 est.)

Belize
  0-14 years: 40.1% (male 57,114/female 54,877)
  15-64 years: 56.4% (male 79,694/female 77,881)
  65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,768/female 5,123) (2005 est.)

Benin
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 1,752,243/female 1,719,458)
  15-64 years: 51.2% (male 1,868,630/female 1,948,610)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 70,367/female 100,717) (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 6,177/female 6,154)
  15-64 years: 69.2% (male 22,422/female 22,828)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,378/female 4,406) (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  0-14 years: 39.1% (male 452,213/female 420,675)
  15-64 years: 56.9% (male 654,109/female 615,431)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 45,281/female 44,582) (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  0-14 years: 35.7% (male 1,613,049/female 1,551,023)
  15-64 years: 59.8% (male 2,591,328/female 2,701,892)
  65 years and over: 4.5% (male 178,486/female 222,092) (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0-14 years: 18.3% (male 378,784/female
  358,784)
  15-64 years: 70.7% (male 1,458,405/female 1,388,793)
  65 years and over: 10.9% (male 188,741/female 251,969) (2005 est.)

Botswana
  0-14 years: 38.8% (male 322,916/female 312,735)
  15-64 years: 57.5% (male 455,183/female 487,236)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 23,914/female 38,131) (2005 est.)

Brazil
  0-14 years: 26.1% (male 24,789,495/female 23,842,715)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 62,669,392/female 63,719,631)
  65 years and over: 6% (male 4,549,552/female 6,542,009) (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0-14 years: 21% (male 2,400/female 2,358)
  15-64 years: 73.9% (male 8,607/female 8,115)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 614/female 549) (2005 est.)

Brunei
  0-14 years: 28.6% (male 54,342/female 52,084)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 134,908/female 119,814)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 5,301/female 5,912) (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  0-14 years: 14.1% (male 539,005/female 512,762)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 2,516,368/female 2,599,524)
  65 years and over: 17.2% (male 531,008/female 751,682) (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0-14 years: 46% (male 3,213,436/female 3,193,253)
  15-64 years: 51.2% (male 3,487,201/female 3,635,673)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 164,418/female 231,332) (2005 est.)

Burma
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 5,967,487/female 5,717,795)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 14,448,887/female 14,641,419)
  65 years and over: 5% (male 939,092/female 1,194,784) (2005 est.)

Burundi
  0-14 years: 46% (male 1,479,941/female 1,450,808)
  15-64 years: 51.3% (male 1,617,864/female 1,653,331)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 66,199/female 102,466) (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  0-14 years: 37.3% (male 2,559,734/female 2,510,235)
  15-64 years: 59.7% (male 3,887,642/female 4,232,313)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 150,862/female 266,283) (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  0-14 years: 41.7% (male 3,457,180/female 3,375,668)
  15-64 years: 55% (male 4,537,281/female 4,477,163)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 239,634/female 293,079) (2005 est.)

Canada
  0-14 years: 17.9% (male 3,016,032/female 2,869,244)
  15-64 years: 68.9% (male 11,357,425/female 11,244,356)
  65 years and over: 13.2% (male 1,842,496/female 2,475,488) (2005
  est.)

Cape Verde
  0-14 years: 39% (male 82,249/female 80,752)
  15-64 years: 54.3% (male 110,119/female 116,816)
  65 years and over: 6.8% (male 10,599/female 17,689) (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0-14 years: 21.1% (male 4,658/female 4,662)
  15-64 years: 70.8% (male 15,284/female 16,050)
  65 years and over: 8.2% (male 1,699/female 1,917) (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female
  802,728)
  15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)

Chad
  0-14 years: 47.9% (male 2,365,277/female 2,337,388)
  15-64 years: 49.4% (male 2,323,110/female 2,528,086)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 109,535/female 163,023) (2005 est.)

Chile
  0-14 years: 25.2% (male 2,062,735/female 1,970,913)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 5,320,870/female 5,342,771)
  65 years and over: 8% (male 534,737/female 748,886) (2005 est.)

China
  0-14 years: 21.4% (male 148,134,928/female 131,045,415)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 477,182,072/female 450,664,933)
  65 years and over: 7.6% (male 47,400,282/female 51,886,182) (2005
  est.)

Christmas Island
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Colombia
  0-14 years: 30.7% (male 6,670,950/female 6,516,371)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 13,424,433/female 14,142,825)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 968,127/female 1,231,573) (2005 est.)

Comoros
  0-14 years: 42.8% (male 144,075/female 143,175)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 179,541/female 184,488)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 9,407/female 10,561) (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0-14 years: 48.1% (male
  14,513,779/female 14,396,952)
  15-64 years: 49.4% (male 14,579,101/female 15,121,297)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 597,776/female 876,099) (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0-14 years: 37.3% (male 571,011/female
  563,414)
  15-64 years: 59% (male 886,297/female 907,348)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 45,799/female 65,257) (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Costa Rica
  0-14 years: 28.9% (male 593,540/female 566,361)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,330,481/female 1,300,664)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 104,564/female 120,563) (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0-14 years: 41% (male 3,490,536/female 3,596,208)
  15-64 years: 56.3% (male 4,920,726/female 4,820,326)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 231,514/female 238,730) (2005 est.)

Croatia
  0-14 years: 16.4% (male 378,615/female 359,231)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 1,497,355/female 1,514,993)
  65 years and over: 16.6% (male 283,460/female 462,250) (2005 est.)

Cuba
  0-14 years: 19.6% (male 1,139,644/female 1,079,412)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 3,977,110/female 3,975,818)
  65 years and over: 10.4% (male 540,720/female 633,966) (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 83,256/female 79,701)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 267,446/female 260,846)
  65 years and over: 11.4% (male 38,766/female 50,118) (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  0-14 years: 14.7% (male 773,028/female 731,833)
  15-64 years: 71.1% (male 3,651,018/female 3,627,006)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 565,374/female 892,879) (2005 est.)

Denmark
  0-14 years: 18.8% (male 524,250/female 497,683)
  15-64 years: 66.1% (male 1,811,787/female 1,780,907)
  65 years and over: 15.1% (male 349,458/female 468,250) (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  0-14 years: 43.3% (male 103,516/female 102,860)
  15-64 years: 53.5% (male 133,168/female 121,823)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 7,748/female 7,588) (2005 est.)

Dominica
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 9,328/female 9,125)
  15-64 years: 65.4% (male 23,225/female 21,900)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 2,193/female 3,258) (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0-14 years: 32.9% (male 1,505,964/female
  1,438,809)
  15-64 years: 61.7% (male 2,815,544/female 2,703,012)
  65 years and over: 5.4% (male 226,372/female 260,333) (2005 est.)

East Timor
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 196,108/female 189,753)
  15-64 years: 59.9% (male 318,173/female 305,479)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 15,353/female 16,014) (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  0-14 years: 33.5% (male 2,282,252/female 2,195,942)
  15-64 years: 61.5% (male 4,094,146/female 4,130,096)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 310,336/female 350,821) (2005 est.)

Egypt
  0-14 years: 33% (male 13,106,043/female 12,483,899)
  15-64 years: 62.6% (male 24,531,266/female 23,972,216)
  65 years and over: 4.4% (male 1,457,097/female 1,955,235) (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  0-14 years: 36.5% (male 1,250,901/female 1,198,589)
  15-64 years: 58.3% (male 1,860,084/female 2,051,140)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 153,133/female 191,085) (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0-14 years: 41.7% (male 112,326/female 111,244)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 140,568/female 151,500)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 8,900/female 11,343) (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,023,898/female 1,019,389)
  15-64 years: 51.9% (male 1,170,823/female 1,194,741)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 74,312/female 78,436) (2005 est.)

Estonia
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 106,300/female 100,446)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 429,843/female 472,034)
  65 years and over: 16.8% (male 74,037/female 150,233) (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  0-14 years: 43.9% (male 16,082,504/female 15,999,602)
  15-64 years: 53.4% (male 19,452,737/female 19,525,746)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 905,648/female 1,087,049) (2005 est.)

European Union
  0-14 years: 16.03% (male 37,608,010/female 35,632,351)
  15-64 years: 67.17% (male 154,439,536/female 152,479,619)
  65 years and over: 16.81% (male 31,515,921/female 45,277,821) (2005
  est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0-14 years: 21.3% (male 4,997/female 4,999)
  15-64 years: 64.9% (male 16,120/female 14,360)
  65 years and over: 13.8% (male 2,923/female 3,563) (2005 est.)

Fiji
  0-14 years: 31.4% (male 143,066/female 137,346)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 288,434/female 287,720)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 16,797/female 19,991) (2005 est.)

Finland
  0-14 years: 17.3% (male 460,977/female 443,859)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 1,764,874/female 1,723,385)
  65 years and over: 15.9% (male 328,952/female 501,395) (2005 est.)

France
  0-14 years: 18.4% (male 5,717,761/female 5,440,060)
  15-64 years: 65.2% (male 19,784,749/female 19,752,432)
  65 years and over: 16.4% (male 4,084,193/female 5,876,983) (2005
  est.)

French Guiana
  0-14 years: 29.3% (male 29,262/female 27,947)
  15-64 years: 64.7% (male 67,895/female 58,534)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 6,038/female 5,830) (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 36,947/female 35,403)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 94,710/female 87,546)
  65 years and over: 5.9% (male 8,018/female 7,861) (2005 est.)

Gabon
  0-14 years: 42.1% (male 293,668/female 291,816)
  15-64 years: 53.8% (male 372,134/female 374,850)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 23,551/female 33,182) (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 356,079/female 352,894)
  15-64 years: 52.8% (male 416,809/female 424,429)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 22,111/female 20,934) (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  0-14 years: 48.5% (male 342,186/female 325,899)
  15-64 years: 48.8% (male 342,927/female 329,354)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 15,036/female 20,887) (2005 est.)

Georgia
  0-14 years: 18% (male 444,779/female 398,162)
  15-64 years: 65.9% (male 1,480,557/female 1,603,743)
  65 years and over: 16% (male 300,859/female 449,301) (2005 est.)

Germany
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 6,078,885/female 5,766,065)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 28,006,268/female 27,003,958)
  65 years and over: 18.9% (male 6,359,776/female 9,216,438) (2005
  est.)

Ghana
  0-14 years: 37.1% (male 3,946,326/female 3,862,390)
  15-64 years: 59.1% (male 6,203,035/female 6,235,107)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 366,472/female 416,523) (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  0-14 years: 17.8% (male 2,529/female 2,426)
  15-64 years: 66% (male 9,442/female 8,970)
  65 years and over: 16.2% (male 2,008/female 2,509) (2005 est.)

Greece
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 791,227/female 744,178)
  15-64 years: 66.8% (male 3,561,689/female 3,564,675)
  65 years and over: 18.8% (male 884,497/female 1,122,088) (2005 est.)

Greenland
  0-14 years: 25% (male 7,216/female 6,888)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 20,897/female 17,823)
  65 years and over: 6.3% (male 1,672/female 1,879) (2005 est.)

Grenada
  0-14 years: 33.9% (male 15,329/female 14,997)
  15-64 years: 62.7% (male 29,711/female 26,436)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 1,431/female 1,598) (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  0-14 years: 24% (male 55,072/female 52,677)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 148,880/female 151,238)
  65 years and over: 9.1% (male 17,032/female 23,814) (2005 est.)

Guam
  0-14 years: 29.4% (male 25,645/female 23,887)
  15-64 years: 64.1% (male 55,115/female 52,935)
  65 years and over: 6.5% (male 5,157/female 5,825) (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  0-14 years: 42.4% (male 3,185,037/female 3,033,947)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 4,019,052/female 3,928,984)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 226,745/female 261,424) (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  0-14 years: 15.4% (male 5,084/female 4,937)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 21,611/female 22,002)
  65 years and over: 17.8% (male 4,882/female 6,712) (2005 est.)

Guinea
  0-14 years: 44.4% (male 2,123,207/female 2,079,475)
  15-64 years: 52.4% (male 2,478,820/female 2,486,300)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 131,130/female 168,934) (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0-14 years: 41.5% (male 293,280/female 294,483)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 376,719/female 409,402)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 17,865/female 24,278) (2005 est.)

Guyana
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 103,054/female 99,279)
  15-64 years: 68.5% (male 263,953/female 260,000)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 16,801/female 22,196) (2005 est.)

Haiti
  0-14 years: 42.6% (male 1,741,622/female 1,721,436)
  15-64 years: 53.9% (male 2,137,225/female 2,242,639)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 124,383/female 154,317) (2005 est.)

Honduras
  0-14 years: 40.8% (male 1,452,646/female 1,393,271)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 1,921,432/female 1,948,656)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 122,146/female 137,053) (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  0-14 years: 13.8% (male 498,771/female 454,252)
  15-64 years: 73.5% (male 2,479,656/female 2,591,170)
  65 years and over: 12.7% (male 404,308/female 470,529) (2005 est.)

Hungary
  0-14 years: 15.8% (male 813,203/female 769,687)
  15-64 years: 69.1% (male 3,405,559/female 3,511,141)
  65 years and over: 15.1% (male 547,323/female 959,922) (2005 est.)

Iceland
  0-14 years: 22.1% (male 33,302/female 32,257)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 99,513/female 96,886)
  65 years and over: 11.7% (male 15,723/female 19,056) (2005 est.)

India
  0-14 years: 31.2% (male 173,634,432/female 163,932,475)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 356,932,082/female 333,283,590)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 26,542,025/female 25,939,784) (2005
  est.)

Indonesia
  0-14 years: 29.1% (male 35,823,456/female 34,590,631)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 79,447,560/female 79,449,399)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 5,526,389/female 7,136,444) (2005 est.)

Iran
  0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)

Iraq
  0-14 years: 40% (male 5,293,709/female 5,130,826)
  15-64 years: 57% (male 7,530,619/female 7,338,109)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 367,832/female 413,811) (2005 est.)

Ireland
  0-14 years: 20.9% (male 434,225/female 406,730)
  15-64 years: 67.5% (male 1,358,086/female 1,354,148)
  65 years and over: 11.5% (male 203,614/female 258,873) (2005 est.)

Israel
  0-14 years: 26.5% (male 851,415/female 812,095)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 2,010,888/female 1,986,256)
  65 years and over: 9.8% (male 264,708/female 351,521) (2005 est.)

Italy
  0-14 years: 13.9% (male 4,166,213/female 3,919,288)
  15-64 years: 66.7% (male 19,554,416/female 19,174,629)
  65 years and over: 19.4% (male 4,698,441/female 6,590,046) (2005
  est.)

Jamaica
  0-14 years: 27.5% (male 385,099/female 367,398)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 897,953/female 893,509)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 83,632/female 104,241) (2005 est.)

Japan
  0-14 years: 14.3% (male 9,328,584/female 8,866,772)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 42,462,533/female 41,942,835)
  65 years and over: 19.5% (male 10,435,284/female 14,381,236) (2005
  est.)

Jersey
  0-14 years: 17.5% (male 8,222/female 7,658)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 30,296/female 30,561)
  65 years and over: 15.5% (male 6,176/female 7,899) (2005 est.)

Jordan
  0-14 years: 34.5% (male 1,015,084/female 973,220)
  15-64 years: 61.7% (male 1,897,643/female 1,656,570)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 106,168/female 111,047) (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0-14 years: 23.7% (male 1,834,535/female 1,758,988)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 5,075,243/female 5,312,536)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 424,341/female 780,201) (2005 est.)

Kenya
  0-14 years: 42.5% (male 7,252,075/female 7,124,034)
  15-64 years: 55.2% (male 9,378,428/female 9,295,471)
  65 years and over: 2.3% (male 356,116/female 423,466) (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  0-14 years: 38.9% (male 20,342/female 19,806)
  15-64 years: 57.7% (male 29,362/female 30,136)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 1,477/female 1,969) (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  0-14 years: 24.2% (male 2,816,844/female 2,735,478)
  15-64 years: 67.9% (male 7,668,581/female 7,883,267)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 625,819/female 1,182,188) (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  0-14 years: 19.4% (male 4,952,177/female 4,450,821)
  15-64 years: 72% (male 17,715,267/female 17,147,808)
  65 years and over: 8.6% (male 1,670,971/female 2,485,600) (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 323,382/female 311,700)
  15-64 years: 70.1% (male 1,045,589/female 591,243)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 40,439/female 23,295) (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  0-14 years: 31.6% (male 827,751/female 796,029)
  15-64 years: 62.3% (male 1,571,476/female 1,632,506)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 123,992/female 194,527) (2005 est.)

Laos
  0-14 years: 41.6% (male 1,300,094/female 1,289,227)
  15-64 years: 55.2% (male 1,693,494/female 1,737,196)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 88,744/female 108,386) (2005 est.)

Latvia
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 169,284/female 161,648)
  15-64 years: 69.4% (male 770,839/female 819,309)
  65 years and over: 16.1% (male 120,306/female 248,851) (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  0-14 years: 26.7% (male 520,270/female 499,609)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 1,216,738/female 1,324,031)
  65 years and over: 6.9% (male 120,176/female 145,194) (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  0-14 years: 36.9% (male 346,930/female 342,459)
  15-64 years: 57.6% (male 526,642/female 548,096)
  65 years and over: 5.5% (male 42,003/female 60,905) (2005 est.)

Liberia
  0-14 years: 43.6% (male 765,662/female 751,134)
  15-64 years: 52.8% (male 896,206/female 940,985)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 64,547/female 63,677) (2005 est.)

Libya
  0-14 years: 33.9% (male 997,364/female 955,272)
  15-64 years: 62% (male 1,842,775/female 1,729,235)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 117,967/female 122,950) (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 2,938/female 3,009)
  15-64 years: 70.4% (male 11,795/female 11,927)
  65 years and over: 12% (male 1,685/female 2,363) (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  0-14 years: 16.1% (male 297,271/female 282,269)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 1,206,731/female 1,264,359)
  65 years and over: 15.2% (male 186,979/female 359,008) (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  0-14 years: 18.9% (male 45,768/female 42,980)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 157,453/female 153,927)
  65 years and over: 14.6% (male 27,573/female 40,870) (2005 est.)

Macau
  0-14 years: 17% (male 39,564/female 36,947)
  15-64 years: 75.1% (male 160,957/female 176,386)
  65 years and over: 7.9% (male 14,713/female 20,631) (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  0-14 years: 20.5% (male 217,057/female 202,465)
  15-64 years: 68.7% (male 707,489/female 697,150)
  65 years and over: 10.8% (male 97,117/female 123,984) (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female 4,745,971)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female 299,209) (2005 est.)

Malawi
  0-14 years: 46.9% (male 2,877,568/female 2,823,296)
  15-64 years: 50.4% (male 3,041,352/female 3,081,762)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 132,175/female 202,771) (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  0-14 years: 33% (male 4,067,006/female 3,837,758)
  15-64 years: 62.4% (male 7,488,367/female 7,447,047)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 490,334/female 622,624) (2005 est.)

Maldives
  0-14 years: 43.9% (male 78,794/female 74,505)
  15-64 years: 53% (male 94,488/female 90,624)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,339/female 5,356) (2005 est.)

Mali
  0-14 years: 47.1% (male 2,910,944/female 2,876,010)
  15-64 years: 50% (male 2,955,496/female 3,185,666)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 165,867/female 197,546) (2005 est.)

Malta
  0-14 years: 17.6% (male 36,056/female 34,097)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,537/female 135,666)
  65 years and over: 13.6% (male 23,184/female 30,994) (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0-14 years: 17.4% (male 6,681/female 6,365)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 24,693/female 24,482)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,163/female 7,665) (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  0-14 years: 38.2% (male 11,488/female 11,071)
  15-64 years: 59.1% (male 17,887/female 17,023)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 771/female 831) (2005 est.)

Martinique
  0-14 years: 22.4% (male 49,112/female 47,697)
  15-64 years: 67.2% (male 145,531/female 145,250)
  65 years and over: 10.5% (male 20,423/female 24,887) (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  0-14 years: 45.8% (male 707,728/female 704,616)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 792,589/female 813,763)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 27,560/female 40,603) (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  0-14 years: 24.4% (male 151,043/female 148,847)
  15-64 years: 69.1% (male 424,472/female 425,974)
  65 years and over: 6.5% (male 31,506/female 48,760) (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  0-14 years: 46.2% (male 44,926/female 44,521)
  15-64 years: 52.1% (male 54,713/female 46,156)
  65 years and over: 1.7% (male 1,666/female 1,651) (2005 est.)

Mexico
  0-14 years: 31.1% (male 16,844,400/female 16,159,511)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 32,521,043/female 34,704,093)
  65 years and over: 5.6% (male 2,715,010/female 3,258,846) (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674) 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313) 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.)

Moldova
  0-14 years: 20.2% (male 459,452/female 442,725)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 1,489,813/female 1,606,202)
  65 years and over: 10.3% (male 169,038/female 288,191) (2005 est.)

Monaco
  0-14 years: 15.5% (male 2,563/female 2,445)
  15-64 years: 62.1% (male 9,909/female 10,217)
  65 years and over: 22.4% (male 2,972/female 4,303) (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  0-14 years: 28.7% (male 407,547/female 392,440)
  15-64 years: 67.7% (male 943,418/female 945,063)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 44,413/female 58,391) (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  0-14 years: 23.3% (male 1,109/female 1,072)
  15-64 years: 65.6% (male 2,923/female 3,201)
  65 years and over: 11.1% (male 536/female 500) (2005 est.)

Morocco
  0-14 years: 32.1% (male 5,349,247/female 5,150,497)
  15-64 years: 63% (male 10,259,808/female 10,346,608)
  65 years and over: 4.9% (male 708,921/female 910,766) (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  0-14 years: 43.1% (male 4,206,654/female 4,157,898)
  15-64 years: 54.1% (male 5,088,250/female 5,416,573)
  65 years and over: 2.8% (male 224,682/female 312,646) (2005 est.)

Namibia
  0-14 years: 38.7% (male 396,247/female 389,543)
  15-64 years: 57.7% (male 586,900/female 584,779)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 33,524/female 39,699) (2005 est.)

Nauru
  0-14 years: 37.5% (male 2,511/female 2,379)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 3,895/female 4,012)
  65 years and over: 1.9% (male 132/female 119) (2005 est.)

Nepal
  0-14 years: 39% (male 5,575,157/female 5,221,794)
  15-64 years: 57.3% (male 8,137,410/female 7,720,691)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 499,039/female 522,456) (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 1,523,316/female 1,453,232)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,627,007/female 5,491,802)
  65 years and over: 14.1% (male 974,037/female 1,338,097) (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0-14 years: 24.2% (male 27,302/female 26,002)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 70,838/female 77,148)
  65 years and over: 8.5% (male 7,673/female 10,995) (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  0-14 years: 29% (male 32,030/female 30,714)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 70,294/female 69,506)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 6,513/female 7,437) (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  0-14 years: 21.4% (male 441,836/female 421,065)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 1,356,095/female 1,343,728)
  65 years and over: 11.7% (male 206,650/female 266,087) (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  0-14 years: 37.2% (male 1,036,487/female 999,226)
  15-64 years: 59.7% (male 1,623,065/female 1,638,017)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 73,935/female 94,370) (2005 est.)

Niger
  0-14 years: 47.3% (male 2,811,539/female 2,704,498)
  15-64 years: 50.6% (male 2,890,119/female 3,009,281)
  65 years and over: 2.1% (male 130,953/female 119,547) (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  0-14 years: 42.3% (male 27,466,766/female 27,045,092)
  15-64 years: 54.6% (male 35,770,593/female 34,559,414)
  65 years and over: 3.1% (male 1,874,157/female 2,055,966) (2005 est.)

Niue
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Norfolk Island
  0-14 years: 20.2%
  15-64 years: 63.9%
  65 years and over: 15.9% (2005 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0-14 years: 19.9% (male 8,332/female 7,646)
  15-64 years: 78.5% (male 26,121/female 36,982)
  65 years and over: 1.6% (male 646/female 635) (2005 est.)

Norway
  0-14 years: 19.5% (male 459,418/female 437,734)
  15-64 years: 65.7% (male 1,531,249/female 1,484,656)
  65 years and over: 14.8% (male 286,343/female 393,641) (2005 est.)

Oman
  0-14 years: 42.6% (male 652,028/female 626,698)
  15-64 years: 54.9% (male 978,183/female 668,814)
  65 years and over: 2.5% (male 41,366/female 34,494) (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  0-14 years: 39.6% (male 33,104,311/female 31,244,297)
  15-64 years: 56.3% (male 46,759,333/female 44,685,828)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 3,189,122/female 3,437,055) (2005 est.)

Palau
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 2,768/female 2,601)
  15-64 years: 69% (male 7,565/female 6,436)
  65 years and over: 4.6% (male 443/female 490) (2005 est.)

Panama
  0-14 years: 29.8% (male 460,840/female 443,359)
  15-64 years: 63.9% (male 984,558/female 956,748)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 91,383/female 102,262) (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,072,910/female 1,037,635)
  15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,662,166/female 1,559,685)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 99,777/female 113,095) (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  0-14 years: 37.9% (male 1,223,479/female 1,184,134)
  15-64 years: 57.3% (male 1,825,473/female 1,809,810)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 140,935/female 164,053) (2005 est.)

Peru
  0-14 years: 31.5% (male 4,479,278/female 4,323,356)
  15-64 years: 63.3% (male 8,891,785/female 8,776,343)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 685,179/female 769,687) (2005 est.)

Philippines
  0-14 years: 35.4% (male 15,869,636/female 15,255,588)
  15-64 years: 60.6% (male 26,503,785/female 26,722,511)
  65 years and over: 4% (male 1,523,213/female 1,982,740) (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Poland
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 3,319,176/female 3,150,859)
  15-64 years: 70.3% (male 13,506,153/female 13,638,265)
  65 years and over: 13% (male 1,912,431/female 3,108,260) (2005 est.)

Portugal
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 916,234/female 839,935)
  15-64 years: 66.3% (male 3,468,844/female 3,538,779)
  65 years and over: 17.1% (male 744,787/female 1,057,633) (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0-14 years: 22% (male 441,594/female 421,986)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 1,228,583/female 1,337,066)
  65 years and over: 12.4% (male 211,283/female 276,120) (2005 est.)

Qatar
  0-14 years: 23.7% (male 104,453/female 100,295)
  15-64 years: 72.9% (male 437,118/female 191,830)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 21,599/female 7,756) (2005 est.)

Reunion
  0-14 years: 30.4% (male 120,698/female 115,108)
  15-64 years: 63.6% (male 243,668/female 250,143)
  65 years and over: 6.1% (male 19,234/female 28,097) (2005 est.)

Romania
  0-14 years: 15.9% (male 1,818,488/female 1,727,598)
  15-64 years: 69.5% (male 7,726,903/female 7,801,441)
  65 years and over: 14.6% (male 1,342,827/female 1,912,720) (2005
  est.)

Russia
  0-14 years: 14.6% (male 10,704,617/female 10,173,313)
  15-64 years: 71.3% (male 49,429,716/female 52,799,740)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 6,405,027/female 13,907,896) (2005
  est.)

Rwanda
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 1,777,178/female 1,762,252)
  15-64 years: 55.5% (male 2,328,686/female 2,356,572)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 87,155/female 128,977) (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  0-14 years: 18.8% (male 715/female 691)
  15-64 years: 71.3% (male 2,745/female 2,575)
  65 years and over: 9.8% (male 330/female 404) (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0-14 years: 28% (male 5,586/female 5,330)
  15-64 years: 63.7% (male 12,424/female 12,403)
  65 years and over: 8.3% (male 1,328/female 1,887) (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0-14 years: 30.3% (male 25,937/female 24,391)
  15-64 years: 64.6% (male 52,813/female 54,544)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 3,172/female 5,455) (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0-14 years: 24% (male 861/female 825)
  15-64 years: 65.3% (male 2,330/female 2,251)
  65 years and over: 10.6% (male 335/female 410) (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0-14 years: 27.1% (male 16,208/female 15,621) 15-64 years: 66.5% (male 40,287/female 37,883) 65 years and over: 6.4% (male 3,280/female 4,255) (2005 est.)

Samoa
  0-14 years: 27.2% (male 24,517/female 23,660)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 73,495/female 44,208)
  65 years and over: 6.4% (male 5,204/female 6,203) (2005 est.)

San Marino
  0-14 years: 16.7% (male 2,482/female 2,328)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 9,255/female 9,943)
  65 years and over: 16.9% (male 2,106/female 2,766) (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0-14 years: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007)
  15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011)
  65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918) (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,149,960/female 4,952,138)
  15-64 years: 59.4% (male 8,992,348/female 6,698,633)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 334,694/female 289,826) (2005 est.)

Senegal
  0-14 years: 42.8% (male 2,404,461/female 2,360,167)
  15-64 years: 54.1% (male 2,901,689/female 3,122,854)
  65 years and over: 3% (male 161,173/female 176,488) (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0-14 years: 18.1% (male 1,014,443/female
  943,702)
  15-64 years: 66.9% (male 3,610,646/female 3,632,365)
  65 years and over: 15% (male 699,446/female 928,573) (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  0-14 years: 26.4% (male 10,839/female 10,601)
  15-64 years: 67.4% (male 26,709/female 28,025)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 1,622/female 3,392) (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0-14 years: 44.7% (male 1,318,508/female 1,371,164)
  15-64 years: 52% (male 1,494,068/female 1,637,276)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 93,047/female 103,580) (2005 est.)

Singapore
  0-14 years: 16% (male 366,971/female 342,295)
  15-64 years: 75.9% (male 1,639,842/female 1,719,829)
  65 years and over: 8.1% (male 157,636/female 199,147) (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  0-14 years: 17.1% (male 475,263/female 453,340)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 1,919,222/female 1,939,097)
  65 years and over: 11.9% (male 241,610/female 402,831) (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  0-14 years: 14% (male 145,016/female 137,012)
  15-64 years: 70.6% (male 715,629/female 704,079)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 118,298/female 191,036) (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0-14 years: 41.9% (male 114,860/female 110,404)
  15-64 years: 54.9% (male 149,400/female 145,970)
  65 years and over: 3.2% (male 8,371/female 9,027) (2005 est.)

Somalia
  0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,918,209/female 1,905,974)
  15-64 years: 52.9% (male 2,278,406/female 2,263,602)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 96,256/female 129,182) (2005 est.)

South Africa
  0-14 years: 30.3% (male 6,760,137/female 6,682,013)
  15-64 years: 64.5% (male 13,860,727/female 14,750,496)
  65 years and over: 5.2% (male 893,360/female 1,397,403) (2005 est.)

Spain
  0-14 years: 14.4% (male 2,994,124/female 2,815,456)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 13,762,281/female 13,664,762)
  65 years and over: 17.6% (male 2,965,859/female 4,138,980) (2005
  est.)

Sri Lanka
  0-14 years: 24.5% (male 2,508,384/female 2,397,986)
  15-64 years: 68.4% (male 6,658,765/female 7,059,468)
  65 years and over: 7.2% (male 670,813/female 769,360) (2005 est.)

Sudan
  0-14 years: 43.2% (male 8,865,331/female 8,488,982)
  15-64 years: 54.5% (male 10,952,566/female 10,930,218)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 513,679/female 436,710) (2005 est.)

Suriname
  0-14 years: 29.6% (male 66,537/female 63,182)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 144,285/female 136,942)
  65 years and over: 6.2% (male 12,092/female 15,106) (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

Swaziland
  0-14 years: 40.6% (male 240,643/female 235,895)
  15-64 years: 55.6% (male 327,661/female 325,400)
  65 years and over: 3.8% (male 19,273/female 25,028) (2005 est.)

Sweden
  0-14 years: 17.1% (male 791,215/female 747,621)
  15-64 years: 65.5% (male 2,990,436/female 2,904,873)
  65 years and over: 17.4% (male 677,161/female 890,468) (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  0-14 years: 16.6% (male 643,497/female 597,565)
  15-64 years: 68% (male 2,570,544/female 2,522,365)
  65 years and over: 15.4% (male 472,769/female 682,630) (2005 est.)

Syria
  0-14 years: 37.4% (male 3,556,795/female 3,350,267)
  15-64 years: 59.3% (male 5,601,971/female 5,333,799)
  65 years and over: 3.3% (male 288,868/female 317,052) (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  0-14 years: 19.7% (male 2,349,077/female 2,156,755)
  15-64 years: 70.7% (male 8,205,933/female 7,980,056)
  65 years and over: 9.6% (male 1,107,708/female 1,094,855) (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  0-14 years: 38.5% (male 1,390,220/female 1,368,268)
  15-64 years: 56.7% (male 2,022,764/female 2,040,524)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 150,372/female 191,358) (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  0-14 years: 44% (male 8,100,216/female 8,074,171)
  15-64 years: 53.4% (male 9,665,957/female 9,963,772)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 418,080/female 544,160) (2005 est.)

Thailand
  0-14 years: 23.9% (male 7,988,529/female 7,633,405)
  15-64 years: 68.6% (male 22,195,625/female 22,731,767)
  65 years and over: 7.5% (male 2,251,112/female 2,643,933) (2005 est.)

Togo
  0-14 years: 43.2% (male 1,232,759/female 1,224,060)
  15-64 years: 54.2% (male 1,505,737/female 1,571,201)
  65 years and over: 2.6% (male 60,799/female 86,963) (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  0-14 years: 42%
  15-64 years: 53%
  65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.)

Tonga
  0-14 years: 36.2% (male 20,738/female 19,907)
  15-64 years: 59.7% (male 33,226/female 33,853)
  65 years and over: 4.2% (male 2,031/female 2,667) (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0-14 years: 20.7% (male 115,594/female 109,665)
  15-64 years: 71% (male 403,301/female 369,664)
  65 years and over: 8.3% (male 40,638/female 49,782) (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  0-14 years: 25.3% (male 1,316,308/female 1,234,309)
  15-64 years: 68.1% (male 3,437,880/female 3,418,591)
  65 years and over: 6.6% (male 321,287/female 346,576) (2005 est.)

Turkey
  0-14 years: 26% (male 9,232,439/female 8,897,135)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 23,806,367/female 23,053,536)
  65 years and over: 6.7% (male 2,140,242/female 2,530,840) (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  0-14 years: 35.7% (male 909,113/female 860,128)
  15-64 years: 60.2% (male 1,462,198/female 1,516,836)
  65 years and over: 4.1% (male 78,119/female 125,687) (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0-14 years: 32.5% (male 3,396/female 3,277)
  15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,900/female 6,220)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 342/female 421) (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  0-14 years: 30.8% (male 1,823/female 1,756)
  15-64 years: 64.2% (male 3,620/female 3,847)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 229/female 361) (2005 est.)

Uganda
  0-14 years: 50.1% (male 6,875,663/female 6,784,378)
  15-64 years: 47.7% (male 6,511,867/female 6,494,859)
  65 years and over: 2.2% (male 263,790/female 338,925) (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  0-14 years: 15.6% (male 3,783,725/female 3,619,754)
  15-64 years: 68.8% (male 15,619,989/female 16,992,628)
  65 years and over: 15.6% (male 2,497,851/female 4,911,389) (2005
  est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0-14 years: 25.3% (male 331,269; female 317,977)
  15-64 years: 71.1% (male 1,115,826; female 707,058)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 66,404; female 24,678) (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  0-14 years: 17.7% (male 5,490,592/female 5,229,691)
  15-64 years: 66.5% (male 20,329,272/female 19,855,862)
  65 years and over: 15.8% (male 4,063,357/female 5,472,683) (2005
  est.)

United States
  0-14 years: 20.6% (male 31,095,725/female 29,703,997)
  15-64 years: 67% (male 98,914,382/female 99,324,126)
  65 years and over: 12.4% (male 15,298,676/female 21,397,228) (2005
  est.)

Uruguay
  0-14 years: 23.2% (male 403,041/female 389,427)
  15-64 years: 63.6% (male 1,076,960/female 1,095,833)
  65 years and over: 13.2% (male 183,877/female 266,782) (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0-14 years: 33.5% (male 4,575,443/female 4,408,146)
  15-64 years: 61.7% (male 8,201,993/female 8,371,933)
  65 years and over: 4.8% (male 528,334/female 765,346) (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  0-14 years: 33.3% (male 35,039/female 33,553)
  15-64 years: 63.1% (male 66,311/female 63,502)
  65 years and over: 3.6% (male 3,878/female 3,471) (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  0-14 years: 29.9% (male 3,909,876/female 3,667,958)
  15-64 years: 65% (male 8,287,255/female 8,209,599)
  65 years and over: 5.1% (male 590,236/female 710,357) (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  0-14 years: 27.9% (male 12,065,777/female 11,212,299)
  15-64 years: 66.4% (male 27,406,456/female 28,024,250)
  65 years and over: 5.8% (male 1,889,585/female 2,937,209) (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0-14 years: 23.1% (male 12,676/female 12,421)
  15-64 years: 66.2% (male 34,069/female 37,918)
  65 years and over: 10.7% (male 5,125/female 6,499) (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

West Bank
  0-14 years: 43.4% (male 530,197/female 504,794)
  15-64 years: 53.2% (male 649,610/female 619,335)
  65 years and over: 3.4% (male 34,803/female 46,876) (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  0-14 years: NA
  15-64 years: NA
  65 years and over: NA

World
  0-14 years: 27.8% (male 919,726,623; female 870,468,158)
  15-64 years: 64.9% (male 2,117,230,183; female 2,066,864,970)
  65 years and over: 7.3% (male 207,903,775; female 263,627,270)
  note: some countries do not maintain age structure information, thus
  a slight discrepancy exists between the total world population and
  the total for world age structure (2005 est.)

Yemen
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 4,905,831/female 4,727,177)
  15-64 years: 50.8% (male 5,364,711/female 5,172,811)
  65 years and over: 2.7% (male 274,166/female 282,367) (2005 est.)

Zambia
  0-14 years: 46.5% (male 2,626,911/female 2,609,857)
  15-64 years: 51.1% (male 2,848,402/female 2,904,376)
  65 years and over: 2.4% (male 118,043/female 154,206) (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0-14 years: 39.2% (male 2,522,609/female 2,474,131)
  15-64 years: 57.1% (male 3,686,354/female 3,592,662)
  65 years and over: 3.7% (male 235,478/female 235,756) (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2011 Geographic coordinates

Afghanistan
  33 00 N, 65 00 E

Akrotiri
  34 37 N, 32 58 E

Albania
  41 00 N, 20 00 E

Algeria
  28 00 N, 3 00 E

American Samoa
  14 20 S, 170 00 W

Andorra
  42 30 N, 1 30 E

Angola
  12 30 S, 18 30 E

Anguilla
  18 15 N, 63 10 W

Antarctica
  90 00 S, 0 00 E

Antigua and Barbuda
  17 03 N, 61 48 W

Arctic Ocean
  90 00 N, 0 00 E

Argentina
  34 00 S, 64 00 W

Armenia
  40 00 N, 45 00 E

Aruba
  12 30 N, 69 58 W

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  12 14 S, 123 05 E

Atlantic Ocean
  0 00 N, 25 00 W

Australia
  27 00 S, 133 00 E

Austria
  47 20 N, 13 20 E

Azerbaijan
  40 30 N, 47 30 E

Bahamas, The
  24 15 N, 76 00 W

Bahrain
  26 00 N, 50 33 E

Baker Island
  0 13 N, 176 31 W

Bangladesh
  24 00 N, 90 00 E

Barbados
  13 10 N, 59 32 W

Bassas da India
  21 30 S, 39 50 E

Belarus
  53 00 N, 28 00 E

Belgium
  50 50 N, 4 00 E

Belize
  17 15 N, 88 45 W

Benin
  9 30 N, 2 15 E

Bermuda
  32 20 N, 64 45 W

Bhutan
  27 30 N, 90 30 E

Bolivia
  17 00 S, 65 00 W

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  44 00 N, 18 00 E

Botswana
  22 00 S, 24 00 E

Bouvet Island
  54 26 S, 3 24 E

Brazil
  10 00 S, 55 00 W

British Indian Ocean Territory
  6 00 S, 71 30 E

British Virgin Islands
  18 30 N, 64 30 W

Brunei
  4 30 N, 114 40 E

Bulgaria
  43 00 N, 25 00 E

Burkina Faso
  13 00 N, 2 00 W

Burma
  22 00 N, 98 00 E

Burundi
  3 30 S, 30 00 E

Cambodia
  13 00 N, 105 00 E

Cameroon
  6 00 N, 12 00 E

Canada
  60 00 N, 95 00 W

Cape Verde
  16 00 N, 24 00 W

Cayman Islands
  19 30 N, 80 30 W

Central African Republic
  7 00 N, 21 00 E

Chad
  15 00 N, 19 00 E

Chile
  30 00 S, 71 00 W

China
  35 00 N, 105 00 E

Christmas Island
  10 30 S, 105 40 E

Clipperton Island
  10 17 N, 109 13 W

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  12 30 S, 96 50 E

Colombia
  4 00 N, 72 00 W

Comoros
  12 10 S, 44 15 E

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  0 00 N, 25 00 E

Congo, Republic of the
  1 00 S, 15 00 E

Cook Islands
  21 14 S, 159 46 W

Coral Sea Islands
  18 00 S, 152 00 E

Costa Rica
  10 00 N, 84 00 W

Cote d'Ivoire
  8 00 N, 5 00 W

Croatia
  45 10 N, 15 30 E

Cuba
  21 30 N, 80 00 W

Cyprus
  35 00 N, 33 00 E

Czech Republic
  49 45 N, 15 30 E

Denmark
  56 00 N, 10 00 E

Dhekelia
  34 59 N, 33 45 E

Djibouti
  11 30 N, 43 00 E

Dominica
  15 25 N, 61 20 W

Dominican Republic
  19 00 N, 70 40 W

East Timor
  8 50 S, 125 55 E

Ecuador
  2 00 S, 77 30 W

Egypt
  27 00 N, 30 00 E

El Salvador
  13 50 N, 88 55 W

Equatorial Guinea
  2 00 N, 10 00 E

Eritrea
  15 00 N, 39 00 E

Estonia
  59 00 N, 26 00 E

Ethiopia
  8 00 N, 38 00 E

Europa Island
  22 20 S, 40 22 E

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  51 45 S, 59 00 W

Faroe Islands
  62 00 N, 7 00 W

Fiji
  18 00 S, 175 00 E

Finland
  64 00 N, 26 00 E

France
  46 00 N, 2 00 E

French Guiana
  4 00 N, 53 00 W

French Polynesia
  15 00 S, 140 00 W

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  43 00 S, 67 00 E

Gabon
  1 00 S, 11 45 E

Gambia, The
  13 28 N, 16 34 W

Gaza Strip
  31 25 N, 34 20 E

Georgia
  42 00 N, 43 30 E

Germany
  51 00 N, 9 00 E

Ghana
  8 00 N, 2 00 W

Gibraltar
  36 8 N, 5 21 W

Glorioso Islands
  11 30 S, 47 20 E

Greece
  39 00 N, 22 00 E

Greenland
  72 00 N, 40 00 W

Grenada
  12 07 N, 61 40 W

Guadeloupe
  16 15 N, 61 35 W

Guam
  13 28 N, 144 47 E

Guatemala
  15 30 N, 90 15 W

Guernsey
  49 28 N, 2 35 W

Guinea
  11 00 N, 10 00 W

Guinea-Bissau
  12 00 N, 15 00 W

Guyana
  5 00 N, 59 00 W

Haiti
  19 00 N, 72 25 W

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  53 06 S, 72 31 E

Holy See (Vatican City)
  41 54 N, 12 27 E

Honduras
  15 00 N, 86 30 W

Hong Kong
  22 15 N, 114 10 E

Howland Island
  0 48 N, 176 38 W

Hungary
  47 00 N, 20 00 E

Iceland
  65 00 N, 18 00 W

India
  20 00 N, 77 00 E

Indian Ocean
  20 00 S, 80 00 E

Indonesia
  5 00 S, 120 00 E

Iran
  32 00 N, 53 00 E

Iraq
  33 00 N, 44 00 E

Ireland
  53 00 N, 8 00 W

Israel
  31 30 N, 34 45 E

Italy
  42 50 N, 12 50 E

Jamaica
  18 15 N, 77 30 W

Jan Mayen
  71 00 N, 8 00 W

Japan
  36 00 N, 138 00 E

Jarvis Island
  0 22 S, 160 03 W

Jersey
  49 15 N, 2 10 W

Johnston Atoll
  16 45 N, 169 31 W

Jordan
  31 00 N, 36 00 E

Juan de Nova Island
  17 03 S, 42 45 E

Kazakhstan
  48 00 N, 68 00 E

Kenya
  1 00 N, 38 00 E

Kingman Reef
  6 24 N, 162 24 W

Kiribati
  1 25 N, 173 00 E

Korea, North
  40 00 N, 127 00 E

Korea, South
  37 00 N, 127 30 E

Kuwait
  29 30 N, 45 45 E

Kyrgyzstan
  41 00 N, 75 00 E

Laos
  18 00 N, 105 00 E

Latvia
  57 00 N, 25 00 E

Lebanon
  33 50 N, 35 50 E

Lesotho
  29 30 S, 28 30 E

Liberia
  6 30 N, 9 30 W

Libya
  25 00 N, 17 00 E

Liechtenstein
  47 16 N, 9 32 E

Lithuania
  56 00 N, 24 00 E

Luxembourg
  49 45 N, 6 10 E

Macau
  22 10 N, 113 33 E

Macedonia
  41 50 N, 22 00 E

Madagascar
  20 00 S, 47 00 E

Malawi
  13 30 S, 34 00 E

Malaysia
  2 30 N, 112 30 E

Maldives
  3 15 N, 73 00 E

Mali
  17 00 N, 4 00 W

Malta
  35 50 N, 14 35 E

Man, Isle of
  54 15 N, 4 30 W

Marshall Islands
  9 00 N, 168 00 E

Martinique
  14 40 N, 61 00 W

Mauritania
  20 00 N, 12 00 W

Mauritius
  20 17 S, 57 33 E

Mayotte
  12 50 S, 45 10 E

Mexico
  23 00 N, 102 00 W

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6 55 N, 158 15 E

Midway Islands
  28 13 N, 177 22 W

Moldova
  47 00 N, 29 00 E

Monaco
  43 44 N, 7 24 E

Mongolia
  46 00 N, 105 00 E

Montserrat
  16 45 N, 62 12 W

Morocco
  32 00 N, 5 00 W

Mozambique
  18 15 S, 35 00 E

Namibia
  22 00 S, 17 00 E

Nauru
  0 32 S, 166 55 E

Navassa Island
  18 25 N, 75 02 W

Nepal
  28 00 N, 84 00 E

Netherlands
  52 30 N, 5 45 E

Netherlands Antilles
  12 15 N, 68 45 W

New Caledonia
  21 30 S, 165 30 E

New Zealand
  41 00 S, 174 00 E

Nicaragua
  13 00 N, 85 00 W

Niger
  16 00 N, 8 00 E

Nigeria
  10 00 N, 8 00 E

Niue
  19 02 S, 169 52 W

Norfolk Island
  29 02 S, 167 57 E

Northern Mariana Islands
  15 12 N, 145 45 E

Norway
  62 00 N, 10 00 E

Oman
  21 00 N, 57 00 E

Pacific Ocean
  0 00 N, 160 00 W

Pakistan
  30 00 N, 70 00 E

Palau
  7 30 N, 134 30 E

Palmyra Atoll
  5 52 N, 162 06 W

Panama
  9 00 N, 80 00 W

Papua New Guinea
  6 00 S, 147 00 E

Paracel Islands
  16 30 N, 112 00 E

Paraguay
  23 00 S, 58 00 W

Peru
  10 00 S, 76 00 W

Philippines
  13 00 N, 122 00 E

Pitcairn Islands
  25 04 S, 130 06 W

Poland
  52 00 N, 20 00 E

Portugal
  39 30 N, 8 00 W

Puerto Rico
  18 15 N, 66 30 W

Qatar
  25 30 N, 51 15 E

Reunion
  21 06 S, 55 36 E

Romania
  46 00 N, 25 00 E

Russia
  60 00 N, 100 00 E

Rwanda
  2 00 S, 30 00 E

Saint Helena
  15 56 S, 5 42 W

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  17 20 N, 62 45 W

Saint Lucia
  13 53 N, 60 68 W

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  46 50 N, 56 20 W

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  13 15 N, 61 12 W

Samoa
  13 35 S, 172 20 W

San Marino
  43 46 N, 12 25 E

Sao Tome and Principe
  1 00 N, 7 00 E

Saudi Arabia
  25 00 N, 45 00 E

Senegal
  14 00 N, 14 00 W

Serbia and Montenegro
  44 00 N, 21 00 E

Seychelles
  4 35 S, 55 40 E

Sierra Leone
  8 30 N, 11 30 W

Singapore
  1 22 N, 103 48 E

Slovakia
  48 40 N, 19 30 E

Slovenia
  46 07 N, 14 49 E

Solomon Islands
  8 00 S, 159 00 E

Somalia
  10 00 N, 49 00 E

South Africa
  29 00 S, 24 00 E

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  54 30 S, 37 00 W

Southern Ocean
  65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean
  has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of
  water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of
  water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of
  Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude

Spain
  40 00 N, 4 00 W

Spratly Islands
  8 38 N, 111 55 E

Sri Lanka
  7 00 N, 81 00 E

Sudan
  15 00 N, 30 00 E

Suriname
  4 00 N, 56 00 W

Svalbard
  78 00 N, 20 00 E

Swaziland
  26 30 S, 31 30 E

Sweden
  62 00 N, 15 00 E

Switzerland
  47 00 N, 8 00 E

Syria
  35 00 N, 38 00 E

Taiwan
  23 30 N, 121 00 E

Tajikistan
  39 00 N, 71 00 E

Tanzania
  6 00 S, 35 00 E

Thailand
  15 00 N, 100 00 E

Togo
  8 00 N, 1 10 E

Tokelau
  9 00 S, 172 00 W

Tonga
  20 00 S, 175 00 W

Trinidad and Tobago
  11 00 N, 61 00 W

Tromelin Island
  15 52 S, 54 25 E

Tunisia
  34 00 N, 9 00 E

Turkey
  39 00 N, 35 00 E

Turkmenistan
  40 00 N, 60 00 E

Turks and Caicos Islands
  21 45 N, 71 35 W

Tuvalu
  8 00 S, 178 00 E

Uganda
  1 00 N, 32 00 E

Ukraine
  49 00 N, 32 00 E

United Arab Emirates
  24 00 N, 54 00 E

United Kingdom
  54 00 N, 2 00 W

United States
  38 00 N, 97 00 W

Uruguay
  33 00 S, 56 00 W

Uzbekistan
  41 00 N, 64 00 E

Vanuatu
  16 00 S, 167 00 E

Venezuela
  8 00 N, 66 00 W

Vietnam
  16 00 N, 106 00 E

Virgin Islands
  18 20 N, 64 50 W

Wake Island
  19 17 N, 166 36 E

Wallis and Futuna
  13 18 S, 176 12 W

West Bank
  32 00 N, 35 15 E

Western Sahara
  24 30 N, 13 00 W

Yemen
  15 00 N, 48 00 E

Zambia
  15 00 S, 30 00 E

Zimbabwe
  20 00 S, 30 00 E

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2012 GDP - composition by sector (%)

Afghanistan
  agriculture: 60%
  industry: 20%
  services: 20% (1990 est.)

Albania
  agriculture: 46.2%
  industry: 25.4%
  services: 28.4% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  agriculture: 10.3%
  industry: 57.4%
  services: 32.3% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Andorra
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Angola
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 67%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 18%
  services: 78% (2002 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  agriculture: 3.9%
  industry: 19.2%
  services: 76.8% (2002)

Argentina
  agriculture: 10.6%
  industry: 35.9%
  services: 53.5% (2004 est.)

Armenia
  agriculture: 22.9%
  industry: 36.1%
  services: 41.1% (2004 est.)

Aruba
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Australia
  agriculture: 3.4%
  industry: 28.2%
  services: 68.4% (2004 est.)

Austria
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 30.8%
  services: 66.9% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  agriculture: 14.1%
  industry: 45.7%
  services: 40.2% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 7%
  services: 90% (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  agriculture: 0.7%
  industry: 41%
  services: 58.4% (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  agriculture: 21.2%
  industry: 27.1%
  services: 51.7% (2004 est.)

Barbados
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 16%
  services: 78% (2000 est.)

Belarus
  agriculture: 11%
  industry: 36.4%
  services: 52.6% (2004 est.)

Belgium
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 25.7%
  services: 73% (2004 est.)

Belize
  agriculture: 17.7%
  industry: 15%
  services: 67.3% (2003 est.)

Benin
  agriculture: 36.3%
  industry: 14.3%
  services: 49.4% (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 10%
  services: 89% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 10%
  services: 45% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 28%
  services: 59% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  agriculture: 14.2%
  industry: 30.8%
  services: 55% (2002)

Botswana
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 44% (including 36% mining)
  services: 52% (2003 est.)

Brazil
  agriculture: 10.1%
  industry: 38.6%
  services: 51.3% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 1.8%
  industry: 6.2%
  services: 92% (1996 est.)

Brunei
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 45%
  services: 50% (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  agriculture: 11.5%
  industry: 30.1%
  services: 58.4% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  agriculture: 39.5%
  industry: 19.3%
  services: 41.3% (2004 est.)

Burma
  agriculture: 56.6%
  industry: 8.8%
  services: 34.5% (2004 est.)

Burundi
  agriculture: 48.1%
  industry: 19%
  services: 32.9% (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  agriculture: 35%
  industry: 30%
  services: 35% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  agriculture: 43.7%
  industry: 20.1%
  services: 36.2% (2004 est.)

Canada
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 26.4%
  services: 71.3% (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  agriculture: 12.1%
  industry: 21.9%
  services: 66% (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 3.2%
  services: 95.4% (1994 est.)

Central African Republic
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 20%
  services: 25% (2001 est.)

Chad
  agriculture: 22.6%
  industry: 35.6%
  services: 41.7% (2004 est.)

Chile
  agriculture: 6.3%
  industry: 38.2%
  services: 55.5% (2004 est.)

China
  agriculture: 13.8%
  industry and construction: 52.9%
  services: 33.3% (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Colombia
  agriculture: 13.4%
  industry: 32.1%
  services: 54.5% (2004 est.)

Comoros
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 4%
  services: 56% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  agriculture: 55%
  industry: 11%
  services: 34% (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  agriculture: 7.4%
  industry: 52%
  services: 40.6% (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: 7.8%
  services: 75.2% (2000 est.)

Costa Rica
  agriculture: 8.5%
  industry: 29.7%
  services: 61.8% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  agriculture: 27.8%
  industry: 19.4%
  services: 52.8% (2004 est.)

Croatia
  agriculture: 8.2%
  industry: 30.1%
  services: 61.7% (2004 est.)

Cuba
  agriculture: 6.6%
  industry: 25.5%
  services: 67.9% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.1%; industry 19.9%;
  services 76%
  north Cyprus: agriculture 10.6%; industry 20.5%; services 68.9%
  (2004)

Czech Republic
  agriculture: 3.4%
  industry: 39.3%
  services: 57.3% (2004 est.)

Denmark
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 25.5%
  services: 72.3% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 15.8%
  services: 80.7% (2001 est.)

Dominica
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 24%
  services: 58% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  agriculture: 10.7%
  industry: 31.5%
  services: 57.8% (2003)

East Timor
  agriculture: 25.4%
  industry: 17.2%
  services: 57.4% (2001)

Ecuador
  agriculture: 8.7%
  industry: 30.5%
  services: 60.9% (2004 est.)

Egypt
  agriculture: 17.2%
  industry: 33%
  services: 49.8% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  agriculture: 9.2%
  industry: 31.1%
  services: 59.7% (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 95.7%
  services: 1.3% (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  agriculture: 12.4%
  industry: 25.9%
  services: 61.7% (2004 est.)

Estonia
  agriculture: 4.1%
  industry: 28.9%
  services: 67% (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  agriculture: 47%
  industry: 12.4%
  services: 40.6% (2004 est.)

European Union
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 28.3%
  services: 69.4% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Faroe Islands
  agriculture: 27%
  industry: 11%
  services: 62% (1999)

Fiji
  agriculture: 16.6%
  industry: 22.4%
  services: 61% (2001 est.)

Finland
  agriculture: 3.3%
  industry: 30.2%
  services: 66.5% (2004 est.)

France
  agriculture: 2.7%
  industry: 24.3%
  services: 73% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 18%
  services: 78% (2002)

Gabon
  agriculture: 7.4%
  industry: 46.7%
  services: 45.9% (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  agriculture: 26.8%
  industry: 14.5%
  services: 58.7% (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 28%
  services: 63% (includes West Bank) (2002 est.)

Georgia
  agriculture: 20.5%
  industry: 22.6%
  services: 56.9% (2004 est.)

Germany
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 31%
  services: 68% (2002 est.)

Ghana
  agriculture: 34.3%
  industry: 24.2%
  services: 41.4% (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2002 est.)

Greece
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 22%
  services: 71% (2004 est.)

Greenland
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Grenada
  agriculture: 7.7%
  industry: 23.9%
  services: 68.4% (2000)

Guadeloupe
  agriculture: 15%
  industry: 17%
  services: 68% (1997 est.)

Guam
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 15%
  services: 78% (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  agriculture: 22.7%
  industry: 19.5%
  services: 57.9% (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 10%
  services: 87% (2000)

Guinea
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 38.2%
  services: 36.8% (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  agriculture: 62%
  industry: 12%
  services: 26% (1999 est.)

Guyana
  agriculture: 38.3%
  industry: 19.9%
  services: 41.8% (2004 est.)

Haiti
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 20%
  services: 50% (2001 est.)

Honduras
  agriculture: 12.7%
  industry: 32.1%
  services: 55.3% (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 11.3%
  services: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Hungary
  agriculture: 3.3%
  industry: 31.4%
  services: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Iceland
  agriculture: 11.2%
  industry: 9.6%
  services: 79.2% (2004 est.)

India
  agriculture: 23.6%
  industry: 28.4%
  services: 48% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  agriculture: 14.6%
  industry: 45%
  services: 40.4% (2004 est.)

Iran
  agriculture: 11.2%
  industry: 40.9%
  services: 48.7% (2004 est.)

Iraq
  agriculture: 13.6%
  industry: 58.6%
  services: 27.8% (2004 est.)

Ireland
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 46%
  services: 49% (2002 est.)

Israel
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 37.7%
  services: 59.5% (2003 est.)

Italy
  agriculture: 2.3%
  industry: 28.8%
  services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  agriculture: 6.1%
  industry: 32.7%
  services: 61.3% (2004 est.)

Japan
  agriculture: 1.3%
  industry: 24.7%
  services: 74.1% (2004 est.)

Jersey
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 2%
  services: 93% (1996)

Jordan
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 26%
  services: 71.5% (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  agriculture: 7.4%
  industry: 37.8%
  services: 54.8% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  agriculture: 19.3%
  industry: 18.5%
  services: 62.4% (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  agriculture: 30%
  industry: 7%
  services: 63% (1998 est.)

Korea, North
  agriculture: 30.2%
  industry: 33.8%
  services: 36% (2002 est.)

Korea, South
  agriculture: 3.2%
  industry: 40.4%
  services: 56.3% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  agriculture: 0.4%
  industry: 60.5%
  services: 39.1% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  agriculture: 38.5%
  industry: 22.8%
  services: 38.7% (2004 est.)

Laos
  agriculture: 49.5%
  industry: 27.5%
  services: 23% (2004 est.)

Latvia
  agriculture: 4.4%
  industry: 24.8%
  services: 70.8% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  agriculture: 12%
  industry: 21%
  services: 67% (2000)

Lesotho
  agriculture: 15.2%
  industry: 43.9%
  services: 40.9% (2004 est.)

Liberia
  agriculture: 76.9%
  industry: 5.4%
  services: 17.7% (2002 est.)

Libya
  agriculture: 8.7%
  industry: 45.7%
  services: 45.6% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: 40%
  services: NA% (1999)

Lithuania
  agriculture: 6.1%
  industry: 33.4%
  services: 60.5% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  agriculture: 0.5%
  industry: 16.3%
  services: 83.1% (2004 est.)

Macau
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 7.2%
  services: 92.7% (2002 est.)

Macedonia
  agriculture: 11.2%
  industry: 26%
  services: 62.8% (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  agriculture: 29.3%
  industry: 16.7%
  services: 54% (2004 est.)

Malawi
  agriculture: 54.8%
  industry: 19.2%
  services: 26% (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  agriculture: 7.2%
  industry: 33.6%
  services: 59.1% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  agriculture: 20%
  industry: 18%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Mali
  agriculture: 45%
  industry: 17%
  services: 38% (2001 est.)

Malta
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 23%
  services: 74% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 13%
  services: 86% (2000 est.)

Marshall Islands
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 16%
  services: 70% (2000 est.)

Martinique
  agriculture: 6%
  industry: 11%
  services: 83% (1997 est.)

Mauritania
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 29%
  services: 46% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  agriculture: 7.6%
  industry: 30%
  services: 62.4% (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Mexico
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 27.2%
  services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  agriculture: 50%
  industry: 4%
  services: 46% (2000 est.)

Moldova
  agriculture: 22.4%
  industry: 24.8%
  services: 52.8% (2004 est.)

Monaco
  agriculture: 17%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA% (2001 est.)

Mongolia
  agriculture: 20.6%
  industry: 21.4%
  services: 58% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  agriculture: 5.4%
  industry: 13.6%
  services: 81% (1996 est.)

Morocco
  agriculture: 21.2%
  industry: 35.8%
  services: 43% (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  agriculture: 21.1%
  industry: 32.1%
  services: 46.9% (2004 est.)

Namibia
  agriculture: 11.3%
  industry: 30.8%
  services: 57.9% (2004 est.)

Nauru
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Nepal
  agriculture: 40%
  industry: 20%
  services: 40% (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  agriculture: 2.4%
  industry: 24.5%
  services: 73.1% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 15%
  services: 84% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
  agriculture: 5%
  industry: 30%
  services: 65% (1997 est.)

New Zealand
  agriculture: 4.6%
  industry: 27.4%
  services: 68% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  agriculture: 20.7%
  industry: 24.7%
  services: 54.6% (2004 est.)

Niger
  agriculture: 39%
  industry: 17%
  services: 44% (2001)

Nigeria
  agriculture: 36.3%
  industry: 30.5%
  services: 33.3% (2004 est.)

Niue
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: 55%

Norfolk Island
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Norway
  agriculture: 2.2%
  industry: 36.3%
  services: 61.6% (2004 est.)

Oman
  agriculture: 3.1%
  industry: 41.1%
  services: 55.8% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  agriculture: 22.6%
  industry: 24.1%
  services: 53.3% (2004 est.)

Palau
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Panama
  agriculture: 7.2%
  industry: 13%
  services: 79.8% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  agriculture: 34.5%
  industry: 34.7%
  services: 30.8% (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  agriculture: 25.3%
  industry: 24.9%
  services: 49.8% (2004 est.)

Peru
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 27%
  services: 65% (2003 est.)

Philippines
  agriculture: 14.8%
  industry: 31.9%
  services: 53.2% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Poland
  agriculture: 2.9%
  industry: 31.3%
  services: 65.9% (2004 est.)

Portugal
  agriculture: 5.9%
  industry: 30.2%
  services: 63.9% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 45%
  services: 54% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  agriculture: 0.3%
  industry: 58.2%
  services: 41.5% (2004 est.)

Reunion
  agriculture: 8%
  industry: 19%
  services: 73% (2000 est.)

Romania
  agriculture: 13.1%
  industry: 33.7%
  services: 53.2% (2004 est.)

Russia
  agriculture: 4.9%
  industry: 33.9%
  services: 61.2% (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  agriculture: 41.1%
  industry: 21.2%
  services: 37.7% (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 25.8%
  services: 70.7% (2001)

Saint Lucia
  agriculture: 7%
  industry: 20%
  services: 73% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  agriculture: 10%
  industry: 26%
  services: 64% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  agriculture: 14%
  industry: 23%
  services: 63% (2001 est.)

San Marino
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  agriculture: 16.5%
  industry: 15.4%
  services: 68.1% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  agriculture: 4.2%
  industry: 67.2%
  services: 28.6% (2004 est.)

Senegal
  agriculture: 15.9%
  industry: 21.4%
  services: 62.7% (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  agriculture: 15.5%
  industry: 27.6%
  services: 56.8% (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  agriculture: 2.8%
  industry: 28.7%
  services: 68.9% (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  agriculture: 49%
  industry: 30%
  services: 21% (2001 est.)

Singapore
  agriculture: 0% negligible
  industry: 32.6%
  services: 67.4% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 30.1%
  services: 66.4% (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  agriculture: 3%
  industry: 36%
  services: 60% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  agriculture: 42%
  industry: 11%
  services: 47% (2000 est.)

Somalia
  agriculture: 65%
  industry: 10%
  services: 25% (2000 est.)

South Africa
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 31.2%
  services: 65.2% (2004 est.)

Spain
  agriculture: 3.5%
  industry: 28.5%
  services: 68% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  agriculture: 19.1%
  industry: 26.2%
  services: 54.7% (2004 est.)

Sudan
  agriculture: 38.7%
  industry: 20.3%
  services: 41% (2003 est.)

Suriname
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 22%
  services: 65% (2001 est.)

Swaziland
  agriculture: 16.1%
  industry: 43.4%
  services: 40.5% (2004 est.)

Sweden
  agriculture: 2%
  industry: 29%
  services: 69% (2001)

Switzerland
  agriculture: 1.5%
  industry: 34%
  services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

Syria
  agriculture: 25%
  industry: 31%
  services: 44% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  agriculture: 1.7%
  industry: 30.9%
  services: 67.4% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  agriculture: 23.7%
  industry: 24.3%
  services: 52% (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  agriculture: 43.2%
  industry: 17.2%
  services: 39.6% (2004 est.)

Thailand
  agriculture: 9%
  industry: 44.3%
  services: 46.7% (2004 est.)

Togo
  agriculture: 39.5%
  industry: 20.4%
  services: 40.1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Tonga
  agriculture: 23%
  industry: 13%
  services: 64% (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  agriculture: 2.7%
  industry: 47%
  services: 50.3% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  agriculture: 13.8%
  industry: 31.8%
  services: 54.4% (2004 est.)

Turkey
  agriculture: 11.7%
  industry: 29.8%
  services: 58.5% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  agriculture: 28.5%
  industry: 42.7%
  services: 28.8% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Tuvalu
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

Uganda
  agriculture: 35.8%
  industry: 20.8%
  services: 43.6% (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  agriculture: 18%
  industry: 45.1%
  services: 36.9% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 58.5%
  services: 37.5% (2002 est.)

United Kingdom
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 26.3%
  services: 72.7% (2004 est.)

United States
  agriculture: 0.9%
  industry: 19.7%
  services: 79.4% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  agriculture: 7.9%
  industry: 27.4%
  services: 64.8% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  agriculture: 38%
  industry: 26.3%
  services: 35.7% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  agriculture: 26%
  industry: 12%
  services: 62% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  agriculture: 0.1%
  industry: 46.5%
  services: 53.4% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  agriculture: 21.8%
  industry: 40.1%
  services: 38.1% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 19%
  services: 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  agriculture: NA%
  industry: NA%
  services: NA%

West Bank agriculture: 9% industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (2002 est.)

Western Sahara
  agriculture: NA
  industry: NA
  services: 40% (1996 est.)

World
  agriculture: 4%
  industry: 32%
  services: 64% (2004 est.)

Yemen
  agriculture: 15.5%
  industry: 44.7%
  services: 39.7% (2004 est.)

Zambia
  agriculture: 14.9%
  industry: 28.9%
  services: 56.1% (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  agriculture: 18.1%
  industry: 24.3%
  services: 57.7% (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2013 Radio broadcast stations

Afghanistan
  AM 21, FM 23, shortwave 1 (broadcasts in Pashtu, Afghan
  Persian (Dari), Urdu, and English) (2003)

Albania
  AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 2 (2001)

Algeria
  AM 25, FM 1, shortwave 8 (1999)

American Samoa
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Andorra
  AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 0 (1998)

Angola
  AM 21, FM 6, shortwave 7 (2000)

Anguilla
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Antarctica
  AM NA, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  AM 4, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Argentina
  AM 260 (including 10 inactive stations), FM NA (probably
  more than 1,000, mostly unlicensed), shortwave 6 (1998)

Armenia
  AM 9, FM 6, shortwave 1 (1998)

Aruba
  AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

Australia
  AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998)

Austria
  AM 2, FM 65 (plus several hundred repeaters), shortwave 1
  (2001)

Azerbaijan
  AM 10, FM 17, shortwave 1 (1998)

Bahamas, The
  AM 3, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Bahrain
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bangladesh
  AM 12, FM 12, shortwave 2 (1999)

Barbados
  AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Belarus
  AM 28, FM 37, shortwave 11 (1998)

Belgium
  FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998)

Belize
  AM 1, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Benin
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (2000)

Bermuda
  AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Bhutan
  AM 0, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Bolivia
  AM 171, FM 73, shortwave 77 (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  AM 8, FM 16, shortwave 1 (1998)

Botswana
  AM 8, FM 13, shortwave 4 (2001)

Brazil
  AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated
  with AM stations) (1999)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

British Virgin Islands
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

Brunei
  AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Bulgaria
  AM 31, FM 63, shortwave 2 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  AM 3, FM 17, shortwave 3 (2002)

Burma
  AM 1, FM 1 (2004)

Burundi
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Cambodia
  AM 2, FM 17, (2003)

Cameroon
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (2002)

Canada
  AM 245, FM 582, shortwave 6 (2004)

Cape Verde
  AM 0, FM 22 (and 12 low power repeaters), shortwave 0
  (2002)

Cayman Islands
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Central African Republic
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Chad
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 5 (2002)

Chile
  AM 180 (eight inactive), FM 64, shortwave 17 (one inactive)
  (1998)

China
  AM 369, FM 259, shortwave 45 (1998)

Christmas Island
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2004)

Colombia
  AM 454, FM 34, shortwave 27 (1999)

Comoros
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 3 (2001)

Cook Islands
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Costa Rica
  AM 65, FM 51, shortwave 19 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 3 (1998)

Croatia
  AM 16, FM 98, shortwave 5 (1999)

Cuba
  AM 169, FM 55, shortwave 1 (1998)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: AM 7, FM 60, shortwave 1 (1998); north
  Cyprus: AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Czech Republic
  AM 31, FM 304, shortwave 17 (2000)

Denmark
  AM 2, FM 355, shortwave 0 (1998)

Djibouti
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Dominica
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 0 (2004)

Dominican Republic
  AM 120, FM 56, shortwave 4 (1998)

East Timor
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Ecuador
  AM 392, FM 35, shortwave 29 (2001)

Egypt
  AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)

El Salvador
  AM 61 (plus 24 repeaters), FM 30, shortwave 0 (1998)

Equatorial Guinea
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 5 (2002)

Eritrea
  AM 2, FM NA, shortwave 2 (2000)

Estonia
  AM 0, FM 98, shortwave 0 (2001)

Ethiopia
  AM 8, FM 0, shortwave 1 (2001)

European Union
  AM 866, FM 13,396, shortwave 73 (1998); note - sum of
  individual country radio broadcast stations; there is also a
  European-wide station (Euroradio)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)

Faroe Islands
  AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Fiji
  AM 13, FM 40, shortwave 0 (1998)

Finland
  AM 2, FM 186, shortwave 1 (1998)

France
  AM 41, FM about 3,500 (this figure is an approximation and
  includes many repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

French Guiana
  AM 2, FM 14 (including 6 repeaters), shortwave 6
  (including 5 repeaters) (1998)

French Polynesia
  AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Gabon
  AM 6, FM 7 (and 11 repeaters), shortwave 4 (2001)

Gambia, The
  AM 3, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2001)

Gaza Strip
  AM 0, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Georgia
  AM 7, FM 12, shortwave 4 (1998)

Germany
  AM 51, FM 787, shortwave 4 (1998)

Ghana
  AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001)

Gibraltar
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Greece
  AM 26, FM 88, shortwave 4 (1998)

Greenland
  AM 5, FM 12, shortwave 0 (1998)

Grenada
  AM 2, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guadeloupe
  AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guam
  AM 4, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2003)

Guatemala
  AM 130, FM 487, shortwave 15 (2000)

Guernsey
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Guinea
  AM 4 (one station is inactive), FM 1 (plus 7 repeaters),
  shortwave 3 (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  AM 1 (transmitter out of service), FM 4, shortwave 0
  (2002)

Guyana
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Haiti
  AM 41, FM 26, shortwave 0 (1999)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  AM 3, FM 4, shortwave 2 (1998)

Honduras
  AM 241, FM 53, shortwave 12 (1998)

Hong Kong
  AM 5, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2004)

Hungary
  AM 17, FM 57, shortwave 3 (1998)

Iceland
  AM 3, FM about 70 (including repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

India
  AM 153, FM 91, shortwave 68 (1998)

Indonesia
  AM 678, FM 43, shortwave 82 (1998)

Iran
  AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998)

Iraq
  after 17 months of unregulated media growth, there are
  approximately 80 radio stations on the air inside Iraq (2004)

Ireland
  AM 9, FM 106, shortwave 0 (1998)

Israel
  AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)

Italy
  AM about 100, FM about 4,600, shortwave 9 (1998)

Jamaica
  AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jan Mayen
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998)

Japan
  AM 215 plus 370 repeaters, FM 89 plus 485 repeaters, shortwave
  21 (2001)

Jersey
  AM NA, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Jordan
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)

Kazakhstan
  AM 60, FM 17, shortwave 9 (1998)

Kenya
  AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Kiribati
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1
  note: the shortwave station may be inactive (2002)

Korea, North
  AM 17 (including 11 stations of Korean Central
  Broadcasting Station), FM 14, shortwave 14 (2003)

Korea, South
  AM 58, FM 150, shortwave 2 (2004)

Kuwait
  AM 6, FM 11, shortwave 1 (1998)

Kyrgyzstan
  AM 12 (plus 10 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 2
  (1998)

Laos
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 4 (1998)

Latvia
  AM 8, FM 56, shortwave 1 (1998)

Lebanon
  AM 20, FM 22, shortwave 4 (1998)

Lesotho
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Liberia
  AM 0, FM 7, shortwave 2 (2001)

Libya
  AM 16, FM 3, shortwave 3 (2002)

Liechtenstein
  AM 0, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Lithuania
  AM 29, FM 142, shortwave 1 (2001)

Luxembourg
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Macau
  AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Macedonia
  AM 29, FM 20, shortwave 0 (1998)

Madagascar
  AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9,
  shortwave 6 (2001)

Malawi
  AM 9, FM 5 (plus 15 repeater stations), shortwave 2 (plus a
  third station held in standby status) (2001)

Malaysia
  AM 35, FM 391, shortwave 15 (2001)

Maldives
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Mali
  AM 1, FM 28, shortwave 1
  note: the shortwave station in Bamako has seven frequencies and five
  transmitters and relays broadcasts for China Radio International
  (2001)

Malta
  AM 1, FM 18, shortwave 6 (1999)

Man, Isle of
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Marshall Islands
  AM 2, FM 1, shortwave 0
  note: additionally, the US Armed Forces Radio and Television
  Services (Central Pacific Network) operate one FM and one AM station
  on Kwajalein (2002)

Martinique
  AM 0, FM 14, shortwave 0 (1998)

Mauritania
  AM 1, FM 14, shortwave 1 (2001)

Mauritius
  AM 4, FM 9, shortwave 0 (2002)

Mayotte
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2001)

Mexico
  AM 850, FM 545, shortwave 15 (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Moldova
  AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998)

Monaco
  AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998)

Mongolia
  AM 7, FM 62, shortwave 3 (2004)

Montserrat
  AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Morocco
  AM 27, FM 25, shortwave 6 (1998)

Mozambique
  AM 13, FM 17, shortwave 11 (2001)

Namibia
  AM 2, FM 39, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nauru
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Nepal
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Netherlands
  AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

New Caledonia
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

New Zealand
  AM 124, FM 290, shortwave 4 (1998)

Nicaragua
  AM 63, FM 32, shortwave 1 (1998)

Niger
  AM 5, FM 6, shortwave 4 (2001)

Nigeria
  AM 83, FM 36, shortwave 11 (2001)

Niue
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998)

Norfolk Island
  AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands
  AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)

Norway
  AM 5, FM at least 650, shortwave 1 (1998)

Oman
  AM 3, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999)

Pakistan
  AM 27, FM 1, shortwave 21 (1998)

Palau
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2002)

Panama
  AM 101, FM 134, shortwave 0 (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998)

Paraguay
  AM 46, FM 27, shortwave 6 (three inactive) (1998)

Peru
  AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999)

Philippines
  AM 369, FM 583, shortwave 5
  note: each shortwave station operates on multiple frequencies in the
  language of the target audience (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0, note - 15 Ham radio
  operators (VP6) (2004)

Poland
  AM 14, FM 777, shortwave 1 (1998)

Portugal
  AM 47, FM 172 (many are repeaters), shortwave 2 (1998)

Puerto Rico
  AM 72, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998)

Qatar
  AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Reunion
  AM 2, FM 55, shortwave 0 (2001)

Romania
  AM 40, FM 202, shortwave 3 (1998)

Russia
  AM 420, FM 447, shortwave 56 (1998)

Rwanda
  AM 0, FM 8 (two main FM programs are broadcast through a
  system of repeaters, three international FM programs include the
  BBC, VOA, and Deutchewelle), shortwave 1 (2005)

Saint Helena
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  AM 3, FM 3, shortwave 0 (2004)

Saint Lucia
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  AM 1, FM 6, shortwave 0 (2004)

Samoa
  AM 2, FM 5, shortwave 0 (2004)

San Marino
  AM 0, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998)

Sao Tome and Principe
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Senegal
  AM 8, FM 20, shortwave 1 (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  AM 113, FM 194, shortwave 2 (1998)

Seychelles
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Sierra Leone
  AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Singapore
  AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Slovakia
  AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998)

Slovenia
  AM 17, FM 160, shortwave 0 (1998)

Solomon Islands
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 1 (2004)

Somalia
  AM 0, FM 11, shortwave 1 in Mogadishu; 1 FM in Puntland, 1
  FM in Somaliland (2001)

South Africa
  AM 14, FM 347 (plus 243 repeaters), shortwave 1 (1998)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 (2003)

Spain
  AM 208, FM 715, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sri Lanka
  AM 26, FM 45, shortwave 1 (1998)

Sudan
  AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Suriname
  AM 4, FM 13, shortwave 1 (1998)

Svalbard
  AM 1, FM 1 (plus 2 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998)

Swaziland
  AM 3, FM 2 plus 4 repeaters, shortwave 3 (2004)

Sweden
  AM 1, FM 265, shortwave 1 (1998)

Switzerland
  AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2
  (1998)

Syria
  AM 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998)

Taiwan
  AM 218, FM 333, shortwave 50 (1999)

Tajikistan
  AM 8, FM 10, shortwave 2 (2002)

Tanzania
  AM 12, FM 11, shortwave 2 (1998)

Thailand
  AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Togo
  AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 4 (1998)

Tokelau
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002)

Tonga
  AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  AM 4, FM 18, shortwave 0 (2004)

Tunisia
  AM 7, FM 20, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turkey
  AM 16, FM 107, shortwave 6 (2001)

Turkmenistan
  AM 16, FM 8, shortwave 2 (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004)

Tuvalu
  AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

Uganda
  AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Ukraine
  AM 134, FM 289, shortwave 4 (1998)

United Arab Emirates
  AM 13, FM 8, shortwave 2 (2004)

United Kingdom
  AM 219, FM 431, shortwave 3 (1998)

United States
  AM 4,854, FM 8,950, shortwave 18 (2004)

Uruguay
  AM 91, FM 149, shortwave 7 (2001)

Uzbekistan
  AM 20, FM 7, shortwave 10 (1998)

Vanuatu
  AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (2004)

Venezuela
  AM 201, FM NA (20 in Caracas), shortwave 11 (1998)

Vietnam
  AM 65, FM 7, shortwave 29 (1999)

Virgin Islands
  AM 6, FM 17, shortwave 0 (2004)

Wake Island
  AM 0, FM NA, shortwave NA
  note: Armed Forces Radio/Television Service (AFRTS) radio service
  provided by satellite (1998)

Wallis and Futuna
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

West Bank
  AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
  note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM
  station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are
  reported to be in operation (2000)

Western Sahara
  AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)

World
  AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA

Yemen
  AM 6, FM 1, shortwave 2 (1998)

Zambia
  AM 19, FM 5, shortwave 4 (2001)

Zimbabwe
  AM 7, FM 20 (plus 17 repeater stations), shortwave 1 (1998)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2015 Television broadcast stations

Afghanistan
  at least 10 (one government-run central television
  station in Kabul and regional stations in nine of the 32 provinces;
  the regional stations operate on a reduced schedule; also, in 1997,
  there was a station in Mazar-e Sharif reaching four northern
  Afghanistan provinces) (1998)

Albania
  3 (plus 58 repeaters) (2001)

Algeria
  46 (plus 216 repeaters) (1995)

American Samoa
  1; note - one cable TV station (2004)

Andorra
  0 (1997)

Angola
  6 (2000)

Anguilla
  1 (1997)

Antarctica
  1 (cable system with six channels; American Forces
  Antarctic Network-McMurdo)
  note: information for US bases only (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2 (1997)

Argentina
  42 (plus 444 repeaters) (1997)

Armenia
  3 (plus an unknown number of repeaters); (1998)

Aruba
  1 (1997)

Australia
  104 (1997)

Austria
  10 (plus more than 1,000 repeaters) (2001)

Azerbaijan
  2 (1997)

Bahamas, The
  2 (2004)

Bahrain
  4 (1997)

Bangladesh
  15 (1999)

Barbados
  1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)

Belarus
  47 (plus 27 repeaters) (1995)

Belgium
  25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997)

Belize
  2 (1997)

Benin
  1 (2001)

Bermuda
  4 (2004)

Bhutan
  1 (2005)

Bolivia
  48 (1997)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  33 (plus 277 repeaters) (September 1995)

Botswana
  1 (2001)

Brazil
  138 (1997)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (1997)

British Virgin Islands
  1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Brunei
  2 (1997)

Bulgaria
  39 (plus 1,242 repeaters) (2001)

Burkina Faso
  1 (2002)

Burma
  2 (2004)

Burundi
  1 (2001)

Cambodia
  7 (2003)

Cameroon
  1 (2002)

Canada
  80 (plus many repeaters) (1997)

Cape Verde
  1 (and 7 repeaters) (2002)

Cayman Islands
  4 with cable system (2004)

Central African Republic
  1 (2001)

Chad
  1 (2002)

Chile
  63 (plus 121 repeaters) (1997)

China
  3,240 (of which 209 are operated by China Central Television,
  31 are provincial TV stations and nearly 3,000 are local city
  stations) (1997)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  60 (includes seven low-power stations) (1997)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4 (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  1 (2002)

Cook Islands
  1 (outer islands receive satellite broadcasts) (2004)

Costa Rica
  20 (plus 43 repeaters) (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  14 (1999)

Croatia
  36 (plus 321 repeaters) (September 1995)

Cuba
  58 (1997)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 4 (plus 225 low-power repeaters)
  (September 1995); north Cyprus: 4 (plus 5 repeaters) (September 1995)

Czech Republic
  150 (plus 1,434 repeaters) (2000)

Denmark
  26 (plus 51 repeaters) (1998)

Djibouti
  1 (2002)

Dominica
  1 (2004)

Dominican Republic
  25 (2003)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  7 (plus 14 repeaters) (2001)

Egypt
  98 (September 1995)

El Salvador
  5 (1997)

Equatorial Guinea
  1 (2002)

Eritrea
  1 (2000)

Estonia
  3 (2001)

Ethiopia
  1 plus 24 repeaters (2002)

European Union
  2,791 (1995); note - does not include repeaters; sum
  of individual country television broadcast stations; there is also a
  European-wide station (Eurovision)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2 (operated by the British Forces
  Broadcasting Service)
  note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)

Faroe Islands
  3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995)

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  120 (plus 431 repeaters) (1999)

France
  584 (plus 9,676 repeaters) (1995)

French Guiana
  3 (plus eight low-power repeaters) (1997)

French Polynesia
  7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Gabon
  4 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Gambia, The
  1 (government-owned) (1997)

Gaza Strip
  2 (operated by the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation)
  (1997)

Georgia
  12 (plus repeaters) (1998)

Germany
  373 (plus 8,042 repeaters) (1995)

Ghana
  10 (2001)

Gibraltar
  1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997)

Greece
  36 (plus 1,341 low-power repeaters); also two stations in the
  US Armed Forces Radio and Television Service (1995)

Greenland
  1 publicly-owned station, some local low-power stations,
  and three AFRTS (US Air Force) stations (1997)

Grenada
  2 (1997)

Guadeloupe
  5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Guam
  5 (1997)

Guatemala
  26 (plus 27 repeaters) (1997)

Guernsey
  1 (1997)

Guinea
  6 low-power stations (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA (1997)

Guyana
  3 (one public station; two private stations which relay US
  satellite services) (1997)

Haiti
  2 (plus a cable TV service) (1997)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  1 (1996)

Honduras
  11 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)

Hong Kong
  4 (2004)

Hungary
  35 (plus 161 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Iceland
  14 (plus 156 low-power repeaters) (1997)

India
  562 (of which 82 stations have 1 kW or greater power and 480
  stations have less than 1 kW of power) (1997)

Indonesia
  41 (1999)

Iran
  28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Iraq
  21 (2004)

Ireland
  4 (many low-power repeaters) (2001)

Israel
  17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)

Italy
  358 (plus 4,728 repeaters) (1995)

Jamaica
  7 (1997)

Japan
  211 plus 7,341 repeaters
  note: in addition, US Forces are served by 3 TV stations and 2 TV
  cable services (1999)

Jersey
  2 (1997)

Jordan
  20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)

Kazakhstan
  12 (plus nine repeaters) (1998)

Kenya
  8 (2002)

Kiribati
  1 (not reported to be active) (2002)

Korea, North
  4 (includes Korean Central Television, Mansudae
  Television, Korean Educational and Cultural Network, and Kaesong
  Television targeting South Korea) (2003)

Korea, South
  64 (additionally 119 Cable Operators; 239 Relay Cable
  Operators) (2004)

Kuwait
  13 (plus several satellite channels) (1997)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA (repeater stations throughout the country relay
  programs from Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkey) (1997)

Laos
  4 (1999)

Latvia
  44 (plus 31 repeaters) (1995)

Lebanon
  15 (plus 5 repeaters) (1995)

Lesotho
  1 (2000)

Liberia
  1 (plus four low-power repeaters) (2001)

Libya
  12 (plus one low-power repeater) (1999)

Liechtenstein
  NA (linked to Swiss networks) (1997)

Lithuania
  27
  note: Lithuania has approximately 27 broadcasting stations, but may
  have as many as 100 transmitters, including repeater stations (2001)

Luxembourg
  5 (1999)

Macau
  1 (2003)

Macedonia
  31 (plus 166 repeaters) (1995)

Madagascar
  1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)

Malawi
  1 (2001)

Malaysia
  1 (plus 15 high-power repeaters) (2001)

Maldives
  1 (1997)

Mali
  1 (plus repeaters) (2001)

Malta
  6 (2000)

Man, Isle of
  0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999)

Marshall Islands
  2 (both are US military stations) (2002)

Martinique
  11 (plus nine repeaters) (1997)

Mauritania
  1 (2002)

Mauritius
  2 (plus several repeaters) (1997)

Mayotte
  3 (2001)

Mexico
  236 (plus repeaters) (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

Moldova
  1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995)

Monaco
  5 (1998)

Mongolia
  52 (plus 21 provincial repeaters and many low power
  repeaters) (2004)

Montserrat
  1 (1997)

Morocco
  35 (plus 66 repeaters) (1995)

Mozambique
  1 (2001)

Namibia
  8 (plus about 20 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nauru
  1 (1997)

Nepal
  1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Netherlands
  21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Netherlands Antilles
  3 (there is also a cable service, which
  supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and
  two Venezuelan channels) (2004)

New Caledonia
  6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

New Zealand
  41 (plus 52 medium-power repeaters and over 650
  low-power repeaters) (1997)

Nicaragua
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Niger
  3 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (2002)

Nigeria
  3 (the government controls 2 of the broadcasting stations
  and 15 repeater stations) (2002)

Niue
  1 (1997)

Norfolk Island
  1 (local programming station plus two repeaters that
  bring in Australian programs by satellite) (2005)

Northern Mariana Islands 1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)

Norway
  360 (plus 2,729 repeaters) (1995)

Oman
  13 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1999)

Pakistan
  22 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)

Palau
  1 (cable) (2005)

Panama
  38 (including repeaters) (1998)

Papua New Guinea
  3 (all in the Port Moresby area)
  note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are
  planned (2004)

Paraguay
  5 (2003)

Peru
  13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997)

Philippines
  225; note - 1373 CATV networks (2004)

Poland
  179 (plus 256 repeaters) (September 1995)

Portugal
  62 (plus 166 repeaters)
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands (1995)

Puerto Rico
  6 (19 relay stations) (2004)

Qatar
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2001)

Reunion
  35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001)

Romania
  48 (plus 392 repeaters) (1995)

Russia
  7,306 (1998)

Rwanda
  2 (2004)

Saint Helena
  0
  note: television programs are received in Saint Helena via satellite
  and distributed by cable (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Saint Lucia
  2 (of which one is a commercial broadcast station and
  one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 (there are, however, two repeaters which
  rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1 (plus three repeaters) (2004)

Samoa
  2 (2002)

San Marino
  1 (San Marino residents also receive broadcasts from
  Italy) (1997)

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  117 (1997)

Senegal
  1 (1997)

Serbia and Montenegro
  more than 771 (including 86 strong stations
  and 685 low-power stations, plus 20 repeaters in the principal
  networks; also numerous local or private stations in Serbia and
  Vojvodina) (1997)

Seychelles
  2 (plus 9 repeaters) (1997)

Sierra Leone
  2 (1999)

Singapore
  7 (2003)

Slovakia
  6 national broadcasting, 7 regional, 67 local (2004)

Slovenia
  48 (2001)

Somalia 4 note: two in Mogadishu; two in Hargeisa (2001)

South Africa
  556 (plus 144 network repeaters) (1997)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 (2003)

Spain
  224 (plus 2,105 repeaters)
  note: these figures include 11 television broadcast stations and 88
  repeaters in the Canary Islands (1995)

Sri Lanka
  21 (1997)

Sudan
  3 (1997)

Suriname
  3 (plus seven repeaters) (2000)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  5 plus 7 relay stations (2004)

Sweden
  169 (plus 1,299 repeaters) (1995)

Switzerland
  115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Syria
  44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995)

Taiwan
  29 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tajikistan
  13 (2001)

Tanzania
  3 (1999)

Thailand
  5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Togo
  3 (plus two repeaters) (1997)

Tonga
  3 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  4 (2004)

Tunisia
  26 (plus 76 repeaters) (1995)

Turkey
  635 (plus 2,934 repeaters) (1995)

Turkmenistan
  4 (government owned and programmed) (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004)

Tuvalu
  0 (2004)

Uganda
  8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Ukraine
  at least 33 (plus 21 repeaters that relay broadcasts from
  Russia) (1997)

United Arab Emirates
  15 (2004)

United Kingdom
  228 (plus 3,523 repeaters) (1995)

United States
  more than 1,500 (including nearly 1,000 stations
  affiliated with the five major networks - NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and
  PBS; in addition, there are about 9,000 cable TV systems) (1997)

Uruguay
  23 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  4 (plus two repeaters that relay Russian programs), 1
  cable rebroadcaster in Tashkent; approximately 20 stations in
  regional capitals (2003)

Vanuatu
  1 (2004)

Venezuela
  66 (plus 45 repeaters) (1997)

Vietnam
  at least 7 (plus 13 repeaters) (1998)

Virgin Islands
  16 (2004)

Wake Island
  0 (1997)

Wallis and Futuna
  2 (2000)

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  7 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997)

Zambia
  9 (2002)

Zimbabwe
  16 (1997)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2018 Sex ratio (male(s)/female)

Afghanistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Albania
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Algeria
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Andorra
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Angola
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Argentina
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Armenia
  at birth: 1.17 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Aruba
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Australia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Austria
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.4 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.27 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Barbados
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Belarus
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.5 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Belgium
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Belize
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Benin
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Botswana
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Brazil
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Brunei
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Burma
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Burundi
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Canada
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Chad
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Chile
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

China
  at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Colombia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Comoros
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Croatia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cuba
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Denmark
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Dominica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

East Timor
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Egypt
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Estonia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.49 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.84 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

European Union
  at birth: NA
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and older: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (July 2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Fiji
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Finland
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

France
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.04 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Gabon
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Georgia
  at birth: 1.16 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Germany
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Ghana
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Greece
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Greenland
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.17 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.12 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Grenada
  at birth: 1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.08 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guam
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guinea
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Guyana
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Haiti
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Honduras
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Hungary
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.57 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Iceland
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

India
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Iran
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Iraq
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Ireland
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Israel
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Italy
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Japan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Jersey
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Jordan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.15 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.54 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Kenya
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.53 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.77 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.52 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Laos
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Latvia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Liberia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Libya
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.89 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Macau
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Malawi
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Maldives
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mali
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Malta
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Martinique
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mexico
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Monaco
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Morocco
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Namibia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Nauru
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Nepal
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.96 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Niger
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.71 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.78 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Norway
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Oman
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.46 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.2 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.26 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Palau
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.18 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.13 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Panama
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Peru
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Philippines
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Portugal
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Qatar
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 2.28 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.88 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Reunion
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Romania
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Russia
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.46 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.58 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Samoa
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.66 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.39 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

San Marino
  at birth: 1.09 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.34 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.16 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.21 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Senegal
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.48 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Singapore
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Somalia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

South Africa
  at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Spain
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Sudan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Suriname
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  NA%

Swaziland
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Sweden
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Syria
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Thailand
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Togo
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Turkey
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.63 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Uganda
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.51 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.86 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.58 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 2.691 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.442 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

United States
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.12 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

West Bank
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Yemen
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Zambia
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2019 Heliports

Afghanistan
  5 (2004 est.)

Albania
  1 (2004 est.)

Algeria
  1 (2004 est.)

Antarctica
  27 stations have restricted helicopter landing facilities
  (helipads) (2004 est.)

Austria
  1 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2 (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  1 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  1 (2004 est.)

Belarus
  1 (2004 est.)

Belgium
  1 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5 (2004 est.)

Brazil
  417 (2004 est.)

Brunei
  3 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  1 (2004 est.)

Burma
  1 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  2 (2004 est.)

Canada
  319 (2004)

China
  15 (2004 est.)

Colombia
  1 (2004 est.)

Croatia
  1 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  10 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  2 (2004 est.)

East Timor
  1 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  1 (2004 est.)

Egypt
  2 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  1 (2004 est.)

European Union
  94 (2004)

France
  3 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
  1 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  1 (2004 est.)

Georgia
  2 (2004 est.)

Germany
  34 (2004 est.)

Greece
  7 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  2 (2004 est.)

Hungary
  5 (2004 est.)

India
  20 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  22 (2004 est.)

Iran
  13 (2004 est.)

Iraq
  6 (2004 est.)

Israel
  3 (2004 est.)

Italy
  4 (2004 est.)

Japan
  15 (2004 est.)

Jordan
  1 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  1 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
  19 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  206 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  3 (2004 est.)

Libya
  1 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  1 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  1 (2004 est.)

Mexico
  2 (2004 est.)

Monaco
  1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice,
  France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) (2004 est.)

Mongolia
  2 (2004 est.)

Morocco
  1 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  1 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
  6 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  1 (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 (2004 est.)

Norway
  1 (2004 est.)

Oman
  1 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  15 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  2 (2004 est.)

Peru
  1 (2004 est.)

Philippines
  2 (2004 est.)

Poland
  3 (2004 est.)

Qatar
  1 (2004 est.)

Romania
  1 (2004 est.)

Russia
  36 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  5 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  4 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  2 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  1 (2004 est.)

Spain
  8 (2004 est.)

Sudan
  2 (2004 est.)

Sweden
  2 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  2 (2004 est.)

Syria
  7 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  3 (2004 est.)

Thailand
  3 (2004 est.)

Turkey
  14 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  1 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  8 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  11 (2004 est.)

United States
  155 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2020 Elevation extremes (m)

Afghanistan
  lowest point: Amu Darya 258 m
  highest point: Nowshak 7,485 m

Albania
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maja e Korabit (Golem Korab) 2,764 m

Algeria
  lowest point: Chott Melrhir -40 m
  highest point: Tahat 3,003 m

American Samoa
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Lata 966 m

Andorra
  lowest point: Riu Runer 840 m
  highest point: Coma Pedrosa 2,946 m

Angola
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morro de Moco 2,620 m

Anguilla
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Crocus Hill 65 m

Antarctica
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,555 m
  highest point: Vinson Massif 4,897 m
  note: the lowest known land point in Antarctica is hidden in the
  Bentley Subglacial Trench; at its surface is the deepest ice yet
  discovered and the world's lowest elevation not under seawater

Antigua and Barbuda
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Boggy Peak 402 m

Arctic Ocean
  lowest point: Fram Basin -4,665 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Argentina
  lowest point: Laguna del Carbon -105 m (located between
  Puerto San Julian and Comandante Luis Piedra Buena in the province
  of Santa Cruz)
  highest point: Cerro Aconcagua 6,960 m (located in the northwestern
  corner of the province of Mendoza)

Armenia
  lowest point: Debed River 400 m
  highest point: Aragats Lerrnagagat' 4,090 m

Aruba
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Atlantic Ocean
  lowest point: Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto Rico
  Trench -8,605 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Australia
  lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
  highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m

Austria
  lowest point: Neusiedler See 115 m
  highest point: Grossglockner 3,798 m

Azerbaijan
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Bazarduzu Dagi 4,485 m

Bahamas, The
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Alvernia, on Cat Island 63 m

Bahrain
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal ad Dukhan 122 m

Baker Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 8 m

Bangladesh
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Keokradong 1,230 m

Barbados
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m

Bassas da India
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 2.4 m

Belarus
  lowest point: Nyoman River 90 m
  highest point: Dzyarzhynskaya Hara 346 m

Belgium
  lowest point: North Sea 0 m
  highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m

Belize
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m

Benin
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Sokbaro 658 m

Bermuda
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Town Hill 76 m

Bhutan
  lowest point: Drangme Chhu 97 m
  highest point: Kula Kangri 7,553 m

Bolivia
  lowest point: Rio Paraguay 90 m
  highest point: Nevado Sajama 6,542 m

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Maglic 2,386 m

Botswana
  lowest point: junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513
  m
  highest point: Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m

Bouvet Island
  lowest point: South Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Olav Peak 935 m

Brazil
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico da Neblina 3,014 m

British Indian Ocean Territory
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

British Virgin Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Brunei
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Bulgaria
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Musala 2,925 m

Burkina Faso
  lowest point: Mouhoun (Black Volta) River 200 m
  highest point: Tena Kourou 749 m

Burma
  lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Burundi
  lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
  highest point: Heha 2,670 m

Cambodia
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Phnum Aoral 1,810 m

Cameroon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Fako (on Mount Cameroon) 4,095 m

Canada
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Logan 5,959 m

Cape Verde
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mt. Fogo 2,829 m (a volcano on Fogo Island)

Cayman Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: The Bluff 43 m

Central African Republic
  lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m
  highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 m

Chad
  lowest point: Djourab Depression 160 m
  highest point: Emi Koussi 3,415 m

Chile
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Ojos del Salado 6,880 m

China
  lowest point: Turpan Pendi -154 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Christmas Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Murray Hill 361 m

Clipperton Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Rocher Clipperton 29 m

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Colombia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Cristobal Colon 5,775 m
  note: nearby Pico Simon Bolivar also has the same elevation

Comoros
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Le Kartala 2,360 m

Congo, Democratic Republic of the lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Congo, Republic of the
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Berongou 903 m

Cook Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Te Manga 652 m

Coral Sea Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m

Costa Rica
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Chirripo 3,810 m

Cote d'Ivoire
  lowest point: Gulf of Guinea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Croatia
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Dinara 1,830 m

Cuba
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Turquino 2,005 m

Cyprus
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 1,951 m

Czech Republic
  lowest point: Elbe River 115 m
  highest point: Snezka 1,602 m

Denmark
  lowest point: Lammefjord -7 m
  highest point: Yding Skovhoej 173 m

Djibouti
  lowest point: Lac Assal -155 m
  highest point: Moussa Ali 2,028 m

Dominica
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Morne Diablatins 1,447 m

Dominican Republic
  lowest point: Lago Enriquillo -46 m
  highest point: Pico Duarte 3,175 m

East Timor
  lowest point: Timor Sea, Savu Sea, and Banda Sea 0 m
  highest point: Foho Tatamailau 2,963 m

Ecuador
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chimborazo 6,267 m

Egypt
  lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
  highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

El Salvador
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m

Equatorial Guinea
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico Basile 3,008 m

Eritrea
  lowest point: near Kulul within the Denakil depression -75 m
  highest point: Soira 3,018 m

Estonia
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Suur Munamagi 318 m

Ethiopia
  lowest point: Denakil Depression -125 m
  highest point: Ras Dejen 4,620 m

Europa Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 24 m

European Union
  lowest point: Lammefjord, Denmark -7 m;
  Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m
  highest point: Mount Blanc, France/Italy 4,807 m

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Usborne 705 m

Faroe Islands
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m

Fiji
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Tomanivi 1,324 m

Finland
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Haltiatunturi 1,328 m

France
  lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc 4,807 m

French Guiana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Bellevue de l'Inini 851 m

French Polynesia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Ross on Iles Kerguelen 1,850 m

Gabon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Iboundji 1,575 m

Gambia, The
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 53 m

Gaza Strip
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Abu 'Awdah (Joz Abu 'Auda) 105 m

Georgia
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mt'a Shkhara 5,201 m

Germany
  lowest point: Neuendorf bei Wilster -3.54 m
  highest point: Zugspitze 2,963 m

Ghana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m

Gibraltar
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m

Glorioso Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 12 m

Greece
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Olympus 2,917 m

Greenland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunnbjorn 3,700 m

Grenada
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Saint Catherine 840 m

Guadeloupe
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m

Guam
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m

Guatemala
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan Tajumulco 4,211 m

Guernsey
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Sark 114 m

Guinea
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Nimba 1,752 m

Guinea-Bissau
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location in the northeast corner of the
  country 300 m

Guyana
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Haiti
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chaine de la Selle 2,680 m

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mawson Peak, on Big Ben 2,745 m

Holy See (Vatican City)
  lowest point: unnamed location 19 m
  highest point: unnamed location 75 m

Honduras
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Las Minas 2,870 m

Hong Kong
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

Howland Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 3 m

Hungary
  lowest point: Tisza River 78 m
  highest point: Kekes 1,014 m

Iceland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Hvannadalshnukur 2,119 m (at Vatnajokull glacier)

India
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kanchenjunga 8,598 m

Indian Ocean
  lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Indonesia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Puncak Jaya 5,030 m

Iran
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m

Iraq
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unnamed peak; 3,611 m; note - this peak is not Gundah
  Zhur 3,607 m or Kuh-e Hajji-Ebrahim 3,595 m

Ireland
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Carrauntoohil 1,041 m

Israel
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Har Meron 1,208 m

Italy
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Blanc (Monte Bianco) de Courmayeur 4,748 m (a
  secondary peak of Mont Blanc)

Jamaica
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m

Jan Mayen
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 m

Japan
  lowest point: Hachiro-gata -4 m
  highest point: Mount Fuji 3,776 m

Jarvis Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Jersey
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 143 m

Johnston Atoll
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Summit Peak 5 m

Jordan
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 m

Juan de Nova Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 10 m

Kazakhstan
  lowest point: Vpadina Kaundy -132 m
  highest point: Khan Tangiri Shyngy (Pik Khan-Tengri) 6,995 m

Kenya
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Kingman Reef
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 1 m

Kiribati
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Banaba 81 m

Korea, North
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Paektu-san 2,744 m

Korea, South
  lowest point: Sea of Japan 0 m
  highest point: Halla-san 1,950 m

Kuwait
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 306 m

Kyrgyzstan
  lowest point: Kara-Daryya (Karadar'ya) 132 m
  highest point: Jengish Chokusu (Pik Pobedy) 7,439 m

Laos
  lowest point: Mekong River 70 m
  highest point: Phou Bia 2,817 m

Latvia
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Gaizinkalns 312 m

Lebanon
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Qurnat as Sawda' 3,088 m

Lesotho
  lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers
  1,400 m
  highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m

Liberia
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wuteve 1,380 m

Libya
  lowest point: Sabkhat Ghuzayyil -47 m
  highest point: Bikku Bitti 2,267 m

Liechtenstein
  lowest point: Ruggeller Riet 430 m
  highest point: Grauspitz 2,599 m

Lithuania
  lowest point: Baltic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Juozapines/Kalnas 292 m

Luxembourg
  lowest point: Moselle River 133 m
  highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m

Macau
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m

Macedonia
  lowest point: Vardar River 50 m
  highest point: Golem Korab (Maja e Korabit) 2,764 m

Madagascar
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m

Malawi
  lowest point: junction of the Shire River and international
  boundary with Mozambique 37 m
  highest point: Sapitwa (Mount Mlanje) 3,002 m

Malaysia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Gunung Kinabalu 4,100 m

Maldives
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Wilingili island in the Addu
  Atoll 2.4 m

Mali
  lowest point: Senegal River 23 m
  highest point: Hombori Tondo 1,155 m

Malta
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Ta'Dmejrek 253 m (near Dingli)

Man, Isle of
  lowest point: Irish Sea 0 m
  highest point: Snaefell 621 m

Marshall Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Likiep 10 m

Martinique
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Montagne Pelee 1,397 m

Mauritania
  lowest point: Sebkhet Te-n-Dghamcha -5 m
  highest point: Kediet Ijill 915 m

Mauritius
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Piton 828 m

Mayotte
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Benara 660 m

Mexico
  lowest point: Laguna Salada -10 m
  highest point: Volcan Pico de Orizaba 5,700 m

Micronesia, Federated States of
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

Midway Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 13 m

Moldova
  lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
  highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 m

Monaco
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agel 140 m

Mongolia
  lowest point: Hoh Nuur 518 m
  highest point: Nayramadlin Orgil (Huyten Orgil) 4,374 m

Montserrat
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Chances Peak (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic
  complex) 914 m

Morocco
  lowest point: Sebkha Tah -55 m
  highest point: Jebel Toubkal 4,165 m

Mozambique
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Monte Binga 2,436 m

Namibia
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Konigstein 2,606 m

Nauru
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location along plateau rim 61 m

Navassa Island
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Nepal
  lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Netherlands
  lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
  highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Netherlands Antilles
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

New Caledonia
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

New Zealand
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m

Nicaragua
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mogoton 2,438 m

Niger
  lowest point: Niger River 200 m
  highest point: Mont Bagzane 2,022 m

Nigeria
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Chappal Waddi 2,419 m

Niue
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location near Mutalau settlement 68 m

Norfolk Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Bates 319 m

Northern Mariana Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m

Norway
  lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m

Oman
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Shams 2,980 m

Pacific Ocean
  lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
  -10,924 m
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Pakistan
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: K2 (Mt. Godwin-Austen) 8,611 m

Palau
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ngerchelchuus 242 m

Palmyra Atoll
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 2 m

Panama
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Volcan de Chiriqui 3,475 m

Papua New Guinea
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m

Paracel Islands
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m

Paraguay
  lowest point: junction of Rio Paraguay and Rio Parana 46 m
  highest point: Cerro Pero (Cerro Tres Kandu) 842 m

Peru
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m

Philippines
  lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

Pitcairn Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pawala Valley Ridge 347 m

Poland
  lowest point: near Raczki Elblaskie -2 m
  highest point: Rysy 2,499 m

Portugal
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Ponta do Pico (Pico or Pico Alto) on Ilha do Pico in
  the Azores 2,351 m

Puerto Rico
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Qatar
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Reunion
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 m

Romania
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Moldoveanu 2,544 m

Russia
  lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m
  highest point: Gora El'brus 5,633 m

Rwanda
  lowest point: Rusizi River 950 m
  highest point: Volcan Karisimbi 4,519 m

Saint Helena
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Queen Mary's Peak on Tristan da Cunha 2,060 m

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Liamuiga 1,156 m

Saint Lucia
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 m

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m

Samoa
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mauga Silisili (Savaii) 1,857 m

San Marino
  lowest point: Torrente Ausa 55 m
  highest point: Monte Titano 755 m

Sao Tome and Principe
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m

Saudi Arabia
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Senegal
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed feature near Nepen Diakha 581 m

Serbia and Montenegro
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Daravica 2,656 m

Seychelles
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m

Sierra Leone
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Singapore
  lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
  highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Slovakia
  lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
  highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m

Slovenia
  lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
  highest point: Triglav 2,864 m

Solomon Islands
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m

Somalia
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m

South Africa
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  lowest point: Atlantic
  Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m

Southern Ocean
  lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
  South Sandwich Trench
  highest point: sea level 0 m

Spain
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m

Spratly Islands
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m

Sri Lanka
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m

Sudan
  lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
  highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Suriname
  lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
  highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m

Svalbard
  lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m

Swaziland
  lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
  highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m

Sweden
  lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
  Kristianstad -2.41 m
  highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m

Switzerland
  lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
  highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Syria
  lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
  highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m

Taiwan
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m

Tajikistan
  lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
  highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m

Tanzania
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m

Thailand
  lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
  highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Togo
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Agou 986 m

Tokelau
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Tonga
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m

Trinidad and Tobago
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m

Tromelin Island
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 7 m

Tunisia
  lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
  highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m

Turkey
  lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m

Turkmenistan
  lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note -
  Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water
  level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina
  Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)
  highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Blue Hills 49 m

Tuvalu
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 5 m

Uganda
  lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
  highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Ukraine
  lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
  highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m

United Arab Emirates
  lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
  highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m

United Kingdom
  lowest point: The Fens -4 m
  highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m

United States
  lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
  highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m

Uruguay
  lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m

Uzbekistan
  lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
  highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m

Vanuatu
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m

Venezuela
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m

Vietnam
  lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
  highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m

Virgin Islands
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m

Wake Island
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: unnamed location 6 m

Wallis and Futuna
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

West Bank
  lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
  highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m

Western Sahara
  lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
  highest point: unnamed location 463 m

World
  lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
  note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
  the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
  Ocean
  highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Yemen
  lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
  highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m

Zambia
  lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
  highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m

Zimbabwe
  lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
  highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2021 Natural hazards

Afghanistan
  damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
  flooding; droughts

Albania
  destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern
  coast; floods; drought

Algeria
  mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides
  and floods in rainy season

American Samoa
  typhoons common from December to March

Andorra
  avalanches

Angola
  locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau

Anguilla
  frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to
  October)

Antarctica
  katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the
  high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
  cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
  coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
  Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
  calve from ice shelf

Antigua and Barbuda
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
  October); periodic droughts

Arctic Ocean
  ice islands occasionally break away from northern
  Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland
  and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually
  ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure
  icing from October to May

Argentina
  San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes
  subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can
  strike the pampas and northeast; heavy flooding

Armenia
  occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts

Aruba
  lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  surrounded by shoals and reefs that can
  pose maritime hazards

Atlantic Ocean
  icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and
  the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have
  been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
  subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
  October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
  September; hurricanes (May to December)

Australia
  cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Austria
  landslides; avalanches; earthquakes

Azerbaijan
  droughts

Bahamas, The
  hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
  flood and wind damage

Bahrain
  periodic droughts; dust storms

Baker Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be
  a maritime hazard

Bangladesh
  droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely
  inundated during the summer monsoon season

Barbados
  infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides

Bassas da India
  maritime hazard since it is usually under water
  during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic
  cyclones

Belarus
  NA

Belgium
  flooding is a threat along rivers and in areas of reclaimed
  coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes

Belize
  frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and
  coastal flooding (especially in south)

Benin
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December
  to March

Bermuda
  hurricanes (June to November)

Bhutan
  violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the
  country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon;
  frequent landslides during the rainy season

Bolivia
  flooding in the northeast (March-April)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  destructive earthquakes

Botswana
  periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the
  west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
  visibility

Bouvet Island
  NA

Brazil
  recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost
  in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
  October)

Brunei
  typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Bulgaria
  earthquakes, landslides

Burkina Faso
  recurring droughts

Burma
  destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
  common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Burundi
  flooding, landslides, drought

Cambodia
  monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional
  droughts

Cameroon
  volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases
  from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes

Canada
  continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
  development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
  result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
  North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
  snow east of the mountains

Cape Verde
  prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
  obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active

Cayman Islands
  hurricanes (July to November)

Central African Republic
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect
  northern areas; floods are common

Chad
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic
  droughts; locust plagues

Chile
  severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis

China
  frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and
  eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;
  land subsidence

Christmas Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
  be a maritime hazard

Clipperton Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  cyclone season is October to April

Colombia
  highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Comoros
  cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);
  Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano

Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes

Congo, Republic of the
  seasonal flooding

Cook Islands
  typhoons (November to March)

Coral Sea Islands
  occasional tropical cyclones

Costa Rica
  occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
  frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and
  landslides; active volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
  coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during
  the rainy season torrential flooding is possible

Croatia
  destructive earthquakes

Cuba
  the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to November
  (in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other
  year); droughts are common

Cyprus
  moderate earthquake activity; droughts

Czech Republic
  flooding

Denmark
  flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,
  parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland)
  that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes

Djibouti
  earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances
  from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods

Dominica
  flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes
  can be expected during the late summer months

Dominican Republic
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
  subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
  periodic droughts

East Timor
  floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis,
  tropical cyclones

Ecuador
  frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
  periodic droughts

Egypt
  periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods,
  landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
  dust storms, sandstorms

El Salvador
  known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes
  very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Equatorial Guinea
  violent windstorms, flash floods

Eritrea
  frequent droughts; locust swarms

Estonia
  sometimes flooding occurs in the spring

Ethiopia
  geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts

Europa Island
  NA

European Union
  flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous
  area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy;
  periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  strong winds persist throughout
  the year

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  cyclonic storms can occur from November to January

Finland
  NA

France
  flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest
  fires in south near the Mediterranean

French Guiana
  high frequency of heavy showers and severe
  thunderstorms; flooding

French Polynesia
  occasional cyclonic storms in January

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul
  are extinct volcanoes

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30
  years)

Gaza Strip
  droughts

Georgia
  earthquakes

Germany
  flooding

Ghana
  dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
  March; droughts

Gibraltar
  NA

Glorioso Islands
  periodic cyclones

Greece
  severe earthquakes

Greenland
  continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the
  island

Grenada
  lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from
  June to November

Guadeloupe
  hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is
  an active volcano

Guam
  frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
  potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)

Guatemala
  numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
  earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
  other tropical storms

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during
  dry season

Guinea-Bissau
  hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
  during dry season; brush fires

Guyana
  flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons

Haiti
  lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
  storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
  periodic droughts

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is
  on Heard Island

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely
  susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean
  coast

Hong Kong
  occasional typhoons

Howland Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
  be a maritime hazard

Iceland
  earthquakes and volcanic activity

India
  droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
  flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes

Indian Ocean
  occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in
  southern reaches

Indonesia
  occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
  volcanoes, forest fires

Iran
  periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes

Iraq
  dust storms, sandstorms, floods

Ireland
  NA

Israel
  sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts;
  periodic earthquakes

Italy
  regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
  earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice

Jamaica
  hurricanes (especially July to November)

Jan Mayen
  dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;
  volcanic activity resumed in 1970

Japan
  many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
  occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons

Jarvis Island
  the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses
  a maritime hazard

Jersey
  NA

Johnston Atoll
  NA

Jordan
  droughts; periodic earthquakes

Juan de Nova Island
  periodic cyclones

Kazakhstan
  earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty

Kenya
  recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Kingman Reef
  wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
  about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard

Kiribati
  typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
  occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
  very sensitive to changes in sea level

Korea, North
  late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
  occasional typhoons during the early fall

Korea, South
  occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
  low-level seismic activity common in southwest

Kuwait
  sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring
  heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
  storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March
  and August

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  floods, droughts

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  dust storms, sandstorms

Lesotho
  periodic droughts

Liberia
  dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
  March)

Libya
  hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to
  four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  NA

Macau
  typhoons

Macedonia
  high seismic risks

Madagascar
  periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  flooding, landslides, forest fires

Maldives
  low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level
  rise

Mali
  hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
  recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding

Malta
  NA

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  infrequent typhoons

Martinique
  hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average
  of one major natural disaster every five years)

Mauritania
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in
  March and April; periodic droughts

Mauritius
  cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
  by reefs that may pose maritime hazards

Mayotte
  cyclones during rainy season

Mexico
  tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
  earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
  Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts

Micronesia, Federated States of
  typhoons (June to December)

Midway Islands
  NA

Moldova
  landslides (57 cases in 1998)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
  "zud," which is harsh winter conditions

Montserrat
  severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
  (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)

Morocco
  northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
  earthquakes; periodic droughts

Mozambique
  severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods in
  central and southern provinces

Namibia
  prolonged periods of drought

Nauru
  periodic droughts

Navassa Island
  NA

Nepal
  severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and
  famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the
  summer monsoons

Netherlands
  flooding

Netherlands Antilles
  Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean
  hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and
  Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October

New Caledonia
  cyclones, most frequent from November to March

New Zealand
  earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
  volcanic activity

Nicaragua
  destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
  susceptible to hurricanes

Niger
  recurring droughts

Nigeria
  periodic droughts; flooding

Niue
  typhoons

Norfolk Island
  typhoons (especially May to July)

Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)

Norway
  rockslides, avalanches

Oman
  summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
  interior; periodic droughts

Pacific Ocean
  surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
  earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
  Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
  Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
  Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
  August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
  the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
  Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
  icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
  northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December

Pakistan
  frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
  north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
  August)

Palau
  typhoons (June to December)

Palmyra Atoll
  NA

Panama
  occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area

Papua New Guinea
  active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
  of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
  earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis

Paracel Islands
  typhoons

Paraguay
  local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
  poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)

Peru
  earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
  activity

Philippines
  astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
  by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
  volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

Pitcairn Islands
  typhoons (especially November to March)

Poland
  flooding

Portugal
  Azores subject to severe earthquakes

Puerto Rico
  periodic droughts; hurricanes

Qatar
  haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Reunion
  periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de
  la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano

Romania
  earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic
  structure and climate promote landslides

Russia
  permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
  development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
  earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
  summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
  Russia

Rwanda
  periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
  northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
  active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  hurricanes (July to October)

Saint Lucia
  hurricanes and volcanic activity

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  persistent fog throughout the year can be
  a maritime hazard

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on
  the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat

Samoa
  occasional typhoons; active volcanism

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  frequent sand and dust storms

Senegal
  lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts

Serbia and Montenegro
  destructive earthquakes

Seychelles
  lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
  short droughts possible

Sierra Leone
  dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
  (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  NA

Slovenia
  flooding and earthquakes

Solomon Islands
  typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically
  active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity

Somalia
  recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
  in summer; floods during rainy season

South Africa
  prolonged droughts

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  the South Sandwich
  Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them
  difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active
  volcanism

Southern Ocean
  huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred
  meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5
  to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and
  with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf
  floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;
  high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially
  May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and
  rescue

Spain
  periodic droughts

Spratly Islands
  typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of
  numerous reefs and shoals

Sri Lanka
  occasional cyclones and tornadoes

Sudan
  dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Suriname
  NA

Svalbard
  ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit
  point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts
  of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic

Swaziland
  drought

Sweden
  ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf
  of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic

Switzerland
  avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Syria
  dust storms, sandstorms

Taiwan
  earthquakes and typhoons

Tajikistan
  earthquakes and floods

Tanzania
  flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;
  drought

Thailand
  land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the
  depletion of the water table; droughts

Togo
  hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
  winter; periodic droughts

Tokelau
  lies in Pacific typhoon belt

Tonga
  cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity
  on Fonuafo'ou

Trinidad and Tobago
  outside usual path of hurricanes and other
  tropical storms

Tromelin Island
  NA

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along
  an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  frequent hurricanes

Tuvalu
  severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there
  were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive
  to changes in sea level

Uganda
  NA

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  frequent sand and dust storms

United Kingdom
  winter windstorms; floods

United States
  tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around
  Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
  coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
  California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in
  northern Alaska, a major impediment to development

Uruguay
  seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
  occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine
  pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains,
  which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly
  vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts

Uzbekistan
  NA

Vanuatu
  tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
  causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis

Venezuela
  subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts

Vietnam
  occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
  flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta

Virgin Islands
  several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
  severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes

Wake Island
  occasional typhoons

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  droughts

Western Sahara
  hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
  during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of
  time, often severely restricting visibility

World
  large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones),
  natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic
  eruptions)

Yemen
  sandstorms and dust storms in summer

Zambia
  periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)

Zimbabwe
  recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2022 People - note

Afghanistan
  of the estimated 4 million refugees in October 2001, 2.3
  million have returned

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the landing of illegal immigrants from
  Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem

Christmas Island
  the Australian Bureau of Statistics reports a
  population of 1,508 as of the 2001 Census

Cuba
  illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
  depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien
  smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; Cubans also use
  non-maritime routes to enter the US including direct flights to
  Miami and overland via the southwest border

Greece
  women, men, and children are trafficked to and within Greece
  for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor

Rwanda
  Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa

Turks and Caicos Islands
  destination and transit point for illegal
  Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas,
  and US

Ukraine
  the sex trafficking of Ukrainian women is a serious problem
  that has only recently been addressed

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2023 Area - comparative

Afghanistan
  slightly smaller than Texas

Akrotiri
  about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Albania
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Algeria
  slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas

American Samoa
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Andorra
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Angola
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Anguilla
  about half the size of Washington, DC

Antarctica
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Arctic Ocean
  slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US

Argentina
  slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US

Armenia
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Aruba
  slightly larger than Washington, DC

Ashmore and Cartier Islands about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Atlantic Ocean
  slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US

Australia
  slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states

Austria
  slightly smaller than Maine

Azerbaijan
  slightly smaller than Maine

Bahamas, The
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Bahrain
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Baker Island
  about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Bangladesh
  slightly smaller than Iowa

Barbados
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Bassas da India
  about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Belarus
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Belgium
  about the size of Maryland

Belize
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Benin
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Bermuda
  about one-third the size of Washington, DC

Bhutan
  about half the size of Indiana

Bolivia
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Botswana
  slightly smaller than Texas

Bouvet Island
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Brazil
  slightly smaller than the US

British Indian Ocean Territory
  about 0.3 times the size of
  Washington, DC

British Virgin Islands
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Brunei
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Bulgaria
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Burkina Faso
  slightly larger than Colorado

Burma
  slightly smaller than Texas

Burundi
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Cambodia
  slightly smaller than Oklahoma

Cameroon
  slightly larger than California

Canada
  somewhat larger than the US

Cape Verde
  slightly larger than Rhode Island

Cayman Islands
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Central African Republic
  slightly smaller than Texas

Chad
  slightly more than three times the size of California

Chile
  slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana

China
  slightly smaller than the US

Christmas Island
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Clipperton Island
  about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  about 24 times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Colombia
  slightly less than three times the size of Montana

Comoros
  slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC

Congo, Democratic Republic of the slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Congo, Republic of the
  slightly smaller than Montana

Cook Islands
  1.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Coral Sea Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cote d'Ivoire
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Croatia
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Cuba
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Cyprus
  about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut

Czech Republic
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Denmark
  slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts

Dhekelia
  about three-quarters the size of Washington, DC

Djibouti
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Dominica
  slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC

Dominican Republic
  slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire

East Timor
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Ecuador
  slightly smaller than Nevada

Egypt
  slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

El Salvador
  slightly smaller than Massachusetts

Equatorial Guinea
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Eritrea
  slightly larger than Pennsylvania

Estonia
  slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined

Ethiopia
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Europa Island
  about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC

European Union
  less than one-half the size of the US

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Faroe Islands
  eight times the size of Washington, DC

Fiji
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Finland
  slightly smaller than Montana

France
  slightly less than twice the size of Colorado

French Guiana
  slightly smaller than Indiana

French Polynesia
  slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

French Southern and Antarctic Lands slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware

Gabon
  slightly smaller than Colorado

Gambia, The
  slightly less than twice the size of Delaware

Gaza Strip
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Georgia
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Germany
  slightly smaller than Montana

Ghana
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Gibraltar
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Glorioso Islands
  about eight times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Greece
  slightly smaller than Alabama

Greenland
  slightly more than three times the size of Texas

Grenada
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Guadeloupe
  10 times the size of Washington, DC

Guam
  three times the size of Washington, DC

Guatemala
  slightly smaller than Tennessee

Guernsey
  about one-half the size of Washington, DC

Guinea
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Guinea-Bissau
  slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut

Guyana
  slightly smaller than Idaho

Haiti
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  slightly more than two times the
  size of Washington, DC

Holy See (Vatican City)
  about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Honduras
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Hong Kong
  six times the size of Washington, DC

Howland Island
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Hungary
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Iceland
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

India
  slightly more than one-third the size of the US

Indian Ocean
  about 5.5 times the size of the US

Indonesia
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Iran
  slightly larger than Alaska

Iraq
  slightly more than twice the size of Idaho

Ireland
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Israel
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Italy
  slightly larger than Arizona

Jamaica
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Jan Mayen
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Japan
  slightly smaller than California

Jarvis Island
  about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Jersey
  about two-thirds the size of Washington, DC

Johnston Atoll
  about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Jordan
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Juan de Nova Island
  about seven times the size of The Mall in
  Washington, DC

Kazakhstan
  slightly less than four times the size of Texas

Kenya
  slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Kingman Reef
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Kiribati
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Korea, North
  slightly smaller than Mississippi

Korea, South
  slightly larger than Indiana

Kuwait
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Kyrgyzstan
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Laos
  slightly larger than Utah

Latvia
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Lebanon
  about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut

Lesotho
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Liberia
  slightly larger than Tennessee

Libya
  slightly larger than Alaska

Liechtenstein
  about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Lithuania
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Luxembourg
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Macau
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Macedonia
  slightly larger than Vermont

Madagascar
  slightly less than twice the size of Arizona

Malawi
  slightly smaller than Pennsylvania

Malaysia
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Maldives
  about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC

Mali
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Malta
  slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC

Man, Isle of
  slightly more than three times the size of Washington,
  DC

Marshall Islands
  about the size of Washington, DC

Martinique
  slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC

Mauritania
  slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico

Mauritius
  almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC

Mayotte
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Mexico
  slightly less than three times the size of Texas

Micronesia, Federated States of
  four times the size of Washington,
  DC (land area only)

Midway Islands
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Moldova
  slightly larger than Maryland

Monaco
  about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Mongolia
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Montserrat
  about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC

Morocco
  slightly larger than California

Mozambique
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Namibia
  slightly more than half the size of Alaska

Nauru
  about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Navassa Island
  about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Nepal
  slightly larger than Arkansas

Netherlands
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Netherlands Antilles
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

New Caledonia
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

New Zealand
  about the size of Colorado

Nicaragua
  slightly smaller than the state of New York

Niger
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Nigeria
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Niue
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norfolk Island
  about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Norway
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Oman
  slightly smaller than Kansas

Pacific Ocean
  about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
  the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world

Pakistan
  slightly less than twice the size of California

Palau
  slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Palmyra Atoll
  about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Panama
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Papua New Guinea
  slightly larger than California

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  slightly smaller than California

Peru
  slightly smaller than Alaska

Philippines
  slightly larger than Arizona

Pitcairn Islands
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Poland
  slightly smaller than New Mexico

Portugal
  slightly smaller than Indiana

Puerto Rico
  slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island

Qatar
  slightly smaller than Connecticut

Reunion
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

Romania
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Russia
  approximately 1.8 times the size of the US

Rwanda
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Saint Helena
  slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Lucia
  3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Samoa
  slightly smaller than Rhode Island

San Marino
  about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Sao Tome and Principe
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Saudi Arabia
  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Senegal
  slightly smaller than South Dakota

Serbia and Montenegro
  slightly smaller than Kentucky

Seychelles
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Sierra Leone
  slightly smaller than South Carolina

Singapore
  slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Slovakia
  about twice the size of New Hampshire

Slovenia
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Solomon Islands
  slightly smaller than Maryland

Somalia
  slightly smaller than Texas

South Africa
  slightly less than twice the size of Texas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  slightly larger than
  Rhode Island

Southern Ocean
  slightly more than twice the size of the US

Spain
  slightly more than twice the size of Oregon

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  slightly larger than West Virginia

Sudan
  slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Suriname
  slightly larger than Georgia

Svalbard
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Swaziland
  slightly smaller than New Jersey

Sweden
  slightly larger than California

Switzerland
  slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Syria
  slightly larger than North Dakota

Taiwan
  slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined

Tajikistan
  slightly smaller than Wisconsin

Tanzania
  slightly larger than twice the size of California

Thailand
  slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Togo
  slightly smaller than West Virginia

Tokelau
  about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Tonga
  four times the size of Washington, DC

Trinidad and Tobago
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Tromelin Island
  about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
  DC

Tunisia
  slightly larger than Georgia

Turkey
  slightly larger than Texas

Turkmenistan
  slightly larger than California

Turks and Caicos Islands
  2.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Tuvalu
  0.1 times the size of Washington, DC

Uganda
  slightly smaller than Oregon

Ukraine
  slightly smaller than Texas

United Arab Emirates
  slightly smaller than Maine

United Kingdom
  slightly smaller than Oregon

United States
  about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
  size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
  larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; almost two and a
  half times the size of the European Union

Uruguay
  slightly smaller than the state of Washington

Uzbekistan
  slightly larger than California

Vanuatu
  slightly larger than Connecticut

Venezuela
  slightly more than twice the size of California

Vietnam
  slightly larger than New Mexico

Virgin Islands
  twice the size of Washington, DC

Wake Island
  about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC

Wallis and Futuna
  1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

West Bank
  slightly smaller than Delaware

Western Sahara
  about the size of Colorado

World
  land area about 16 times the size of the US

Yemen
  slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Zambia
  slightly larger than Texas

Zimbabwe
  slightly larger than Montana

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2024 Military service age and obligation (years of age)

Afghanistan
  22 years of age; inductees are contracted into service
  for a 4-year term (2005)

Albania
  19 years of age (2004)

Algeria
  19-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 18 months (October 2003)

Angola
  17 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years plus time for training (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  18 years of age (est.); no conscript military
  service (2001)

Argentina
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Armenia
  18-27 years of age for compulsory military service,
  conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for
  voluntary military service (May 2004)

Australia
  16 years of age for voluntary service (2001)

Austria
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
  age for voluntary service; from 2007, at the earliest, compulsory
  military service obligation will be reduced from 8 months to 6 (June
  2004)

Azerbaijan
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; law passed December 2001 raises maximum conscription age
  from 28 to 35 (December 2001)

Bahamas, The
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Bahrain
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Bangladesh
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2005)

Barbados
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; volunteers
  at earlier age with parental consent; no conscription (2001)

Belarus
  18-27 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 18 months (May 2004)

Belgium
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; women
  comprise some 7% of the Belgian armed forces (2001)

Belize
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; laws allow
  for conscription only if volunteers are insufficient; conscription
  has never been implemented; volunteers typically outnumber available
  positions by 3:1 (2001)

Benin
  21 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  in practice, volunteers may be taken at the age of 18; both sexes
  are eligible for military service; conscript tour of duty - 18
  months (2004)

Bhutan
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Bolivia
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; when annual
  number of volunteers falls short of goal, compulsory recruitment is
  effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; one
  estimate holds that 40% of the armed forces are under the age of 18,
  with 50% of those under the age of 16; conscript tour of duty - 12
  months (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  18 years of age for compulsory military
  service in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina; 16 years of age
  in times of war; 18 years of age for Republika Srpska; 17 years of
  age for voluntary military service in the Federation and in the
  Republika Srpska; by law, military obligations cover all healthy men
  between the ages of 18 and 60, and all women between the ages of 18
  and 55; service obligation is 4 months (July 2004)

Botswana
  18 is the apparent age of voluntary military service; the
  official qualifications for determining minimum age are unknown
  (2001)

Brazil
  19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
  service obligation - 12 months; 17 years of age for voluntary
  service (2001)

Brunei
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Bulgaria
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 9 months (2004)

Burkina Faso
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 20
  years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Burma
  18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes
  (May 2002)

Burundi
  16 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service (2001)

Cambodia
  18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for all
  males; conscription law passed September 2004; service obligation is
  18 months (September 2004)

Cameroon
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (1999)

Canada
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; women
  comprise some 11% of Canada's armed forces (2001)

Central African Republic
  18 years of age for voluntary and
  compulsory military service; conscript service obligation is two
  years (2005)

Chad
  20 years of age for conscripts, with 3-year service obligation;
  18 years of age for volunteers; no minimum age restriction for
  volunteers with consent from a guardian (2004)

Chile
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; all citizens
  18-45 are obligated to perform military service; conscript service
  obligation - 12 months for Army, 24 months for Navy and Air Force
  (2004)

China
  18-22 years of age for compulsory military service, with
  24-month service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service;
  17 years of age for women who meet requirements for specific
  military jobs (2004)

Colombia
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 24 months (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  18 years of age for voluntary military
  service (2001)

Costa Rica
  18 years of age (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Croatia
  18 years of age for compulsory military service, with
  6-month service obligation; 16 years of age with consent for
  voluntary service; Croatian Military Police planning to end
  conscription in 2005 (December 2004)

Cuba
  17 years of age; both sexes are eligible for military service
  (2004)

Cyprus
  18 years of age (2004)

Czech Republic
  18-50 years of age for voluntary military service;
  military service transformed into a fully professional,
  all-volunteer force no longer dependent on conscription beginning in
  January 2004 (2005)

Denmark
  18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military
  service; conscripts serve an initial training period that varies
  from 4 to 12 months according to specialization; reservists are
  assigned to mobilization units following completion of their
  conscript service (2004)

Djibouti
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Dominican Republic 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

East Timor
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Ecuador
  20 years of age for conscript military service; 12-month
  service obligation (2004)

Egypt
  18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service
  obligation (2001)

El Salvador
  18 years of age for compulsory military service, with
  12-month service obligation; 16 years of age for volunteers (2002)

Equatorial Guinea
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Eritrea
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
  service; conscript service obligation - 16 months (2004)

Estonia
  18 years of age for compulsory military service, with
  11-month service obligation; Estonia has committed to retaining
  conscription for men and women up to 2010; 17 years of age for
  volunteers (2004)

Ethiopia
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service (2001)

Fiji
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Finland
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
  service (October 2004)

France
  17 years of age with consent for voluntary military service
  (2001)

Gabon
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
  (2001)

Gambia, The
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Georgia
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Germany
  18 years of age (conscripts serve a nine-month tour of
  compulsory military service) (2004)

Ghana
  18 years of age for compulsory and volunteer military service
  (2001)

Greece
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; during
  wartime the law allows for recruitment after reaching January of the
  year of inductee's 18th birthday, thus including 17 year olds; 17
  years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation - 12
  months for the Army and Air Force, 15 months for Navy (2005)

Guatemala
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Guinea
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Haiti
  18 years of age for voluntary recruitment into the police
  force (2001)

Honduras
  18 years of age for voluntary 2-3 year military service
  (2004)

Hong Kong
  18 years of age (2004)

Hungary
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
  abolished in June 2004 (June 2004)

India
  16 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Indonesia
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2002)

Iran
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
  age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited
  extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation -
  18 months (2004)

Iraq
  18 years of age; the Iraqi Interim Government is creating a new
  professional Iraqi military force of men aged 18 to 40 to defend
  Iraq from external threats and the current insurgency (2004)

Ireland
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; enlistees
  under the age of 17 can be recruited for specialist positions (2001)

Israel
  17 years of age for compulsory (Jews, Druzes) and voluntary
  (Christians, Muslims, Circassians) military service; both sexes are
  eligible for military service; conscript service obligation - 36
  months for men, 21 months for women (2004)

Italy
  18 years of age (2004)

Jamaica
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; younger
  recruits may be conscripted with parental consent (2001)

Japan
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Jordan
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscription
  at age 18 was suspended in 1999, although all males under age 37 are
  required to register (2004)

Kazakhstan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years; minimum age for volunteers
  NA (2004)

Kenya
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Korea, North
  17 years of age (2004)

Korea, South
  20-30 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 24-28 months, depending on the
  military branch involved; 18 years of age for voluntary military
  service; some 4,000 women serve as commissioned and noncommissioned
  officers, approx. 2.3% of all officers; women, in service since
  1950, are admitted to seven service branches, including infantry;
  excluded from artillery, armor, anti-air, and chaplaincy corps (2005)

Kuwait
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service
  (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (2001)

Laos
  15 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - minimum 18 months (2004)

Latvia
  19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
  service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers;
  Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an
  all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004)

Lebanon
  18-30 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Lesotho
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Liberia
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Libya
  17 years of age (2004)

Lithuania
  19-45 years of age for compulsory military service,
  conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for
  volunteers (2004)

Luxembourg
  a 1967 law made the Army an all-volunteer force; 17 years
  of age for voluntary military service; soldiers under 18 are not
  deployed into combat or with peacekeeping missions (2004)

Macedonia
  conscription to be phased out by 2007; current tour of
  conscript duty is 6 months; 18 years of age for voluntary military
  service (January 2005)

Madagascar
  18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 18
  months (2004)

Malawi
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Malaysia
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2005)

Maldives
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Mali
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Malta
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Mauritania
  18 years of age (est.); conscript service obligation - 2
  years; majority of servicemen believed to be volunteers; service in
  Air Force and Navy is voluntary (April 2005)

Mexico
  18 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript
  service obligation - 12 months; 16 years of age with consent for
  voluntary enlistment (2004)

Moldova
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; national
  service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Mongolia
  18-25 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Morocco
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Namibia
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Nepal
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Netherlands
  20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  16 years of age for military recruitment; no
  conscription (July 2002)

New Zealand
  17 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
  cannot be deployed until the age of 18 (2001)

Nicaragua
  17 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Niger
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Nigeria
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Norway
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of
  age in wartime; 17 years of age for male volunteers; 18 years of age
  for women; 16 years of age for volunteers to the Home Guard;
  conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Oman
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Pakistan
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; soldiers
  cannot be deployed for combat until age of 18 (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Paraguay
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 12 months for Army, 24
  months for Navy (2004)

Peru
  18 years of age for compulsory military service (1999)

Philippines
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service (2001)

Poland
  17 years of age for compulsory military service after January
  1st of the year of 18th birthday; 17 years of age for voluntary
  military service; in 2005 Poland plans to shorten the length of
  conscript service obligation from 12 to 9 months; by 2008, plans
  call for at least 60% of military personnel to be volunteers; only
  soldiers who have completed their conscript service are allowed to
  volunteer for professional service; as of April 2004 women are only
  allowed to serve as officers and non-commissioned officers (April
  2004)

Portugal
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; compulsory
  military service was ended in 2004 (January 2005)

Qatar
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; Land Force's
  enlisted personnel are largely nonprofessional foreign nationals
  (2005)

Reunion
  18 years of age (2004)

Romania
  20 years of age for compulsory military service, 18 in
  wartime; conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age
  for voluntary military service (2004)

Russia
  18-27 years of age; males are registered for the draft at 17
  years of age; 200,000 conscripts were inducted into the armed forces
  in 2003; length of compulsory military service is 2 years; plans as
  of August 2004 call for reduction in mandatory service to 1 year by
  2008; 2003 planning calls for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of
  armed forces by 2010, with the remaining servicemen consisting of
  conscripts (August 2004)

Rwanda
  16 years of age for voluntary military service; no
  conscription (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2004)

Senegal
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  19 years of age (nine months compulsory
  service) (2004)

Seychelles
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Sierra Leone
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Singapore
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years
  of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24
  months beginning December 2004 (December 2004)

Slovakia
  complete transition to an all-volunteer professional force
  is planned for 1 January 2007; 82% of Slovak armed forces were
  volunteers as of January 2005; volunteers include women, with
  minimum age of 17 years; 18 years of age for compulsory military
  service (January 2005)

Slovenia
  17 years of age for voluntary military service;
  conscription abolished in 2003 (2004)

Somalia
  18 years of age (est.) (2001)

South Africa
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; women
  have a long history of military service in non-combat roles - dating
  back to World War I (2004)

Spain
  20 years of age (2004)

Sri Lanka
  18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Sudan
  18-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 3 years (August 2004)

Suriname
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription

Swaziland
  18 years of age for voluntary military service; both sexes
  are eligible for military service (2005)

Sweden
  19 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 7-17 months depending on conscript role; after
  completing initial service soldiers have a reserve commitment until
  the age of 47 (2004)

Switzerland
  the Swiss Confederation states that "every Swiss male is
  obligated to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve for
  at least 260 days in the armed forces; 19 years of age for
  compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military
  service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training,
  followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22
  years; women are accepted on a voluntary basis, but are not drafted
  (2005)

Syria
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Taiwan
  19-40 years of age for military service (being lowered to 35
  years of age in July 2005); service obligation 22 months (being
  shortened to 18 months in July 2005 and 12 months in 2008) (2005)

Tajikistan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Tanzania
  15 years of age for voluntary military service; 18 years of
  age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary
  school; conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Thailand
  21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are
  registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obliation - 2
  years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

Togo
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military service
  (2001)

Tonga
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  18 years of age for voluntary military service;
  no conscription (2001)

Tunisia
  20 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for voluntary
  military service (2004)

Turkey
  20 years of age (2004)

Turkmenistan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Uganda
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty;
  the government has stated that recruitment below that age could
  occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age
  of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

Ukraine
  18-27 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 18 months for Army and Air
  Force, 24 months for Navy (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

United Kingdom
  16 years of age for voluntary military service
  (January 2004)

United States
  18 years of age (2004)

Uruguay
  18 years of age for voluntary and compulsory military
  service (2001)

Uzbekistan
  18 years of age for compulsory military service;
  conscript service obligation - 12 months (2004)

Venezuela
  18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
  service; conscript service obligation - 30 months (2004)

Vietnam
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Yemen
  18 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript
  service obligation - 2 years (2004)

Zambia
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Zimbabwe
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2025 Manpower fit for military service

Afghanistan
  males age 22-49: 2,662,946 (2005 est.)

Albania
  males age 19-49: 668,526 (2005 est.)

Algeria
  males age 19-49: 6,590,079 (2005 est.)

Angola
  males age 17-49: 1,174,548 (2005 est.)

Argentina
  males age 18-49: 7,316,038 (2005 est.)

Armenia
  males age 18-49: 551,938 (2005 est.)

Australia
  males age 16-49: 4,092,717 (2005 est.)

Austria
  males age 18-49: 1,550,441 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males age 18-49: 1,314,955 (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  males age 18-49: 161,372 (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  males age 18-49: 26,841,255 (2005 est.)

Barbados
  males age 18-49: 51,298 (2005 est.)

Belarus
  males age 18-49: 1,657,984 (2005 est.)

Belgium
  males age 16-49: 1,998,003 (2005 est.)

Belize
  males age 18-49: 41,368 (2005 est.)

Benin
  males age 21-49: 670,170
  females age 21-49: 630,078 (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  males age 18-49: 314,975 (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  males age 18-49: 1,311,414 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males age 18-49: 829,530 (2005 est.)

Botswana
  males age 18-49: 136,322 (2005 est.)

Brazil
  males age 19-49: 33,119,098 (2005 est.)

Brunei
  males age 18-49: approx. 85,045 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  males age 18-49: 1,302,037 (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  males age 18-49: 1,323,548 (2005 est.)

Burma
  males age 18-49: 6,512,923
  females age 18-49: 6,789,720 (2005 est.)

Burundi
  males age 16-49: 693,956 (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  males age 18-49: 1,844,144 (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  males age 18-49: 1,720,385 (2005 est.)

Canada
  males age 16-49: 6,740,490 (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  males age 18-49: 65,614 (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  males age 18-49: 330,255 (2005 est.)

Chad
  males age 20-49: 834,695 (2005 est.)

Chile
  males age 18-49: 3,123,281 (2005 est.)

China
  males age 18-49: 281,240,272 (2005 est.)

Colombia
  males age 18-49: 6,986,228 (2005 est.)

Comoros
  males age 18-49: 98,792 (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 18-49: 5,851,292 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males age 18-49: 360,492 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  males age 18-49: 829,874 (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males age 18-49: 1,973,265 (2005 est.)

Croatia
  males age 18-49: 725,914 (2005 est.)

Cuba
  males age 17-49: 2,441,927
  females age 17-49: 2,396,741 (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  males age 18-49: 150,750 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  males age 18-49: 1,996,631 (2005 est.)

Denmark
  males age 18-49: 955,168 (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  males age 18-49: 46,020 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males age 18-49: 1,420,693 (2005 est.)

East Timor
  males age 18-49: NA

Ecuador
  males age 20-49: 2,338,428 (2005 est.)

Egypt
  males age 18-49: 15,540,234 (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  males age 18-49: 960,315 (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  males age 18-49: 66,379 (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  males age 18-49: NA (2005)

Estonia
  males age 18-49: 200,382 (2005 est.)
  note - in 2004, 51% of the young men called up for service were
  determined to be unfit; main obstacles to conscription were
  psychiatric and behavioral

Ethiopia
  males age 18-49: 8,072,755 (2005 est.)

Fiji
  males age 18-49: 163,960 (2005 est.)

Finland
  males age 18-49: 913,617 (2005 est.)

France
  males age 17-49: 11,262,661 (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  males age 18-49: 38,676 (2005 est.)

Gabon
  males age 18-49: 156,632 (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  males age 18-49: 188,117 (2005 est.)

Georgia
  males age 18-49: 827,281 (2005 est.)

Germany
  males age 18-49: 15,258,931 (2005 est.)

Ghana
  males age 18-49: 2,721,239 (2005 est.)

Greece
  males age 18-49: 2,018,557 (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  males age 18-49: 2,106,847 (2005 est.)

Guinea
  males age 18-49: 1,038,036 (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  males age 18-49: 152,760 (2005 est.)

Guyana
  males age 18-49: 137,964 (2005 est.)

Haiti
  males age 18-49: 948,320 (2005 est.)

Honduras
  males age 18-49: 955,019 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  males age 18-49: 1,403,088 (2005 est.)

Hungary
  males age 18-49: 1,780,513 (2005 est.)

Iceland
  males age 18-49: 56,777 (2005 est.)

India
  males age 16-49: 219,471,999 (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  males age 18-49: 48,687,234 (2005 est.)

Iran
  males age 18-49: 15,665,725 (2005 est.)

Iraq
  males age 18-49: 4,930,074 (2005 est.)

Ireland
  males age 17-49: 814,768 (2005 est.)

Israel
  males age 17-49: 1,255,902
  females age 17-49: 1,212,394 (2005 est.)

Italy
  males age 18-49: 10,963,513 (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  males age 18-49: 587,006 (2005 est.)

Japan
  males age 18-49: 22,234,663 (2005 est.)

Jordan
  males age 17-49: 1,348,076 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males age 18-49: 2,473,529 (2005 est.)

Kenya
  males age 18-49: 3,963,532 (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  males age 17-49: 4,810,831 (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  males age 20-49: 9,932,026 (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  males age 18-49: 737,292 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males age 18-49: 871,493 (2005 est.)

Laos
  males age 15-49: 954,816 (2005 est.)

Latvia
  males age 19-49: 361,098 (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  males age 18-49: 821,762 (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  males age 18-49: 162,857 (2005 est.)

Liberia
  males age 18-49: 360,373 (2005 est.)

Libya
  males age 17-49: 1,291,624 (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  males age 19-49: 590,606 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  males age 17-49: 90,279 (2005 est.)

Macau
  males age 18-49: 91,299 (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  males age 18-49: 411,156 (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  males age 18-49: 2,218,662 (2005 est.)

Malawi
  males age 18-49: 995,084 (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  males age 18-49: 4,574,854 (2005 est.)

Maldives
  males age 18-49: 56,687 (2005 est.)

Mali
  males age 18-49: 1,231,930 (2005 est.)

Malta
  males age 18-49: 74,525 (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  males age 18-49: 370,513 (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  males age 18-49: 248,659 (2005 est.)

Mexico
  males age 18-49: 19,058,337 (2005 est.)

Moldova
  males age 18-49: 693,913 (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  males age 18-49: 570,435 (2005 est.)

Morocco
  males age 18-49: 6,484,787 (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  males age 18-49: 1,751,223 (2005 est.)

Namibia
  males age 18-49: 217,118 (2005 est.)

Nauru
  males age 18-49: 1,963 (2005 est.)

Nepal
  males age 18-49: 4.193 million (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  males age 20-49: 2,856,691 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males age 16-49: 45,273 (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  males age 17-49: 809,519 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  males age 17-49: 1,051,425 (2005 est.)

Niger
  males age 18-49: 1,180,027 (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  males age 18-49: 15,053,936 (2005 est.)

Norway
  males age 18-49: 827,016 (2005 est.)

Oman
  males age 18-49: 581,444 (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  males age 16-49: 29,428,747 (2005 est.)

Panama
  males age 18-49: 511,905 (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  males age 18-49: 902,432 (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  males age 18-49: 1,109,166 (2005 est.)

Peru
  males age 18-49: 4,938,417 (2005 est.)

Philippines
  males age 18-49: 15,170,096 (2005 est.)

Poland
  males age 17-49: 7,740,164 (2005 est.)

Portugal
  males age 18-49: 1,952,819 (2005 est.)

Qatar
  males age 18-49: 238,566 (2005 est.)

Reunion
  males age 18-49: 142,578 (2005 est.)

Romania
  males age 20-49: 3,932,579 (2005 est.)

Russia
  males age 18-49: 21,049,651 (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  males age 16-49: 1,103,823 (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  males age 18-49: 25,950 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males age 18-49: 6,592,709 (2005 est.)

Senegal
  males age 18-49: 1,300,502 (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  males age 19-49: 1,959,166 (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  males age 18-49: 16,122 (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  males age 18-49: 552,785 (2005 est.)

Singapore
  males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  males age 18-49: 1,089,645 (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  males age 17-49: 405,593 (2005 est.)

Somalia
  males age 18-49: 1,022,360 (2005 est.)

South Africa
  males age 18-49: 4,927,757 (2005 est.)

Spain
  males age 20-49: 7,623,356 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males age 18-49: 3,789,627 (2005 est.)

Sudan
  males age 18-49: 5,427,474 (2005 est.)

Suriname
  males age 18-49: 77,793 (2005 est.)

Swaziland
  males age 18-49: 98,530 (2005 est.)

Sweden
  males age 19-49: 1,493,668 (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  males age 19-49: 1,375,889 (2005 est.)

Syria
  males age 18-49: 3,453,888 (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  males age 19-49: 4,749,537 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  males age 18-49: 1,244,941 (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  males age 18-49: 3,879,630 (2005 est.)

Thailand
  males age 21-49: 10,342,337 (2005 est.)

Togo
  males age 18-49: 629,933 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  males age 18-49: 203,531 (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  males age 20-49: 2,035,431 (2005 est.)

Turkey
  males age 20-49: 13,905,901 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males age 18-49: 759,978 (2005 est.)

Uganda
  males age 18-49: 2,889,808 (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  males age 18-49: 7,114,337 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  males age 18-49: 526,671 (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  males age 16-49: 12,046,268 (2005 est.)

United States males age 18-49: 54,609,050 females age 18-49: 54,696,706 (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  males age 18-49: 637,445 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males age 18-49: 4,609,621 (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  males age 18-49: 4,907,947 (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  males age 18-49: 16,032,358 (2005 est.)

Yemen
  males age 18-49: 2,790,705 (2005 est.)

Zambia
  males age 18-49: 1,043,702 (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  males age 18-49: 1,148,590 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2026 Manpower reaching military service age annually

Afghanistan
  males: 275,362 (2005 est.)

Albania
  males: 37,407 (2005 est.)

Algeria
  males: 374,639 (2005 est.)

Angola
  males: 121,254 (2005 est.)

Argentina
  males: 344,575 (2005 est.)

Armenia
  males: 31,774 (2005 est.)

Australia
  males: 142,158 (2005 est.)

Austria
  males: 48,967 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males: 82,358 (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  males: 6,013 (2005 est.)

Belarus
  males: 85,202 (2005 est.)

Belgium
  males: 64,263 (2005 est.)

Belize
  males: 3,209 (2005 est.)

Benin males: 72,841 females: 71,428 (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  males: 23,939 (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  males: 101,101 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males: 31,264 (2005 est.)

Botswana
  males: 21,103 (2005 est.)

Brazil
  males: 1,785,930 (2005 est.)

Brunei
  males: 3,478 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  males: 51,023 (2005 est.)

Burma
  males: 440,914
  females: 427,382 (2005 est.)

Burundi
  males: 84,597 (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  males: 175,305 (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  males: 188,662 (2005 est.)

Canada
  males: 223,821 (2005 est.)

Chad
  males: 95,228 (2005 est.)

Chile
  males: 140,084 (2005 est.)

China
  males: 13,186,433 (2005 est.)

Colombia
  males: 389,735 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males: 34,281 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  males: 41,097 (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males: 189,354 (2005 est.)

Croatia
  males: 29,020 (2005 est.)

Cuba
  males: 91,901
  females: 87,500 (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  males: 6,578 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  males: 66,583 (2005 est.)

Denmark
  males: 31,317 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males: 91,597 (2005 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  males: 133,922 (2005 est.)

Egypt
  males: 802,920 (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  males: 70,286 (2005 est.)

Estonia
  males: 11,146 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  males: 803,777 (2005 est.)

Fiji
  males: 9,266 (2005 est.)

Finland
  males: 32,040 (2005 est.)

France
  males: 389,204 (2005 est.)

Gabon
  males: 15,150 (2005 est.)

Georgia
  males: 38,857 (2005 est.)

Germany
  males: 497,048 (2005 est.)

Ghana
  males: 250,782 (2005 est.)

Greece
  males: 58,399 (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  males: 161,964 (2005 est.)

Haiti
  males: 98,554 (2005 est.)

Honduras
  males: 77,399 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  males: 40,343 (2005 est.)

Hungary
  males: 63,847 (2005 est.)

India
  males: 11,446,452 (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  males: 2,201,047 (2005 est.)

Iran
  males: 862,056 (2005 est.)

Iraq
  males: 298,518 (2005 est.)

Ireland
  males: 29,327 (2005 est.)

Israel males: 53,760 females: 51,293 (2005 est.)

Italy
  males: 286,344 (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  males: 26,080 (2005 est.)

Japan
  males: 683,147 (2005 est.)

Jordan
  males: 60,625 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males: 173,129 (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  males: 194,605 (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  males: 344,723 (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  males: 18,743 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males: 61,091 (2005 est.)

Laos
  males: 73,167 (2005 est.)

Latvia
  males: 19,137 (2005 est.)

Libya
  males: 62,034 (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  males: 29,689 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  males: 2,775 (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  males: 16,686 (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  males: 187,000 (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  males: 244,418 (2005 est.)

Mexico
  males: 1,063,233 (2005 est.)

Moldova
  males: 43,729 (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  males: 34,674 (2005 est.)

Morocco
  males: 353,377 (2005 est.)

Nepal
  males: 308,031 (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  males: 99,934 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males: 1,720 (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  males: 29,738 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  males: 65,170 (2005 est.)

Niger
  males: 126,719 (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  males: 1,353,161 (2005 est.)

Norway
  males: 29,179 (2005 est.)

Oman
  males: 26,391 (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  males: 1,969,055 (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  males: 63,058 (2005 est.)

Peru
  males: 277,105 (2005 est.)

Philippines
  males: 907,542 (2005 est.)

Poland
  males: 275,521 (2005 est.)

Portugal
  males: 67,189 (2005 est.)

Qatar
  males: 7,851 (2005 est.)

Reunion
  males: 7,339 (2005 est.)

Romania
  males: 172,093 (2005 est.)

Russia
  males: 1,286,069 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males: 247,334 (2005 est.)

Senegal
  males: 124,096 (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  males: 81,033 (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  males: 41,544 (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  males: 12,816 (2005 est.)

South Africa
  males: 512,407 (2005 est.)

Spain
  males: 233,384 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males: 174,049 (2005 est.)

Sudan
  males: 442,915 (2005 est.)

Sweden
  males: 58,724 (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  males: 46,319 (2005 est.)

Syria
  males: 225,113 (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  males: 174,173 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  males: 87,846 (2005 est.)

Thailand
  males: 530,493 (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  males: 108,817 (2005 est.)

Turkey
  males: 679,734 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males: 56,532 (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  males: 378,176 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  males: 30,706 (2005 est.)

United States males: 2,143,873 females: 2,036,201 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males: 324,722 (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  males: 252,396 (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  males: 915,572 (2005 est.)

Yemen
  males: 236,517 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2028 Background

Afghanistan
  Afghanistan's recent history is a story of war and civil
  unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw
  10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces. The Communist
  regime in Kabul collapsed in 1992. Fighting that subsequently
  erupted among the various mujahidin factions eventually helped to
  spawn the Taliban, a hardline Pakistani-sponsored movement that
  fought to end the warlordism and civil war that gripped the country.
  The Taliban seized Kabul in 1996 and were able to capture most of
  the country outside of Northern Alliance strongholds primarily in
  the northeast. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, a
  US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military action toppled the
  Taliban for sheltering Osama BIN LADIN. In late 2001, a conference
  in Bonn, Germany, established a process for political reconstruction
  that ultimately resulted in the adoption of a new constitution and
  presidential election in 2004. On 9 October 2004, Hamid KARZAI
  became the first democratically elected president of Afghanistan.
  The new Afghan government's next task is to hold National Assembly
  elections, tentatively scheduled for April 2005.

Akrotiri
  By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created
  the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty
  and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
  total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these
  is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as
  the Western Sovereign Base Area.

Albania
  Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
  Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
  transition has proven difficult as successive governments have tried
  to deal with high unemployment, widespread corruption, a dilapidated
  infrastructure, powerful organized crime networks with links to
  government officials, and disruptive political opponents. Albania
  has made incremental progress in its democratic development since
  first holding multiiparty elections in 1991, but deficiencies remain
  - particularly in regard to the rule of law. Despite some lingering
  problems, international observers have judged elections to be
  largely free and fair since the restoration of political stability
  following the collapse of pyramid schemes in 1997. In the 2005
  general elections, the Democratic Party and its allies won a
  decisive victory on pledges of reducing crime and corruption,
  promoting economic growth, and decreasing the size of government.
  Although Albania's economy continues to grow, the country is still
  one of the poorest in Europe, hampered by a large informal economy,
  large public debt, and an inadequate energy and tranportation
  infrastructure. Albania has played a largely helpful role in
  managing inter-ethnic tensions in southeastern Europe, and is
  continuing to work toward joining NATO and the EU.

Algeria
  After more than a century of rule by France, Algerians
  fought through much of the 1950s to achieve independence in 1962.
  Algeria's primary political party, the National Liberation Front
  (FLN), has dominated politics ever since. Many Algerians in the
  subsequent generation were not satisfied, however, and moved to
  counter the FLN's centrality in Algerian politics. The surprising
  first round success of the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) in the
  December 1991 balloting spurred the Algerian army to intervene and
  postpone the second round of elections to prevent what the secular
  elite feared would be an extremist-led government from assuming
  power. The army began a crack down on the FIS that spurred FIS
  supporters to begin attacking government targets. The government
  later allowed elections featuring pro-government and moderate
  religious-based parties, but did not appease the activists who
  progressively widened their attacks. The fighting escalated into an
  insurgency, which saw intense fighting between 1992-98 and which
  resulted in over 100,000 deaths - many attributed to indiscriminate
  massacres of villagers by extremists. The government gained the
  upper hand by the late-1990s and FIS's armed wing, the Islamic
  Salvation Army, disbanded in January 2000. However, small numbers of
  armed militants persist in confronting government forces and
  conducting ambushes and occasional attacks on villages. The army
  placed Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA in the presidency in 1999 in a
  fraudulent election but claimed neutrality in his 2004 landslide
  reelection victory. Longstanding problems continue to face
  BOUTEFLIKA in his second term, including the ethnic minority
  Berbers' ongoing autonomy campaign, large-scale unemployment, a
  shortage of housing, unreliable electrical and water supplies,
  government inefficiencies and corruption, and the continuing -
  although significantly degraded - activities of extremist militants.
  Algeria must also diversify its petroleum-based economy, which has
  yielded a large cash reserve but which has not been used to redress
  Algeria's many social and infrastructure problems. Algeria assumed a
  two-year seat on the UN Security Council in January 2004.

American Samoa
  Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"
  by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries
  in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899
  treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.
  The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern
  islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.

Andorra
  For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a
  unique co-principality, ruled by French and Spanish leaders (from
  1607 onward, the French chief of state and the Spanish bishop of
  Urgel). In 1993, this feudal system was modified with the titular
  heads of state retained, but the government transformed into a
  parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and impoverished, mountainous
  Andorra achieved considerable prosperity since World War II through
  its tourist industry. Many immigrants (legal and illegal) are
  attracted to the thriving economy with its lack of income taxes.

Angola
  Angola has begun to enjoy the fruits of peace since the end
  of a 27-year civil war in 2002. Fighting between the Popular
  Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Jose Eduardo
  DOS SANTOS, and the National Union for the Total Independence of
  Angola (UNITA), led by Jonas SAVIMBI, followed independence from
  Portugal in 1975. Peace seemed imminent in 1992 when Angola held
  national elections, but UNITA renewed fighting after being beaten by
  the MPLA at the polls. Up to 1.5 million lives may have been lost -
  and 4 million people displaced - in the quarter century of fighting.
  SAVIMBI's death in 2002 ended UNITA's insurgency and strengthened
  the MPLA's hold on power. DOS SANTOS has pledged to hold national
  elections in 2006.

Anguilla
  Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
  Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th
  century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -
  was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
  Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
  years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
  arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
  a separate British dependency.

Antarctica
  Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
  not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
  commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
  began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
  of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
  Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
  Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
  century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
  research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
  year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
  territorial claims, but not all countries recognize these claims. In
  order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
  continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
  nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
  1959, it entered into force in 1961.

Antigua and Barbuda
  The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
  islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib
  Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second
  voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were
  succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery,
  established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished
  in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British
  Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.

Arctic Ocean
  The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
  oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
  the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
  and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
  important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
  and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.

Argentina
  Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina
  experienced periods of internal political conflict between
  conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military
  factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist
  authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was
  followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
  returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored
  Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.

Armenia
  Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
  adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
  over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
  including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
  incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
  leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
  Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
  region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
  Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
  struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
  the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
  Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
  significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
  sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
  toward a peaceful resolution. Turkey imposed an economic blockade on
  Armenia and closed the common border because of the Armenian
  occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding areas.

Aruba
  Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired
  by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by
  three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
  prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The
  last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.
  Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a
  separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
  Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in
  1990.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  These uninhabited islands came under
  Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
  later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
  habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
  Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.

Atlantic Ocean
  The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
  world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
  Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
  (Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
  Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
  are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
  International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
  delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
  of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.

Australia
  Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from
  Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began
  exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were
  made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name
  of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and
  19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of
  Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural
  resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing
  industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in
  World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed
  itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy.
  It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the
  1990's, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted
  in the 1980's. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly
  depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of
  coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

Austria
  Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
  Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
  World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
  subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
  status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
  ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
  unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
  declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
  Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in
  1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some
  Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous,
  democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union
  in 1999.

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim
  population - regained its independence after the collapse of the
  Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet
  to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
  Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan
  has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 571,000
  internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption
  is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from Azerbaijan's
  undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely unfulfilled.

Bahamas, The
  Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
  Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
  British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
  a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
  The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
  and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
  a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
  shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal
  migrants into the US.

Bahrain
  Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
  countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
  affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
  Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
  transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
  amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
  and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
  February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
  Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
  liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
  Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
  members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
  legislature, the National Assembly.

Baker Island
  The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its
  guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
  second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
  colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
  Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
  Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
  Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
  of the west coast.

Bangladesh
  Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East
  Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of
  this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
  season, hampering economic development.

Barbados
  The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
  British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on
  the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy
  remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production
  through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social
  and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete
  independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and
  manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.

Bassas da India
  This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs
  and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was
  placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in
  Reunion in 1968.

Belarus
  After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
  Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
  political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
  Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
  union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
  integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
  accord, serious implementation has yet to take place. Since his
  election in July 1995 as the country's first president, Alexander
  LUKASHENKO has steadily consolidated his power through authoritarian
  means. Government restrictions on freedom of speech and the press,
  peaceful assembly, and religion continue.

Belgium
  Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and
  was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered
  in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced
  European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
  Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
  Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
  amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.

Belize
  Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
  independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
  Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
  has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
  by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
  trade, and increasing urban crime.

Benin
  Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West
  African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became
  a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,
  as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended
  in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the
  establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.
  A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,
  free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
  president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
  from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
  elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
  alleged.

Bermuda
  Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
  colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
  American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism
  continues to be important to the island's economy, although
  international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has
  developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A
  referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.

Bhutan
  In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,
  under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for
  ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set
  up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the
  British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and
  Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was
  assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
  Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
  British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
  defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
  refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
  90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
  High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps.

Bolivia
  Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
  broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
  has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
  Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in 1982, but
  leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty, social
  unrest, and illegal drug production. Current goals include
  attracting foreign investment, strengthening the educational system,
  resolving disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug
  efforts, and waging an anticorruption campaign.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
  sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of
  independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
  referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
  by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
  resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
  joining Serb-held areas to form a "Greater Serbia." In March 1994,
  Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
  three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
  Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
  brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
  agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton
  Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
  and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This
  national government was charged with conducting foreign, diplomatic,
  and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government
  comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat
  Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led
  Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were
  charged with overseeing most government functions. The Office of the
  High Representative (OHR) was established to oversee the
  implementation of the civilian aspects of the agreement. In 1995-96,
  a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops
  served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of
  the agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led
  Stabilization Force (SFOR) whose mission was to deter renewed
  hostilities. European Union peacekeeping troops (EUFOR) replaced
  SFOR in December 2004; their mission was to maintain peace and
  stability throughout the country.

Botswana
  Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
  adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
  uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
  significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
  economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
  dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
  to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
  preserves. Botswana has one of the world's highest known rates of
  HIV/AIDS infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
  comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.

Bouvet Island
  This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
  covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
  in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
  No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
  1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
  the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the
  adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since
  1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the
  island.

Brazil
  Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil
  became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most
  populous country in South America, Brazil overcame more than half a
  century of military intervention in the governance of the country
  when in 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian
  rulers. Brazil continues to pursue industrial and agricultural
  growth and development of its interior. Exploiting vast natural
  resources and a large labor pool, it is today South America's
  leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income
  distribution remains a pressing problem.

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Established as a territory of the UK
  in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
  islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained
  independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the
  six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
  largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
  joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
  uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
  islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the
  Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court
  ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded
  them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of
  Diego Garcia.

British Virgin Islands
  First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the
  islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely
  tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west;
  the US dollar is the legal currency.

Brunei
  The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
  and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
  northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
  entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
  succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
  1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
  achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
  centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
  fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
  developing world.

Bulgaria
  The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
  local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
  Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
  the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
  end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
  Turks. Northern Bulgaria attained autonomy in 1878 and all of
  Bulgaria became independent in 1908. Having fought on the losing
  side in both World Wars, Bulgaria fell within the Soviet sphere of
  influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist
  domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first multiparty
  election since World War II and began the contentious process of
  moving toward political democracy and a market economy while
  combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime. Today,
  reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward eventual
  integration into the EU. The country joined NATO in 2004.

Burkina Faso
  Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta) achieved
  independence from France in 1960. Repeated military coups during the
  1970s and 1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early
  1990s. Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural
  resources result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its
  citizens. Recent unrest in Cote d'Ivoire and northern Ghana has
  hindered the ability of several hundred thousand seasonal Burkinabe
  farm workers to find employment in neighboring countries.

Burma
  Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)
  and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered
  as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
  self-governing colony; independence from the Commonwealth was
  attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
  1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
  later as political kingpin. Despite multiparty legislative elections
  in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National
  League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the ruling
  junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize
  recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest from 1989 to
  1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and is currently
  under house arrest. In December 2004, the junta announced it was
  extending her detention for at least an additional year. Her
  supporters, as well as all those who promote democracy and improved
  human rights, are routinely harassed or jailed.

Burundi
  Burundi's first democratically elected president was
  assassinated in October 1993 after only one hundred days in office.
  Since then, some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread,
  often intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions.
  Hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or have become
  refugees in neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure
  their borders, briefly intervened in the conflict in the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo in 1998. A new transitional government,
  inaugurated on 1 November 2001, signed a power-sharing agreement
  with the largest rebel faction in December 2003 and set in place a
  provisional constitution in October 2004. Implementation of the
  agreement has been problematic, however, as one remaining rebel
  group refuses to sign on and elections have been repeatedly delayed,
  clouding prospects for a sustainable peace.

Cambodia
  Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, whose
  Angkor Empire extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its
  zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Subsequently, attacks by
  the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire
  ushering in a long period of decline. In 1863, the king of Cambodia
  placed the country under French protection; it became part of French
  Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II,
  Cambodia became independent within the French Union in 1949 and
  fully independent in 1953. After a five-year struggle, Communist
  Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in April 1975 and ordered the
  evacuation of all cities and towns; at least 1.5 million Cambodians
  died from execution, enforced hardships, or starvation during the
  Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A December 1978 Vietnamese
  invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, led to a
  10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off almost 13 years of
  civil war. The 1991 Paris Peace Accords mandated democratic
  elections and a ceasefire, which was not fully respected by the
  Khmer Rouge. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some
  semblance of normalcy and the final elements of the Khmer Rouge
  surrendered in early 1999. Factional fighting in 1997 ended the
  first coalition government, but a second round of national elections
  in 1998 led to the formation of another coalition government and
  renewed political stability. The July 2003 elections were relatively
  peaceful, but it took one year of negotiations between contending
  political parties before a coalition government was formed.
  Nation-wide local elections are scheduled for 2007 and national
  elections for 2008.

Cameroon
  The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon
  merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally
  enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of
  agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.
  Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains
  firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.

Canada
  A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
  became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
  British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
  developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
  an unfortified border. Canada's paramount political problem is
  meeting public demands for quality improvements in health care and
  education services after a decade of budget cuts. The issue of
  reconciling Quebec's francophone heritage with the majority
  anglophone Canadian population has moved to the back burner in
  recent years; support for separatism abated after the Quebec
  government's referendum on independence failed to pass in October of
  1995.

Cape Verde
  The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by
  the Portuguese in the 15th century; Cape Verde subsequently became a
  trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
  resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
  independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
  Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
  until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
  to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
  Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
  significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
  Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
  Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.

Cayman Islands
  The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
  British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica
  since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the
  former became independent.

Central African Republic
  The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari
  became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After
  three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments
  - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.
  President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by
  unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by
  General Francois BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional
  government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil
  society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and
  independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and
  presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government
  still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of
  lawlessness persist.

Chad
  Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured
  three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
  a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
  eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
  groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
  to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
  presidential elections in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, a new rebellion
  broke out in northern Chad, which sporadically flares up despite two
  peace agreements signed in 2002 and 2003 between the government and
  the rebels. Despite movement toward democratic reform, power remains
  in the hands of an ethnic minority.

Chile
  Prior to the coming of the Spanish in the 16th century,
  northern Chile was under Inca rule while Araucanian Indians
  inhabited central and southern Chile; the latter were not completely
  subjugated until the early 1880s. Although Chile declared its
  independence in 1810, decisive victory over the Spanish was not
  achieved until 1818. In the War of the Pacific (1879-84), Chile
  defeated Peru and Bolivia and won its present northern lands. A
  three-year-old Marxist government of Salvador ALLENDE was overthrown
  in 1973 by a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET,
  who ruled until a freely elected president was installed in 1990.
  Sound economic policies, maintained consistently since the 1980s,
  have contributed to steady growth and have helped secure the
  country's commitment to democratic and representative government.
  Chile has increasingly assumed regional and international leadership
  roles befitting its status as a stable, democratic nation.

China
  For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing
  the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
  early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major
  famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
  II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic
  socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed
  strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of
  millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
  other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by
  2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living
  standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal
  choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

Christmas Island
  Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
  island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888.
  Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty
  to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been
  declared a national park.

Clipperton Island
  This isolated island was named for John
  CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
  century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
  Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
  possession in 1935.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  There are 27 coral islands in the group.
  Captain William KEELING discovered the islands in 1609, but they
  remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in
  1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
  The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split
  between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on
  Home Island.

Colombia
  Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
  the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others are Ecuador and
  Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
  Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
  from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
  swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
  movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
  overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
  has grown to several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
  the insurgents for control of territory and the drug trade, and also
  the government's ability to exert its dominion over rural areas.
  While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert government control
  throughout the country, neighboring countries worry about the
  violence spilling over their borders.

Comoros
  Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups
  since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
  of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
  1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
  the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
  2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
  constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
  2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
  new union president took office in May of 2002.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC), but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition.

Congo, Republic of the
  Upon independence in 1960, the former French
  region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
  century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
  democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
  war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
  ushered in a period of ethnic unrest. Southern-based rebel groups
  agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003, but the calm is
  tenuous and refugees continue to present a humanitarian crisis. The
  Republic of Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers
  with significant potential for offshore development.

Cook Islands
  Named after Captain COOK, who sighted them in 1770, the
  islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
  administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965
  residents chose self-government in free association with New
  Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
  government deficits are continuing problems.

Coral Sea Islands
  Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of
  ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia
  in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological
  staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and
  a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.

Costa Rica
  Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the
  late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred
  its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
  country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
  and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
  ownership is widespread.

Cote d'Ivoire
  Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
  development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
  made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical
  African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25
  December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's
  history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan
  BEDIE. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but
  excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly
  rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular
  protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent
  GBAGBO into power. Ivorian dissidents and disaffected members of the
  military launched a failed coup attempt in September 2002. Rebel
  forces claimed the northern half of the country and in January 2003
  were granted ministerial positions in a unity government under the
  auspices of the Linas-Marcoussis Peace Accord. President GBAGBO and
  rebel forces resumed implementation of the peace accord in December
  2003 after a three-month stalemate, but issues that sparked the
  civil war, such as land reform and grounds for nationality remain
  unresolved. The central government has yet to exert control over the
  northern regions and tensions remain high between GBAGBO and rebel
  leaders. Several thousand French and West African troops remain in
  Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and facilitate the disarmament,
  demobilization, and rehabilitation process.

Croatia
  The lands that today comprise Croatia were part of the
  Austro-Hungarian Empire until the close of World War I. In 1918, the
  Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as
  Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became a federal
  independent Communist state under the strong hand of Marshal TITO.
  Although Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991,
  it took four years of sporadic, but often bitter, fighting before
  occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under
  UN supervision, the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was
  returned to Croatia in 1998.

Cuba
  The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after
  the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492
  and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next
  several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to
  work the coffee and sugar plantations and Havana became the
  launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from
  Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule was severe and exploitative and
  occasional rebellions were harshly suppressed. It was US
  intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally
  overthrew Spanish rule. The subsequent Treaty of Paris established
  Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year
  transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959;
  his iron rule has held the regime together since then. Cuba's
  Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout
  Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The
  country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in
  1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
  billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
  the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
  to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or
  via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast
  Guard intercepted 1,498 individuals attempting to cross the Straits
  of Florida in 2004.

Cyprus
  A former British colony, Cyprus received independence in 1960
  following years of resistance to British rule. Tensions between the
  Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head
  in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia.
  Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic
  intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into
  enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt
  to seize the government was met by military intervention from
  Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In
  1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of
  Northern Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. The latest
  two-year round of UN-brokered direct talks - between the leaders of
  the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities to reach an
  agreement to reunite the divided island - ended when the Greek
  Cypriots rejected the UN settlement plan in an April 2004
  referendum. Although only the internationally recognized Greek
  Cypriot-controlled Republic of Cyprus joined the EU on 1 May 2004,
  every Cypriot carrying a Cyprus passport will have the status of a
  European citizen. EU laws, however, will not apply to north Cyprus.
  Nicosia continues to oppose EU efforts to establish direct trade and
  economic links to north Cyprus as a way of encouraging the Turkish
  Cypriot community to continue to support reunification.

Czech Republic
  Following the First World War, the closely related
  Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to
  form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's
  leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of
  other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the
  Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II,
  a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of
  influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the
  efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule
  and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations
  the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the
  collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its
  freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993,
  the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national
  components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic
  joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004.

Denmark
  Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
  European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation
  that is participating in the general political and economic
  integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the
  EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements
  of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European
  Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), European defense cooperation, and
  issues concerning certain justice and home affairs.

Dhekelia
  By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created
  the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty
  and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers in
  total: Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The larger of these is the Dhekelia
  Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Eastern
  Sovereign Base Area.

Djibouti
  The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
  Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian
  one-party state and proceeded to serve as president until 1999.
  Unrest among the Afars minority during the 1990s led to a civil war
  that ended in 2001 following the conclusion of a peace accord
  between Afar rebels and the Issa-dominated government. Djibouti's
  first multi-party presidential elections in 1999 resulted in the
  election of Ismail Omar GUELLEH. Djibouti occupies a very strategic
  geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and serves as an
  important transshipment location for goods entering and leaving the
  east African highlands. The present leadership favors close ties to
  France, which maintains a significant military presence in the
  country, but has also developed increasingly stronger ties with the
  United States in recent years. Djibouti currently hosts the only
  United States military base in sub-Saharan Africa and is a
  front-line state in the global war on terrorism.

Dominica
  Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
  colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
  native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
  which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
  independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
  tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
  CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
  remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still
  living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining
  in the eastern Caribbean.

Dominican Republic
  Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first
  voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for
  Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In
  1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the
  island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by
  then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in
  1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it
  finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. In
  1861, the Dominicans voluntarily returned to the Spanish Empire, but
  two years later they launched a war that restored independence in
  1865. A legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for
  much of its subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when
  Joaquin BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on
  power for most of the next 30 years when international reaction to
  flawed elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
  regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
  candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
  one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
  decade.

East Timor
  The Portuguese began to trade with the island of Timor in
  the early 16th century and colonized it in mid-century. Skirmishing
  with the Dutch in the region eventually resulted in an 1859 treaty
  in which Portugal ceded the western portion of the island. Imperial
  Japan occupied East Timor from 1942 to 1945, but Portugal resumed
  colonial authority after the Japanese defeat in World War II. East
  Timor declared itself independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975
  and was invaded and occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later.
  It was incorporated into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of
  East Timor. An unsuccessful campaign of pacification followed over
  the next two decades, during which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000
  individuals lost their lives. On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised
  popular referendum, an overwhelming majority of the people of East
  Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. Between the referendum
  and the arrival of a multinational peacekeeping force in late
  September 1999, anti-independence Timorese militias - organized and
  supported by the Indonesian military - commenced a large-scale,
  scorched-earth campaign of retribution. The militias killed
  approximately 1,300 Timorese and forcibly pushed 300,000 people into
  West Timor as refugees. The majority of the country's
  infrastructure, including homes, irrigation systems, water supply
  systems, and schools, and nearly 100% of the country's electrical
  grid were destroyed. On 20 September 1999 the Australian-led
  peacekeeping troops of the International Force for East Timor
  (INTERFET) deployed to the country and brought the violence to an
  end. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was internationally recognized as an
  independent state.

Ecuador
  The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
  that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
  are Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
  territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
  war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999. Although
  Ecuador marked 25 years of civilian governance in 2004, the period
  has been marred by political instability. Seven presidents have
  governed Ecuador since 1996.

Egypt
  The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood,
  coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and
  west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great
  civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
  of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
  native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
  replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
  introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
  ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
  Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
  conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
  completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
  world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
  Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
  Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
  Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
  1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
  completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
  Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
  agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
  largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
  the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
  government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
  through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
  physical infrastructure.

El Salvador
  El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and
  from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war,
  which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when
  the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
  military and political reforms.

Equatorial Guinea
  Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968
  after 190 years of Spanish rule. This tiny country, composed of a
  mainland portion plus five inhabited islands, is one of the smallest
  on the African continent. President OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO has ruled
  the country for over two decades since seizing power from his uncle,
  then President MACIAS, in a 1979 coup. Although nominally a
  constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002 presidential
  elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections - were widely
  seen as being flawed. The president controls most opposition parties
  through the judicious use of patronage. Despite the country's
  economic windfall from oil production resulting in a massive
  increase in government revenue in recent years, there have been few
  improvements in the country's living standards.

Eritrea
  Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a
  federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years
  later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
  with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
  overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
  border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
  auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
  peacekeeping operation that is monitoring a 25 km-wide Temporary
  Security Zone on the border with Ethiopia. An international
  commission, organized to resolve the border dispute, posted its
  findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to Ethiopian
  objections.

Estonia
  After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian
  rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated
  into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the
  collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in
  1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties
  with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of
  2004.

Ethiopia
  Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian
  monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, with the
  exception of the 1936-41 Italian occupation during World War II. In
  1974 a military junta, the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who
  had ruled since 1930) and established a socialist state. Torn by
  bloody coups, uprisings, wide-scale drought, and massive refugee
  problems, the regime was finally toppled in 1991 by a coalition of
  rebel forces, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front
  (EPRDF). A constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first
  multiparty elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border
  war with Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000.
  Final demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to
  Ethiopian objections to an international commission's finding
  requiring it to surrender sensitive territory.

Europa Island
  A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily
  wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a
  weather station.

European Union Following the two devastating World Wars of the first half of the 20th century, a number of European leaders in the late 1940s became convinced that the only way to establish a lasting peace was to unite the two chief belligerent nations - France and Germany - both economically and politically. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed an eventual union of all Europe, the first step of which would be the integration of the coal and steel industries of Western Europe. The following year the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members, Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, signed the Treaty of Paris. The ECSC was so successful that within a few years the decision was made to integrate other parts of the countries' economies. In 1957, the Treaties of Rome created the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), and the six member states undertook to eliminate trade barriers among themselves by forming a common market. In 1967, the institutions of all three communities were formally merged into the European Community (EC), creating a single Commission, a single Council of Ministers, and the European Parliament. Members of the European Parliament were initially selected by national parliaments, but in 1979 the first direct elections were undertaken and they have been held every five years since. In 1973, the first enlargement of the EC took place with the addition of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. The 1980s saw further membership expansion with Greece joining in 1981 and Spain and Portugal in 1986. The 1992 Treaty of Maastricht laid the basis for further forms of cooperation in foreign and defense policy, in judicial and internal affairs, and in the creation of an economic and monetary union - including a common currency. This further integration created the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU, raising the membership total to 15. A new currency, the euro, was launched in world money markets on 1 January 1999; it become the unit of exchange for all of the EU states except the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Denmark. In 2002, citizens of the 12 euro-area countries began using the euro banknotes and coins. Ten new countries joined the EU in 2004 - Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia - bringing the current membership to 25. In order to ensure that the EU can continue to function efficiently with an expanded membership, the 2003 Treaty of Nice set forth rules streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions. An EU Constitutional Treaty, signed in Rome on 29 October 2004, gave member states two years to ratify the document before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006. Referenda held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 that rejected the constitution suspended the ratification effort. Despite the expansion of membership and functions, "Eurosceptics" in various countries have raised questions about the erosion of national cultures and the imposition of a flood of regulations from the EU capital in Brussels. Failure by all member states to ratify the constitution or the inability of newcomer countries to meet euro currency standards might force a loosening of some EU agreements and perhaps lead to several levels of EU participation. These "tiers" might eventually range from an "inner" core of politically integrated countries to a looser "outer" economic association of members.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Although first sighted by an
  English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur
  until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement
  (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over
  to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject
  of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then
  between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the
  islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina
  invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an
  expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce
  fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.

Faroe Islands
  The population of the Faroe Islands is largely
  descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The
  islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th
  century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948.

Fiji
  Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
  British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
  coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
  dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
  brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
  constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
  heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
  difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
  Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
  Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
  an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
  of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
  provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
  mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.

Finland
  Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden
  from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of
  Russia after 1809. It won its complete independence in 1917. During
  World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom and
  resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of
  territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
  remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
  diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on
  par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
  was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
  in January 1999.

France
  Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
  suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
  as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
  most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
  nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
  resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
  democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
  with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
  Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency,
  the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of
  efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement
  progress toward an EU foreign policy.

French Guiana
  First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was
  the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European
  Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.

French Polynesia
  The French annexed various Polynesian island groups
  during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
  widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
  after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
  1996.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands The Southern Lands consist of two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in 1840.

Gabon
  Only two autocratic presidents have ruled Gabon since
  independence from France in 1960. Gabon's current President, El Hadj
  Omar BONGO Ondimba - one of the longest-serving heads of state in
  the world - has dominated Gabon's political scene for almost four
  decades. President BONGO introduced a nominal multiparty system and
  a new constitution in the early 1990s. However, the low turnout and
  allegations of electoral fraud during the most recent local
  elections in 2002-03 have exposed the weaknesses of formal political
  structures in Gabon. Presidential elections scheduled for 2005 are
  unlikely to bring change since the opposition remains weak, divided,
  and financially dependent on the current regime. Despite political
  conditions, a small population, abundant natural resources, and
  considerable foreign support have helped make Gabon one of the more
  prosperous and stable African countries.

Gambia, The
  The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965;
  it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal
  between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship
  and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the
  president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and
  presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997,
  completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook
  another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001
  and early 2002. Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH, the leader of the coup, has
  been elected president in all subsequent elections.

Gaza Strip
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
  Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
  September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
  five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
  and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
  powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
  includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
  1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
  the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
  May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
  in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
  September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
  Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
  October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
  el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
  responsibility during the transitional period for external and
  internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli
  citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
  Gaza and West Bank began in September 1999 after a three-year
  hiatus, but were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in
  September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank
  and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within
  the Palestinian Authority continued to undermine progress toward a
  permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian
  leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor
  Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 brought about a turning point in the
  conflict. In February 2005 the Israeli Government voted to disengage
  from the Gaza Strip by dismantling all Israeli settlements and
  removing all Israeli settlers. This process was completed in
  September 2005. Nonetheless, Israel maintains offshore maritime
  control as well as airspace control. The future political status of
  the Gaza Strip has yet to be determined.

Georgia
  The region of present-day Georgia contained the ancient
  kingdoms of Colchis and Kartli-Iberia. The area came under Roman
  influence in the first centuries AD and Christianity became the
  state religion in the 330s. Domination by Persians, Arabs, and Turks
  was followed by a Georgian golden age (11th to the 13th centuries)
  that was cut short by the Mongol invasion of 1236. Subsequently, the
  Ottoman and Persian empires competed for influence in the region.
  Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th century.
  Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the Russian
  revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until the
  Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Despite myriad problems, some
  progress on market reforms and democratization has been made since
  then. An attempt by the government to manipulate legislative
  elections in November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led
  to the resignation of Eduard SHEVARDNADZE, president since 1995. New
  elections in early 2004 swept Mikheil SAAKASHVILI into power along
  with his National Movement Party.

Germany
  As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation,
  Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political,
  and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany
  in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century
  and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the
  US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the advent of the
  Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal
  Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic
  (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic
  and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO,
  while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led
  Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War
  allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has
  expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages
  up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU
  countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro.

Ghana
  Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast
  and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
  sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A
  long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution
  in 1981 and a ban on political parties. A new constitution,
  restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
  RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in
  1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a
  third term in 2000. John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President
  Atta MILLS in a free and fair election, succeeded him.

Gibraltar
  Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great
  Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison
  was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967
  and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
  overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.

Glorioso Islands
  A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
  Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile
  Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison
  operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.

Greece
  Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in
  1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half
  of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
  territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. In World War II,
  Greece was first invaded by Italy (1940) and subsequently occupied
  by Germany (1941-44); fighting endured in a protracted civil war
  between royalist supporters of the king and communist rebels.
  Following the latter's defeat in 1949, Greece was able to join NATO
  in 1952. A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many
  political liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted
  seven years. The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum created
  a parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy. Greece joined
  the European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992);
  it became the 12th member of the euro zone in 2001.

Greenland
  The world's largest island, Greenland is about 81%
  ice-capped. Vikings reached the island in the 10th century from
  Iceland; Danish colonization began in the 18th century and Greenland
  was made an integral part of Denmark in 1953. It joined the European
  Community (now the European Union) with Denmark in 1973 but withdrew
  in 1985 over a dispute over stringent fishing quotas. Greenland was
  granted self-government in 1979 by the Danish parliament. The law
  went into effect the following year. Denmark continues to exercise
  control of Greenland's foreign affairs.

Grenada
  One of the smallest independent countries in the western
  hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
  October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
  those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
  ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
  were reinstituted the following year.

Guadeloupe
  Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The
  island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern
  portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands
  Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part
  of Guadeloupe

Guam
  Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the
  Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
  military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
  important US bases in the Pacific.

Guatemala
  The Maya civilization flourished in Guatemala and
  surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost
  three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence
  in 1821. During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced
  a variety of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year
  guerrilla war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement
  formally ending the conflict, which had left more than 100,000
  people dead and had created some 1 million refugees.

Guernsey
  The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands
  represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy,
  which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the
  only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.

Guinea
  Guinea has had only two presidents since gaining its
  independence from France in 1958. Lansana CONTE came to power in
  1984, when the military seized the government after the death of the
  first president, Sekou TOURE. Guinea did not hold democratic
  elections until 1993 when Gen. CONTE (head of the military
  government) was elected president of the civilian government. He was
  reelected in 1998 and again in 2003. Unrest in Sierra Leone and
  Liberia has spilled over into Guinea on several occasions over the
  past decade, threatening stability and creating humanitarian
  emergencies.

Guinea-Bissau
  Since independence from Portugal in 1974,
  Guinea-Bissau has experienced considerable upheaval. The founding
  government consisted of a single party system and command economy.
  In 1980, a military coup established Joao VIEIRA as president and a
  path to a market economy and multiparty system was implemented. A
  number of coup attempts through the 1980s and early 1990s failed to
  unseat him and in 1994 he was elected president in the country's
  first free elections. A military coup attempt and civil war in 1998
  eventually led to VIEIRA's ouster in 1999. In February 2000, an
  interim government turned over power when opposition leader Kumba
  YALA took office following two rounds of transparent presidential
  elections. YALA was ousted in a bloodless coup in September 2003,
  and Henrique ROSA was sworn in as President. Guinea-Bissau's
  transition back to democracy will be complicated by its crippled
  economy, devastated in the civil war.

Guyana
  Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana
  had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to
  black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured
  servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This
  ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent
  politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, but
  until the early 1990s it was ruled mostly by socialist-oriented
  governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president, in what is
  considered the country's first free and fair election since
  independence. Upon his death five years later, he was succeeded by
  his wife Janet, who resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her
  successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001.

Haiti
  The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
  Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
  virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
  early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
  and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
  island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
  sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
  Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
  and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
  century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
  L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
  republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
  by political violence for most of its history. It is the poorest
  country in the Western Hemisphere.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  These uninhabited, barren,
  sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in
  1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the
  islands have been designated a nature preserve.

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Popes in their secular role ruled portions
  of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the
  mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the
  newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were
  further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between
  a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by
  three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of
  Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.
  In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain
  of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman
  Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the
  Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the
  Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation,
  and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and
  globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic
  faith.

Honduras
  Once part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
  became an independent nation in 1821. After two and a half decades
  of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came
  to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
  anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
  and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting leftist
  guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
  which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion
  in damage.

Hong Kong
  Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
  by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
  in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and
  the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
  agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
  systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
  imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
  autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
  next 50 years.

Howland Island
  Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the
  island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British
  companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day
  beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially
  destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is
  named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is
  administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National
  Wildlife Refuge.

Hungary
  Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire,
  which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist
  rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced
  withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military
  intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968,
  Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called
  "Goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in
  1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and
  the EU in 2004.

Iceland
  Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
  immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland
  boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the
  Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
  was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
  volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
  widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
  island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
  home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
  attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
  are first-rate by world standards.

India
  The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
  dates back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
  invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian
  inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions
  starting in the 8th century and Turkish in the 12th were followed by
  those of European traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By
  the 19th century, Britain had assumed political control of virtually
  all Indian lands. Indian armed forces in the British army played a
  vital role in both World Wars. Nonviolent resistance to British
  colonialism led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU brought
  independence in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into the secular
  state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war
  between the two countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming
  the separate nation of Bangladesh. Despite impressive gains in
  economic investment and output, India faces pressing problems such
  as the ongoing dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive
  overpopulation, environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and
  ethnic and religious strife.

Indian Ocean
  The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's
  five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger
  than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important
  access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
  (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
  Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
  Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
  ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
  south of 60 degrees south.

Indonesia
  The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th
  century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945.
  Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it
  required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring
  hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to
  relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic
  state. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty,
  preventing terrorism, continuing the transition to popularly-elected
  governments after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing
  reforms of the banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and
  corruption, and holding the military and police accountable for
  human rights violations. Indonesia has been dealing with armed
  separatist movements in Aceh and in Papua.

Iran
  Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in
  1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was
  forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a
  theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority
  nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US
  relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students
  seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until
  20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive
  war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led
  to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between
  1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for
  its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains
  subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its
  continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist
  president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political
  reform in response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as
  conservative politicians have prevented reform measures from being
  enacted, increased repressive measures, and consolidated their
  control over the government.

Iraq
  Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by
  Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a
  League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over
  the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in
  1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series
  of military strongmen ruled the country, the latest was SADDAM
  Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and
  costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990, Iraq seized Kuwait,
  but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during the Gulf War
  of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN
  Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass
  destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification
  inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC resolutions
  over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led invasion of Iraq in
  March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn regime. Coalition
  forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded infrastructure
  and facilitating the establishment of a freely elected government,
  while simultaneously dealing with a robust insurgency. The Coalition
  Provisional Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim
  Government (IG) in June 2004. Iraqis voted on 30 January 2005 to
  elect a 275-member Transitional National Assembly that will draft a
  permanent constitution and pave the way for new national elections
  at the end of 2005.

Ireland
  Celtic tribes arrived on the island between 600-150 B.C.
  Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
  finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
  English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
  seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
  and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
  off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
  independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
  (Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
  Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
  European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
  peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
  against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
  known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is being
  implemented with some difficulties.

Israel
  Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
  mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
  Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
  the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
  the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
  Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
  profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
  from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
  Israel and Palestinian officials signed on 13 September 1993 a
  Declaration of Principles (also known as the "Oslo accords") guiding
  an interim period of Palestinian self-rule. Outstanding territorial
  and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994
  Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition, on 25 May 2000, Israel
  withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied
  since 1982. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid
  Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations were conducted
  between Israel and Palestinian representatives and Syria to achieve
  a permanent settlement. On 24 June 2002, US President BUSH laid out
  a "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which
  envisions a two-state solution. However, progress toward a permanent
  status agreement has been undermined by Palestinian-Israeli violence
  ongoing since September 2000. The conflict may have reached a
  turning point with the election in January 2005 of Mahmud ABBAS as
  the new Palestinian leader following the November 2004 death of
  Yasir ARAFAT.

Italy
  Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of
  the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under
  King Victor EMMANUEL II. An era of parliamentary government came to
  a close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a
  Fascist dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led
  to Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced
  the monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a
  charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It
  has been at the forefront of European economic and political
  unification, joining the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.
  Persistent problems include illegal immigration, organized crime,
  corruption, high unemployment, sluggish economic growth, and the low
  incomes and technical standards of southern Italy compared with the
  prosperous north.

Jamaica
  Jamaica gained full independence within the British
  Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the
  1970s led to recurrent violence and a drop off in tourism. Elections
  in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office. Political
  violence marred elections during the 1990s.

Jan Mayen
  This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
  whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
  claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
  and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
  Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
  Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
  northernmost active volcano on earth.

Japan
  In 1603, a Tokugawa shogunate (military dictatorship) ushered
  in a long period of isolation from foreign influence in order to
  secure its power. For 250 years this policy enabled Japan to enjoy
  stability and a flowering of its indigenous culture. Following the
  Treaty of Kanagawa with the United States in 1854, Japan opened its
  ports and began to intensively modernize and industrialize. During
  the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Japan became a regional
  power that was able to defeat the forces of both China and Russia.
  It occupied Korea, Formosa (Taiwan), and southern Sakhalin Island.
  In 1933 Japan occupied Manchuria and in 1937 it launched a
  full-scale invasion of China. Japan attacked US forces in 1941 -
  triggering America's entry into World War II - and soon occupied
  much of East and Southeast Asia. After its defeat in World War II,
  Japan recovered to become an economic power and a staunch ally of
  the US. While the emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national
  unity, actual power rests in networks of powerful politicians,
  bureaucrats, and business executives. The economy experienced a
  major slowdown starting in the 1990s following three decades of
  unprecedented growth, but Japan still remains a major economic
  power, both in Asia and globally. In 2005, Japan began a two-year
  term as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Jarvis Island
  First discovered by the British in 1821, the
  uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in
  1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island
  in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The
  US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World
  War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge
  administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is
  situated near the middle of the west coast.

Jersey
  The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent
  the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway
  in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
  occupied by German troops in World War II.

Johnston Atoll
  Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed
  Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano
  deposits until the late 1880s. Johnston and Sand Islands were
  designated wildlife refuges in 1926. The US Navy took over the atoll
  in 1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948.
  The site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and
  1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage
  and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now
  complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility was completed in 2004.

Jordan
  For most of its history since independence from British
  administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
  A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
  from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
  Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, despite several
  wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he reinstituted parliamentary
  elections and gradual political liberalization; in 1994 he signed a
  formal peace treaty with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son
  of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his
  father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his
  power and undertaken an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan
  acceded to the World Trade Organization in 2000, and began to
  participate in the European Free Trade Association in 2001. After a
  two-year delay, parliamentary and municipal elections took place in
  the summer of 2003. The Prime Minister and government appointed in
  April 2005 declared they would build upon the previous government's
  achievements to respect political and human rights and improve
  living standards.

Juan de Nova Island
  Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
  navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
  since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
  Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
  station.

Kazakhstan
  Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes
  who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united
  as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
  century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
  1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
  were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
  This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
  deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
  non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence in 1991 caused many
  of these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
  cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
  country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
  achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
  mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
  and other foreign powers.

Kenya
  Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
  led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
  Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
  The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
  the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
  legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
  for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
  opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
  and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
  having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
  MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
  elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
  united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
  KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
  campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Kingman Reef
  The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon
  served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa
  flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on
  the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant
  and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding
  the reef out to 12 nm were designated a US National Wildlife Refuge.

Kiribati
  The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
  1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of
  Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited
  Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with
  Kiribati.

Korea, North
  An independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for
  most of the past millennium, Korea was occupied by Japan in 1905
  following the Russo-Japanese War; five years later, Japan formally
  annexed the entire peninsula. Following World War II, Korea was
  split with the northern half coming under Soviet-sponsored Communist
  domination. After failing in the Korean War (1950-53) to conquer the
  US-backed republic in the southern portion by force, North Korea,
  under its founder President KIM Il Sung, adopted a policy of
  ostensible diplomatic and economic "self-reliance" as a check
  against excessive Soviet or Communist Chinese influence. It molded
  political, economic, and military policies around the core
  ideological objective of eventual unification of Korea under
  Pyongyang's control. KIM's son, the current ruler KIM Jong Il, was
  officially designated as KIM's successor in 1980 and assumed a
  growing political and managerial role until his father's death in
  1994. He assumed full power without opposition. After decades of
  economic mismanagement and resource misallocation, the North since
  the mid-1990s has relied heavily on international aid to feed its
  population while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army
  of about 1 million. North Korea's long-range missile development and
  research into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive
  conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international
  community. In December 2002, following revelations it was pursuing a
  nuclear weapons program based on enriched uranium in violation of a
  1994 agreement with the United States to freeze and ultimately
  dismantle its existing plutonium-based program, North Korea expelled
  monitors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In
  January 2003, it declared its withdrawal from the international
  Non-Proliferation Treaty. In mid-2003 Pyongyang announced it had
  completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods (to extract
  weapons-grade plutonium) and was developing a "nuclear deterrent."
  From August 2003, North Korea has participated on and off in
  six-party talks with the China, Japan, Russia, South Korea, and the
  United States to resolve the stalemate over its nuclear programs.

Korea, South
  Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese
  suzerainty for most of the past millennium. Following its victory in
  the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years
  later it formally annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II,
  a republic was set up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula
  while a Communist-style government was installed in the north.
  During the Korean War (1950-53), US and other UN forces intervened
  to defend South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the
  Chinese. An armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula
  along a demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter,
  South Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income
  rising to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South
  Korean voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years
  of military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning
  modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit
  took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the
  North's leader KIM Jong Il.

Kuwait
  Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
  Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
  Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
  several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
  ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
  days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
  damaged during 1990-91.

Kyrgyzstan
  A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and
  proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864;
  it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Nation-wide
  demonstrations in the spring of 2005 resulted in the ouster of
  President Askar AKAYEV, who had run the country since 1990.
  Subsequent presidential elections in July of 2005 were won
  overwhelmingly by former prime minister Kurmanbek BAKIYEV. Current
  concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
  expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
  relations, and combating terrorism.

Laos
  Laos was under the control of Siam (Thailand) from the late
  18th century until the late 19th century when it became part of
  French Indochina. The Franco-Siamese Treaty of 1907 defined the
  current Lao border with Thailand. In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao
  took control of the government, ending a six-century-old monarchy.
  Initial closer ties to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with
  a gradual return to private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign
  investment laws, and the admission into ASEAN in 1997.

Latvia
  After a brief period of independence between the two World
  Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
  independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
  Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
  Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
  Moscow. Latvia joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Lebanon
  Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
  institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 15-year civil
  war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
  reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
  political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
  the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
  in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
  conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
  been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
  extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
  country. Hizballah, a radical Shia organization, retains its
  weapons. During Lebanon's civil war, the Arab League legitimized in
  the Ta'if Accord Syria's troop deployment, numbering about 16,000
  based mainly east of Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Damascus
  justified its continued military presence in Lebanon by citing
  Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese Government to
  implement all of the constitutional reforms in the Ta'if Accord.
  Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, however,
  encouraged some Lebanese groups to demand that Syria withdraw its
  forces as well. The passage of UNSCR 1559 in early October 2004 - a
  resolution calling for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon and end its
  interference in Lebanese affairs - further emboldened Lebanese
  groups opposed to Syria's presence in Lebanon. Syria finally
  withdrew the remainder of its forces from Lebanon in April of 2005.

Lesotho
  Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon
  independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in
  1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995.
  Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years of
  military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
  following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody
  intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under
  the aegis of the Southern African Development Community.
  Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability;
  peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002.

Liberia
  In August 2003, a comprehensive peace agreement ended 14
  years of civil war and prompted the resignation of former president
  Charles TAYLOR, who was exiled to Nigeria. The National Transitional
  Government of Liberia (NTGL) - composed of rebel, government, and
  civil society groups - assumed control in October 2003. Chairman
  Gyude BRYANT, who was given a two-year mandate to oversee efforts to
  rebuild Liberia, heads the new government. The United Nations
  Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), which maintains a strong presence
  throughout the country, completed a disarmament program for former
  combatants in late 2004, but the security situation is still
  volatile and the process of rebuilding the social and economic
  structure of this war-torn country remains sluggish.

Libya
  From the earliest days of his rule following his 1969 military
  coup, Col. Muammar Abu Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own
  political system, the Third Universal Theory. The system is a
  combination of socialism and Islam derived in part from tribal
  practices and is supposed to be implemented by the Libyan people
  themselves in a unique form of "direct democracy." QADHAFI has
  always seen himself as a revolutionary and visionary leader. He used
  oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology outside
  Libya, supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to hasten the
  end of Marxism and capitalism. In addition, beginning in 1973, he
  engaged in military operations in northern Chad's Aozou Strip - to
  gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian
  politics - but was forced to retreat in 1987. UN sanctions in 1992
  isolated QADHAFI politically following the downing of Pan AM Flight
  103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. Libyan support for terrorism appeared
  to have decreased after the imposition of sanctions. During the
  1990s, QADHAFI also began to rebuild his relationships with Europe.
  UN sanctions were suspended in April 1999 and finally lifted in
  September 2003 after Libya resolved the Lockerbie case. In December
  2003, Libya announced that it had agreed to reveal and end its
  programs to develop weapons of mass destruction, and QADHAFI has
  made significant strides in normalizing relations with western
  nations since then. He has received various Western European leaders
  as well as many working-level and commercial delegations, and made
  his first trip to Western Europe in 15 years when he traveled to
  Brussels in April 2004. QADHAFI also finally resolved in 2004
  several outstanding cases against his government for terrorist
  activities in the 1980s by paying compensation to the families of
  victims of the UTA and La Belle disco bombings.

Liechtenstein
  The Principality of Liechtenstein was established
  within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in
  1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria,
  but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced
  Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with
  Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained
  neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic
  growth. Shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have resulted
  in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for money
  laundering. Liechtenstein has, however, implemented new
  anti-money-laundering legislation and recently concluded a Mutual
  Legal Assistance Treaty with the US.

Lithuania
  Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was
  annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the
  first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but
  Moscow did not recognize this proclamation until September of 1991
  (following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
  withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently restructured its economy
  for integration into Western European institutions; it joined both
  NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Luxembourg
  Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
  and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than
  half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger
  measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun
  by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when
  it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO
  the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
  founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the
  European Union), and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.

Macau
  Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
  first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
  signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
  Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
  1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
  formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
  Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
  matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.

Macedonia
  International recognition of Macedonia's independence from
  Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's objection to the new
  state's use of what it considered a Hellenic name and symbols.
  Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995 and the two
  countries agreed to normalize relations, although differences over
  Macedonia's name remain. The undetermined status of neighboring
  Kosovo, implementation of the Framework Agreement - which ended the
  2001 ethnic Albanian armed insurgency - and a weak economy continue
  to be challenges for Macedonia.

Madagascar
  Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
  French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During
  1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were
  held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second
  presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
  1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential
  election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and
  Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country.
  In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA
  the winner.

Malawi
  Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
  became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
  of one-party rule under President Hastings Kamuzu BANDA the country
  held multiparty elections in 1994, under a provisional constitution,
  which came into full effect the following year. Current President
  Bingu wa MUTHARIKA, elected in May 2004 after the previous president
  failed to amend the constitution to permit another term, has
  struggled to assert his authority against his predecessor, who still
  leads their shared political party. MATHARIKA's anti-corruption
  efforts have led to several high-level arrests but no convictions.
  Increasing corruption, population growth, increasing pressure on
  agricultural lands, and HIV/AIDS pose major problems for the country.

Malaysia
  During the late 18th and 19th centuries, Great Britain
  established colonies and protectorates in the area of current
  Malaysia; these were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. In 1948,
  the British-ruled territories on the Malay Peninsula formed the
  Federation of Malaya, which became independent in 1957. Malaysia was
  formed in 1963 when the former British colonies of Singapore and the
  East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
  Borneo joined the Federation. The first several years of the
  country's history were marred by Indonesian efforts to control
  Malaysia, Philippine claims to Sabah, and Singapore's secession from
  the Federation in 1965.

Maldives
  The Maldives was long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
  then under British protection. It became a republic in 1968, three
  years after independence. Since 1978, President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM
  - currently in his sixth term in office - has dominated the islands'
  political scene. Following riots in the capital Male in August 2004,
  the president and his government have pledged to embark upon
  democratic reforms, including a more representative political system
  and expanded political freedoms. Tourism and fishing are being
  developed on the archipelago.

Mali
  The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France
  in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a
  few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
  Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
  transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
  presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
  President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
  economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
  two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
  succeeded by Amadou TOURE.

Malta
  Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.
  The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
  remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
  decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
  island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a
  financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU
  member in May of 2004.

Man, Isle of
  Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the
  13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
  British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
  extinct Manx Gaelic language.

Marshall Islands
  After almost four decades under US administration
  as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
  Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
  result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and
  1962. The Marshall Islands hosts the US Army Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA)
  Reagan Missile Test Site, a key installation in the US missile
  defense network.

Martinique
  Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently
  remained a French possession except for three brief periods of
  foreign occupation.

Mauritania
  Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the
  southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in
  1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the
  Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
  Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA siezed power in a coup in 1984.
  Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in
  1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely
  seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections
  were generally free and open. A bloodless coup in August 2005
  deposed President TAYA and ushered in a military council headed by
  Col. Ely Ould Mohamed VALL, which declared it would remain in power
  for up to two years while it created conditions for genuine
  democratic institutions. For now, however, Mauritania remains, a
  one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions
  between its black population and the Maur (Arab-Berber) populace.

Mauritius
  Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was
  subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
  independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
  free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
  attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
  Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
  declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some
  protests over standards of living in the Creole community.

Mayotte
  Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of
  the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
  that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
  independence.

Mexico
  The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came
  under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence
  early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994
  threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession
  in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive
  recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real
  wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,
  inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities
  for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
  states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the
  1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
  government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
  of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
  as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

Micronesia, Federated States of
  In 1979 the Federated States of
  Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a
  constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of
  Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004.
  Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and
  overdependence on US aid.

Midway Islands
  The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867.
  The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the
  islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947,
  Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The
  US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of
  the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve
  as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a
  national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to
  the public; it is now temporarily closed.

Moldova
  Formerly part of Romania, Moldova was incorporated into the
  Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from
  the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan
  territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
  population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
  "Transnistria" republic. The poorest nation in Europe, Moldova
  became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its
  president in 2001.

Monaco
  Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century
  with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since
  then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and
  gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and
  recreation center.

Mongolia
  The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under
  Chinggis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death
  the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but
  these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually
  retired to their original steppe homelands and later came under
  Chinese rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet
  backing. A Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early
  1990s, the ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party
  (MPRP) gradually yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic
  Union Coalition (DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national
  election in 1996. Since then, parliamentary elections returned the
  MPRP overwhelmingly to power in 2000 and produced a coalition
  government in 2004.

Montserrat
  Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the
  population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere
  Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured
  volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July
  2003.

Morocco
  In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North
  Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In
  the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad
  AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a
  golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in
  a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw
  Morocco's sovereignty steadily eroded; in 1912, the French imposed a
  protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle
  with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city
  of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new
  country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara
  during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the
  territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s
  resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in 1997.
  Parliamentary elections were held for the second time in September
  2002 and municipal elections were held in September 2003.

Mozambique
  Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a
  close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites,
  economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a
  prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling
  Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) party formally
  abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the following year
  provided for multiparty elections and a free market economy. A
  UN-negotiated peace agreement between FRELIMO and rebel Mozambique
  National Resistance (RENAMO) forces ended the fighting in 1992. In
  December 2004, Mozambique underwent a delicate transition as Joaquim
  CHISSANO stepped down after 18 years in office. His newly elected
  successor, Armando Emilio GUEBUZA, has promised to continue the
  sound economic policies that have encouraged foreign investment.

Namibia
  South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa
  during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after
  World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist
  South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group
  launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named
  Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end
  its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire
  region. Namibia won its independence in 1990 and has been governed
  by SWAPO since. Hifikepunye POHAMBA was elected president in
  November 2004 in a landslide victory replacing Sam NUJOMA who led
  the country during its first 14 years of self rule.

Nauru
  Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
  century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
  Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
  1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
  independent republic.

Navassa Island
  This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857
  for its guano. Mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The
  lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration
  of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department
  of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island
  described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the
  following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge and annual
  scientific expeditions have continued.

Nepal
  In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of
  rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
  government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
  within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
  insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
  to bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire
  between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.
  In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,
  including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October
  2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for
  "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were
  subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing
  insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the
  king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime
  minister who formed a four-party coalition government, which the
  king subsequently tasked with paving the way for elections to be
  held in spring of 2005. Citing dissatisfaction with the government's
  lack of progress in addressing the Maoist insurgency, the king in
  February 2005 dissolved the government and assumed power.

Netherlands
  The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In
  1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands
  remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and
  occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized
  nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural
  products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now
  the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands Antilles
  Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,
  the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in
  1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in
  the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to
  service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of
  Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named
  Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern
  portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).

New Caledonia
  Settled by both Britain and France during the first
  half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in
  1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
  Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s has
  dissipated.

New Zealand
  The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D.
  800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain,
  the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
  Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
  British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
  land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
  peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
  dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
  New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
  lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
  address longstanding Maori grievances.

Nicaragua
  The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish
  colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from
  Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent
  republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first
  half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region
  in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental
  manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and
  resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist
  Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist
  rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista
  contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990,
  1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country
  has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by
  Hurricane Mitch in 1998.

Niger
  Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did
  Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord
  ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and
  1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation
  Council that effected a transition to civilian rule by December
  1999. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world with
  minimal government services and insufficient funds to develop its
  resource base. The largely agrarian and subsistence-based economy is
  frequently disrupted by extended droughts common to the Sahel region
  of Africa.

Nigeria
  Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new
  constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to
  civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting
  task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have
  been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and
  institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO
  administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious
  tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth
  and political stability. Despite some irregularities, the April 2003
  elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's
  history.

Niue
  Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
  differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
  of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
  The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
  in 1966 to about 2,150 in 2005), with substantial emigration to New
  Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.

Norfolk Island
  Two British attempts at establishing the island as a
  penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In
  1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of
  the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.

Northern Mariana Islands
  Under US administration as part of the UN
  Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana
  Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to
  forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status
  began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political
  union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and
  constitution went into effect in 1978.

Norway
  Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off
  following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in
  994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next
  several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with
  Denmark that was to last for more than four centuries. In 1814,
  Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and
  adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to
  let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union
  under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century
  led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Although
  Norway remained neutral in World War I, it suffered heavy losses to
  its shipping. Norway proclaimed its neutrality at the outset of
  World War II, but was nonetheless occupied for five years by Nazi
  Germany (1940-45). In 1949, neutrality was abandoned and Norway
  became a member of NATO. Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters
  in the late 1960s boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current
  focus is on containing spending on the extensive welfare system and
  planning for the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In
  referenda held in 1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.

Oman
  In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has
  ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has
  opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a
  long-standing political and military relationship with the UK.
  Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain
  good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.

Pacific Ocean
  The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
  oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
  Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways
  include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and
  Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
  Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the
  Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60
  degrees south.

Pakistan
  The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim
  state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely
  Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved, and India and
  Pakistan have fought two wars - in 1947-48 and 1965 - over the
  disputed Kashmir territory. A third war between these countries in
  1971 - in which India capitalized on Islamabad's marginalization of
  Bengalis in Pakistani politics - resulted in East Pakistan becoming
  the separate nation of Bangladesh. In response to Indian nuclear
  weapons testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998. The
  dispute over the state of Kashmir is ongoing, but recent discussions
  and confidence-building measures may be a start toward lessened
  tensions.

Palau
  After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
  Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
  Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
  Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
  the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
  into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.

Palmyra Atoll
  The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and
  the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
  archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
  include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
  Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
  preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
  mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
  Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
  January 2001.

Panama
  With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and
  promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction
  of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of
  the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by
  the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
  1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
  from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
  Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
  in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
  deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
  Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
  or on 31 December 1999.

Papua New Guinea
  The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -
  second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)
  and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to
  Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World
  War I and continued to administer the combined areas until
  independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island
  of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives.

Paracel Islands
  The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive
  fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932,
  French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
  Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam.
  China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
  seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
  The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.

Paraguay
  In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
  Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its
  territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In
  the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were
  won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
  STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
  political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular
  presidential elections have been held since then.

Peru
  Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
  civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
  captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence
  was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824.
  After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic
  leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth
  of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in
  1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the
  economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity.
  Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian
  measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting
  dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third
  term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and
  corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of
  that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the
  spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of
  government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of
  corruption.

Philippines
  The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during
  the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the
  Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines became a
  self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected President and
  was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a
  10-year transition. In 1942 the islands fell under Japanese
  occupation during WWII, and US forces and Filipinos fought together
  during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Philippines
  attained their independence. The 21-year rule of Ferdinand MARCOS
  ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion forced him into
  exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Her presidency was
  hampered by several coup attempts, which prevented a return to full
  political stability and economic development. Fidel RAMOS was
  elected president in 1992 and his administration was marked by
  greater stability and progress on economic reforms. In 1992, the US
  closed its last military bases on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was
  elected president in 1998, but was succeeded by his vice-president,
  Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy
  impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and widespread
  demonstrations led to his ouster. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected to a
  six-year term in May 2004. The Philippine Government faces threats
  from armed communist insurgencies and from Muslim separatists in the
  south.

Pitcairn Islands
  Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the
  British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their
  Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become
  a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of
  that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New
  Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to
  less than 50 today.

Poland
  Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived near the
  middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th
  century. During the following century, the strengthening of the
  gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation. In a series of
  agreements between 1772 and 1795, Russia, Prussia, and Austria
  partitioned Poland amongst themselves. Poland regained its
  independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet
  Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following
  the war, but its government was comparatively tolerant and
  progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to the formation of the
  independent trade union "Solidarity" that over time became a
  political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary elections and
  the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the early 1990s
  enabled the country to transform its economy into one of the most
  robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low GDP
  growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat in
  the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single
  deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the
  Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade
  Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European
  Union in 2004.

Portugal
  Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and
  16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
  destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
  Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
  A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
  decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
  left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
  following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
  colonies. Portugal is a founding member of NATO and entered the EC
  (now the EU) in 1986.

Puerto Rico
  Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the
  island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus'
  second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial
  rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and
  African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a
  result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
  citizenship in 1917. Popularly-elected governors have served since
  1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for internal
  self government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998, voters
  chose to retain commonwealth status.

Qatar
  Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
  transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
  pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
  gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
  economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
  revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son,
  the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, overthrew him in a
  bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding
  border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural
  gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita
  incomes in the world.

Reunion
  The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513.
  From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration,
  supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar
  Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez
  Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the
  East Indies trade route.

Romania
  The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries
  under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their
  autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted
  the new name of Romania. The country gained recognition of its
  independence in 1878. It joined the Allied Powers in World War I and
  acquired new territories following the conflict. In 1940, it allied
  with the Axis powers and participated in the 1941 German invasion of
  the USSR. Three years later, overrun by the Soviets, Romania signed
  an armistice. The post-war Soviet occupation led to the formation of
  a Communist "people's republic" in 1947 and the abdication of the
  king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae CEAUSESCU, who took
  power in 1965, and his Securitate police state became increasingly
  oppressive and draconian through the 1980s. CEAUSESCU was overthrown
  and executed in late 1989. Former Communists dominated the
  government until 1996, when they were swept from power by a
  fractious coalition of centrist parties. In 2000, the center-left
  Social Democratic Party (PSD) became Romania's leading party,
  governing with the support of the Democratic Union of Hungarians in
  Romania (UDMR). The opposition center-right alliance formed by the
  National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Party (PD) scored a
  surprise victory over the ruling PSD in December 2004 presidential
  elections. The PNL-PD alliance maintains a parliamentary majority
  with the support of the UDMR, the Humanist Party (PUR), and various
  ethnic minority groups. Although Romania completed accession talks
  with the European Union (EU) in December 2004, it must continue to
  address rampant corruption - while invigorating lagging economic and
  democratic reforms - before it can achieve its hope of joining the
  EU, tentatively set for 2007. Romania joined NATO in March of 2004.

Russia
  Founded in the 12th century, the Principality of Muscovy, was
  able to emerge from over 200 years of Mongol domination (13th-15th
  centuries) and to gradually conquer and absorb surrounding
  principalities. In the early 17th century, a new Romanov Dynasty
  continued this policy of expansion across Siberia to the Pacific.
  Under PETER I (ruled 1682-1725), hegemony was extended to the Baltic
  Sea and the country was renamed the Russian Empire. During the 19th
  century, more territorial acquisitions were made in Europe and Asia.
  Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War I led
  to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian Empire and
  to the overthrow in 1917 of the imperial household. The Communists
  under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after and formed the USSR.
  The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53) strengthened Russian
  dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens of millions of
  lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in the following
  decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985-91)
  introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) in an
  attempt to modernize Communism, but his initiatives inadvertently
  released forces that by December 1991 splintered the USSR into 15
  independent republics. Since then, Russia has struggled in its
  efforts to build a democratic political system and market economy to
  replace the strict social, political, and economic controls of the
  Communist period. While some progress has been made on the economic
  front, recent years have seen a recentralization of power under
  Vladimir PUTIN and an erosion in nascent democratic institutions. A
  determined guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.

Rwanda
  In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the
  majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.
  Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and
  some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The
  children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan
  Patriotic Front (RPF), and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along
  with several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic
  tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly
  800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the
  Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2
  million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to
  neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the former Zaire. Since
  then, most of the refugees have returned to Rwanda, but about 10,000
  that remain in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo have
  formed an extremist insurgency bent on retaking Rwanda, much as the
  RPF tried in 1990. Despite substantial international assistance and
  political reforms - including Rwanda's first local elections in
  March 1999 and its first post-genocide presidential and legislative
  elections in August and September 2003, respectively - the country
  continues to struggle to boost investment and agricultural output,
  and ethnic reconciliation is complicated by the real and perceived
  Tutsi political dominance. Kigali's increasing centralization and
  intolerance of dissent, the nagging Hutu extremist insurgency across
  the border, and Rwandan involvement in two wars in recent years in
  the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to hinder
  Rwanda's efforts to escape its bloody legacy.

Saint Helena
  Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
  1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
  century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's
  exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a
  port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
  Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield;
  Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  First settled by the British in 1623, the
  islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in
  1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in
  1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998,
  a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell
  short of the two-thirds majority needed. Nevis is once more trying
  to separate from the Saint Kitts.

Saint Lucia
  The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
  was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
  early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
  ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
  independence in 1979.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  First settled by the French in the early
  17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of
  France's once vast North American possessions.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Disputed between France and the
  United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the
  latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in
  1979.

Samoa
  New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa
  at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer
  the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,
  when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
  independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
  from its name in 1997.

San Marino
  The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See
  and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According
  to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marino
  in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of
  Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track
  closely with those of its larger neighbor.

Sao Tome and Principe
  Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late
  15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee
  and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave
  labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although
  independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not
  instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections
  were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of
  continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup
  attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf
  of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's
  economy.

Saudi Arabia
  In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured
  Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian
  Peninsula. A son of ABD AL-AZIZ rules the country today, and the
  country's Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in the
  hands of the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder.
  Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted
  the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western
  and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait
  the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on
  Saudi soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension
  between the royal family and the public until the US military's
  near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first
  major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which
  occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the
  part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and
  extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media
  freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial
  political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer
  depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and
  prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.

Senegal
  Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The
  Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982.
  However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never
  carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace
  talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with
  government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of
  participating in international peacekeeping.

Serbia and Montenegro
  The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was
  formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.
  Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various
  paramilitary bands that fought each other as well as the invaders.
  The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German
  expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government and its
  successors (he died in 1980) managed to steer their own path between
  the Warsaw Pact nations and the West for the next four and a half
  decades. In the early 1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel
  along ethnic lines: Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, and Bosnia and
  Herzegovina were recognized as independent states in 1992. The
  remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new "Federal
  Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in April 1992 and, under President
  Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts
  to unite ethnic Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater
  Serbia." All of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful and led
  to Yugoslavia being ousted from the UN in 1992. In 1998-99, massive
  expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians
  living in Kosovo provoked an international response, including the
  NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of a NATO-led force
  (KFOR), in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of 2000, brought
  about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav KOSTUNICA as
  president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for his
  subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the
  Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against
  humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension from the UN was lifted,
  and it was once more accepted into UN organizations under the name
  of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by
  the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June
  1999, under the authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244,
  pending a determination by the international community of its future
  status. In 2002, the Serbian and Montenegrin components of
  Yugoslavia began negotiations to forge a looser relationship. These
  talks became a reality in February 2003 when lawmakers restructured
  the country into a loose federation of two republics called Serbia
  and Montenegro. The Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro
  includes a provision that allows either republic to hold a
  referendum after three years that would allow for their independence
  from the state union.

Seychelles
  A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for
  the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.
  Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close
  with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
  presidential elections were held in 2001; President RENE, who had
  served since 1977, was re-elected. In April 2004 RENE stepped down
  and Vice President James MICHEL was sworn in as president.

Sierra Leone
  The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and
  the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands
  of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about
  one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in
  neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force
  and contributions from the World Bank and international community,
  demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces
  (CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in
  May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its
  authority. However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in
  Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005,
  deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the
  tenuous security situation in neighboring Liberia may present
  challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability.

Singapore
  Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
  It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
  later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
  world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
  links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage
  handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading
  nations of Western Europe.

Slovakia
  In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to
  form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
  Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
  Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
  more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
  peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia joined both NATO and the EU
  in the spring of 2004.

Slovenia
  The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and
  Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in
  forming a new multinational state, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After
  World War II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia,
  which though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule.
  Dissatisfied with the exercise of power by the majority Serbs, the
  Slovenes succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after
  a short 10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong
  economy, and a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's
  transformation to a modern state. Slovenia acceded to both NATO and
  the EU in the spring of 2004.

Solomon Islands
  The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon
  Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II
  occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and
  independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government
  malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil
  society. In June 2003, Prime Minister Sir Allen KEMAKEZA sought the
  assistance of Australia in reestablishing law and order; the
  following month, an Australian-led multinational force arrived to
  restore peace and disarm ethnic militias. The Regional Assistance
  Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) has been very effective in
  restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions.

Somalia
  The regime of Mohamed SIAD Barre was ousted in January 1991;
  turmoil, factional fighting, and anarchy have followed in the years
  since. In May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent
  Republic of Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions
  of Awdal, Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not
  recognized by any government, this entity has maintained a stable
  existence, aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and
  economic infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and
  American military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and
  Nugaal and northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared
  autonomous state of Puntland, which has been self-governing since
  1998, but does not aim at independence; it has also made strides
  towards reconstructing a legitimate, representative government, but
  has suffered some civil strife. Puntland disputes its border with
  Somaliland as it also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag.
  Beginning in 1993, a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in
  the south) was able to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN
  withdrew in 1995, having suffered significant casualties, order
  still had not been restored. The mandate of the Transitional
  National Government (TNG), created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti,
  expired in August 2003. New Somali President Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed
  has formed a new Transitional Federal Government (TFG) consisting of
  a 275-member parliament. It was established in October 2004 to
  replace the TNG but has not yet moved to Mogadishu. Discussions
  regarding the establishment of a new government in Mogadishu are
  ongoing in Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting
  for control of the capital city as well as for other southern
  regions. Suspicion of Somali links with global terrorism further
  complicates the picture.

South Africa
  After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
  1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
  their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold
  (1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the
  subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British
  encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The
  resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid
  - the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to
  apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  The islands lie
  approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been
  under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period
  in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,
  was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer
  Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated
  attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months
  later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
  successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
  Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
  is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
  the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
  populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
  marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
  exclusive fishing zone from 12 nm to 200 nm around each island.

Southern Ocean
  A decision by the International Hydrographic
  Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean -
  the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic
  Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends
  from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude,
  which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean
  is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the
  Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the
  Arctic Ocean).

Spain
  Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
  ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
  failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
  the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
  and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
  but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
  second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
  the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
  Continuing challenges include Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
  terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.

Spratly Islands
  The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
  islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and
  potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their
  entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
  by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 45 islands are occupied by
  relatively small numbers of military forces from China, Malaysia,
  the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Brunei has established a
  fishing zone that overlaps a southern reef, but has not made any
  formal claim.

Sri Lanka
  The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century
  B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced
  beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great
  civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from
  circa 200 B.C. to circa A.D. 1000) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070
  to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power
  in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the
  Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century,
  the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony
  in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it
  became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in
  1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists
  erupted into war in 1983. Tens of thousands have died in an ethnic
  conflict that continues to fester. After two decades of fighting,
  the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam formalized a
  cease-fire in February 2002, with Norway brokering peace
  negotiations.

Sudan
  Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
  dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
  Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the
  remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in
  northern economic, political, and social domination of non-Muslim,
  non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, but
  broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects
  resulted in more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
  displaced over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum
  in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha
  peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy
  for six years, after which a referendum for independence is
  scheduled to be held. A separate conflict that broke out in the
  western region of Darfur in 2003 resulted in tens of thousands of
  deaths and over 1 million displaced, but by early 2005, peackeeping
  troops had stabilized the situation.

Suriname
  Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five
  years later the civilian government was replaced by a military
  regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule
  through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until
  1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic
  election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government,
  but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.

Svalbard
  First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the
  islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
  18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five
  years later it officially took over the territory.

Swaziland
  Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
  by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted in
  1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s pressured the
  monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
  political reform and greater democracy. Swaziland recently surpassed
  Botswana as the country with the world's highest known rates of
  HIV/AIDS infection

Sweden
  A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
  participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
  was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
  formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
  elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment and in
  2000-02 by the global economic downturn, but fiscal discipline over
  the past several years has allowed the country to weather economic
  vagaries. Indecision over the country's role in the political and
  economic integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU
  until 1995, and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Switzerland
  The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a
  defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other
  localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation
  secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499.
  Switzerland's sovreignty and neutrality have long been honored by
  the major European powers, and the country was not involved in
  either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration
  of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role
  in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened
  Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not
  officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active
  in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong
  commitment to neutrality.

Syria
  Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War
  I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946.
  In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
  Israel. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in an
  ostensible peacekeeping role - were withdrawn in April of 2005. Over
  the past decade, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks
  over the return of the Golan Heights.

Taiwan
  In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
  Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II.
  Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
  Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
  1946 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
  decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
  incorporated the native population within the governing structure.
  In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from
  the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this
  period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic
  "Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the
  relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of
  eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic
  reform.

Tajikistan
  The Tajik people came under Russian rule in the 1860s and
  1870s, but Russia's hold on Central Asia weakened following the
  Revolution of 1917. Bolshevik control of the area was fiercely
  contested and not fully reestablished until 1925. Tajikistan became
  independent in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union and
  has now completed its transition from the civil war that plagued the
  country from 1992 to 1997. There have been no major security
  incidents in recent years, although the country remains the poorest
  in the region. Attention by the international community in the wake
  of the war in Afghanistan has brought increased economic development
  assistance, which could create jobs and increase stability in the
  long term. Tajikistan is in the early stages of seeking World Trade
  Organization membership and has joined NATO's Partnership for Peace.

Tanzania
  Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged
  to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an
  end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country
  since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular
  opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which
  the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of
  voting irregularities.

Thailand
  A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
  century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast
  Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
  bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
  alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
  following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence
  in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

Togo
  French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
  installed as military ruler in 1967, continued to rule well into the
  21st century. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
  in the early 1990s, the government continued to be dominated by
  President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
  maintained power almost continually since 1967. Togo has come under
  fire from international organizations for human rights abuses and is
  plagued by political unrest. While most bilateral and multilateral
  aid to Togo remains frozen, the European Union initiated a partial
  resumption of cooperation and development aid to Togo in late 2004.
  Upon his death in February 2005, President EYADEMA was succeeded by
  his son Faure GNASSINGBE. The succession, supported by the military
  and in contravention of the nation's constitution, was challenged by
  popular protest and a threat of sanctions from regional leaders.
  GNASSINGBE succumbed to pressure and agreed to hold elections in
  late April 2005.

Tokelau
  Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding
  island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate
  in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.

Tonga
  The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
  Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
  1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
  independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
  Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.

Trinidad and Tobago
  The islands came under British control in the
  19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one
  of the most prosperous in the Caribbean thanks largely to petroleum
  and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in
  Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.

Tromelin Island
  First explored by the French in 1776, the island
  came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it
  serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important
  meteorological station.

Tunisia
  Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
  BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
  country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
  establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
  recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
  its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
  pressure for a more open political society.

Turkey
  Modern Turkey was founded in 1923 from the Anatolian remnants
  of the defeated Ottoman Empire by national hero Mustafa KEMAL, who
  was later honored with the title Ataturk, or "Father of the Turks."
  Under his authoritarian leadership, the country adopted wide-ranging
  social, legal, and political reforms. After a period of one-party
  rule, an experiment with multi-party politics led to the 1950
  election victory of the opposition Democratic Party and the peaceful
  transfer of power. Since then, Turkish political parties have
  multiplied, but democracy has been fractured by periods of
  instability and intermittent military coups (1960, 1971, 1980),
  which in each case eventually resulted in a return of political
  power to civilians. In 1997, the military again helped engineer the
  ouster - popularly dubbed a "post-modern coup" - of the then
  Islamic-oriented government. Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus
  in 1974 to prevent a Greek takeover of the island and has since
  acted as patron state to the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,"
  which only Turkey recognizes. A separatist insurgency begun in 1984
  by the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - now known as the People's
  Congress of Kurdistan or Kongra-Gel (KGK) - has dominated the
  Turkish military's attention and claimed more than 30,000 lives, but
  after the capture of the group's leader in 1999, the insurgents
  largely withdrew from Turkey, mainly to northern Iraq. In 2004, KGK
  announced an end to its ceasefire and attacks attributed to the KGK
  increased. Turkey joined the UN in 1945 and in 1952 it became a
  member of NATO. In 1964, Turkey became an associate member of the
  European Community; over the past decade, it has undertaken many
  reforms to strengthen its democracy and economy, enabling it to
  begin accession membership talks with the European Union.

Turkmenistan
  Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan
  became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon
  the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains
  absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated.
  Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to
  this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects were
  to be expanded. The Turkmenistan Government is actively seeking to
  develop alternative petroleum transportation routes in order to
  break Russia's pipeline monopoly.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican
  colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
  colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
  oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
  islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
  was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
  remain a British overseas territory.

Tuvalu
  In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
  Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
  Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
  Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
  British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
  Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
  for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.

Uganda
  Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The
  dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the
  deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights
  abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000
  lives. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party
  presidential and legislative elections.

Ukraine
  Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan
  Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and
  most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and
  Mongol invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy
  of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
  The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
  for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
  Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
  mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
  continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
  autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
  18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
  the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
  1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
  independence (1917-20), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
  brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
  and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
  and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
  deaths. Although final independence for Ukraine was achieved in 1991
  with the dissolution of the USSR, democracy remained elusive as the
  legacy of state control and endemic corruption stalled efforts at
  economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties. A peaceful mass
  protest "Orange Revolution" in the closing months of 2004 forced the
  authorities to overturn a rigged presidential election and to allow
  a new internationally monitored vote that swept into power a
  reformist slate under Viktor YUSHCHENKO. The new government presents
  its citizens with hope that the country may at last attain true
  freedom and prosperity.

United Arab Emirates
  The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast
  granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
  century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,
  Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to
  form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by
  Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is on par with those of
  leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and
  its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a
  vital role in the affairs of the region.

United Kingdom
  Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime
  power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing
  parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At
  its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
  earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's
  strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
  witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself
  into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five
  permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of
  NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to
  foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its
  integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to
  remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union for the time being.
  Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The
  Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the
  Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999, but the latter
  is suspended due to bickering over the peace process.

United States
  Britain's American colonies broke with the mother
  country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United
  States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the
  19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13
  as the nation expanded across the North American continent and
  acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic
  experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and
  the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars
  I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the
  world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady
  growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in
  technology.

Uruguay
  Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military
  stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to became an
  important commercial center. Annexed by Brazil as a separate
  province in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later
  and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The
  administrations of President BATLLE in the early 20th century
  established widespread political, social, and economic reforms. A
  violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros, launched in
  the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to military control
  of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been
  crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold throughout
  the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. Uruguay's
  political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.

Uzbekistan
  Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.
  Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
  suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
  Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
  led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
  which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
  rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
  gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
  mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
  by Islamic militants, economic stagnation, and the curtailment of
  human rights and democratization.

Vanuatu
  The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the
  19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
  administered the islands until independence in 1980.

Venezuela
  Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the
  collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and
  Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela
  was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted
  the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically
  elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns
  include: a polarized political environment, a politicized military,
  drug-related violence along the Colombian border, increasing
  internal drug consumption, overdependence on the petroleum industry
  with its price fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations
  that are endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.

Vietnam
  The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was
  completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887.
  Independence was declared after World War II, but the French
  continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist
  forces under Ho Chi MINH, who took control of the North. US economic
  and military aid to South Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an
  attempt to bolster the government, but US armed forces were
  withdrawn following a cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later,
  North Vietnamese forces overran the South. Despite the return of
  peace, for over two decades the country experienced little economic
  growth because of conservative leadership policies. Since 2001,
  Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and
  enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to
  produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country
  continues to experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority
  population of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese
  settlers and religious persecution.

Virgin Islands During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.

Wake Island
  The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.
  An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
  December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held
  until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was
  developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and
  commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's
  airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo
  planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700
  landings a year on the island.

Wallis and Futuna
  Although discovered by the Dutch and the British
  in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a
  protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of
  the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

West Bank
  The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
  Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
  September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
  five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
  and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
  powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
  includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
  1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
  the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
  May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
  in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
  September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
  Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
  October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
  el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
  responsibility during the transitional period for external and
  internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli
  citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
  Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year
  hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in
  September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank
  and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within
  the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a
  permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian
  leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor
  Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the
  conflict.

Western Sahara
  Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
  Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of
  the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
  guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
  sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized
  referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.

World
  Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating
  world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of
  vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,
  from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to
  the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western
  alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living
  standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased
  concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages
  of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air
  pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate
  emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's
  population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2
  billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in
  1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued
  exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes
  (e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even
  more lethal weapons of war).

Yemen
  North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
  The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern
  port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became
  South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a
  Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of
  Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of
  hostility between the states. The two countries were formally
  unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist
  movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and
  Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.

Zambia
  The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
  South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in
  1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred
  development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon
  independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper
  prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991
  brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996
  saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001
  was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a
  legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate
  Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching
  anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the prosecution
  of former President Frederick CHILUBA and many of his supporters in
  late 2003. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in
  the National Assembly.

Zimbabwe
  The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa
  Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored
  whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
  independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
  complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
  (then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
  finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
  in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
  the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
  the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
  redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
  farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
  of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
  rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
  Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
  pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
  brutal repression of regime opponents.

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2030 Airports - with paved runways

Afghanistan total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Albania total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Algeria
  total: 52
  over 3,047 m: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Angola
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Anguilla total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Argentina total: 144 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Armenia
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Aruba total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Australia
  total: 305
  over 3,047 m: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 131
  914 to 1,523 m: 139
  under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Austria
  total: 24
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 27
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 29
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bahrain total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Barbados total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Belarus
  total: 50
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Belgium
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Belize
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Benin
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Botswana
  total: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Brazil
  total: 698
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 158
  914 to 1,523 m: 461
  under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Brunei total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 128
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 92 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Burma
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Burundi total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cambodia total: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Canada
  total: 503
  over 3,047 m: 18
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
  914 to 1,523 m: 245
  under 914 m: 75 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Chad
  total: 7
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Chile
  total: 71
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

China
  total: 383
  over 3,047 m: 53
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 116
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 141
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 50 (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Colombia
  total: 101
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Comoros total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Cook Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Croatia
  total: 23
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Cuba
  total: 79
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 44
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Denmark
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Djibouti total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Dominica total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

East Timor total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 62
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 19
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Egypt
  total: 72
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Estonia
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

European Union
  total: 1,834

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Fiji
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Finland
  total: 75
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

France
  total: 283
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 95
  914 to 1,523 m: 82
  under 914 m: 65 (2004 est.)

French Guiana total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Gabon
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Georgia
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Germany
  total: 331
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 51
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 62
  914 to 1,523 m: 71
  under 914 m: 134 (2004 est.)

Ghana
  total: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Greece
  total: 66
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 16
  under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Greenland
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Grenada
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Guam
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guatemala total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Guernsey total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guinea
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 3
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guyana
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Haiti
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Honduras
  total: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Hungary
  total: 18
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Iceland total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

India
  total: 234
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 47
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 78
  914 to 1,523 m: 74
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 154
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 44
  914 to 1,523 m: 49
  under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Iran
  total: 127
  over 3,047 m: 39
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 32
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Iraq
  total: 79
  over 3,047 m: 21
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Ireland
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Israel
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Italy
  total: 96
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 32
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 30
  under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Japan
  total: 143
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
  914 to 1,523 m: 28
  under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Jersey
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Johnston Atoll
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Jordan
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 67
  over 3,047 m: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Kenya
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kiribati total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 35
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 88
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan total: 16 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Laos
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Latvia
  total: 26
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Lesotho total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Liberia total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Libya
  total: 59
  over 3,047 m: 23
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Macau
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Macedonia total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Madagascar total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Malawi
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 38
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Maldives
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mali
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Malta
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Martinique total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mauritania
  total: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 2
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mexico
  total: 233
  over 3,047 m: 12
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 84
  914 to 1,523 m: 80
  under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Midway Islands
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Moldova
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mongolia total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Montserrat total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Morocco
  total: 25
  over 3,047 m: 11
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Namibia
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Nauru
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Nepal
  total: 9
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 20
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2038 to 3047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

New Zealand total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Niger
  total: 9
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 36
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Niue
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Norway
  total: 65
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Oman
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 92
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 22
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
  914 to 1,523 m: 18
  under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Palau
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Panama
  total: 44
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Paracel Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Paraguay total: 12 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Peru
  total: 52
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Philippines
  total: 82
  over 3,047 m: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 35
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Poland
  total: 84
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 40
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Portugal
  total: 42
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Qatar total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Reunion total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Romania total: 25 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Russia
  total: 577
  over 3,047 m: 55
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 197
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 128
  914 to 1,523 m: 98
  under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 4
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Helena total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Samoa
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia total: 72 over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Senegal total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Seychelles total: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Singapore
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 6
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Somalia total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

South Africa
  total: 144
  over 3,047 m: 10
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
  914 to 1,523 m: 67
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Spain
  total: 95
  over 3,047 m: 15
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Spratly Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 less than 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Sudan
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Suriname
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Svalbard
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sweden
  total: 154
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
  914 to 1,523 m: 22
  under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 42
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Syria
  total: 26
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 37
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 11
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Thailand
  total: 65
  over 3,047 m: 7
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 19
  under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Togo
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tonga
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 14
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Turkey
  total: 87
  over 3,047 m: 16
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 23
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands total: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Uganda total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 174
  over 3,047 m: 13
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 57
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 70 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 22
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 334
  over 3,047 m: 8
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 150
  914 to 1,523 m: 86
  under 914 m: 57 (2004 est.)

United States
  total: 5,128
  over 3,047 m: 188
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 221
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,375
  914 to 1,523 m: 2,383
  under 914 m: 961 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan total: 33 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 14 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1524 to 2437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Venezuela total: 127 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 31 914 to 1,523 m: 61 under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 21
  over 3,047 m: 6
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Wake Island
  total: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

West Bank total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Western Sahara total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Yemen
  total: 16
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Zambia
  total: 10
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 17
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2031 Airports - with unpaved runways

Afghanistan total: 37 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Albania
  total: 8
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Algeria
  total: 85
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 38
  under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Angola
  total: 211
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
  914 to 1,523 m: 95
  under 914 m: 80 (2004 est.)

Anguilla total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Antarctica total: 20 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Argentina total: 1,190 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 569 under 914 m: 567 (2004 est.)

Armenia
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Australia
  total: 143
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 112
  under 914 m: 14 (2004 est.)

Austria
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 27 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 15 (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Belarus
  total: 83
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 64 (2004 est.)

Belgium
  total: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)

Belize
  total: 38
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Benin
  total: 4
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 1,049
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 60
  914 to 1,523 m: 207
  under 914 m: 778 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 19
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Botswana
  total: 75
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 54
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Brazil
  total: 3,438
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 78
  914 to 1,523 m: 1,579
  under 914 m: 1,780 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Brunei
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 85
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Burma
  total: 69
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Burundi total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 14
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Canada
  total: 823
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 67
  914 to 1,523 m: 347
  under 914 m: 409 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Chad
  total: 44
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 20
  under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Chile
  total: 293
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 217 (2004 est.)

China
  total: 89
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 32
  under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Colombia
  total: 879
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
  914 to 1,523 m: 272
  under 914 m: 572 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 206
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 92
  under 914 m: 97 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 28
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica total: 119 914 to 1,523 m: 24 under 914 m: 95 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Croatia
  total: 45
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 37 (2004 est.)

Cuba
  total: 91
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 62 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic total: 76 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 48 (2004 est.)

Denmark total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 63 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  total: 10
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

East Timor
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 143
  914 to 1,523 m: 30
  under 914 m: 113 (2004 est.)

Egypt
  total: 15
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

El Salvador total: 69 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Estonia
  total: 15
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 69
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 27
  under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Europa Island total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

European Union
  total: 1,296

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 3
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Fiji
  total: 25
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 19 (2004 est.)

Finland
  total: 73
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 69 (2004 est.)

France
  total: 195
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 72
  under 914 m: 120 (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Gabon
  total: 45
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Georgia total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Germany
  total: 219
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 31
  under 914 m: 185 (2004 est.)

Ghana
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Glorioso Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Greece total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Greenland total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guam
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Guatemala total: 441 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 323 (2004 est.)

Guinea
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Guyana
  total: 41
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Haiti
  total: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

Honduras total: 104 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Hungary
  total: 26
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Iceland
  total: 93
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 61 (2004 est.)

India
  total: 99
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 42
  under 914 m: 45 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 513
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 27
  under 914 m: 480 (2004 est.)

Iran
  total: 178
  over 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 129
  under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Iraq
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 9 (2004 est.)

Ireland
  total: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Israel
  total: 23
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Italy
  total: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 18
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Jamaica total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Jan Mayen total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Japan
  total: 31
  over 3047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Jordan
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan total: 247 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 197 (2004 est.)

Kenya
  total: 206
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
  914 to 1,523 m: 110
  under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 17
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Korea, North total: 43 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 91
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 88 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Laos
  total: 35
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Latvia
  total: 24
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 25
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Liberia
  total: 51
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 38 (2004 est.)

Libya
  total: 80
  over 3,047 m: 5
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 41
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Lithuania total: 74 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 68 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Macedonia total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 87
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 42
  under 914 m: 43 (2004 est.)

Malawi
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 79
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 6
  under 914 m: 72 (2004 est.)

Maldives
  total: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Mali
  total: 19
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Martinique total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mauritania total: 16 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Mauritius total: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Mexico
  total: 1,600
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
  914 to 1,523 m: 454
  under 914 m: 1,075 (2004 est.)

Midway Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Moldova
  total: 17
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 31
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Morocco
  total: 38
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 136
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 34
  under 914 m: 87 (2004 est.)

Namibia
  total: 115
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
  914 to 1,523 m: 71
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Nepal
  total: 37
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 70
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  total: 165
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 23
  under 914 m: 141 (2004 est.)

Niger
  total: 18
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 14
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 34
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 18 (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Norway
  total: 36
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 29 (2004 est.)

Oman
  total: 130
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 52
  914 to 1,523 m: 34
  under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Pakistan total: 39 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Palau
  total: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Panama
  total: 61
  914 to 1,523 m: 12
  under 914 m: 49 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 550
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 62
  under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 866
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
  914 to 1,523 m: 323
  under 914 m: 517 (2004 est.)

Peru
  total: 182
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
  914 to 1,523 m: 62
  under 914 m: 99 (2004 est.)

Philippines
  total: 173
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 68
  under 914 m: 100 (2004 est.)

Poland
  total: 39
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 13
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Portugal total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 22 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico total: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Qatar
  total: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Romania
  total: 36
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 24 (2004 est.)

Russia
  total: 2,009
  over 3,047 m: 14
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 111
  914 to 1,523 m: 257
  under 914 m: 1,597 (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Samoa
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia total: 129 over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Senegal
  total: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 25
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 17
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 8
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total: 31
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 9
  under 914 m: 21 (2004 est.)

Somalia
  total: 54
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 29
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

South Africa
  total: 584
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
  914 to 1,523 m: 300
  under 914 m: 250 (2004 est.)

Spain
  total: 61
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 44 (2004 est.)

Spratly Islands
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Sudan
  total: 63
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 33
  under 914 m: 11 (2004 est.)

Suriname total: 41 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Svalbard total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  total: 17
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 10 (2004 est.)

Sweden
  total: 100
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 90 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 23
  under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)

Syria
  total: 66
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 54 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 38
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 2
  under 914 m: 35 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 112
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
  914 to 1,523 m: 60
  under 914 m: 33 (2004 est.)

Thailand
  total: 44
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 15
  under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.)

Togo
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tonga
  total: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tromelin Island total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 16
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 7
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Turkey
  total: 32
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 8
  under 914 m: 20 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan total: 30 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 26 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 2
  under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Uganda
  total: 25
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 482
  over 3,047 m: 3
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
  914 to 1,523 m: 34
  under 914 m: 428 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 13
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom total: 137 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 112 (2004 est.)

United States total: 9,729 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 160 914 to 1,523 m: 1,718 under 914 m: 7,843 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 50
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
  914 to 1,523 m: 17
  under 914 m: 31 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan total: 193 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 187 (2004 est.)

Vanuatu total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 242
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
  914 to 1,523 m: 88
  under 914 m: 144 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 3
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Western Sahara total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.)

Yemen
  total: 28
  over 3,047 m: 2
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 11
  under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Zambia
  total: 99
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
  914 to 1,523 m: 62
  under 914 m: 32 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe total: 387 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 186 under 914 m: 196 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2032 Environment - current issues

Afghanistan
  limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing;
  deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
  fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water
  pollution

Akrotiri
  shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for
  loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon
  vultures is on the base

Albania
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial
  and domestic effluents

Algeria
  soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
  practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum
  refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the
  pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
  particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
  fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water

American Samoa
  limited natural fresh water resources; the water
  division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past
  few years to improve water catchments and pipelines

Andorra
  deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes
  to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste
  disposal

Angola
  overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable
  to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
  rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
  timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
  biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
  siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water

Anguilla
  supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing
  demand largely because of poor distribution system

Antarctica
  in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic
  ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square
  kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet
  light passing through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an
  antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown
  to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant
  areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming

Antigua and Barbuda
  water management - a major concern because of
  limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the
  clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to
  run off quickly

Arctic Ocean
  endangered marine species include walruses and whales;
  fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
  disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack

Argentina
  environmental problems (urban and rural) typical of an
  industrializing economy such as deforestation, soil degradation,
  desertification, air pollution, and water pollution
  note: Argentina is a world leader in setting voluntary greenhouse
  gas targets

Armenia
  soil pollution from toxic chemicals such as DDT; the energy
  crisis of the 1990s led to deforestation when citizens scavenged for
  firewood; pollution of Hrazdan (Razdan) and Aras Rivers; the
  draining of Sevana Lich (Lake Sevan), a result of its use as a
  source for hydropower, threatens drinking water supplies; restart of
  Metsamor nuclear power plant in spite of its location in a
  seismically active zone

Aruba
  NA

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  NA

Atlantic Ocean
  endangered marine species include the manatee, seals,
  sea lions, turtles, and whales; drift net fishing is hastening the
  decline of fish stocks and contributing to international disputes;
  municipal sludge pollution off eastern US, southern Brazil, and
  eastern Argentina; oil pollution in Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico,
  Lake Maracaibo, Mediterranean Sea, and North Sea; industrial waste
  and municipal sewage pollution in Baltic Sea, North Sea, and
  Mediterranean Sea

Australia
  soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development,
  urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due
  to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for
  agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique
  animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast
  coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by
  increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited
  natural fresh water resources

Austria
  some forest degradation caused by air and soil pollution;
  soil pollution results from the use of agricultural chemicals; air
  pollution results from emissions by coal- and oil-fired power
  stations and industrial plants and from trucks transiting Austria
  between northern and southern Europe

Azerbaijan
  local scientists consider the Abseron Yasaqligi (Apsheron
  Peninsula) (including Baku and Sumqayit) and the Caspian Sea to be
  the ecologically most devastated area in the world because of severe
  air, soil, and water pollution; soil pollution results from oil
  spills, from the use of DDT as a pesticide, and from toxic
  defoliants used in the production of cotton

Bahamas, The
  coral reef decay; solid waste disposal

Bahrain
  desertification resulting from the degradation of limited
  arable land, periods of drought, and dust storms; coastal
  degradation (damage to coastlines, coral reefs, and sea vegetation)
  resulting from oil spills and other discharges from large tankers,
  oil refineries, and distribution stations; lack of freshwater
  resources, groundwater and seawater are the only sources for all
  water needs

Baker Island
  no natural fresh water resources

Bangladesh
  many people are landless and forced to live on and
  cultivate flood-prone land; water-borne diseases prevalent in
  surface water; water pollution, especially of fishing areas, results
  from the use of commercial pesticides; ground water contaminated by
  naturally occurring arsenic; intermittent water shortages because of
  falling water tables in the northern and central parts of the
  country; soil degradation and erosion; deforestation; severe
  overpopulation

Barbados
  pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships;
  soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination
  of aquifers

Bassas da India
  NA

Belarus
  soil pollution from pesticide use; southern part of the
  country contaminated with fallout from 1986 nuclear reactor accident
  at Chornobyl' in northern Ukraine

Belgium
  the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human
  activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry,
  extensive animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water
  pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries;
  uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now
  resolved) have slowed progress in tackling environmental challenges

Belize
  deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial
  effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal

Benin
  inadequate supplies of potable water; poaching threatens
  wildlife populations; deforestation; desertification

Bermuda
  asbestos disposal; water pollution; preservation of open
  space; sustainable development

Bhutan
  soil erosion; limited access to potable water

Bolivia
  the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the
  international demand for tropical timber are contributing to
  deforestation; soil erosion from overgrazing and poor cultivation
  methods (including slash-and-burn agriculture); desertification;
  loss of biodiversity; industrial pollution of water supplies used
  for drinking and irrigation

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  air pollution from metallurgical plants;
  sites for disposing of urban waste are limited; water shortages and
  destruction of infrastructure because of the 1992-95 civil strife;
  deforestation

Botswana
  overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources

Bouvet Island
  NA

Brazil
  deforestation in Amazon Basin destroys the habitat and
  endangers a multitude of plant and animal species indigenous to the
  area; there is a lucrative illegal wildlife trade; air and water
  pollution in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and several other large
  cities; land degradation and water pollution caused by improper
  mining activities; wetland degradation; severe oil spills

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  limited natural fresh water resources (except
  for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the
  islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments)

Brunei
  seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Bulgaria
  air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted
  from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest
  damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil
  contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and
  industrial wastes

Burkina Faso
  recent droughts and desertification severely affecting
  agricultural activities, population distribution, and the economy;
  overgrazing; soil degradation; deforestation

Burma
  deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water;
  inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease

Burundi
  soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
  agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
  remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
  loss threatens wildlife populations

Cambodia
  illegal logging activities throughout the country and strip
  mining for gems in the western region along the border with Thailand
  have resulted in habitat loss and declining biodiversity (in
  particular, destruction of mangrove swamps threatens natural
  fisheries); soil erosion; in rural areas, most of the population
  does not have access to potable water; declining fish stocks because
  of illegal fishing and overfishing

Cameroon
  waterborne diseases are prevalent; deforestation;
  overgrazing; desertification; poaching; overfishing

Canada
  air pollution and resulting acid rain severely affecting
  lakes and damaging forests; metal smelting, coal-burning utilities,
  and vehicle emissions impacting on agricultural and forest
  productivity; ocean waters becoming contaminated due to
  agricultural, industrial, mining, and forestry activities

Cape Verde
  soil erosion; deforestation due to demand for wood used
  as fuel; desertification; environmental damage has threatened
  several species of birds and reptiles; illegal beach sand
  extraction; overfishing

Cayman Islands
  no natural fresh water resources; drinking water
  supplies must be met by rainwater catchments

Central African Republic
  tap water is not potable; poaching has
  diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great
  wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation

Chad
  inadequate supplies of potable water; improper waste disposal
  in rural areas contributes to soil and water pollution;
  desertification

Chile
  widespread deforestation and mining threaten natural
  resources; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions;
  water pollution from raw sewage

China
  air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulfur dioxide particulates)
  from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages,
  particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes;
  deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land
  since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development;
  desertification; trade in endangered species

Christmas Island
  NA

Clipperton Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fresh water resources are limited to
  rainwater accumulations in natural underground reservoirs

Colombia
  deforestation; soil and water quality damage from overuse
  of pesticides; air pollution, especially in Bogota, from vehicle
  emissions

Comoros
  soil degradation and erosion results from crop cultivation
  on slopes without proper terracing; deforestation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage

Congo, Republic of the
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; tap water is not potable;
  deforestation

Cook Islands
  NA

Coral Sea Islands
  no permanent fresh water resources

Costa Rica
  deforestation and land use change, largely a result of
  the clearing of land for cattle ranching and agriculture; soil
  erosion; coastal marine pollution; fisheries protection; solid waste
  management; air pollution

Cote d'Ivoire
  deforestation (most of the country's forests - once
  the largest in West Africa - have been heavily logged); water
  pollution from sewage and industrial and agricultural effluents

Croatia
  air pollution (from metallurgical plants) and resulting acid
  rain is damaging the forests; coastal pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste; landmine removal and reconstruction of
  infrastructure consequent to 1992-95 civil strife

Cuba
  air and water pollution; biodiversity loss; deforestation

Cyprus
  water resource problems (no natural reservoir catchments,
  seasonal disparity in rainfall, sea water intrusion to island's
  largest aquifer, increased salination in the north); water pollution
  from sewage and industrial wastes; coastal degradation; loss of
  wildlife habitats from urbanization

Czech Republic
  air and water pollution in areas of northwest Bohemia
  and in northern Moravia around Ostrava present health risks; acid
  rain damaging forests; efforts to bring industry up to EU code
  should improve domestic pollution

Denmark
  air pollution, principally from vehicle and power plant
  emissions; nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of the North Sea;
  drinking and surface water becoming polluted from animal wastes and
  pesticides

Dhekelia
  netting and trapping of small migrant songbirds in the
  spring and autumn

Djibouti
  inadequate supplies of potable water; limited arable land;
  desertification; endangered species

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  water shortages; soil eroding into the sea
  damages coral reefs; deforestation

East Timor
  widespread use of slash and burn agriculture has led to
  deforestation and soil erosion

Ecuador
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; water
  pollution; pollution from oil production wastes in ecologically
  sensitive areas of the Amazon Basin and Galapagos Islands

Egypt
  agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown
  sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam;
  desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and
  marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides,
  raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh
  water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water
  source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and
  natural resources

El Salvador
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution;
  contamination of soils from disposal of toxic wastes

Equatorial Guinea
  tap water is not potable; deforestation

Eritrea
  deforestation; desertification; soil erosion; overgrazing;
  loss of infrastructure from civil warfare

Estonia
  air polluted with sulfur dioxide from oil-shale burning
  power plants in northeast; however, the amount of pollutants emitted
  to the air have fallen steadily, the emissions of 2000 were 80% less
  than in 1980; the amount of unpurified wastewater discharged to
  water bodies in 2000 was one twentieth the level of 1980; in
  connection with the start-up of new water purification plants, the
  pollution load of wastewater decreased; Estonia has more than 1,400
  natural and manmade lakes, the smaller of which in agricultural
  areas need to be monitored; coastal seawater is polluted in certain
  locations

Ethiopia
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
  water shortages in some areas from water-intensive farming and poor
  management

Europa Island
  NA

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  deforestation; soil erosion

Finland
  air pollution from manufacturing and power plants
  contributing to acid rain; water pollution from industrial wastes,
  agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

France
  some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from
  industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes,
  agricultural runoff

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  NA

Gabon
  deforestation; poaching

Gambia, The
  deforestation; desertification; water-borne diseases
  prevalent

Gaza Strip
  desertification; salination of fresh water; sewage
  treatment; water-borne disease; soil degradation; depletion and
  contamination of underground water resources

Georgia
  air pollution, particularly in Rust'avi; heavy pollution of
  Mtkvari River and the Black Sea; inadequate supplies of potable
  water; soil pollution from toxic chemicals

Germany
  emissions from coal-burning utilities and industries
  contribute to air pollution; acid rain, resulting from sulfur
  dioxide emissions, is damaging forests; pollution in the Baltic Sea
  from raw sewage and industrial effluents from rivers in eastern
  Germany; hazardous waste disposal; government established a
  mechanism for ending the use of nuclear power over the next 15
  years; government working to meet EU commitment to identify nature
  preservation areas in line with the EU's Flora, Fauna, and Habitat
  directive

Ghana
  recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural
  activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and
  habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Gibraltar
  limited natural freshwater resources: large concrete or
  natural rock water catchments collect rainwater (no longer used for
  drinking water) and adequate desalination plant

Glorioso Islands
  NA

Greece
  air pollution; water pollution

Greenland
  protection of the arctic environment; preservation of the
  Inuit traditional way of life, including whaling and seal hunting

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  extirpation of native bird population by the rapid
  proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species

Guatemala
  deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water
  pollution

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  deforestation; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  desertification; soil contamination and erosion; overfishing,
  overpopulation in forest region; poor mining practices have led to
  environmental damage

Guinea-Bissau
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; overfishing

Guyana
  water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial
  chemicals; deforestation

Haiti
  extensive deforestation (much of the remaining forested land
  is being cleared for agriculture and used as fuel); soil erosion;
  inadequate supplies of potable water

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  urban population expanding; deforestation results from
  logging and the clearing of land for agricultural purposes; further
  land degradation and soil erosion hastened by uncontrolled
  development and improper land use practices such as farming of
  marginal lands; mining activities polluting Lago de Yojoa (the
  country's largest source of fresh water), as well as several rivers
  and streams, with heavy metals

Hong Kong
  air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

Howland Island
  no natural fresh water resources

Hungary
  the upgrading of Hungary's standards in waste management,
  energy efficiency, and air, soil, and water pollution to meet EU
  requirements will require large investments

Iceland
  water pollution from fertilizer runoff; inadequate
  wastewater treatment

India
  deforestation; soil erosion; overgrazing; desertification; air
  pollution from industrial effluents and vehicle emissions; water
  pollution from raw sewage and runoff of agricultural pesticides; tap
  water is not potable throughout the country; huge and growing
  population is overstraining natural resources

Indian Ocean
  endangered marine species include the dugong, seals,
  turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf,
  and Red Sea

Indonesia
  deforestation; water pollution from industrial wastes,
  sewage; air pollution in urban areas; smoke and haze from forest
  fires

Iran
  air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle
  emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents;
  deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the
  Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation
  (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution
  from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization

Iraq
  government water control projects have drained most of the
  inhabited marsh areas east of An Nasiriyah by drying up or diverting
  the feeder streams and rivers; a once sizable population of Marsh
  Arabs, who inhabited these areas for thousands of years, has been
  displaced; furthermore, the destruction of the natural habitat poses
  serious threats to the area's wildlife populations; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; development of the Tigris and Euphrates
  rivers system contingent upon agreements with upstream riparian
  Turkey; air and water pollution; soil degradation (salination) and
  erosion; desertification

Ireland
  water pollution, especially of lakes, from agricultural
  runoff

Israel
  limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose
  serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial
  and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and
  domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides

Italy
  air pollution from industrial emissions such as sulfur
  dioxide; coastal and inland rivers polluted from industrial and
  agricultural effluents; acid rain damaging lakes; inadequate
  industrial waste treatment and disposal facilities

Jamaica
  heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by
  industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air
  pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions

Jan Mayen
  NA

Japan
  air pollution from power plant emissions results in acid rain;
  acidification of lakes and reservoirs degrading water quality and
  threatening aquatic life; Japan is one of the largest consumers of
  fish and tropical timber, contributing to the depletion of these
  resources in Asia and elsewhere

Jarvis Island
  no natural fresh water resources

Jersey
  NA

Johnston Atoll
  no natural fresh water resources

Jordan
  limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Juan de Nova Island
  NA

Kazakhstan
  radioactive or toxic chemical sites associated with
  former defense industries and test ranges scattered throughout the
  country pose health risks for humans and animals; industrial
  pollution is severe in some cities; because the two main rivers
  which flowed into the Aral Sea have been diverted for irrigation, it
  is drying up and leaving behind a harmful layer of chemical
  pesticides and natural salts; these substances are then picked up by
  the wind and blown into noxious dust storms; pollution in the
  Caspian Sea; soil pollution from overuse of agricultural chemicals
  and salination from poor infrastructure and wasteful irrigation
  practices

Kenya
  water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation
  of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers;
  water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil
  erosion; desertification; poaching

Kingman Reef
  none

Kiribati
  heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to
  heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon
  latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Korea, North
  water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water;
  waterborne disease; deforestation; soil erosion and degradation

Korea, South
  air pollution in large cities; acid rain; water
  pollution from the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents;
  drift net fishing

Kuwait
  limited natural fresh water resources; some of world's
  largest and most sophisticated desalination facilities provide much
  of the water; air and water pollution; desertification

Kyrgyzstan
  water pollution; many people get their water directly
  from contaminated streams and wells; as a result, water-borne
  diseases are prevalent; increasing soil salinity from faulty
  irrigation practices

Laos
  unexploded ordnance; deforestation; soil erosion; most of the
  population does not have access to potable water

Latvia
  Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service
  industries after the country regained independence; the main
  environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality
  and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as
  well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU
  accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full
  enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010

Lebanon
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; air pollution
  in Beirut from vehicular traffic and the burning of industrial
  wastes; pollution of coastal waters from raw sewage and oil spills

Lesotho
  population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas
  results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion;
  desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and
  redirects water to South Africa

Liberia
  tropical rain forest deforestation; soil erosion; loss of
  biodiversity; pollution of coastal waters from oil residue and raw
  sewage

Libya
  desertification; very limited natural fresh water resources;
  the Great Manmade River Project, the largest water development
  scheme in the world, is being built to bring water from large
  aquifers under the Sahara to coastal cities

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  contamination of soil and groundwater with petroleum
  products and chemicals at military bases

Luxembourg
  air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of
  farmland

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  air pollution from metallurgical plants

Madagascar
  soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing;
  desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and
  other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to
  the island are endangered

Malawi
  deforestation; land degradation; water pollution from
  agricultural runoff, sewage, industrial wastes; siltation of
  spawning grounds endangers fish populations

Malaysia
  air pollution from industrial and vehicular emissions;
  water pollution from raw sewage; deforestation; smoke/haze from
  Indonesian forest fires

Maldives
  depletion of freshwater aquifers threatens water supplies;
  global warming and sea level rise; coral reef bleaching

Mali
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; poaching

Malta
  very limited natural fresh water resources; increasing
  reliance on desalination

Man, Isle of
  waste disposal (both household and industrial);
  transboundary air pollution

Marshall Islands
  inadequate supplies of potable water; pollution of
  Majuro lagoon from household waste and discharges from fishing
  vessels

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  overgrazing, deforestation, and soil erosion aggravated
  by drought are contributing to desertification; very limited natural
  fresh water resources away from the Senegal, which is the only
  perennial river; locust infestation

Mauritius
  water pollution, degradation of coral reefs

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  scarcity of hazardous waste disposal facilities; rural to
  urban migration; natural fresh water resources scarce and polluted
  in north, inaccessible and poor quality in center and extreme
  southeast; raw sewage and industrial effluents polluting rivers in
  urban areas; deforestation; widespread erosion; desertification;
  deteriorating agricultural lands; serious air and water pollution in
  the national capital and urban centers along US-Mexico border; land
  subsidence in Valley of Mexico caused by groundwater depletion
  note: the government considers the lack of clean water and
  deforestation national security issues

Micronesia, Federated States of
  overfishing, climate change,
  pollution

Midway Islands
  NA

Moldova
  heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned
  pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater;
  extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  limited natural fresh water resources in some areas; the
  policies of former Communist regimes promoted rapid urbanization and
  industrial growth that had negative effects on the environment; the
  burning of soft coal in power plants and the lack of enforcement of
  environmental laws severely polluted the air in Ulaanbaatar;
  deforestation, overgrazing, and the converting of virgin land to
  agricultural production increased soil erosion from wind and rain;
  desertification and mining activities had a deleterious effect on
  the environment

Montserrat
  land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for
  cultivation

Morocco
  land degradation/desertification (soil erosion resulting
  from farming of marginal areas, overgrazing, destruction of
  vegetation); water supplies contaminated by raw sewage; siltation of
  reservoirs; oil pollution of coastal waters

Mozambique
  a long civil war and recurrent drought in the hinterlands
  have resulted in increased migration of the population to urban and
  coastal areas with adverse environmental consequences;
  desertification; pollution of surface and coastal waters; elephant
  poaching for ivory is a problem

Namibia
  very limited natural fresh water resources; desertification;
  wildlife poaching; land degradation has led to few conservation areas

Nauru
  limited natural fresh water resources, roof storage tanks
  collect rainwater, but mostly dependent on a single, aging
  desalination plant; intensive phosphate mining during the past 90
  years - mainly by a UK, Australia, and NZ consortium - has left the
  central 90% of Nauru a wasteland and threatens limited remaining
  land resources

Navassa Island
  NA

Nepal
  deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of
  alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes,
  agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife
  conservation; vehicular emissions

Netherlands
  water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic
  compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air
  pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Zealand
  deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna
  hard-hit by species introduced from outside

Nicaragua
  deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Niger
  overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification;
  wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and
  lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction

Nigeria
  soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water
  pollution; desertification; oil pollution - water, air, and soil;
  has suffered serious damage from oil spills; loss of arable land;
  rapid urbanization

Niue
  increasing attention to conservationist practices to counter
  loss of soil fertility from traditional slash and burn agriculture

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  contamination of groundwater on Saipan may
  contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of
  endangered species conflicts with development

Norway
  water pollution; acid rain damaging forests and adversely
  affecting lakes, threatening fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle
  emissions

Oman
  rising soil salinity; beach pollution from oil spills; very
  limited natural fresh water resources

Pacific Ocean
  endangered marine species include the dugong, sea
  lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in
  Philippine Sea and South China Sea

Pakistan
  water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and
  agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a
  majority of the population does not have access to potable water;
  deforestation; soil erosion; desertification

Palau
  inadequate facilities for disposal of solid waste; threats to
  the marine ecosystem from sand and coral dredging, illegal fishing
  practices, and overfishing

Palmyra Atoll
  NA

Panama
  water pollution from agricultural runoff threatens fishery
  resources; deforestation of tropical rain forest; land degradation
  and soil erosion threatens siltation of Panama Canal; air pollution
  in urban areas; mining threatens natural resources

Papua New Guinea
  rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of
  growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining
  projects; severe drought

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  deforestation; water pollution; inadequate means for waste
  disposal pose health risks for many urban residents; loss of wetlands

Peru
  deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing
  of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion;
  desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and
  coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes

Philippines
  uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed
  areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers;
  coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove
  swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Pitcairn Islands
  deforestation (only a small portion of the original
  forest remains because of burning and clearing for settlement)

Poland
  situation has improved since 1989 due to decline in heavy
  industry and increased environmental concern by post-Communist
  governments; air pollution nonetheless remains serious because of
  sulfur dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants, and the
  resulting acid rain has caused forest damage; water pollution from
  industrial and municipal sources is also a problem, as is disposal
  of hazardous wastes; pollution levels should continue to decrease as
  industrial establishments bring their facilities up to European
  Union code, but at substantial cost to business and the government

Portugal
  soil erosion; air pollution caused by industrial and
  vehicle emissions; water pollution, especially in coastal areas

Puerto Rico
  erosion; occasional drought causing water shortages

Qatar
  limited natural fresh water resources are increasing
  dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  soil erosion and degradation; water pollution; air pollution
  in south from industrial effluents; contamination of Danube delta
  wetlands

Russia
  air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired
  electric plants, and transportation in major cities; industrial,
  municipal, and agricultural pollution of inland waterways and
  seacoasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil contamination from
  improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered areas of
  sometimes intense radioactive contamination; groundwater
  contamination from toxic waste; urban solid waste management;
  abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides

Rwanda
  deforestation results from uncontrolled cutting of trees for
  fuel; overgrazing; soil exhaustion; soil erosion; widespread poaching

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the
  northern region

Saint Pierre and Miquelon recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive

Samoa
  soil erosion, deforestation, invasive species, overfishing

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion

Saudi Arabia
  desertification; depletion of underground water
  resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies
  has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination
  facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills

Senegal
  wildlife populations threatened by poaching; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; overfishing

Serbia and Montenegro
  pollution of coastal waters from sewage
  outlets, especially in tourist-related areas such as Kotor; air
  pollution around Belgrade and other industrial cities; water
  pollution from industrial wastes dumped into the Sava which flows
  into the Danube

Seychelles
  water supply depends on catchments to collect rainwater

Sierra Leone
  rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
  overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and
  slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil
  exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing

Singapore
  industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water
  resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal
  problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in
  Indonesia

Slovakia
  air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human
  health risks; acid rain damaging forests

Slovenia
  Sava River polluted with domestic and industrial waste;
  pollution of coastal waters with heavy metals and toxic chemicals;
  forest damage near Koper from air pollution (originating at
  metallurgical and chemical plants) and resulting acid rain

Solomon Islands
  deforestation; soil erosion; many of the surrounding
  coral reefs are dead or dying

Somalia
  famine; use of contaminated water contributes to human
  health problems; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification

South Africa
  lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires
  extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water
  usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff
  and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil
  erosion; desertification

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  NA

Southern Ocean
  increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from
  the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary
  productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA
  of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent
  years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more
  Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to
  affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental
  mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish
  note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong
  comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries

Spain
  pollution of the Mediterranean Sea from raw sewage and
  effluents from the offshore production of oil and gas; water quality
  and quantity nationwide; air pollution; deforestation;
  desertification

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations
  threatened by poaching and urbanization; coastal degradation from
  mining activities and increased pollution; freshwater resources
  being polluted by industrial wastes and sewage runoff; waste
  disposal; air pollution in Colombo

Sudan
  inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
  periodic drought

Suriname
  deforestation as timber is cut for export; pollution of
  inland waterways by small-scale mining activities

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  limited supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
  being depleted because of excessive hunting; overgrazing; soil
  degradation; soil erosion

Sweden
  acid rain damage to soils and lakes; pollution of the North
  Sea and the Baltic Sea

Switzerland
  air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air
  burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
  agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Syria
  deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification;
  water pollution from raw sewage and petroleum refining wastes;
  inadequate potable water

Taiwan
  air pollution; water pollution from industrial emissions, raw
  sewage; contamination of drinking water supplies; trade in
  endangered species; low-level radioactive waste disposal

Tajikistan
  inadequate sanitation facilities; increasing levels of
  soil salinity; industrial pollution; excessive pesticides

Tanzania
  soil degradation; deforestation; desertification;
  destruction of coral reefs threatens marine habitats; recent
  droughts affected marginal agriculture; wildlife threatened by
  illegal hunting and trade, especially for ivory

Thailand
  air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from
  organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife
  populations threatened by illegal hunting

Togo
  deforestation attributable to slash-and-burn agriculture and
  the use of wood for fuel; water pollution presents health hazards
  and hinders the fishing industry; air pollution increasing in urban
  areas

Tokelau
  very limited natural resources and overcrowding are
  contributing to emigration to New Zealand

Tonga
  deforestation results as more and more land is being cleared
  for agriculture and settlement; some damage to coral reefs from
  starfish and indiscriminate coral and shell collectors; overhunting
  threatens native sea turtle populations

Trinidad and Tobago
  water pollution from agricultural chemicals,
  industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches;
  deforestation; soil erosion

Tromelin Island
  NA

Tunisia
  toxic and hazardous waste disposal is ineffective and poses
  health risks; water pollution from raw sewage; limited natural fresh
  water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion;
  desertification

Turkey
  water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air
  pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for
  oil spills from increasing Bosporus ship traffic

Turkmenistan
  contamination of soil and groundwater with agricultural
  chemicals, pesticides; salination, water-logging of soil due to poor
  irrigation methods; Caspian Sea pollution; diversion of a large
  share of the flow of the Amu Darya into irrigation contributes to
  that river's inability to replenish the Aral Sea; desertification

Turks and Caicos Islands
  limited natural fresh water resources,
  private cisterns collect rainwater

Tuvalu
  since there are no streams or rivers and groundwater is not
  potable, most water needs must be met by catchment systems with
  storage facilities (the Japanese Government has built one
  desalination plant and plans to build one other); beachhead erosion
  because of the use of sand for building materials; excessive
  clearance of forest undergrowth for use as fuel; damage to coral
  reefs from the spread of the Crown of Thorns starfish; Tuvalu is
  very concerned about global increases in greenhouse gas emissions
  and their effect on rising sea levels, which threaten the country's
  underground water table; in 2000, the government appealed to
  Australia and New Zealand to take in Tuvaluans if rising sea levels
  should make evacuation necessary

Uganda
  draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
  overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
  Victoria; poaching is widespread

Ukraine
  inadequate supplies of potable water; air and water
  pollution; deforestation; radiation contamination in the northeast
  from 1986 accident at Chornobyl' Nuclear Power Plant

United Arab Emirates
  lack of natural freshwater resources
  compensated by desalination plants; desertification; beach pollution
  from oil spills

United Kingdom
  continues to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (has met
  Kyoto Protocol target of a 12.5% reduction from 1990 levels and
  intends to meet the legally binding target and move towards a
  domestic goal of a 20% cut in emissions by 2010); by 2005 the
  government aims to reduce the amount of industrial and commercial
  waste disposed of in landfill sites to 85% of 1998 levels and to
  recycle or compost at least 25% of household waste, increasing to
  33% by 2015; between 1998-99 and 1999-2000, household recycling
  increased from 8.8% to 10.3%

United States
  air pollution resulting in acid rain in both the US
  and Canada; the US is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide
  from the burning of fossil fuels; water pollution from runoff of
  pesticides and fertilizers; limited natural fresh water resources in
  much of the western part of the country require careful management;
  desertification

Uruguay
  water pollution from meat packing/tannery industry;
  inadequate solid/hazardous waste disposal

Uzbekistan
  shrinkage of the Aral Sea is resulting in growing
  concentrations of chemical pesticides and natural salts; these
  substances are then blown from the increasingly exposed lake bed and
  contribute to desertification; water pollution from industrial
  wastes and the heavy use of fertilizers and pesticides is the cause
  of many human health disorders; increasing soil salination; soil
  contamination from buried nuclear processing and agricultural
  chemicals, including DDT

Vanuatu
  a majority of the population does not have access to a
  reliable supply of potable water; deforestation

Venezuela
  sewage pollution of Lago de Valencia; oil and urban
  pollution of Lago de Maracaibo; deforestation; soil degradation;
  urban and industrial pollution, especially along the Caribbean
  coast; threat to the rainforest ecosystem from irresponsible mining
  operations

Vietnam
  logging and slash-and-burn agricultural practices contribute
  to deforestation and soil degradation; water pollution and
  overfishing threaten marine life populations; groundwater
  contamination limits potable water supply; growing urban
  industrialization and population migration are rapidly degrading
  environment in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  lack of natural freshwater resources

Wake Island
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  deforestation (only small portions of the original
  forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as
  the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests,
  the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion;
  there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of
  natural fresh water resources

West Bank
  adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment

Western Sahara
  sparse water and lack of arable land

World
  large areas subject to overpopulation, industrial disasters,
  pollution (air, water, acid rain, toxic substances), loss of
  vegetation (overgrazing, deforestation, desertification), loss of
  wildlife, soil degradation, soil depletion, erosion

Yemen
  very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
  supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification

Zambia
  air pollution and resulting acid rain in the mineral
  extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into watersheds;
  poaching seriously threatens rhinoceros, elephant, antelope, and
  large cat populations; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification;
  lack of adequate water treatment presents human health risks

Zimbabwe
  deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; air and
  water pollution; the black rhinoceros herd - once the largest
  concentration of the species in the world - has been significantly
  reduced by poaching; poor mining practices have led to toxic waste
  and heavy metal pollution

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@2033 Environment - international agreements

Afghanistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Marine Dumping
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Life Conservation

Albania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Algeria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Andorra
  party to: Hazardous Wastes
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Angola
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Antigua and Barbuda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Argentina
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Armenia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Australia
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Austria
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Azerbaijan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahamas, The
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bahrain
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bangladesh
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Barbados
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Belarus
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Belgium
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Belize
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Benin
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bhutan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Bolivia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Botswana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brazil
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Brunei
  party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Bulgaria
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
  Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Burkina Faso
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burma
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Burundi
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cambodia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cameroon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Canada
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Marine Life Conservation

Cape Verde
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Central African Republic
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Chad
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping

Chile
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

China
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Colombia
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Comoros
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Congo, Democratic Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Congo, Republic of the party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Cook Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Costa Rica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cote d'Ivoire
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Croatia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Cuba
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Cyprus
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Czech Republic
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Denmark
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Djibouti
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Dominican Republic
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Egypt
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

El Salvador
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Equatorial Guinea
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Eritrea
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Estonia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ship Pollution,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ethiopia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

European Union
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Tropical Timber 82, Tropical Timber 94
  signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Fiji
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Finland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

France
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gabon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Gambia, The
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Georgia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Germany
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Ghana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Greece
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Grenada
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guatemala
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guinea-Bissau
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Guyana
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
  83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Haiti
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Hazardous Wastes

Holy See (Vatican City)
  party to: none of the selected agreements
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution, Environmental Modification

Honduras
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Hong Kong
  party to: Marine Dumping (associate member)

Hungary
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Iceland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Transboundary Air Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

India
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Indonesia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Iran
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Iraq
  party to: Law of the Sea
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ireland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Marine Life Conservation

Israel
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Italy
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Jamaica
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Japan
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Jordan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kazakhstan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Kenya
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kiribati
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Korea, North
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Korea, South
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Kuwait
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping

Kyrgyzstan
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Laos
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Latvia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Lebanon
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Marine Life
  Conservation

Lesotho
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liberia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Life Conservation

Libya
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Liechtenstein
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
  Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Lithuania
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Luxembourg
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Macedonia
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Madagascar
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malawi
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Malaysia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands

Maldives
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mali
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Malta
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Marshall Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mauritius
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Mexico
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Micronesia, Federated States of
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous
  Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Moldova
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Monaco
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Mongolia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Morocco
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

Mozambique
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Namibia
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nauru
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Nepal
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Netherlands
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of
  the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling

New Zealand
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation

Nicaragua
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Niger
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Nigeria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Niue
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Norway
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
  Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Oman
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Pakistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Palau
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Panama
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Papua New Guinea
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Paraguay
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Peru
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Philippines
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Poland
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Portugal
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Environmental
  Modification

Qatar
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Romania
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Russia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Sulfur 94

Rwanda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
  Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Lucia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Samoa
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

San Marino
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution

Sao Tome and Principe
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law
  of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Saudi Arabia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Senegal
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

Serbia and Montenegro
  party to: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Seychelles
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sierra Leone
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
  Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Singapore
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovakia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Slovenia
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94,
  Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Solomon Islands
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Environmental Modification,
  Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Somalia
  party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection

South Africa
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
  Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Southern Ocean
  the Southern Ocean is subject to all international
  agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject
  to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International
  Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees
  south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees
  west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits
  sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living
  Resources (regulates fishing)
  note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource
  exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front
  (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic
  Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very
  cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the
  north

Spain
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Sri Lanka
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Sudan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Suriname
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Swaziland
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Sweden
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
  Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
  Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
  Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Switzerland
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides,
  Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur
  85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine
  Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
  Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Syria
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship
  Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Taiwan
  party to: none of the selected agreements because of Taiwan's
  international status
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements because of
  Taiwan's international status

Tajikistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Environmental Modification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tanzania
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Thailand
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Togo
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tonga
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Trinidad and Tobago
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical
  Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tunisia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
  Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Turkey
  party to: Air Pollution, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous
  Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Turkmenistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone
  Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Tuvalu
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Uganda
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
  of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Ukraine
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
  Pollution-Sulfur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
  Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
  Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds

United Arab Emirates
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

United Kingdom
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic
  Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate
  Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
  Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the
  Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
  Wetlands, Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

United States
  party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen
  Oxides, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
  Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change,
  Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification,
  Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
  Whaling
  signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
  Pollutants, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Hazardous Wastes

Uruguay
  party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
  Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone
  Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation

Uzbekistan
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
  Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Vanuatu
  party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity,
  Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Venezuela
  party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
  Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
  Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
  Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
  signed but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Vietnam
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Western Sahara
  party to: none of the selected agreements
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Yemen
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
  Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
  Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Zambia
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
  Protection, Wetlands
  signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Zimbabwe
  party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
  Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
  signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2034 Military expenditures - percent of GDP (%)

Afghanistan
  2.6% (2004)

Albania
  1.49% (FY02)

Algeria
  3.2% (2004)

Angola
  10.6% (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  1.3% (FY00)

Armenia
  6.5% (FY01)

Australia
  2.7% (2004)

Austria
  0.9% (2004)

Azerbaijan
  2.6% (FY99)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  6.3% (2004)

Bangladesh
  1.8% (2004)

Barbados
  NA

Belarus
  1.4% (FY02)

Belgium
  1.3% (2003)

Belize
  2% (2003)

Benin
  2.4% (2004)

Bermuda
  0.11% (FY00/01)

Bhutan
  1.8% (2004)

Bolivia
  1.6% (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4.5% (FY02)

Botswana
  3.9% (2004)

Brazil
  1.8% (2004)

Brunei
  5.1% (2004)

Bulgaria
  2.6% (2003)

Burkina Faso
  1.3% (2004)

Burma
  2.1% (FY97)

Burundi
  6% (2004)

Cambodia
  3% (FY01 est.)

Cameroon
  1.6% (2004)

Canada
  1.1% (2003)

Cape Verde
  1.5% (2004)

Central African Republic
  1% (2004)

Chad
  2.1% (2004)

Chile
  3.8% (2004)

China
  4.3% (2004)

Colombia
  3.4% (FY01)

Comoros
  3% (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.5% (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  2.8% (2004)

Costa Rica
  0.4% (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.2% (2004)

Croatia
  2.39% (2002 est.)

Cuba
  1.8% (2003)

Cyprus
  3.8% (FY02)

Czech Republic
  2.02% (2004)

Denmark
  1.5% (2004)

Djibouti
  4.4% (2004)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  1.1% (1998)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  2.2% (2004)

Egypt
  3.4% (2004)

El Salvador
  1.1% (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  2.5% (2004)

Eritrea
  13.4% (2004)

Estonia
  2% (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  4.6% (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  2.2% (FY02)

Finland
  2% (FY98/99)

France
  2.6% (2003)

French Guiana
  NA

Gabon
  2% (2004)

Gambia, The
  0.3% (2004)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  0.59% (FY00)

Germany
  1.5% (2003)

Ghana
  0.6% (2004)

Greece
  4.3% (2003)

Grenada
  NA

Guatemala
  0.8% (2003)

Guinea
  1.7% (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  3.1% (2004)

Guyana
  0.9% (2004)

Haiti
  0.9% (2003)

Honduras
  1.4% (2004)

Hong Kong
  NA

Hungary
  1.75% (2002 est.)

India
  2.93% (2005/06)

Indonesia
  3% (2004)

Iran
  3.3% (2003 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  0.9% (FY00/01)

Israel
  8.7% (FY02)

Italy
  1.8% (2004)

Jamaica
  0.4% (2003)

Japan
  1% (2004)

Jordan
  14.6% (2004)

Kazakhstan
  0.9% (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
  1.3% (2004)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  2.8% (2004)

Kuwait
  5.3% (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.4% (FY01)

Laos
  0.5% (2004)

Latvia
  1.2% (FY01)

Lebanon
  3.1% (FY99) (2004)

Lesotho
  2.3% (2004)

Liberia
  0.2% (2004)

Libya
  3.9% (FY99)

Lithuania
  1.9% (FY01)

Luxembourg
  0.9% (2003)

Macedonia
  6% (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar
  1.2% (2004)

Malawi
  0.7% (2004)

Malaysia
  2.03% (FY00)

Maldives
  5.5% (2004)

Mali
  0.4% (2004)

Malta
  0.7% (2004)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  1.7% (2004)

Mauritius
  0.2% (2004)

Mexico
  0.9% (2004)

Moldova
  0.4% (FY02)

Mongolia
  2.2% (FY02)

Morocco
  5% (2004)

Mozambique
  2.2% (2004)

Namibia
  3.1% (2004)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  1.5% (2004)

Netherlands
  1.6% (2004)

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  1% (FY02)

Nicaragua
  0.7% (2004)

Niger
  1.1% (2004)

Nigeria
  0.8% (2004)

Norway
  1.9% (2003)

Oman
  11.4% (2003)

Pakistan
  4.9% (2004)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  1.1% (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  1.4% (FY02)

Paraguay
  0.9% (2003)

Peru
  1.4% (2004)

Philippines
  1% (2004)

Poland
  1.71% (2002)

Portugal
  2.3% (2003)

Qatar
  10% (FY00)

Romania
  2.47% (2002)

Russia
  NA

Rwanda
  3.2% (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  0.8% (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  10% (2002)

Senegal
  1.5% (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA

Seychelles
  1.8% (2004)

Sierra Leone
  1.7% (2004)

Singapore
  4.9% (FY01)

Slovakia
  1.89% (2002)

Slovenia
  1.7% (FY00)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  0.9% (2003)

South Africa
  1.5% (2004)

Spain
  1.2% (2003)

Sri Lanka
  2.6% (2004)

Sudan
  3% (1999) (2004)

Suriname
  0.7% (2003)

Swaziland
  1.4% (2004)

Sweden
  1.7% (2004)

Switzerland
  1% (FY01)

Syria
  5.9% (FY00)

Taiwan
  2.6% (2004)

Tajikistan
  3.9% (FY01)

Tanzania
  0.2% (2004)

Thailand
  1.8% (2003)

Togo
  1.9% (2004)

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  0.6% (2003)

Tunisia
  1.5% (FY99)

Turkey
  5.3% (2003)

Turkmenistan
  3.4% (FY99)

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  2.2% (2004)

Ukraine
  1.4% (FY02)

United Arab Emirates
  3.1% (FY00)

United Kingdom
  2.4% (2003)

United States
  3.3% (FY03 est.) (February 2004)

Uruguay
  2% (2004)

Uzbekistan
  2% (FY97)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  1.5% (2004)

Vietnam
  2.5% (FY98)

West Bank
  NA

World
  roughly 2% of gross world product (1999 est.)

Yemen
  7.8% (2003)

Zambia
  1.8% (2004)

Zimbabwe
  4.3% (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2038 Electricity - production (kWh)

Afghanistan
  540 million kWh (2002)

Albania
  5.68 billion kWh (2004)

Algeria
  25.76 billion kWh (2002)

American Samoa
  130 million kWh (2002)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  1.707 billion kWh (2002)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  110.8 million kWh (2002)

Argentina
  81.39 billion kWh (2002)

Armenia
  6.492 billion kWh (2002)

Aruba
  807.7 million kWh (2002)

Australia
  210.3 billion kWh (2002)

Austria
  58.49 billion kWh (2002)

Azerbaijan
  17.55 billion kWh (2002)

Bahamas, The
  1.716 billion kWh (2002)

Bahrain
  6.86 billion kWh (2002)

Bangladesh
  16.45 billion kWh (2002)

Barbados
  800 million kWh (2002)

Belarus
  30 billion kWh (2004)

Belgium
  76.58 billion kWh (2002)

Belize
  117 million kWh (2002)

Benin
  285.2 million kWh (2002)

Bermuda
  643 million kWh (2002)

Bhutan
  2.001 billion kWh (2002)

Bolivia
  4.132 billion kWh (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  10.04 billion kWh (2002)

Botswana
  930 million kWh (2002)

Brazil
  339 billion kWh (2002)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied
  by the US military

British Virgin Islands
  36.28 million kWh (2002)

Brunei
  2.458 billion kWh (2002)

Bulgaria
  43.07 billion kWh (2002)

Burkina Faso
  361 million kWh (2002)

Burma
  5.068 billion kWh (2003)

Burundi
  132 million kWh (2002)

Cambodia
  122 million kWh (2003)

Cameroon
  3.571 billion kWh (2002)

Canada
  548.9 billion kWh (2002)

Cape Verde
  43.08 million kWh (2002)

Cayman Islands
  410.8 million kWh (2002)

Central African Republic
  106 million kWh (2002)

Chad
  96.13 million kWh (2002)

Chile
  48.6 billion kWh (2004)

China
  1.91 trillion kWh (2003)

Colombia
  44.87 billion kWh (2002)

Comoros
  23.84 million kWh (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  6.086 billion kWh (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  348 million kWh (2002)

Cook Islands
  27 million kWh (2002)

Costa Rica
  6.614 billion kWh (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  4.759 billion kWh (2002)

Croatia
  12.51 billion kWh (2002)

Cuba
  14.41 billion kWh (2002)

Cyprus
  4 billion kWh; north Cyprus: NA kWh (2003)

Czech Republic
  71.75 billion kWh (2002)

Denmark
  36.38 billion kWh (2002)

Djibouti
  180 million kWh (2002)

Dominica
  68.41 million kWh (2002)

Dominican Republic
  9.583 billion kWh (2002)

East Timor
  NA kWh (2002)

Ecuador
  11.54 billion kWh (2002)

Egypt
  81.27 billion kWh (2002)

El Salvador
  4.158 billion kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  26.69 million kWh (2002)

Eritrea
  246.6 million kWh (2002)

Estonia
  8.301 billion kWh (2002)

Ethiopia
  2.149 billion kWh (2002)

European Union
  2.888 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  19.06 million kWh (2002)

Faroe Islands
  220 million kWh (2002)

Fiji
  750 million kWh (2002)

Finland
  71.59 billion kWh (2002)

France
  528.6 billion kWh (2002)

French Guiana
  460.1 million kWh (2002)

French Polynesia
  380 million kWh (2002)

Gabon
  1.161 billion kWh (2002)

Gambia, The
  90.31 million kWh (2002)

Gaza Strip
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel

Georgia
  6.732 billion kWh (2002)

Germany
  560 billion kWh (2003)

Ghana
  6.922 billion kWh (2002)

Gibraltar
  104 million kWh (2002)

Greece
  47.22 billion kWh (2002)

Greenland
  245 million kWh (2002)

Grenada
  149 million kWh (2002)

Guadeloupe
  1.16 billion kWh (2002)

Guam
  835 million kWh (2002)

Guatemala
  6.608 billion kWh (2002)

Guernsey
  NA kWh

Guinea
  855 million kWh (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  55 million kWh (2002)

Guyana
  808 million kWh (2002)

Haiti
  618 million kWh (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh

Honduras
  3.626 billion kWh (2002)

Hong Kong
  35.51 billion kWh (2003)

Hungary
  34.07 billion kWh (2002)

Iceland
  8.271 billion kWh (2002)

India
  547.2 billion kWh (2002)

Indonesia
  110.2 billion kWh (2003)

Iran
  129 billion kWh (2002)

Iraq
  32.6 billion kWh (2004)

Ireland
  22.88 billion kWh (2002)

Israel
  42.67 billion kWh (2002)

Italy
  261.6 billion kWh (2002)

Jamaica
  6.289 billion kWh (2002)

Japan
  1.044 trillion kWh (2002)

Jordan
  7.307 billion kWh (2002)

Kazakhstan
  66.82 billion kWh (2003)

Kenya
  4.475 billion kWh (2002)

Kiribati
  7 million kWh (2002)

Korea, North
  33.62 billion kWh (2002)

Korea, South
  322.5 billion kWh (2003)

Kuwait
  32.43 billion kWh (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  11.72 billion kWh (2002)

Laos
  3.56 billion kWh (2002)

Latvia
  4.547 billion kWh (2002)

Lebanon
  8.066 billion kWh (2002)

Lesotho
  314 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2002)

Liberia
  488.8 million kWh (2002)

Libya
  20.89 billion kWh (2002)

Lithuania
  17.93 billion kWh (2002)

Luxembourg
  2.511 billion kWh (2002)

Macau
  1.719 billion kWh (2003)

Macedonia
  6.273 billion kWh (2003)

Madagascar
  840.2 million kWh (2002)

Malawi
  1.088 billion kWh (2002)

Malaysia
  75.33 billion kWh (2002)

Maldives
  124.4 million kWh (2002)

Mali
  700 million kWh (2002)

Malta
  2.15 billion kWh (2002)

Martinique
  1.178 billion kWh (2002)

Mauritania
  190.2 million kWh (2002)

Mauritius
  1.836 billion kWh (2002)

Mayotte
  NA kWh

Mexico
  203.6 billion kWh (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  192 million kWh (2002)

Moldova
  3.876 billion kWh (2002)

Mongolia
  2.692 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  1.8 million kWh (2002)

Morocco
  13.91 billion kWh (2002)

Mozambique
  8.859 billion kWh (2002)

Namibia
  1.167 billion kWh (2002)

Nauru
  30 million kWh (2002)

Nepal
  2.054 billion kWh (2002)

Netherlands
  90.61 billion kWh (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  1.005 billion kWh (2002)

New Caledonia
  1.581 billion kWh (2002)

New Zealand
  38.39 billion kWh (2002)

Nicaragua
  2.553 billion kWh (2002)

Niger
  266.2 million kWh (2002)

Nigeria
  19.85 billion kWh (2002)

Niue
  3 million kWh (2002)

Norfolk Island
  NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA kWh

Norway
  125.9 billion kWh (2002)

Oman
  9.896 billion kWh (2003)

Pakistan
  75.27 billion kWh (2003)

Panama
  4.873 billion kWh (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  1.679 billion kWh (2002)

Paraguay
  48.36 billion kWh (2002)

Peru
  22.88 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Philippines
  52.86 billion kWh (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA kWh; note - electric power is provided by a
  small diesel-powered generator

Poland
  133.8 billion kWh (2002)

Portugal
  43.28 billion kWh (2002)

Puerto Rico
  22.09 billion kWh (2002)

Qatar
  9.727 billion kWh (2002)

Reunion
  1.166 billion kWh (2002)

Romania
  56.53 billion kWh (2003)

Russia
  915 billion kWh (2003)

Rwanda
  166.7 million kWh (2002)

Saint Helena
  5 million kWh (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  105.8 million kWh (2002)

Saint Lucia
  270.3 million kWh (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  43.08 million kWh (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  91.2 million kWh (2002)

Samoa
  122 million kWh (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  17 million kWh (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  138.2 billion kWh (2002)

Senegal
  1.737 billion kWh (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  31.64 billion kWh (2002)

Seychelles
  218 million kWh (2002)

Sierra Leone
  255.3 million kWh (2002)

Singapore
  35.33 billion kWh (2003)

Slovakia
  31.15 billion kWh (2003)

Slovenia
  12.49 billion kWh (2003)

Solomon Islands
  32 million kWh (2002)

Somalia
  240.3 million kWh (2002)

South Africa
  202.6 billion kWh (2002)

Spain
  229 billion kWh (2002)

Sri Lanka
  6.697 billion kWh (2002)

Sudan
  2.581 billion kWh (2002)

Suriname
  1.984 billion kWh (2002)

Swaziland
  402 million kWh (2002)

Sweden
  142.8 billion kWh (2002)

Switzerland
  63.47 billion kWh (2002)

Syria
  26.15 billion kWh (2002)

Taiwan
  158.5 billion kWh (2002)

Tajikistan
  15.08 billion kWh (2002)

Tanzania
  2.727 billion kWh (2002)

Thailand
  118.9 billion kWh (2003)

Togo
  108.8 million kWh (2002)

Tokelau
  NA kWh

Tonga
  24.79 million kWh (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  5.743 billion kWh (2002)

Tunisia
  10.72 billion kWh (2002)

Turkey
  139.7 billion kWh (2003)

Turkmenistan
  11.41 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  5 million kWh (2002)

Uganda
  1.775 billion kWh (2002)

Ukraine
  180 billion kWh (2003)

United Arab Emirates
  45.12 billion kWh (2004)

United Kingdom
  395.9 billion kWh (2003)

United States
  3.839 trillion kWh (2002)

Uruguay
  8.536 billion kWh (2003)

Uzbekistan
  47.7 billion kWh (2002)

Vanuatu
  48.42 million kWh (2002)

Venezuela
  89.7 billion kWh (2003)

Vietnam
  34.48 billion kWh (2002)

Virgin Islands
  1.035 billion kWh (2002)

Wake Island
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA kWh

West Bank
  NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East
  Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to
  Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank;
  the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most
  Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian
  municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own
  electricity from small power plants

Western Sahara
  90 million kWh (2002)

World
  15.29 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Yemen
  3.04 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Zambia
  8.167 billion kWh (2002)

Zimbabwe
  8.839 billion kWh (2002)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2042 Electricity - consumption (kWh)

Afghanistan
  652.2 million kWh (2002)

Albania
  6.76 billion kWh (2004)

Algeria
  23.61 billion kWh (2002)

American Samoa
  120.9 million kWh (2002)

Andorra
  NA kWh

Angola
  1.587 billion kWh (2002)

Anguilla
  42.6 million kWh

Antigua and Barbuda
  103 million kWh (2002)

Argentina
  81.65 billion kWh (2002)

Armenia
  5.797 billion kWh (2002)

Aruba
  751.2 million kWh (2002)

Australia
  195.6 billion kWh (2002)

Austria
  55.09 billion kWh (2002)

Azerbaijan
  17.37 billion kWh (2002)

Bahamas, The
  1.596 billion kWh (2002)

Bahrain
  6.379 billion kWh (2002)

Bangladesh
  15.3 billion kWh (2002)

Barbados
  744 million kWh (2002)

Belarus
  34.3 billion kWh (2004)

Belgium
  78.82 billion kWh (2002)

Belize
  108.8 million kWh (2002)

Benin
  565.2 million kWh (2002)

Bermuda
  598 million kWh (2002)

Bhutan
  312.9 million kWh (2002)

Bolivia
  3.848 billion kWh (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.318 billion kWh (2002)

Botswana
  1.89 billion kWh (2002)

Brazil
  351.9 billion kWh (2002)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA kWh

British Virgin Islands
  33.74 million kWh (2002)

Brunei
  2.286 billion kWh (2002)

Bulgaria
  32.71 billion kWh (2002)

Burkina Faso
  335.7 million kWh (2002)

Burma
  3.484 billion kWh (2003)

Burundi
  137.8 million kWh (2002)

Cambodia
  100.6 million kWh (2002)

Cameroon
  3.321 billion kWh (2002)

Canada
  487.3 billion kWh (2002)

Cape Verde
  40.06 million kWh (2002)

Cayman Islands
  382.1 million kWh (2002)

Central African Republic
  98.58 million kWh (2002)

Chad
  89.4 million kWh (2002)

Chile
  41.8 billion kWh (2002)

China
  1.63 trillion kWh (2003)

Colombia
  41.14 billion kWh (2002)

Comoros
  22.17 million kWh (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4.168 billion kWh (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  573.6 million kWh (2002)

Cook Islands
  25.11 million kWh (2002)

Costa Rica
  5.733 billion kWh (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  2.976 billion kWh (2002)

Croatia
  15.2 billion kWh (2002)

Cuba
  13.4 billion kWh (2002)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 3.663 billion kWh (2003); north Cyprus:
  602 million kWh (2003)

Czech Republic
  55.33 billion kWh (2002)

Denmark
  31.63 billion kWh (2002)

Djibouti
  167.4 million kWh (2002)

Dominica
  63.62 million kWh (2002)

Dominican Republic
  8.912 billion kWh (2002)

East Timor
  NA kWh (2002)

Ecuador
  10.79 billion kWh (2002)

Egypt
  75.58 billion kWh (2002)

El Salvador
  4.45 billion kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  24.82 million kWh (2002)

Eritrea
  229.4 million kWh (2002)

Estonia
  6.358 billion kWh (2002)

Ethiopia
  1.998 billion kWh (2002)

European Union
  2.661 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  17.72 million kWh (2002)

Faroe Islands
  204.6 million kWh (2002)

Fiji
  697.5 million kWh (2002)

Finland
  78.58 billion kWh (2002)

France
  414.7 billion kWh (2002)

French Guiana
  427.9 million kWh (2002)

French Polynesia
  353.4 million kWh (2002)

Gabon
  1.08 billion kWh (2002)

Gambia, The
  83.99 million kWh (2002)

Gaza Strip
  NA kWh

Georgia
  6.811 billion kWh (2002)

Germany
  519.5 billion kWh (2003)

Ghana
  6.137 billion kWh (2002)

Gibraltar
  96.76 million kWh (2002)

Greece
  47.42 billion kWh (2002)

Greenland
  227.9 million kWh (2002)

Grenada
  138.6 million kWh (2002)

Guadeloupe
  1.079 billion kWh (2002)

Guam
  776.6 million kWh (2002)

Guatemala
  5.76 billion kWh (2002)

Guernsey
  NA kWh

Guinea
  795.2 million kWh (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  51.15 million kWh (2002)

Guyana
  751.4 million kWh (2002)

Haiti
  574.7 million kWh (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh

Honduras
  3.771 billion kWh (2002)

Hong Kong
  38.45 billion kWh (2003)

Hungary
  35.99 billion kWh (2002)

Iceland
  7.692 billion kWh (2002)

India
  510.1 billion kWh (2002)

Indonesia
  92.35 billion kWh (2003)

Iran
  119.9 billion kWh (2002)

Iraq
  33.7 billion kWh (2004)

Ireland
  21.78 billion kWh (2002)

Israel
  38.3 billion kWh (2002)

Italy
  293.9 billion kWh (2002)

Jamaica
  5.849 billion kWh (2002)

Japan
  971 billion kWh (2002)

Jersey
  630.1 million kWh (2004 est.)

Jordan
  7.094 billion kWh (2002)

Kazakhstan
  62.21 billion kWh (203)

Kenya
  4.337 billion kWh (2002)

Kiribati
  6.51 million kWh (2002)

Korea, North
  31.26 billion kWh (2002)

Korea, South
  293.6 billion kWh (2003)

Kuwait
  30.16 billion kWh (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  10.21 billion kWh (2002)

Laos
  3.036 billion kWh (2002)

Latvia
  5.829 billion kWh (2002)

Lebanon
  8.591 billion kWh (2002)

Lesotho
  308 million kWh (2002)

Liberia
  454.6 million kWh (2002)

Libya
  19.43 billion kWh (2002)

Lithuania
  10.17 billion kWh (2002)

Luxembourg
  5.735 billion kWh (2002)

Macau
  1.772 billion kWh (2003)

Macedonia
  7.216 billion kWh (2003)

Madagascar
  781.4 million kWh (2002)

Malawi
  1.012 billion kWh (2002)

Malaysia
  68.4 billion kWh (2002)

Maldives
  115.7 million kWh (2002)

Mali
  651 million kWh (2002)

Malta
  2 billion kWh (2002)

Martinique
  1.095 billion kWh (2002)

Mauritania
  176.9 million kWh (2002)

Mauritius
  1.707 billion kWh (2002)

Mayotte
  NA kWh

Mexico
  189.7 billion kWh (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  178.6 million kWh (2002)

Moldova
  4.605 billion kWh (2002)

Monaco
  NA kWh

Mongolia
  2.209 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  1.674 million kWh (2002)

Morocco
  14.24 billion kWh (2002)

Mozambique
  5.046 billion kWh (2002)

Namibia
  1.92 billion kWh (2002)

Nauru
  27.9 million kWh (2002)

Nepal
  2.005 billion kWh (2002)

Netherlands
  100.7 billion kWh (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  934.3 million kWh (2002)

New Caledonia
  1.471 billion kWh (2002)

New Zealand
  35.71 billion kWh (2002)

Nicaragua
  2.318 billion kWh (2002)

Niger
  327.6 million kWh (2002)

Nigeria
  18.43 billion kWh (2002)

Niue
  2.79 million kWh (2002)

Norfolk Island
  NA kWh

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA kWh

Norway
  107.4 billion kWh (2002)

Oman
  9.792 billion kWh (2003)

Pakistan
  52.66 billion kWh (2003)

Panama
  4.473 billion kWh (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  1.561 billion kWh (2002)

Paraguay
  2.469 billion kWh (2002)

Peru
  20.22 billion kWh (2002)

Philippines
  46.05 billion kWh (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA kWh

Poland
  117.4 billion kWh (2002)

Portugal
  42.15 billion kWh (2002)

Puerto Rico
  20.54 billion kWh (2002)

Qatar
  9.046 billion kWh (2002)

Reunion
  1.084 billion kWh (2002)

Romania
  57.5 billion kWh (2003)

Russia
  894.3 billion kWh (2003)

Rwanda
  195 million kWh (2002)

Saint Helena
  4.65 million kWh (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  98.44 million kWh (2002)

Saint Lucia
  251.3 million kWh (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  40.06 million kWh (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  84.82 million kWh (2002)

Samoa
  113.5 million kWh (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  15.81 million kWh (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  128.5 billion kWh (2002)

Senegal
  1.615 billion kWh (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  32.33 billion kWh (2002)

Seychelles
  202.8 million kWh (2002)

Sierra Leone
  237.4 million kWh (2002)

Singapore
  32 billion kWh (2003)

Slovakia
  28.89 billion kWh (2003)

Slovenia
  11.8 billion kWh (2003)

Solomon Islands
  29.76 million kWh (2002)

Somalia
  223.5 million kWh (2002)

South Africa
  189.4 billion kWh (2002)

Spain
  218.4 billion kWh (2002)

Sri Lanka
  6.228 billion kWh (2002)

Sudan
  2.4 billion kWh (2002)

Suriname
  1.845 billion kWh (2002)

Swaziland
  1.173 billion kWh (2002)

Sweden
  138.1 billion kWh (2002)

Switzerland
  54.53 billion kWh (2002)

Syria
  24.32 billion kWh (2002)

Taiwan
  147.4 billion kWh (2002)

Tajikistan
  14.41 billion kWh (2002)

Tanzania
  2.566 billion kWh (2002)

Thailand
  106.1 billion kWh (2003)

Togo
  451.2 million kWh (2002)

Tokelau
  NA kWh

Tonga
  23.06 million kWh (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  5.341 billion kWh (2002)

Tunisia
  10.05 billion kWh (2002)

Turkey
  117.9 billion kWh (2002)

Turkmenistan
  8.908 billion kWh (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.65 million kWh (2002)

Uganda
  1.401 billion kWh (2002)

Ukraine
  132 billion kWh (2003)

United Arab Emirates
  36.51 billion kWh (2002)

United Kingdom
  337.4 billion kWh (2003)

United States
  3.66 trillion kWh (2002)

Uruguay
  5.878 billion kWh (2003)

Uzbekistan
  46.66 billion kWh (2002)

Vanuatu
  45.03 million kWh (2002)

Venezuela
  89.3 billion kWh (2003)

Vietnam
  32.06 billion kWh (2002)

Virgin Islands
  962.6 million kWh (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA kWh

West Bank
  NA kWh

Western Sahara
  83.7 million kWh (2002)

World
  14.28 trillion kWh (2002 est.)

Yemen
  2.827 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Zambia
  5.345 billion kWh (2002)

Zimbabwe
  11.22 billion kWh (2002)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2043 Electricity - imports (kWh)

Afghanistan
  150 million kWh (2002)

Albania
  1.08 billion kWh (2004 est.)

Algeria
  150 million kWh (2002)

American Samoa
  0 kWh (2002)

Andorra
  NA kWh; note - most electricity supplied by Spain and
  France; Andorra generates a small amount of hydropower

Angola
  0 kWh (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 kWh (2002)

Argentina
  8.775 billion kWh (2002)

Armenia
  463 million kWh; note - imports an unknown quantity from
  Iran (2002)

Aruba
  0 kWh (2002)

Australia
  0 kWh (2002)

Austria
  15.4 billion kWh (2002)

Azerbaijan
  1.558 billion kWh (2002)

Bahamas, The
  0 kWh (2002)

Bahrain
  0 kWh (2002)

Bangladesh
  0 kWh (2002)

Barbados
  0 kWh (2002)

Belarus
  3.2 billion kWh (2003)

Belgium
  16.7 billion kWh (2002)

Belize
  0 kWh (2002)

Benin
  300 million kWh (2002)

Bermuda
  0 kWh (2002)

Bhutan
  12 million kWh (2002)

Bolivia
  9 million kWh (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  2.271 billion kWh (2002)

Botswana
  1.025 billion kWh (2002)

Brazil
  36.58 billion kWh; note - supplied by Paraguay (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Brunei
  0 kWh (2002)

Bulgaria
  960 million kWh (2002)

Burkina Faso
  0 kWh (2002)

Burma
  0 kWh (2004)

Burundi
  15 million kWh; note - supplied by the Democratic Republic
  of the Congo (2002)

Cambodia
  0 kWh (2002)

Cameroon
  0 kWh (2002)

Canada
  13 billion kWh (2002)

Cape Verde
  0 kWh (2002)

Cayman Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Central African Republic
  0 kWh (2002)

Chad
  0 kWh (2002)

Chile
  1.813 billion kWh (2002)

China
  2.3 billion kWh (2002)

Colombia
  23 million kWh (2002)

Comoros
  0 kWh (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  8 million kWh (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  250 million kWh (2002)

Cook Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Costa Rica
  59 million kWh (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 kWh (2002)

Croatia
  3.966 billion kWh (2002)

Cuba
  0 kWh (2002)

Cyprus
  0 kWh (2002)

Czech Republic
  9.5 billion kWh (2002)

Denmark
  8.9 billion kWh (2002)

Djibouti
  0 kWh (2002)

Dominica
  0 kWh (2002)

Dominican Republic
  0 kWh (2002)

East Timor
  0 kWh (2002)

Ecuador
  57 million kWh (2002)

Egypt
  0 kWh (2002)

El Salvador
  473 million kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 kWh (2002)

Eritrea
  0 kWh (2002)

Estonia
  200 million kWh (2002)

Ethiopia
  0 kWh (2002)

European Union
  268.5 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 kWh (2002)

Faroe Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Fiji
  0 kWh (2002)

Finland
  13.5 billion kWh (2002)

France
  3 billion kWh (2002)

French Guiana
  0 kWh (2002)

French Polynesia
  0 kWh (2002)

Gabon
  0 kWh (2002)

Gambia, The
  0 kWh (2002)

Gaza Strip
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Israel (2001)

Georgia
  850 million kWh (2002)

Germany
  45.8 billion kWh (2003)

Ghana
  200 million kWh (2002)

Gibraltar
  0 kWh (2002)

Greece
  4.6 billion kWh (2002)

Greenland
  0 kWh (2002)

Grenada
  0 kWh (2002)

Guadeloupe
  0 kWh (2002)

Guam
  0 kWh (2002)

Guatemala
  55 million kWh (2002)

Guernsey
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 kWh (2002)

Guyana
  0 kWh (2002)

Haiti
  0 kWh (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by Italy

Honduras
  415 million kWh (2002)

Hong Kong
  10.4 billion kWh (2003)

Hungary
  12.6 billion kWh (2002)

Iceland
  0 kWh (2002)

India
  1.54 billion kWh (2002)

Indonesia
  0 kWh (2002)

Iran
  0 kWh (2002)

Iraq
  1.1 billion kWh (2004)

Ireland
  600 million kWh (2002)

Israel
  0 kWh (2002)

Italy
  51.5 billion kWh (2002)

Jamaica
  0 kWh (2002)

Japan
  0 kWh (2002)

Jersey
  NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by France

Jordan
  300 million kWh (2002)

Kazakhstan
  2.506 billion kWh (2003)

Kenya
  175 million kWh (2002)

Kiribati
  0 kWh (2002)

Korea, North
  0 kWh (2002)

Korea, South
  0 kWh (2003)

Kuwait
  0 kWh (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  375 million kWh (2002)

Laos
  125 million kWh (2002)

Latvia
  2.7 billion kWh (2002)

Lebanon
  1.09 billion kWh (2002)

Lesotho
  16 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2002)

Liberia
  0 kWh (2002)

Libya
  0 kWh (2002)

Lithuania
  300 million kWh (2002)

Luxembourg
  6.3 billion kWh (2002)

Macau
  179.7 million kWh (2003)

Macedonia
  953 million kWh (2003)

Madagascar
  0 kWh (2002)

Malawi
  0 kWh (2002)

Malaysia
  0 kWh (2002)

Maldives
  0 kWh (2002)

Mali
  0 kWh (2002)

Malta
  0 kWh (2002)

Martinique
  0 kWh (2002)

Mauritania
  0 kWh (2002)

Mauritius
  0 kWh (2002)

Mexico
  367.7 million kWh (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0 kWh (2002)

Moldova
  1 billion kWh (2002)

Monaco
  NA kWh
  note: electricity supplied by France

Mongolia
  130.5 million kWh (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  0 kWh (2002)

Morocco
  1.3 billion kWh (2002)

Mozambique
  3.907 billion kWh (2002)

Namibia
  900 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa
  (2002)

Nauru
  0 kWh (2002)

Nepal
  237 million kWh (2002)

Netherlands
  20.9 billion kWh (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 kWh (2002)

New Caledonia
  0 kWh (2002)

New Zealand
  0 kWh (2002)

Nicaragua
  15.3 million kWh (2002)

Niger
  80 million kWh (2002)

Nigeria
  0 kWh (2002)

Niue
  0 kWh (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 kWh

Norway
  5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Oman
  0 kWh (2002)

Pakistan
  0 kWh (2003)

Panama
  61 million kWh (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  0 kWh (2002)

Paraguay
  0 kWh (2002)

Peru
  0 kWh (2003)

Philippines
  0 kWh (2003)

Poland
  4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Portugal
  5.3 billion kWh (2002)

Puerto Rico
  0 kWh (2002)

Qatar
  0 kWh (2002)

Reunion
  0 kWh (2002)

Romania
  962 million kWh (2003)

Russia
  12.65 billion kWh (2002)

Rwanda
  40 million kWh (2002)

Saint Helena
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Lucia
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 kWh (2002)

Samoa
  0 kWh (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 kWh (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  0 kWh (2002)

Senegal
  0 kWh (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  3.3 billion kWh (2002)

Seychelles
  0 kWh (2002)

Sierra Leone
  0 kWh (2002)

Singapore
  0 kWh (2003)

Slovakia
  6 billion kWh (2003)

Slovenia
  5.194 billion kWh (2002)

Solomon Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Somalia
  0 kWh (2002)

South Africa
  7.873 billion kWh (2002)

Spain
  9.8 billion kWh (2002)

Sri Lanka
  0 kWh (2002)

Sudan
  0 kWh (2002)

Suriname
  0 kWh (2002)

Swaziland
  799 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South
  Africa (2002)

Sweden
  20.1 billion kWh (2002)

Switzerland
  27.8 billion kWh (2002)

Syria
  0 kWh (2002)

Taiwan
  0 kWh (2002)

Tajikistan
  4.359 billion kWh (2002)

Tanzania
  30 million kWh (2002)

Thailand
  600 million kWh (2002)

Togo
  350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by Ghana (2002)

Tonga
  0 kWh (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 kWh (2002)

Tunisia
  90 million kWh (2002)

Turkey
  3.6 billion kWh (2002)

Turkmenistan
  0 kWh (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Uganda
  0 kWh (2002)

Ukraine
  0 kWh (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  0 kWh (2004)

United Kingdom
  5.119 billion kWh (2003)

United States
  36.23 billion kWh (2002)

Uruguay
  434.2 million kWh (2003)

Uzbekistan
  6.8 billion kWh (2002)

Vanuatu
  0 kWh (2002)

Venezuela
  30 million kWh (2003)

Vietnam
  0 kWh (2002)

Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 kWh (2002)

West Bank
  NA kWh

Western Sahara
  0 kWh (2002)

World
  497.6 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Yemen
  0 kWh (2002)

Zambia
  0 kWh (2002)

Zimbabwe
  3 billion kWh (2002)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2044 Electricity - exports (kWh)

Afghanistan
  0 kWh (2002)

Albania
  100 million kWh (2002)

Algeria
  500 million kWh (2002)

American Samoa
  0 kWh (2002)

Andorra
  0 kWh (2002)

Angola
  0 kWh (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 kWh (2002)

Argentina
  2.818 billion kWh (2002)

Armenia
  704 million kWh; note - exports an unknown quantity to
  Georgia; includes exports to Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan
  (2002)

Aruba
  0 kWh (2002)

Australia
  0 kWh (2002)

Austria
  14.7 billion kWh (2002)

Azerbaijan
  505 million kWh (2002)

Bahamas, The
  0 kWh (2002)

Bahrain
  0 kWh (2002)

Bangladesh
  0 kWh (2002)

Barbados
  0 kWh (2002)

Belarus
  800 million kWh (2004)

Belgium
  9.1 billion kWh (2002)

Belize
  0 kWh (2002)

Benin
  0 kWh (2002)

Bermuda
  0 kWh (2002)

Bhutan
  1.56 billion kWh (2002)

Bolivia
  3 million kWh (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  3.288 billion kWh (2002)

Botswana
  0 kWh (2002)

Brazil
  7 million kWh (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Brunei
  0 kWh (2002)

Bulgaria
  8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Burkina Faso
  0 kWh (2002)

Burma
  0 kWh (2002)

Burundi
  0 kWh (2002)

Cambodia
  0 kWh (2002)

Cameroon
  0 kWh (2002)

Canada
  36.13 billion kWh (2002)

Cape Verde
  0 kWh (2002)

Cayman Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Central African Republic
  0 kWh (2002)

Chad
  0 kWh (2002)

Chile
  0 kWh (2002)

China
  10.38 billion kWh (2002)

Colombia
  618 million kWh (2002)

Comoros
  0 kWh (2002)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.5 billion kWh (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 kWh (2002)

Cook Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Costa Rica
  477 million kWh (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.45 billion kWh (2002)

Croatia
  406 million kWh (2002)

Cuba
  0 kWh (2002)

Cyprus
  0 kWh (2002)

Czech Republic
  20.9 billion kWh (2002)

Denmark
  11.1 billion kWh (2002)

Djibouti
  0 kWh (2002)

Dominica
  0 kWh (2002)

Dominican Republic
  0 kWh (2002)

East Timor
  0 kWh (2002)

Ecuador
  0 kWh (2002)

Egypt
  0 kWh (2002)

El Salvador
  91 million kWh (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 kWh (2002)

Eritrea
  0 kWh (2002)

Estonia
  1.562 billion kWh (2002)

Ethiopia
  0 kWh (2002)

European Union
  270.8 billion kWh (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 kWh (2002)

Faroe Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Fiji
  0 kWh (2002)

Finland
  1.5 billion kWh (2002)

France
  79.9 billion kWh (2002)

French Guiana
  0 kWh (2002)

French Polynesia
  0 kWh (2002)

Gabon
  0 kWh (2002)

Gambia, The
  0 kWh (2002)

Gaza Strip
  0 kWh (2001)

Georgia
  300 million kWh (2002)

Germany
  53.8 billion kWh (2003)

Ghana
  500 million kWh (2002)

Gibraltar
  0 kWh (2002)

Greece
  1.1 billion kWh (2002)

Greenland
  0 kWh (2002)

Grenada
  0 kWh (2002)

Guadeloupe
  0 kWh (2002)

Guam
  0 kWh (2002)

Guatemala
  440 million kWh (2002)

Guernsey
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea
  0 kWh (2002)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 kWh (2002)

Guyana
  0 kWh (2002)

Haiti
  0 kWh (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 kWh

Honduras
  16 million kWh (2002)

Hong Kong
  3 billion kWh (2003)

Hungary
  8.3 billion kWh (2002)

Iceland
  0 kWh (2002)

India
  350 million kWh (2002)

Indonesia
  0 kWh (2002)

Iran
  0 kWh (2002)

Iraq
  0 kWh (2004)

Ireland
  100 million kWh (2002)

Israel
  1.387 billion kWh (2002)

Italy
  900 million kWh (2002)

Jamaica
  0 kWh (2002)

Japan
  0 kWh (2002)

Jordan
  2 million kWh (2002)

Kazakhstan
  4.975 billion kWh (2003)

Kenya
  0 kWh (2002)

Kiribati
  0 kWh (2002)

Korea, North
  0 kWh (2002)

Korea, South
  0 kWh (2003)

Kuwait
  0 kWh (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  1.062 billion kWh (2002)

Laos
  400 million kWh (2002)

Latvia
  1.1 billion kWh (2002)

Lebanon
  0 kWh (2002)

Lesotho
  0 kWh (2002)

Liberia
  0 kWh (2002)

Libya
  0 kWh (2002)

Lithuania
  6.8 billion kWh (2002)

Luxembourg
  2.9 billion kWh (2002)

Macau
  1 million kWh (2003)

Macedonia
  0 kWh (2003)

Madagascar
  0 kWh (2002)

Malawi
  0 kWh (2002)

Malaysia
  70 million kWh (2002)

Maldives
  0 kWh (2002)

Mali
  0 kWh; note - recent hydropower developments may be providing
  electricity to Senegal and Mauritania (2002)

Malta
  0 kWh (2002)

Martinique
  0 kWh (2002)

Mauritania
  0 kWh (2002)

Mauritius
  0 kWh (2002)

Mexico
  98.65 million kWh (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0 kWh (2002)

Moldova
  0 kWh (2002)

Mongolia
  8.2 million kWh (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  0 kWh (2002)

Morocco
  0 kWh (2002)

Mozambique
  7.1 billion kWh (2002)

Namibia
  65 million kWh (2002)

Nauru
  0 kWh (2002)

Nepal
  142 million kWh (2002)

Netherlands
  4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 kWh (2002)

New Caledonia
  0 kWh (2002)

New Zealand
  0 kWh (2002)

Nicaragua
  6.8 million kWh (2002)

Niger
  0 kWh (2002)

Nigeria
  30 million kWh (2002)

Niue
  0 kWh (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 kWh

Norway
  15 billion kWh (2002)

Oman
  0 kWh (2002)

Pakistan
  0 kWh (2003)

Panama
  120 million kWh (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  0 kWh (2002)

Paraguay
  42.51 billion kWh (2002)

Peru
  0 kWh (2003)

Philippines
  0 kWh (2003)

Poland
  11.5 billion kWh (2002)

Portugal
  3.4 billion kWh (2002)

Puerto Rico
  0 kWh (2002)

Qatar
  0 kWh (2002)

Reunion
  0 kWh (2002)

Romania
  3.046 billion kWh (2003)

Russia
  20.7 billion kWh (2003)

Rwanda
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Helena
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Lucia
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 kWh (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 kWh (2002)

Samoa
  0 kWh (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 kWh (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  0 kWh (2002)

Senegal
  0 kWh (2002)

Serbia and Montenegro
  400 million kWh (2002)

Seychelles
  0 kWh (2002)

Sierra Leone
  0 kWh (2002)

Singapore
  0 kWh (2003)

Slovakia
  8 billion kWh (2003)

Slovenia
  7.448 billion kWh (2002)

Solomon Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Somalia
  0 kWh (2002)

South Africa
  6.95 billion kWh (2002)

Spain
  4.4 billion kWh (2002)

Sri Lanka
  0 kWh (2002)

Sudan
  0 kWh (2002)

Suriname
  0 kWh (2002)

Swaziland
  0 kWh (2002)

Sweden
  14.8 billion kWh (2002)

Switzerland
  32.3 billion kWh (2002)

Syria
  0 kWh (2002)

Taiwan
  0 kWh (2002)

Tajikistan
  3.974 billion kWh (2002)

Tanzania
  0 kWh (2002)

Thailand
  188 million kWh (2002)

Togo
  0 kWh (2002)

Tonga
  0 kWh (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 kWh (2002)

Tunisia
  10 million kWh (2002)

Turkey
  433 million kWh (2002)

Turkmenistan
  1.136 billion kWh (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Uganda
  250 million kWh (2002)

Ukraine
  1.2 billion kWh (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  0 kWh (2004)

United Kingdom
  2.959 billion kWh (2003)

United States
  13.36 billion kWh (2002)

Uruguay
  954 million kWh (2003)

Uzbekistan
  4.5 billion kWh (2002)

Vanuatu
  0 kWh (2002)

Venezuela
  450 million kWh (2003)

Vietnam
  0 kWh (2002)

Virgin Islands
  0 kWh (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 kWh (2002)

Western Sahara
  0 kWh (2002)

World
  500.8 billion kWh (2002 est.)

Yemen
  0 kWh (2002)

Zambia
  2.25 billion kWh (2002)

Zimbabwe
  0 kWh (2002)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2046 Population below poverty line (%)

Afghanistan
  53% (2003)

Albania
  25% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  23% (1999 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  70% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  23% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  44.3% (June 2004)

Armenia
  50% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  NA

Austria
  3.9% (1999)

Azerbaijan
  49% (2002 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  NA

Bangladesh
  45% (2004 est.)

Barbados
  NA

Belarus
  27.1% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  4% (1989 est.)

Belize
  33% (1999 est.)

Benin
  33% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  19% (2000)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  64% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  25% (2004 est.)

Botswana
  47% (2002 est.)

Brazil
  22% (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  13.4% (2002 est.)

Burkina Faso
  45% (2003 est.)

Burma
  25% (2000 est.)

Burundi
  68% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  40% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  48% (2000 est.)

Canada
  NA

Cape Verde
  30% (2000)

Cayman Islands
  NA (2002 est.)

Central African Republic
  NA (1993)

Chad
  80% (2001 est.)

Chile
  20.6% (2000)

China
  10% (2001 est.)

Colombia
  55% (2001)

Comoros
  60% (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  18% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  37% (1995)

Croatia
  11% (2003)

Cuba
  NA

Cyprus
  NA%

Czech Republic
  NA

Denmark
  NA

Djibouti
  50% (2001 est.)

Dominica
  30% (2002 est.)

Dominican Republic
  25%

East Timor
  42% (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  45% (2001 est.)

Egypt
  16.7% (2000 est.)

El Salvador
  36.1% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  50% (2004 est.)

Estonia
  NA (2000)

Ethiopia
  50% (2004 est.)

European Union
  See individual country listings

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA%

Fiji
  25.5% (1990-91)

Finland
  NA

France
  6.5% (2000)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  NA

Gaza Strip
  81% (2004 est.)

Georgia
  54% (2001 est.)

Germany
  NA

Ghana
  31.4% (1992 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  NA

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  32% (2000)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  23% (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  75% (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  40% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  NA

Haiti
  80% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA%

Honduras
  53% (1993 est.)

Hong Kong
  NA

Hungary
  8.6% (1993 est.)

Iceland
  NA%

India
  25% (2002 est.)

Indonesia
  27% (1999)

Iran
  40% (2002 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  10% (1997 est.)

Israel
  18% (2001 est.)

Italy
  NA

Jamaica
  19.7% (2002 est.)

Japan
  NA

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  30% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  19% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  50% (2000 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  4% (2001 est.)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  40% (2004 est.)

Laos
  40% (2002 est.)

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  28% (1999 est.)

Lesotho
  49% (1999)

Liberia
  80%

Libya
  NA

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  NA%

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  30.2% (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  50% (2004 est.)

Malawi
  55% (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  8% (1998 est.)

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  64% average; 30% of the total population living in urban areas;
  70% of the total population living in rural areas) (2001 est.)

Malta
  NA%

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  40% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  10% (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  40% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  26.7%

Moldova
  80% (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  36.1% (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  19% (1999 est.)

Mozambique
  70% (2001 est.)

Namibia
  50% (2002 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  42% (1995-96)

Netherlands
  NA

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  NA

Nicaragua
  50% (2001 est.)

Niger
  63% (1993 est.)

Nigeria
  60% (2000 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  NA

Oman
  NA

Pakistan
  32% (FY00/01 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  37% (1999 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  37% (2002 est.)

Paraguay
  36% (2001 est.)

Peru
  54% (2003 est.)

Philippines
  40% (2001 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  18.4% (2000 est.)

Portugal
  NA

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  28.9% (2002)

Russia
  25% (January 2003 est.)

Rwanda
  60% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  54% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  54% (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  30% (1999 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  68% (1989 est.)

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  NA

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  50% (2000 est.)

Spain
  NA

Sri Lanka
  22% (1997 est.)

Sudan
  40% (2004 est.)

Suriname
  70% (2002 est.)

Swaziland
  40% (1995)

Sweden
  NA

Switzerland
  NA

Syria
  20% (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  1% (2000 est.)

Tajikistan
  60% (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  36% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  10% (2004 est.)

Togo
  32% (1989 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  21% (1992 est.)

Tunisia
  7.6% (2001 est.)

Turkey
  20% (2002)

Turkmenistan
  58% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  35% (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  29% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  17% (2002 est.)

United States
  12% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  21% of households (2003)

Uzbekistan
  28% (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  47% (1998 est.)

Vietnam
  28.9% (2002 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  59% (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

Yemen
  45.2% (2003)

Zambia
  86% (1993)

Zimbabwe
  70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2047 Household income or consumption by percentage share (%)

Afghanistan
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Albania
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Algeria
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 26.8% (1995)

American Samoa
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Andorra
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Angola
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Anguilla
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Argentina
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Armenia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 46.2% (1999)

Aruba
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Australia
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 25.4% (1994)

Austria
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 22.5% (1995)

Azerbaijan
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 27.8% (1995)

Bahamas, The
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: 27% (2000)

Bahrain
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Bangladesh
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 28.6% (1995-96 est.)

Barbados
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Belarus
  lowest 10%: 5.1%
  highest 10%: 20% (1998)

Belgium
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 23% (1996)

Belize
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Benin
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Bermuda
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Bhutan
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Bolivia
  lowest 10%: 1.3%
  highest 10%: 32% (1999)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Botswana
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Brazil
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 48% (1998)

British Virgin Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Brunei
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Bulgaria
  lowest 10%: 4.5%
  highest 10%: 22.8% (1997)

Burkina Faso
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 46.8% (1994)

Burma
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Burundi
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 32.9% (1998)

Cambodia
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 33.8% (1997)

Cameroon
  lowest 10%: 1.9%
  highest 10%: 36.6% (1996)

Canada
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 23.8% (1994)

Cape Verde
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Cayman Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Central African Republic
  lowest 10%: 0.7%
  highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)

Chad
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Chile
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 47% (2000)

China
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 30.4% (1998)

Colombia
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 44% (1999)

Comoros
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Congo, Republic of the
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Cook Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Costa Rica
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 36.8% (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 28.8% (1995)

Croatia
  lowest 10%: 3.4%
  highest 10%: 24.5% (2003 est.)

Cuba
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Cyprus
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Czech Republic
  lowest 10%: 4.3%
  highest 10%: 22.4% (1996)

Denmark
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 24% (2000 est.)

Djibouti
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Dominica
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Dominican Republic
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 37.9% (1998)

East Timor
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Ecuador
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 32%
  note: data for urban households only (October 2003)

Egypt
  lowest 10%: 4.4%
  highest 10%: 25% (1995)

El Salvador
  lowest 10%: 1.4%
  highest 10%: 39.3% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Eritrea
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Estonia
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1998)

Ethiopia
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 33.7% (1995)

European Union
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 25.4% (1995 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Faroe Islands
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Fiji
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Finland
  lowest 10%: 4.2%
  highest 10%: 21.6% (1991)

France
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.1% (1995)

French Guiana
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

French Polynesia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Gabon
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Gambia, The
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Gaza Strip
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Georgia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 27.9% (1996)

Germany
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 25.1% (1997)

Ghana
  lowest 10%: 2.2%
  highest 10%: 30.1% (1999)

Gibraltar
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Greece
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 28.3% (1998 est.)

Greenland
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Grenada
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Guadeloupe
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guam
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Guatemala
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 46% (1998)

Guernsey
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Guinea
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 32% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 42.4% (1991)

Guyana
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Haiti
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Honduras
  lowest 10%: 0.6%
  highest 10%: 42.7% (1998)

Hong Kong
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Hungary
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 20.5% (1998)

Iceland
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

India
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 33.5% (1997)

Indonesia
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 26.7% (1999)

Iran
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Iraq
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Ireland
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 27.3% (1997)

Israel
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 28.3% (1997)

Italy
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 26.6% (2000)

Jamaica
  lowest 10%: 2.7%
  highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)

Japan
  lowest 10%: 4.8%
  highest 10%: 21.7% (1993)

Jersey
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Jordan
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)

Kazakhstan
  lowest 10%: 3.3%
  highest 10%: 26.5% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  lowest 10%: 2%
  highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Kiribati
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Korea, North
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Korea, South
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 22.5% (1999 est.)

Kuwait
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Kyrgyzstan
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 23.3% (2001)

Laos
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 30.6% (1997)

Latvia
  lowest 10%: 2.9%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (1998)

Lebanon
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Lesotho
  lowest 10%: 0.9%
  highest 10%: 43.4%

Liberia
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Libya
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Liechtenstein
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Lithuania
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 25.6% (1996)

Luxembourg
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Macau
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Macedonia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Madagascar
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 29% (1999)

Malawi
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Malaysia
  lowest 10%: 1.4%
  highest 10%: 39.2% (2003 est.)

Maldives
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Mali
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 40.4% (1994)

Malta
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Man, Isle of
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Marshall Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Martinique
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mauritania
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 30.2% (2000)

Mauritius
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Mayotte
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mexico
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 35.6% (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Moldova
  lowest 10%: 2.2%
  highest 10%: 30.7% (1997)

Monaco
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Mongolia
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 37% (1995)

Montserrat
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Morocco
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 30.9% (1998-99)

Mozambique
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 31.7% (1997)

Namibia
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Nauru
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Nepal
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1995-96)

Netherlands
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Netherlands Antilles
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

New Caledonia
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

New Zealand
  lowest 10%: 0.3%
  highest 10%: 29.8% (1991 est.)

Nicaragua
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 45% (2001)

Niger
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 35.4% (1995)

Nigeria
  lowest 10%: 1.6%
  highest 10%: 40.8% (1996-97)

Niue
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Norfolk Island
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Norway
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 21.8% (1995)

Oman
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Pakistan
  lowest 10%: 4.1%
  highest 10%: 27.6% (FY96/97)

Palau
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Panama
  lowest 10%: 1.2%
  highest 10%: 35.7% (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  lowest 10%: 1.7%
  highest 10%: 40.5% (1996)

Paraguay
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 43.8% (1998)

Peru
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Philippines
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 31.9% (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Poland
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 24.7% (1998)

Portugal
  lowest 10%: 3.1%
  highest 10%: 28.4% (1995 est.)

Puerto Rico
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Qatar
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Reunion
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Romania
  lowest 10%: 2.4%
  highest 10%: 27.6% (2003)

Russia
  lowest 10%: 5.9%
  highest 10%: 47% (2001)

Rwanda
  lowest 10%: 4.2%
  highest 10%: 24.2% (1985)

Saint Helena
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Saint Lucia
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Samoa
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

San Marino
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Saudi Arabia
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Senegal
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 33.5% (1995)

Serbia and Montenegro
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Seychelles
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Sierra Leone
  lowest 10%: 0.5%
  highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Singapore
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Slovakia
  lowest 10%: 5.1%
  highest 10%: 18.2% (1992)

Slovenia
  lowest 10%: 3.9%
  highest 10%: 23% (1998)

Solomon Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Somalia
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

South Africa
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 45.9% (1994)

Spain
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (1990)

Sri Lanka
  lowest 10%: 3.5%
  highest 10%: 28% (1995)

Sudan
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Suriname
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Swaziland
  lowest 10%: 1%
  highest 10%: 50.2% (1995)

Sweden
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 20.1% (1992)

Switzerland
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Syria
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Taiwan
  lowest 10%: 6.7%
  highest 10%: 41.1% (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  lowest 10%: 3.2%
  highest 10%: 25.2% (1998)

Tanzania
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 30.1% (1993)

Thailand
  lowest 10%: 2.8%
  highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Togo
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Tokelau
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Tonga
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Tunisia
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 31.8% (1995)

Turkey
  lowest 10%: 2.3%
  highest 10%: 30.7% (2000)

Turkmenistan
  lowest 10%: 2.6%
  highest 10%: 31.7% (1998)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Tuvalu
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Uganda
  lowest 10%: 4%
  highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Ukraine
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 23.2% (1999)

United Arab Emirates
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

United Kingdom
  lowest 10%: 2.1%
  highest 10%: 28.5% (1999)

United States
  lowest 10%: 1.8%
  highest 10%: 30.5% (1997)

Uruguay
  lowest 10%: 3.7%
  highest 10%: 25.8% (1997)

Uzbekistan
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 22% (2000)

Vanuatu
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Venezuela
  lowest 10%: 0.8%
  highest 10%: 36.5% (1998)

Vietnam
  lowest 10%: 3.6%
  highest 10%: 29.9% (1998)

Virgin Islands
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Wallis and Futuna
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

West Bank
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

Western Sahara
  lowest 10%: NA
  highest 10%: NA

World
  lowest 10%: NA %
  highest 10%: NA %

Yemen
  lowest 10%: 3%
  highest 10%: 25.9% (2003)

Zambia
  lowest 10%: 1.1%
  highest 10%: 41% (1998)

Zimbabwe
  lowest 10%: 1.97%
  highest 10%: 40.42% (1995)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2048 Labor force - by occupation (%)

Afghanistan
  agriculture 80%, industry 10%, services 10% (2004 est.)

Albania
  agriculture 57%, non-agricultural private sector 20%, public
  sector 23% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  agriculture 14%, industry 13.4%, construction and public
  works 10%, trade 14.6%, government 32%, other 16% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  tuna canneries 34%, government 33%, other 33% (1990)

Andorra
  agriculture 1%, industry 21%, services 78% (2000 est.)

Angola
  agriculture 85%, industry and services 15% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  agriculture/fishing/forestry/mining 4%, manufacturing 3%,
  construction 18%, transportation and utilities 10%, commerce 36%,
  services 29% (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  agriculture 7%, industry 11%, services 82% (1983)

Argentina
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Armenia
  agriculture 45%, industry 25%, services 30% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair,
  followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Australia
  agriculture 3.6%, industry 26.4%, services 70% (2004 est.)

Austria
  agriculture and forestry 4%, industry and crafts 29%,
  services 67% (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  agriculture and forestry 41%, industry 7%, services 52%
  (2001)

Bahamas, The
  agriculture 5%, industry 5%, tourism 50%, other
  services 40% (1999 est.)

Bahrain
  agriculture 1%, industry, commerce, and services 79%,
  government 20% (1997 est.)

Bangladesh
  agriculture 63%, industry 11%, services 26% (FY95/96)

Barbados
  agriculture 10%, industry 15%, services 75% (1996 est.)

Belarus
  agriculture 14%, industry 34.7%, services 51.3% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  agriculture 1.3%, industry 24.5%, services 74.2% (2003 est.)

Belize
  agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  agriculture and fishing 3%, laborers 17%, clerical 22%,
  professional and technical 17%, administrative and managerial 13%,
  sales 8%, services 20% (2000 est.)

Bhutan
  agriculture 93%, industry and commerce 2%, services 5%

Bolivia
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Botswana
  NA

Brazil
  agriculture 20%, industry 14%, services 66% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Brunei
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil,
  natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999
  est.)

Bulgaria
  agriculture 11%, industry 32.7%, services 56.3% (3rd
  quarter 2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  agriculture 90% (2000 est.)

Burma
  agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Burundi
  agriculture 93.6%, industry 2.3%, services 4.1% (2002 est.)

Cambodia
  agriculture 75% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  agriculture 70%, industry and commerce 13%, other 17%

Canada
  agriculture 3%, manufacturing 15%, construction 5%, services
  74%, other 3% (2000)

Cayman Islands
  agriculture 1.4%, industry 12.6%, services 86% (1995)

Chad
  agriculture more than 80% (subsistence farming, herding, and
  fishing)

Chile
  agriculture 13.6%, industry 23.4%, services 63% (2003)

China
  agriculture 49%, industry 22%, services 29% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands the Cocos Islands Cooperative Society Ltd. employs construction workers, stevedores, and lighterage workers; tourism employs others

Colombia
  agriculture 30%, industry 24%, services 46% (1990)

Comoros
  agriculture 80%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  agriculture 29%, industry 15%, services 56%
  note: shortage of skilled labor (1995)

Costa Rica
  agriculture 20%, industry 22%, services 58% (1999 est.)

Croatia
  agriculture 2.7%, industry 32.8%, services 64.5% (2004)

Cuba
  agriculture 24%, industry 25%, services 51% (1999)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: agriculture 4.9%, industry 19.4%,
  services 75.6%
  north Cyprus: agriculture 15.1%, industry 27%, services 57.9% (2003
  est.)

Czech Republic
  agriculture 4%, industry 38%, services 58% (2002 est.)

Denmark
  agriculture 4%, industry 17%, services 79% (2002 est.)

Djibouti
  NA

Dominica
  agriculture 40%, industry and commerce 32%, services 28%

Dominican Republic
  agriculture 17%, industry 24.3%, services and
  government 58.7% (1998 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  agriculture 8%, industry 24%, services 68% (2001)

Egypt
  agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  agriculture 17.1%, industry 17.1%, services 65.8% (2003
  est.)

Eritrea
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20%

Estonia
  agriculture 11%, industry 20%, services 69% (1999 est.)

Ethiopia
  agriculture and animal husbandry 80%, industry and
  construction 8%, government and services 12% (1985)

European Union
  agriculture 4.5%, industry 27.4%, services 66.9%
  note: the remainder is in miscellaneous public and private sector
  industries and services (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  agriculture 95% (mostly
  sheepherding and fishing)

Faroe Islands
  fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%,
  construction and private services 33%, public services 34%

Fiji
  agriculture, including subsistence agriculture 70% (2001 est.)

Finland
  agriculture and forestry 8%, industry 22%, construction 6%,
  commerce 14%, finance, insurance, and business services 10%,
  transport and communications 8%, public services 32%

France
  agriculture 4.1%, industry 24.4%, services 71.5% (1999)

French Guiana
  agriculture 18.2%, industry 21.2%, services,
  government, and commerce 60.6% (1980)

French Polynesia
  agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (2002)

Gabon
  agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25%

Gambia, The
  agriculture 75%, industry, commerce, and services 19%,
  government 6%

Gaza Strip
  agriculture 14%, industry 19%, services 66% (2004)

Georgia
  agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1999 est.)

Germany
  agriculture 2.8%, industry 33.4%, services 63.8% (1999)

Ghana
  agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.)

Gibraltar
  agriculture negligible, industry 40%, services 60%

Greece
  agriculture 12%, industry 20%, services 68% (2004 est.)

Grenada
  agriculture 24%, industry 14%, services 62% (1999 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  private 74% (industry 10%, trade 24%, other services 40%),
  federal and territorial government 26% (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  agriculture 50%, industry 15%, services 35% (1999 est.)

Guinea
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2000 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  agriculture 82% (2000 est.)

Guyana
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Haiti
  agriculture 66%, industry 9%, services 25%

Holy See (Vatican City) essentially services with a small amount of industry; note - dignitaries, priests, nuns, guards, and 3,000 lay workers live outside the Vatican

Honduras
  agriculture 34%, industry 21%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  manufacturing 7.5%, construction 2.9%, wholesale and
  retail trade, restaurants, and hotels 43.7%, financing, insurance,
  and real estate 19.2%, transport and communications 7.9%, community
  and social services 18.5%
  note: above data exclude public sector (2004 est.)

Hungary
  agriculture 6.2%, industry 27.1%, services 66.7% (2002)

Iceland
  agriculture, fishing and fish processing 10.3%, industry
  18.3%, services 71.4% (2003)

India
  agriculture 60%, industry 17%, services 23% (1999)

Indonesia
  agriculture 45%, industry 16%, services 39% (1999 est.)

Iran
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.)

Iraq
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Ireland
  agriculture 8%, industry 29%, services 63% (2002 est.)

Israel
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6%, manufacturing 20.2%,
  construction 7.5%, commerce 12.8%, transport, storage, and
  communications 6.2%, finance and business 13.1%, personal and other
  services 6.4%, public services 31.2% (1996)

Italy
  agriculture 5%, industry 32%, services 63% (2001)

Jamaica
  agriculture 20.1%, industry 16.6%, services 63.4% (2003)

Japan
  agriculture 5%, industry 25%, services 70% (2002 est.)

Jordan
  agriculture 5%, industry 12.5%, services 82.5% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (2002 est.)

Kenya
  agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Korea, North
  agricultural 36%, nonagricultural 64%

Korea, South
  agriculture 8%, industry 19%, services 73% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  agriculture NA, industries NA, services NA

Kyrgyzstan
  agriculture 55%, industry 15%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Laos
  agriculture 80% (1997 est.)

Latvia
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.)

Lebanon
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Lesotho
  86% of resident population engaged in subsistence
  agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in
  South Africa

Liberia
  agriculture 70%, industry 8%, services 22% (2000 est.)

Libya
  agriculture 17%, industry 29%, services 54% (1997 est.)

Liechtenstein
  agriculture 1.3%, industry 47.4%, services 51.3% (31
  December 2001 est.)

Lithuania
  agriculture 20%, industry 30%, services 50% (1997 est.)

Luxembourg
  agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2004 est.)

Macau
  manufacturing 18.3%, construction 8%, transport and
  communications 7%, wholesale and retail trade 16.2%, restaurants and
  hotels 10.9%, gambling 11.6%, public sector 8.8%, other services and
  agriculture 19.2% (2003 est.)

Macedonia
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Malawi
  agriculture 90% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  agriculture 14.5%, industry 36%, services 49.5% (2000 est.)

Maldives
  agriculture 22%, industry 18%, services 60% (1995)

Mali
  agriculture and fishing 80% (2001 est.)

Malta
  agriculture 5%, industry 24%, services 71% (1999 est.)

Man, Isle of
  agriculture, forestry and fishing 3%, manufacturing
  11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and
  retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%,
  public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%,
  entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10%

Marshall Islands
  agriculture 21.4%, industry 20.9%, services 57.7%

Martinique
  agriculture 10%, industry 17%, services 73% (1997)

Mauritania
  agriculture 50%, industry 10%, services 40% (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  agriculture and fishing 14%, construction and industry
  36%, transportation and communication 7%, trade, restaurants, hotels
  16%, finance 3%, other services 24% (1995)

Mexico
  agriculture 18%, industry 24%, services 58% (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  two-thirds are government employees

Moldova
  agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998)

Mongolia
  herding/agriculture 42%, mining 4%, manufacturing 6%, trade
  14%, services 29%, public sector 5%, other 3.7% (2003)

Montserrat
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Morocco
  agriculture 40%, industry 15%, services 45% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  agriculture 81%, industry 6%, services 13% (1997 est.)

Namibia
  agriculture 47%, industry 20%, services 33% (1999 est.)

Nauru
  employed in mining phosphates, public administration,
  education, and transportation

Nepal
  agriculture 81%, industry 3%, services 16%

Netherlands
  agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

New Caledonia
  agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

New Zealand
  agriculture 10%, industry 25%, services 65% (1995)

Nicaragua
  agriculture 30.5%, industry 17.3%, services 52.2% (2003
  est.)

Niger
  agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%

Nigeria
  agriculture 70%, industry 10%, services 20% (1999 est.)

Niue
  most work on family plantations; paid work exists only in
  government service, small industry, and the Niue Development Board

Norfolk Island
  tourism 90%, subsistence agriculture 10%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, industry 22%, services
  74% (1995)

Oman
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Pakistan
  agriculture 42%, industry 20%, services 38% (2004 est.)

Palau
  agriculture 20%, industry NA, services NA (1990)

Panama
  agriculture 20.8%, industry 18%, services 61.2% (1995 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  agriculture 85%, industry NA, services NA

Paraguay
  agriculture 45%

Peru
  agriculture 9%, industry 18%, services 73% (2001)

Philippines
  agriculture 36%, industry 16%, services 48% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands no business community in the usual sense; some public works; subsistence farming and fishing

Poland
  agriculture 16.1%, industry 29%, services 54.9% (2002)

Portugal
  agriculture 10%, industry 30%, services 60% (1999 est.)

Puerto Rico
  agriculture 3%, industry 20%, services 77% (2000 est.)

Reunion
  agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000)

Romania
  agriculture 31.6%, industry 30.7%, services 37.7% (2004)

Russia
  agriculture 12.3%, industry 22.7%, services 65% (2002 est.)

Rwanda
  agriculture 90%

Saint Helena
  agriculture and fishing 6%, industry (mainly
  construction) 48%, services 46% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  agriculture 21.7%, industry, commerce, and manufacturing
  24.7%, services 53.6% (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fishing 18%, industry (mainly
  fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  agriculture 26%, industry 17%,
  services 57% (1980 est.)

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  agriculture 1%, industry 42%, services 57% (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: shortages of skilled workers

Saudi Arabia
  agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)

Senegal
  agriculture 70%

Serbia and Montenegro
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Seychelles
  agriculture 10%, industry 19%, services 71% (1989)

Sierra Leone
  agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA

Singapore
  manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and
  communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%,
  other 16% (2003)

Slovakia
  agriculture 5.8%, industry 29.3%, construction 9%, services
  55.9% (2003)

Slovenia
  agriculture 6%, industry 40%, services 55% (2002)

Solomon Islands
  agriculture 75%, industry 5%, services 20% (2000
  est.)

Somalia
  agriculture (mostly pastoral nomadism) 71%, industry and
  services 29%

South Africa
  agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.)

Spain
  agriculture 5.3%, manufacturing, mining, and construction
  30.1%, services 64.6% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  agriculture 38%, industry 17%, services 45% (1998 est.)

Sudan
  agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13%
  (1998 est.)

Suriname
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Swaziland
  NA

Sweden
  agriculture 2%, industry 24%, services 74% (2000 est.)

Switzerland
  agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)

Syria
  agriculture 30%, industry 27%, services 43% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  agriculture 8%, industry 35%, services 57% (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  agriculture 67.2%, industry 7.5%, services 25.3% (2000
  est.)

Tanzania
  agriculture 80%, industry and services 20% (2002 est.)

Thailand
  agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.)

Togo
  agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (1998 est.)

Tonga
  agriculture 65% (1997 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  agriculture 9.5%, manufacturing, mining, and
  quarrying 14%, construction and utilities 12.4%, services 64.1%
  (1997 est.)

Tunisia
  services 55%, industry 23%, agriculture 22% (1995 est.)

Turkey
  agriculture 35.9%, industry 22.8%, services 41.2% (3rd
  quarter, 2004)

Turkmenistan
  agriculture 48.2%, industry 13.8%, services 37% (2003
  est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  about 33% in government and 20% in
  agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial,
  and other services

Tuvalu
  people make a living mainly through exploitation of the sea,
  reefs, and atolls and from wages sent home by those abroad (mostly
  workers in the phosphate industry and sailors)

Uganda
  agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)

Ukraine
  agriculture 24%, industry 32%, services 44% (1996)

United Arab Emirates
  agriculture 7%, industry 15%, services 78%
  (2000 est.)

United Kingdom
  agriculture 1.5%, industry 19.1%, services 79.5%
  (2004)

United States
  farming, forestry, and fishing 0.7%, manufacturing,
  extraction, transportation, and crafts 22.7%, managerial,
  professional, and technical 34.9%, sales and office 25.5%, other
  services 16.3%
  note: figures exclude the unemployed (2004)

Uruguay
  agriculture 14%, industry 16%, services 70%

Uzbekistan
  agriculture 44%, industry 20%, services 36% (1995)

Vanuatu
  agriculture 65%, industry 5%, services 30% (2000 est.)

Venezuela
  agriculture 13%, industry 23%, services 64% (1997 est.)

Vietnam
  agriculture 63%, industry and services 37% (2000 est.)

Virgin Islands
  agriculture 1%, industry 19%, services 80% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)

West Bank
  agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%

World
  agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Yemen
  most people are employed in agriculture and herding; services,
  construction, industry, and commerce account for less than
  one-fourth of the labor force

Zambia
  agriculture 85%, industry 6%, services 9%

Zimbabwe
  agriculture 66%, industry 10%, services 24% (1996)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2049 Exports - commodities

Afghanistan
  opium, fruits and nuts, handwoven carpets, wool, cotton,
  hides and pelts, precious and semi-precious gems

Albania
  textiles and footwear; asphalt, metals and metallic ores,
  crude oil; vegetables, fruits, tobacco

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, and petroleum products 97%

American Samoa
  canned tuna 93%

Andorra
  tobacco products, furniture

Angola
  crude oil, diamonds, refined petroleum products, gas, coffee,
  sisal, fish and fish products, timber, cotton

Anguilla
  lobster, fish, livestock, salt, concrete blocks, rum

Antigua and Barbuda
  petroleum products 48%, manufactures 23%,
  machinery and transport equipment 17%, food and live animals 4%,
  other 8%

Argentina
  edible oils, fuels and energy, cereals, feed, motor
  vehicles

Armenia
  diamonds, mineral products, foodstuffs, energy

Aruba
  live animals and animal products, art and collectibles,
  machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Australia
  coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat,
  machinery and transport equipment

Austria
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, paper and
  paperboard, metal goods, chemicals, iron and steel; textiles,
  foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
  oil and gas 90%, machinery, cotton, foodstuffs

Bahamas, The
  mineral products and salt, animal products, rum,
  chemicals; fruit and vegetables

Bahrain
  petroleum and petroleum products, aluminum, textiles

Bangladesh
  garments, jute and jute goods, leather, frozen fish and
  seafood (2001)

Barbados
  sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages,
  chemicals, electrical components

Belarus
  machinery and equipment, mineral products, chemicals,
  metals; textiles, foodstuffs

Belgium
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and
  metal products, foodstuffs

Belize
  sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses,
  wood

Benin
  cotton, crude oil, palm products, cocoa

Bermuda
  reexports of pharmaceuticals

Bhutan
  electricity (to India), cardamom, gypsum, timber,
  handicrafts, cement, fruit, precious stones, spices

Bolivia
  natural gas, soybeans and soy products, crude petroleum,
  zinc ore, tin

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  metals, clothing, wood products

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, soda ash, meat, textiles

Brazil
  transport equipment, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee,
  autos

British Virgin Islands
  rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Brunei
  crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Bulgaria
  clothing, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and
  equipment, fuels

Burkina Faso
  cotton, livestock, gold

Burma
  clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Burundi
  coffee, tea, sugar, cotton, hides

Cambodia
  Clothing, timber, rubber, rice, fish, tobacco, footwear

Cameroon
  crude oil and petroleum products, lumber, cocoa beans,
  aluminum, coffee, cotton

Canada
  motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, aircraft,
  telecommunications equipment; chemicals, plastics, fertilizers; wood
  pulp, timber, crude petroleum, natural gas, electricity, aluminum

Cape Verde
  fuel, shoes, garments, fish, hides

Cayman Islands
  turtle products, manufactured consumer goods

Central African Republic
  diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco

Chad
  cotton, cattle, gum arabic

Chile
  copper, fruit, fish products, paper and pulp, chemicals, wine

China
  machinery and equipment, plastics, optical and medical
  equipment, iron and steel

Christmas Island
  phosphate

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  copra

Colombia
  petroleum, coffee, coal, apparel, bananas, cut flowers

Comoros
  vanilla, ylang-ylang, cloves, perfume oil, copra

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  diamonds, copper, crude oil,
  coffee, cobalt

Congo, Republic of the
  petroleum, lumber, plywood, sugar, cocoa,
  coffee, diamonds

Cook Islands
  copra, papayas, fresh and canned citrus fruit, coffee;
  fish; pearls and pearl shells; clothing

Costa Rica
  coffee, bananas, sugar; pineapples; textiles, electronic
  components, medical equipment

Cote d'Ivoire
  cocoa, coffee, timber, petroleum, cotton, bananas,
  pineapples, palm oil, fish

Croatia
  transport equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, fuels

Cuba
  sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, coffee

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: citrus, potatoes, pharmaceuticals,
  cement, clothing and cigarettes; north Cyprus: citrus, potatoes,
  textiles

Czech Republic
  machinery and transport equipment 52%, chemicals 5%,
  raw materials and fuel 9% (2003)

Denmark
  machinery and instruments, meat and meat products, dairy
  products, fish, chemicals, furniture, ships, windmills

Djibouti
  reexports, hides and skins, coffee (in transit)

Dominica
  bananas, soap, bay oil, vegetables, grapefruit, oranges

Dominican Republic
  ferronickel, sugar, gold, silver, coffee, cocoa,
  tobacco, meats, consumer goods

East Timor
  coffee, sandalwood, marble; note - the potential for oil
  and vanilla exports

Ecuador
  petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp

Egypt
  crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal
  products, chemicals

El Salvador
  offshore assembly exports, coffee, sugar, shrimp,
  textiles, chemicals, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, methanol, timber, cocoa

Eritrea
  livestock, sorghum, textiles, food, small manufactures (2000)

Estonia
  machinery and equipment 33%, wood and paper 15%, textiles
  14%, food products 8%, furniture 7%, metals, chemical products (2001)

Ethiopia
  coffee, qat, gold, leather products, live animals, oilseeds

European Union
  machinery, motor vehicles, aircraft, plastics,
  pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, iron and steel,
  nonferrous metals, wood pulp and paper products, textiles, meat,
  dairy products, fish, alcoholic beverages.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  wool, hides, meat

Faroe Islands
  fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999)

Fiji
  sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil

Finland
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals; timber, paper,
  pulp (1999)

France
  machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics,
  chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages

French Guiana
  shrimp, timber, gold, rum, rosewood essence, clothing

French Polynesia
  cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl,
  vanilla, shark meat

Gabon
  crude oil 77%, timber, manganese, uranium (2001)

Gambia, The
  peanut products, fish, cotton lint, palm kernels,
  re-exports

Gaza Strip
  citrus, flowers

Georgia
  scrap metal, machinery, chemicals; fuel reexports; citrus
  fruits, tea, wine

Germany
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, metals and manufactures,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Ghana
  gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore,
  diamonds

Gibraltar
  (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods
  41%, other 8%

Greece
  food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products,
  chemicals, textiles

Greenland
  fish and fish products 94% (prawns 63%)

Grenada
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, fruit and vegetables, clothing, mace

Guadeloupe
  bananas, sugar, rum

Guam
  mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products;
  construction materials, fish, food and beverage products

Guatemala
  coffee, sugar, petroleum, apparel, bananas, fruits and
  vegetables, cardamom

Guernsey
  tomatoes, flowers and ferns, sweet peppers, eggplant, other
  vegetables

Guinea
  bauxite, alumina, gold, diamonds, coffee, fish, agricultural
  products

Guinea-Bissau
  cashew nuts, shrimp, peanuts, palm kernels, sawn lumber

Guyana
  sugar, gold, bauxite/alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum,
  timber

Haiti
  manufactures, coffee, oils, cocoa, mangoes

Honduras
  coffee, shrimp, bananas, gold, palm oil, fruit, lobster,
  lumber

Hong Kong
  electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel,
  footwear, watches and clocks, toys, plastics, precious stones,
  printed material

Hungary
  machinery and equipment 61.1%, other manufactures 28.7%,
  food products 6.5%, raw materials 2%, fuels and electricity 1.6%
  (2003)

Iceland
  fish and fish products 70%, aluminum, animal products,
  ferrosilicon, diatomite

India
  textile goods, gems and jewelry, engineering goods, chemicals,
  leather manufactures

Indonesia
  oil and gas, electrical appliances, plywood, textiles,
  rubber

Iran
  petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and
  nuts, carpets

Iraq
  crude oil (83.9%), crude materials excluding fuels (8.0%), food
  and live animals (5.0%)

Ireland
  machinery and equipment, computers, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals; live animals, animal products

Israel
  machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural
  products, chemicals, textiles and apparel

Italy
  engineering products, textiles and clothing, production
  machinery, motor vehicles, transport equipment, chemicals; food,
  beverages and tobacco; minerals and nonferrous metals

Jamaica
  alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams,
  beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels

Japan
  transport equipment, motor vehicles, semiconductors,
  electrical machinery, chemicals

Jersey
  light industrial and electrical goods, foodstuffs, textiles

Jordan
  clothing, phosphates, fertilizers, potash, vegetables,
  manufactures, pharmaceuticals

Kazakhstan
  oil and oil products 58%, ferrous metals 24%, chemicals
  5%, machinery 3%, grain, wool, meat, coal (2001)

Kenya
  tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish,
  cement

Kiribati
  copra 62%, coconuts, seaweed, fish

Korea, North
  minerals, metallurgical products, manufactures
  (including armaments); textiles and fishery products

Korea, South
  semiconductors, wireless telecommunications equipment,
  motor vehicles, computers, steel, ships, petrochemicals

Kuwait
  oil and refined products, fertilizers

Kyrgyzstan
  cotton, wool, meat, tobacco; gold, mercury, uranium,
  natural gas, hydropower; machinery; shoes

Laos
  garments, wood products, coffee, electricity, tin

Latvia
  wood and wood products, machinery and equipment, metals,
  textiles, foodstuffs

Lebanon
  authentic jewelry, inorganic chemicals, miscellaneous
  consumer goods, fruit, tobacco, construction minerals, electric
  power machinery and switchgear, textile fibers, paper

Lesotho
  manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool
  and mohair, food and live animals (2000)

Liberia
  rubber, timber, iron, diamonds, cocoa, coffee

Libya
  crude oil, refined petroleum products, natural gas

Liechtenstein
  small specialty machinery, connectors for audio and
  video, parts for motor vehicles, dental products, hardware, prepared
  foodstuffs, electronic equipment, optical products

Lithuania
  mineral products 23%, textiles and clothing 16%, machinery
  and equipment 11%, chemicals 6%, wood and wood products 5%,
  foodstuffs 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
  machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals,
  rubber products, glass

Macau
  clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and
  parts

Macedonia
  food, beverages, tobacco; miscellaneous manufactures, iron
  and steel

Madagascar
  coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth,
  chromite, petroleum products

Malawi
  tobacco 60%, tea, sugar, cotton, coffee, peanuts, wood
  products, apparel

Malaysia
  electronic equipment, petroleum and liquefied natural gas,
  wood and wood products, palm oil, rubber, textiles, chemicals

Maldives
  fish, clothing

Mali
  cotton, gold, livestock

Malta
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures

Man, Isle of
  tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb

Marshall Islands
  copra cake, coconut oil, handicrafts, fish

Martinique
  refined petroleum products, bananas, rum, pineapples
  (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  iron ore, fish and fish products, gold

Mauritius
  clothing and textiles, sugar, cut flowers, molasses

Mayotte
  ylang-ylang (perfume essence), vanilla, copra, coconuts,
  coffee, cinnamon

Mexico
  manufactured goods, oil and oil products, silver, fruits,
  vegetables, coffee, cotton

Micronesia, Federated States of
  fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

Moldova
  foodstuffs, textiles, machinery

Mongolia
  copper, apparel, livestock, animal products, cashmere,
  wool, hides, fluorspar, other nonferrous metals

Montserrat
  electronic components, plastic bags, apparel, hot
  peppers, live plants, cattle

Morocco
  clothing, fish, inorganic chemicals, transistors, crude
  minerals, fertilizers (including phosphates), petroleum products,
  fruits, vegetables

Mozambique
  aluminum, prawns, cashews, cotton, sugar, citrus, timber;
  bulk electricity

Namibia
  diamonds, copper, gold, zinc, lead, uranium; cattle,
  processed fish, karakul skins

Nauru
  phosphates

Nepal
  carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Netherlands
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Netherlands Antilles
  petroleum products

New Caledonia
  ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

New Zealand
  dairy products, meat, wood and wood products, fish,
  machinery

Nicaragua
  coffee, beef, shrimp and lobster, tobacco, sugar, gold,
  peanuts

Niger
  uranium ore, livestock, cowpeas, onions

Nigeria
  petroleum and petroleum products 95%, cocoa, rubber

Niue
  canned coconut cream, copra, honey, vanilla, passion fruit
  products, pawpaws, root crops, limes, footballs, stamps, handicrafts

Norfolk Island
  postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and
  Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados

Northern Mariana Islands
  garments

Norway
  petroleum and petroleum products, machinery and equipment,
  metals, chemicals, ships, fish

Oman
  petroleum, reexports, fish, metals, textiles

Pakistan
  textiles (garments, bed linen, cotton cloth, and yarn),
  rice, leather goods, sports goods, chemicals, manufactures, carpets
  and rugs

Palau
  shellfish, tuna, copra, garments

Panama
  bananas, shrimp, sugar, coffee, clothing (1999)

Papua New Guinea
  oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee,
  cocoa, crayfish, prawns

Paraguay
  soybeans, feed, cotton, meat, edible oils, electricity,
  wood, leather

Peru
  copper, gold, zinc, crude petroleum and petroleum products,
  coffee

Philippines
  electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment,
  garments, optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts,
  copper products, chemicals

Pitcairn Islands
  fruits, vegetables, curios, stamps

Poland
  machinery and transport equipment 37.8%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 23.7%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 17.1%,
  food and live animals 7.6% (2003)

Portugal
  clothing and footwear, machinery, chemicals, cork and paper
  products, hides

Puerto Rico
  chemicals, electronics, apparel, canned tuna, rum,
  beverage concentrates, medical equipment

Qatar
  liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers,
  steel

Reunion
  sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster
  3%, (1993)

Romania
  textiles and footwear, metals and metal products, machinery
  and equipment, minerals and fuels, chemicals, agricultural products

Russia
  petroleum and petroleum products, natural gas, wood and wood
  products, metals, chemicals, and a wide variety of civilian and
  military manufactures

Rwanda
  coffee, tea, hides, tin ore

Saint Helena
  fish (frozen, canned, and salt-dried skipjack, tuna),
  coffee, handicrafts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  machinery, food, electronics, beverages,
  tobacco

Saint Lucia
  bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits,
  coconut oil

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish and fish products, soybeans, animal
  feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen
  (taro), arrowroot starch; tennis racquets

Samoa
  fish, coconut oil and cream, copra, taro, automotive parts,
  garments, beer

San Marino
  building stone, lime, wood, chestnuts, wheat, wine, baked
  goods, hides, ceramics

Sao Tome and Principe
  cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil

Saudi Arabia
  petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Senegal
  fish, groundnuts (peanuts), petroleum products, phosphates,
  cotton

Serbia and Montenegro
  manufactured goods, food and live animals, raw
  materials

Seychelles
  canned tuna, frozen fish, cinnamon bark, copra, petroleum
  products (reexports)

Sierra Leone
  diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999)

Singapore
  machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer
  goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Slovakia
  vehicles 25.9%, machinery and electrical equipment 21.3%,
  base metals 14.6%, chemicals and minerals 10.1%, plastics 5.4%%
  (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  chemicals, food

Solomon Islands
  timber, fish, copra, palm oil, cocoa

Somalia
  livestock, bananas, hides, fish, charcoal, scrap metal

South Africa
  gold, diamonds, platinum, other metals and minerals,
  machinery and equipment (1998 est.)

Spain
  machinery, motor vehicles; foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals,
  medicines, other consumer goods

Sri Lanka
  textiles and apparel; tea and spices; diamonds, emeralds,
  rubies; coconut products; rubber manufactures, fish

Sudan
  oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock,
  groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar

Suriname
  alumina, crude oil, lumber, shrimp and fish, rice, bananas

Swaziland
  soft drink concentrates, sugar, wood pulp, cotton yarn,
  refrigerators, citrus and canned fruit

Sweden
  machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood,
  iron and steel products, chemicals

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural
  products

Syria
  crude oil, petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton
  fiber, clothing, meat and live animals, wheat

Taiwan
  computer products and electrical equipment, metals, textiles,
  plastics and rubber products, chemicals (2002)

Tajikistan
  aluminum, electricity, cotton, fruits, vegetable oil,
  textiles

Tanzania
  gold, coffee, cashew nuts, manufactures, cotton

Thailand
  textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber,
  jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

Togo
  reexports, cotton, phosphates, coffee, cocoa

Tokelau
  stamps, copra, handicrafts

Tonga
  squash, fish, vanilla beans, root crops

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  steel products, fertilizer, sugar, cocoa, coffee, citrus, flowers

Tunisia
  textiles, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals,
  agricultural products, hydrocarbons

Turkey
  apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufactures, transport
  equipment

Turkmenistan
  gas, crude oil, petrochemicals, cotton fiber, textiles

Turks and Caicos Islands
  lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells

Tuvalu
  copra, fish

Uganda
  coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
  horticultural products

Ukraine
  ferrous and nonferrous metals, fuel and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery and transport equipment, food products

United Arab Emirates
  crude oil 45%, natural gas, reexports, dried
  fish, dates

United Kingdom
  manufactured goods, fuels, chemicals; food,
  beverages, tobacco

United States
  agricultural products (soybeans, fruit, corn) 9.2%,
  industrial supplies (organic chemicals) 26.8%, capital goods
  (transistors, aircraft, motor vehicle parts, computers,
  telecommunications equipment) 49.0%, consumer goods (automobiles,
  medicines) 15.0% (2003)

Uruguay
  meat, rice, leather products, wool, fish, dairy products

Uzbekistan
  cotton 41.5%, gold 9.6%, energy products 9.6%, mineral
  fertilizers, ferrous metals, textiles, food products, automobiles
  (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee

Venezuela
  petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals,
  agricultural products, basic manufactures

Vietnam
  crude oil, marine products, rice, coffee, rubber, tea,
  garments, shoes

Virgin Islands
  refined petroleum products

Wallis and Futuna
  copra, chemicals, construction materials

West Bank
  olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone

Western Sahara
  phosphates 62%

World
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
  services

Yemen
  crude oil, coffee, dried and salted fish

Zambia
  copper/cobalt 64%, cobalt, electricity, tobacco, flowers,
  cotton

Zimbabwe
  cotton, tobacco, gold, ferroalloys, textiles/clothing

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2050 Exports - partners (%)

Afghanistan
  Pakistan 24%, India 21.3%, US 12.4%, Germany 5.5% (2004)

Albania
  Italy 71.7%, Canada 4.3%, Germany 4.3% (2004)

Algeria
  US 22.6%, Italy 17.2%, France 11.4%, Spain 10.1%, Canada
  7.5%, Brazil 6.1%, Belgium 4.6% (2004)

American Samoa
  Samoa 39.8%, Australia 19.9%, Japan 15.1%, New
  Zealand 10.5% (2004)

Andorra
  Spain 58%, France 34% (2000)

Angola
  US 38%, China 35.9%, Taiwan 6.8%, France 6.5% (2004)

Anguilla
  UK, US, Puerto Rico, Saint-Martin (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Poland 47.8%, UK 24.6%, Germany 8.7% (2004)

Argentina
  Brazil 15.3%, Chile 10.7%, US 10.2%, China 8.7%, Spain
  4.4% (2004)

Armenia
  Belgium 18%, Israel 15.3%, Germany 13.3%, Russia 12.5%, US
  8.1%, Netherlands 7.2%, Iran 5.5%, Georgia 4.3%, UAE 4% (2004)

Aruba
  Netherlands 28.5%, Panama 17.5%, Venezuela 14.7%, Netherlands
  Antilles 11.2%, Colombia 10.7%, US 10.4% (2004)

Australia
  Japan 18.6%, China 9.2%, US 8.1%, South Korea 7.7%, New
  Zealand 7.4%, India 4.6%, UK 4.2% (2004)

Austria
  Germany 32%, Italy 8.9%, US 6%, Switzerland 4.8%, France
  4.2%, UK 4.2% (2004)

Azerbaijan
  Italy 26.6%, Czech Republic 11.9%, Germany 8.1%,
  Indonesia 6.4%, Romania 6.2%, Georgia 6%, Russia 5.3%, Turkey 5.2%,
  France 4.1% (2004)

Bahamas, The
  US 40.2%, Poland 13.3%, Spain 11.6%, Germany 5.9%,
  France 4.3% (2004)

Bahrain
  Saudi Arabia 3%, US 2.9%, UAE 2.2% (2004)

Bangladesh
  US 22.4%, Germany 14.5%, UK 11.2%, France 6.9%, Italy 4%
  (2004)

Barbados
  US 20.6%, UK 14.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.9%, Saint Lucia
  6.9%, Jamaica 6.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5.1% (2004)

Belarus
  Russia 47%, UK 8.3%, Netherlands 6.7%, Poland 5.3% (2004)

Belgium
  Germany 19.9%, France 17.2%, Netherlands 11.8%, UK 8.6%, US
  6.5%, Italy 5.2% (2004)

Belize
  US 37.2%, UK 26.8%, Jamaica 4.6% (2004)

Benin
  China 28.7%, India 18.4%, Ghana 6.3%, Thailand 6%, Niger 5.8%,
  Indonesia 4.2%, Nigeria 4.2% (2004)

Bermuda
  France 73.2%, UK 6.2%, Spain 2.4% (2004)

Bhutan
  Bangladesh 47.4%, Japan 30.2%, France 3.4% (2004)

Bolivia
  Brazil 40%, US 13.9%, Colombia 8.7%, Peru 6.3%, Japan 4.5%
  (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Italy 22.3%, Croatia 21.1%, Germany 20.8%,
  Austria 7.4%, Slovenia 7.1%, Hungary 4.8% (2004)

Botswana
  European Free Trade Association (EFTA) 87%, Southern
  African Customs Union (SACU) 7%, Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Brazil
  US 20.8%, Argentina 7.5%, Netherlands 6.1%, China 5.6%,
  Germany 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)

British Virgin Islands
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Brunei
  Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%,
  Thailand 7.9%, Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.5% (2004)

Bulgaria
  Italy 13.1%, Germany 11.6%, Turkey 9.3%, Belgium 6.1%,
  Greece 5.6%, US 5.3%, France 4.9% (2004)

Burkina Faso
  China 32.1%, Singapore 11.5%, Ghana 4.7%, Bangladesh
  4.3% (2004)

Burma
  Thailand 37.8%, India 11.7%, China 6%, Japan 5.3% (2004)

Burundi
  Germany 19.6%, Belgium 8.2%, Pakistan 6.7%, US 5.6%, Rwanda
  5.6%, Thailand 5.4% (2004)

Cambodia
  US 55.9%, Germany 11.7%, UK 6.9%, Vietnam 4.4%, Canada 4.2%
  (2004)

Cameroon
  Spain 15.2%, Italy 12.3%, UK 10.2%, France 9.2%, US 8.8%,
  South Korea 7.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Canada
  US 85.2%, Japan 2.1%, UK 1.6% (2004)

Cape Verde
  Portugal 59.4%, US 17.2%, UK 11.4% (2004)

Cayman Islands
  mostly US

Central African Republic
  Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US
  6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)

Chad
  US 67.8%, China 21.5%, Portugal 4.3% (2004)

Chile
  US 14%, Japan 11.4%, China 9.9%, South Korea 5.5%, Netherlands
  5.1%, Brazil 4.3%, Italy 4.1%, Mexico 4% (2004)

China
  US 21.1%, Hong Kong 17%, Japan 12.4%, South Korea 4.7%,
  Germany 4% (2004)

Christmas Island
  Australia, NZ

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australia

Colombia
  US 42.1%, Venezuela 9.7%, Ecuador 6% (2004)

Comoros
  US 43.8%, France 18.6%, Singapore 16.5%, Turkey 4.8%,
  Germany 4.5% (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Belgium 47.8%, Finland 21%, US
  10.9%, China 7.6% (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  China 26.8%, Taiwan 19.2%, North Korea 8.4%,
  US 7.3%, France 5.5%, South Korea 4.8% (2004)

Cook Islands
  Australia 34%, Japan 27%, New Zealand 25%, US 8% (2000)

Costa Rica
  US 46.9%, Netherlands 5.3%, Guatemala 4.4% (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  US 11.6%, Netherlands 10.3%, France 9.5%, Italy 5.5%,
  Belgium 4.7%, Germany 4.7% (2004)

Croatia
  Italy 23%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 13.4%, Germany 11.4%,
  Austria 9.6%, Slovenia 7.6% (2004)

Cuba
  Netherlands 22.7%, Canada 20.6%, China 7.7%, Russia 7.5%, Spain
  6.4%, Venezuela 4.4% (2004)

Cyprus
  UK 27.2%, Greece 11.9%, Germany 5%, UAE 4.8% (2004)

Czech Republic
  Germany 36.1%, Slovakia 8.4%, Austria 6%, Poland
  5.3%, UK 4.7%, France 4.7%, Italy 4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Denmark
  Germany 18%, Sweden 13.2%, UK 8.7%, US 5.8%, Netherlands
  5.5%, Norway 5.4%, France 5% (2004)

Djibouti
  Somalia 63.8%, Yemen 22.6%, Ethiopia 5% (2004)

Dominica
  UK 21.6%, Jamaica 14.8%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.8%, Guyana
  7.5%, Japan 5.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.8%, US 4.3%, Saint Lucia 4%
  (2004)

Dominican Republic
  US 80%, South Korea 2.1%, Canada 1.9% (2004)

East Timor
  Indonesia 100%

Ecuador
  US 42.9%, Panama 14.3%, Peru 7.9%, Italy 4.6% (2004)

Egypt
  Italy 11.9%, US 10.8%, UK 7%, Syria 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, Spain
  4.2% (2004)

El Salvador
  US 65.6%, Guatemala 11.8%, Honduras 6.3% (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  US 29.3%, China 22.8%, Spain 16%, Taiwan 14.9%,
  Canada 6.8% (2004)

Eritrea
  Malaysia 26.6%, Italy 17.1%, Japan 8%, Germany 6.6%, China
  5%, UK 4.9%, US 4.7%, France 4.4%, Poland 4.2% (2004)

Estonia
  Finland 23.1%, Sweden 15.3%, Germany 8.4%, Latvia 7.9%,
  Russia 5.7%, Lithuania 4.4% (2004)

Ethiopia
  Djibouti 13.3%, Germany 10%, Japan 8.4%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%,
  US 5.2%, UAE 5%, Italy 4.6% (2004)

European Union
  US 22.9%, Switzerland 6.9%, China 4.1%, Japan 4%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Spain 77.4%, UK 9.4%, US 4.9%
  (2004)

Faroe Islands
  Denmark 33.5%, UK 29.7%, Norway 8.4%, Nigeria 7.2%
  (2004)

Fiji
  US 24%, Australia 19%, UK 12.6%, Samoa 6.5%, Japan 4.1% (2004)

Finland
  Sweden 11.1%, Germany 10.7%, Russia 8.9%, UK 7%, US 6.4%,
  Netherlands 5.1% (2004)

France
  Germany 15%, Spain 9.5%, UK 9.3%, Italy 9%, Belgium 7.2%, US
  6.7% (2004)

French Guiana
  France 62%, Switzerland 7%, US 2% (2001)

French Polynesia
  France 36.6%, Japan 22.7%, US 16.1%, Niger 13%,
  Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Gabon
  US 53.3%, China 8.5%, France 7.4% (2004)

Gambia, The
  India 21.4%, Thailand 15.1%, UK 13.7%, France 12.9%,
  Germany 8.7%, Italy 7.5% (2004)

Gaza Strip
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia
  Turkey 18.3%, Turkmenistan 17.8%, Russia 16.2%, Armenia
  8.4%, UK 4.9% (2004)

Germany
  France 10.3%, US 8.8%, UK 8.3%, Italy 7.2%, Netherlands
  6.2%, Belgium 5.6%, Austria 5.4%, Spain 5% (2004)

Ghana
  Mexico 69.8%, Netherlands 3.7%, UK 3% (2004)

Gibraltar
  France 19.4%, Spain 14.1%, Turkmenistan 12.1%, Switzerland
  11.7%, Germany 10.1%, UK 9.1%, Greece 6.8% (2004)

Greece
  Germany 13.2%, Italy 10.3%, UK 7.5%, Bulgaria 6.3%, US 5.3%,
  Cyprus 4.6%, Turkey 4.5%, France 4.2% (2004)

Greenland
  Denmark 63.8%, Japan 12.6%, China 3.9% (2004)

Grenada
  Saint Lucia 12.7%, US 12.2%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.7%,
  Netherlands 7.9%, Saint Kitts and Nevis 7.8%, Dominica 7.8%, Germany
  7.1%, France 4.6% (2004)

Guadeloupe
  France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999)

Guam
  Japan 66.1%, South Korea 9.9%, Singapore 8.4% (2004)

Guatemala
  US 53%, El Salvador 11.4%, Honduras 7.1%, Mexico 4.1%
  (2004)

Guernsey
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Guinea
  France 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, UK 14.7%, Switzerland 12.8%,
  Ukraine 4.2% (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  India 52.1%, US 22.2%, Nigeria 13.2% (2004)

Guyana
  Canada 23.2%, US 19.2%, UK 10.9%, Portugal 9%, Belgium 6.4%,
  Jamaica 5.2% (2004)

Haiti
  US 81.2%, Dominican Republic 7.3%, Canada 4.1% (2004)

Honduras
  US 54.4%, El Salvador 8.1%, Germany 5.9%, Guatemala 5.4%
  (2004)

Hong Kong
  China 44%, US 17%, Japan 5.3% (2004)

Hungary
  Germany 31.4%, Austria 6.8%, France 5.7%, Italy 5.6%, UK
  5.1% (2004)

Iceland
  UK 19.1%, Germany 17.2%, Netherlands 11.5%, US 9.8%, Spain
  6.8%, Denmark 4.6% (2004)

India
  US 17%, UAE 8.8%, China 5.5%, Hong Kong 4.7%, UK 4.5%,
  Singapore 4.5% (2004)

Indonesia
  Japan 22.3%, US 12.3%, Singapore 8.4%, South Korea 6.8%,
  China 6.4%, Malaysia 4.2% (2004)

Iran
  Japan 18.4%, China 9.7%, Italy 6%, South Africa 5.8%, South
  Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Iraq
  US 51.9%, Spain 7.3%, Japan 6.6%, Italy 5.7%, Canada 5.2% (2004)

Ireland
  US 19.7%, UK 17.7%, Belgium 14.7%, Germany 7.7%, France 6%,
  Netherlands 4.6%, Italy 4.5% (2004)

Israel
  US 36.8%, Belgium 7.5%, Hong Kong 4.9% (2004)

Italy
  Germany 13.6%, France 12.3%, US 8%, Spain 7.2%, UK 6.9%,
  Switzerland 4.2% (2004)

Jamaica
  US 17.4%, Canada 14.8%, France 13%, China 10.5%, UK 8.7%,
  Netherlands 7.5%, Norway 6%, Germany 5.9% (2004)

Japan
  US 22.7%, China 13.1%, South Korea 7.8%, Taiwan 7.4%, Hong
  Kong 6.3% (2004)

Jersey
  UK

Jordan
  US 28.9%, Iraq 17.6%, India 7.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.6% (2004)

Kazakhstan
  Russia 15.1%, Bermuda 13.8%, Germany 11%, China 9.9%,
  France 6.6%, Italy 4% (2004)

Kenya
  Uganda 13.3%, UK 11.4%, US 10.6%, Netherlands 8.2%, Egypt
  4.9%, Tanzania 4.5%, Pakistan 4.3% (2004)

Kiribati
  France 45.7%, Japan 29.2%, US 9.1%, Thailand 5.4% (2004)

Korea, North
  China 29.9%, South Korea 24.1%, Japan 13.2% (2004)

Korea, South
  China 19.7%, US 17%, Japan 8.6%, Hong Kong 7.2% (2004)

Kuwait
  Japan 20.5%, South Korea 13.7%, US 12.4%, Singapore 11.3%,
  Taiwan 9.9% (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  UAE 28.2%, Russia 19.1%, China 12%, Kazakhstan 11.1%,
  Switzerland 6.3% (2004)

Laos
  Thailand 19.3%, Vietnam 13.4%, France 8%, Germany 5.3%, UK 5%
  (2004)

Latvia
  UK 12.8%, Germany 12%, Sweden 10%, Lithuania 9.1%, Estonia
  8%, Russia 6.4%, Denmark 5.4% (2004)

Lebanon
  Syria 24.9%, UAE 10%, Turkey 6.9%, Switzerland 6.7%, Saudi
  Arabia 5.3% (2004)

Lesotho
  US 97%, Canada 2.1%, UK 0.3% (2004)

Liberia
  Denmark 29.5%, Germany 18.9%, Poland 14.3%, US 8.9%, Greece
  8% (2004)

Libya
  Italy 37%, Germany 16.6%, Spain 11.9%, Turkey 7.1%, France
  6.2% (2004)

Liechtenstein
  EU 62.6% (Germany 24.3%, Austria 9.5%, France 8.9%,
  Italy 6.6%, UK 4.6%), US 18.9%, Switzerland 15.7%

Lithuania
  Germany 10.2%, Latvia 10.2%, Russia 9.3%, France 6.3%, UK
  5.3%, Sweden 5.1%, Estonia 5%, Poland 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8%,
  Denmark 4.8%, US 4.7%, Switzerland 4.6% (2004)

Luxembourg
  Germany 22.1%, France 20.1%, Belgium 10.2%, UK 8.4%,
  Italy 7.3%, Spain 5.9%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Macau
  US 48.7%, China 13.9%, Germany 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.6%, UK 4.4%
  (2004)

Macedonia
  Serbia and Montenegro 31.4%, Germany 19.9%, Greece 8.9%,
  Croatia 6.9%, US 4.9% (2004)

Madagascar
  US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004)

Malawi
  South Africa 13.5%, US 12%, Germany 11.6%, Egypt 8.4%, UK
  6.6%, Mozambique 4.5% (2004)

Malaysia
  US 18.8%, Singapore 15%, Japan 10.1%, China 6.7%, Hong Kong
  6%, Thailand 4.8% (2004)

Maldives
  US 26.5%, Thailand 23.5%, Sri Lanka 12.3%, Japan 11.7%, UK
  9.8%, Germany 4.9% (2004)

Mali
  China 31.6%, Pakistan 10%, Italy 6.9%, Thailand 5.8%, Germany
  5.1%, India 4.8%, Bangladesh 4.5%, Taiwan 4% (2004)

Malta
  US 15.7%, France 15.5%, Singapore 14.5%, UK 11.2%, Germany
  10.8% (2004)

Man, Isle of
  UK (2000)

Marshall Islands
  US, Japan, Australia, China (2000)

Martinique
  France 45%, Guadeloupe 28% (2000)

Mauritania
  Japan 13.1%, France 11%, Spain 9.7%, Germany 9.7%, Italy
  9.6%, Belgium 7.5%, China 6.1%, Russia 4.6%, Cote d'Ivoire 4.1%
  (2004)

Mauritius
  UK 33.1%, France 20.4%, US 14.8%, Madagascar 5.1%, Italy
  4.1% (2004)

Mayotte
  France 80%, Comoros 15%, Reunion (2000)

Mexico
  US 87.6%, Canada 1.8%, Spain 1.1% (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Japan, US, Guam (2000)

Moldova
  Russia 35.8%, Italy 13.9%, Romania 10%, Germany 7.3%,
  Ukraine 6.6%, Belarus 6%, US 4.6% (2004)

Mongolia
  China 47.8%, US 17.9%, UK 15.7% (2004)

Montserrat
  US, Antigua and Barbuda

Morocco
  France 33.6%, Spain 17.4%, UK 7.7%, Italy 4.7%, US 4.1%
  (2004)

Mozambique
  Netherlands 60.9%, South Africa 12.9%, Malawi 3.3% (2004)

Namibia
  EU 79%, US 4% (2001)

Nauru
  South Africa 43.4%, Germany 20.7%, India 11.8%, Japan 7.2%,
  Poland 4% (2004)

Nepal
  India 47.4%, US 22.7%, Germany 8.4% (2004)

Netherlands
  Germany 25%, Belgium 12.4%, UK 10.1%, France 9.9%, Italy
  6%, US 4.3% (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  US 20.4%, Panama 11.2%, Guatemala 8.8%, Haiti
  7.1%, Bahamas, The 5.6%, Honduras 4.2% (2004)

New Caledonia
  Japan 22%, France 16.5%, Taiwan 12.3%, South Korea
  12%, Spain 6.3%, Australia 6.1%, China 4.8%, South Africa 4.5% (2004)

New Zealand
  Australia 21%, US 14.4%, Japan 11.3%, China 5.7%, UK
  4.7% (2004)

Nicaragua
  US 64.8%, El Salvador 7%, Mexico 3.6% (2004)

Niger
  France 41%, Nigeria 22.4%, Japan 15.3%, Switzerland 6%, Spain
  4.1%, Ghana 4% (2004)

Nigeria
  US 47.5%, Brazil 10.7%, Spain 7.1% (2004)

Niue
  New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Cook Islands, Australia (2000)

Norfolk Island
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
  Europe

Northern Mariana Islands
  US (2000)

Norway
  UK 22.4%, Germany 12.9%, Netherlands 9.9%, France 9.6%, US
  8.4%, Sweden 6.7% (2004)

Oman
  China 29.5%, South Korea 17.5%, Japan 11.5%, Thailand 10.6%,
  UAE 7.2% (2004)

Pakistan
  US 23.5%, UAE 7.4%, UK 7.3%, Germany 5%, Hong Kong 4.4%
  (2004)

Palau
  US, Japan, Singapore (2000)

Panama
  US 50.5%, Sweden 6.6%, Spain 5.1%, Netherlands 4.4%, Costa
  Rica 4.2% (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  Australia 28%, Japan 5.8%, Germany 4.7%, China 4.6%
  (2004)

Paraguay
  Uruguay 27.8%, Brazil 19.2%, Argentina 6.3%, Switzerland
  4.1% (2004)

Peru
  US 29.5%, China 9.9%, UK 9%, Chile 5.1%, Japan 4.4% (2004)

Philippines
  Japan 20.1%, US 18.2%, Netherlands 9%, Hong Kong 7.9%,
  China 6.7%, Singapore 6.6%, Taiwan 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  Germany 30%, Italy 6.1%, France 6%, UK 5.4%, Czech Republic
  4.3%, Netherlands 4.3% (2004)

Portugal
  Spain 25%, France 14%, Germany 13.5%, UK 9.6%, US 6%, Italy
  4.3%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Puerto Rico
  US 90.3%, UK 1.6%, Netherlands 1.4%, Dominican Republic
  1.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  Japan 41.9%, South Korea 15.8%, Singapore 9.1%, India 5.4%
  (2004)

Reunion
  France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000)

Romania
  Italy 21.4%, Germany 15%, France 8.5%, Turkey 7%, UK 6.6%
  (2004)

Russia
  Netherlands 9.1%, Germany 8%, Ukraine 6.4%, Italy 6.2%, China
  6%, US 5%, Switzerland 4.7%, Turkey 4.3% (2004)

Rwanda
  Indonesia 64.2%, China 3.6%, Germany 2.7% (2004)

Saint Helena
  Tanzania 30.3%, US 23.8%, Japan 10.4%, UK 7.1%, Spain
  6.3% (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  US 57.5%, Canada 9%, Portugal 8.3%, UK 6.7%
  (2004)

Saint Lucia
  UK 41.4%, US 16.5%, Brazil 11.6%, Barbados 5.8%, Antigua
  and Barbuda 4.6%, Dominica 4.5% (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Belgium 41.3%, US 19.9%, Spain 14.9%,
  France 10%, Germany 4.1% (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  UK 33.5%, Barbados 13.1%, Saint
  Lucia 11.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 9.9%, Antigua and Barbuda 8.3%, US
  5.3%, Grenada 5.3%, Dominica 4.1% (2004)

Samoa
  Australia 67.2%, US 5.7%, Indonesia 5.3% (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Netherlands 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%,
  Germany 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, France 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  US 18.2%, Japan 14.9%, South Korea 9.5%, China 6.1%,
  Taiwan 4.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2004)

Senegal
  India 14.4%, Mali 13.1%, France 9.8%, Italy 7.3%, Spain
  6.6%, Guinea-Bissau 5.6%, Gambia, The 4.8% (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Italy 29%, Germany 16.6%, Austria 7%, Greece
  6.7%, France 4.9%, Slovenia 4.1% (2004)

Seychelles
  UK 27.7%, France 15.8%, Spain 12.6%, Japan 8.6%, Italy
  7.5%, Germany 5.6% (2004)

Sierra Leone
  Belgium 61.6%, Germany 11.8%, US 5.4% (2004)

Singapore
  Malaysia 15.2%, US 13%, Hong Kong 9.8%, China 8.6%, Japan
  6.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.1% (2004)

Slovakia
  Germany 34.4%, Czech Republic 14.7%, Austria 8.2%, Italy
  5.8%, Poland 5.3%, US 4.5%, Hungary 4.3% (2004)

Slovenia
  Germany 18.3%, Italy 11.6%, Austria 11.5%, France 7.4%,
  Croatia 7.4%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.8% (2004)

Solomon Islands
  China 27.8%, South Korea 17.1%, Thailand 15.7%,
  Japan 9.7%, Philippines 4.8% (2004)

Somalia
  UAE 39.3%, Thailand 24.3%, Yemen 12.2%, Oman 4.7% (2004)

South Africa
  US 10.2%, UK 9.2%, Japan 9%, Germany 7.1%, Netherlands
  4% (2004)

Spain
  France 19.3%, Germany 11.7%, Portugal 9.6%, UK 9%, Italy 9%,
  US 4% (2004)

Sri Lanka
  US 32.4%, UK 13.5%, India 6.8%, Germany 4.8% (2004)

Sudan
  China 66.9%, Japan 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2004)

Suriname
  Norway 29.3%, US 15.1%, Canada 12.5%, Belgium 10.2%, France
  8.4%, UAE 6.1%, Iceland 4.3% (2004)

Swaziland
  South Africa 59.7%, EU 8.8%, US 8.8%, Mozambique 6.2%
  (2004)

Sweden
  US 10.7%, Germany 10.2%, Norway 8.6%, UK 7.8%, Denmark 6.7%,
  Finland 5.7%, France 4.8%, Netherlands 4.8%, Belgium 4.5% (2004)

Switzerland
  Germany 20.2%, US 10.5%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK
  5.1%, Spain 4% (2004)

Syria
  Italy 22.7%, France 18%, Turkey 12.9%, Iraq 9%, Saudi Arabia
  6.2% (2004)

Taiwan
  China, including Hong Kong 37%, US 16%, Japan 7.7% (2004)

Tajikistan
  Netherlands 41.4%, Turkey 15.3%, Uzbekistan 7.2%, Latvia
  7.1%, Switzerland 6.9%, Russia 6.6% (2004)

Tanzania
  India 9.1%, Spain 8.3%, Netherlands 6.4%, Japan 5.8%, UK
  5%, China 4.8%, Kenya 4.7% (2004)

Thailand
  US 15.9%, Japan 13.9%, China 7.3%, Singapore 7.2%, Malaysia
  5.4%, Hong Kong 5.1% (2004)

Togo
  Burkina Faso 16.4%, Ghana 15.1%, Benin 9.4%, Mali 7.6%, China
  7.5%, India 5.6% (2004)

Tokelau
  New Zealand (2000)

Tonga
  Japan 37.1%, China 18.7%, US 17.7%, Taiwan 8.7%, New Zealand
  7.4% (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  US 67.1%, Jamaica 5.7%, France 3.5% (2004)

Tunisia
  France 33.1%, Italy 25.3%, Germany 9.2%, Spain 6.1% (2004)

Turkey
  Germany 13.9%, UK 8.8%, US 7.7%, Italy 7.4%, France 5.8%,
  Spain 4.2% (2004)

Turkmenistan
  Ukraine 46.6%, Iran 17.3%, Turkey 4.2%, Italy 4.1%
  (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US, UK

Tuvalu
  Germany 56.5%, Fiji 14.3%, Italy 10.9%, UK 7.7%, Poland 4.9%
  (2004)

Uganda
  Kenya 15%, Netherlands 10.7%, Belgium 9%, France 4.4%,
  Germany 4.4% (2004)

Ukraine
  Russia 18%, Germany 5.8%, Turkey 5.7%, Italy 5%, US 4.6%
  (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  Japan 24.9%, South Korea 9.9%, India 5.4%,
  Thailand 5.2% (2004)

United Kingdom
  US 15.3%, Germany 10.8%, France 9.2%, Ireland 6.8%,
  Netherlands 6%, Belgium 5.1%, Spain 4.5%, Italy 4.2% (2004)

United States
  Canada 23%, Mexico 13.6%, Japan 6.7%, UK 4.4%, China
  4.3% (2004)

Uruguay
  US 17.3%, Brazil 16%, Germany 6.3%, Argentina 6.2%, Mexico
  4.2% (2004)

Uzbekistan
  Russia 22%, China 14.7%, Turkey 6.4%, Tajikistan 6.1%,
  Kazakhstan 4.2%, Bangladesh 4% (2004)

Vanuatu
  Thailand 47%, Malaysia 18.4%, Japan 7.5%, Belgium 5.4%,
  China 4.9% (2004)

Venezuela
  US 55.6%, Netherlands Antilles 4.7%, Dominican Republic
  2.8% (2004)

Vietnam
  US 20.2%, Japan 13.6%, China 9%, Australia 7%, Germany 5.9%,
  Singapore 4.8%, UK 4.6% (2004)

Virgin Islands
  US, Puerto Rico

Wallis and Futuna
  Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

West Bank
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so
  trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

World
  US 15.7%, Germany 7.7%, China 5.4%, France 5.1%, UK 5.1%,
  Japan 4.5% (2004)

Yemen
  Thailand 33.8%, China 30.3%, Singapore 7.8% (2004)

Zambia
  South Africa 25.6%, UK 17%, Switzerland 16%, Tanzania 7.4%,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 7%, Zimbabwe 5.8% (2004)

Zimbabwe
  South Africa 31.5%, Switzerland 7.4%, UK 7.3%, China 6.1%,
  Germany 4.3% (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2051 Administrative divisions

Afghanistan
  34 provinces (velayat, singular - velayat); Badakhshan,
  Badghis, Baghlan, Balkh, Bamian, Daykondi, Farah, Faryab, Ghazni,
  Ghowr, Helmand, Herat, Jowzjan, Kabol, Kandahar, Kapisa, Khowst,
  Konar, Kondoz, Laghman, Lowgar, Nangarhar, Nimruz, Nurestan,
  Oruzgan, Paktia, Paktika, Panjshir, Parvan, Samangan, Sar-e Pol,
  Takhar, Vardak, and Zabol

Albania
  12 counties (qarqe, singular - qark); Qarku i Beratit, Qarku
  i Dibres, Qarku i Durresit, Qarku i Elbasanit, Qarku i Fierit, Qarku
  i Gjirokastres, Qarku i Korces, Qarku i Kukesit, Qarku i Lezhes,
  Qarku i Shkodres, Qarku i Tiranes, Qarku i Vlores

Algeria
  48 provinces (wilayas, singular - wilaya); Adrar, Ain Defla,
  Ain Temouchent, Alger, Annaba, Batna, Bechar, Bejaia, Biskra, Blida,
  Bordj Bou Arreridj, Bouira, Boumerdes, Chlef, Constantine, Djelfa,
  El Bayadh, El Oued, El Tarf, Ghardaia, Guelma, Illizi, Jijel,
  Khenchela, Laghouat, Mascara, Medea, Mila, Mostaganem, M'Sila,
  Naama, Oran, Ouargla, Oum el Bouaghi, Relizane, Saida, Setif, Sidi
  Bel Abbes, Skikda, Souk Ahras, Tamanghasset, Tebessa, Tiaret,
  Tindouf, Tipaza, Tissemsilt, Tizi Ouzou, Tlemcen

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three districts and two islands* at the second order; Eastern,
  Manu'a, Rose Island*, Swains Island*, Western

Andorra
  7 parishes (parroquies, singular - parroquia); Andorra la
  Vella, Canillo, Encamp, La Massana, Escaldes-Engordany, Ordino, Sant
  Julia de Loria

Angola
  18 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Bengo,
  Benguela, Bie, Cabinda, Cuando Cubango, Cuanza Norte, Cuanza Sul,
  Cunene, Huambo, Huila, Luanda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje,
  Moxico, Namibe, Uige, Zaire

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  6 parishes and 2 dependencies*; Barbuda*,
  Redonda*, Saint George, Saint John, Saint Mary, Saint Paul, Saint
  Peter, Saint Philip

Argentina
  23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1
  autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires
  Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes,
  Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones,
  Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe,
  Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del
  Atlantico Sur, Tucuman
  note: the US does not recognize any claims to Antarctica

Armenia
  11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat,
  Armavir, Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush,
  Vayots' Dzor, Yerevan

Aruba
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
  6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital
  Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South
  Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Austria
  9 states (Bundeslaender, singular - Bundesland); Burgenland,
  Kaernten, Niederoesterreich, Oberoesterreich, Salzburg, Steiermark,
  Tirol, Vorarlberg, Wien (Vienna)

Azerbaijan
  59 rayons (rayonlar; rayon - singular), 11 cities*
  (saharlar; sahar - singular), 1 autonomous republic** (muxtar
  respublika)
  rayons: Abseron Rayonu, Agcabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu,
  Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Astara Rayonu, Balakan Rayonu, Barda
  Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilasuvar Rayonu, Cabrayil Rayonu,
  Calilabad Rayonu, Daskasan Rayonu, Davaci Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu,
  Gadabay Rayonu, Goranboy Rayonu, Goycay Rayonu, Haciqabul Rayonu,
  Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbacar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu,
  Lacin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu,
  Neftcala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qax Rayonu, Qazax
  Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu,
  Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Saki Rayonu, Salyan Rayonu, Samaxi
  Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Samux Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Susa Rayonu,
  Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Xacmaz Rayonu, Xanlar
  Rayonu, Xizi Rayonu, Xocali Rayonu, Xocavand Rayonu, Yardimli
  Rayonu, Yevlax Rayonu, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab
  Rayonu
  cities: Ali Bayramli Sahari, Baki Sahari, Ganca Sahari, Lankaran
  Sahari, Mingacevir Sahari, Naftalan Sahari, Saki Sahari, Sumqayit
  Sahari, Susa Sahari, Xankandi Sahari, Yevlax Sahari
  autonomous republic: Naxcivan Muxtar Respublikasi

Bahamas, The
  21 districts; Acklins and Crooked Islands, Bimini, Cat
  Island, Exuma, Freeport, Fresh Creek, Governor's Harbour, Green
  Turtle Cay, Harbour Island, High Rock, Inagua, Kemps Bay, Long
  Island, Marsh Harbour, Mayaguana, New Providence, Nichollstown and
  Berry Islands, Ragged Island, Rock Sound, Sandy Point, San Salvador
  and Rum Cay

Bahrain
  12 municipalities (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Hadd,
  Al Manamah, Al Mintaqah al Gharbiyah, Al Mintaqah al Wusta, Al
  Mintaqah ash Shamaliyah, Al Muharraq, Ar Rifa' wa al Mintaqah al
  Janubiyah, Jidd Hafs, Madinat Hamad, Madinat 'Isa, Juzur Hawar,
  Sitrah
  note: all municipalities administered from Manama

Bangladesh
  6 divisions; Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna,
  Rajshahi, and Sylhet

Barbados
  11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George,
  Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael,
  Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of
  Bridgetown may be given parish status

Belarus
  6 provinces (voblastsi, singular - voblasts') and 1
  municipality* (horad); Brest, Homyel', Horad Minsk*, Hrodna,
  Mahilyow, Minsk, Vitsyebsk
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers

Belgium
  10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Dutch:
  provincies, singular - provincie) and 3 regions* (French: regions;
  Dutch: gewesten); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Brussels* (Bruxelles),
  Flanders*, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur,
  Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams-Brabant, Wallonia*, West-Vlaanderen
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities

Belize
  6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek,
  Toledo

Benin
  12 departments; Alibori, Atakora, Atlantique, Borgou,
  Collines, Kouffo, Donga, Littoral, Mono, Oueme, Plateau, Zou

Bermuda
  9 parishes and 2 municipalities*; Devonshire, Hamilton,
  Hamilton*, Paget, Pembroke, Saint George*, Saint George's, Sandys,
  Smith's, Southampton, Warwick

Bhutan
  18 districts (dzongkhag, singular and plural); Bumthang,
  Chhukha, Chirang, Dagana, Geylegphug, Ha, Lhuntshi, Mongar, Paro,
  Pemagatsel, Punakha, Samchi, Samdrup Jongkhar, Shemgang, Tashigang,
  Thimphu, Tongsa, Wangdi Phodrang
  note: there may be two new districts named Gasa and Yangtse

Bolivia
  9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa
  Cruz, Tarija

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  2 first-order administrative divisions and 1
  internationally supervised district* - Brcko district (Brcko
  Distrikt)*, the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  (Federacija Bosna i Hercegovina) and the Bosnian Serb-led Republika
  Srpska; note - Brcko district is in northeastern Bosnia and is an
  administrative unit under the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
  the district remains under international supervision

Botswana
  9 districts and 5 town councils*; Central, Francistown*,
  Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Jwaneng*, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*,
  Northwest, Northeast, Selebi-Pikwe*, Southeast, Southern

Brazil
  26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia,
  Ceara, Distrito Federal*, Espirito Santo, Goias, Maranhao, Mato
  Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Para, Paraiba, Parana,
  Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande
  do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, Sao Paulo, Sergipe,
  Tocantins

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait,
  Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Bulgaria
  28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Blagoevgrad,
  Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo, Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech,
  Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Ruse, Shumen,
  Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofiya, Sofiya-Grad, Stara Zagora,
  Turgovishte, Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

Burkina Faso
  45 provinces; Bale, Bam, Banwa, Bazega, Bougouriba,
  Boulgou, Boulkiemde, Comoe, Ganzourgou, Gnagna, Gourma, Houet, Ioba,
  Kadiogo, Kenedougou, Komondjari, Kompienga, Kossi, Koulpelogo,
  Kouritenga, Kourweogo, Leraba, Loroum, Mouhoun, Namentenga, Nahouri,
  Nayala, Noumbiel, Oubritenga, Oudalan, Passore, Poni, Sanguie,
  Sanmatenga, Seno, Sissili, Soum, Sourou, Tapoa, Tuy, Yagha, Yatenga,
  Ziro, Zondoma, Zoundweogo

Burma
  7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi
  ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)
  divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi,
  Yangon
  states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Mon
  State, Rakhine State, Shan State

Burundi
  16 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura, Bururi, Cankuzo, Cibitoke,
  Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba, Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro,
  Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi

Cambodia
  20 provinces (khaitt, singular and plural) and 4
  municipalities (krong, singular and plural)
  provinces: Banteay Mean Chey, Batdambang, Kampong Cham, Kampong
  Chhnang, Kampong Spoe, Kampong Thum, Kampot, Kandal, Koh Kong,
  Kracheh, Mondol Kiri, Otdar Mean Chey, Pouthisat, Preah Vihear, Prey
  Veng, Rotanakir, Siem Reab, Stoeng Treng, Svay Rieng, Takao
  municipalities: Keb, Pailin, Phnom Penh, Preah Seihanu

Cameroon
  10 provinces; Adamaoua, Centre, Est, Extreme-Nord,
  Littoral, Nord, Nord-Ouest, Ouest, Sud, Sud-Ouest

Canada
  10 provinces and 3 territories*; Alberta, British Columbia,
  Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest
  Territories*, Nova Scotia, Nunavut*, Ontario, Prince Edward Island,
  Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon Territory*

Cape Verde
  17 municipalities (concelhos, singular - concelho); Boa
  Vista, Brava, Maio, Mosteiros, Paul, Praia, Porto Novo, Ribeira
  Grande, Sal, Santa Catarina, Santa Cruz, Sao Domingos, Sao Filipe,
  Sao Miguel, Sao Nicolau, Sao Vicente, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
  8 districts; Creek, Eastern, Midland, South Town,
  Spot Bay, Stake Bay, West End, Western

Central African Republic
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular -
  prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques,
  singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune**;
  Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui**, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou,
  Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi*, Nana-Mambere,
  Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere*, Vakaga

Chad
  14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture); Batha,
  Biltine, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti, Chari-Baguirmi, Guera, Kanem, Lac,
  Logone Occidental, Logone Oriental, Mayo-Kebbi, Moyen-Chari,
  Ouaddai, Salamat, Tandjile
  note: instead of 14 prefectures, there may be a new administrative
  structure of 28 departments (departments, singular - department),
  and 1 city*; Assongha, Baguirmi, Bahr El Gazal, Bahr Koh, Batha
  Oriental, Batha Occidental, Biltine, Borkou, Dababa, Ennedi, Guera,
  Hadjer Lamis, Kabia, Kanem, Lac, Lac Iro, Logone Occidental, Logone
  Oriental, Mandoul, Mayo-Boneye, Mayo-Dallah, Monts de Lam,
  N'Djamena*, Ouaddai, Salamat, Sila, Tandjile Oriental, Tandjile
  Occidental, Tibesti

Chile
  13 regions (regiones, singular - region); Aisen del General
  Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio,
  Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos,
  Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana
  (Santiago), Tarapaca, Valparaiso
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

China
  23 provinces (sheng, singular and plural), 5 autonomous
  regions (zizhiqu, singular and plural), and 4 municipalities (shi,
  singular and plural)
  provinces: Anhui, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei,
  Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin,
  Liaoning, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan,
  Zhejiang
  autonomous regions: Guangxi, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Xizang
  (Tibet)
  municipalities: Beijing, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin
  note: China considers Taiwan its 23rd province; see separate entries
  for the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  32 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
  1 capital district* (distrito capital); Amazonas, Antioquia, Arauca,
  Atlantico, Distrito Capital de Bogota*, Bolivar, Boyaca, Caldas,
  Caqueta, Casanare, Cauca, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Cundinamarca,
  Guainia, Guaviare, Huila, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Narino, Norte
  de Santander, Putumayo, Quindio, Risaralda, San Andres y
  Providencia, Santander, Sucre, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vaupes,
  Vichada

Comoros
  3 islands; Grande Comore (Njazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and
  Moheli (Mwali); note - there are also four municipalities named
  Domoni, Fomboni, Moroni, and Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  10 provinces (provinces, singular
  - province) and 1 city* (ville); Bandundu, Bas-Congo, Equateur,
  Kasai-Occidental, Kasai-Oriental, Katanga, Kinshasa*, Maniema,
  Nord-Kivu, Orientale, Sud-Kivu

Congo, Republic of the
  10 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1
  commune*; Bouenza, Brazzaville*, Cuvette, Cuvette-Ouest, Kouilou,
  Lekoumou, Likouala, Niari, Plateaux, Pool, Sangha

Cook Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Alajuela,
  Cartago, Guanacaste, Heredia, Limon, Puntarenas, San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
  19 regions; Agneby, Bafing, Bas-Sassandra, Denguele,
  Dix-Huit Montagnes, Fromager, Haut-Sassandra, Lacs, Lagunes,
  Marahoue, Moyen-Cavally, Moyen-Comoe, N'zi-Comoe, Savanes,
  Sud-Bandama, Sud-Comoe, Vallee du Bandama, Worodougou, Zanzan

Croatia
  20 counties (zupanije, zupanija - singular) and 1 city*
  (grad - singular); Bjelovarsko-Bilogorska Zupanija, Brodsko-Posavska
  Zupanija, Dubrovacko-Neretvanska Zupanija, Istarska Zupanija,
  Karlovacka Zupanija, Koprivnicko-Krizevacka Zupanija,
  Krapinsko-Zagorska Zupanija, Licko-Senjska Zupanija, Medimurska
  Zupanija, Osjecko-Baranjska Zupanija, Pozesko-Slavonska Zupanija,
  Primorsko-Goranska Zupanija, Sibensko-Kninska Zupanija,
  Sisacko-Moslavacka Zupanija, Splitsko-Dalmatinska Zupanija,
  Varazdinska Zupanija, Viroviticko-Podravska Zupanija,
  Vukovarsko-Srijemska Zupanija, Zadarska Zupanija, Zagreb*,
  Zagrebacka Zupanija

Cuba
  14 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1 special
  municipality* (municipio especial); Camaguey, Ciego de Avila,
  Cienfuegos, Ciudad de La Habana, Granma, Guantanamo, Holguin, Isla
  de la Juventud*, La Habana, Las Tunas, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio,
  Sancti Spiritus, Santiago de Cuba, Villa Clara

Cyprus
  6 districts; Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Nicosia,
  Paphos; note - Turkish Cypriot area's administrative divisions
  include Kyrenia, all but a small part of Famagusta, and small parts
  of Lefkosia (Nicosia) and Larnaca

Czech Republic
  13 regions (kraje, singular - kraj) and 1 capital
  city* (hlavni mesto); Jihocesky Kraj, Jihomoravsky Kraj, Karlovarsky
  Kraj, Kralovehradecky Kraj, Liberecky Kraj, Moravskoslezsky Kraj,
  Olomoucky Kraj, Pardubicky Kraj, Plzensky Kraj, Praha (Prague)*,
  Stredocesky Kraj, Ustecky Kraj, Vysocina, Zlinsky Kraj

Denmark
  metropolitan Denmark - 14 counties (amter, singular - amt)
  and 2 boroughs* (amtskommuner, singular - amtskommune); Arhus,
  Bornholm, Frederiksberg*, Frederiksborg, Fyn, Kobenhavn, Kobenhavn
  (Copenhagen)*, Nordjylland, Ribe, Ringkobing, Roskilde,
  Sonderjylland, Storstrom, Vejle, Vestsjalland, Viborg
  note: since 2005 Bornholm may have become a borough; in the future
  the counties may be replaced by regions; see separate entries for
  the Faroe Islands and Greenland, which are part of the Kingdom of
  Denmark and are self-governing overseas administrative divisions

Djibouti
  5 districts (cercles, singular - cercle); 'Ali Sabih,
  Dikhil, Djibouti, Obock, Tadjoura

Dominica
  10 parishes; Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint
  John, Saint Joseph, Saint Luke, Saint Mark, Saint Patrick, Saint
  Paul, Saint Peter

Dominican Republic
  31 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia)
  and 1 district* (distrito); Azua, Baoruco, Barahona, Dajabon,
  Distrito Nacional*, Duarte, Elias Pina, El Seibo, Espaillat, Hato
  Mayor, Independencia, La Altagracia, La Romana, La Vega, Maria
  Trinidad Sanchez, Monsenor Nouel, Monte Cristi, Monte Plata,
  Pedernales, Peravia, Puerto Plata, Salcedo, Samana, Sanchez Ramirez,
  San Cristobal, San Jose de Ocoa, San Juan, San Pedro de Macoris,
  Santiago, Santiago Rodriguez, Santo Domingo, Valverde

East Timor
  13 administrative districts; Aileu, Ainaro, Baucau,
  Bobonaro (Maliana), Cova-Lima (Suai), Dili, Ermera, Lautem (Los
  Palos), Liquica, Manatuto, Manufahi (Same), Oecussi (Ambeno),
  Viqueque

Ecuador
  22 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia); Azuay,
  Bolivar, Canar, Carchi, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, El Oro, Esmeraldas,
  Galapagos, Guayas, Imbabura, Loja, Los Rios, Manabi,
  Morona-Santiago, Napo, Orellana, Pastaza, Pichincha, Sucumbios,
  Tungurahua, Zamora-Chinchipe

Egypt
  26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad
  Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah,
  Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya,
  Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As
  Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina',
  Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

El Salvador
  14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Ahuachapan, Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz,
  La Union, Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, Santa Ana, San Vicente,
  Sonsonate, Usulutan

Equatorial Guinea
  7 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia);
  Annobon, Bioko Norte, Bioko Sur, Centro Sur, Kie-Ntem, Litoral,
  Wele-Nzas

Eritrea
  6 regions (zobatat, singular - zoba); Anseba, Debub
  (Southern), Debubawi K'eyih Bahri (Southern Red Sea), Gash Barka,
  Ma'akel (Central), Semenawi Keyih Bahri (Northern Red Sea)

Estonia
  15 counties (maakonnad, singular - maakond): Harjumaa
  (Tallinn), Hiiumaa (Kardla), Ida-Virumaa (Johvi), Jarvamaa (Paide),
  Jogevamaa (Jogeva), Laanemaa (Haapsalu), Laane-Virumaa (Rakvere),
  Parnumaa (Parnu), Polvamaa (Polva), Raplamaa (Rapla), Saaremaa
  (Kuressaare), Tartumaa (Tartu), Valgamaa (Valga), Viljandimaa
  (Viljandi), Vorumaa (Voru)
  note: counties have the administrative center name following in
  parentheses

Ethiopia
  9 ethnically-based states (kililoch, singular - kilil) and
  2 self-governing administrations* (astedaderoch, singular -
  astedader); Adis Abeba* (Addis Ababa), Afar, Amara (Amhara),
  Binshangul Gumuz, Dire Dawa*, Gambela Hizboch (Gambela Peoples),
  Hareri Hizb (Harari People), Oromiya (Oromia), Sumale (Somali),
  Tigray, Ye Debub Biheroch Bihereseboch na Hizboch (Southern Nations,
  Nationalities and Peoples)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 49 municipalities

Fiji
  4 divisions and 1 dependency*; Central, Eastern, Northern,
  Rotuma*, Western

Finland
  6 provinces (laanit, singular - laani); Aland, Etela-Suomen
  Laani, Ita-Suomen Laani, Lansi-Suomen Laani, Lappi, Oulun Laani

France
  22 regions (regions, singular - region); Alsace, Aquitaine,
  Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne, Centre,
  Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
  Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine,
  Midi-Pyrenees, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie,
  Poitou-Charentes, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes
  note: metropolitan France is divided into 22 regions (including the
  "territorial collectivity" of Corse or Corsica) and is subdivided
  into 96 departments; see separate entries for the overseas
  departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion) and the
  overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint Pierre and
  Miquelon)

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel
  des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du
  Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
  note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
  Polynesia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are 3 districts named Ile
  Crozet, Iles Kerguelen, and Iles Saint-Paul et Amsterdam; excludes
  "Adelie Land" claim in Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  9 provinces; Estuaire, Haut-Ogooue, Moyen-Ogooue, Ngounie,
  Nyanga, Ogooue-Ivindo, Ogooue-Lolo, Ogooue-Maritime, Woleu-Ntem

Gambia, The
  5 divisions and 1 city*; Banjul*, Central River, Lower
  River, North Bank, Upper River, Western

Georgia
  9 regions (mkharebi, singular - mkhare), 9 cities
  (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics
  (avtomnoy respubliki, singular - avtom respublika)
  regions: Guria, Imereti, Kakheti, Kvemo Kartli, Mtskheta-Mtianeti,
  Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti,
  Samtskhe-Javakheti, Shida Kartli
  cities: Chiat'ura, Gori, K'ut'aisi, P'ot'i, Rust'avi, T'bilisi,
  Tqibuli, Tsqaltubo, Zugdidi
  autonomous republics: Abkhazia or Ap'khazet'is Avtonomiuri
  Respublika (Sokhumi), Ajaria or Acharis Avtonomiuri Respublika
  (Bat'umi)
  note: the administrative centers of the 2 autonomous republics are
  shown in parentheses

Germany
  13 states (Laender, singular - Land) and 3 free states*
  (Freistaaten, singular - Freistaat); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern*,
  Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen,
  Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen, Nordrhein-Westfalen,
  Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen*, Sachsen-Anhalt,
  Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen*

Ghana
  10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater
  Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  51 prefectures (nomoi, singular - nomos) and 1 autonomous
  region*; Agion Oros* (Mt. Athos), Achaia, Aitolia kai Akarmania,
  Argolis, Arkadia, Arta, Attiki, Chalkidiki, Chanion, Chios,
  Dodekanisos, Drama, Evros, Evrytania, Evvoia, Florina, Fokidos,
  Fthiotis, Grevena, Ileia, Imathia, Ioannina, Irakleion, Karditsa,
  Kastoria, Kavala, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kilkis, Korinthia, Kozani,
  Kyklades, Lakonia, Larisa, Lasithi, Lefkas, Lesvos, Magnisia,
  Messinia, Pella, Pieria, Preveza, Rethynnis, Rodopi, Samos, Serrai,
  Thesprotia, Thessaloniki, Trikala, Voiotia, Xanthi, Zakynthos

Greenland
  3 districts (landsdele); Avannaa (Nordgronland), Tunu
  (Ostgronland), Kitaa (Vestgronland)
  note: there are 18 municipalities in Greenland

Grenada
  6 parishes and 1 dependency*; Carriacou and Petit
  Martinique*, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint John,
  Saint Mark, Saint Patrick

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  22 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Chiquimula, El Progreso,
  Escuintla, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Izabal, Jalapa, Jutiapa, Peten,
  Quetzaltenango, Quiche, Retalhuleu, Sacatepequez, San Marcos, Santa
  Rosa, Solola, Suchitepequez, Totonicapan, Zacapa

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are 10 parishes including Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson, Vale,
  Castel, Saint Saviour, Saint Pierre du Bois, Torteval, Forest, Saint
  Martin, Saint Andrew

Guinea
  33 prefectures and 1 special zone (zone special)*; Beyla,
  Boffa, Boke, Conakry*, Coyah, Dabola, Dalaba, Dinguiraye, Dubreka,
  Faranah, Forecariah, Fria, Gaoual, Gueckedou, Kankan, Kerouane,
  Kindia, Kissidougou, Koubia, Koundara, Kouroussa, Labe, Lelouma,
  Lola, Macenta, Mali, Mamou, Mandiana, Nzerekore, Pita, Siguiri,
  Telimele, Tougue, Yomou

Guinea-Bissau
  9 regions (regioes, singular - regiao); Bafata,
  Biombo, Bissau, Bolama, Cacheu, Gabu, Oio, Quinara, Tombali; note -
  Bolama may have been renamed Bolama/Bijagos

Guyana
  10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica,
  East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara,
  Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper
  Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Haiti
  9 departments (departements, singular - departement);
  Artibonite, Centre, Grand 'Anse, Nord, Nord-Est, Nord-Ouest, Ouest,
  Sud, Sud-Est

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  18 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Atlantida, Choluteca, Colon, Comayagua, Copan, Cortes, El Paraiso,
  Francisco Morazan, Gracias a Dios, Intibuca, Islas de la Bahia, La
  Paz, Lempira, Ocotepeque, Olancho, Santa Barbara, Valle, Yoro

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  19 counties (megyek, singular - megye), 20 urban counties
  (singular - megyei varos), and 1 capital city (fovaros)
  counties: Bacs-Kiskun, Baranya, Bekes, Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen,
  Csongrad, Fejer, Gyor-Moson-Sopron, Hajdu-Bihar, Heves,
  Jasz-Nagykun-Szolnok, Komarom-Esztergom, Nograd, Pest, Somogy,
  Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg, Tolna, Vas, Veszprem, Zala
  urban counties: Bekescsaba, Debrecen, Dunaujvaros, Eger, Gyor,
  Hodmezovasarhely, Kaposvar, Kecskemet, Miskolc, Nagykanizsa,
  Nyiregyhaza, Pecs, Sopron, Szeged, Szekesfehervar, Szolnok,
  Szombathely, Tatabanya, Veszprem, Zalaegerszeg
  capital city: Budapest

Iceland
  8 regions; Austurland, Hofudhborgarsvaedhi, Nordhurland
  Eystra, Nordhurland Vestra, Sudhurland, Sudhurnes, Vestfirdhir,
  Vesturland

India
  28 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman and Nicobar
  Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
  Chandigarh*, Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*,
  Delhi*, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
  Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh,
  Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa,
  Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura,
  Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal

Indonesia
  30 provinces (propinsi-propinsi, singular - propinsi), 2
  special regions* (daerah-daerah istimewa, singular - daerah
  istimewa), and 1 special capital city district** (daerah khusus
  ibukota); Aceh*, Bali, Banten, Bengkulu, Gorontalo, Irian Jaya
  Barat, Jakarta Raya**, Jambi, Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur,
  Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan
  Timur, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Riau, Lampung, Maluku,
  Maluku Utara, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Papua, Riau,
  Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Tengah, Sulawesi
  Tenggara, Sulawesi Utara, Sumatera Barat, Sumatera Selatan, Sumatera
  Utara, Yogyakarta*; note - with the implementation of
  decentralization on 1 January 2001, the 357 districts or regencies
  became the key administrative units responsible for providing most
  government services

Iran
  30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e
  Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari,
  Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman,
  Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e
  Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan,
  Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan,
  Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan

Iraq
  18 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Anbar, Al
  Basrah, Al Muthanna, Al Qadisiyah, An Najaf, Arbil, As Sulaymaniyah,
  At Ta'mim, Babil, Baghdad, Dahuk, Dhi Qar, Diyala, Karbala', Maysan,
  Ninawa, Salah ad Din, Wasit

Ireland
  26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin,
  Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick,
  Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo,
  Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
  note: Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are part of Ulster Province

Israel
  6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa,
  Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv

Italy
  16 regions (regioni, singular - regione) and 4 autonomous
  regions* (regioni autonome, singular - regione autonoma); Abruzzo,
  Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia
  Giulia*, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte,
  Puglia, Sardegna*, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige*, Umbria,
  Valle d'Aosta*, Veneto

Jamaica
  14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester,
  Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth,
  Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland
  note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were
  amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as
  the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation

Japan
  47 prefectures; Aichi, Akita, Aomori, Chiba, Ehime, Fukui,
  Fukuoka, Fukushima, Gifu, Gumma, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, Hyogo,
  Ibaraki, Ishikawa, Iwate, Kagawa, Kagoshima, Kanagawa, Kochi,
  Kumamoto, Kyoto, Mie, Miyagi, Miyazaki, Nagano, Nagasaki, Nara,
  Niigata, Oita, Okayama, Okinawa, Osaka, Saga, Saitama, Shiga,
  Shimane, Shizuoka, Tochigi, Tokushima, Tokyo, Tottori, Toyama,
  Wakayama, Yamagata, Yamaguchi, Yamanashi

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al
  'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az
  Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba

Kazakhstan
  14 provinces (oblystar, singular - oblys) and 3 cities*
  (qala, singular - qalasy); Almaty Oblysy, Almaty Qalasy*, Aqmola
  Oblysy (Astana), Aqtobe Oblysy, Astana Qalasy*, Atyrau Oblysy, Batys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oral), Bayqongyr Qalasy*, Mangghystau Oblysy
  (Aqtau), Ongtustik Qazaqstan Oblysy (Shymkent), Pavlodar Oblysy,
  Qaraghandy Oblysy, Qostanay Oblysy, Qyzylorda Oblysy, Shyghys
  Qazaqstan Oblysy (Oskemen), Soltustik Qazaqstan Oblysy
  (Petropavlovsk), Zhambyl Oblysy (Taraz)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses); in 1995, the Governments of
  Kazakhstan and Russia entered into an agreement whereby Russia would
  lease for a period of 20 years an area of 6,000 sq km enclosing the
  Baykonur space launch facilities and the city of Bayqongyr
  (Baykonur, formerly Leninsk); in 2004, a new agreement extended the
  lease to 2050

Kenya
  7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi
  Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Kiribati
  3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands;
  note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts,
  Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21
  island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang,
  Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton,
  Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa,
  Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Korea, North
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 4
  municipalities (si, singular and plural)
  provinces: Chagang-do (Chagang), Hamgyong-bukto (North Hamgyong),
  Hamgyong-namdo (South Hamgyong), Hwanghae-bukto (North Hwanghae),
  Hwanghae-namdo (South Hwanghae), Kangwon-do (Kangwon),
  P'yongan-bukto (North P'yongan), P'yongan-namdo (South P'yongan),
  Yanggang-do (Yanggang)
  municipalites: Kaesong-si (Kaesong), Najin Sonbong-si (Najin),
  Namp'o-si (Namp'o), P'yongyang-si (Pyongyang)

Korea, South
  9 provinces (do, singular and plural) and 7
  metropolitan cities (gwangyoksi, singular and plural)
  provinces: Cheju-do, Cholla-bukto (North Cholla), Cholla-namdo
  (South Cholla), Ch'ungch'ong-bukto (North Ch'ungch'ong),
  Ch'ungch'ong-namdo (South Ch'ungch'ong), Kangwon-do, Kyonggi-do,
  Kyongsang-bukto (North Kyongsang), Kyongsang-namdo (South Kyongsang)
  metropolitan cities: Inch'on-gwangyoksi (Inch'on),
  Kwangju-gwangyoksi (Kwangju), Pusan-gwangyoksi (Pusan),
  Soul-t'ukpyolsi (Seoul), Taegu-gwangyoksi (Taegu), Taejon-gwangyoksi
  (Taejon), Ulsan-gwangyoksi (Ulsan)

Kuwait
  5 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Ahmadi,
  Al Farwaniyah, Al 'Asimah, Al Jahra', Hawalli

Kyrgyzstan
  7 provinces (oblastlar, singular - oblasty) and 1 city*
  (shaar); Batken Oblasty, Bishkek Shaary*, Chuy Oblasty (Bishkek),
  Jalal-Abad Oblasty, Naryn Oblasty, Osh Oblasty, Talas Oblasty,
  Ysyk-Kol Oblasty (Karakol)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Laos
  16 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural), 1 municipality*
  (kampheng nakhon, singular and plural), and 1 special zone**
  (khetphiset, singular and plural); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai,
  Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphrabang,
  Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*,
  Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun**, Xekong, Xiangkhoang

Latvia
  26 counties (singular - rajons) and 7 municipalities*:
  Aizkraukles Rajons, Aluksnes Rajons, Balvu Rajons, Bauskas Rajons,
  Cesu Rajons, Daugavpils*, Daugavpils Rajons, Dobeles Rajons,
  Gulbenes Rajons, Jekabpils Rajons, Jelgava*, Jelgavas Rajons,
  Jurmala*, Kraslavas Rajons, Kuldigas Rajons, Liepaja*, Liepajas
  Rajons, Limbazu Rajons, Ludzas Rajons, Madonas Rajons, Ogres Rajons,
  Preilu Rajons, Rezekne*, Rezeknes Rajons, Riga*, Rigas Rajons,
  Saldus Rajons, Talsu Rajons, Tukuma Rajons, Valkas Rajons, Valmieras
  Rajons, Ventspils*, Ventspils Rajons

Lebanon
  6 governorates (mohafazat, singular - mohafazah); Beyrouth,
  Beqaa, Liban-Nord, Liban-Sud, Mont-Liban, Nabatiye

Lesotho
  10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru,
  Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka

Liberia
  15 counties; Bomi, Bong, Gbarpolu, Grand Bassa, Grand Cape
  Mount, Grand Gedeh, Grand Kru, Lofa, Margibi, Maryland, Montserrado,
  Nimba, River Cess, River Gee, Sinoe

Libya
  25 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ajdabiya,
  Al 'Aziziyah, Al Fatih, Al Jabal al Akhdar, Al Jufrah, Al Khums, Al
  Kufrah, An Nuqat al Khams, Ash Shati', Awbari, Az Zawiyah, Banghazi,
  Darnah, Ghadamis, Gharyan, Misratah, Murzuq, Sabha, Sawfajjin, Surt,
  Tarabulus, Tarhunah, Tubruq, Yafran, Zlitan; note - the 25
  municipalities may have been replaced by 13 regions

Liechtenstein
  11 communes (Gemeinden, singular - Gemeinde); Balzers,
  Eschen, Gamprin, Mauren, Planken, Ruggell, Schaan, Schellenberg,
  Triesen, Triesenberg, Vaduz

Lithuania
  10 counties (apskritys, singular - apskritis); Alytaus,
  Kauno, Klaipedos, Marijampoles, Panevezio, Siauliu, Taurages,
  Telsiu, Utenos, Vilniaus

Luxembourg
  3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
  85 municipalities (opstini, singular - opstina); Aerodrom
  (Skopje), Aracinovo, Berovo, Bitola, Bogdanci, Bogovinje, Bosilovo,
  Brvenica, Butel (Skopje), Cair (Skopje), Caska, Centar (Skopje),
  Centar Zupa, Cesinovo, Cucer-Sandevo, Debar, Debartsa, Delcevo,
  Demir Hisar, Demir Kapija, Dojran, Dolneni, Drugovo, Gazi Baba
  (Skopje), Gevgelija, Gjorce Petrov (Skopje), Gostivar, Gradsko,
  Ilinden, Jegunovce, Karbinci, Karpos (Skopje), Kavadarci, Kicevo,
  Kisela Voda (Skopje), Kocani, Konce, Kratovo, Kriva Palanka,
  Krivogastani, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Lipkovo, Lozovo, Makedonska
  Kamenica, Makedonski Brod, Mavrovo i Rastusa, Mogila, Negotino,
  Novaci, Novo Selo, Ohrid, Oslomej, Pehcevo, Petrovec, Plasnica,
  Prilep, Probistip, Radovis, Rankovce, Resen, Rosoman, Saraj
  (Skopje), Skopje, Sopiste, Staro Nagoricane, Stip, Struga, Strumica,
  Studenicani, Suto Orizari (Skopje), Sveti Nikole, Tearce, Tetovo,
  Valandovo, Vasilevo, Veles, Vevcani, Vinica, Vranestica, Vrapciste,
  Zajas, Zelenikovo, Zelino, Zrnovci
  note: the ten municipalities followed by Skopje in parentheses
  collectively constitute "greater Skopje"

Madagascar
  6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana,
  Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi
  27 districts; Balaka, Blantyre, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu,
  Chitipa, Dedza, Dowa, Karonga, Kasungu, Likoma, Lilongwe, Machinga
  (Kasupe), Mangochi, Mchinji, Mulanje, Mwanza, Mzimba, Ntcheu, Nkhata
  Bay, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Ntchisi, Phalombe, Rumphi, Salima, Thyolo,
  Zomba

Malaysia
  13 states (negeri-negeri, singular - negeri) Johor, Kedah,
  Kelantan, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Pulau
  Pinang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, and Terengganu; and one federal
  territory (wilayah persekutuan) with three components, city of Kuala
  Lumpur, Labuan, and Putrajaya

Maldives
  19 atolls (atholhu, singular and plural) and 1 other
  first-order administrative division*; Alifu, Baa, Dhaalu, Faafu,
  Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Kaafu,
  Laamu, Lhaviyani, Maale*, Meemu, Noonu, Raa, Seenu, Shaviyani, Thaa,
  Vaavu

Mali
  8 regions (regions, singular - region); Gao, Kayes, Kidal,
  Koulikoro, Mopti, Segou, Sikasso, Tombouctou

Malta
  none (administered directly from Valletta); note - Local
  Councils carry out administrative orders

Man, Isle of
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions
  as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities
  each with its own elections

Marshall Islands
  33 municipalities; Ailinginae, Ailinglaplap, Ailuk,
  Arno, Aur, Bikar, Bikini, Bokak, Ebon, Enewetak, Erikub, Jabat,
  Jaluit, Jemo, Kili, Kwajalein, Lae, Lib, Likiep, Majuro, Maloelap,
  Mejit, Mili, Namorik, Namu, Rongelap, Rongrik, Toke, Ujae, Ujelang,
  Utirik, Wotho, Wotje

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  12 regions (regions, singular - region) and 1 capital
  district*; Adrar, Assaba, Brakna, Dakhlet Nouadhibou, Gorgol,
  Guidimaka, Hodh Ech Chargui, Hodh El Gharbi, Inchiri, Nouakchott*,
  Tagant, Tiris Zemmour, Trarza

Mauritius
  9 districts and 3 dependencies*; Agalega Islands*, Black
  River, Cargados Carajos Shoals*, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka,
  Pamplemousses, Plaines Wilhems, Port Louis, Riviere du Rempart,
  Rodrigues*, Savanne

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  31 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal); Aguascalientes, Baja California, Baja
  California Sur, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza,
  Colima, Distrito Federal*, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo,
  Jalisco, Mexico, Michoacan de Ocampo, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo Leon,
  Oaxaca, Puebla, Queretaro de Arteaga, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosi,
  Sinaloa, Sonora, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Tlaxcala, Veracruz-Llave,
  Yucatan, Zacatecas

Micronesia, Federated States of
  4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae
  (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

Moldova
  32 raions (raioane, singular - raionul), 3 municipalities
  (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala
  autonoma), and 1 territorial unit (unitatea teritoriala)
  counties: Anenii Noi, Basarabeasca, Briceni, Cahul, Cantemir,
  Calarasi, Causeni, Cimislia, Criuleni, Donduseni, Drochia, Dubasari,
  Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Hincesti, Ialoveni, Leova,
  Nisporeni, Ocnita, Orhei, Rezina, Riscani, Singerei, Soldanesti,
  Soroca, Stefan-Voda, Straseni, Taraclia, Telenesti, Ungheni
  municipalities: Balti, Bender, Chisinau
  autonomous territorial unit: Gagauzia
  territorial unit: Stinga Nistrului

Monaco
  none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are four quarters
  (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine,
  Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo

Mongolia
  21 provinces (aymguud, singular - aymag) and 1
  municipality* (singular - hot); Arhangay, Bayanhongor, Bayan-Olgiy,
  Bulgan, Darhan Uul, Dornod, Dornogovi, Dundgovi, Dzavhan,
  Govi-Altay, Govi-Sumber, Hentiy, Hovd, Hovsgol, Omnogovi, Orhon,
  Ovorhangay, Selenge, Suhbaatar, Tov, Ulaanbaatar*, Uvs

Montserrat
  3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter

Morocco
  14 regions: Grand Casablanca, Chaouia-Ouardigha,
  Doukkala-Abda, Fes-Boulemane, Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen, Guelmim-Es
  Smara, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, Meknes-Tafilalet, Oriental,
  Rabat-Sale-Zemmour-Zaer, Souss-Massa-Draa, Tadla-Azilal,
  Tanger-Tetouan, Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate
  note: Morocco claims the territory of Western Sahara, the political
  status of which is considered undetermined by the United States
  Government; one additional region, Oued Eddahab-Lagouira, falls
  entirely within Western Sahara; another region,
  Laayoune-Boujdour-Sahia El Hamra, falls mostly within Western
  Sahara; a small portion of this region, in the southwestern part of
  the country, falls within Moroccan-administered territory as
  recognized by the United States; the province of Guelmim-Es Smara
  lies in both entities

Mozambique
  10 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), 1 city
  (cidade)*; Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Inhambane, Manica, Maputo, Cidade de
  Maputo*, Nampula, Niassa, Sofala, Tete, Zambezia

Namibia
  13 regions; Caprivi, Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene,
  Ohangwena, Okavango, Omaheke, Omusati, Oshana, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa

Nauru
  14 districts; Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe,
  Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren

Nepal
  14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
  Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
  Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Netherlands
  12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie);
  Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen,
  Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland,
  Zuid-Holland

Netherlands Antilles
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
  note: each island has its own government

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and
  Sud

New Zealand
  16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty,
  Canterbury, Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay,
  Manawatu-Wanganui, Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland,
  Taranaki, Tasman, Waikato, Wellington, West Coast

Nicaragua
  15 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento)
  and 2 autonomous regions* (regiones autonomistas, singular - region
  autonomista); Atlantico Norte*, Atlantico Sur*, Boaco, Carazo,
  Chinandega, Chontales, Esteli, Granada, Jinotega, Leon, Madriz,
  Managua, Masaya, Matagalpa, Nueva Segovia, Rio San Juan, Rivas

Niger
  8 regions (regions, singular - region) includes 1 capital
  district* (commune urbaine); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*,
  Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder

Nigeria
  36 states and 1 territory*; Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom,
  Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi,
  Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Federal Capital Territory*, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa,
  Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger,
  Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara

Niue
  none; note - there are no first-order administrative divisions
  as defined by the US Government, but there are 14 villages at the
  second order

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (commonwealth in political union with
  the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as
  defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at
  the second order: Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian

Norway
  19 counties (fylker, singular - fylke); Akershus, Aust-Agder,
  Buskerud, Finnmark, Hedmark, Hordaland, More og Romsdal, Nordland,
  Nord-Trondelag, Oppland, Oslo, Ostfold, Rogaland, Sogn og Fjordane,
  Sor-Trondelag, Telemark, Troms, Vest-Agder, Vestfold

Oman
  5 regions (manaatiq, singular - mintaqat) and 3 governorates*
  (muhaafazaat, singular - muhaafaza) Ad Dakhiliyah, Al Batinah, Al
  Wusta, Ash Sharqiyah, Az Zahirah, Masqat*, Musandam*, Zufar*

Pakistan
  4 provinces, 1 territory*, and 1 capital territory**;
  Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas*, Islamabad Capital
  Territory**, North-West Frontier Province, Punjab, Sindh
  note: the Pakistani-administered portion of the disputed Jammu and
  Kashmir region includes Azad Kashmir and the Northern Areas

Palau
  16 states; Aimeliik, Airai, Angaur, Hatohobei, Kayangel,
  Koror, Melekeok, Ngaraard, Ngarchelong, Ngardmau, Ngatpang,
  Ngchesar, Ngeremlengui, Ngiwal, Peleliu, Sonsorol

Panama
  9 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia) and 1
  territory* (comarca); Bocas del Toro, Chiriqui, Cocle, Colon,
  Darien, Herrera, Los Santos, Panama, San Blas*(Kuna Yala), and
  Veraguas

Papua New Guinea
  20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu,
  Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang,
  Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern,
  Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New
  Britain

Paraguay
  17 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and
  1 capital city*; Alto Paraguay, Alto Parana, Amambay, Asuncion*,
  Boqueron, Caaguazu, Caazapa, Canindeyu, Central, Concepcion,
  Cordillera, Guaira, Itapua, Misiones, Neembucu, Paraguari,
  Presidente Hayes, San Pedro

Peru
  25 regions (regiones, singular - region) and 1 province*
  (provincia); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho,
  Cajamarca, Callao, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La
  Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Lima*, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua,
  Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali

Philippines
  79 provinces and 116 chartered cities
  provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay,
  Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas,
  Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines
  Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu,
  Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Eastern
  Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela,
  Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte,
  Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro
  Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province,
  Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar,
  Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon,
  Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South
  Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte,
  Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte,
  Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
  chartered cities: Alaminos, Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Bago,
  Baguio, Bais, Balanga, Batangas, Bayawan, Bislig, Butuan,
  Cabanatuan, Cadiz, Cagayan de Oro, Calamba, Calapan, Calbayog,
  Candon, Canlaon, Cauayan, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Danao,
  Dapitan, Davao, Digos, Dipolog, Dumaguete, Escalante, Gapan, General
  Santos, Gingoog, Himamaylan, Iligan, Iloilo, Isabela, Iriga,
  Kabankalan, Kalookan, Kidapawan, Koronadal, La Carlota, Laoag,
  Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Legazpi, Ligao, Lipa, Lucena, Maasin, Makati,
  Malabon, Malaybalay, Malolos, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marawi,
  Markina, Masbate, Muntinlupa, Munoz, Naga, Olongapo, Ormoc,
  Oroquieta, Ozamis, Pagadian, Palayan, Panabo, Paranaque, Pasay,
  Pasig, Passi, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, Roxas, Sagay, Samal, San
  Carlos (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos (in Pangasinan), San
  Fernando (in La Union), San Fernando (in Pampanga), San Jose, San
  Jose del Monte, San Pablo, Santa Rosa, Santiago, Silay, Sipalay,
  Sorsogon, Surigao, Tabaco, Tacloban, Tacurong, Tagaytay, Tagbilaran,
  Tagum, Talisay (in Cebu), Talisay (in Negros Oriental), Tanauan,
  Tangub, Tanjay, Tarlac, Toledo, Tuguegarao, Trece Martires,
  Urdaneta, Valencia, Valenzuela, Victorias, Vigan, Zamboanga

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  16 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo);
  Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie,
  Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie,
  Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie,
  Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie

Portugal
  18 districts (distritos, singular - distrito) and 2
  autonomous regions* (regioes autonomas, singular - regiao autonoma);
  Aveiro, Acores (Azores)*, Beja, Braga, Braganca, Castelo Branco,
  Coimbra, Evora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisboa, Madeira*, Portalegre,
  Porto, Santarem, Setubal, Viana do Castelo, Vila Real, Viseu

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 78 municipalities (municipios, singular -
  municipio) at the second order; Adjuntas, Aguada, Aguadilla, Aguas
  Buenas, Aibonito, Anasco, Arecibo, Arroyo, Barceloneta,
  Barranquitas, Bayamon, Cabo Rojo, Caguas, Camuy, Canovanas,
  Carolina, Catano, Cayey, Ceiba, Ciales, Cidra, Coamo, Comerio,
  Corozal, Culebra, Dorado, Fajardo, Florida, Guanica, Guayama,
  Guayanilla, Guaynabo, Gurabo, Hatillo, Hormigueros, Humacao,
  Isabela, Jayuya, Juana Diaz, Juncos, Lajas, Lares, Las Marias, Las
  Piedras, Loiza, Luquillo, Manati, Maricao, Maunabo, Mayaguez, Moca,
  Morovis, Naguabo, Naranjito, Orocovis, Patillas, Penuelas, Ponce,
  Quebradillas, Rincon, Rio Grande, Sabana Grande, Salinas, San
  German, San Juan, San Lorenzo, San Sebastian, Santa Isabel, Toa
  Alta, Toa Baja, Trujillo Alto, Utuado, Vega Alta, Vega Baja,
  Vieques, Villalba, Yabucoa, Yauco

Qatar
  10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad
  Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar
  Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47
  cantons

Romania
  41 counties (judete, singular - judet) and 1 municipality*
  (municipiu); Alba, Arad, Arges, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud,
  Botosani, Braila, Brasov, Bucuresti (Bucharest)*, Buzau, Calarasi,
  Caras-Severin, Cluj, Constanta, Covasna, Dimbovita, Dolj, Galati,
  Gorj, Giurgiu, Harghita, Hunedoara, Ialomita, Iasi, Ilfov,
  Maramures, Mehedinti, Mures, Neamt, Olt, Prahova, Salaj, Satu Mare,
  Sibiu, Suceava, Teleorman, Timis, Tulcea, Vaslui, Vilcea, Vrancea

Russia
  49 oblasts (oblastey, singular - oblast), 21 republics
  (respublik, singular - respublika), 10 autonomous okrugs
  (avtonomnykh okrugov, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 6 krays (krayev,
  singular - kray), 2 federal cities (singular - gorod), and 1
  autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')
  oblasts: Amur (Blagoveshchensk), Arkhangel'sk, Astrakhan', Belgorod,
  Bryansk, Chelyabinsk, Chita, Irkutsk, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Kaluga,
  Kamchatka (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy), Kemerovo, Kirov, Kostroma,
  Kurgan, Kursk, Leningrad, Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow, Murmansk,
  Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orenburg, Orel,
  Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk),
  Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg), Tambov,
  Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk, Vladimir, Volgograd,
  Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'
  republics: Adygeya (Maykop), Altay (Gorno-Altaysk), Bashkortostan
  (Ufa), Buryatiya (Ulan-Ude), Chechnya (Groznyy), Chuvashiya
  (Cheboksary), Dagestan (Makhachkala), Ingushetiya (Magas),
  Kabardino-Balkariya (Nal'chik), Kalmykiya (Elista),
  Karachayevo-Cherkesiya (Cherkessk), Kareliya (Petrozavodsk),
  Khakasiya (Abakan), Komi (Syktyvkar), Mariy-El (Yoshkar-Ola),
  Mordoviya (Saransk), Sakha [Yakutiya] (Yakutsk), North Ossetia
  (Vladikavkaz), Tatarstan (Kazan'), Tyva (Kyzyl), Udmurtiya (Izhevsk)
  autonomous okrugs: Aga Buryat (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'), Evenk
  (Tura), Khanty-Mansi, Komi-Permyak (Kudymkar), Koryak (Palana),
  Nenets (Nar'yan-Mar), Taymyr [Dolgano-Nenets] (Dudinka), Ust'-Orda
  Buryat (Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalo-Nenets (Salekhard)
  krays: Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk,
  Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'
  federal cities: Moscow (Moskva), Saint Petersburg (Sankt-Peterburg)
  autonomous oblast: Yevrey [Jewish] (Birobidzhan)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Rwanda
  12 provinces (in French - provinces, singular - province; in
  Kinyarwanda - prefigintara for singular and plural); Butare, Byumba,
  Cyangugu, Gikongoro, Gisenyi, Gitarama, Kibungo, Kibuye, Kigali
  Rurale, Kigali-ville, Umutara, Ruhengeri

Saint Helena
  1 administrative area and 2 dependencies*; Ascension*,
  Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha*

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  14 parishes; Christ Church Nichola Town, Saint
  Anne Sandy Point, Saint George Basseterre, Saint George Gingerland,
  Saint James Windward, Saint John Capesterre, Saint John Figtree,
  Saint Mary Cayon, Saint Paul Capesterre, Saint Paul Charlestown,
  Saint Peter Basseterre, Saint Thomas Lowland, Saint Thomas Middle
  Island, Trinity Palmetto Point

Saint Lucia
  11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin,
  Dennery, Gros-Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial collectivity of France);
  note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined
  by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre,
  Miquelon at the second order

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines,
  Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick

Samoa
  11 districts; A'ana, Aiga-i-le-Tai, Atua, Fa'asaleleaga,
  Gaga'emauga, Gagaifomauga, Palauli, Satupa'itea, Tuamasaga,
  Va'a-o-Fonoti, Vaisigano

San Marino
  9 municipalities (castelli, singular - castello);
  Acquaviva, Borgo Maggiore, Chiesanuova, Domagnano, Faetano,
  Fiorentino, Montegiardino, San Marino Citta, Serravalle

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome
  note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995

Saudi Arabia
  13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah,
  Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad,
  Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah,
  Najran, Tabuk

Senegal
  11 regions (regions, singular - region); Dakar, Diourbel,
  Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda,
  Thies, Ziguinchor

Serbia and Montenegro
  2 republics (republike, singular - republika);
  and 2 nominally autonomous provinces* (autonomn pokrajine, singular
  - autonomna pokrajina); Kosovo* (temporarily under UN
  administration, per UN Security Council Resolution 1244),
  Montenegro, Serbia, Vojvodina*

Seychelles
  23 administrative districts; Anse aux Pins, Anse Boileau,
  Anse Etoile, Anse Louis, Anse Royale, Baie Lazare, Baie Sainte Anne,
  Beau Vallon, Bel Air, Bel Ombre, Cascade, Glacis, Grand' Anse (on
  Mahe), Grand' Anse (on Praslin), La Digue, La Riviere Anglaise, Mont
  Buxton, Mont Fleuri, Plaisance, Pointe La Rue, Port Glaud, Saint
  Louis, Takamaka

Sierra Leone
  3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern,
  Western*

Singapore
  none

Slovakia
  8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky,
  Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky,
  Zilinsky

Slovenia
  182 municipalities (obcine, singular - obcina) and 11 urban
  municipalities* (mestne obcine , singular - mestna obcina )
  Ajdovscina, Beltinci, Benedikt, Bistrica ob Sotli, Bled, Bloke,
  Bohinj, Borovnica, Bovec, Braslovce, Brda, Brezice, Brezovica,
  Cankova, Celje*, Cerklje na Gorenjskem, Cerknica, Cerkno,
  Cerkvenjak, Crensovci, Crna na Koroskem, Crnomelj, Destrnik, Divaca,
  Dobje, Dobrepolje, Dobrna, Dobrova-Horjul-Polhov Gradec,
  Dobrovnik-Dobronak, Dolenjske Toplice, Dol pri Ljubljani, Domzale,
  Dornava, Dravograd, Duplek, Gorenja Vas-Poljane, Gorisnica, Gornja
  Radgona, Gornji Grad, Gornji Petrovci, Grad, Grosuplje, Hajdina,
  Hoce-Slivnica, Hodos-Hodos, Horjul, Hrastnik, Hrpelje-Kozina,
  Idrija, Ig, Ilirska Bistrica, Ivancna Gorica, Izola-Isola, Jesenice,
  Jezersko, Jursinci, Kamnik, Kanal, Kidricevo, Kobarid, Kobilje,
  Kocevje, Komen, Komenda, Koper-Capodistria*, Kostel, Kozje, Kranj*,
  Kranjska Gora, Krizevci, Krsko, Kungota, Kuzma, Lasko, Lenart,
  Lendava-Lendva, Litija, Ljubljana*, Ljubno, Ljutomer, Logatec, Loska
  Dolina, Loski Potok, Lovrenc na Pohorju, Luce, Lukovica, Majsperk,
  Maribor*, Markovci, Medvode, Menges, Metlika, Mezica, Miklavz na
  Dravskem Polju, Miren-Kostanjevica, Mirna Pec, Mislinja, Moravce,
  Moravske Toplice, Mozirje, Murska Sobota*, Muta, Naklo, Nazarje,
  Nova Gorica*, Novo Mesto*, Odranci, Oplotnica, Ormoz, Osilnica,
  Pesnica, Piran-Pirano, Pivka, Podcetrtek, Podlehnik, Podvelka,
  Polzela, Postojna, Prebold, Preddvor, Prevalje, Ptuj*, Puconci,
  Race-Fram, Radece, Radenci, Radlje ob Dravi, Radovljica, Ravne na
  Koroskem, Razkrizje, Ribnica, Ribnica na Pohorju, Rogasovci, Rogaska
  Slatina, Rogatec, Ruse, Salovci, Selnica ob Dravi, Semic,
  Sempeter-Vrtojba, Sencur, Sentilj, Sentjernej, Sentjur pri Celju,
  Sevnica, Sezana, Skocjan, Skofja Loka, Skofljica, Slovenj Gradec*,
  Slovenska Bistrica, Slovenske Konjice, Smarje pri Jelsah, Smartno ob
  Paki, Smartno pri Litiji, Sodrazica, Solcava, Sostanj, Starse,
  Store, Sveta Ana, Sveti Andraz v Slovenskih Goricah, Sveti Jurij,
  Tabor, Tisina, Tolmin, Trbovlje, Trebnje, Trnovska Vas, Trzic,
  Trzin, Turnisce, Velenje*, Velika Polana, Velike Lasce, Verzej,
  Videm, Vipava, Vitanje, Vodice, Vojnik, Vransko, Vrhnika, Vuzenica,
  Zagorje ob Savi, Zalec, Zavrc, Zelezniki, Zetale, Ziri, Zirovnica,
  Zuzemberk, Zrece
  note: there may be 45 more municipalities

Solomon Islands
  9 provinces and 1 capital territory*; Central,
  Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Honiara*, Isabel, Makira, Malaita, Rennell
  and Bellona, Temotu, Western

Somalia
  18 regions (plural - NA, singular - gobolka); Awdal, Bakool,
  Banaadir, Bari, Bay, Galguduud, Gedo, Hiiraan, Jubbada Dhexe,
  Jubbada Hoose, Mudug, Nugaal, Sanaag, Shabeellaha Dhexe, Shabeellaha
  Hoose, Sool, Togdheer, Woqooyi Galbeed

South Africa
  9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng,
  KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North-West, Northern Cape,
  Western Cape

Spain
  17 autonomous communities (comunidades autonomas, singular -
  comunidad autonoma)and 2 autonomous cities* (ciudades autonomas,
  singular - ciudad autonoma); Andalucia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares
  (Balearic Islands), Ceuta*, Canarias (Canary Islands), Cantabria,
  Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Cataluna, Comunidad Valenciana,
  Extremadura, Galicia, La Rioja, Madrid, Melilla*, Murcia, Navarra,
  Pais Vasco (Basque Country)
  note: the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla plus three small
  islands of Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez
  de la Gomera, administered directly by the Spanish central
  government, are all located off the coast of Morocco and are
  collectively referred to as Places of Sovereignty (Plazas de
  Soberania)

Sri Lanka
  8 provinces; Central, North Central, North Eastern, North
  Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Uva, Western; note - North Eastern
  province may have been divided in two - Northern and Eastern

Sudan
  26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper
  Nile), Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah
  (El Gezira), Al Khartum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah
  (Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile),
  Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al
  Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr
  al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Gharb Kurdufan (Western
  Kordofan), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern
  Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (Nile),
  Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur
  (Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al
  Istiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)

Suriname
  10 districts (distrikten, singular - distrikt); Brokopondo,
  Commewijne, Coronie, Marowijne, Nickerie, Para, Paramaribo,
  Saramacca, Sipaliwini, Wanica

Swaziland
  4 districts; Hhohho, Lubombo, Manzini, Shiselweni

Sweden
  21 counties (lan, singular and plural); Blekinge, Dalarnas,
  Gavleborgs, Gotlands, Hallands, Jamtlands, Jonkopings, Kalmar,
  Kronobergs, Norrbottens, Orebro, Ostergotlands, Skane,
  Sodermanlands, Stockholms, Uppsala, Varmlands, Vasterbottens,
  Vasternorrlands, Vastmanlands, Vastra Gotalands

Switzerland
  26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French;
  cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton
  in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden,
  Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus,
  Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
  Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
  Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Syria
  14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al
  Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az
  Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus

Taiwan
  includes central island of Taiwan plus numerous smaller
  islands near central island and off coast of China's Fujian
  Province; Taiwan is divided into 18 counties (hsien, singular and
  plural), 5 municipalities (shih, singular and plural), and 2 special
  municipalities (chuan-shih, singular and plural)
  counties: Chang-hua, Chia-i, Hsin-chu, Hua-lien, I-lan, Kao-hsiung
  county, Kin-men, Lien-chiang, Miao-li, Nan-t'ou, P'eng-hu,
  P'ing-tung, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan, T'ai-pei county, T'ai-tung,
  T'ao-yuan, and Yun-lin
  municipalities: Chia-i, Chi-lung, Hsin-chu, T'ai-chung, T'ai-nan
  special municipalities: Kao-hsiung city, T'ai-pei city
  note: Taiwan generally uses Wade-Giles system for romanization;
  special municipality of Taipei adopted standard pinyin romanization
  for street and place names within city boundaries, other local
  authorities have selected a variety of romanization systems

Tajikistan
  2 provinces (viloyatho, singular - viloyat) and 1
  autonomous province* (viloyati mukhtor); Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni
  Badakhshon* [Gorno-Badakhshan] (Khorugh), Viloyati Khatlon
  (Qurghonteppa), Viloyati Sughd (Khujand)
  note: the administrative center name follows in parentheses

Tanzania
  26 regions; Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Kagera,
  Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Lindi, Manyara, Mara, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mtwara,
  Mwanza, Pemba North, Pemba South, Pwani, Rukwa, Ruvuma, Shinyanga,
  Singida, Tabora, Tanga, Zanzibar Central/South, Zanzibar North,
  Zanzibar Urban/West

Thailand
  76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat
  Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum,
  Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin,
  Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep
  Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong
  Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon
  Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan,
  Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani,
  Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi,
  Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket,
  Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi
  Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut
  Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla,
  Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon
  Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Togo
  5 regions (regions, singular - region); Kara, Plateaux,
  Savanes, Centrale, Maritime

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  3 island groups; Ha'apai, Tongatapu, Vava'u

Trinidad and Tobago
  9 regional corporations, 2 city corporations, 3
  borough corporations, and 1 ward
  regional corporations: Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo, Diego Martin,
  Mayaro/Rio Claro, Penal/Debe, Princes Town, Sangre Grande, San
  Juan/Laventille, Siparia, Tunapuna/Piarco
  city corporations: Port-of-Spain, San Fernando;
  borough corporations: Arima, Point Fortin, Chaguanas
  ward: Tobago

Tunisia
  24 governorates; Ariana (Aryanah), Beja (Bajah), Ben Arous
  (Bin 'Arus), Bizerte (Banzart), Gabes (Qabis), Gafsa (Qafsah),
  Jendouba (Jundubah), Kairouan (Al Qayrawan), Kasserine (Al Qasrayn),
  Kebili (Qibili), Kef (Al Kaf), Mahdia (Al Mahdiyah), Manouba
  (Manubah), Medenine (Madanin), Monastir (Al Munastir), Nabeul
  (Nabul), Sfax (Safaqis), Sidi Bou Zid (Sidi Bu Zayd), Siliana
  (Silyanah), Sousse (Susah), Tataouine (Tatawin), Tozeur (Tawzar),
  Tunis, Zaghouan (Zaghwan)

Turkey
  81 provinces (iller, singular - il); Adana, Adiyaman,
  Afyonkarahisar, Agri, Aksaray, Amasya, Ankara, Antalya, Ardahan,
  Artvin, Aydin, Balikesir, Bartin, Batman, Bayburt, Bilecik, Bingol,
  Bitlis, Bolu, Burdur, Bursa, Canakkale, Cankiri, Corum, Denizli,
  Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Elazig, Erzincan, Erzurum, Eskisehir,
  Gaziantep, Giresun, Gumushane, Hakkari, Hatay, Igdir, Isparta,
  Istanbul, Izmir, Kahramanmaras, Karabuk, Karaman, Kars, Kastamonu,
  Kayseri, Kilis, Kirikkale, Kirklareli, Kirsehir, Kocaeli, Konya,
  Kutahya, Malatya, Manisa, Mardin, Mersin, Mugla, Mus, Nevsehir,
  Nigde, Ordu, Osmaniye, Rize, Sakarya, Samsun, Sanliurfa, Siirt,
  Sinop, Sirnak, Sivas, Tekirdag, Tokat, Trabzon, Tunceli, Usak, Van,
  Yalova, Yozgat, Zonguldak

Turkmenistan
  5 provinces (welayatlar, singular - welayat): Ahal
  Welayaty (Ashgabat), Balkan Welayaty (Balkanabat), Dashoguz
  Welayaty, Lebap Welayaty (Turkmenabat), Mary Welayaty
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo,
  Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole,
  Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu,
  Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum,
  Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge,
  Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit,
  Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,
  Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Ukraine
  24 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast'), 1 autonomous
  republic* (avtonomna respublika), and 2 municipalities (mista,
  singular - misto) with oblast status**; Cherkasy, Chernihiv,
  Chernivtsi, Crimea or Avtonomna Respublika Krym* (Simferopol'),
  Dnipropetrovs'k, Donets'k, Ivano-Frankivs'k, Kharkiv, Kherson,
  Khmel'nyts'kyy, Kirovohrad, Kiev (Kyyiv)**, Kyyiv, Luhans'k, L'viv,
  Mykolayiv, Odesa, Poltava, Rivne, Sevastopol'**, Sumy, Ternopil',
  Vinnytsya, Volyn' (Luts'k), Zakarpattya (Uzhhorod), Zaporizhzhya,
  Zhytomyr
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

United Arab Emirates
  7 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Abu
  Zaby (Abu Dhabi), 'Ajman, Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah (Sharjah),
  Dubayy (Dubai), Ra's al Khaymah, Umm al Qaywayn

United Kingdom
  England - 47 boroughs, 36 counties, 29 London
  boroughs, 12 cities and boroughs, 10 districts, 12 cities, 3 royal
  boroughs
  boroughs: Barnsley, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Bolton,
  Bournemouth, Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Bury, Calderdale,
  Darlington, Doncaster, Dudley, Gateshead, Halton, Hartlepool,
  Kirklees, Knowsley, Luton, Medway, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes,
  North Tyneside, Oldham, Poole, Reading, Redcar and Cleveland,
  Rochdale, Rotherham, Sandwell, Sefton, Slough, Solihull,
  Southend-on-Sea, South Tyneside, St. Helens, Stockport,
  Stockton-on-Tees, Swindon, Tameside, Thurrock, Torbay, Trafford,
  Walsall, Warrington, Wigan, Wirral, Wolverhampton
  counties: Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire,
  Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Sussex,
  Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire,
  Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
  Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, North Yorkshire,
  Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire,
  Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Sussex, Wiltshire, Worcestershire
  London boroughs: Barking and Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Brent,
  Bromley, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney,
  Hammersmith and Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon,
  Hounslow, Islington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Redbridge,
  Richmond upon Thames, Southwark, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham
  Forest, Wandsworth
  cities and boroughs: Birmingham, Bradford, Coventry, Leeds,
  Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Sheffield,
  Sunderland, Wakefield, Westminster
  districts: Bath and North East Somerset, East Riding of Yorkshire,
  North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Somerset,
  Rutland, South Gloucestershire, Telford and Wrekin, West Berkshire,
  Wokingham
  cities: City of Bristol, Derby, City of Kingston upon Hull,
  Leicester, City of London, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth,
  Portsmouth, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, York
  royal boroughs: Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames,
  Windsor and Maidenhead
  Northern Ireland - 24 districts, 2 cities, 6 counties
  districts: Antrim, Ards, Armagh, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Banbridge,
  Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Coleraine, Cookstown, Craigavon, Down,
  Dungannon, Fermanagh, Larne, Limavady, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Moyle,
  Newry and Mourne, Newtownabbey, North Down, Omagh, Strabane
  cities: Belfast, Derry
  counties: County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County
  Fermanagh, County Londonderry, County Tyrone
  Scotland - 32 council areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus,
  Argyll and Bute, The Scottish Borders, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries
  and Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East
  Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife,
  Glasgow City, Highland, Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North
  Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands, Perth and Kinross,
  Renfrewshire, Shetland Islands, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire,
  Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), West
  Lothian;
  Wales - 11 county boroughs, 9 counties, 2 cities and counties
  county boroughs: Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Conwy,
  Gwynedd, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Rhondda Cynon
  Taff, Torfaen, Wrexham
  counties: Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire,
  Denbighshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, The
  Vale of Glamorgan
  cities and counties: Cardiff, Swansea

United States
  50 states and 1 district*; Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
  Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of
  Columbia*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
  Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts,
  Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska,
  Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North
  Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
  Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah,
  Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

Uruguay
  19 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento);
  Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Colonia, Durazno, Flores, Florida,
  Lavalleja, Maldonado, Montevideo, Paysandu, Rio Negro, Rivera,
  Rocha, Salto, San Jose, Soriano, Tacuarembo, Treinta y Tres

Uzbekistan
  12 provinces (viloyatlar, singular - viloyat), 1
  autonomous republic* (respublika), and 1 city** (shahar); Andijon
  Viloyati, Buxoro Viloyati, Farg'ona Viloyati, Jizzax Viloyati,
  Namangan Viloyati, Navoiy Viloyati, Qashqadaryo Viloyati (Qarshi),
  Qaraqalpog'iston Respublikasi* (Nukus), Samarqand Viloyati, Sirdaryo
  Viloyati (Guliston), Surxondaryo Viloyati (Termiz), Toshkent
  Shahri**, Toshkent Viloyati, Xorazm Viloyati (Urganch)
  note: administrative divisions have the same names as their
  administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center
  name following in parentheses)

Vanuatu
  6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba

Venezuela
  23 states (estados, singular - estado), 1 federal
  district* (distrito federal), and 1 federal dependency**
  (dependencia federal); Amazonas, Anzoategui, Apure, Aragua, Barinas,
  Bolivar, Carabobo, Cojedes, Delta Amacuro, Dependencias Federales**,
  Distrito Federal*, Falcon, Guarico, Lara, Merida, Miranda, Monagas,
  Nueva Esparta, Portuguesa, Sucre, Tachira, Trujillo, Vargas,
  Yaracuy, Zulia
  note: the federal dependency consists of 11 federally controlled
  island groups with a total of 72 individual islands

Vietnam
  59 provinces (tinh, singular and plural) and 5
  municipalities (thu do, singular and plural)
  provinces: An Giang, Bac Giang, Bac Kan, Bac Lieu, Bac Ninh, Ba
  Ria-Vung Tau, Ben Tre, Binh Dinh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Binh
  Thuan, Ca Mau, Cao Bang, Dac Lak, Dac Nong, Dien Bien, Dong Nai,
  Dong Thap, Gia Lai, Ha Giang, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Ha Tay, Ha Tinh,
  Hau Giang, Hoa Binh, Hung Yen, Khanh Hoa, Kien Giang, Kon Tum, Lai
  Chau, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Lao Cai, Long An, Nam Dinh, Nghe An, Ninh
  Binh, Ninh Thuan, Phu Tho, Phu Yen, Quang Binh, Quang Nam, Quang
  Ngai, Quang Ninh, Quang Tri, Soc Trang, Son La, Tay Ninh, Thai Binh,
  Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien-Hue, Tien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tuyen
  Quang, Vinh Long, Vinh Phuc, Yen Bai
  municipalities: Can Tho, Da Nang, Hai Phong, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US); there are no first-order
  administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
  are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John,
  Saint Thomas

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France); there are no
  first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US
  Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named
  Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Western Sahara
  none (under de facto control of Morocco)

World
  271 nations, dependent areas, and other entities

Yemen
  19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Abyan,
  'Adan, Ad Dali', Al Bayda', Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al Mahrah, Al
  Mahwit, 'Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah, Ibb, Lahij, Ma'rib,
  Sa'dah, San'a', Shabwah, Ta'izz
  note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital city of
  Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate

Zambia
  9 provinces; Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka,
  Northern, North-Western, Southern, Western

Zimbabwe
  8 provinces and 2 cities* with provincial status;
  Bulawayo*, Harare*, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland
  East, Mashonaland West, Masvingo, Matabeleland North, Matabeleland
  South, Midlands

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2052 Agriculture - products

Afghanistan
  opium, wheat, fruits, nuts, wool, mutton, sheepskins,
  lambskins

Albania
  wheat, corn, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, sugar beets,
  grapes; meat, dairy products

Algeria
  wheat, barley, oats, grapes, olives, citrus, fruits; sheep,
  cattle

American Samoa
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, taro, breadfruit,
  yams, copra, pineapples, papayas; dairy products, livestock

Andorra
  small quantities of rye, wheat, barley, oats, vegetables;
  sheep

Angola
  bananas, sugarcane, coffee, sisal, corn, cotton, manioc
  (tapioca), tobacco, vegetables, plantains; livestock; forest
  products; fish

Anguilla
  small quantities of tobacco, vegetables; cattle raising

Antigua and Barbuda
  cotton, fruits, vegetables, bananas, coconuts,
  cucumbers, mangoes, sugarcane; livestock

Argentina
  sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, grapes, corn, tobacco,
  peanuts, tea, wheat; livestock

Armenia
  fruit (especially grapes), vegetables; livestock

Aruba
  aloes; livestock; fish

Australia
  wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry

Austria
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, wine, fruit; dairy products,
  cattle, pigs, poultry; lumber

Azerbaijan
  cotton, grain, rice, grapes, fruit, vegetables, tea,
  tobacco; cattle, pigs, sheep, goats

Bahamas, The
  citrus, vegetables; poultry

Bahrain
  fruit, vegetables; poultry, dairy products; shrimp, fish

Bangladesh
  rice, jute, tea, wheat, sugarcane, potatoes, tobacco,
  pulses, oilseeds, spices, fruit; beef, milk, poultry

Barbados
  sugarcane, vegetables, cotton

Belarus
  grain, potatoes, vegetables, sugar beets, flax; beef, milk

Belgium
  sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef,
  veal, pork, milk

Belize
  bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber;
  garments

Benin
  cotton, corn, cassava (tapioca), yams, beans, palm oil,
  peanuts, livestock (2001)

Bermuda
  bananas, vegetables, citrus, flowers; dairy products

Bhutan
  rice, corn, root crops, citrus, foodgrains; dairy products,
  eggs

Bolivia
  soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
  potatoes; timber

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  wheat, corn, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Botswana
  livestock, sorghum, maize, millet, beans, sunflowers,
  groundnuts

Brazil
  coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa,
  citrus; beef

British Virgin Islands
  fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Brunei
  rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Bulgaria
  vegetables, fruits, tobacco, livestock, wine, wheat,
  barley, sunflowers, sugar beets

Burkina Faso
  cotton, peanuts, shea nuts, sesame, sorghum, millet,
  corn, rice; livestock

Burma
  rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood;
  fish and fish products

Burundi
  coffee, cotton, tea, corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, bananas,
  manioc (tapioca); beef, milk, hides

Cambodia
  rice, rubber, corn, vegetables, cashews, tapioca

Cameroon
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, rubber, bananas, oilseed, grains,
  root starches; livestock; timber

Canada
  wheat, barley, oilseed, tobacco, fruits, vegetables; dairy
  products; forest products; fish

Cape Verde
  bananas, corn, beans, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, coffee,
  peanuts; fish

Cayman Islands
  vegetables, fruit; livestock, turtle farming

Central African Republic
  cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca),
  yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber

Chad
  cotton, sorghum, millet, peanuts, rice, potatoes, manioc
  (tapioca); cattle, sheep, goats, camels

Chile
  grapes, apples, pears, onions, wheat, corn, oats, peaches,
  garlic, asparagus, beans, beef, poultry, wool; fish; timber

China
  rice, wheat, potatoes, corn, peanuts, tea, millet, barley,
  apples, cotton, oilseed, pork, fish

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  vegetables, bananas, pawpaws, coconuts

Colombia
  coffee, cut flowers, bananas, rice, tobacco, corn,
  sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, vegetables; forest products; shrimp

Comoros
  vanilla, cloves, perfume essences, copra, coconuts, bananas,
  cassava (tapioca)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products

Congo, Republic of the
  cassava (tapioca), sugar, rice, corn,
  peanuts, vegetables, coffee, cocoa; forest products

Cook Islands
  copra, citrus, pineapples, tomatoes, beans, pawpaws,
  bananas, yams, taro, coffee; pigs, poultry

Costa Rica
  coffee, pineapples, bananas, sugar, corn, rice, beans,
  potatoes; beef; timber

Cote d'Ivoire
  coffee, cocoa beans, bananas, palm kernels, corn,
  rice, manioc (tapioca), sweet potatoes, sugar, cotton, rubber; timber

Croatia
  wheat, corn, sugar beets, sunflower seed, barley, alfalfa,
  clover, olives, citrus, grapes, soybeans, potatoes; livestock, dairy
  products

Cuba
  sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice, potatoes, beans; livestock

Cyprus
  citrus, vegetables, barley, grapes, olives, vegetables,
  poultry, pork, lamb, kids, dairy, cheese

Czech Republic
  wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs,
  poultry

Denmark
  barley, wheat, potatoes, sugar beets; pork, dairy products;
  fish

Djibouti
  fruits, vegetables; goats, sheep, camels, animal hides

Dominica
  bananas, citrus, mangoes, root crops, coconuts, cocoa;
  forest and fishery potential not exploited

Dominican Republic
  sugarcane, coffee, cotton, cocoa, tobacco, rice,
  beans, potatoes, corn, bananas; cattle, pigs, dairy products, beef,
  eggs

East Timor
  coffee, rice, maize, cassava, sweet potatoes, soybeans,
  cabbage, mangoes, bananas, vanilla

Ecuador
  bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, manioc (tapioca),
  plantains, sugarcane; cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy
  products; balsa wood; fish, shrimp

Egypt
  cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle,
  water buffalo, sheep, goats

El Salvador
  coffee, sugar, corn, rice, beans, oilseed, cotton,
  sorghum; shrimp; beef, dairy products

Equatorial Guinea
  coffee, cocoa, rice, yams, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas, palm oil nuts; livestock; timber

Eritrea
  sorghum, lentils, vegetables, corn, cotton, tobacco, coffee,
  sisal; livestock, goats; fish

Estonia
  potatoes, vegetables; livestock and dairy products; fish

Ethiopia
  cereals, pulses, coffee, oilseed, sugarcane, potatoes, qat;
  hides, cattle, sheep, goats

European Union
  wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes,
  dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fodder and vegetable crops; sheep,
  dairy products

Faroe Islands
  milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish

Fiji
  sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes,
  bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish

Finland
  barley, wheat, sugar beets, potatoes; dairy cattle; fish

France
  wheat, cereals, sugar beets, potatoes, wine grapes; beef,
  dairy products; fish

French Guiana
  corn, rice, manioc (tapioca), sugar, cocoa,
  vegetables, bananas; cattle, pigs, poultry

French Polynesia
  coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry,
  beef, dairy products, coffee

Gabon
  cocoa, coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber; cattle; okoume (a
  tropical softwood); fish

Gambia, The
  rice, millet, sorghum, peanuts, corn, sesame, cassava
  (tapioca), palm kernels; cattle, sheep, goats

Gaza Strip
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Georgia
  citrus, grapes, tea, hazelnuts, vegetables; livestock

Germany
  potatoes, wheat, barley, sugar beets, fruit, cabbages;
  cattle, pigs, poultry

Ghana
  cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea
  nuts, bananas; timber

Gibraltar
  none

Greece
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, olives, tomatoes, wine,
  tobacco, potatoes; beef, dairy products

Greenland
  forage crops, garden and greenhouse vegetables; sheep,
  reindeer; fish

Grenada
  bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados, root crops,
  sugarcane, corn, vegetables

Guadeloupe
  bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables;
  cattle, pigs, goats

Guam
  fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef

Guatemala
  sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle,
  sheep, pigs, chickens

Guernsey
  tomatoes, greenhouse flowers, sweet peppers, eggplant,
  fruit; Guernsey cattle

Guinea
  rice, coffee, pineapples, palm kernels, cassava (tapioca),
  bananas, sweet potatoes; cattle, sheep, goats; timber

Guinea-Bissau
  rice, corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), cashew nuts,
  peanuts, palm kernels, cotton; timber; fish

Guyana
  sugarcane, rice, wheat, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry,
  dairy products; fish, shrimp

Haiti
  coffee, mangoes, sugarcane, rice, corn, sorghum, wood

Honduras
  bananas, coffee, citrus; beef; timber; shrimp

Hong Kong
  fresh vegetables, poultry, fish, pork

Hungary
  wheat, corn, sunflower seed, potatoes, sugar beets; pigs,
  cattle, poultry, dairy products

Iceland
  potatoes, green vegetables, mutton, dairy products, fish

India
  rice, wheat, oilseed, cotton, jute, tea, sugarcane, potatoes;
  cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats, poultry; fish

Indonesia
  rice, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, rubber, cocoa, coffee,
  palm oil, copra, poultry, beef, pork, eggs

Iran
  wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton;
  dairy products, wool; caviar

Iraq
  wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, dates, cotton; cattle, sheep,
  poultry

Ireland
  turnips, barley, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat; beef, dairy
  products

Israel
  citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products

Italy
  fruits, vegetables, grapes, potatoes, sugar beets, soybeans,
  grain, olives; beef, dairy products; fish

Jamaica
  sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, vegetables,
  poultry, goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks

Japan
  rice, sugar beets, vegetables, fruit, pork, poultry, dairy
  products, eggs, fish

Jersey
  potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes; beef, dairy products

Jordan
  wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep,
  goats, poultry

Kazakhstan
  grain (mostly spring wheat), cotton; livestock

Kenya
  tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy
  products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Kiribati
  copra, taro, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, vegetables; fish

Korea, North
  rice, corn, potatoes, soybeans, pulses; cattle, pigs,
  pork, eggs

Korea, South
  rice, root crops, barley, vegetables, fruit; cattle,
  pigs, chickens, milk, eggs; fish

Kuwait
  practically no crops; fish

Kyrgyzstan
  tobacco, cotton, potatoes, vegetables, grapes, fruits and
  berries; sheep, goats, cattle, wool

Laos
  sweet potatoes, vegetables, corn, coffee, sugarcane, tobacco,
  cotton, tea, peanuts, rice, water buffalo, pigs, cattle, poultry

Latvia
  grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk,
  eggs; fish

Lebanon
  citrus, grapes, tomatoes, apples, vegetables, potatoes,
  olives, tobacco; sheep, goats

Lesotho
  corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock

Liberia
  rubber, coffee, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), palm oil,
  sugarcane, bananas; sheep, goats; timber

Libya
  wheat, barley, olives, dates, citrus, vegetables, peanuts,
  soybeans; cattle

Liechtenstein
  wheat, barley, corn, potatoes; livestock, dairy
  products

Lithuania
  grain, potatoes, sugar beets, flax, vegetables; beef,
  milk, eggs; fish

Luxembourg
  barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes;
  livestock products

Macau
  only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable
  growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important, some of
  catch is exported to Hong Kong; most food requirements are met by
  imports, primarily from China

Macedonia
  wheat, grapes, rice, tobacco, corn, millet, cotton,
  sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus, vegetables; beef, pork, poultry,
  mutton

Madagascar
  coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava
  (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products

Malawi
  tobacco, sugarcane, cotton, tea, corn, potatoes, cassava
  (tapioca), sorghum, pulses; groundnuts, Macadamia nuts; cattle, goats

Malaysia
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber, palm oil, cocoa, rice; Sabah
  - subsistence crops, rubber, timber, coconuts, rice; Sarawak -
  rubber, pepper, timber

Maldives
  coconuts, corn, sweet potatoes; fish

Mali
  cotton, millet, rice, corn, vegetables, peanuts; cattle, sheep,
  goats

Malta
  potatoes, cauliflower, grapes, wheat, barley, tomatoes,
  citrus, cut flowers, green peppers; pork, milk, poultry, eggs

Man, Isle of
  cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry

Marshall Islands
  coconuts, tomatoes, melons, taro, breadfruit,
  fruits; pigs, chickens

Martinique
  pineapples, avocados, bananas, flowers, vegetables,
  sugarcane

Mauritania
  dates, millet, sorghum, rice, corn, dates; cattle, sheep

Mauritius
  sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, pulses; cattle,
  goats; fish

Mayotte
  vanilla, ylang-ylang (perfume essence), coffee, copra

Mexico
  corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, beans, cotton, coffee, fruit,
  tomatoes; beef, poultry, dairy products; wood products

Micronesia, Federated States of
  black pepper, tropical fruits and
  vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes;
  pigs, chickens

Moldova
  vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower
  seed, tobacco; beef, milk

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  wheat, barley, vegetables, forage crops, sheep, goats,
  cattle, camels, horses

Montserrat
  cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers,
  livestock products

Morocco
  barley, wheat, citrus, wine, vegetables, olives; livestock

Mozambique
  cotton, cashew nuts, sugarcane, tea, cassava (tapioca),
  corn, coconuts, sisal, citrus and tropical fruits, potatoes,
  sunflowers; beef, poultry

Namibia
  millet, sorghum, peanuts; livestock; fish

Nauru
  coconuts

Nepal
  rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo
  meat

Netherlands
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables;
  livestock

Netherlands Antilles
  aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical
  fruit

New Caledonia
  vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

New Zealand
  wheat, barley, potatoes, pulses, fruits, vegetables;
  wool, beef, lamb and mutton, dairy products; fish

Nicaragua
  coffee, bananas, sugarcane, cotton, rice, corn, tobacco,
  sesame, soya, beans; beef, veal, pork, poultry, dairy products

Niger
  cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca),
  rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry

Nigeria
  cocoa, peanuts, palm oil, corn, rice, sorghum, millet,
  cassava (tapioca), yams, rubber; cattle, sheep, goats, pigs; timber;
  fish

Niue
  coconuts, passion fruit, honey, limes, taro, yams, cassava
  (tapioca), sweet potatoes; pigs, poultry, beef cattle

Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island pine seed, Kentia palm seed, cereals,
  vegetables, fruit; cattle, poultry

Northern Mariana Islands
  coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle

Norway
  barley, wheat, potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish

Oman
  dates, limes, bananas, alfalfa, vegetables; camels, cattle; fish

Pakistan
  cotton, wheat, rice, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; milk,
  beef, mutton, eggs

Palau
  coconuts, copra, cassava (tapioca), sweet potatoes

Panama
  bananas, rice, corn, coffee, sugarcane, vegetables;
  livestock; shrimp

Papua New Guinea
  coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber,
  sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork

Paraguay
  cotton, sugarcane, soybeans, corn, wheat, tobacco, cassava
  (tapioca), fruits, vegetables; beef, pork, eggs, milk; timber

Peru
  coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, potatoes, corn, plantains,
  grapes, oranges, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish

Philippines
  sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, casavas,
  pineapples, fish, mangoes, pork, eggs, beef

Pitcairn Islands
  wide variety of fruits and vegetables, goats,
  chickens

Poland
  potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork

Portugal
  grain, potatoes, olives, grapes; sheep, cattle, goats,
  poultry, beef, dairy products

Puerto Rico
  sugarcane, coffee, pineapples, plantains, bananas,
  livestock products, chickens

Qatar
  fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Reunion
  sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables,
  corn

Romania
  wheat, corn, barley, sugar beets, sunflower seed, potatoes,
  grapes; eggs, sheep

Russia
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, vegetables, fruits; beef,
  milk

Rwanda
  coffee, tea, pyrethrum (insecticide made from
  chrysanthemums), bananas, beans, sorghum, potatoes; livestock

Saint Helena
  corn, potatoes, vegetables; timber; fish, crawfish (on
  Tristan da Cunha)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas;
  fish

Saint Lucia
  bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs;
  fish

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes,
  spices, small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, fish

Samoa
  coconuts, bananas, taro, yams, coffee, cocoa

San Marino
  wheat, grapes, corn, olives; cattle, pigs, horses, beef,
  cheese, hides

Sao Tome and Principe
  cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra,
  cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish

Saudi Arabia
  wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton,
  chickens, eggs, milk

Senegal
  peanuts, millet, corn, sorghum, rice, cotton, tomatoes,
  green vegetables; cattle, poultry, pigs; fish

Serbia and Montenegro
  cereals, fruits, vegetables, tobacco, olives;
  cattle, sheep, goats

Seychelles
  coconuts, cinnamon, vanilla, sweet potatoes, cassava
  (tapioca), bananas; broiler chickens; tuna fish

Sierra Leone
  rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts;
  poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Singapore
  rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs,
  fish, ornamental fish

Slovakia
  grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle,
  poultry; forest products

Slovenia
  potatoes, hops, wheat, sugar beets, corn, grapes; cattle,
  sheep, poultry

Solomon Islands
  cocoa beans, coconuts, palm kernels, rice, potatoes,
  vegetables, fruit; cattle, pigs; timber; fish

Somalia
  cattle, sheep, goats; bananas, sorghum, corn, coconuts,
  rice, sugarcane, mangoes, sesame seeds, beans; fish

South Africa
  corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef,
  poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products

Spain
  grain, vegetables, olives, wine grapes, sugar beets, citrus;
  beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; fish

Sri Lanka
  rice, sugarcane, grains, pulses, oilseed, spices, tea,
  rubber, coconuts; milk, eggs, hides, beef

Sudan
  cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum
  arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
  potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock

Suriname
  paddy rice, bananas, palm kernels, coconuts, plantains,
  peanuts; beef, chickens; forest products; shrimp

Swaziland
  sugarcane, cotton, corn, tobacco, rice, citrus,
  pineapples, sorghum, peanuts; cattle, goats, sheep

Sweden
  barley, wheat, sugar beets; meat, milk

Switzerland
  grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Syria
  wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar
  beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk

Taiwan
  rice, corn, vegetables, fruit, tea; pigs, poultry, beef,
  milk; fish

Tajikistan
  cotton, grain, fruits, grapes, vegetables; cattle, sheep,
  goats

Tanzania
  coffee, sisal, tea, cotton, pyrethrum (insecticide made
  from chrysanthemums), cashew nuts, tobacco, cloves, corn, wheat,
  cassava (tapioca), bananas, fruits, vegetables; cattle, sheep, goats

Thailand
  rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts,
  soybeans

Togo
  coffee, cocoa, cotton, yams, cassava (tapioca), corn, beans,
  rice, millet, sorghum; livestock; fish

Tokelau
  coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs,
  poultry, goats

Tonga
  squash, coconuts, copra, bananas, vanilla beans, cocoa,
  coffee, ginger, black pepper; fish

Trinidad and Tobago
  cocoa, rice, citrus, coffee, vegetables; poultry

Tunisia
  olives, olive oil, grain, dairy products, tomatoes, citrus
  fruit, beef, sugar beets, dates, almonds

Turkey
  tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus;
  livestock

Turkmenistan
  cotton, grain; livestock

Turks and Caicos Islands corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish

Tuvalu
  coconuts; fish

Uganda
  coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes,
  corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut flowers

Ukraine
  grain, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, vegetables; beef, milk

United Arab Emirates
  dates, vegetables, watermelons; poultry, eggs,
  dairy products; fish

United Kingdom
  cereals, oilseed, potatoes, vegetables; cattle,
  sheep, poultry; fish

United States
  wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton;
  beef, pork, poultry, dairy products; forest products; fish

Uruguay
  rice, wheat, corn, barley; livestock; fish

Uzbekistan
  cotton, vegetables, fruits, grain; livestock

Vanuatu
  copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, coconuts,
  fruits, vegetables; fish, beef

Venezuela
  corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, bananas, vegetables,
  coffee; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish

Vietnam
  paddy rice, coffee, fish and seafood, rubber, cotton, tea,
  pepper, soybeans, cashews, sugar cane, peanuts, bananas, poultry

Virgin Islands
  fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle

Wallis and Futuna
  breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

West Bank
  olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products

Western Sahara
  fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases);
  camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)

Yemen
  grain, fruits, vegetables, pulses, qat (mildly narcotic
  shrub), coffee, cotton; dairy products, livestock (sheep, goats,
  cattle, camels), poultry; fish

Zambia
  corn, sorghum, rice, peanuts, sunflower seed, vegetables,
  flowers, tobacco, cotton, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca); cattle,
  goats, pigs, poultry, milk, eggs, hides; coffee

Zimbabwe
  corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts;
  sheep, goats, pigs

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2053 Airports

Afghanistan
  47 (2004 est.)

Albania
  11 (2004 est.)

Algeria
  137 (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  3 (2004 est.)

Andorra
  none (2004 est.)

Angola
  243 (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  3 (2004 est.)

Antarctica
  there are no developed public access airports or landing
  facilities; 30 stations, operated by 16 national governments party
  to the Antarctic Treaty, have restricted aircraft landing facilities
  for either helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft; commercial
  enterprises operate two additional aircraft landing facilities;
  helicopter pads are available at 27 stations; runways at 15
  locations are gravel, sea-ice, blue-ice, or compacted snow suitable
  for landing wheeled, fixed-wing aircraft; of these, one is greater
  than 3 km in length, six are between 2 km and 3 km in length, three
  are between 1 km and 2 km in length, three are less than 1 km in
  length, and two are of unknown length; snow surface skiways, limited
  to use by ski-equipped, fixed-wing aircraft, are available at
  another 15 locations; of these, four are greater than 3 km in
  length, three are between 2 km and 3 km in length, two are between 1
  km and 2 km in length, two are less than 1 km in length, and four
  are of unknown length; aircraft landing facilities generally subject
  to severe restrictions and limitations resulting from extreme
  seasonal and geographic conditions; aircraft landing facilities do
  not meet ICAO standards; advance approval from the respective
  governmental or nongovernmental operating organization required for
  using their facilities; landed aircraft are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; guidelines for the
  operation of aircraft near concentrations of birds in Antarctica
  were adopted in 2004; relevant legal instruments and authorization
  procedures adopted by states party to the Antarctic Treaty
  regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas
  between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be complied
  with (see information under "Legal System"); an Antarctic Flight
  Information Manual (AFIM) providing up-to-date details of Antarctic
  air facilities and procedures is maintained and published by the
  Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3 (2004 est.)

Argentina
  1,334 (2004 est.)

Armenia
  16 (2004 est.)

Aruba
  1 (2004 est.)

Australia
  448 (2004 est.)

Austria
  55 (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  50 (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  63 (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  4 (2004 est.)

Baker Island
  1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely
  covered with vegetation and unusable (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  16 (2004 est.)

Barbados
  1 (2004 est.)

Belarus
  133 (2004 est.)

Belgium
  43 (2004 est.)

Belize
  43 (2004 est.)

Benin
  5 (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  1 (2004 est.)

Bhutan
  2 (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  1,065 (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  27 (2004 est.)

Botswana
  85 (2004 est.)

Brazil
  4,136 (2004 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  1 (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  3 (2004 est.)

Brunei
  2 (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  213 (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  33 (2004 est.)

Burma
  78 (2004 est.)

Burundi
  8 (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  20 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  47 (2004 est.)

Canada
  1,326 (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  7
  note: 3 airports are reported to be nonoperational (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  3 (2004 est.)

Central African Republic
  50 (2004 est.)

Chad
  50 (2004 est.)

Chile
  364 (2004 est.)

China
  472 (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  1 (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  1 (2004 est.)

Colombia
  980 (2004 est.)

Comoros
  4 (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  230 (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  32 (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  9 (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
  149 (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  37 (2004 est.)

Croatia
  68 (2004 est.)

Cuba
  170 (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  17 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  120 (2004 est.)

Denmark
  97 (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  13 (2004 est.)

Dominica
  2 (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  31 (2004 est.)

East Timor
  8 (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  205 (2004 est.)

Egypt
  87 (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  73 (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  4 (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  17 (2004 est.)

Estonia
  29 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  83 (2004 est.)

Europa Island
  1 (2004 est.)

European Union
  3,130 (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  5 (2004 est.)

Faroe Islands
  1 (2004 est.)

Fiji
  28 (2004 est.)

Finland
  148 (2004 est.)

France
  478 (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  11 (2004 est.)

French Polynesia
  50 (2004 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (2004 est.)

Gabon
  56 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  1 (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  2 (2001)
  note: includes Gaza International Airport (GIA), inaugurated on 24
  November 1998 as part of agreements stipulated in the September 1995
  Oslo II Accord and the 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum; GIA has
  been largely closed since October 2000 by Israeli orders and its
  runway was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Forces in December 2001
  (2004 est.)

Georgia
  30 (2004 est.)

Germany
  550 (2004 est.)

Ghana
  12 (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  1 (2004 est.)

Glorioso Islands
  1 (2004 est.)

Greece
  80 (2004 est.)

Greenland
  14 (2004 est.)

Grenada
  3 (2004 est.)

Guadeloupe
  9 (2004 est.)

Guam
  5 (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  452 (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  2 (2004 est.)

Guinea
  16 (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  28 (2004 est.)

Guyana
  49 (2004 est.)

Haiti
  13 (2004 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (2004 est.)

Honduras
  115 (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  4 (2004 est.)

Howland Island
  airstrip constructed in 1937 for scheduled refueling
  stop on the round-the-world flight of Amelia EARHART and Fred NOONAN
  - they left Lae, New Guinea, for Howland Island, but were never seen
  again; the airstrip is no longer serviceable (2004 est.)

Hungary
  44 (2004 est.)

Iceland
  98 (2004 est.)

India
  333 (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  667 (2004 est.)

Iran
  305 (2004 est.)

Iraq
  111; note - unknown number were damaged during the March-April
  2003 war (2004 est.)

Ireland
  36 (2004 est.)

Israel
  51 (2004 est.)

Italy
  134 (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  35 (2004 est.)

Jan Mayen
  1 (2004 est.)

Japan
  174 (2004 est.)

Jersey
  1 (2004 est.)

Johnston Atoll
  1 (2004 est.)

Jordan
  17 (2004 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
  1 (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  314 (2004 est.)

Kenya
  221 (2004 est.)

Kingman Reef
  lagoon was used as a halfway station between Hawaii and
  American Samoa by Pan American Airways for flying boats in 1937 and
  1938 (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  20 (2004 est.)

Korea, North
  78 (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  179 (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  7 (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  52 (2004 est.)

Laos
  44 (2004 est.)

Latvia
  50 (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  8 (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  28 (2004 est.)

Liberia
  53 (2004 est.)

Libya
  139 (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  none (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  102 (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  2 (2004 est.)

Macau
  1 (2004 est.)

Macedonia
  17 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  116 (2004 est.)

Malawi
  42 (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  117 (2004 est.)

Maldives
  5 (2004 est.)

Mali
  28 (2004 est.)

Malta
  1 (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  1 (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
  15 (2004 est.)

Martinique
  2 (2004 est.)

Mauritania
  24 (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  6 (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  1 (2004 est.)

Mexico
  1,833 (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6 (2004 est.)

Midway Islands
  3 (2004 est.)

Moldova
  23 (2004 est.)

Monaco
  none; linked to the airport at Nice, France by helicopter
  service (2004 est.)

Mongolia
  46 (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  1 (2004 est.)

Morocco
  63 (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  158 (2004 est.)

Namibia
  136 (2004 est.)

Nauru
  1 (2004 est.)

Nepal
  46 (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  27 (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  5 (2004 est.)

New Caledonia
  25 (2004 est.)

New Zealand
  116 (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  176 (2004 est.)

Niger
  27 (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  70 (2004 est.)

Niue
  1 (2004 est.)

Norfolk Island
  1 (2004 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  5 (2004 est.)

Norway
  101 (2004 est.)

Oman
  136 (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  131 (2004 est.)

Palau
  3 (2004 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
  1 (2004 est.)

Panama
  105 (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  571 (2004 est.)

Paracel Islands
  1 (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  878 (2004 est.)

Peru
  234 (2004 est.)

Philippines
  255 (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (2004 est.)

Poland
  123 (2004 est.)

Portugal
  65 (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  30 (2004 est.)

Qatar
  4 (2004 est.)

Reunion
  2 (2004 est.)

Romania
  61 (2004 est.)

Russia
  2,586 (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  9 (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  1 (2004 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2 (2004 est.)

Saint Lucia
  2 (2004 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2 (2004 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  6 (2004 est.)

Samoa
  4 (2004 est.)

San Marino
  none (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  2 (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  201 (2004 est.)

Senegal
  20 (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  44 (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  15 (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  10 (2004 est.)

Singapore
  10 (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  34 (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  14 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  33 (2004 est.)

Somalia
  60 (2004 est.)

South Africa
  728 (2004 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none (2004 est.)

Spain
  156 (2004 est.)

Spratly Islands
  3 (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  14 (2004 est.)

Sudan
  75 (2004 est.)

Suriname
  46 (2004 est.)

Svalbard
  4 (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  18 (2004 est.)

Sweden
  254 (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  65 (2004 est.)

Syria
  92 (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  40 (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  55 (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  123 (2004 est.)

Thailand
  109 (2004 est.)

Togo
  9 (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft
  (2004 est.)

Tonga
  6 (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  6 (2004 est.)

Tromelin Island
  1 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  30 (2004 est.)

Turkey
  119 (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  53 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  8 (2004 est.)

Tuvalu
  1 (2004 est.)

Uganda
  29 (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  656 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  35 (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  471 (2004 est.)

United States
  14,857 (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  64 (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  226 (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  30 (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  369 (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  24 (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2 (2004 est.)

Wake Island
  1 (2004 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  2 (2004 est.)

West Bank
  3 (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  11 (2004 est.)

World
  49,973 (2004)

Yemen
  44 (2004 est.)

Zambia
  109 (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  404 (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2054 Birth rate (births/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  47.02 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Albania
  15.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Algeria
  17.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  23.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Andorra
  9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Angola
  44.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  14.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  17.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Argentina
  16.9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Armenia
  11.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Aruba
  11.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Australia
  12.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Austria
  8.81 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  20.4 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  17.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  18.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  30.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Barbados
  12.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belarus
  10.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belgium
  10.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belize
  29.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Benin
  41.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  11.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  34.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  23.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  12.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Botswana
  23.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Brazil
  16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  14.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Brunei
  19.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  44.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burma
  18.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burundi
  39.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  27.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  34.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Canada
  10.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  25.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  12.92 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Chad
  45.98 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Chile
  15.44 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

China
  13.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  20.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Comoros
  37.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 44.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  27.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  18.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  35.51 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Croatia
  9.57 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cuba
  12.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  12.57 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Denmark
  11.36 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  39.98 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Dominica
  15.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  23.28 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

East Timor
  27.19 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  22.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Egypt
  23.32 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  27.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  36.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  38.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Estonia
  9.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  38.61 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

European Union
  10 births/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA births/1,000 population (2005
  est.)

Faroe Islands
  13.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Fiji
  22.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Finland
  10.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

France
  12.15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  20.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  16.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gabon
  36.24 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  39.86 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  40.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Georgia
  10.25 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Germany
  8.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ghana
  23.97 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  10.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Greece
  9.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Greenland
  15.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Grenada
  22.3 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  15.42 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guam
  19.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  34.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  9.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guinea
  42.03 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  37.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guyana
  18.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Haiti
  36.59 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Honduras
  30.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  7.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Hungary
  9.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iceland
  13.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

India
  22.32 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  20.71 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iran
  16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iraq
  32.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ireland
  14.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Israel
  18.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Italy
  8.89 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  16.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Japan
  9.47 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jersey
  9.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jordan
  21.76 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  15.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kenya
  40.13 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  30.86 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  16.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  10.08 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  21.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  22.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Laos
  35.99 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Latvia
  9.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  18.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  26.53 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Liberia
  44.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Libya
  26.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  10.41 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  8.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  12.06 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Macau
  8.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malawi
  43.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  23.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Maldives
  35.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mali
  46.77 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malta
  10.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  11.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  33.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Martinique
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  41.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  15.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  41.58 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mexico
  21.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 25.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Moldova
  15.27 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Monaco
  9.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  21.52 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  17.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Morocco
  22.29 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  35.79 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Namibia
  25.16 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nauru
  25.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nepal
  31.45 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  11.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  18.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  13.9 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  24.88 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Niger
  48.3 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  40.65 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Niue
  NA births/1,000 population

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  19.51 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Norway
  11.67 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oman
  36.73 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  30.42 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Palau
  18.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Panama
  19.96 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  29.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  29.43 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Peru
  20.87 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Philippines
  25.31 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Portugal
  10.82 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  13.93 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Qatar
  15.54 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Reunion
  19.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Romania
  10.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Russia
  9.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  40.6 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  12.33 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18.12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  20.05 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  13.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16.34 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Samoa
  15.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

San Marino
  10.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  29.56 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Senegal
  35.21 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  12.12 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  16.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  42.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Singapore
  9.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  10.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  8.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  30.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Somalia
  45.62 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

South Africa
  18.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Spain
  10.1 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  15.63 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sudan
  35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Suriname
  18.39 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  NA births/1,000 population

Swaziland
  27.72 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sweden
  10.36 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  9.77 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Syria
  28.29 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  12.64 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  32.58 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  38.16 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Thailand
  15.7 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Togo
  33.48 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  25.18 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  12.81 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  15.5 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turkey
  16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  27.68 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  22.23 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  21.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uganda
  47.39 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  10.49 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  18.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  10.78 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United States
  14.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  14.09 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  26.22 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  23.06 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  18.91 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  17.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  14.2 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA births/1,000 population

West Bank
  32.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA births/1,000 population

World
  20.15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Yemen
  43.07 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Zambia
  41.38 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  29.74 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2055 Military branches

Afghanistan
  Afghan National Army (includes Afghan Air Force), Afghan
  Militia Force (AMF) (2005)

Albania
  General Staff Headquarters, Land Forces Command (Army),
  Naval Forces Command, Air Defense Command, Logistics Command,
  Training and Doctrine Command

Algeria
  People's National Army (ANP; includes Land Forces), Algerian
  National Navy (MRA), Air Force (QJJ), Territorial Air Defense Force
  (2005)

Andorra
  no regular military forces, Police Service of Andorra

Angola
  Army, Navy (Marinha de Guerra, MdG), Air and Air Defense
  Forces (FANA)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force:
  Infantry, Coast Guard (2004)

Argentina
  Argentine Army, Navy of the Argentine Republic (includes
  Naval Aviation and Marines), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
  Argentina, FAA)

Armenia
  Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force

Aruba
  no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and
  Marines, Coast Guard

Australia
  Australian Defense Force (ADF): Australian Army, Royal
  Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, Special Operations
  Command

Austria
  Land Forces (KdoLdSK), Air Forces (KdoLuSK)

Azerbaijan
  Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces

Bahamas, The
  Royal Bahamaian Defense Force (naval forces) (2004)

Bahrain
  Bahrain Defense Forces (BDF): Ground Force (includes Air
  Defense), Navy, Air Force, National Guard

Bangladesh
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Barbados
  Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command and Coast
  Guard (2005)

Belarus
  Army, Air and Air Defense Force

Belgium
  Land, Naval, and Air Components (2005)

Belize
  Belize Defense Force (BDF): Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing,
  and Volunteer Guard

Benin
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Bermuda
  Bermuda Regiment

Bhutan
  Royal Bhutan Army (includes Royal Bodyguard and Royal Bhutan
  Police) (2005)

Bolivia
  Army (Ejercito Boliviano), Navy (Fuerza Naval; includes
  Marines), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana) (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  VF Army (the air and air defense forces are
  subordinate commands within the Army), VRS Army (the air and air
  defense forces are subordinate commands within the Army)

Botswana
  Botswana Defense Force (includes an Air Wing)

Brazil
  Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes Naval Air and
  Marines), Brazilian Air Force (FAB)

Brunei
  Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal
  Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force

Bulgaria
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces

Burkina Faso
  Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie (2005)

Burma
  Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Burundi
  National Defense Force (Forces de Defense Nationales, FDN):
  Army (includes Naval Detachment and Air Wing), National Gendarmerie
  (2005)

Cambodia
  Royal Cambodian Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force

Cameroon
  Cameroon Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Naval
  Infantry), Air Force

Canada
  Canadian Armed Forces: Land Forces Command, Maritime Command,
  Air Command, Canada Command (homeland security) to be operational in
  early 2006 (2005)

Cape Verde
  People's Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARP): Army, Coast
  Guard (includes maritime air wing)

Cayman Islands
  no regular military forces; Royal Cayman Islands
  Police Force

Central African Republic
  Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground
  Forces, Air Force; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection
  (DGIG), Republican Guard (2004)

Chad
  Chadian National Army (Armee Nationale Tchadienne, ANT), Air
  Force, Gendarmerie (2004)

Chile
  Army of the Nation, National Navy (includes naval air, Coast
  Guard, and Marine Corps), Chilean Air Force, Chilean Carabineros
  (National Police)

China
  People's Liberation Army (PLA): Ground Forces, Navy (includes
  marines and naval aviation), Air Force (includes Airborne Forces),
  and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force); People's Armed
  Police Force (internal security troops considered to be an adjunct
  to the PLA); Militia (2003)

Colombia
  Army (Ejercito Nacional), Navy (Armada Nacional, includes
  Naval Aviation, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea
  Colombiana)

Comoros
  Comoran Security Force

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Congo, Republic of the
  Congolese Armed Forces (FAC): Army, Air Force
  (Armee de l'Air Congolaise), Navy, Gendarmerie, Republican Guard
  (2005)

Cook Islands
  no regular military forces; Ministry of Police and
  Disaster Management (2004)

Costa Rica
  no regular military forces; Ministry of Public Security,
  Government, and Police

Cote d'Ivoire
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Croatia
  Ground Forces (Hrvatska Vojska, HKoV), Naval Forces
  (Hrvatska Ratna Mornarica, HRM), Air and Air Defense Forces
  (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrakoplovna Obrana, HRZiPZO)

Cuba
  Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR): Revolutionary Army (ER),
  Revolutionary Navy (MGR), Air and Air Defense Force (DAAFAR),
  Territorial Militia Troops (MTT), Youth Labor Army (EJT)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: Greek Cypriot National Guard (GCNG;
  includes air and naval elements)
  north Cyprus: Turkish Cypriot Security Force (GKK)

Czech Republic
  Army of the Czech Republic (ACR): Joint Forces
  Command, Support and Training Forces Command (2005)

Denmark
  Royal Danish Army, Royal Danish Navy, Royal Danish Air
  Force, Home Guard (Hjemmevaernet)

Djibouti
  Djibouti National Army (includes Navy and Air Force)

Dominica
  no regular military forces; Commonwealth of Dominica Police
  Force (includes Coast Guard)

Dominican Republic
  Army, Navy, Air Force

East Timor
  East Timor Defense Force (Forcas de Defesa de
  Timor-L'este, FDTL): Army, Navy (Armada) (2005)

Ecuador
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry, Naval Aviation, Coast
  Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Ecuatoriana, FAE)

Egypt
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

El Salvador
  Army, Navy (FNES), Air Force (FAS)

Equatorial Guinea
  Army, Navy, Air Force (2005)

Eritrea
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Estonia
  Estonian Defense Forces: Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force and
  Air Defense Staff, Republic Security Forces (internal and border
  troops), Volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit), Maritime Border
  Guard, Coast Guard
  note: Border Guards and Ministry of Internal Affairs become part of
  the Estonian Defense Forces in wartime; the Coast Guard is
  subordinate to the Ministry of Defense in peacetime and the Estonian
  Navy in wartime

Ethiopia
  Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF): Ground Forces, Air
  Force
  note: Ethiopia is landlocked and has no navy; following the
  secession of Eritrea, Ethiopian naval facilities remained in
  Eritrean possession (2003)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  no regular military forces

Faroe Islands
  no regular military forces

Fiji
  Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval
  Division (2005)

Finland
  Finnish Defense Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coastal Defense
  Forces), Air Force (2003)

France
  Army (includes Marines, Foreign Legion, Army Light Aviation),
  Navy (includes naval air), Air Force (includes Air Defense),
  National Gendarmerie

French Guiana
  no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

French Polynesia
  no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and
  National Police Force

Gabon
  Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Police

Gambia, The
  Gambian National Army (GNA), Gambian Navy (GN),
  Presidential Guard, National Guard

Gaza Strip
  in accordance with the peace agreement, the Palestinian
  Authority is not permitted conventional military forces; there are,
  however, public security forces (2002)

Georgia
  Ground Forces (includes National Guard), Air and Air Defense
  Forces, Maritime Defense Force, Interior Forces

Germany
  Federal Armed Forces (Bundeswehr): Army (Heer), Navy
  (Deutsche Marine, includes naval air arm), Air Force (Luftwaffe),
  Joint Support Service, Central Medical Service

Ghana
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Gibraltar
  Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Greece
  Hellenic Army, Hellenic Navy, Hellenic Air Force (Polemiki
  Aeroporia, EPA)

Grenada
  no regular military forces; Royal Grenada Police Force

Guadeloupe
  no regular military forces

Guatemala
  Army, Navy (includes Marines), Air Force

Guinea
  Army (includes Presidential Guard, Republican Guard), Navy,
  Air Force, National Gendarmerie, General Directorate of National
  Police

Guinea-Bissau
  People's Revolutionary Armed Force (FARP; includes
  Army, Navy, and Air Force), paramilitary force

Guyana
  Guyana Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Corps,
  Guyana People's Militia

Haiti
  the regular Haitian Armed Forces (FAdH) - Army, Navy, and Air
  Force - have been demobilized but still exist on paper until or
  unless they are constitutionally abolished

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Pontifical Swiss Guard (Corpo della Guardia
  Svizzera Pontificia)

Honduras
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Infantry), Air Force

Hong Kong
  no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison
  of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the
  PLA Ground Forces, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are
  under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in
  Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Guangzhou
  Military Region

Hungary
  Ground Forces, Air Forces

Iceland
  no regular armed forces; Icelandic National Police,
  Icelandic Coast Guard (Islenska Landhelgisgaeslan)

India
  Army, Navy (includes naval air arm), Air Force, Coast Guard,
  various security or paramilitary forces (includes Border Security
  Force, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Indo-Tibetan Border
  Police, Special Frontier Force, Central Reserve Police Force,
  Central Industrial Security Force, Railway Protection Force, and
  Defense Security Corps)

Indonesia
  Indonesia Armed Forces (TNI): Army (TNI-AD), Navy (TNI-AL,
  includes Marines, Naval Air arm), Air Force (TNI-AU)

Iran
  Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground
  Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)
  Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e
  Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special
  operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)
  Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)

Iraq
  Iraqi Armed Forces: Iraqi Regular Army (includes Iraqi Special
  Operations Force, Iraqi Intervention Force), Iraqi Navy (former
  Iraqi Coastal Defense Force), Iraqi Air Force (former Iraqi Army Air
  Corps) (2005)

Ireland
  Army (includes Naval Service and Air Corps)

Israel
  Israel Defense Forces (IDF): Ground Corps, Navy, Air and
  Space Force (includes Air Defense Forces); historically there have
  been no separate Israeli military services

Italy
  Army (Esercito Italiano, EI), Navy (Marina Militare Italiana,
  MMI), Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI), Carabinieri
  Corps (Corpo dei Carabinieri, CC) (2005)

Jamaica
  Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing

Japan
  Ground Self-Defense Force (Army), Maritime Self-Defense Force
  (Navy), Air Self-Defense Force (Air Force)

Jordan
  Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF): Royal Jordanian Land Force,
  Royal Jordanian Navy, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special
  Operations Command (SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate
  normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in
  wartime or crisis situations

Kazakhstan
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Naval Force,
  Republican Guard

Kenya
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Kiribati
  no regular military forces; Police Force (carries out law
  enforcement functions and paramilitary duties; small police posts
  are on all islands)

Korea, North
  North Korean People's Army: Ground Force, Navy, Air
  Force; Civil Security Forces (2005)

Korea, South
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Maritime
  Police (Coast Guard)

Kuwait
  Land Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense Force),
  National Guard (2002)

Kyrgyzstan
  Army, Air Force, National Guard (2004)

Laos
  Lao People's Army (LPA; includes Riverine Force), Air Force

Latvia
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Border Guard, Home Guard
  (Zemessardze)

Lebanon
  Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF): Army, Navy, and Air Force

Lesotho
  Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing

Liberia
  Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL): Army, Navy, Air Force

Libya
  Armed Peoples on Duty (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
  Command

Lithuania
  Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, National Defense Volunteer
  Forces (SKAT)

Luxembourg
  Army

Macau
  China's People's Revolutionary Army (PLA) constitutes the only
  armed force in Macau; several police forces constitute the Security
  Forces of Macau (SFM) that are subordinate to the General
  Secretariat of Security, a body comparable to a ministry of interior
  (2004)

Macedonia
  Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM; includes Air and
  Air Defense Command)

Madagascar
  People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development
  Force, and Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie

Malawi
  Malawi Armed Forces: Army (includes Air Wing and Naval
  Detachment), Police (includes Mobile Force Unit)

Malaysia
  Malaysian Army (Tentera Darat Malaysia), Royal Malaysian
  Navy (Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia, TLDM), Royal Malaysian Air Force
  (Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia, TUDM) (2005)

Maldives
  National Security Service includes Security Branch (ground
  forces), Air Element, Coast Guard

Mali
  Army, Air Force, National Guard

Malta
  Armed Forces of Malta (AFM; includes air and maritime
  elements) (2005)

Marshall Islands
  no regular military forces; Marshall Islands Police

Martinique
  no regular military forces; Gendarmerie

Mauritania
  Mauritanian Armed Forces: Army, Navy (Marine
  Mauritanienne; includes Naval Infantry), Air Force (Force Aerienne
  Islamique de Mauritanie, FAIM) (2005)

Mauritius
  National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special
  Mobile Force or SMF and National Coast Guard)

Mexico
  Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena): Army and Air Force
  (FAM)
  Secretariat of the Navy (Semar): Naval Air and Marines (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of no ministry of defense and no standing armed forces; the paramilitary Maritime Wing, a small maritime law enforcement unit, is responsible to the Division of Maritime Surveillance within the Office of the Attorney General (2003)

Moldova
  National Army: Ground Forces, Air Force

Mongolia
  Mongolian Armed Forces: Mongolian People's Army (MPA),
  Mongolian People's Air Force (MPAF) (2005)

Montserrat
  no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force
  (2005)

Morocco
  Royal Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (Force Aerienne
  Royale Marocaine)

Mozambique
  Mozambique Armed Defense Forces: Army, Navy, Air and Air
  Defense Forces, Logistics Command

Namibia
  Namibian Defense Force: Army (includes Air Wing), Navy,
  Police

Nauru
  no regular military forces; Nauru Police Force

Nepal
  Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air
  Service), Nepalese Police Force

Netherlands
  Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes
  Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force
  (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Constabulary, Defense
  Interservice Command (DICO) (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  National Guard, Police Force

New Caledonia
  no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed
  Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

New Zealand
  New Zealand Army, Royal New Zealand Navy, Royal New
  Zealand Air Force

Nicaragua
  Army (includes Navy, Air Force)

Niger
  Niger Armed Forces (Forces Armees Nigeriennes, FAN): Army,
  National Air Force (2005)

Nigeria
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Niue
  no regular indigenous military forces; Police Force

Norway
  Norwegian Army, Royal Norwegian Navy (includes Coastal
  Rangers and Coast Guard (Kystvakt)), Royal Norwegian Air Force
  (Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret, RNoAF), Home Guard

Oman
  Royal Omani Armed Forces: Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of
  Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman (2005)

Pakistan
  Army, Navy, Air Force

Palau
  no regular military forces; Police Force

Panama
  an amendment to the Constitution abolished the armed forces,
  but there are security forces (Panamanian Public Forces or PPF
  includes the Panamanian National Police, National Maritime Service,
  and National Air Service)

Papua New Guinea
  Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime
  Operations Element, Air Operations Element)

Paraguay
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Aviation, River Defense Corps,
  Coast Guard), Air Force

Peru
  Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru;
  includes Naval Air, Naval Infantry, and Coast Guard), Air Force
  (Fuerza Aerea del Peru; FAP)

Philippines
  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy
  (includes Coast Guard, Marine Corps), Air Force

Poland
  Land Forces, Navy, Polish Air Force (PSP)

Portugal
  Army, Navy (Marinha Portuguesa; includes Marine Corps), Air
  Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa, FAP), National Republican Guard
  (Guarda Nacional Republicana) (2005)

Puerto Rico
  no regular indigenous military forces; paramilitary
  National Guard, Police Force

Qatar
  Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN),
  Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF)

Reunion
  no regular indigenous military forces; French forces
  (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie)

Romania
  Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (AMR),
  Special Operations, Civil Defense (2005)

Russia
  Ground Forces (SV), Navy (VMF), Air Forces (VVS); Airborne
  Troops (VDV), Strategic Rocket Troops (RVSN), and Space Troops (KV)
  are independent "combat arms," not subordinate to any of the three
  branches

Rwanda
  Rwandan Defense Forces: Army, Air Force

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force (includes
  Coast Guard), Royal Saint Kitts and Nevis Police Force

Saint Lucia
  Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service
  Unit, Coast Guard)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  no regular military forces; Royal
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special
  Service Unit), Coast Guard

Samoa
  no regular armed services; Samoa Police Force

San Marino
  Voluntary Military Force (Corpi Militari Voluntar); note
  - performs ceremonial duties and limited police assistance

Sao Tome and Principe
  Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP):
  Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force,
  National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Senegal
  Army, Navy (Marine Senegalaise), Air Force (2005)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Serbian and Montenegrin Armed Forces (Vojska
  Srbije i Crne Gore, VSCG): Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense
  Forces, Naval Forces (2005)

Seychelles
  Seychelles Defense Force: Army, Coast Guard (includes
  Navy Wing, Air Wing), National Guard (2005)

Sierra Leone
  Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army
  (includes Air Wing, Maritime Wing)

Singapore
  Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense
  (2005)

Slovakia
  Army of the Slovak Republic (Armady Slovenskej Republika):
  Land Command, Air Forces (Vozdushne Sily), Training and Support
  Command, Logistics Command (2005)

Slovenia
  Slovenian Army (includes Air and Naval Forces)

Solomon Islands
  no regular military forces; Royal Solomon Islands
  Police (RSIP)

Somalia
  A Somali National Army was attempted under the interim
  government; numerous factions and clans maintain independent
  militias, and the Somaliland and Puntland regional governments
  maintain their own security and police forces

South Africa
  South African National Defense Force (SANDF): Army,
  Navy, Air Force, Joint Operations, Joint Support, Military
  Intelligence, Military Health Service (2004)

Spain
  Army, Navy, Air Force (Ejercito del Aire, EdA), Naval Infantry

Sri Lanka
  Army, Navy, Air Force, Police Force

Sudan
  Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force,
  Popular Defense Force

Suriname
  National Army (includes small Navy and Air Force elements)

Swaziland
  Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF): Ground Force
  (includes Air Wing), Royal Swaziland Police Force (RSPF) (2005)

Sweden
  Army, Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN), Air Force (Flygvapnet)

Switzerland
  Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe)

Syria
  Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force
  (includes Air Defense Command), Police and Security Force

Taiwan
  Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force, Coast Guard
  Administration, Armed Forces Reserve Command, Combined Service
  Forces Command, Armed Forces Police Command

Tajikistan
  Army, Air Force, Air Defense Force

Tanzania
  Tanzanian People's Defense Force (JWTZ): Army, Naval Wing,
  Air Defense Command (includes Air Wing), National Service

Thailand
  Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai
  Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force

Togo
  Togolese Armed Forces (FAT): Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie
  (2005)

Tonga
  Tonga Defense Services: Ground Forces (Royal Marines, Royal
  Guard), Maritime Force (includes Air Wing)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force: Ground Force,
  Coast Guard (includes Air Wing) (2004)

Tunisia
  Army, Navy, Air Force (2003)

Turkey
  Turkish Armed Forces (TSK): Land Forces, Naval Forces
  (includes Naval Air and Naval Infantry), Air Force

Turkmenistan
  Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces (2004)

Tuvalu
  no regular military forces; national police force

Uganda
  Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air
  Wing

Ukraine
  Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces (Viyskovo-Povitryani
  Syly), Air Defense Forces (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  Army, Navy (includes Marines and Coast Guard),
  Air and Air Defense Force, paramilitary forces (includes Federal
  Police Force)

United Kingdom
  Army, Royal Navy (includes Royal Marines), Royal Air
  Force

United States
  Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast
  Guard (Coast Guard administered in peacetime by the Department of
  Homeland Security, but in wartime reports to the Department of the
  Navy)

Uruguay
  Army, Navy (includes Naval Air Arm, Marines, Maritime
  Prefecture in wartime), Air Force

Uzbekistan
  Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, National Guard

Vanuatu
  no regular military forces; security forces comprise the
  Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force
  (VMF), which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police
  Maritime Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint
  responsibility of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF,
  and PMW (2003)

Venezuela
  National Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Nacionales, FAN):
  Ground Forces or Army (Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejercito), Naval Forces
  (Fuerzas Navales or Armada - includes Marines, Coast Guard), Air
  Force (Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion), Armed Forces of Cooperation or
  National Guard (Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional)

Vietnam
  People's Army of Vietnam: Ground Forces, People's Navy
  Command (includes Naval Infantry), Air and Air Defense Force, Coast
  Guard

Yemen
  Army (includes Special Forces), Naval Forces and Coastal
  Defenses (includes Marines), Air Force (includes Air Defense
  Forces), Republican Guard (2002)

Zambia
  Zambian National Defense Force (ZNDF): Army, Air Force,
  Police, National Service

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwe Defense Forces (ZDF): Zimbabwe National Army, Air
  Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ), Zimbabwe Republic Police (2005)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2056 Budget

Afghanistan
  revenues: $300 million
  expenditures: $609 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY04-05 budget)

Albania
  revenues: $2.05 billion
  expenditures: $2.46 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2004 est.)

Algeria
  revenues: $31.47 billion
  expenditures: $29.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
  billion (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  revenues: $121 million (37% in local revenue and 63%
  in US grants)
  expenditures: $127 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY96/97)

Andorra
  revenues: $385 million
  expenditures: $342 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997)

Angola
  revenues: $9.013 billion
  expenditures: $9.562 billion, including capital expenditures of $963
  million (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  revenues: $22.8 million
  expenditures: $22.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  revenues: $123.7 million
  expenditures: $145.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Argentina
  revenues: $29.15 billion
  expenditures: $26.84 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Armenia
  revenues: $428.1 million
  expenditures: $491.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Aruba
  revenues: $135.8 million
  expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000)

Australia
  revenues: $222.7 billion
  expenditures: $221.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Austria
  revenues: $142.5 billion
  expenditures: $146.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  revenues: $2.715 billion
  expenditures: $2.801 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $1 billion, including capital expenditures of $106.7
  million (FY03/04)

Bahrain
  revenues: $3.825 billion
  expenditures: $3.262 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  revenues: $5.921 billion
  expenditures: $8.262 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Barbados
  revenues: $847 million (including grants)
  expenditures: $886 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Belarus
  revenues: $3.326 billion
  expenditures: $3.564 billion, including capital expenditures of $180
  million (2004 est.)

Belgium
  revenues: $173.7 billion
  expenditures: $174.8 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $1.56 billion (2004 est.)

Belize
  revenues: $244.5 million
  expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70
  million (2004 est.)

Benin
  revenues: $869.4 million
  expenditures: $720.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  revenues: $671.1 million
  expenditures: $594.6 million, including capital expenditures of $55
  million (FY03/04)

Bhutan
  revenues: $146 million
  expenditures: $152 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  note: the government of India finances nearly three-fifths of
  Bhutan's budget expenditures (FY95/96 est.)

Bolivia
  revenues: $2.264 billion
  expenditures: $2.769 billion, including capital expenditures of $741
  million (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  revenues: $3.618 billion
  expenditures: $3.642 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Botswana
  revenues: $3.735 billion
  expenditures: $3.743 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Brazil
  revenues: $140.6 billion
  expenditures: $172.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004)

British Virgin Islands
  revenues: $121.5 million
  expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997)

Brunei
  revenues: $4.9 billion
  expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35
  billion (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  revenues: $9.67 billion
  expenditures: $9.619 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  revenues: $695.2 million
  expenditures: $876.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Burma
  revenues: $474.9 million
  expenditures: $955.5 million, including capital expenditures of $5.7
  billion (2004 est.)

Burundi
  revenues: $152.5 million
  expenditures: $187.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  revenues: $548.2 million
  expenditures: $836.7 million, including capital expenditures of $291
  million of which 75% was financed by external assistance (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  revenues: $2.493 billion
  expenditures: $2.248 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Canada
  revenues: $151 billion
  expenditures: $144 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  revenues: $260.6 million
  expenditures: $305.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  revenues: $265.2 million
  expenditures: $248.9 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997)

Central African Republic
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Chad
  revenues: $1.131 billion
  expenditures: $957.7 million, including capital expenditures of $146
  million (2004 est.)

Chile
  revenues: $21.53 billion
  expenditures: $19.95 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $3.33 billion (2004 est.)

China
  revenues: $317.9 billion
  expenditures: $348.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA

Colombia
  revenues: $15.33 billion
  expenditures: $21.03 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Comoros
  revenues: $27.6 million
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  revenues: $269 million
  expenditures: $244 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  revenues: $870.1 million
  expenditures: $1.102 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  revenues: $28 million
  expenditures: $27 million, including capital expenditures of $3.3
  million (FY00/01 est.)

Costa Rica
  revenues: $2.497 billion
  expenditures: $3.094 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  revenues: $2.412 billion
  expenditures: $2.767 billion, including capital expenditures of $420
  million (2004 est.)

Croatia
  revenues: $14.14 billion
  expenditures: $15.65 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cuba
  revenues: $18.01 billion
  expenditures: $19.06 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  revenues: Republic of Cyprus - $5.616 billion (2004 est.),
  north Cyprus - $404.3 million (2003 est.)
  expenditures: Republic of Cyprus - $685.7 million, including capital
  expenditures of $685.7 million, north Cyprus - $775.7 million,
  including capital expenditures of $91.4 million (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  revenues: $39.31 billion
  expenditures: $45.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Denmark
  revenues: $136.1 billion
  expenditures: $133.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $500
  million (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  revenues: $135 million
  expenditures: $182 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1999 est.)

Dominica
  revenues: $73.9 million
  expenditures: $84.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2001)

Dominican Republic
  revenues: $2.625 billion
  expenditures: $3.382 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.1
  billion (2004 est.)

East Timor
  revenues: $107.7 million
  expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  revenues: $7.9 billion
  expenditures: planned $7.3 billion, including capital expenditures
  of $1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Egypt
  revenues: $15.42 billion
  expenditures: $20.76 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7
  billion (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  revenues: $2.491 billion
  expenditures: $2.782 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  revenues: $813.2 million
  expenditures: $375.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  revenues: $235.2 million
  expenditures: $373.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Estonia
  revenues: $4.622 billion
  expenditures: $4.601 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  revenues: $1.887 billion
  expenditures: $2.388 billion, including capital expenditures of $788
  million (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  revenues: $66.2 million
  expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2
  million (FY98/99 est.)

Faroe Islands
  revenues: $488 million
  expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21
  million (1999)

Fiji
  revenues: $427.9 million
  expenditures: $531.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Finland
  revenues: $96.43 billion
  expenditures: $91.95 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

France
  revenues: $1.005 trillion
  expenditures: $1.08 trillion, including capital expenditures of $23
  billion (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

French Polynesia
  revenues: $1 billion
  expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
  million (1996)

Gabon
  revenues: $2.129 billion
  expenditures: $1.64 billion, including capital expenditures of $310
  million (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  revenues: $44.85 million
  expenditures: $59.94 million, including capital expenditures of $4.1
  million (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  revenues: $676.6 million
  expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
  note - these budget data include West Bank (2003)

Georgia
  revenues: $671.7 million
  expenditures: $804.7 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Germany
  revenues: $1.2 trillion
  expenditures: $1.3 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Ghana
  revenues: $2.17 billion
  expenditures: $2.56 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  revenues: $307 million
  expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY00/01 est.)

Greece
  revenues: $54.39 billion
  expenditures: $64.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Greenland
  revenues: $646 million
  expenditures: $629 million, including capital expenditures of $85
  million (1999)

Grenada
  revenues: $85.8 million
  expenditures: $102.1 million, including capital expenditures of $28
  million (1997)

Guadeloupe
  revenues: $225 million
  expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105
  million (1996)

Guam
  revenues: $340 million
  expenditures: $445 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  revenues: $2.878 billion
  expenditures: $3.411 billion, including capital expenditures of $750
  million (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  revenues: $539.2 million
  expenditures: $448.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002 est.)

Guinea
  revenues: $382.7 million
  expenditures: $711.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Guyana
  revenues: $287.6 million
  expenditures: $371.6 million, including capital expenditures of
  $93.4 million (2004 est.)

Haiti
  revenues: $330.2 million
  expenditures: $529.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  revenues: $245.2 million
  expenditures: $260.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002)

Honduras
  revenues: $1.467 billion
  expenditures: $1.722 billion, including capital expenditures of $106
  million (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  revenues: $26.6 billion
  expenditures: $31.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9
  billion (2004 est.)

Hungary
  revenues: $46.07 billion
  expenditures: $51.36 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Iceland
  revenues: $4.154 billion
  expenditures: $4.058 billion, including capital expenditures of $467
  million (2004 est.)

India
  revenues: $67.3 billion
  expenditures: $104 billion, including capital expenditures of $13.5
  billion (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  revenues: $52.13 billion
  expenditures: $55.88 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Iran
  revenues: $43.34 billion
  expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Iraq
  revenues: $17.1 billion
  expenditures: $28.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
  billion (2004 budget)

Ireland
  revenues: $62.51 billion
  expenditures: $63.52 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.5
  billion (2004 est.)

Israel
  revenues: $48.09 billion
  expenditures: $52.11 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Italy
  revenues: $768.9 billion
  expenditures: $820.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  revenues: $2.793 billion
  expenditures: $3.157 billion, including capital expenditures of $236
  million (2004 est.)

Japan
  revenues: $1.401 trillion
  expenditures: $1.748 trillion, including capital expenditures
  (public works only) of about $71 billion (2004 est.)

Jersey
  revenues: $601 million
  expenditures: $588 million, including capital expenditures of $98
  million (2000 est.)

Jordan
  revenues: $3.483 billion
  expenditures: $3.616 billion, including capital expenditures of $782
  million (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  revenues: $8.67 billion
  expenditures: $8.968 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Kenya
  revenues: $2.89 billion
  expenditures: $3.443 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  revenues: $28.4 million
  expenditures: $37.2 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Korea, North
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Korea, South
  revenues: $150.5 billion
  expenditures: $155.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  revenues: $35.82 billion
  expenditures: $19.53 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  revenues: $431.3 million
  expenditures: $445.4 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Laos
  revenues: $284.3 million
  expenditures: $416.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Latvia
  revenues: $4.231 billion
  expenditures: $4.504 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  revenues: $4.895 billion
  expenditures: $6.642 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  revenues: $698.5 million
  expenditures: $697.6 million, including capital expenditures of $15
  million (2004 est.)

Liberia
  revenues: $85.4 million
  expenditures: $90.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Libya
  revenues: $13.52 billion
  expenditures: $12.23 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  revenues: $424.2 million
  expenditures: $414.1 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Lithuania
  revenues: $6.542 billion
  expenditures: $7.121 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  revenues: $13.74 billion
  expenditures: $14.49 billion, including capital expenditures of $760
  million (2004 est.)

Macau
  revenues: $1.84 billion
  expenditures: $1.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2003)

Macedonia
  revenues: $1.198 billion
  expenditures: $1.245 billion, including capital expenditures of $114
  million (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  revenues: $783.7 million
  expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331
  million (2004 est.)

Malawi
  revenues: $536 million
  expenditures: $635.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  revenues: $25.33 billion
  expenditures: $29.33 billion, including capital expenditures of $9.4
  billion (2004 est.)

Maldives
  revenues: $224 million (excluding foreign grants)
  expenditures: $282 million, including capital expenditures of $80
  million (2002 est.)

Mali
  revenues: $764 million
  expenditures: $828 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2002 est.)

Malta
  revenues: $2.27 billion
  expenditures: $2.549 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  revenues: $485 million
  expenditures: $463 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY00/01 est.)

Marshall Islands
  revenues: $42 million
  expenditures: $40 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1999)

Martinique
  revenues: $900 million
  expenditures: $2.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $140
  million (1996)

Mauritania
  revenues: $421 million
  expenditures: $378 million, including capital expenditures of $154
  million (2002 est.)

Mauritius
  revenues: $1.231 billion
  expenditures: $1.582 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: $73 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1991 est.)

Mexico
  revenues: $160 billion
  expenditures: $158 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  revenues: $161 million ($69 million
  less grants)
  expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Moldova
  revenues: $648.1 million
  expenditures: $634.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Monaco
  revenues: $518 million
  expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1995)

Mongolia
  revenues: $582 million
  expenditures: $602 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  revenues: $31.4 million
  expenditures: $31.6 million, including capital expenditures of $8.4
  million (1997 est.)

Morocco
  revenues: $12.86 billion
  expenditures: $15.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.19
  billion (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  revenues: $1.186 billion
  expenditures: $1.398 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $479.4 million (2004 est.)

Namibia
  revenues: $1.788 billion
  expenditures: $1.956 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Nauru
  revenues: $23.4 million
  expenditures: $64.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY95/96)

Nepal
  revenues: $665 million
  expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY99/00 est.)

Netherlands
  revenues: $256.9 billion
  expenditures: $274.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  revenues: $710.8 million
  expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997 est.)

New Caledonia
  revenues: $861.3 million
  expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
  million (1996 est.)

New Zealand
  revenues: $38.29 billion
  expenditures: $36.12 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  revenues: $725.5 million
  expenditures: $1.039 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Niger
  revenues: $320 million - including $134 million from foreign
  sources
  expenditures: $320 million, including capital expenditures of $178
  million (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  revenues: $11.78 billion
  expenditures: $11.47 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Niue
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA

Norfolk Island
  revenues: $20 million
  expenditures: $20 million, including capital expenditures of $2
  million (FY99/00)

Northern Mariana Islands
  revenues: $193 million
  expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY01/02 est.)

Norway
  revenues: $134 billion
  expenditures: $116.8 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Oman
  revenues: $9.291 billion
  expenditures: $8.747 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  revenues: $13.45 billion
  expenditures: $16.51 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Palau
  revenues: $57.7 million
  expenditures: $80.8 million, including capital expenditures of $17.1
  million (FY98/99 est.)

Panama
  revenues: $3.095 billion
  expenditures: $3.737 billion, including capital expenditures of $471
  million (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  revenues: $1.174 billion
  expenditures: $1.232 billion, including capital expenditures of $344
  million (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  revenues: $1.123 billion
  expenditures: $1.129 billion, including capital expenditures of $700
  million (2004 est.)

Peru
  revenues: $13.6 billion
  expenditures: $14.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
  billion, for general government, excluding private enterprises (2004
  est.)

Philippines
  revenues: $12.22 billion
  expenditures: $15.84 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.4
  million (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  revenues: $746,000
  expenditures: $1.028 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY04/05)

Poland
  revenues: $44.52 billion
  expenditures: $54.93 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Portugal
  revenues: $74.38 billion
  expenditures: $79.86 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  revenues: $6.7 billion
  expenditures: $9.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY99/00)

Qatar
  revenues: $10.17 billion
  expenditures: $7.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
  billion (2004 est.)

Reunion
  revenues: $1.26 billion
  expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998)

Romania
  revenues: $22.1 billion
  expenditures: $23.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.2
  billion (2004 est.)

Russia
  revenues: $106.4 billion
  expenditures: $93.33 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  revenues: $354.5 million
  expenditures: $385 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  revenues: $11.2 million
  expenditures: $11 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (FY92/93)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  revenues: $89.7 million
  expenditures: $128.2 million, including capital expenditures of
  $19.5 million (2003 est.)

Saint Lucia
  revenues: $141.2 million
  expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of
  $25.1 million (2000 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  revenues: $70 million
  expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24
  million (1996 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  revenues: $94.6 million
  expenditures: $85.8 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Samoa
  revenues: $105 million
  expenditures: $119 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2001-02)

San Marino
  revenues: $400 million
  expenditures: $400 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  revenues: $27.94 million
  expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54
  million (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  revenues: $104.8 billion
  expenditures: $78.66 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Senegal
  revenues: $1.572 billion
  expenditures: $1.627 billion, including capital expenditures of $357
  million (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  revenues: $9.773 billion
  expenditures: $10.46 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  revenues: $318.3 million
  expenditures: $298.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  revenues: $96 million
  expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2000 est.)

Singapore
  revenues: $17.05 billion
  expenditures: $18.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.8
  billion (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  revenues: $15.44 billion
  expenditures: $16.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  revenues: $13.36 billion
  expenditures: $13.99 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  revenues: $49.7 million
  expenditures: $75.1 million, including capital expenditures of $0
  (2003)

Somalia
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

South Africa
  revenues: $47.43 billion
  expenditures: $52.54 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Spain
  revenues: $383.7 billion
  expenditures: $386.4 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $12.8 billion (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  revenues: $3.34 billion
  expenditures: $4.686 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Sudan
  revenues: $3.057 billion
  expenditures: $2.965 billion, including capital expenditures of $304
  million (2004 est.)

Suriname
  revenues: $400 million
  expenditures: $440 million, including capital expenditures of $34
  million (2003)

Svalbard
  revenues: $11.5 million
  expenditures: $11.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

Swaziland
  revenues: $494.6 million
  expenditures: $552.7 million, including capital expenditures of $147
  million (2004 est.)

Sweden
  revenues: $201.3 billion
  expenditures: $199.6 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  revenues: $131.5 billion
  expenditures: $140.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Syria
  revenues: $6.58 billion
  expenditures: $9.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.67
  billion (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  revenues: $67.41 billion
  expenditures: $76.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $14.4
  billion (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  revenues: $311.2 million
  expenditures: $321.5 million, including capital expenditures of $86
  million (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  revenues: $1.985 billion
  expenditures: $2.074 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Thailand
  revenues: $30.86 billion
  expenditures: $31.94 billion, including capital expenditures of $5
  billion (2004 est.)

Togo
  revenues: $239.2 million
  expenditures: $273.3 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  revenues: $430,800
  expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of
  $37,300 (1987 est.)

Tonga
  revenues: $39.9 million
  expenditures: $52.4 million, including capital expenditures of $1.9
  million (FY99/00 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  revenues: $3.25 billion
  expenditures: $3.193 billion, including capital expenditures of
  $117.3 million (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  revenues: $6.799 billion
  expenditures: $7.573 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Turkey
  revenues: $78.53 billion
  expenditures: $110.9 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  revenues: $3.05 billion
  expenditures: $3.05 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  revenues: $47 million
  expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1997-98 est.)

Tuvalu
  revenues: $22.5 million
  expenditures: $11.2 million, including capital expenditures of $4.2
  million (2000 est.)

Uganda
  revenues: $1.491 billion
  expenditures: $1.727 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  revenues: $13.57 billion
  expenditures: $12.26 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
  note - these estimates probably do not include the government's
  doubling of pensions in September of 2004 (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  revenues: $23.68 billion
  expenditures: $25.45 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4
  billion (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  revenues: $834.9 billion
  expenditures: $896.7 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

United States
  revenues: $1.862 trillion
  expenditures: $2.338 trillion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  revenues: $3.332 billion
  expenditures: $3.787 billion, including capital expenditures of $193
  million (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  revenues: $2.457 billion
  expenditures: $2.482 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  revenues: $52.6 million
  expenditures: $54.3 million, including capital expenditures of
  $700,000 (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  revenues: $26.91 billion
  expenditures: $30.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.6
  billion (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  revenues: $10.66 billion
  expenditures: $13.09 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.8
  billion (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  revenues: $560
  expenditures: NA (2003)

Wallis and Futuna
  revenues: $20 million
  expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA
  (1998 est.)

West Bank
  revenues: $676.6 million
  expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA;
  note - these budget data include Gaza Strip (2003)

Western Sahara
  revenues: NA
  expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA

Yemen
  revenues: $4.251 billion
  expenditures: $4.568 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Zambia
  revenues: $1.129 billion
  expenditures: $1.307 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  revenues: $1.325 billion
  expenditures: $1.593 billion, including capital expenditures of NA
  (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2057 Capital

Afghanistan
  Kabul

Akrotiri
  Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

Albania
  Tirana

Algeria
  Algiers

American Samoa
  Pago Pago

Andorra
  Andorra la Vella

Angola
  Luanda

Anguilla
  The Valley

Antigua and Barbuda
  Saint John's (Antigua)

Argentina
  Buenos Aires

Armenia
  Yerevan

Aruba
  Oranjestad

Australia
  Canberra

Austria
  Vienna

Azerbaijan
  Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
  Nassau

Bahrain
  Manama

Bangladesh
  Dhaka

Barbados
  Bridgetown

Belarus
  Minsk

Belgium
  Brussels

Belize
  Belmopan

Benin
  Porto-Novo is the official capital; Cotonou is the seat of
  government

Bermuda
  Hamilton

Bhutan
  Thimphu

Bolivia
  La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat
  of judiciary)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Sarajevo

Botswana
  Gaborone

Brazil
  Brasilia

British Virgin Islands
  Road Town

Brunei
  Bandar Seri Begawan

Bulgaria
  Sofia

Burkina Faso
  Ouagadougou

Burma
  Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon)

Burundi
  Bujumbura

Cambodia
  Phnom Penh

Cameroon
  Yaounde

Canada
  Ottawa

Cape Verde
  Praia

Cayman Islands
  George Town

Central African Republic
  Bangui

Chad
  N'Djamena

Chile
  Santiago

China
  Beijing

Christmas Island
  The Settlement

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  West Island

Colombia
  Bogota

Comoros
  Moroni

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Kinshasa

Congo, Republic of the
  Brazzaville

Cook Islands
  Avarua

Costa Rica
  San Jose

Cote d'Ivoire
  Yamoussoukro; note - although Yamoussoukro has been
  the official capital since 1983, Abidjan remains the commercial and
  administrative center; the US, like other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Abidjan

Croatia
  Zagreb

Cuba
  Havana

Cyprus
  Nicosia

Czech Republic
  Prague

Denmark
  Copenhagen

Dhekelia
  Episkopi Cantonment; located in Akrotiri

Djibouti
  Djibouti

Dominica
  Roseau

Dominican Republic
  Santo Domingo

East Timor
  Dili

Ecuador
  Quito

Egypt
  Cairo

El Salvador
  San Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  Malabo

Eritrea
  Asmara

Estonia
  Tallinn

Ethiopia
  Addis Ababa

European Union
  Brussels, Belgium
  note: the Council of the European Union meets in Brussels, the
  European Parliament meets in Strasbourg, France, and the Court of
  Justice of the European Communities meets in Luxembourg

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Stanley

Faroe Islands
  Torshavn

Fiji
  Suva (Viti Levu)

Finland
  Helsinki

France
  Paris

French Guiana
  Cayenne

French Polynesia
  Papeete

Gabon
  Libreville

Gambia, The
  Banjul

Georgia
  T'bilisi

Germany
  Berlin

Ghana
  Accra

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar

Greece
  Athens

Greenland
  Nuuk (Godthab)

Grenada
  Saint George's

Guadeloupe
  Basse-Terre

Guam
  Hagatna (Agana)

Guatemala
  Guatemala

Guernsey
  Saint Peter Port

Guinea
  Conakry

Guinea-Bissau
  Bissau

Guyana
  Georgetown

Haiti
  Port-au-Prince

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Vatican City

Honduras
  Tegucigalpa

Hungary
  Budapest

Iceland
  Reykjavik

India
  New Delhi

Indonesia
  Jakarta

Iran
  Tehran

Iraq
  Baghdad

Ireland
  Dublin

Israel
  Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital
  in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
  Embassy in Tel Aviv

Italy
  Rome

Jamaica
  Kingston

Japan
  Tokyo

Jersey
  Saint Helier

Jordan
  'Amman

Kazakhstan
  Astana; note - the government moved from Almaty to Astana
  in December 1998

Kenya
  Nairobi

Kiribati
  Tarawa

Korea, North
  Pyongyang

Korea, South
  Seoul

Kuwait
  Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan
  Bishkek

Laos
  Vientiane

Latvia
  Riga

Lebanon
  Beirut

Lesotho
  Maseru

Liberia
  Monrovia

Libya
  Tripoli

Liechtenstein
  Vaduz

Lithuania
  Vilnius

Luxembourg
  Luxembourg

Macedonia
  Skopje

Madagascar
  Antananarivo

Malawi
  Lilongwe

Malaysia
  Kuala Lumpur
  note: Putrajaya is referred to as administrative center not capital;
  Parliament meets in Kuala Lumpur

Maldives
  Male

Mali
  Bamako

Malta
  Valletta

Man, Isle of
  Douglas

Marshall Islands
  Majuro

Martinique
  Fort-de-France

Mauritania
  Nouakchott

Mauritius
  Port Louis

Mayotte
  Mamoutzou

Mexico
  Mexico (Distrito Federal)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Palikir

Moldova
  Chisinau

Monaco
  Monaco

Mongolia
  Ulaanbaatar

Montserrat
  Plymouth (abandoned in 1997 due to volcanic activity;
  interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate, in
  the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of
  Montserrat)

Morocco
  Rabat

Mozambique
  Maputo

Namibia
  Windhoek

Nauru
  no official capital; government offices in Yaren District

Nepal
  Kathmandu

Netherlands
  Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Netherlands Antilles
  Willemstad; note - located on Curacao, the
  largest of the islands

New Caledonia
  Noumea

New Zealand
  Wellington

Nicaragua
  Managua

Niger
  Niamey

Nigeria
  Abuja; note - on 12 December 1991 the capital was officially
  transferred from Lagos to Abuja; most federal government offices
  have now moved to Abuja

Niue
  Alofi

Norfolk Island
  Kingston

Northern Mariana Islands
  Saipan

Norway
  Oslo

Oman
  Muscat

Pakistan
  Islamabad

Palau
  Koror; note - a new capital is being built about 20 km
  northeast of Koror

Panama
  Panama

Papua New Guinea
  Port Moresby

Paraguay
  Asuncion

Peru
  Lima

Philippines
  Manila

Pitcairn Islands
  Adamstown

Poland
  Warsaw

Portugal
  Lisbon

Puerto Rico
  San Juan

Qatar
  Doha

Reunion
  Saint-Denis

Romania
  Bucharest

Russia
  Moscow

Rwanda
  Kigali

Saint Helena
  Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Basseterre

Saint Lucia
  Castries

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Kingstown

Samoa
  Apia

San Marino
  San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
  Riyadh

Senegal
  Dakar

Serbia and Montenegro
  Belgrade

Seychelles
  Victoria

Sierra Leone
  Freetown

Singapore
  Singapore

Slovakia
  Bratislava

Slovenia
  Ljubljana

Solomon Islands
  Honiara

Somalia
  Mogadishu

South Africa
  Pretoria; note - Cape Town is the legislative center
  and Bloemfontein the judicial center

Spain
  Madrid

Sri Lanka
  Colombo; note - Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the
  legislative capital

Sudan
  Khartoum

Suriname
  Paramaribo

Svalbard
  Longyearbyen

Swaziland
  Mbabane; note - Lobamba is the royal and legislative
  capital

Sweden
  Stockholm

Switzerland
  Bern

Syria
  Damascus

Taiwan
  Taipei

Tajikistan
  Dushanbe

Tanzania
  Dar es Salaam; note - legislative offices have been
  transferred to Dodoma, which is planned as the new national capital;
  the National Assembly now meets there on regular basis

Thailand
  Bangkok

Togo
  Lome

Tokelau
  none; each atoll has its own administrative center

Tonga
  Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago
  Port-of-Spain

Tunisia
  Tunis

Turkey
  Ankara

Turkmenistan
  Ashgabat

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Grand Turk

Tuvalu
  Funafuti; note - administrative offices are located in Vaiaku
  Village on Fongafale Islet

Uganda
  Kampala

Ukraine
  Kiev (Kyyiv)

United Arab Emirates
  Abu Dhabi

United Kingdom
  London

United States
  Washington, DC

Uruguay
  Montevideo

Uzbekistan
  Tashkent (Toshkent)

Vanuatu
  Port-Vila (Efate)

Venezuela
  Caracas

Vietnam
  Hanoi

Virgin Islands
  Charlotte Amalie

Wallis and Futuna
  Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  Sanaa

Zambia
  Lusaka

Zimbabwe
  Harare

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2058 Imports - commodities

Afghanistan
  capital goods, food, textiles, petroleum products

Albania
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, textiles, chemicals

Algeria
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

American Samoa
  materials for canneries 56%, food 8%, petroleum
  products 7%, machinery and parts 6%

Andorra
  consumer goods, food, electricity

Angola
  machinery and electrical equipment, vehicles and spare parts;
  medicines, food, textiles, military goods

Anguilla
  fuels, foodstuffs, manufactures, chemicals, trucks, textiles

Antigua and Barbuda
  food and live animals, machinery and transport
  equipment, manufactures, chemicals, oil

Argentina
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
  manufactures, plastics

Armenia
  natural gas, petroleum, tobacco products, foodstuffs,
  diamonds

Aruba
  machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and
  reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Australia
  machinery and transport equipment, computers and office
  machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and
  petroleum products

Austria
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, metal
  goods, oil and oil products; foodstuffs

Azerbaijan
  machinery and equipment, oil products, foodstuffs,
  metals, chemicals

Bahamas, The
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactures,
  chemicals, mineral fuels; food and live animals

Bahrain
  crude oil, machinery, chemicals

Bangladesh
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, iron and steel,
  textiles, foodstuffs, petroleum products, cement (2000)

Barbados
  consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components

Belarus
  mineral products, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  foodstuffs, metals

Belgium
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds,
  pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, oil products

Belize
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels,
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco

Benin
  foodstuffs, capital goods, petroleum products

Bermuda
  machinery and transport equipment, construction materials,
  chemicals, food and live animals

Bhutan
  fuel and lubricants, grain, machinery and parts, vehicles,
  fabrics, rice

Bolivia
  petroleum products, plastics, paper, aircraft and aircraft
  parts, prepared foods, automobiles, insecticides, soybeans

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels,
  foodstuffs

Botswana
  foodstuffs, machinery, electrical goods, transport
  equipment, textiles, fuel and petroleum products, wood and paper
  products, metal and metal products

Brazil
  machinery, electrical and transport equipment, chemical
  products, oil

British Virgin Islands
  building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs,
  machinery

Brunei
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  chemicals

Bulgaria
  machinery and equipment; metals and ores; chemicals and
  plastics; fuels, minerals, and raw materials

Burkina Faso
  capital goods, foodstuffs, petroleum

Burma
  fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport
  equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Burundi
  capital goods, petroleum products, foodstuffs

Cambodia
  petroleum products, cigarettes, gold, construction
  materials, machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceutical products

Cameroon
  machinery, electrical equipment, transport equipment, fuel,
  food

Canada
  machinery and equipment, motor vehicles and parts, crude oil,
  chemicals, electricity, durable consumer goods

Cape Verde
  foodstuffs, industrial products, transport equipment,
  fuels

Cayman Islands
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods

Central African Republic
  food, textiles, petroleum products,
  machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals,
  pharmaceuticals

Chad
  machinery and transportation equipment, industrial goods,
  petroleum products, foodstuffs, textiles

Chile
  petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, electrical and
  telecommunications equipment, industrial machinery, vehicles,
  natural gas

China
  machinery and equipment, oil and mineral fuels, plastics,
  optical and medical equipment, organic chemicals, iron and steel

Christmas Island
  consumer goods

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  foodstuffs

Colombia
  industrial equipment, transportation equipment, consumer
  goods, chemicals, paper products, fuels, electricity

Comoros
  rice and other foodstuffs, consumer goods; petroleum
  products, cement, transport equipment

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  foodstuffs, mining and other
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels

Congo, Republic of the
  capital equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs

Cook Islands
  foodstuffs, textiles, fuels, timber, capital goods

Costa Rica
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital equipment,
  petroleum

Cote d'Ivoire
  fuel, capital equipment, foodstuffs

Croatia
  machinery, transport and electrical equipment, chemicals,
  fuels and lubricants, foodstuffs

Cuba
  petroleum, food, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: consumer goods, petroleum and lubricants,
  intermediate goods, machinery, transport equipment; north Cyprus:
  vehicles, fuel, cigarettes, food, minerals, chemicals, machinery

Czech Republic
  machinery and transport equipment 46%, raw materials
  and fuels 15%, chemicals 10% (2003)

Denmark
  machinery and equipment, raw materials and semimanufactures
  for industry, chemicals, grain and foodstuffs, consumer goods

Djibouti
  foods, beverages, transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum
  products

Dominica
  manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, food, chemicals

Dominican Republic foodstuffs, petroleum, cotton and fabrics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

East Timor
  food, gasoline, kerosene, machinery

Ecuador
  vehicles, medicinal products, telecommunications equipment,
  electricity

Egypt
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products,
  fuels

El Salvador
  raw materials, consumer goods, capital goods, fuels,
  foodstuffs, petroleum, electricity

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum sector equipment, other equipment

Eritrea
  machinery, petroleum products, food, manufactured goods
  (2000)

Estonia
  machinery and equipment 33.5%, chemical products 11.6%,
  textiles 10.3%, foodstuffs 9.4%, transportation equipment 8.9% (2001)

Ethiopia
  food and live animals, petroleum and petroleum products,
  chemicals, machinery, motor vehicles, cereals, textiles

European Union
  machinery, vehicles, aircraft, plastics, crude oil,
  chemicals, textiles, metals, foodstuffs, clothing

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fuel, food and drink, building
  materials, clothing

Faroe Islands
  machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods
  36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt
  (1999)

Fiji
  manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  petroleum products, food, chemicals

Finland
  foodstuffs, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals,
  transport equipment, iron and steel, machinery, textile yarn and
  fabrics, grains (1999)

France
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, crude oil, aircraft,
  plastics, chemicals

French Guiana
  food (grains, processed meat), machinery and transport
  equipment, fuels and chemicals

French Polynesia
  fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Gabon
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, construction
  materials

Gambia, The
  foodstuffs, manufactures, fuel, machinery and transport
  equipment

Gaza Strip
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Georgia
  fuels, machinery and parts, transport equipment, grain and
  other foods, pharmaceuticals

Germany
  machinery, vehicles, chemicals, foodstuffs, textiles, metals

Ghana
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs

Gibraltar
  fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs

Greece
  machinery, transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Greenland
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  food, petroleum products

Grenada
  food, manufactured goods, machinery, chemicals, fuel

Guadeloupe
  foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer
  goods, construction materials

Guam
  petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods

Guatemala
  fuels, machinery and transport equipment, construction
  materials, grain, fertilizers, electricity

Guernsey
  coal, gasoline, oil, machinery and equipment

Guinea
  petroleum products, metals, machinery, transport equipment,
  textiles, grain and other foodstuffs

Guinea-Bissau
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment,
  petroleum products

Guyana
  manufactures, machinery, petroleum, food

Haiti
  food, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment,
  fuels, raw materials

Honduras
  machinery and transport equipment, industrial raw
  materials, chemical products, fuels, foodstuffs (2000)

Hong Kong
  raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods,
  capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is re-exported)

Hungary
  machinery and equipment 51.6%, other manufactures 35.7%,
  fuels and electricity 7.7%, food products 3.1%, raw materials 2.0%
  (2003)

Iceland
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products; foodstuffs,
  textiles

India
  crude oil, machinery, gems, fertilizer, chemicals

Indonesia
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs

Iran
  industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods,
  foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military
  supplies

Iraq
  food, medicine, manufactures

Ireland
  data processing equipment, other machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, petroleum and petroleum products, textiles, clothing

Israel
  raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough
  diamonds, fuels, grain, consumer goods

Italy
  engineering products, chemicals, transport equipment, energy
  products, minerals and nonferrous metals, textiles and clothing;
  food, beverages and tobacco

Jamaica
  food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel,
  parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport
  equipment, construction materials

Japan
  machinery and equipment, fuels, foodstuffs, chemicals,
  textiles, raw materials (2001)

Jersey
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  foodstuffs, mineral fuels, chemicals

Jordan
  crude oil, textile fabrics, machinery, transport equipment,
  manufactured goods

Kazakhstan
  machinery and equipment 41%, metal products 28%,
  foodstuffs 8% (2001)

Kenya
  machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Kiribati
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods, fuel

Korea, North
  petroleum, coking coal, machinery and equipment;
  textiles, grain

Korea, South
  machinery, electronics and electronic equipment, oil,
  steel, transport equipment, organic chemicals, plastics

Kuwait
  food, construction materials, vehicles and parts, clothing

Kyrgyzstan
  oil and gas, machinery and equipment, chemicals,
  foodstuffs

Laos
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, consumer goods

Latvia
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Lebanon
  petroleum products, cars, medicinal products, clothing, meat
  and live animals, consumer goods, paper, textile fabrics, tobacco

Lesotho
  food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines,
  petroleum products (2000)

Liberia
  fuels, chemicals, machinery, transportation equipment,
  manufactured goods; foodstuffs

Libya
  machinery, transport equipment, semi-finished goods, food,
  consumer products (1999)

Liechtenstein
  agricultural products, raw materials, machinery, metal
  goods, textiles, foodstuffs, motor vehicles

Lithuania
  mineral products 21%, machinery and equipment 17%,
  transport equipment 11%, chemicals 9%, textiles and clothing 9%,
  metals 5% (2001)

Luxembourg
  minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods

Macau
  raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods
  (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and
  oils

Macedonia
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; food products,
  automobiles

Madagascar
  capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food

Malawi
  food, petroleum products, semimanufactures, consumer goods,
  transportation equipment

Malaysia
  electronics, machinery, petroleum products, plastics,
  vehicles, iron and steel products, chemicals

Maldives
  petroleum products, ships, foodstuffs, textiles, clothing,
  intermediate and capital goods

Mali
  petroleum, machinery and equipment, construction materials,
  foodstuffs, textiles

Malta
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured and
  semi-manufactured goods; food, drink, and tobacco

Man, Isle of
  timber, fertilizers, fish

Marshall Islands
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels,
  beverages and tobacco

Martinique
  petroleum products, crude oil, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods

Mauritania
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, capital
  goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Mauritius
  manufactured goods, capital equipment, foodstuffs,
  petroleum products, chemicals

Mayotte
  food, machinery and equipment, transportation equipment,
  metals, chemicals

Mexico
  metalworking machines, steel mill products, agricultural
  machinery, electrical equipment, car parts for assembly, repair
  parts for motor vehicles, aircraft, and aircraft parts

Micronesia, Federated States of
  food, manufactured goods, machinery
  and equipment, beverages

Moldova
  mineral products and fuel, machinery and equipment,
  chemicals, textiles (2000)

Mongolia
  machinery and equipment, fuel, cars, food products,
  industrial consumer goods, chemicals, building materials, sugar, tea

Montserrat
  machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs,
  manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials

Morocco
  crude petroleum, textile fabric, telecommunications
  equipment, wheat, gas and electricity, transistors, plastics

Mozambique
  machinery and equipment, vehicles, fuel, chemicals, metal
  products, foodstuffs, textiles

Namibia
  foodstuffs; petroleum products and fuel, machinery and
  equipment, chemicals

Nauru
  food, fuel, manufactures, building materials, machinery

Nepal
  gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Netherlands
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels;
  foodstuffs, clothing

Netherlands Antilles
  crude petroleum, food, manufactures

New Caledonia
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

New Zealand
  machinery and equipment, vehicles and aircraft,
  petroleum, electronics, textiles, plastics

Nicaragua
  consumer goods, machinery and equipment, raw materials,
  petroleum products

Niger
  foodstuffs, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals

Nigeria
  machinery, chemicals, transport equipment, manufactured
  goods, food and live animals

Niue
  food, live animals, manufactured goods, machinery, fuels,
  lubricants, chemicals, drugs

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products

Norway
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals, foodstuffs

Oman
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food,
  livestock, lubricants

Pakistan
  petroleum, petroleum products, machinery, plastics,
  transportation equipment, edible oils, paper and paperboard, iron
  and steel, tea

Palau
  machinery and equipment, fuels, metals; foodstuffs

Panama
  capital goods, foodstuffs, consumer goods, chemicals

Papua New Guinea
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured
  goods, food, fuels, chemicals

Paraguay
  road vehicles, consumer goods, tobacco, petroleum products,
  electrical machinery

Peru
  petroleum and petroleum products, plastics, machinery,
  vehicles, iron and steel, wheat, paper

Philippines
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles
  and vehicle parts, plastic, chemicals, grains

Pitcairn Islands
  fuel oil, machinery, building materials, flour,
  sugar, other foodstuffs

Poland
  machinery and transport equipment 38%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 21%, chemicals 14.8%, minerals, fuels,
  lubricants, and related materials 9.1% (2003)

Portugal
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
  textiles, agricultural products

Puerto Rico
  chemicals, machinery and equipment, clothing, food,
  fish, petroleum products

Qatar
  machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Reunion
  manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and
  transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products

Romania
  machinery and equipment, fuels and minerals, chemicals,
  textile and products, basic metals, agricultural products

Russia
  machinery and equipment, consumer goods, medicines, meat,
  sugar, semifinished metal products

Rwanda
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, steel, petroleum
  products, cement and construction material

Saint Helena
  food, beverages, tobacco, fuel oils, animal feed,
  building materials, motor vehicles and parts, machinery and parts

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  machinery, manufactures, food, fuels

Saint Lucia
  food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and
  transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  meat, clothing, fuel, electrical
  equipment, machinery, building materials

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  foodstuffs, machinery and
  equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels

Samoa
  machinery and equipment, industrial supplies, foodstuffs

San Marino
  wide variety of consumer manufactures, food

Sao Tome and Principe
  machinery and electrical equipment, food
  products, petroleum products

Saudi Arabia
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, textiles

Senegal
  food and beverages, capital goods, fuels

Serbia and Montenegro
  machinery and transport equipment, fuels and
  lubricants, manufactured goods, chemicals, food and live animals,
  raw materials

Seychelles
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products,
  chemicals

Sierra Leone
  foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and
  lubricants, chemicals (1995)

Singapore
  machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,
  foodstuffs

Slovakia
  machinery and transport equipment 41.1%, intermediate
  manufactured goods 19.3%, fuels 12.3%, chemicals 9.8%, miscellaneous
  manufactured goods 10.2% (2003)

Slovenia
  machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
  chemicals, fuels and lubricants, food

Solomon Islands
  food, plant and equipment, manufactured goods,
  fuels, chemicals

Somalia
  manufactures, petroleum products, foodstuffs, construction
  materials, qat

South Africa
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum products,
  scientific instruments, foodstuffs (2000 est.)

Spain
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, semifinished goods;
  foodstuffs, consumer goods; measuring and medical control instruments

Sri Lanka
  textile fabrics, mineral products, petroleum, foodstuffs,
  machinery and transportation equipment

Sudan
  foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport
  equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Suriname
  capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs, cotton, consumer
  goods

Swaziland
  motor vehicles, machinery, transport equipment,
  foodstuffs, petroleum products, chemicals

Sweden
  machinery, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, motor
  vehicles, iron and steel; foodstuffs, clothing

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural
  products, textiles

Syria
  machinery and transport equipment, electric power machinery,
  food and livestock, metal and metal products, chemicals and chemical
  products, plastics, yarn, paper

Taiwan
  machinery and electrical equipment 44.5%, minerals, precision
  instruments (2002)

Tajikistan
  electricity, petroleum products, aluminum oxide,
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs

Tanzania
  consumer goods, machinery and transportation equipment,
  industrial raw materials, crude oil

Thailand
  capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials,
  consumer goods, fuels

Togo
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum products

Tokelau
  foodstuffs, building materials, fuel

Tonga
  foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, fuels, chemicals

Trinidad and Tobago
  machinery, transportation equipment,
  manufactured goods, food, live animals

Tunisia
  textiles, machinery and equipment, hydrocarbons, chemicals,
  food

Turkey
  machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport
  equipment

Turkmenistan
  machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs

Turks and Caicos Islands food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials

Tuvalu
  food, animals, mineral fuels, machinery, manufactured goods

Uganda
  capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies;
  cereals

Ukraine
  energy, machinery and equipment, chemicals

United Arab Emirates machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food

United Kingdom
  manufactured goods, machinery, fuels; foodstuffs

United States
  agricultural products 4.9%, industrial supplies 32.9%
  (crude oil 8.2%), capital goods 30.4% (computers, telecommunications
  equipment, motor vehicle parts, office machines, electric power
  machinery), consumer goods 31.8% (automobiles, clothing, medicines,
  furniture, toys) (2003)

Uruguay
  machinery, chemicals, road vehicles, crude petroleum

Uzbekistan
  machinery and equipment 49.8%, foodstuffs 16.4%,
  chemicals, metals (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels

Venezuela
  raw materials, machinery and equipment, transport
  equipment, construction materials

Vietnam
  machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer,
  steel products, raw cotton, grain, cement, motorcycles

Virgin Islands
  crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building
  materials

Wallis and Futuna
  chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer
  goods

West Bank
  food, consumer goods, construction materials

Western Sahara
  fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs

World
  the whole range of industrial and agricultural goods and
  services

Yemen
  food and live animals, machinery and equipment, chemicals

Zambia
  machinery, transportation equipment, petroleum products,
  electricity, fertilizer; foodstuffs, clothing

Zimbabwe
  machinery and transport equipment, other manufactures,
  chemicals, fuels

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2059 Climate

Afghanistan
  arid to semiarid; cold winters and hot summers

Akrotiri
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

Albania
  mild temperate; cool, cloudy, wet winters; hot, clear, dry
  summers; interior is cooler and wetter

Algeria
  arid to semiarid; mild, wet winters with hot, dry summers
  along coast; drier with cold winters and hot summers on high
  plateau; sirocco is a hot, dust/sand-laden wind especially common in
  summer

American Samoa
  tropical marine, moderated by southeast trade winds;
  annual rainfall averages about 3 m; rainy season from November to
  April, dry season from May to October; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Andorra
  temperate; snowy, cold winters and warm, dry summers

Angola
  semiarid in south and along coast to Luanda; north has cool,
  dry season (May to October) and hot, rainy season (November to April)

Anguilla
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds

Antarctica
  severe low temperatures vary with latitude, elevation,
  and distance from the ocean; East Antarctica is colder than West
  Antarctica because of its higher elevation; Antarctic Peninsula has
  the most moderate climate; higher temperatures occur in January
  along the coast and average slightly below freezing

Antigua and Barbuda
  tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Arctic Ocean
  polar climate characterized by persistent cold and
  relatively narrow annual temperature ranges; winters characterized
  by continuous darkness, cold and stable weather conditions, and
  clear skies; summers characterized by continuous daylight, damp and
  foggy weather, and weak cyclones with rain or snow

Argentina
  mostly temperate; arid in southeast; subantarctic in
  southwest

Armenia
  highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Aruba
  tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  tropical

Atlantic Ocean
  tropical cyclones (hurricanes) develop off the coast
  of Africa near Cape Verde and move westward into the Caribbean Sea;
  hurricanes can occur from May to December, but are most frequent
  from August to November

Australia
  generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east;
  tropical in north

Austria
  temperate; continental, cloudy; cold winters with frequent
  rain and some snow in lowlands and snow in mountains; moderate
  summers with occasional showers

Azerbaijan
  dry, semiarid steppe

Bahamas, The
  tropical marine; moderated by warm waters of Gulf Stream

Bahrain
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Baker Island
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Bangladesh
  tropical; mild winter (October to March); hot, humid
  summer (March to June); humid, warm rainy monsoon (June to October)

Barbados
  tropical; rainy season (June to October)

Bassas da India
  tropical

Belarus
  cold winters, cool and moist summers; transitional between
  continental and maritime

Belgium
  temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy

Belize
  tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November);
  dry season (February to May)

Benin
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Bermuda
  subtropical; mild, humid; gales, strong winds common in
  winter

Bhutan
  varies; tropical in southern plains; cool winters and hot
  summers in central valleys; severe winters and cool summers in
  Himalayas

Bolivia
  varies with altitude; humid and tropical to cold and semiarid

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  hot summers and cold winters; areas of high
  elevation have short, cool summers and long, severe winters; mild,
  rainy winters along coast

Botswana
  semiarid; warm winters and hot summers

Bouvet Island
  antarctic

Brazil
  mostly tropical, but temperate in south

British Indian Ocean Territory
  tropical marine; hot, humid,
  moderated by trade winds

British Virgin Islands
  subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by
  trade winds

Brunei
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Bulgaria
  temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Burkina Faso
  tropical; warm, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Burma
  tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest
  monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild
  temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon,
  December to April)

Burundi
  equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude
  variation (772 m to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual
  temperature varies with altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade
  but is generally moderate as the average altitude is about 1,700 m;
  average annual rainfall is about 150 cm; wet seasons from February
  to May and September to November, and dry seasons from June to
  August and December to January

Cambodia
  tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry
  season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation

Cameroon
  varies with terrain, from tropical along coast to semiarid
  and hot in north

Canada
  varies from temperate in south to subarctic and arctic in
  north

Cape Verde
  temperate; warm, dry summer; precipitation meager and
  very erratic

Cayman Islands
  tropical marine; warm, rainy summers (May to October)
  and cool, relatively dry winters (November to April)

Central African Republic
  tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot,
  wet summers

Chad
  tropical in south, desert in north

Chile
  temperate; desert in north; Mediterranean in central region;
  cool and damp in south

China
  extremely diverse; tropical in south to subarctic in north

Christmas Island
  tropical with a wet and dry season; heat and
  humidity moderated by trade winds; wet season December to April

Clipperton Island
  tropical; humid, average temperature 20-32 degrees
  C, rains May-October

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  tropical with high humidity, moderated by
  the southeast trade winds for about nine months of the year

Colombia
  tropical along coast and eastern plains; cooler in highlands

Comoros
  tropical marine; rainy season (November to May)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October

Congo, Republic of the
  tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry
  season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity;
  particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Cook Islands
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Coral Sea Islands
  tropical

Costa Rica
  tropical and subtropical; dry season (December to April);
  rainy season (May to November); cooler in highlands

Cote d'Ivoire
  tropical along coast, semiarid in far north; three
  seasons - warm and dry (November to March), hot and dry (March to
  May), hot and wet (June to October)

Croatia
  Mediterranean and continental; continental climate
  predominant with hot summers and cold winters; mild winters, dry
  summers along coast

Cuba
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to
  April); rainy season (May to October)

Cyprus
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

Czech Republic
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Denmark
  temperate; humid and overcast; mild, windy winters and cool
  summers

Dhekelia
  temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool
  winters

Djibouti
  desert; torrid, dry

Dominica
  tropical; moderated by northeast trade winds; heavy rainfall

Dominican Republic tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation; seasonal variation in rainfall

East Timor
  tropical; hot, humid; distinct rainy and dry seasons

Ecuador
  tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher
  elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands

Egypt
  desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

El Salvador
  tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season
  (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands

Equatorial Guinea
  tropical; always hot, humid

Eritrea
  hot, dry desert strip along Red Sea coast; cooler and wetter
  in the central highlands (up to 61 cm of rainfall annually);
  semiarid in western hills and lowlands; rainfall heaviest during
  June-September except in coastal desert

Estonia
  maritime, wet, moderate winters, cool summers

Ethiopia
  tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation

Europa Island
  tropical

European Union
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to
  temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; average annual rainfall is 24 inches in Stanley; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate

Faroe Islands
  mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy,
  windy

Fiji
  tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation

Finland
  cold temperate; potentially subarctic but comparatively mild
  because of moderating influence of the North Atlantic Current,
  Baltic Sea, and more than 60,000 lakes

France
  generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and
  hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
  north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral

French Guiana
  tropical; hot, humid; little seasonal temperature
  variation

French Polynesia
  tropical, but moderate

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  antarctic

Gabon
  tropical; always hot, humid

Gambia, The
  tropical; hot, rainy season (June to November); cooler,
  dry season (November to May)

Gaza Strip
  temperate, mild winters, dry and warm to hot summers

Georgia
  warm and pleasant; Mediterranean-like on Black Sea coast

Germany
  temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers;
  occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind

Ghana
  tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast;
  hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north

Gibraltar
  Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers

Glorioso Islands
  tropical

Greece
  temperate; mild, wet winters; hot, dry summers

Greenland
  arctic to subarctic; cool summers, cold winters

Grenada
  tropical; tempered by northeast trade winds

Guadeloupe
  subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high
  humidity

Guam
  tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by
  northeast trade winds; dry season from January to June, rainy season
  from July to December; little seasonal temperature variation

Guatemala
  tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands

Guernsey
  temperate with mild winters and cool summers; about 50% of
  days are overcast

Guinea
  generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type rainy season (June to
  November) with southwesterly winds; dry season (December to May)
  with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guinea-Bissau
  tropical; generally hot and humid; monsoonal-type
  rainy season (June to November) with southwesterly winds; dry season
  (December to May) with northeasterly harmattan winds

Guyana
  tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two
  rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Haiti
  tropical; semiarid where mountains in east cut off trade winds

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  antarctic

Holy See (Vatican City) temperate; mild, rainy winters (September to mid-May) with hot, dry summers (May to September)

Honduras
  subtropical in lowlands, temperate in mountains

Hong Kong
  tropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy
  from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

Howland Island
  equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Hungary
  temperate; cold, cloudy, humid winters; warm summers

Iceland
  temperate; moderated by North Atlantic Current; mild, windy
  winters; damp, cool summers

India
  varies from tropical monsoon in south to temperate in north

Indian Ocean
  northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest
  monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June
  and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and
  January/February in the southern Indian Ocean

Indonesia
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Iran
  mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast

Iraq
  mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless
  summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish
  borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that
  melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in
  central and southern Iraq

Ireland
  temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild
  winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the
  time

Israel
  temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas

Italy
  predominantly Mediterranean; Alpine in far north; hot, dry in
  south

Jamaica
  tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior

Jan Mayen
  arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog

Japan
  varies from tropical in south to cool temperate in north

Jarvis Island
  tropical; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun

Jersey
  temperate; mild winters and cool summers

Johnston Atoll
  tropical, but generally dry; consistent northeast
  trade winds with little seasonal temperature variation

Jordan
  mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)

Juan de Nova Island
  tropical

Kazakhstan
  continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and
  semiarid

Kenya
  varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Kingman Reef
  tropical; moderated by prevailing winds

Kiribati
  tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Korea, North
  temperate with rainfall concentrated in summer

Korea, South
  temperate, with rainfall heavier in summer than winter

Kuwait
  dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters

Kyrgyzstan
  dry continental to polar in high Tien Shan; subtropical
  in southwest (Fergana Valley); temperate in northern foothill zone

Laos
  tropical monsoon; rainy season (May to November); dry season
  (December to April)

Latvia
  maritime; wet, moderate winters

Lebanon
  Mediterranean; mild to cool, wet winters with hot, dry
  summers; Lebanon mountains experience heavy winter snows

Lesotho
  temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers

Liberia
  tropical; hot, humid; dry winters with hot days and cool to
  cold nights; wet, cloudy summers with frequent heavy showers

Libya
  Mediterranean along coast; dry, extreme desert interior

Liechtenstein
  continental; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow
  or rain; cool to moderately warm, cloudy, humid summers

Lithuania
  transitional, between maritime and continental; wet,
  moderate winters and summers

Luxembourg
  modified continental with mild winters, cool summers

Macau
  subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers

Macedonia
  warm, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters
  with heavy snowfall

Madagascar
  tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south

Malawi
  sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May
  to November)

Malaysia
  tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast
  (October to February) monsoons

Maldives
  tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to
  March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)

Mali
  subtropical to arid; hot and dry February to June; rainy,
  humid, and mild June to November; cool and dry November to February

Malta
  Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers

Man, Isle of
  temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast
  about one-third of the time

Marshall Islands
  tropical; hot and humid; wet season from May to
  November; islands border typhoon belt

Martinique
  tropical; moderated by trade winds; rainy season (June to
  October); vulnerable to devastating cyclones (hurricanes) every
  eight years on average; average temperature 17.3 degrees C; humid

Mauritania
  desert; constantly hot, dry, dusty

Mauritius
  tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry
  winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May)

Mayotte
  tropical; marine; hot, humid, rainy season during
  northeastern monsoon (November to May); dry season is cooler (May to
  November)

Mexico
  varies from tropical to desert

Micronesia, Federated States of tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

Midway Islands
  subtropical; moderated by prevailing easterly winds

Moldova
  moderate winters, warm summers

Monaco
  Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers

Mongolia
  desert; continental (large daily and seasonal temperature
  ranges)

Montserrat
  tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation

Morocco
  Mediterranean, becoming more extreme in the interior

Mozambique
  tropical to subtropical

Namibia
  desert; hot, dry; rainfall sparse and erratic

Nauru
  tropical with a monsoonal pattern; rainy season (November to
  February)

Navassa Island
  marine, tropical

Nepal
  varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to
  subtropical summers and mild winters in south

Netherlands
  temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Netherlands Antilles
  tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

New Caledonia
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

New Zealand
  temperate with sharp regional contrasts

Nicaragua
  tropical in lowlands, cooler in highlands

Niger
  desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south

Nigeria
  varies; equatorial in south, tropical in center, arid in
  north

Niue
  tropical; modified by southeast trade winds

Norfolk Island
  subtropical; mild, little seasonal temperature
  variation

Northern Mariana Islands
  tropical marine; moderated by northeast
  trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season
  December to June, rainy season July to October

Norway
  temperate along coast, modified by North Atlantic Current;
  colder interior with increased precipitation and colder summers;
  rainy year-round on west coast

Oman
  dry desert; hot, humid along coast; hot, dry interior; strong
  southwest summer monsoon (May to September) in far south

Pacific Ocean
  planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind
  patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade
  winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by
  seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south
  of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central
  America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much
  less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same
  latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is
  monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when
  moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry
  season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian
  landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike
  southeast and east Asia from May to December

Pakistan
  mostly hot, dry desert; temperate in northwest; arctic in
  north

Palau
  tropical; hot and humid; wet season May to November

Palmyra Atoll
  equatorial, hot, and very rainy

Panama
  tropical maritime; hot, humid, cloudy; prolonged rainy season
  (May to January), short dry season (January to May)

Papua New Guinea
  tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March),
  southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature
  variation

Paracel Islands
  tropical

Paraguay
  subtropical to temperate; substantial rainfall in the
  eastern portions, becoming semiarid in the far west

Peru
  varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate
  to frigid in Andes

Philippines
  tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April);
  southwest monsoon (May to October)

Pitcairn Islands
  tropical; hot and humid; modified by southeast
  trade winds; rainy season (November to March)

Poland
  temperate with cold, cloudy, moderately severe winters with
  frequent precipitation; mild summers with frequent showers and
  thundershowers

Portugal
  maritime temperate; cool and rainy in north, warmer and
  drier in south

Puerto Rico
  tropical marine, mild; little seasonal temperature
  variation

Qatar
  arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Reunion
  tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and
  dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April

Romania
  temperate; cold, cloudy winters with frequent snow and fog;
  sunny summers with frequent showers and thunderstorms

Russia
  ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in
  much of European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in
  the polar north; winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to
  frigid in Siberia; summers vary from warm in the steppes to cool
  along Arctic coast

Rwanda
  temperate; two rainy seasons (February to April, November to
  January); mild in mountains with frost and snow possible

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena - tropical; marine; mild, tempered by
  trade winds; Tristan da Cunha - temperate; marine, mild, tempered by
  trade winds (tends to be cooler than Saint Helena)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  tropical tempered by constant sea breezes;
  little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Saint Lucia
  tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season
  from January to April, rainy season from May to August

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  cold and wet, with much mist and fog;
  spring and autumn are windy

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  tropical; little seasonal
  temperature variation; rainy season (May to November)

Samoa
  tropical; rainy season (November to April), dry season (May to
  October)

San Marino
  Mediterranean; mild to cool winters; warm, sunny summers

Sao Tome and Principe
  tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season
  (October to May)

Saudi Arabia
  harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Senegal
  tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has
  strong southeast winds; dry season (December to April) dominated by
  hot, dry, harmattan wind

Serbia and Montenegro
  in the north, continental climate (cold
  winters and hot, humid summers with well distributed rainfall);
  central portion, continental and Mediterranean climate; to the
  south, Adriatic climate along the coast, hot, dry summers and
  autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland

Seychelles
  tropical marine; humid; cooler season during southeast
  monsoon (late May to September); warmer season during northwest
  monsoon (March to May)

Sierra Leone
  tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to
  December); winter dry season (December to April)

Singapore
  tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons
  - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern
  monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon
  and early evening thunderstorms

Slovakia
  temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters

Slovenia
  Mediterranean climate on the coast, continental climate
  with mild to hot summers and cold winters in the plateaus and
  valleys to the east

Solomon Islands
  tropical monsoon; few extremes of temperature and
  weather

Somalia
  principally desert; December to February - northeast
  monsoon, moderate temperatures in north and very hot in south; May
  to October - southwest monsoon, torrid in the north and hot in the
  south, irregular rainfall, hot and humid periods (tangambili)
  between monsoons

South Africa
  mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny
  days, cool nights

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  variable, with mostly
  westerly winds throughout the year interspersed with periods of
  calm; nearly all precipitation falls as snow

Southern Ocean
  sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius
  to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the
  continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature
  contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about
  latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average
  winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward
  to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees
  south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures
  well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense
  persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline
  ice-free throughout the winter

Spain
  temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and
  cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy
  and cool along coast

Spratly Islands
  tropical

Sri Lanka
  tropical monsoon; northeast monsoon (December to March);
  southwest monsoon (June to October)

Sudan
  tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies
  by region (April to November)

Suriname
  tropical; moderated by trade winds

Svalbard
  arctic, tempered by warm North Atlantic Current; cool
  summers, cold winters; North Atlantic Current flows along west and
  north coasts of Spitsbergen, keeping water open and navigable most
  of the year

Swaziland
  varies from tropical to near temperate

Sweden
  temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly
  cloudy summers; subarctic in north

Switzerland
  temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy,
  rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with
  occasional showers

Syria
  mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and
  mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather
  with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus

Taiwan
  tropical; marine; rainy season during southwest monsoon (June
  to August); cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year

Tajikistan
  midlatitude continental, hot summers, mild winters;
  semiarid to polar in Pamir Mountains

Tanzania
  varies from tropical along coast to temperate in highlands

Thailand
  tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
  September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March);
  southern isthmus always hot and humid

Togo
  tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north

Tokelau
  tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November)

Tonga
  tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to
  May), cool season (May to December)

Trinidad and Tobago
  tropical; rainy season (June to December)

Tromelin Island
  tropical

Tunisia
  temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry
  summers; desert in south

Turkey
  temperate; hot, dry summers with mild, wet winters; harsher
  in interior

Turkmenistan
  subtropical desert

Turks and Caicos Islands
  tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds;
  sunny and relatively dry

Tuvalu
  tropical; moderated by easterly trade winds (March to
  November); westerly gales and heavy rain (November to March)

Uganda
  tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
  February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Ukraine
  temperate continental; Mediterranean only on the southern
  Crimean coast; precipitation disproportionately distributed, highest
  in west and north, lesser in east and southeast; winters vary from
  cool along the Black Sea to cold farther inland; summers are warm
  across the greater part of the country, hot in the south

United Arab Emirates
  desert; cooler in eastern mountains

United Kingdom
  temperate; moderated by prevailing southwest winds
  over the North Atlantic Current; more than one-half of the days are
  overcast

United States
  mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida,
  arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the
  Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest; low
  winter temperatures in the northwest are ameliorated occasionally in
  January and February by warm chinook winds from the eastern slopes
  of the Rocky Mountains

Uruguay
  warm temperate; freezing temperatures almost unknown

Uzbekistan
  mostly midlatitude desert, long, hot summers, mild
  winters; semiarid grassland in east

Vanuatu
  tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to
  October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected
  by cyclones from December to April

Venezuela
  tropical; hot, humid; more moderate in highlands

Vietnam
  tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season
  (mid-May to mid-September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to
  mid-March)

Virgin Islands
  subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds,
  relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation;
  rainy season September to November

Wake Island
  tropical

Wallis and Futuna
  tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April);
  cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year
  (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

West Bank
  temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with
  altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters

Western Sahara
  hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air
  currents produce fog and heavy dew

World
  two large areas of polar climates separated by two rather
  narrow temperate zones form a wide equatorial band of tropical to
  subtropical climates

Yemen
  mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate in
  western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon; extraordinarily hot,
  dry, harsh desert in east

Zambia
  tropical; modified by altitude; rainy season (October to
  April)

Zimbabwe
  tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season (November to
  March)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2060 Coastline (km)

Afghanistan
  0 km (landlocked)

Akrotiri
  56.3 km

Albania
  362 km

Algeria
  998 km

American Samoa
  116 km

Andorra
  0 km (landlocked)

Angola
  1,600 km

Anguilla
  61 km

Antarctica
  17,968 km

Antigua and Barbuda
  153 km

Arctic Ocean
  45,389 km

Argentina
  4,989 km

Armenia
  0 km (landlocked)

Aruba
  68.5 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  74.1 km

Atlantic Ocean
  111,866 km

Australia
  25,760 km

Austria
  0 km (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
  0 km (landlocked); note - Azerbaijan borders the Caspian
  Sea (800 km, est.)

Bahamas, The
  3,542 km

Bahrain
  161 km

Baker Island
  4.8 km

Bangladesh
  580 km

Barbados
  97 km

Bassas da India
  35.2 km

Belarus
  0 km (landlocked)

Belgium
  66.5 km

Belize
  386 km

Benin
  121 km

Bermuda
  103 km

Bhutan
  0 km (landlocked)

Bolivia
  0 km (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20 km

Botswana
  0 km (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
  29.6 km

Brazil
  7,491 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  698 km

British Virgin Islands
  80 km

Brunei
  161 km

Bulgaria
  354 km

Burkina Faso
  0 km (landlocked)

Burma
  1,930 km

Burundi
  0 km (landlocked)

Cambodia
  443 km

Cameroon
  402 km

Canada
  202,080 km

Cape Verde
  965 km

Cayman Islands
  160 km

Central African Republic
  0 km (landlocked)

Chad
  0 km (landlocked)

Chile
  6,435 km

China
  14,500 km

Christmas Island
  138.9 km

Clipperton Island
  11.1 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  26 km

Colombia
  3,208 km (Caribbean Sea 1,760 km, North Pacific Ocean 1,448
  km)

Comoros
  340 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  37 km

Congo, Republic of the
  169 km

Cook Islands
  120 km

Coral Sea Islands
  3,095 km

Costa Rica
  1,290 km

Cote d'Ivoire
  515 km

Croatia
  5,835 km (mainland 1,777 km, islands 4,058 km)

Cuba
  3,735 km

Cyprus
  648 km

Czech Republic
  0 km (landlocked)

Denmark
  7,314 km

Dhekelia
  27.5 km

Djibouti
  314 km

Dominica
  148 km

Dominican Republic
  1,288 km

East Timor
  706 km

Ecuador
  2,237 km

Egypt
  2,450 km

El Salvador
  307 km

Equatorial Guinea
  296 km

Eritrea
  2,234 km total; mainland on Red Sea 1,151 km, islands in Red
  Sea 1,083 km

Estonia
  3,794 km

Ethiopia
  0 km (landlocked)

Europa Island
  22.2 km

European Union
  65,413.9 km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,288 km

Faroe Islands
  1,117 km

Fiji
  1,129 km

Finland
  1,250 km

France
  3,427 km

French Guiana
  378 km

French Polynesia
  2,525 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  1,232 km

Gabon
  885 km

Gambia, The
  80 km

Gaza Strip
  40 km

Georgia
  310 km

Germany
  2,389 km

Ghana
  539 km

Gibraltar
  12 km

Glorioso Islands
  35.2 km

Greece
  13,676 km

Greenland
  44,087 km

Grenada
  121 km

Guadeloupe
  306 km

Guam
  125.5 km

Guatemala
  400 km

Guernsey
  50 km

Guinea
  320 km

Guinea-Bissau
  350 km

Guyana
  459 km

Haiti
  1,771 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  101.9 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 km (landlocked)

Honduras
  820 km

Hong Kong
  733 km

Howland Island
  6.4 km

Hungary
  0 km (landlocked)

Iceland
  4,988 km

India
  7,000 km

Indian Ocean
  66,526 km

Indonesia
  54,716 km

Iran
  2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km)

Iraq
  58 km

Ireland
  1,448 km

Israel
  273 km

Italy
  7,600 km

Jamaica
  1,022 km

Jan Mayen
  124.1 km

Japan
  29,751 km

Jarvis Island
  8 km

Jersey
  70 km

Johnston Atoll
  34 km

Jordan
  26 km

Juan de Nova Island
  24.1 km

Kazakhstan
  0 km (landlocked); note - Kazakhstan borders the Aral
  Sea, now split into two bodies of water (1,070 km), and the Caspian
  Sea (1,894 km)

Kenya
  536 km

Kingman Reef
  3 km

Kiribati
  1,143 km

Korea, North
  2,495 km

Korea, South
  2,413 km

Kuwait
  499 km

Kyrgyzstan
  0 km (landlocked)

Laos
  0 km (landlocked)

Latvia
  531 km

Lebanon
  225 km

Lesotho
  0 km (landlocked)

Liberia
  579 km

Libya
  1,770 km

Liechtenstein
  0 km (doubly landlocked)

Lithuania
  99 km

Luxembourg
  0 km (landlocked)

Macau
  41 km

Macedonia
  0 km (landlocked)

Madagascar
  4,828 km

Malawi
  0 km (landlocked)

Malaysia
  4,675 km (Peninsular Malaysia 2,068 km, East Malaysia 2,607
  km)

Maldives
  644 km

Mali
  0 km (landlocked)

Malta
  196.8 km (does not include 56.01 km for the island of Gozo)

Man, Isle of
  160 km

Marshall Islands
  370.4 km

Martinique
  350 km

Mauritania
  754 km

Mauritius
  177 km

Mayotte
  185.2 km

Mexico
  9,330 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6,112 km

Midway Islands
  15 km

Moldova
  0 km (landlocked)

Monaco
  4.1 km

Mongolia
  0 km (landlocked)

Montserrat
  40 km

Morocco
  1,835 km

Mozambique
  2,470 km

Namibia
  1,572 km

Nauru
  30 km

Navassa Island
  8 km

Nepal
  0 km (landlocked)

Netherlands
  451 km

Netherlands Antilles
  364 km

New Caledonia
  2,254 km

New Zealand
  15,134 km

Nicaragua
  910 km

Niger
  0 km (landlocked)

Nigeria
  853 km

Niue
  64 km

Norfolk Island
  32 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  1,482 km

Norway
  25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as well as long
  fjords, numerous small islands, and minor indentations 22,498 km;
  length of island coastlines 58,133 km)

Oman
  2,092 km

Pacific Ocean
  135,663 km

Pakistan
  1,046 km

Palau
  1,519 km

Palmyra Atoll
  14.5 km

Panama
  2,490 km

Papua New Guinea
  5,152 km

Paracel Islands
  518 km

Paraguay
  0 km (landlocked)

Peru
  2,414 km

Philippines
  36,289 km

Pitcairn Islands
  51 km

Poland
  491 km

Portugal
  1,793 km

Puerto Rico
  501 km

Qatar
  563 km

Reunion
  207 km

Romania
  225 km

Russia
  37,653 km

Rwanda
  0 km (landlocked)

Saint Helena
  60 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  135 km

Saint Lucia
  158 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  120 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  84 km

Samoa
  403 km

San Marino
  0 km (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
  209 km

Saudi Arabia
  2,640 km

Senegal
  531 km

Serbia and Montenegro
  199 km

Seychelles
  491 km

Sierra Leone
  402 km

Singapore
  193 km

Slovakia
  0 km (landlocked)

Slovenia
  46.6 km

Solomon Islands
  5,313 km

Somalia
  3,025 km

South Africa
  2,798 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  NA km

Southern Ocean
  17,968 km

Spain
  4,964 km

Spratly Islands
  926 km

Sri Lanka
  1,340 km

Sudan
  853 km

Suriname
  386 km

Svalbard
  3,587 km

Swaziland
  0 km (landlocked)

Sweden
  3,218 km

Switzerland
  0 km (landlocked)

Syria
  193 km

Taiwan
  1,566.3 km

Tajikistan
  0 km (landlocked)

Tanzania
  1,424 km

Thailand
  3,219 km

Togo
  56 km

Tokelau
  101 km

Tonga
  419 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  362 km

Tromelin Island
  3.7 km

Tunisia
  1,148 km

Turkey
  7,200 km

Turkmenistan
  0 km; note - Turkmenistan borders the Caspian Sea
  (1,768 km)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  389 km

Tuvalu
  24 km

Uganda
  0 km (landlocked)

Ukraine
  2,782 km

United Arab Emirates
  1,318 km

United Kingdom
  12,429 km

United States
  19,924 km

Uruguay
  660 km

Uzbekistan
  0 km (doubly landlocked); note - Uzbekistan includes the
  southern portion of the Aral Sea with a 420 km shoreline

Vanuatu
  2,528 km

Venezuela
  2,800 km

Vietnam
  3,444 km (excludes islands)

Virgin Islands
  188 km

Wake Island
  19.3 km

Wallis and Futuna
  129 km

West Bank
  0 km (landlocked)

Western Sahara
  1,110 km

World
  356,000 km
  note: 98 nations and other entities are islands that border no other
  countries, they include: American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and
  Barbuda, Aruba, Ashmore and Cartier Islands, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
  Baker Island, Barbados, Bassas da India, Bermuda, Bouvet Island,
  British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cape Verde,
  Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Clipperton Island, Cocos (Keeling)
  Islands, Comoros, Cook Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Cuba, Cyprus,
  Dominica, Europa Island, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Faroe
  Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic
  Lands, Glorioso Islands, Greenland, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Heard
  Island and McDonald Islands, Howland Island, Iceland, Jamaica, Jan
  Mayen, Japan, Jarvis Island, Jersey, Johnston Atoll, Juan de Nova
  Island, Kingman Reef, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Isle of
  Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated
  States of Micronesia, Midway Islands, Montserrat, Nauru, Navassa
  Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
  Mariana Islands, Palau, Palmyra Atoll, Paracel Islands, Philippines,
  Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts
  and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Singapore,
  Solomon Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
  Spratly Islands, Sri Lanka, Svalbard, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and
  Tobago, Tromelin Island, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu,
  Virgin Islands, Wake Island, Wallis and Futuna, Taiwan

Yemen
  1,906 km

Zambia
  0 km (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
  0 km (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2061 Imports - partners (%)

Afghanistan
  Pakistan 25.5%, US 8.7%, India 8.5%, Germany 6.5%,
  Turkmenistan 5.3%, Kenya 4.7%, South Korea 4.2%, Russia 4.2% (2004)

Albania
  Italy 34.8%, Greece 19.8%, Turkey 7.7%, Germany 5.3% (2004)

Algeria
  France 30.3%, Italy 8.2%, Germany 6.5%, Spain 5.5%, US 5.2%,
  China 5.1%, Turkey 4.3% (2004)

American Samoa
  Japan 31.4%, New Zealand 27.9%, Germany 17.1%,
  Australia 8.9% (2004)

Andorra
  Spain 48%, France 35%, US 2.3% (2000)

Angola
  South Korea 28.3%, Portugal 13.1%, US 9.3%, South Africa
  7.4%, Brazil 5.6%, Japan 4.8%, France 4.4% (2004)

Anguilla
  US, Puerto Rico, UK (2000)

Antigua and Barbuda
  China 19.5%, US 18.7%, Singapore 14.8%, Poland
  8.5%, Trinidad and Tobago 4.7% (2004)

Argentina
  Brazil 36.2%, US 16.6%, Germany 5.7%, China 4.3% (2004)

Armenia
  Russia 11.3%, Belgium 10.1%, Israel 8.4%, US 7.6%, Iran
  7.1%, UAE 6.1%, Ukraine 5.9%, Italy 5.5%, Germany 5.2%, Georgia
  4.6%, France 4.5% (2004)

Aruba
  US 55.5%, Netherlands 14.1%, Venezuela 3.3% (2004)

Australia
  US 14.8%, China 12.7%, Japan 11.8%, Germany 5.8%,
  Singapore 4.4%, UK 4.1% (2004)

Austria
  Germany 46.3%, Italy 6.8%, Switzerland 4.3% (2004)

Azerbaijan
  Russia 16.1%, UK 12.5%, Turkey 10.5%, Germany 7.8%,
  Ukraine 5.6%, Netherlands 4.9%, US 4.1%, Italy 4% (2004)

Bahamas, The
  US 22.4%, South Korea 18.9%, Brazil 9.2%, Japan 7.9%,
  Italy 7.8%, Venezuela 6.6% (2004)

Bahrain
  Saudi Arabia 32.4%, Japan 7.3%, Germany 6.1%, US 5.6%, UK
  5.4%, France 4.8% (2004)

Bangladesh
  India 15.1%, China 12.5%, Singapore 7.5%, Kuwait 5.5%,
  Japan 5.3%, Hong Kong 4.5% (2004)

Barbados
  US 35.2%, Trinidad and Tobago 20%, UK 5.6%, Japan 4.3%
  (2004)

Belarus
  Russia 68.2%, Germany 6.6%, Ukraine 3.3% (2004)

Belgium
  Germany 18.4%, Netherlands 17%, France 12.5%, UK 6.8%,
  Ireland 6.3%, US 5.5% (2004)

Belize
  US 30.1%, Mexico 12%, Guatemala 7.4%, Cuba 7.2%, China 4.2%,
  Japan 4.1% (2004)

Benin
  China 32.2%, France 13%, Thailand 6.7%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.3%
  (2004)

Bermuda
  Kazakhstan 39.2%, France 16.2%, Japan 13.1%, Italy 9.2%,
  South Korea 8.8%, US 6.4% (2004)

Bhutan
  Germany 65.4%, Japan 14.3%, Austria 6.8%, UK 4.5% (2004)

Bolivia
  Brazil 29.7%, Argentina 17.6%, US 10.8%, Chile 7.7%, Peru
  7.3% (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Croatia 23.8%, Slovenia 15.8%, Germany 14.8%,
  Italy 11.4%, Austria 6.6%, Hungary 6.1% (2004)

Botswana
  Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 74%, EFTA 17%,
  Zimbabwe 4% (2000)

Brazil
  US 18.3%, Argentina 8.9%, Germany 8.1%, China 5.9%, Nigeria
  5.6%, Japan 4.6% (2004)

British Virgin Islands
  Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Brunei
  Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004)

Bulgaria
  Germany 15.1%, Italy 10.2%, Russia 7.9%, Greece 7.5%,
  Turkey 6.9%, France 4.4% (2004)

Burkina Faso
  France 29.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 16%, Togo 9.8% (2004)

Burma
  China 29.8%, Singapore 20.8%, Thailand 19.3%, South Korea
  5.2%, Malaysia 4.8% (2004)

Burundi
  Kenya 13.7%, Tanzania 11.2%, US 8.9%, Belgium 8.5%, France
  8.4%, Italy 6%, Uganda 5.6%, Japan 4.6%, Germany 4.5% (2004)

Cambodia
  Thailand 22.5%, Hong Kong 14.1%, China 13.6%, Vietnam
  10.9%, Singapore 10.8%, Taiwan 8.4% (2004)

Cameroon
  France 28.2%, Nigeria 9.9%, Belgium 7.6%, US 4.9%, China
  4.8%, Germany 4.6%, Italy 4.1% (2004)

Canada
  US 58.9%, China 6.8%, Mexico 3.8% (2004)

Cape Verde
  Portugal 41.8%, US 12.3%, Netherlands 8.4%, Spain 5.2%,
  Italy 4.2%, Brazil 4% (2004)

Cayman Islands
  US, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, Netherlands Antilles,
  Japan

Central African Republic
  France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%,
  Belgium 5% (2004)

Chad
  France 21.9%, Cameroon 16.1%, US 10.8%, Portugal 10.4%, Germany
  6.4%, Belgium 4.6% (2004)

Chile
  Argentina 17%, US 14%, Brazil 11.2%, China 7.4% (2004)

China
  Japan 16.8%, Taiwan 11.4%, South Korea 11.1%, US 8%, Germany
  5.4% (2004)

Christmas Island
  principally Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australia

Colombia
  US 29.1%, Venezuela 6.5%, China 6.4%, Mexico 6.2%, Brazil
  5.8% (2004)

Comoros
  France 23.5%, South Africa 11.1%, Kenya 7.5%, UAE 7.2%,
  Italy 4.9%, Pakistan 4.7%, Mauritius 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  South Africa 18.5%, Belgium 15.5%,
  France 10.8%, Kenya 6.3%, US 6%, Germany 5.8% (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  France 32.7%, US 10.1%, Germany 6.2%, Italy
  6%, China 5.2%, Netherlands 4.5% (2004)

Cook Islands
  New Zealand 61%, Fiji 19%, US 9%, Australia 6%, Japan
  2% (2000)

Costa Rica
  US 46.1%, Japan 5.9%, Mexico 5.1%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  France 24.3%, Nigeria 19.2%, UK 4% (2004)

Croatia
  Italy 17.1%, Germany 15.5%, Russia 7.3%, Slovenia 7.1%,
  Austria 6.9%, France 4.4% (2004)

Cuba
  Spain 14.7%, Venezuela 13.5%, US 11%, China 8.9%, Canada 6.4%,
  Italy 6.2%, Mexico 4.9% (2004)

Cyprus
  Greece 15.2%, Italy 10.5%, Germany 8.9%, UK 8.6%, France
  6.3%, Japan 4.7%, Israel 4.4%, China 4% (2004)

Czech Republic
  Germany 31.7%, Slovakia 5.4%, Italy 5.3%, China 5.2%,
  Poland 4.8%, France 4.8%, Russia 4.1% (2004)

Denmark
  Germany 22.3%, Sweden 13.5%, Netherlands 6.8%, UK 6.1%,
  France 4.5%, Norway 4.5%, Italy 4.1%, China 4% (2004)

Djibouti
  Saudi Arabia 19.7%, India 12.4%, Ethiopia 11.8%, China
  8.1%, France 5.6%, US 4.8% (2004)

Dominica
  China 20.4%, US 16.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 12.3%, UK 6.9%,
  South Korea 4.6%, Japan 4.3% (2004)

Dominican Republic
  US 48.1%, Venezuela 13.5%, Colombia 4.8%, Mexico
  4.8% (2004)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  US 16.5%, Colombia 14.1%, China 9.2%, Venezuela 7.1%, Brazil
  6.5%, Chile 4.6%, Japan 4.5%, Mexico 4.3% (2004)

Egypt
  US 12.2%, Germany 7%, Italy 6.6%, France 5.7%, China 5.4%, UK
  4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)

El Salvador
  US 46.3%, Guatemala 8.1%, Mexico 6% (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  US 26.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 21.4%, Spain 13.6%, France
  8.8%, UK 7.8%, Italy 4.4% (2004)

Eritrea
  Ireland 26.6%, US 18.6%, Italy 16.6%, Turkey 6.4% (2004)

Estonia
  Finland 22.1%, Germany 12.9%, Sweden 9.7%, Russia 9.2%,
  Lithuania 5.3%, Latvia 4.7% (2004)

Ethiopia
  Saudi Arabia 25.3%, US 15.8%, China 6.6% (2004)

European Union
  US 15.1%, China 9.7%, Japan 6.7%, Switzerland 5.6%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  UK 63.2%, Spain 30.3%, France 3.6%
  (2004)

Faroe Islands
  Denmark 52.8%, Norway 18.3%, Iceland 4.4%, Sweden 4.2%
  (2004)

Fiji
  Australia 25.9%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 21.1% (2004)

Finland
  Germany 16.2%, Sweden 14.3%, Russia 12.8%, Netherlands 6.3%,
  Denmark 5.2%, UK 4.6%, France 4.3% (2004)

France
  Germany 19.2%, Belgium 9.9%, Italy 8.8%, Spain 7.4%, UK 7%,
  Netherlands 6.7%, US 5.1% (2004)

French Guiana
  France 63%, US, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  France 47.6%, New Zealand 8.8%, Singapore 8.4%,
  Australia 8.3%, US 7.1% (2004)

Gabon
  France 43.8%, US 6.3%, UK 5.9%, Netherlands 4% (2004)

Gambia, The
  China 23.7%, Senegal 11.6%, Brazil 5.9%, UK 5.5%,
  Netherlands 4.5%, US 4.4% (2004)

Gaza Strip
  Israel, Egypt, West Bank

Georgia
  Russia 14%, Turkey 11%, UK 9.3%, Azerbaijan 8.5%, Germany
  8.2%, Ukraine 7.7%, US 6% (2004)

Germany
  France 9%, Netherlands 8.3%, US 7%, Italy 6.1%, UK 5.9%,
  China 5.6%, Belgium 4.9%, Austria 4.2% (2004)

Ghana
  Nigeria 12.6%, China 11.4%, UK 6.6%, US 6.4%, France 4.9%,
  Netherlands 4.2% (2004)

Gibraltar
  Spain 19.9%, Russia 18.4%, UK 10.8%, Italy 8.8%, Germany
  7.5%, US 5.1%, Sweden 4.7%, France 4.2% (2004)

Greece
  Germany 13.3%, Italy 12.8%, France 6.4%, Netherlands 5.5%,
  Russia 5.5%, US 4.4%, UK 4.2%, South Korea 4.1% (2004)

Greenland
  Denmark 78.7%, Sweden 11.9%, Norway 2.7% (2004)

Grenada
  Trinidad and Tobago 29.6%, US 27.8%, UK 4.8% (2004)

Guadeloupe
  France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands
  Antilles 2% (1999)

Guam
  Singapore 39.5%, South Korea 20.8%, Japan 19%, Hong Kong 9%,
  Philippines 4.3% (2004)

Guatemala
  US 34%, Mexico 8.1%, South Korea 6.8%, China 6.6%, Japan
  4.4% (2004)

Guernsey
  UK (regarded as internal trade)

Guinea
  Cote d'Ivoire 15.5%, France 9%, Belgium 6.1%, China 6%, South
  Africa 4.8% (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  Senegal 44.6%, Portugal 13.8%, China 4.2% (2004)

Guyana
  Trinidad and Tobago 24.8%, US 24.5%, Cuba 6.8%, UK 5.4% (2004)

Haiti
  US 34.8%, Netherlands Antilles 18%, Malaysia 5.1%, Colombia
  4.7% (2004)

Honduras
  US 37.5%, Guatemala 6.9%, Mexico 5.4%, Costa Rica 4.3%, El
  Salvador 4% (2004)

Hong Kong
  China 43.5%, Japan 12.1%, Taiwan 7.3%, US 5.3%, Singapore
  5.3%, South Korea 4.8% (2004)

Hungary
  Germany 29.2%, Austria 8.3%, Russia 5.7%, Italy 5.5%,
  Netherlands 4.9%, China 4.8%, France 4.7% (2004)

Iceland
  Germany 12.3%, US 9.9%, Norway 9.7%, Denmark 7.9%, UK 7.2%,
  Sweden 6.7%, Netherlands 6% (2004)

India
  China 6.1%, US 6%, Switzerland 5.2%, Belgium 4.4% (2004)

Indonesia
  Singapore 13.1%, Japan 13.1%, China 8.8%, US 7%, Thailand
  6%, Australia 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.2%, South Korea 4.2% (2004)

Iran
  Germany 12.8%, France 8.3%, Italy 7.7%, China 7.2%, UAE 7.2%,
  South Korea 6.1%, Russia 5.4% (2004)

Iraq
  Syria 22.9%, Turkey 19.5%, US 9.2%, Jordan 6.7%, Germany 4.9%
  (2004)

Ireland
  UK 35.6%, US 13.8%, Germany 8.9%, Netherlands 4.3%, France
  4.2% (2004)

Israel
  US 15%, Belgium 10.1%, Germany 7.5%, Switzerland 6.5%, UK
  6.1% (2004)

Italy
  Germany 18%, France 10.9%, Netherlands 5.9%, Spain 4.6%,
  Belgium 4.4%, UK 4.3%, China 4.2% (2004)

Jamaica
  US 38.7%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.2%, France 5.6%, Japan 4.7%
  (2004)

Japan
  China 20.7%, US 14%, South Korea 4.9%, Australia 4.3%,
  Indonesia 4.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%, UAE 4% (2004)

Jersey
  UK

Jordan
  Saudi Arabia 19.8%, China 8.4%, Germany 6.8%, US 6.8% (2004)

Kazakhstan
  Russia 34.6%, China 15.4%, Germany 8.2%, France 5.7%,
  Ukraine 4.6% (2004)

Kenya
  UAE 12.6%, Saudi Arabia 9.1%, South Africa 8.8%, US 7.7%,
  India 7.2%, UK 6.7%, China 6.4%, Japan 5% (2004)

Kiribati
  Australia 33.6%, Fiji 29.8%, Japan 10.3%, New Zealand 6.9%,
  France 4.1% (2004)

Korea, North
  China 32.9%, Thailand 10.7%, Japan 4.8% (2004)

Korea, South
  Japan 20.6%, China 13.2%, US 12.9%, Saudi Arabia 5.3%
  (2004)

Kuwait
  US 12.9%, Germany 11.9%, Japan 7.9%, UK 5.5%, Saudi Arabia
  5.5%, Italy 5%, France 4.5%, China 4.1% (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  China 26.3%, Russia 22.3%, Kazakhstan 17.1%, Turkey 5.4%
  (2004)

Laos
  Thailand 60.5%, China 10.3%, Vietnam 7.1%, Singapore 4% (2004)

Latvia
  Germany 13.9%, Lithuania 12.2%, Russia 8.7%, Estonia 7%,
  Finland 6.3%, Sweden 6.1%, Poland 5.4%, Belarus 4.8% (2004)

Lebanon
  Italy 11.2%, France 10.3%, Syria 9.8%, Germany 8.6%, China
  5.8%, US 5.5%, UK 4.6% (2004)

Lesotho
  Hong Kong 46.8%, China 25.5%, South Korea 5.6%, Germany 4.8%
  (2004)

Liberia
  South Korea 38.8%, Japan 21.2%, Singapore 12.2%, Croatia
  5.3%, Germany 4.2% (2004)

Libya
  Italy 25.5%, Germany 11%, South Korea 6.1%, UK 5.4%, Tunisia
  4.7%, Turkey 4.6% (2004)

Liechtenstein
  EU, Switzerland

Lithuania
  Russia 23.1%, Germany 16.7%, Poland 7.7%, Netherlands 4%
  (2004)

Luxembourg
  Belgium 29.8%, Germany 22.6%, China 12.6%, France 12%,
  Netherlands 4.2% (2004)

Macau
  China 44.4%, Hong Kong 10.6%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 4.9%,
  Singapore 4.1%, US 4.1% (2004)

Macedonia
  Greece 15.4%, Germany 13.1%, Serbia and Montenegro 10.4%,
  Slovenia 8.6%, Bulgaria 8.1%, Turkey 6%, Romania 4.7% (2004)

Madagascar
  France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%,
  Mauritius 6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004)

Malawi
  South Africa 37.3%, India 8.1%, Mozambique 7.7%, Zimbabwe
  7.2%, Tanzania 4.6%, Germany 4.1% (2004)

Malaysia
  Japan 16.1%, US 14.6%, Singapore 11.2%, China 9.9%,
  Thailand 5.6%, Taiwan 5.5%, South Korea 5%, Germany 4.5%, Indonesia
  4% (2004)

Maldives
  Singapore 24.9%, Sri Lanka 10.6%, UAE 10.3%, India 10.2%,
  Malaysia 7.6%, Bahrain 5.4% (2004)

Mali
  France 14.5%, Senegal 9.8%, Cote d'Ivoire 7.6% (2004)

Malta
  Italy 25.4%, France 13.1%, UK 12%, Germany 8.9%, US 5.2%,
  Singapore 4.1% (2004)

Man, Isle of
  UK (2000)

Marshall Islands
  US, Japan, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Fiji, China,
  Philippines (2000)

Martinique
  France 62%, Venezuela 6%, Germany 4%, Italy 4%, US 3%
  (2000)

Mauritania
  France 14.1%, US 7.6%, China 6.4%, Spain 5.8%, UK 4.6%,
  Germany 4.3%, Belgium 4.2% (2004)

Mauritius
  South Africa 11.3%, China 9.4%, India 9.3%, France 9.2%,
  Bahrain 5.3%, Japan 4.1% (2004)

Mayotte
  France 66%, Africa 14%, Southeast Asia 11% (2000 est.)

Mexico
  US 53.7%, China 7%, Japan 5.1% (2004)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  US, Australia, Japan (2000)

Moldova
  Ukraine 24.6%, Russia 12.2%, Romania 9.3%, Germany 8.5%,
  Italy 7.4% (2004)

Mongolia
  Russia 33.3%, China 23.6%, Japan 7.4%, South Korea 6%, US
  4.6% (2004)

Montserrat
  US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada

Morocco
  France 18.2%, Spain 12.1%, Italy 6.6%, Germany 6%, Russia
  5.7%, Saudi Arabia 5.4%, China 4.2%, US 4.1% (2004)

Mozambique
  South Africa 41.4%, Netherlands 11%, Portugal 3.3% (2004)

Namibia
  US 50%, EU 31% (2001)

Nauru
  Australia 65.6%, Indonesia 5.4%, Germany 5.3%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Nepal
  India 46.3%, China 10.8%, UAE 9.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004)

Netherlands
  Germany 17.9%, Belgium 9.9%, US 7.9%, China 7.4%, UK
  6.4%, France 4.8% (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  Venezuela 51.1%, US 21.9%, Netherlands 5% (2004)

New Caledonia
  France 40.3%, Singapore 10.9%, Australia 9.1%, New
  Zealand 4.9% (2004)

New Zealand
  Australia 22.4%, US 11.3%, Japan 11.2%, China 9.7%,
  Germany 5.2% (2004)

Nicaragua
  US 22.6%, Costa Rica 8.5%, Venezuela 8.4%, Guatemala 6.8%,
  Mexico 5.8%, El Salvador 4.9%, South Korea 4.5% (2004)

Niger
  France 14.4%, US 10.3%, French Polynesia 9.4%, Nigeria 7.8%,
  Cote d'Ivoire 7.5%, Japan 5.2%, China 5.1%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Nigeria
  China 9.4%, US 8.4%, UK 7.8%, Netherlands 5.9%, France 5.4%,
  Germany 4.9%, Italy 4% (2004)

Niue
  New Zealand mainly, Fiji, Japan, Samoa, Australia, US (2000)

Norfolk Island
  Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia,
  Europe

Northern Mariana Islands
  US, Japan (2000)

Norway
  Sweden 15.7%, Germany 13.6%, Denmark 7.3%, UK 6.5%, China 5%,
  US 4.9%, Netherlands 4.4%, France 4.3%, Finland 4.1% (2004)

Oman
  UAE 21.2%, Japan 16.6%, UK 8.4%, Italy 6%, Germany 5.1%, US
  4.7% (2004)

Pakistan
  Saudi Arabia 11.6%, UAE 10%, US 9.7%, China 8.4%, Japan
  6.5%, Kuwait 5.6% (2004)

Palau
  US, Guam, Japan, Singapore, South Korea (2000)

Panama
  US 33.3%, Netherlands Antilles 8.1%, Japan 6%, Costa Rica
  5.7%, Mexico 4.6%, Colombia 4.2% (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  Australia 46.4%, Singapore 21.6%, Japan 4.3%, New
  Zealand 4.2% (2004)

Paraguay
  Brazil 30.9%, Argentina 23.3%, China 16.6%, US 4% (2004)

Peru
  US 30.3%, Spain 11.5%, Chile 7.2%, Brazil 5.4%, Colombia 5.2%
  (2004)

Philippines
  US 18.8%, Japan 17.4%, Singapore 7.8%, Taiwan 7.3%,
  South Korea 6.2%, China 6%, Malaysia 4.5% (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  Germany 24.4%, Italy 7.9%, Russia 7.3%, France 6.7%, China
  4.6% (2004)

Portugal
  Spain 29.3%, Germany 14.3%, France 9.3%, Italy 6.1%, UK
  4.6%, Netherlands 4.6% (2004)

Puerto Rico
  US 55.0%, Ireland 23.7%, Japan 5.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  France 26.6%, US 9.5%, Saudi Arabia 9.4%, UAE 6.3%, Germany
  5.2%, Japan 5.2%, UK 5.1% (2004)

Reunion
  France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000)

Romania
  Italy 17.2%, Germany 14.9%, France 7.1%, Russia 6.8%, Turkey
  4.2% (2004)

Russia
  Germany 15.3%, Ukraine 8.8%, China 6.9%, Japan 5.7%,
  Kazakhstan 5%, US 4.6%, Italy 4.6%, France 4.4% (2004)

Rwanda
  Kenya 24.4%, Germany 7.4%, Belgium 6.6%, Uganda 6.3%, France
  5.1% (2004)

Saint Helena
  UK 35.7%, US 17.6%, South Africa 17.5%, Tanzania 10.4%,
  Australia 5.5%, Spain 4.1% (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Ukraine 44.7%, US 22.1%, Trinidad and Tobago
  8.8%, UK 6.2% (2004)

Saint Lucia
  US 27.8%, Trinidad and Tobago 20.4%, UK 8%, Venezuela
  7.6%, Finland 7% (2004)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  France 37.6%, Canada 25.3%, Ireland 25.2%,
  Italy 5.1% (2004)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  US 37.5%, Trinidad and Tobago
  21.3%, UK 10.5% (2004)

Samoa
  New Zealand 25.1%, Fiji 21.5%, Taiwan 9.1%, Australia 8.9%,
  Singapore 8.5%, Japan 7.5%, US 4.7% (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Portugal 52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%,
  Netherlands 4.8%, South Africa 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  US 15.3%, Japan 9.8%, Germany 8.1%, China 6.6%, UK 5.7%
  (2004)

Senegal
  France 24.8%, Nigeria 11.9%, Thailand 6.1% (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Germany 18.5%, Italy 16.5%, Austria 8.3%,
  Slovenia 6.7%, Bulgaria 4.7%, France 4.5% (2004)

Seychelles
  Saudi Arabia 15.5%, Spain 13.3%, France 10.3%, Singapore
  7%, South Africa 6.8%, Italy 6.7%, UK 4.7% (2004)

Sierra Leone
  Germany 14%, Cote d'Ivoire 10.7%, UK 9.1%, US 8.4%,
  China 5.6%, Netherlands 5%, South Africa 4.1% (2004)

Singapore
  Malaysia 15.3%, US 12.7%, Japan 11.7%, China 9.9%, Taiwan
  5.7%, South Korea 4.3%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)

Slovakia
  Germany 26.1%, Czech Republic 21.3%, Russia 9.1%, Austria
  6.6%, Poland 4.9%, Italy 4.9% (2004)

Slovenia
  Germany 19.9%, Italy 17%, Austria 14.9%, France 10.2% (2004)

Solomon Islands
  Australia 24.6%, Singapore 23.1%, New Zealand 7.7%,
  Fiji 4.8%, Papua New Guinea 4.7% (2004)

Somalia
  Djibouti 30.1%, Kenya 13.7%, India 8.6%, Brazil 8.5%, Oman
  4.4%, UAE 4.2% (2004)

South Africa
  Germany 14.2%, US 8.5%, China 7.5%, Japan 6.9%, UK
  6.9%, France 6%, Saudi Arabia 5.6%, Iran 5% (2004)

Spain
  Germany 16.6%, France 15.8%, Italy 8.9%, UK 6.3%, Netherlands
  4.8% (2004)

Sri Lanka
  India 18%, Singapore 8.7%, Hong Kong 7.7%, China 5.7%,
  Iran 5.2%, Japan 5.1%, Malaysia 4.1% (2004)

Sudan
  China 13%, Saudi Arabia 11.5%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.1%, India
  4.8%, Germany 4.5%, Australia 4.1%, Japan 4% (2004)

Suriname
  US 26.2%, Netherlands 19.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 13.5%,
  Japan 6.6%, China 4.6%, Brazil 4.2% (2004)

Swaziland
  South Africa 95.6%, EU 0.9%, Japan 0.9%, Singapore 0.3%
  (2004)

Sweden
  Germany 18.7%, Denmark 9.2%, Norway 7.6%, UK 7.5%,
  Netherlands 6.8%, Finland 6.4%, France 5.5%, Belgium 4% (2004)

Switzerland
  Germany 32.8%, Italy 11.3%, France 9.9%, US 5.2%,
  Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.3% (2004)

Syria
  Turkey 9.4%, Ukraine 8.7%, China 7.8%, Russia 5.4%, Saudi
  Arabia 5.2%, US 4.7%, South Korea 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2004)

Taiwan
  Japan 26%, US 13%, China, including Hong Kong 11%, South
  Korea 6.9% (2004)

Tajikistan
  Russia 20.2%, Uzbekistan 14.2%, Kazakhstan 12.8%,
  Azerbaijan 7.2%, US 6.7%, China 4.8%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)

Tanzania
  South Africa 13.1%, China 8.1%, India 6.6%, Kenya 5.6%, UAE
  5.5%, US 4.9%, UK 4.8%, Bahrain 4.1% (2004)

Thailand
  Japan 23.6%, China 8.6%, US 7.6%, Malaysia 5.8%, Singapore
  4.4%, Taiwan 4.1% (2004)

Togo
  China 25.5%, India 13.3%, France 11.5% (2004)

Tokelau
  New Zealand (2000)

Tonga
  New Zealand 37.1%, Fiji 24.3%, Australia 9.1%, China 8.9%, US
  6.3% (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  US 23.9%, Venezuela 11.5%, Germany 11.2%, Brazil
  10.7%, Spain 6.4%, Italy 5.1% (2004)

Tunisia
  France 25.1%, Italy 19%, Germany 8.5%, Spain 5.3% (2004)

Turkey
  Germany 12.9%, Russia 9.3%, Italy 7.1%, France 6.4%, US 4.8%,
  China 4.6%, UK 4.4% (2004)

Turkmenistan
  US 11.8%, Russia 9.7%, UAE 9.2%, Ukraine 9%, Turkey
  8.6%, Germany 8%, France 5%, Georgia 4.6%, Iran 4.5% (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US, UK

Tuvalu
  Fiji 50.2%, Japan 18.1%, Australia 9.6%, China 8%, New
  Zealand 5.5% (2004)

Uganda
  Kenya 32.3%, UAE 7.3%, South Africa 6.5%, India 5.8%, China
  5.6%, UK 5.1%, US 4.8%, Japan 4.8% (2004)

Ukraine
  Russia 41.8%, Germany 9.6%, Turkmenistan 6.7% (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  China 10%, India 9.8%, Japan 6.8%, Germany
  6.5%, UK 6.2%, France 6.1%, US 6% (2004)

United Kingdom
  Germany 13%, US 9.3%, France 7.4%, Netherlands 6.6%,
  Belgium 4.9%, China 4.3%, Italy 4.3% (2004)

United States
  Canada 17%, China 13.8%, Mexico 10.3%, Japan 8.7%,
  Germany 5.2% (2004)

Uruguay
  Argentina 19.5%, Brazil 19%, Paraguay 12.9%, US 9.2%, China
  6% (2004)

Uzbekistan
  Russia 26.8%, South Korea 12.6%, US 8%, Germany 7.7%,
  Kazakhstan 6.3%, China 5.8%, Turkey 5.1%, Ukraine 4.5% (2004)

Vanuatu
  Taiwan 24%, Australia 16.5%, Japan 11.4%, Singapore 8.5%,
  New Zealand 7.2%, Fiji 6.3%, US 4.4% (2004)

Venezuela
  US 28.8%, Colombia 9.9%, Brazil 7%, Mexico 4.1% (2004)

Vietnam
  China 13.7%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea 10.8%, Japan 10.5%,
  Singapore 10.5%, Thailand 6.2%, Hong Kong 4% (2004)

Virgin Islands
  US, Puerto Rico

Wallis and Futuna
  France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

West Bank
  Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000)

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so
  trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts

World
  Germany 9.4%, US 9.3%, China 8.5%, Japan 6.5%, France 4.5%
  (2004)

Yemen
  UAE 12.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.7%, China 8.8%, France 7.3%, India
  4.4%, US 4.4%, Kuwait 4.2% (2004)

Zambia
  South Africa 46.2%, UK 14.2%, UAE 7.1%, Zimbabwe 6% (2004)

Zimbabwe
  South Africa 46.9%, Botswana 3.6%, UK 3.4% (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2062 Economic aid - donor

Australia
  ODA, $894 million (FY99/00)

Austria
  ODA, $520 million (2002)

Belgium
  ODA, $1.072 billion (2002)

Canada
  ODA, $2 billion (2004)

Denmark
  ODA, $1.63 billion (1999)

Finland
  ODA, $379 million (2001)

France
  ODA, $5.4 billion (2002)

Germany
  ODA, $5.6 billion (1998)

Iceland
  $NA

Ireland
  ODA, $283 million (2001)

Italy
  ODA, $1 billion (2002 est.)

Japan
  ODA, $7.9 billion (FY03/04)

Korea, South
  ODA $334 million (2003)

Lesotho
  ODA $4.4 million

Luxembourg
  ODA, $147 million (2002)

Netherlands
  ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)

New Zealand
  ODA, $99.7 million

Norway
  ODA, $1.4 billion (1998)

Portugal
  ODA, $271 million (1995)

Saudi Arabia
  pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of
  Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for
  assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development
  in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft
  loans to Iraq

Spain
  ODA, $1.33 billion (1999)

Sweden
  ODA, $1.7 billion (1997)

Switzerland
  ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

United Arab Emirates
  since its founding in 1971, the Abu Dhabi Fund
  for Development has given about $5.2 billion in aid to 56 countries
  (2004)

United Kingdom
  ODA, $4.2 billion (2004)

United States
  ODA, $6.9 billion (1997)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2063 Constitution

Afghanistan
  new constitution drafted 14 December 2003 - 4 January
  2004; signed 16 January 2004

Albania
  adopted by popular referendum on 28 November 1998

Algeria
  19 November 1976, effective 22 November 1976; revised 3
  November 1988, 23 February 1989, and 28 November 1996

American Samoa
  ratified 2 June 1966, effective 1 July 1967

Andorra
  Andorra's first written constitution was drafted in 1991,
  approved by referendum 14 March 1993, effective 4 May 1993

Angola
  11 November 1975; revised 7 January 1978, 11 August 1980, 6
  March 1991, and 26 August 1992; note - new constitution has not yet
  been approved

Anguilla
  Anguilla Constitutional Order 1 April 1982; amended 1990

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 November 1981

Argentina
  1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Armenia
  adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995

Aruba
  1 January 1986

Australia
  9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Austria
  1920; revised 1929 (reinstated 1 May 1945)

Azerbaijan
  adopted 12 November 1995

Bahamas, The
  10 July 1973

Bahrain
  new constitution 14 February 2002

Bangladesh
  4 November 1972, effective 16 December 1972; suspended
  following coup of 24 March 1982, restored 10 November 1986; amended
  many times

Barbados
  30 November 1966

Belarus
  15 March 1994; revised by national referendum of 24 November
  1996 giving the presidency greatly expanded powers and became
  effective 27 November 1996; revised again 17 October 2004 removing
  presidential term limits

Belgium
  7 February 1831; amended many times; revised 14 July 1993 to
  create a federal state

Belize
  21 September 1981

Benin
  December 1990

Bermuda
  8 June 1968; amended 1989 and 2003

Bhutan
  no written constitution or bill of rights; note - in 2001 the
  King commissioned the drafting of a constitution, and in November
  2004 presented a draft to the Council of Ministers; now awaiting
  referendum

Bolivia
  2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  the Dayton Agreement, signed 14 December
  1995, included a new constitution now in force; note - each of the
  entities also has its own constitution

Botswana
  March 1965, effective 30 September 1966

Brazil
  5 October 1988

British Virgin Islands
  1 June 1977

Brunei
  29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of
  Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1
  January 1984)

Bulgaria
  adopted 12 July 1991

Burkina Faso
  2 June 1991 approved by referendum, 11 June 1991
  formally adopted; amended April 2000

Burma
  3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national
  convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but
  collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include
  participation of democratic opposition

Burundi
  13 March 1992; provided for establishment of a plural
  political system; supplanted on 20 October 2004 by a provisional
  constitution approved by the parliament which extended the
  transition; a 28 February 2005 popular referendum ratified the new
  constitution which set ethnic quotas for government positions, and
  tentatively scheduled general elections for April 2005

Cambodia
  promulgated 21 September 1993

Cameroon
  20 May 1972 approved by referendum, 2 June 1972 formally
  adopted; revised January 1996

Canada
  made up of unwritten and written acts, customs, judicial
  decisions, and traditions; the written part of the constitution
  consists of the Constitution Act of 29 March 1867, which created a
  federation of four provinces, and the Constitution Act of 17 April
  1982, which transferred formal control over the constitution from
  Britain to Canada, and added a Canadian Charter of Rights and
  Freedoms as well as procedures for constitutional amendments

Cape Verde
  new constitution came into force 25 September 1992;
  underwent a major revision on 23 November 1995, substantially
  increasing the powers of the president, and a further revision in
  1999, to create the position of national ombudsman (Provedor de
  Justica)

Cayman Islands
  1959; revised 1972 and 1992

Central African Republic
  passed by referendum 5 December 2004

Chad
  passed by referendum 31 March 1996

Chile
  11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July
  1989, 1993, and 1997

China
  most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Christmas Island
  Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Cocos (Keeling) Islands Act of 1955 (23
  November 1953)

Colombia
  5 July 1991

Comoros
  23 December 2001

Congo, Democratic Republic of the new constitution adopted 17 July 2003

Congo, Republic of the
  approved by referendum 20 January 2002

Cook Islands
  4 August 1965

Costa Rica
  7 November 1949

Cote d'Ivoire
  new constitution adopted 4 August 2000

Croatia
  adopted on 22 December 1990; revised 2000, 2001

Cuba
  24 February 1976; amended July 1992 and June 2002

Cyprus
  16 August 1960; from December 1963, the Turkish Cypriots no
  longer participated in the government; negotiations to create the
  basis for a new or revised constitution to govern the island and for
  better relations between Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been held
  intermittently since the mid-1960s; in 1975, following the 1974
  Turkish intervention, Turkish Cypriots created their own
  constitution and governing bodies within the "Turkish Federated
  State of Cyprus," which became the "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus" when the Turkish Cypriots declared their independence in
  1983; a new constitution for the "TRNC" passed by referendum on 5
  May 1985

Czech Republic
  ratified 16 December 1992, effective 1 January 1993

Denmark
  5 June 1849 adoption of original constitution; a major
  overhaul of 5 June 1953 allowed for a unicameral legislature and a
  female chief of state

Djibouti
  multiparty constitution approved by referendum 4 September
  1992

Dominica
  3 November 1978

Dominican Republic
  28 November 1966; amended 25 July 2002

East Timor
  22 March 2002 (based on the Portuguese model)

Ecuador
  10 August 1998

Egypt
  11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980

El Salvador
  23 December 1983

Equatorial Guinea
  approved by national referendum 17 November 1991;
  amended January 1995

Eritrea
  a transitional constitution, decreed on 19 May 1993, was
  replaced by a new constitution adopted on 23 May 1997, but not yet
  implemented

Estonia
  adopted 28 June 1992

Ethiopia
  ratified December 1994, effective 22 August 1995

European Union
  based on a series of treaties: the Treaty of Paris,
  which set up the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951;
  the Treaties of Rome, which set up the European Economic Community
  (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) in 1957;
  the Single European Act in 1986; the Treaty on European Union
  (Maastricht) in 1992; the Treaty of Amsterdam in 1997; and the
  Treaty of Nice in 2001; note - a new draft Constitutional Treaty,
  signed on 29 October 2004 in Rome, gave member states two years for
  ratification either by parliamentary vote or national referendum
  before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 November 2006; defeat in
  French and Dutch referenda in May-June 2005 caused a suspension of
  the ratification process

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 1998

Faroe Islands
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Fiji
  promulgated on 25 July 1990; amended on 25 July 1997 to allow
  nonethnic Fijians greater say in government and to make multiparty
  government mandatory; effective 28 July 1998

Finland
  1 March 2000

France
  adopted by referendum 28 September 1958, effective 4 October
  1958; amended concerning election of president in 1962; amended to
  comply with provisions of 1992 EC Maastricht Treaty, 1996 Amsterdam
  Treaty, 2000 Treaty of Nice; amended to tighten immigration laws in
  1993; amended in 2000 to change the seven-year presidential term to
  a five-year term

French Guiana
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

French Polynesia
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Gabon
  adopted 14 March 1991

Gambia, The
  24 April 1970; suspended July 1994; rewritten and
  approved by national referendum 8 August 1996; reestablished January
  1997

Georgia
  adopted 24 August 1995

Germany
  23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the
  united German people 3 October 1990

Ghana
  approved 28 April 1992

Gibraltar
  30 May 1969

Greece
  11 June 1975; amended March 1986 and April 2001

Greenland
  5 June 1953 (Danish constitution)

Grenada
  19 December 1973

Guadeloupe
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Guam
  Organic Act of 1 August 1950

Guatemala
  31 May 1985, effective 14 January 1986; note - suspended
  25 May 1993 by former President SERRANO; reinstated 5 June 1993
  following ouster of president; amended November 1993

Guernsey
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Guinea
  23 December 1990 (Loi Fundamentale)

Guinea-Bissau
  16 May 1984; amended 4 May 1991, 4 December 1991, 26
  February 1993, 9 June 1993, and 1996

Guyana
  6 October 1980

Haiti
  approved March 1987; suspended June 1988 with most articles
  reinstated March 1989; in October 1991 government claimed to be
  observing the constitution; returned to constitutional rule in
  October 1994

Holy See (Vatican City) new Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II on 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001 (replaces the first Fundamental Law of 1929)

Honduras
  11 January 1982, effective 20 January 1982; amended 1995

Hong Kong
  Basic Law, approved in March 1990 by China's National
  People's Congress, is Hong Kong's "mini-constitution"

Hungary
  18 August 1949, effective 20 August 1949; revised 19 April
  1972; 18 October 1989 revision ensured legal rights for individuals
  and constitutional checks on the authority of the prime minister and
  also established the principle of parliamentary oversight; 1997
  amendment streamlined the judicial system

Iceland
  16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944; amended many times

India
  26 January 1950; amended many times

Indonesia
  August 1945; abrogated by Federal Constitution of 1949 and
  Provisional Constitution of 1950, restored 5 July 1959

Iran
  2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the
  presidency and eliminate the prime ministership

Iraq
  interim constitution signed 8 March 2004; note - the
  Transitional Administrative Law (TAL) was enacted 8 March 2004 to
  govern the country until an elected Iraqi Government can draft and
  ratify a new constitution in 2005

Ireland
  adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937

Israel
  no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
  constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
  the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
  citizenship law

Italy
  passed 11 December 1947, effective 1 January 1948; amended
  many times

Jamaica
  6 August 1962

Japan
  3 May 1947

Jersey
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and practice

Jordan
  1 January 1952; amended 1974, 1976, 1984

Kazakhstan
  first post-independence constitution adopted 28 January
  1993; new constitution adopted by national referendum 30 August 1995

Kenya
  12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with
  amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Kiribati
  12 July 1979

Korea, North
  adopted 1948; completely revised 27 December 1972,
  revised again in April 1992, and September 1998

Korea, South
  17 July 1948

Kuwait
  approved and promulgated 11 November 1962

Kyrgyzstan
  adopted 5 May 1993; note - amendment proposed by
  President AKAYEV and passed in a national referendum on 2 February
  2003 significantly expands the powers of the president at the
  expense of the legislature

Laos
  promulgated 14 August 1991

Latvia
  15 February 1922; an October 1998 amendment on Fundamental
  Human Rights replaced the 1991 Constitutional Law, which had
  supplemented the constitution

Lebanon
  23 May 1926; amended a number of times, most recently
  Charter of Lebanese National Reconciliation (Ta'if Accord) of
  October 1989

Lesotho
  2 April 1993

Liberia
  6 January 1986

Libya
  11 December 1969; amended 2 March 1977

Liechtenstein
  5 October 1921

Lithuania
  adopted 25 October 1992

Luxembourg
  17 October 1868; occasional revisions

Macau
  Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's
  Congress, is Macau's "mini-constitution"

Macedonia
  adopted 17 November 1991, effective 20 November 1991;
  amended November 2001 by a series of new constitutional amendments
  strengthening minority rights

Madagascar
  19 August 1992 by national referendum

Malawi
  18 May 1994

Malaysia
  31 August 1957; amended 16 September 1963

Maldives
  adopted 1 January 1998

Mali
  adopted 12 January 1992

Malta
  1964 constitution; amended many times

Man, Isle of
  unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of
  1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution

Marshall Islands
  1 May 1979

Martinique
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Mauritania
  12 July 1991

Mauritius
  12 March 1968; amended 12 March 1992

Mayotte
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Mexico
  5 February 1917

Micronesia, Federated States of
  10 May 1979

Moldova
  new constitution adopted 29 July 1994, effective 27 August
  1994; replaced old Soviet constitution of 1979

Monaco
  17 December 1962

Mongolia
  12 February 1992

Montserrat
  effective 19 December 1989

Morocco
  10 March 1972; revised 4 September 1992, amended (to create
  bicameral legislature) September 1996

Mozambique
  30 November 1990

Namibia
  ratified 9 February 1990, effective 12 March 1990

Nauru
  29 January 1968; amended 17 May 1968 (Constitution Day)

Nepal
  9 November 1990

Netherlands
  adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002

Netherlands Antilles
  29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the
  Netherlands, as amended

New Caledonia
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

New Zealand
  consists of a series of legal documents, including
  certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments, as well as The
  Constitution Act 1986, which is the principal formal charter;
  adopted 1 January 1987, effective 1 January 1987

Nicaragua
  9 January 1987; reforms in 1995 and 2000

Niger
  new constitution adopted 18 July 1999

Nigeria
  new constitution adopted May 1999

Niue
  19 October 1974 (Niue Constitution Act)

Norfolk Island
  Norfolk Island Act of 1979

Northern Mariana Islands
  Constitution of the Commonwealth of the
  Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978; Covenant
  Agreement effective 4 November 1986

Norway
  17 May 1814; amended many times

Oman
  none; note - on 6 November 1996, Sultan QABOOS issued a royal
  decree promulgating a basic law considered by the government to be a
  constitution which, among other things, clarifies the royal
  succession, provides for a prime minister, bars ministers from
  holding interests in companies doing business with the government,
  establishes a bicameral legislature, and guarantees basic civil
  liberties for Omani citizens

Pakistan
  12 April 1973; suspended 5 July 1977, restored with
  amendments 30 December 1985; suspended 15 October 1999, restored 31
  December 2002; amended 31 December 2003

Palau
  1 January 1981

Panama
  11 October 1972; major reforms adopted 1978, 1983, 1994, and
  2004

Papua New Guinea
  16 September 1975

Paraguay
  promulgated 20 June 1992

Peru
  31 December 1993

Philippines
  2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Pitcairn Islands
  30 November 1838; reformed 1904 with additional
  reforms in 1940; further refined by the Local Government Ordinance
  of 1964

Poland
  adopted by the National Assembly 2 April 1997, passed by
  national referendum 25 May 1997, effective 17 October 1997

Portugal
  25 April 1976; revised many times

Puerto Rico
  ratified 3 March 1952, approved by US Congress 3 July
  1952, effective 25 July 1952

Qatar
  ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by
  the Emir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Reunion
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Romania
  8 December 1991; revision effective 29 October 2003

Russia
  adopted 12 December 1993

Rwanda
  new constitution adopted 4 June 2003

Saint Helena
  1 January 1989

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  19 September 1983

Saint Lucia
  22 February 1979

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27 October 1979

Samoa
  1 January 1962

San Marino
  8 October 1600; electoral law of 1926 serves some of the
  functions of a constitution

Sao Tome and Principe
  approved March 1990, effective 10 September
  1990

Saudi Arabia
  governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic
  Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities
  was introduced in 1993

Senegal
  new constitution adopted 7 January 2001

Serbia and Montenegro
  4 February 2003

Seychelles
  18 June 1993

Sierra Leone
  1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Singapore
  3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State
  of Singapore Constitution)

Slovakia
  ratified 1 September 1992, effective 1 January 1993;
  changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president;
  amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU
  membership

Slovenia
  adopted 23 December 1991, effective 23 December 1991

Solomon Islands
  7 July 1978

Somalia
  25 August 1979, presidential approval 23 September 1979
  note: the formation of transitional governing institutions, known as
  the Transitional Federal Government, is currently ongoing

South Africa
  10 December 1996; this new constitution was certified
  by the Constitutional Court on 4 December 1996, was signed by then
  President MANDELA on 10 December 1996, and entered into effect on 3
  February 1997; it is being implemented in phases

Spain
  6 December 1978, effective 29 December 1978

Sri Lanka
  adopted 16 August 1978, certified 31 August 1978; new
  constitution proposed in 2002

Sudan
  12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;
  interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of
  30 June 1989; new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially
  suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

Suriname
  ratified 30 September 1987

Swaziland
  a constitution was due to be adopted in November 2003 but
  was delayed and scheduled for early 2005

Sweden
  1 January 1975

Switzerland
  revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal
  Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999,
  officially entered into force 1 January 2000

Syria
  13 March 1973

Taiwan
  25 December 1946; amended in 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, and 2000

Tajikistan
  6 November 1994

Tanzania
  25 April 1977; major revisions October 1984

Thailand
  new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Togo
  multiparty draft constitution approved by High Council of the
  Republic 1 July 1992, adopted by public referendum 27 September 1992

Tokelau
  administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended
  in 1970

Tonga
  4 November 1875; revised 1 January 1967

Trinidad and Tobago
  1 August 1976

Tunisia
  1 June 1959; amended 1988, 2002

Turkey
  7 November 1982

Turkmenistan
  adopted 18 May 1992

Turks and Caicos Islands introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988

Tuvalu
  1 October 1978

Uganda
  8 October 1995

Ukraine
  adopted 28 June 1996

United Arab Emirates
  2 December 1971 (made permanent in 1996)

United Kingdom
  unwritten; partly statutes, partly common law and
  practice

United States
  17 September 1787, effective 4 March 1789

Uruguay
  27 November 1966, effective February 1967; suspended 27 June
  1973, new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
  constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
  January 1997

Uzbekistan
  new constitution adopted 8 December 1992

Vanuatu
  30 July 1980

Venezuela
  30 December 1999

Vietnam
  15 April 1992

Virgin Islands
  Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954

Wallis and Futuna
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Yemen
  16 May 1991; amended 29 September 1994 and February 2001

Zambia
  24 August 1991

Zimbabwe
  21 December 1979

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2064 Economic aid - recipient

Afghanistan
  international pledges made by more than 60 countries and
  international financial institutions at the Berlin Donors Conference
  for Afghan reconstruction in March 2004 reached $8.9 billion for
  2004-09

Albania
  ODA: $315 million (top donors were Italy, EU, Germany) (2000
  est.)

Algeria
  $122.8 million (2002 est.)

American Samoa
  important financial support from the US, more than
  $40 million in 1994

Andorra
  none

Angola
  $383.5 million (1999)

Anguilla
  $9 million (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $2.3 million (1995)

Argentina
  $10 billion (2001 est.)

Armenia
  ODA $170 million (2000)

Aruba
  $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127
  million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Azerbaijan
  ODA, $140 million (2000 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $9.8 million (1995)

Bahrain
  $150 million; note - $50 million annually since 1992 from
  each of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait (2002)

Bangladesh
  $1.575 billion (2000 est.)

Barbados
  $9.1 million (1995)

Belarus
  $194.3 million (1995)

Belize
  NA

Benin
  $342.6 million (2000)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  substantial aid from India and other nations

Bolivia
  $681 million (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $650 million (2001 est.)

Botswana
  $73 million (1995)

Brazil
  $30 billion (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  $300 million (2000 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $484.1 million (1995)

Burma
  $127 million (2001 est.)

Burundi
  $92.7 million (2000)

Cambodia
  $504 million pledged in grants and concessional loans for
  2005 by international donors

Cameroon
  on 23 January 2001, the Paris Club agreed to reduce
  Cameroon's debt of $1.3 billion by $900 million; debt relief now
  totals $1.26 billion

Cape Verde
  $136 million (1999)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget
  subsidies from France (2000 est.)

Chad
  $238.3 million received; note - $125 million committed by
  Taiwan (August 1997); $30 million committed by African Development
  Bank; ODA $150 million (2001 est.)

Chile
  ODA, $0 (2002)

China
  NA

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  NA

Comoros
  $10 million (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $195.3 million (1995)

Congo, Republic of the
  $159.1 million (1995)

Cook Islands
  $13.1 million; note - New Zealand continues to furnish
  the greater part (1995)

Cote d'Ivoire
  ODA, $1 billion (1996 est.)

Croatia
  ODA $166.5 million (2002)

Cuba
  $68.2 million (1997 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus - $17 million (1998); north Cyprus - $700
  million from Turkey in grants and loans, which are usually forgiven
  (2003)

Czech Republic
  $2.4 billion in available EU structural adjustment
  and cohesion funds (2004-06)

Djibouti
  $36 million (2001)

Dominica
  $22.8 million (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $239.6 million (1995)

East Timor
  $2.2 billion (1999-2002 est.)

Ecuador
  $216 million (2002)

Egypt
  ODA, $1.12 billion (2002)

El Salvador
  $125 million of which, $53 million from US (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  $33.8 million (1995)

Eritrea
  $77 million (1999)

Estonia
  $108 million (2000)

Ethiopia
  $308 million (FY00/01)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $0 (1997 est.)

Faroe Islands
  $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1998)

Fiji
  $40.3 million (1995)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  $367 million (1997)

Gabon
  $331 million (1995)

Gambia, The
  $45.4 million (1995)

Gaza Strip
  $2 billion (includes West Bank) (2004 est.)

Georgia
  ODA $150 million (2000 est.)

Ghana
  $6.9 billion (1999)

Gibraltar
  $NA

Greece
  $8 billion from EU (2000-06)

Greenland
  $380 million subsidy from Denmark (1997)

Grenada
  $8.3 million (1995)

Guadeloupe
  NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (2004)

Guam
  Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal
  Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income
  or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress,
  the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal
  income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees
  stationed in Guam (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  $250 million (2000 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  $359.2 million (1998)

Guinea-Bissau
  $115.4 million (1995)

Guyana
  $84 million (1995), Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative
  (HIPC) $253 million (1997)

Haiti
  $150 million (FY04 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  $557.8 million (1999)

Hungary
  $4.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and
  cohesion funds (2004-06)

India
  $2.9 billion (FY98/99)

Indonesia
  $43 billion
  note: Indonesia finished its IMF program in December 2003 but still
  receives bilateral aid through the Consultative Group on Indonesia
  (CGI), which pledged $2.8 billion in grants and loans for 2004 and
  again in 2005; nearly $4 billion in aid money pledged by a variety
  of foreign governments and other groups following the 2004 tsunami;
  money is slated for use in relief and rebuilding efforts in Aceh.

Iran
  $408 million (2002 est.)

Iraq
  more than $33 billion in foreign aid pledged for 2004-07 (2004)

Israel
  $662 million from US (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  $16 million (2003)

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  ODA, $500 million (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $74.2 million in US assistance programs, 1992-2000
  (FY2004)

Kenya
  $453 million (1997)

Kiribati
  $15.5 million largely from UK and Japan (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  NA; note - over $117 million in food aid through the
  World Food Program in 2003 plus additional aid from bilateral donors
  and non-governmental organizations

Kuwait
  NA (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  $50 million from the US (2001)

Laos
  $243 million (2001 est.)

Latvia
  $96.2 million (1995)

Lebanon
  $2.2 billion received (2003), out of the $4.2 billion in
  soft loans pledged at the November 2002 Paris II Aid Conference

Lesotho
  $41.5 million (2000)

Liberia
  $94 million (1999)

Libya
  $4.4 million ODA (2002)

Liechtenstein
  none

Lithuania
  $228.5 million (1995)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  $250 million (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  $354 million (2001)

Malawi
  $540 million (1999)

Maldives
  NA (1995)

Mali
  $596.4 million (2001)

Malta
  NA

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  more than $1 billion from the US, 1986-2002

Martinique
  NA; note - substantial annual aid from France (1998)

Mauritania
  $220 million (2000)

Mauritius
  $42 million (1997)

Mayotte
  $107.7 million; note - extensive French financial assistance
  (1995)

Mexico
  $1.166 billion (1995)

Micronesia, Federated States of under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced

Moldova
  $100 million (2000)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  $215 million (2003)

Montserrat
  Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for
  spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)

Morocco
  ODA $218 million (2002)

Mozambique
  $632.8 million (2001)

Namibia
  ODA $160 million (2000 est.)

Nauru
  $2.25 million from Australia (FY96/97 est.)

Nepal
  $424 million (FY00/01)

Netherlands Antilles
  IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the
  Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2000)

New Caledonia
  $880 million annual subsidy from France (1998)

Nicaragua
  $541.8 million (2003)

Niger
  $341 million (1997)

Nigeria
  IMF $250 million (1998)

Niue
  $2.6 million from New Zealand (2002)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  extensive funding from US

Oman
  $76.4 million (1995)

Pakistan
  $2.4 billion (FY01/02)

Palau
  $155.8 million ; note - the Compact of Free Association with
  the US, entered into after the end of the UN trusteeship on 1
  October 1994, provides Palau with up to $700 million in US aid over
  15 years in return for furnishing military facilities

Panama
  $197.1 million (1995)

Papua New Guinea
  $400 million (1999 est.)

Paraguay
  NA

Peru
  $491 million (2002)

Philippines
  ODA commitments, $2 billion (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
  $3.465 million (2004)

Poland
  $17 billion in available EU structural adjustment and
  cohesion funds (2004-06)

Puerto Rico
  NA (2001)

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France (2001
  est.)

Russia
  in FY01 from US, $979 million (including $750 million in
  non-proliferation subsidies); in 2001 from EU, $200 million (2000
  est.)

Rwanda
  $372.9 million (1999)

Saint Helena
  $12.6 million (1995); note - $5.3 million from UK (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $8 million (2001)

Saint Lucia
  $51.8 million (1995)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  approximately $60 million in annual grants
  from France

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $47.5 million (1995); note - EU
  $34.5 million (1998)

Samoa
  $42.9 million (1995)

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program

Senegal $362.6 million (2002 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro $2 billion pledged in 2001 (disbursements to follow for several years)

Seychelles
  $16.4 million (1995)

Sierra Leone
  $103 million (2001 est.)

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  $2.2 billion in available EU structural adjustment and
  cohesion funds (2004-06)

Slovenia
  ODA, $62 million (2000 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $28 million annually, mainly from Australia (2003
  est.)

Somalia
  $60 million (1999 est.)

South Africa
  $487.5 million (2000)

Sri Lanka
  $577 million (1998)

Sudan
  $172 million (2001)

Suriname
  Netherlands provided $37 million for project and program
  assistance, European Development Fund $4 million, Belgium $2 million
  (1998)

Svalbard
  $8.2 million from Norway (1998)

Swaziland
  $104 million (2001)

Syria
  $180 million (2002 est.)

Tajikistan
  $60.7 million from US (2001)

Tanzania
  $1.2 billion (2001)

Thailand
  $72 million (2002)

Togo
  ODA $80 million (2000 est.)

Tokelau
  from New Zealand about $4 million annually

Tonga
  Australia $5.5 million, New Zealand $2.3 million (FY01/02)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $24 million (1999 est.)

Tunisia
  $114.6 million (2002)

Turkey
  ODA, $635.8 million (2002)

Turkmenistan
  $16 million from the US (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $4.1 million (1997)

Tuvalu
  $13 million; note - major donors are Australia, Japan, and
  the US (1999 est.)

Uganda
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Ukraine
  $637.7 million (1995); IMF Extended Funds Facility $2.2
  billion (1998)

Uruguay
  NA

Uzbekistan
  $87.4 million from the US (2003)

Vanuatu
  $27.5 million (2002)

Venezuela
  $74 million (2000)

Vietnam
  $2.8 billion in credits and grants pledged by international
  donors for 2000 (2004)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  assistance from France

West Bank
  $2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  $154 billion official development assistance (ODA) (2004)

Yemen
  $2.3 billion (2003-07 disbursements) (2003-07 disbursements)

Zambia
  $651 million (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $178 million; note - the EU and the US provide food aid on
  humanitarian grounds (2000 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2065 Currency (code)

Afghanistan
  afghani (AFA)

Albania
  lek (ALL)

Algeria
  Algerian dinar (DZD)

American Samoa
  US dollar (USD)

Andorra
  euro (EUR)

Angola
  kwanza (AOA)

Anguilla
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Antigua and Barbuda
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Argentina
  Argentine peso (ARS)

Armenia
  dram (AMD)

Aruba
  Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Australia
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Austria
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; as of 1 January 2002, the euro became the only
  legal tender in EMU member countries, including Austria

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani manat (AZM)

Bahamas, The
  Bahamian dollar (BSD)

Bahrain
  Bahraini dinar (BHD)

Bangladesh
  taka (BDT)

Barbados
  Barbadian dollar (BBD)

Belarus
  Belarusian ruble (BYB/BYR)

Belgium
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Belize
  Belizean dollar (BZD)

Benin
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Bermuda
  Bermudian dollar (BMD)

Bhutan
  ngultrum (BTN); Indian rupee (INR)

Bolivia
  boliviano (BOB)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  marka (BAM)

Botswana
  pula (BWP)

Brazil
  real (BRL)

British Virgin Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Brunei
  Bruneian dollar (BND)

Bulgaria
  lev (BGL)

Burkina Faso
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Burma
  kyat (MMK)

Burundi
  Burundi franc (BIF)

Cambodia
  riel (KHR)

Cameroon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
  responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Canada
  Canadian dollar (CAD)

Cape Verde
  Cape Verdean escudo (CVE)

Cayman Islands
  Caymanian dollar (KYD)

Central African Republic
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc
  (XAF); note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central
  African States

Chad
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note - responsible
  authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Chile
  Chilean peso (CLP)

China
  yuan (CNY)
  note:: also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)

Christmas Island
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Colombia
  Colombian peso (COP)

Comoros
  Comoran franc (KMF)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Congolese franc (CDF)

Congo, Republic of the
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF);
  note - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African
  States

Cook Islands
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Costa Rica
  Costa Rican colon (CRC)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Croatia
  kuna (HRK)

Cuba
  Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC)

Cyprus
  Greek Cypriot area: Cypriot pound (CYP); Turkish Cypriot
  area: Turkish lira (TRL)

Czech Republic
  Czech koruna (CZK)

Denmark
  Danish krone (DKK)

Djibouti
  Djiboutian franc (DJF)

Dominica
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Dominican Republic
  Dominican peso (DOP)

East Timor
  US dollar (USD)

Ecuador
  US dollar (USD)

Egypt
  Egyptian pound (EGP)

El Salvador
  US dollar (USD)

Equatorial Guinea
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note
  - responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Eritrea
  nakfa (ERN)

Estonia
  Estonian kroon (EEK)

Ethiopia
  birr (ETB)

European Union
  euro, British pound, Danish kroner, Swedish kroner,
  Cypriot pound, koruny (Czech Republic), krooni (Estonia), forint
  (Hungary), lati (Latvia), litai (Lithuania), Maltese liri, zloty
  (Poland), koruny (Slovakia), tolar (Slovenia)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland pound (FKP)

Faroe Islands
  Danish krone (DKK)

Fiji
  Fijian dollar (FJD)

Finland
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

France
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

French Guiana
  euro (EUR)

French Polynesia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Gabon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XAF); note -
  responsible authority is the Bank of the Central African States

Gambia, The
  dalasi (GMD)

Gaza Strip
  new Israeli shekel (ILS)

Georgia
  lari (GEL)

Germany
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Ghana
  cedi (GHC)

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar pound (GIP)

Greece
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Greenland
  Danish krone (DKK)

Grenada
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Guadeloupe
  euro (EUR)

Guam
  US dollar (USD)

Guatemala
  quetzal (GTQ), US dollar (USD), others allowed

Guernsey
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Guernsey pound

Guinea
  Guinean franc (GNF)

Guinea-Bissau
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African
  States; previously the Guinea-Bissau peso (GWP) was used

Guyana
  Guyanese dollar (GYD)

Haiti
  gourde (HTG)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  euro (EUR)

Honduras
  lempira (HNL)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong dollar (HKD)

Hungary
  forint (HUF)

Iceland
  Icelandic krona (ISK)

India
  Indian rupee (INR)

Indonesia
  Indonesian rupiah (IDR)

Iran
  Iranian rial (IRR)

Iraq
  New Iraqi dinar (NID) as of 22 January 2004

Ireland
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Israel
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); note - NIS is the currency
  abbreviation; ILS is the International Organization for
  Standarization (ISO) code for the NIS

Italy
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Jamaica
  Jamaican dollar (JMD)

Japan
  yen (JPY)

Jersey
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Jersey pound

Jordan
  Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Kazakhstan
  tenge (KZT)

Kenya
  Kenyan shilling (KES)

Kiribati
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Korea, North
  North Korean won (KPW)

Korea, South
  South Korean won (KRW)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti dinar (KD)

Kyrgyzstan

Laos
  kip (LAK)

Latvia
  Latvian lat (LVL)

Lebanon
  Lebanese pound (LBP)

Lesotho
  loti (LSL); South African rand (ZAR)

Liberia
  Liberian dollar (LRD)

Libya
  Libyan dinar (LYD)

Liechtenstein
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Lithuania
  litas (LTL)

Luxembourg
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Macau
  pataca (MOP)

Macedonia
  Macedonian denar (MKD)

Madagascar
  Madagascar ariary (MGA)

Malawi
  Malawian kwacha (MWK)

Malaysia
  ringgit (MYR)

Maldives
  rufiyaa (MVR)

Mali
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Malta
  Maltese lira (MTL)

Man, Isle of
  British pound (GBP); note - there is also a Manx pound

Marshall Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Martinique
  euro (EUR)

Mauritania
  ouguiya (MRO)

Mauritius
  Mauritian rupee (MUR)

Mayotte
  euro (EUR)

Mexico
  Mexican peso (MXN)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  US dollar (USD)

Moldova
  Moldovan leu (MDL)

Monaco
  euro (EUR)

Mongolia
  togrog/tugrik (MNT)

Montserrat
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Morocco
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Mozambique
  metical (MZM)

Namibia
  Namibian dollar (NAD); South African rand (ZAR)

Nauru
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Nepal
  Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Netherlands
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Netherlands Antilles
  Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

New Caledonia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

New Zealand
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Nicaragua
  gold cordoba (NIO)

Niger
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Nigeria
  naira (NGN)

Niue
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Norfolk Island
  Australian dollar (AUD)

Northern Mariana Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Norway
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Oman
  Omani rial (OMR)

Pakistan
  Pakistani rupee (PKR)

Palau
  US dollar (USD)

Panama
  balboa (PAB); US dollar (USD)

Papua New Guinea
  kina (PGK)

Paraguay
  guarani (PYG)

Peru
  nuevo sol (PEN)

Philippines
  Philippine peso (PHP)

Pitcairn Islands
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Poland
  zloty (PLN)

Portugal
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
  member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Puerto Rico
  US dollar (USD)

Qatar
  Qatari rial (QAR)

Reunion
  euro (EUR)

Romania
  leu (ROL)

Russia
  Russian ruble (RUR)

Rwanda
  Rwandan franc (RWF)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helenian pound (SHP)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Lucia
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  euro (EUR)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Samoa
  tala (SAT)

San Marino
  euro (EUR)

Sao Tome and Principe
  dobra (STD)

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi riyal (SAR)

Senegal
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note -
  responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Serbia and Montenegro
  new Yugoslav dinar (YUM); note - in Montenegro
  the euro is legal tender; in Kosovo both the euro and the Yugoslav
  dinar are legal

Seychelles
  Seychelles rupee (SCR)

Sierra Leone
  leone (SLL)

Singapore
  Singapore dollar (SGD)

Slovakia
  Slovak koruna (SKK)

Slovenia
  tolar (SIT)

Solomon Islands
  Solomon Islands dollar (SBD)

Somalia
  Somali shilling (SOS)

South Africa
  rand (ZAR)

Spain
  euro (EUR)
  note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
  euro as a common currency to be used by the financial institutions
  of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
  currency for everyday transactions with the member countries

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sudan
  Sudanese dinar (SDD)

Suriname
  Surinam dollar (SRD)

Svalbard
  Norwegian krone (NOK)

Swaziland
  lilangeni (SZL)

Sweden
  Swedish krona (SEK)

Switzerland
  Swiss franc (CHF)

Syria
  Syrian pound (SYP)

Taiwan
  new Taiwan dollar (TWD)

Tajikistan
  somoni

Tanzania
  Tanzanian shilling (TZS)

Thailand
  baht (THB)

Togo
  Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible
  authority is the Central Bank of the West African States

Tokelau
  New Zealand dollar (NZD)

Tonga
  pa'anga (TOP)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago dollar (TTD)

Tunisia
  Tunisian dinar (TND)

Turkey
  Turkish lira (TRL), New Turkish lira (YTL) after 1 January
  2005

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen manat (TMM)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Tuvalu
  Australian dollar (AUD); note - there is also a Tuvaluan
  dollar

Uganda
  Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Ukraine
  hryvnia (UAH)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati dirham (AED)

United Kingdom
  British pound (GBP)

United States
  US dollar (USD)

Uruguay
  Uruguayan peso (UYU)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistani sum (UZS)

Vanuatu
  vatu (VUV)

Venezuela
  bolivar (VEB)

Vietnam
  dong (VND)

Virgin Islands
  US dollar (USD)

Wallis and Futuna
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

West Bank
  new Israeli shekel (ILS); Jordanian dinar (JOD)

Western Sahara
  Moroccan dirham (MAD)

Yemen
  Yemeni rial (YER)

Zambia
  Zambian kwacha (ZMK)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwean dollar (ZWD)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2066 Death rate (deaths/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  20.75 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Albania
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Algeria
  4.6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  3.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Andorra
  6.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Angola
  25.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  5.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  5.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Argentina
  7.56 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Armenia
  8.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Aruba
  6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Australia
  7.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Austria
  9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  9.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  4.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Barbados
  9.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belarus
  14.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belgium
  10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belize
  6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Benin
  13.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  7.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  12.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  7.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Botswana
  29.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Brazil
  6.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Brunei
  3.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  14.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  18.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burma
  12.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burundi
  17.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  15.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Canada
  7.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  6.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Chad
  16.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Chile
  5.76 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

China
  6.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  5.59 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Comoros
  8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  14.82 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  4.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  14.94 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Croatia
  11.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cuba
  7.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  7.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  10.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Denmark
  10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  19.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Dominica
  6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  7.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

East Timor
  6.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  4.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Egypt
  5.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  5.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  13.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Estonia
  13.21 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  15.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

European Union
  10.1 deaths/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA deaths/1,000 population (2005
  est.)

Faroe Islands
  8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Fiji
  5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Finland
  9.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

France
  9.08 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  4.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  4.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gabon
  11.72 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  11.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  3.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Georgia
  9.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Germany
  10.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ghana
  10.84 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  9.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Greece
  10.15 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Greenland
  7.77 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Grenada
  7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  6.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guam
  4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  6.81 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  9.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guinea
  15.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  16.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guyana
  8.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Haiti
  12.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Honduras
  6.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  5.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Hungary
  13.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iceland
  6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

India
  8.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  6.25 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iran
  5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iraq
  5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ireland
  7.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Israel
  6.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Italy
  10.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  5.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Japan
  8.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jersey
  9.19 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jordan
  2.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  9.46 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kenya
  14.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  8.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  7.05 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  7.13 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Laos
  11.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Latvia
  13.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  6.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  25.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Liberia
  17.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Libya
  3.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  7.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  10.92 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  8.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Macau
  4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  8.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malawi
  23.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  5.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Maldives
  7.24 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mali
  19.05 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malta
  8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  11.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Martinique
  6.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  12.44 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  6.83 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mexico
  4.73 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Moldova
  12.79 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Monaco
  12.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  7.03 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Morocco
  5.64 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  20.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Namibia
  18.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nauru
  6.82 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nepal
  9.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  5.65 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Niger
  21.33 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  17.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Niue
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  2.3 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Norway
  9.45 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oman
  3.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  8.45 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Palau
  6.85 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Panama
  6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Peru
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Philippines
  5.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  10.01 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Portugal
  10.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  7.86 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Qatar
  4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Reunion
  5.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Romania
  11.74 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Russia
  14.52 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  16.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  8.47 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  5.12 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  6.7 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Samoa
  6.54 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

San Marino
  8.07 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Senegal
  10.6 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  10.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  6.34 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  20.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Singapore
  4.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  9.43 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  10.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  3.98 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Somalia
  16.97 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

South Africa
  21.32 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Spain
  9.63 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  6.49 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sudan
  9.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Suriname
  7.16 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Swaziland
  25.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sweden
  10.36 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  8.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Syria
  4.88 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  8.39 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  16.71 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Thailand
  7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Togo
  11.8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  9.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  5.09 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turkey
  5.96 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  7.22 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uganda
  12.8 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  16.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  10.18 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United States
  8.25 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  9.06 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  7.95 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  7.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  4.9 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  6.2 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  6.26 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA deaths/1,000 population

West Bank
  3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA deaths/1,000 population

World
  8.78 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Yemen
  8.53 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Zambia
  20.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  24.66 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2067 Military expenditures - dollar figure

Afghanistan
  $188.4 million (2004)

Albania
  $56.5 million (FY02)

Algeria
  $2.48 billion (2004)

Angola
  $183.58 million (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  $4.3 billion (FY99)

Armenia
  $135 million (FY01)

Australia
  $16.65 billion (2004)

Austria
  $1.497 billion (FY01/02)

Azerbaijan
  $121 million (FY99)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  $628.9 million (2004)

Bangladesh
  $995.3 million (2004)

Barbados
  NA

Belarus
  $176.1 million (FY02)

Belgium
  $3.999 billion (2003)

Belize
  $18 million (2003)

Benin
  $96.5 million (2004)

Bermuda
  $4.03 million (2001)

Bhutan
  $13.7 million (2004)

Bolivia
  $132.2 million (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $234.3 million (FY02)

Botswana
  $338.5 million (2004)

Brazil
  $11 billion (2004)

Brunei
  $290.7 million (2004)

Bulgaria
  $356 million (FY02)

Burkina Faso
  $64.2 million (2004)

Burma
  $39 million (FY97)

Burundi
  $38.7 million (2004)

Cambodia
  $112 million (FY01 est.)

Cameroon
  $221.1 million (2004)

Canada
  $9,801.7 million (2003)

Cape Verde
  $14.1 million (2004)

Central African Republic
  $15.5 million (2004)

Chad
  $101.3 million (2004)

Chile
  $3.42 billion (2004)

China
  $67.49 billion (2004)

Colombia
  $3.3 billion (FY01)

Comoros
  $11.6 million (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $93.5 million (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  $126.5 million (2004)

Costa Rica
  $64.2 million (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $180.2 million (2004)

Croatia
  $620 million (2004)

Cuba
  $572.3 million (2003)

Cyprus
  $384 million (FY02)

Czech Republic
  $2.17 billion (2004)

Denmark
  $3,271.6 million (2003)

Djibouti
  $28.6 million (2004)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  $180 million (1998)

East Timor
  $4.4 million (FY03)

Ecuador
  $655 million (2004)

Egypt
  $2.44 billion (2003)

El Salvador
  $157 million (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  $126.2 million (2004)

Eritrea
  $151 million (2004)

Estonia
  $155 million (2002 est.)

Ethiopia
  $337.1 million (2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  $NA

Fiji
  $36 million (2004)

Finland
  $1.8 billion (FY98/99)

France
  $45,238.1 million (2003)

French Guiana
  $NA

Gabon
  $184.8 million (2004)

Gambia, The
  $1 million (2004)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  $23 million (FY00)

Germany
  $35.063 billion (2003)

Ghana
  $49.2 million (2004)

Greece
  $5.89 billion (2004)

Grenada
  NA

Guatemala
  $201.9 million (2004)

Guinea
  $56.7 million (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  $8.9 million (2004)

Guyana
  $6.5 million (2003)

Haiti
  $26 million (2003)

Honduras
  $100.6 million (2004)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong garrison is funded by China; figures are NA

Hungary
  $1.08 billion (2002 est.)

Iceland
  0

India
  $18.86 billion (2005)

Indonesia
  $1.3 billion (2004)

Iran
  $4.3 billion (2003 est.)

Iraq
  $1.3 billion (FY00)

Ireland
  $700 million (FY00/01)

Israel
  $9.11 billion (FY03)

Italy
  $28,182.8 million (2003)

Jamaica
  $31.2 million (2003)

Japan
  $45.841 billion (2004)

Jordan
  $1.46 billion (2004)

Kazakhstan
  $221.8 million (Ministry of Defense expenditures) (FY02)

Kenya
  $177.1 million (2004)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  $5,217.4 million (FY02)

Korea, South
  $16.18 billion (2004)

Kuwait
  $2,584.5 million (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  $19.2 million (FY01)

Laos
  $10.7 million (2004)

Latvia
  $87 million (FY01)

Lebanon
  $540.6 million (2002) (2004)

Lesotho
  $32.3 million (2004)

Liberia
  $1.5 million (2004)

Libya
  $1.3 billion (FY99)

Lithuania
  $230.8 million (FY01)

Luxembourg
  $231.6 million (2003)

Macedonia
  $200 million (FY01/02 est.)

Madagascar
  $44.6 million (2004)

Malawi
  $11.1 million (2004)

Malaysia
  $1.69 billion (FY00 est.)

Maldives
  $41.1 million (2004)

Mali
  $22.4 million (2004)

Malta
  $31.1 million (2004)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Mauritania
  $20.8 million (2004)

Mauritius
  $12.5 million (2004)

Mexico
  $6.043 billion (2004)

Moldova
  $8.7 million (2004)

Mongolia
  $23.1 million (FY02)

Morocco
  $2,305.6 million (2003)

Mozambique
  $117.3 million (2004)

Namibia
  $168.4 million (2004)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  $99.2 million (2004)

Netherlands
  $9.408 billion (2004)

New Caledonia
  $NA

New Zealand
  $1.147 billion (FY03/04)

Nicaragua
  $32.8 million (2004)

Niger
  $33.3 million (2004)

Nigeria
  $544.6 million (2004)

Norway
  $4,033.5 million (2003)

Oman
  $252.99 million (2004)

Pakistan
  $3.848 billion (2004)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  $147 million (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  $16.9 million (2003)

Paraguay
  $53.1 million (2004)

Peru
  $829.3 million (2003)

Philippines
  $805.5 million (2004)

Poland
  $3.5 billion (2002)

Portugal
  $3,497.8 million (2003)

Qatar
  $723 million (FY00)

Romania
  $985 million (2002)

Russia
  NA

Rwanda
  $50.1 million (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  $700,000 (FY00/01)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $700,000 (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  $18 billion (2002)

Senegal
  $107.3 million (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $654 million (2002)

Seychelles
  $12.3 million (2004)

Sierra Leone
  $13.2 million (2004)

Singapore
  $4.47 billion (FY01 est.)

Slovakia
  $406 million (2002)

Slovenia
  $370 million (FY00)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  $18.9 million (2003)

South Africa
  $3.172 billion (2004)

Spain
  $9,906.5 million (2003)

Sri Lanka
  $514.8 million (2004)

Sudan
  $587 million (2001 est.) (2004)

Suriname
  $7.5 million (2003)

Swaziland
  $40.5 million (2004)

Sweden
  $5.729 billion (2004)

Switzerland
  $2.548 billion (FY01)

Syria
  $858 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data
  that may understate actual spending

Taiwan
  $7.574 billion (2003)

Tajikistan
  $35.4 million (FY01)

Tanzania
  $20.6 million (2004)

Thailand
  $1.775 billion (FY00)

Togo
  $35.5 million (2004)

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  $66.7 million (2003)

Tunisia
  $356 million (FY99)

Turkey
  $12.155 billion (2003)

Turkmenistan
  $90 million (FY99)

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  $170.3 million (2004)

Ukraine
  $617.9 million (FY02)

United Arab Emirates
  $1.6 billion (FY00)

United Kingdom
  $42,836.5 million (2003)

United States
  $370.7 billion (FY04 est.) (March 2003)

Uruguay
  $257.5 million (2004)

Uzbekistan
  $200 million (FY97)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  $1.687 billion (2004)

Vietnam
  $650 million (FY98)

West Bank
  NA

World
  aggregate real expenditure on arms worldwide in 1999 remained
  at approximately the 1998 level, about three-quarters of a trillion
  dollars (1999 est.)

Yemen
  $885.5 million (2003)

Zambia
  $106.8 million (2004)

Zimbabwe
  $217 million (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2068 Dependent areas

Australia
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos
  (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald
  Islands, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island

France
  Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island, French
  Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
  Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and
  Futuna
  note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica

Netherlands
  Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

New Zealand
  Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau

Norway
  Bouvet Island, Jan Mayen, Svalbard

United Kingdom
  Anguilla, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory,
  British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar,
  Guernsey, Jersey, Isle of Man, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Saint
  Helena and Ascension, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,
  Turks and Caicos Islands

United States
  American Samoa, Baker Island, Guam, Howland Island,
  Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa
  Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palmyra Atoll, Puerto Rico, Virgin
  Islands, Wake Island
  note: from 18 July 1947 until 1 October 1994, the US administered
  the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands; it entered into a
  political relationship with all four political units: the Northern
  Mariana Islands is a commonwealth in political union with the US
  (effective 3 November 1986); the Republic of the Marshall Islands
  signed a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 21
  October 1986); the Federated States of Micronesia signed a Compact
  of Free Association with the US (effective 3 November 1986); Palau
  concluded a Compact of Free Association with the US (effective 1
  October 1994)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2070 Disputes - international

Afghanistan
  the UN has been able to repatriate over two million
  Afghan refugees but several million more continue to reside in Iran
  and Pakistan in camps and elsewhere, many at their own choosing;
  Coalition and Pakistani forces continue to patrol remote tribal
  areas to control the borders and stem organized terrorist and other
  illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings between Pakistani
  and Coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary
  encroachments; occasional conflicts over water-sharing arrangements
  with Amu Darya and Helmand River states

Albania
  the Albanian Government calls for the protection of the
  rights of ethnic Albanians in neighboring countries, and the
  peaceful resolution of interethnic disputes; some ethnic Albanian
  groups in neighboring countries advocate for a "greater Albania,"
  but the idea has little appeal among Albanian nationals; thousands
  of unemployed Albanians emigrate annually to nearby Italy and other
  developed countries

Algeria
  Algeria supports the exiled Sahrawi Polisario Front and
  rejects Moroccan administration of Western Sahara; Algeria's border
  with Morocco remains an irritant to bilateral relations, each nation
  has accused the other of harboring militants and arms smuggling; in
  an attempt to improve relations after unilaterally imposing a visa
  requirement on Algerians in the early 1990s, Morocco lifted the
  requirement in mid-2004 - a gesture not reciprocated by Algeria;
  Algeria remains concerned about armed bandits operating throughout
  the Sahel who sometimes destabilize southern Algerian towns; dormant
  disputes include Libyan claims of about 32,000 sq km still reflected
  on its maps of southeastern Algeria and the FLN's assertions of a
  claim to Chirac Pastures in southeastern Morocco

American Samoa
  none

Andorra
  none

Angola
  90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004, the
  remaining refugees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and
  Zambia are expected to return in 2005; many Cabinda exclave
  secessionists have sought shelter in neighboring states

Anguilla
  none

Antarctica
  Antarctic Treaty freezes claims (see Antarctic Treaty
  Summary in Government type entry); Argentina, Australia, Chile,
  France, NZ, Norway, and UK claim land and maritime sectors (some
  overlapping) for a large portion of the continent; the US and many
  other states do not recognize these territorial claims and have made
  no claims themselves (the US and Russia reserve the right to do so);
  no claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and
  150 degrees west; several states with territorial claims in
  Antarctica have expressed their intention to submit data to the UN
  Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to extend their
  continental shelf claims to adjoining undersea ridges

Antigua and Barbuda
  none

Arctic Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Argentina
  Argentina claims the UK-administered Falkland Islands
  (Islas Malvinas) and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in
  its constitution; it briefly occupied the Falklands in 1982, but in
  1995 agreed no longer to seek settlement by force; territorial claim
  in Antarctica partially overlaps UK and Chilean claims (see
  Antarctic disputes); unruly region at convergence of
  Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay borders is locus of money laundering,
  smuggling, arms and illegal narcotics trafficking, and fundraising
  for extremist organizations; uncontested dispute between Brazil and
  Uruguay over Braziliera Island in the Quarai/Cuareim River leaves
  the tripoint with Argentina in question

Armenia
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
  Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s, has militarily occupied
  16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly
  ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia;
  about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in
  Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through
  Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; border with Turkey remains
  closed over Nagorno-Karabakh dispute; ethnic Armenian groups in
  Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy; tens of thousands
  of Armenians emigrate, primarily to Russia, to seek employment

Aruba
  none

Ashmore and Cartier Islands Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore Reef; Australia closed the surrounding waters to Indonesian traditional fishing and created a national park in the region while continuing to prospect for hydrocarbons in the vicinity

Atlantic Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Australia
  East Timor and Australia continue to meet but disagree
  over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and share
  unexploited petroleum resources that fall outside the Joint
  Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea Treaty;
  East Timor dispute hampers creation of a revised maritime boundary
  with Indonesia (see also Ashmore and Cartier Islands dispute);
  regional states express concern over Australia's 2004 declaration of
  a 1,000-nautical mile-wide maritime indentification zone; Australia
  asserts land and maritime claims to Antarctica (see Antarctica); in
  2004 Australia submitted claims to UNCLOS to extend its continental
  margin from both its mainland and Antarctic claims

Austria
  none

Azerbaijan
  Armenia supports ethnic Armenian secessionists in
  Nagorno-Karabakh and since the early 1990s has militarily occupied
  16% of Azerbaijan - Organization for Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) continues to mediate dispute; over 800,000 mostly
  ethnic Azerbaijanis were driven from the occupied lands and Armenia;
  about 230,000 ethnic Armenians were driven from their homes in
  Azerbaijan into Armenia; Azerbaijan seeks transit route through
  Armenia to connect to Naxcivan exclave; Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and
  Russia ratify Caspian seabed delimitation treaties based on
  equidistance, while Iran continues to insist on an even one-fifth
  allocation and challenges Azerbaijan's hydrocarbon exploration in
  disputed waters; bilateral talks continue with Turkmenistan on
  dividing the seabed and contested oilfields in the middle of the
  Caspian; Azerbaijan and Georgia cannot resolve the alignment of
  their boundary at certain crossing areas

Bahamas, The
  have not been able to agree on the alignment of a
  maritime boundary with the US; continues to monitor and interdict
  Haitian refugees fleeing economic privation and political instability

Bahrain
  none

Baker Island
  none

Bangladesh
  discussions with India remain stalled to delimit a small
  section of river boundary, exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in both
  countries, allocate divided villages, and stop illegal cross-border
  trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists through the
  porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to fence off
  high-traffic sections of the porous boundary; a joint
  Bangladesh-India boundary inspection in 2005 revealed 92 pillars are
  missing; dispute with India over New Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha
  Island in the Bay of Bengal deters maritime boundary delimitation;
  Burmese Muslim refugees strain Bangladesh's meager resources

Barbados
  in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to
  compulsory international arbitration that will result in a binding
  award challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and
  Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian
  waters and the southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing;
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves
  Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which
  permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large
  portion of the Caribbean Sea

Bassas da India
  claimed by Madagascar

Belarus
  1997 boundary treaty with Ukraine remains unratified over
  unresolved financial claims, preventing demarcation and diminishing
  border security; boundary with Latvia remains undemarcated but a
  third of the border with Lithuania was demarcated in 2004

Belgium
  none

Belize
  Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the largely
  uninhabited rain forests of Belize's border region; OAS is
  attempting to revive the 2002 failed Differendum that created a
  small adjustment to land boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in
  Caribbean, joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and
  substantial US-UK financial package

Benin
  two villages remain in dispute along the border with Burkina
  Faso; accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars; much of
  Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with Nigeria, remains
  undemarcated, and the states expect a ruling in 2005 from the ICJ
  over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; a joint task force
  was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the
  maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Nigeria, including the
  sovereignty over seven villages along the Okpara River; a joint
  boundary commission continues to resurvey the boundary with Togo to
  verify Benin's claim that Togo moved boundary stones

Bermuda
  none

Bhutan
  approximately 104,000 Bhutanese refugees live in Nepal, 90%
  of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for
  Refugees camps; Bhutan cooperates with India to expel Indian
  separatists

Bolivia
  Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the
  Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead
  unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile for
  Bolivian natural gas and other commodities

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and
  Montenegro have delimited most of their boundary, but sections along
  the Drina River remain in dispute; discussions continue with Croatia
  on several small disputed sections of the boundary

Botswana
  commission established with Namibia has yet to resolve
  small residual disputes along the Caprivi Strip, including the
  Situngu marshlands along the Linyanti River; downstream Botswana
  residents protest Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango
  hydroelectric dam at Popavalle (Popa Falls); Botswana has built
  electric fences to stem the thousands of Zimbabweans who flee to
  find work and escape political persecution; Namibia has long
  supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between
  Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River,
  thereby de facto recognizing their short, but not clearly delimited
  Botswana-Zambia boundary

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal
  narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations;
  uncontested dispute with Uruguay over certain islands in the
  Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada boundary streams and the resulting
  tripoint with Argentina; in 2004 Brazil submitted its claims to
  UNCLOS to extend its maritime continental margin

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Mauritius and Seychelles claim the
  Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in
  Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to
  repatriation since eviction in 1965; the UK resists the Chagossians'
  demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is
  complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that
  restricts access to the largest island in the chain

British Virgin Islands
  none

Brunei
  in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in
  their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have
  stalemated prompting consideration of international legal
  adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is
  in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone
  encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but
  makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
  eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Bulgaria
  none

Burkina Faso
  two villages are in dispute along the border with
  Benin; Benin accuses Burkina Faso of moving boundary pillars;
  Burkina Faso border regions remain a staging area for Liberia and
  Cote d'Ivoire rebels and an asylum for refugees caught in local
  fighting; the Ivoirian Government accuses Burkina Faso of sheltering
  Ivoirian rebels

Burma
  over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic
  groups with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; despite
  continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain
  with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic
  rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; ethnic Karens
  flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and
  Burmese troops, in 2004 Thailand sheltered about 118,000 Burmese
  refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese
  hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border;
  environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern
  over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the
  Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation
  from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote
  Burmese uplands

Burundi
  Tutsi, Hutu, other conflicting ethnic groups, associated
  political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces
  continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the
  boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and
  Uganda in an effort to gain control over populated and natural
  resource areas; government heads pledge to end conflict, but
  localized violence continues despite the presence of about 6,000
  peacekeepers from the UN Operation in Burundi (ONUB) since 2004;
  although some 150,000 Burundian refugees have been repatriated, as
  of February 2005, Burundian refugees still reside in camps in
  western Tanzania as well as the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia
  Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to
  check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Thailand dispute
  sections of boundary with missing boundary markers and Thai
  encroachments into Cambodian territory; maritime boundary with
  Vietnam is hampered by unresolved dispute over offshore islands;
  Cambodia accuses Thailand of obstructing access to Preah Vihear
  temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; in 2004
  Cambodian-Laotian and Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commissions
  reerect missing markers completing most of their demarcations

Cameroon
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and
  maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission,
  which continues to meet regularly to resolve differences bilaterally
  and have commenced with demarcation in less-contested sections of
  the boundary, starting in Lake Chad in the north; implementation of
  the ICJ ruling on the Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime
  boundary in the Gulf of Guinea is impeded by imprecisely defined
  coordinates, the unresolved Bakassi allocation, and a sovereignty
  dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the
  mouth of the Ntem River; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the
  Bakasi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces
  while much of the indigenous population opposes cession; only
  Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's
  admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes
  Chad and Niger

Canada
  managed maritime boundary disputes with the US at Dixon
  Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and around the
  disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; working toward greater
  cooperation with US in monitoring people and commodities crossing
  the border; uncontested sovereignty dispute with Denmark over Hans
  Island in the Kennedy Channel between Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Cape Verde
  none

Cayman Islands
  none

Central African Republic
  about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002
  civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic
  skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral
  populations along the border with southern Sudan persist

Chad
  since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have
  driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; Chad
  remains an important mediator in the Sudanese civil conflict;
  Chadian Aozou rebels reside in southern Libya; only Nigeria and
  Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's admonition to ratify
  the delimitation treaty which also includes Chad and Niger

Chile
  Chile rebuffs Bolivia's reactivated claim to restore the
  Atacama corridor, ceded to Chile in 1884, offering instead
  unrestricted but not sovereign maritime access through Chile to
  Bolivian gas and other commodities; Peru proposes changing its
  latitudinal maritime boundary with Chile to an equidistance line
  with a southwestern axis; territorial claim in Antarctica (Chilean
  Antarctic Territory) partially overlaps Argentine and British claims

China
  in 2005, China and India initiate drafting principles to
  resolve all aspects of their extensive boundary and territorial
  disputes together with a security and foreign policy dialogue to
  consolidate discussions related to the boundary, regional nuclear
  proliferation, and other matters; recent talks and
  confidence-building measures have begun to defuse tensions over
  Kashmir, site of the world's largest and most militarized
  territorial dispute with portions under the de facto administration
  of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad
  Kashmir and Northern Areas); India does not recognize Pakistan's
  ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; about 90,000 ethnic
  Tibetan exiles reside primarily in India as well as Nepal and
  Bhutan; China asserts sovereignty over the Spratly Islands together
  with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei;
  the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
  Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratlys but is not the legally
  binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties; in March 2005, the
  national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed
  a joint accord on marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands;
  China occupies some of the Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam
  and Taiwan; China and Taiwan have become more vocal in rejecting
  both Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of Senkaku-shoto
  (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic
  zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon
  prospecting; certain islands in the Yalu and Tumen rivers are in an
  uncontested dispute with North Korea and a section of boundary
  around Mount Paektu is considered indefinite; China seeks to stem
  illegal migration of tens of thousands of North Koreans; in 2004,
  China and Russia divided up the islands in the Amur, Ussuri, and
  Argun Rivers, ending a century-old border dispute; demarcation of
  the China-Vietnam boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime
  boundary delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June
  2004, implementation has been delayed; environmentalists in Burma
  and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of
  hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan
  Province

Christmas Island
  none

Clipperton Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
  against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
  involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
  Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank;
  dispute with Venezuela over maritime boundary and Los Monjes Islands
  near the Gulf of Venezuela; Colombian-organized illegal narcotics,
  guerrilla, and paramilitary activities penetrate all of its
  neighbors' borders and have created a serious refugee crisis with
  over 300,000 persons having fled the country, mostly into
  neighboring states

Comoros
  claims French-administered Mayotte

Congo, Democratic Republic of the heads of the Great Lakes states and UN pledge to end conflict but unchecked tribal, rebel, and militia fighting continues unabated in the northeastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, drawing in the neighboring states of Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda; the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has maintained over 14,000 peacekeepers in the region since 1999; thousands of Ituri refugees from the Congo continue to flee the fighting primarily into Uganda; 90,000 Angolan refugees were repatriated by 2004 with the remainder in the Democratic Republic of the Congo expected to return in 2005; in 2005, DROC and Rwanda established a border verification mechanism to address accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels and the DROC providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means and bases to attack Rwandan forces; the location of the boundary in the broad Congo River with the Republic of the Congo is indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Congo, Republic of the
  about 7,000 Congolese refugees fleeing
  internal civil conflicts since the mid-1990s still reside in the
  Democratic Republic of the Congo; the location of the boundary in
  the broad Congo River with the Democratic Republic of the Congo is
  indefinite except in the Pool Malebo/Stanley Pool area

Cook Islands
  none

Coral Sea Islands
  none

Costa Rica
  legal dispute over navigational rights of Rio San Juan on
  the border with Nicaragua remains unresolved

Cote d'Ivoire
  rebel and ethnic fighting against the central
  government in 2002 has spilled into neighboring states, driven out
  foreign cocoa workers from nearby countries, and, in 2004, resulted
  in 6,000 peacekeepers deployed as part of UN Operation in Cote
  d'Ivoire (UNOCI) assisting 4,000 French troops already in-country;
  the Ivorian Government accuses Burkina Faso and Liberia of
  supporting Ivorian rebels

Croatia
  discussions continue with Bosnia and Herzegovina over
  several small disputed sections of the boundary; the
  Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement, which would
  have ceded most of Pirin Bay and maritime access to Slovenia and
  several villages to Croatia, remains un-ratified and in dispute; as
  a European Union peripheral state, neighboring Slovenia must conform
  to the strict Schengen border rules to curb illegal migration and
  commerce through southeastern Europe while encouraging close
  cross-border ties with Croatia

Cuba
  US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased to US and only mutual
  agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease

Cyprus
  hostilities in 1974 divided the island into two de facto
  autonomous entities, the internationally recognized Cypriot
  Government and a Turkish-Cypriot community (north Cyprus); the
  1,000-strong UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has served in
  Cyprus since 1964 and maintains the buffer zone between north and
  south; March 2003 reunification talks failed, but Turkish-Cypriots
  later opened their borders to temporary visits by Greek Cypriots; on
  24 April 2004, the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities
  voted in simultaneous and parallel referenda on whether to approve
  the UN-brokered Annan Plan that would have ended the thirty-year
  division of the island by establishing a new "United Cyprus
  Republic," a majority of Greek Cypriots voted "no"; on 1 May 2004,
  Cyprus entered the European Union still divided, with the EU's body
  of legislation and standards (acquis communitaire) suspended in the
  north

Czech Republic
  in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the
  restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech
  Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property; individual Sudeten
  Germans seek restitution for property confiscated in connection with
  their expulsion after World War II

Denmark
  Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands' fisheries median line;
  Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe
  Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm; Faroese continue
  to study proposals for full independence; uncontested sovereignty
  dispute with Canada over Hans Island in the Kennedy Channel between
  Ellesmere Island and Greenland

Djibouti
  Djibouti maintains economic ties and border accords with
  "Somaliland" leadership while maintaining some political ties to
  various factions in Somalia; although most of the 26,000 Somali
  refugees in Djibouti who fled civil unrest in the early 1990s have
  returned, several thousand still await repatriation in UNHCR camps

Dominica
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim
  that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under
  UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf
  over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Dominican Republic
  increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the
  Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage each year to Puerto Rico
  to find work

East Timor
  UN Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) has
  maintained about a thousand peacekeepers in East Timor since 2002;
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet, survey,
  and delimit the land boundary, but several sections of the boundary
  especially around the Oekussi enclave remain unresolved; Indonesia
  and East Timor contest the sovereignty of the uninhabited coral
  island of Palau Batek/Fatu Sinai, which prevents delimitation of the
  northern maritime boundaries; many of 28,000 East Timorese refugees
  still residing in Indonesia in 2003 have returned, but many continue
  to refuse repatriation; East Timor and Australia continue to meet
  but disagree over how to delimit a permanent maritime boundary and
  share unexploited potential petroleum resources that fall outside
  the Joint Petroleum Development Area covered by the 2002 Timor Sea
  Treaty; dispute with Australia also hampers creation of a southern
  maritime boundary with Indonesia

Ecuador
  organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia penetrate
  across Ecuador's shared border and caused over 20,000 refugees to
  flee into Ecuador in 2004

Egypt
  Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular
  areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along
  the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt
  is developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; since
  the attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in
  October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with
  Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to
  some 70,000 persons who identify as Palestinians but who largely
  lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition as
  refugees

El Salvador
  in 1992, the ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones"
  (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras boundary, but
  despite OAS intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full
  demarcation of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling
  advised a tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf
  of Fonseca advocating Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador
  continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not identified in the ICJ
  decision, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca

Equatorial Guinea
  in 2002, ICJ ruled on an equidistance settlement
  of Cameroon-Equatorial Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf
  of Guinea, but a dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon over
  an island at the mouth of the Ntem River, imprecisely defined
  maritime coordinates in the ICJ decision, and the unresolved Bakasi
  allocation contribute to the delay in implementation; UN has been
  pressing Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to pledge to resolve the
  sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and create a
  maritime boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay

Eritrea
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by 2002
  Ethiopia-Eritrea Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision,
  but despite international intervention, mutual animosities,
  accusations and armed posturing prevail, preventing demarcation;
  Ethiopia refuses to withdraw to the delimited boundary until
  technical errors made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are
  addressed, including the award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000
  war; Eritrea insists that the EEBC decision be implemented
  immediately without modifications; since 2000, the UN Peacekeeping
  Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE) monitors the 25km-wide
  Temporary Security Zone in Eritrea until the demarcation; Sudan
  accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; Eritrea
  protests Yemeni fishing around the Hanish Islands awarded to Eritrea
  by the ICJ in 1999

Estonia
  in 1996, the Estonia-Russia technical border agreement was
  initialed but both states have been hesitant to sign and ratify it,
  with Russia asserting that Estonia needs to better assimilate
  Russian-speakers and Estonian groups pressing for realignment of the
  boundary based more closely on the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that
  would bring the now divided ethnic Setu people and parts of the
  Narva region within Estonia; as a member state that forms part of
  the EU's external border, Estonia must implement the strict Schengen
  border rules

Ethiopia
  Eritrea and Ethiopia agreed to abide by the 2002
  Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission's (EEBC) delimitation decision,
  but despite international intervention, mutual animosities,
  accusations and armed posturing prevail, preventing demarcation;
  Ethiopia refuses to withdraw to the delimited boundary until
  technical errors made by the EEBC that ignored "human geography" are
  addressed, including the award of Badme, the focus of the 1998-2000
  war; Eritrea insists that the EEBC decision be implemented
  immediately without modifications; Ethiopia has only an
  administrative line and no international border with the Oromo
  region of southern Somalia where it maintains alliances with local
  clans in opposition to the unrecognized Somali Interim Government in
  Mogadishu; "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities and
  trade ties to landlocked Ethiopia; the UNHCR expects most of the
  remaining 23,000 Somali refugees in Ethiopia to be repatriated in
  2005; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Sudan have been
  delayed by civil war

Europa Island
  claimed by Madagascar

European Union
  the EU has no border disputes with neighboring
  countries; it has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 13 EU
  member states that have signed the convention implementing the
  Schengen agreements (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons
  and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; the Schengen
  agreements ("acquis") became incorporated into EU law with the
  implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; member
  states are: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
  Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden;
  in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic
  Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full
  members in 2001), bringing the total current membership to 15; the
  UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in some aspects
  of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal
  matters; the 10 new member states that joined the EU in 2004
  eventually are expected to participate in Schengen, following a
  transition period to upgrade their border controls and procedures

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Argentina, which claims the
  islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by
  force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force;
  UK continues to reject Argentine requests for sovereignty talks

Faroe Islands
  because anticipated offshore hydrocarbon resources
  have not been realized, earlier Faroese proposals for full
  independence have been deferred; Iceland disputes the Faroe Islands'
  fisheries median line boundary; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute
  Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends
  beyond 200 nm

Fiji
  none

Finland
  various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia
  and other areas ceded to the Soviet Union, but the Finnish
  Government asserts no territorial demands

France
  Madagascar claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso
  Islands, and Juan de Nova Island; Comoros claims Mayotte; Mauritius
  claims Tromelin Island; territorial dispute between Suriname and the
  French overseas department of French Guiana; France asserts a
  territorial claim in Antarctica (Adelie Land); France and Vanuatu
  claim Matthew and Hunter Islands, east of New Caledonia

French Guiana
  Suriname claims area between Riviere Litani and
  Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa) in French Guiana

French Polynesia
  none

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  French claim to "Adelie Land" in
  Antarctica is not recognized by the United States

Gabon
  UN presses Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to resolve the
  sovereignty dispute over Gabon-occupied Mbane Island and to
  establish a maritime boundary in hydrocarbon-rich Corisco Bay; only
  a few hundred out of the 20,000 Republic of the Congo refugees who
  fled militia fighting in 2000 remain in Gabon

Gambia, The
  attempts to stem refugees, cross-border raids, arms
  smuggling, and other illegal activities by separatists from southern
  Senegal's Casamance region as well as from conflicts in other west
  African states

Gaza Strip
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with
  current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement
  - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;
  Israel announced its intention to pull out settlers and withdraw
  from the Gaza Strip in 2005

Georgia
  Russia and Georgia agree on delimiting 80% of their common
  border, leaving certain small, strategic segments and the maritime
  boundary unresolved; OSCE observers monitor volatile areas such as
  the Pankisi Gorge in the Akhmeti region and the Argun Gorge in
  Abkhazia; UN Observer Mission in Georgia has maintained a
  peacekeeping force in Georgia since 1993; Meshkheti Turks scattered
  throughout the former Soviet Union seek to return to Georgia;
  boundary with Armenia remains undemarcated; ethnic Armenian groups
  in Javakheti region of Georgia seek greater autonomy from the
  Georgian government; Azerbaijan and Georgia cannot resolve the
  alignment of their boundary at certain crossing areas

Germany
  none

Ghana
  Ghana struggles to accommodate returning nationals who worked
  in the cocoa plantations and escaped rebel fighting in Cote d'Ivoire

Gibraltar
  in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
  referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared
  sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks
  between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
  Gibraltar even greater autonomy

Glorioso Islands
  claimed by Madagascar

Greece
  Greece and Turkey continue discussions to resolve their
  complex maritime, air, territorial, and boundary disputes in the
  Aegean Sea; Cyprus question with Turkey; Greece rejects the use of
  the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Greenland
  uncontested dispute between Canada and Denmark over Hans
  Island in the Kennedy Channel between Canada's Ellesmere Island and
  Greenland

Grenada
  none

Guadeloupe
  none

Guam
  none

Guatemala
  Guatemalan squatters continue to settle in the rain
  forests of Belize's border region; OAS is attempting to revive the
  2002 failed Differendum that created a small adjustment to land
  boundary, a Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint
  ecological park for the disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial
  US-UK financial package; Guatemalans enter Mexico illegally seeking
  work or transit to the US

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  conflicts among rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in
  neighboring states has spilled over into Guinea, resulting in
  domestic instability; Sierra Leone pressures Guinea to remove its
  forces from the town of Yenga occupied since 1998

Guinea-Bissau
  attempts to stem refugees and cross-border raids, arms
  smuggling, and political instability from a separatist movement in
  Senegal's Casamance region

Guyana
  all of the area west of the Essequibo (river) is claimed by
  Venezuela preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana
  has expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims
  before UNCLOS that Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
  Venezuela extends into their waters; Suriname claims a triangle of
  land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a historic dispute
  over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks UNCLOS
  arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with Suriname over
  the axis of the territorial sea boundary in potentially oil-rich
  waters

Haiti
  since 2004, about 8,000 peacekeepers from the UN Stabilization
  Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) maintain civil order in Haiti; despite
  efforts to control illegal migration, Haitians fleeing economic
  privation and civil unrest continue to cross into Dominican Republic
  and to sail to neighboring countries; Haiti claims US-administered
  Navassa Island

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  in 1992, ICJ ruled on the delimitation of "bolsones"
  (disputed areas) along the El Salvador-Honduras border, but despite
  OAS intervention and a further ICJ ruling in 2003, full demarcation
  of the border remains stalled; the 1992 ICJ ruling advised a
  tripartite resolution to a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca
  with consideration of Honduran access to the Pacific; El Salvador
  continues to claim tiny Conejo Island, not mentioned in the ICJ
  ruling, off Honduras in the Gulf of Fonseca; Honduras claims
  Sapodilla Cays off the coast of Belize, but agreed to creation of a
  joint ecological park and Guatemalan corridor in the Caribbean in
  the failed 2002 Belize-Guatemala Differendum, which the OAS is
  attempting to revive; Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in
  1999 and against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over a complex dispute
  over islands and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea

Hong Kong
  none

Howland Island
  none

Hungary
  in 2004, Hungary amended the status law extending special
  social and cultural benefits and voted down a referendum to extend
  dual citizenship to ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring states,
  which have objected to such measures; consultations continue between
  Slovakia and Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion the
  Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a
  member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Hungary
  must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Iceland
  Iceland disputes Denmark's alignment of the Faroe Islands'
  fisheries median line; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland dispute
  Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends
  beyond 200 nm

India
  China and India launched a security and foreign policy
  dialogue in 2005, consolidating discussions related to the dispute
  over most of their rugged, militarized boundary, regional nuclear
  proliferation, Indian claims that China transferred missiles to
  Pakistan, and other matters; recent talks and confidence-building
  measures have begun to defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the
  world's largest and most militarized territorial dispute with
  portions under the de facto administration of China (Aksai Chin),
  India (Jammu and Kashmir), and Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern
  Areas); in 2004, India and Pakistan instituted a cease fire in the
  Kashmir and in 2005, restored bus service across the highly
  militarized Line of Control; Pakistan has taken its dispute on the
  impact and benefits of India's building the Baglihar dam on the
  Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir to the World Bank for arbitration;
  UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has
  maintained a small group of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not
  recognize Pakistan's ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964;
  disputes persist with Pakistan over Indus River water sharing; to
  defuse tensions and prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary,
  in 2004, India and Pakistan resurveyed a portion of the disputed
  boundary in Sir Creek estuary at the mouth of the Rann of Kutch;
  Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh claim in Indian Gujarat
  State; discussions with Bangladesh remain stalled to delimit a small
  section of river boundary, to exchange 162 miniscule enclaves in
  both countries, to allocate divided villages, and to stop illegal
  cross-border trade, migration, violence, and transit of terrorists
  through the porous border; Bangladesh protests India's attempts to
  fence off high-traffic sections; dispute with Bangladesh over New
  Moore/South Talpatty/Purbasha Island in the Bay of Bengal deters
  maritime boundary delimitation; India seeks cooperation from Bhutan
  and Burma to keep Indian Nagaland and Assam separatists from hiding
  in remote areas along the borders; Joint Border Committee with Nepal
  continues to demarcate minor disputed boundary sections; India has
  instituted a stricter border regime to keep out Maoist insurgents
  and control illegal cross-border activities from Nepal

Indian Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Indonesia
  East Timor-Indonesia Boundary Committee continues to meet,
  survey and delimit land boundary, but several sections of the
  boundary remain unresolved; Indonesia and East Timor contest the
  sovereignty of the uninhabited coral island of Palau Batek/Fatu
  Sinai, which hinders a decision on a northern maritime boundary; a
  1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of
  their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award
  of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left maritime
  boundary in the hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute, culminating
  in hostile confrontations in March 2005 over concessions to the
  Ambalat oil block; the ICJ decision has prompted Indonesia to assert
  claims to and to establish a presence on its smaller outer islands;
  Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to finalize their 1973
  maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of
  Batam Island; Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal
  migrants create repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy
  remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Iran
  Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries
  to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a
  maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the
  mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage
  in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes
  over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran
  stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of
  the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors

Iraq
  coalition forces assist Iraqis in monitoring boundary security;
  Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction
  disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf;
  Turkey has expressed concern over the status of Kurds in Iraq

Ireland
  Ireland, Iceland, and the UK dispute Denmark's claim that
  the Faroe Islands' continental shelf extends beyond 200 nm

Israel
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
  status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
  permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;
  Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier
  along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel
  announced its intention to pull out Israeli settlers and withdraw
  from the Gaza Strip and four settlements in the northern West Bank
  in 2005; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the
  Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights); since 1948, about 350
  peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)
  headquartered in Jerusalem monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice
  agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist
  other UN personnel in the region

Italy
  Italy's long coastline and developed economy entices tens of
  thousands of illegal immigrants from southeastern Europe and
  northern Africa

Jamaica
  none

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  the sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu,
  Kunashiri, and Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as
  the "Northern Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kuril
  Islands", occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by
  Russia and claimed by Japan, remains the primary sticking point to
  signing a peace treaty formally ending World War II hostilities;
  Japan and South Korea claim Liancourt Rocks (Take-shima/Tok-do),
  occupied by South Korea since 1954; China and Taiwan dispute both
  Japan's claims to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto
  (Diaoyu Tai) and Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic
  zone in the East China Sea, the site of intensive hydrocarbon
  prospecting

Jarvis Island
  none

Jersey
  none

Johnston Atoll
  none

Jordan
  2004 Agreement settles border dispute with Syria pending
  demarcation

Juan de Nova Island
  claimed by Madagascar

Kazakhstan
  in 2005, Kazakhstan agreed with Russia, Turkmenistan, and
  Uzbekistan to commence demarcating their boundaries; delimitation
  with Kyrgyzstan is complete; creation of a seabed boundary with
  Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea remains unresolved; equidistant
  seabed treaties have been ratified with Azerbaijan and Russia in the
  Caspian Sea, but no resolution has been made on dividing the water
  column among any of the littoral states

Kenya
  Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's
  north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to
  approximately a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans who
  flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's
  Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya's administrative limits extend
  beyond the treaty border into the Sudan, creating the Ilemi Triangle

Kingman Reef
  none

Kiribati
  none

Korea, North
  China seeks to stem illegal migration of tens of
  thousands of North Koreans escaping famine, economic privation, and
  political oppression; North Korea and China dispute the sovereignty
  of certain islands in Yalu and Tumen rivers and a section of
  boundary around Paektu-san (mountain) is indefinite; Military
  Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide Demilitarized Zone has
  separated North from South Korea since 1953; periodic maritime
  disputes with South over the Northern Limit Line; North Korea
  supports South Korea in rejecting Japan's claim to Liancourt Rocks
  (Tok-do/Take-shima)

Korea, South
  Military Demarcation Line within the 4-km wide
  Demilitarized Zone has separated North from South Korea since 1953;
  periodic maritime disputes with North Korea over the Northern Limit
  Line; South Korea and Japan claim Liancourt Rocks
  (Tok-do/Take-shima), occupied by South Korea since 1954

Kuwait
  Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue negotiating a joint maritime
  boundary with Iran; no maritime boundary exists with Iraq in the
  Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
  delimitation with Kazakhstan is complete; disputes in
  Isfara Valley delay completion of delimitation with Tajikistan;
  delimitation is underway with Uzbekistan but serious disputes around
  enclaves and elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of
  border

Laos
  Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to
  check the spread of avian flu; Laos and Thailand pledge to complete
  demarcation of boundaries in 2005, while ongoing disputes over
  squatters and boundary encroachment by Thailand including Mekong
  River islets persist; in 2004 Cambodian-Laotian boundary commission
  agrees to re-erect missing markers in two adjoining provinces;
  concern among Mekong Commission members that China's construction of
  dams on the Mekong River will affect water levels

Latvia
  the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned
  and unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
  ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
  to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
  World War and other issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified
  its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to
  concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms
  part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict
  Schengen border rules

Lebanon
  intense international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian
  troops and intelligence personnel from Lebanon; Lebanese Government
  claims Shab'a Farms area of Israeli-occupied Golan Heights; the
  roughly 2,000-strong UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been
  in place since 1978

Lesotho
  none

Liberia
  although Liberia's domestic fighting among disparate rebel
  groups, warlords, and youth gangs was declared over in 2003, civil
  unrest persists, and in 2004, 133,000 Liberian refugees remained in
  Guinea, 72,000 in Cote d'Ivoire, 67,000 in Sierra Leone, and 43,000
  in Ghana; Liberia, in turn, shelters refugees fleeing turmoil in
  Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone; since 2003, the UN Mission in
  Liberia (UNMIL) has maintained about 18,000 peacekeepers in Liberia;
  the Cote d'Ivoire Government accuses Liberia of supporting Ivoirian
  rebels; UN sanctions ban Liberia from exporting diamonds and timber

Libya
  Libya has claimed more than 32,000 sq km in southeastern
  Algeria and about 25,000 sq km in Niger in currently dormant
  disputes; various Chadian rebels from the Aozou region reside in
  southern Libya

Liechtenstein
  in February 2005, the ICJ refused to rule on the
  restitution of Liechtenstein's land and property assets in the Czech
  Republic confiscated in 1945 as German property

Lithuania
  in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land and maritime boundary
  treaty was ratified and a transit regime established through
  Lithuania linking Russia and its Kaliningrad coastal exclave,
  leaving only improvements to the border demarcation in 2005; by
  2004, a third of the Belarus-Lithuania boundary had been demarcated;
  the Latvian parliament has not ratified its 1998 maritime boundary
  treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to concerns over oil; as a
  member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Lithuania
  must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Luxembourg
  none

Macau
  none

Macedonia
  ethnic Albanians in Kosovo object to demarcation of the
  boundary with Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia
  and Montenegro delimitation agreement; Greece continues to reject
  the use of the name Macedonia or Republic of Macedonia

Madagascar
  claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands,
  and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)

Malawi
  disputes with Tanzania over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
  Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Malaysia
  Malaysia has asserted sovereignty over the Spratly Islands
  together with China, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly
  Brunei; while the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the
  South China Sea" has eased tensions over the Spratly Islands, it is
  not the legally binding "code of conduct" sought by some parties;
  Malaysia was not party to the March 2005 joint accord among the
  national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam on
  conducting marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands;
  disputes continue over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore,
  Singapore's land reclamation, bridge construction, maritime
  boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih - but parties
  agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years; ICJ
  awarded Ligitan and Sipadan islands, also claimed by Indonesia and
  Philippines, to Malaysia but left maritime boundary in the
  hydrocarbon-rich Celebes Sea in dispute, culminating in hostile
  confrontations in March 2005 over concessions to the Ambalat oil
  block; separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim
  southern provinces prompts measures to close and monitor border with
  Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Philippines retains a now
  dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo; in 2003,
  Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their disputed
  offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have stalemated
  prompting consideration of international adjudication; Malaysia's
  land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; piracy
  remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Maldives
  none

Mali
  none

Malta
  none

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands
  claims US territory of Wake Island

Martinique
  none

Mauritania
  Mauritanian claims to Western Sahara have been dormant in
  recent years

Mauritius
  Mauritius claims the Chagos Archipelago (UK-administered
  British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former inhabitants, who
  reside chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship but no
  right to patriation in the UK; claims French-administered Tromelin
  Island

Mayotte
  claimed by Comoros

Mexico
  prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded practices
  and infrastructure in the border region have strained water-sharing
  arrangements with the US; the US has stepped up efforts to stem
  nationals from Mexico, Central America, and other parts of the world
  from illegally crossing the border with Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
  none

Midway Islands
  none

Moldova
  Moldova and Ukraine have established joint customs posts to
  monitor transit through Moldova's break-away Transnistria Region
  which remains under OSCE supervision

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  none

Montserrat
  none

Morocco
  claims and administers Western Sahara whose sovereignty
  remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in
  effect since September 1991, but attempts to hold a referendum have
  failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals;
  Morocco protests Spain's control over the coastal enclaves of Ceuta,
  Melilla, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera, the islands of Penon de
  Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and surrounding waters; discussions
  have not progressed on a comprehensive maritime delimitation setting
  limits on exploration and refugee interdiction since Morocco's 2002
  rejection of Spain's unilateral designation of a median line from
  the Canary Islands; Morocco serves as one of the primary launching
  areas of illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

Mozambique
  none

Namibia
  border commission has yet to resolve small residual disputes
  with Botswana along the Caprivi Strip, including the Situngu
  marshlands along the Linyanti River; Botswana residents protest
  Namibia's planned construction of the Okavango hydroelectric dam on
  Popa Falls; managed dispute with South Africa over the location of
  the boundary in the Orange River; Namibia has supported and in 2004
  Zimbabwe dropped objections to plans between Botswana and Zambia to
  build a bridge over the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing
  a short, but not clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia, boundary in the
  river

Nauru
  none

Navassa Island
  claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

Nepal
  joint border commission continues to work on small disputed
  sections of boundary with India; India has instituted a stricter
  border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
  cross-border activities

Netherlands
  none

Netherlands Antilles
  none

New Caledonia
  Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia
  claimed by France and Vanuatu

New Zealand
  asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Ross
  Dependency) [see Antarctica]

Nicaragua
  Nicaragua filed a claim against Honduras in 1999 and
  against Colombia in 2001 at the ICJ over disputed maritime boundary
  involving 50,000 sq km in the Caribbean Sea, including the
  Archipelago de San Andres y Providencia and Quita Sueno Bank; the
  1992 ICJ ruling for El Salvador and Honduras advised a tripartite
  resolution to establish a maritime boundary in the Gulf of Fonseca,
  which considers Honduran access to the Pacific; legal dispute over
  navigational rights of San Juan River on border with Costa Rica

Niger
  Libya claims about 25,000 sq km in a currently dormant
  dispute; much of Benin-Niger boundary, including tripoint with
  Nigeria, remains undemarcated, and states expect a ruling in 2005
  from the ICJ over the disputed Niger and Mekrou River islands; only
  Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad Commission's
  admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also includes
  Chad and Niger

Nigeria
  ICJ ruled in 2002 on the entire Cameroon-Nigeria land and
  maritime boundary but the parties formed a Joint Border Commission
  to resolve differences bilaterally and have commenced with
  demarcation in less-contested sections of the boundary, starting in
  Lake Chad in the north; Nigeria initially rejected cession of the
  Bakassi Peninsula, then agreed, but has yet to withdraw its forces
  while much of the indigenous population opposes cession; in 2004,
  some 17,000 Nigerian refugees fleeing ethnic conflicts between
  pastoralists and farmers in 2002 still reside in Cameroon; the ICJ
  ruled on an equidistance settlement of Cameroon-Equatorial
  Guinea-Nigeria maritime boundary in the Gulf of Guinea, but
  imprecisely defined coordinates in the ICJ decision, the unresolved
  Bakasi allocation, and a sovereignty dispute between Equatorial
  Guinea and Cameroon over an island at the mouth of the Ntem River
  all contribute to the delay in implementation; a joint task force
  was established in 2004 that resolved disputes over and redrew the
  maritime and the 870-km land boundary with Benin on the Okpara
  River; only Nigeria and Cameroon have heeded the Lake Chad
  Commission's admonition to ratify the delimitation treaty which also
  includes Chad and Niger

Niue
  none

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  none

Norway
  Norway asserts a territorial claim in Antarctica (Queen Maud
  Land and its continental shelf); despite recent discussions, Russia
  and Norway continue to dispute their maritime limits in the Barents
  Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond Svalbard's territorial limits
  within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Oman
  boundary agreement reportedly signed and ratified with UAE in
  2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al
  Madhah exclave, but details have not been made public

Pacific Ocean
  some maritime disputes (see littoral states)

Pakistan
  recent talks and confidence-building measures have begun to
  defuse tensions over Kashmir, site of the world's largest and most
  militarized territorial dispute with portions under the de facto
  administration of China (Aksai Chin), India (Jammu and Kashmir), and
  Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas); UN Military Observer
  Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) has maintained a small group
  of peacekeepers since 1949; India does not recognize Pakistan's
  ceding historic Kashmir lands to China in 1964; in 2004, India and
  Pakistan instituted a cease fire in the Kashmir, and in 2005
  restored bus service across the highly militarized Line of Control;
  Pakistan has taken its dispute on the impact and benefits of India's
  building the Baglihar dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir
  to the World Bank for arbitration and in general the two states
  still dispute Indus River water sharing; to defuse tensions and
  prepare for discussions on a maritime boundary, India and Pakistan
  resurveyed a portion of the disputed Sir Creek estuary at the mouth
  of the Rann of Kutch in 2004; Pakistani maps continue to show
  Junagadh in India's Gujarat State; by 2005, Pakistan with UN
  assistance had repatriated 2.3 million Afghan refugees and has
  undertaken a census to count the remaining million or more, many of
  whom remain at their own choosing; Pakistan maintains troops in
  remote tribal areas to control the border with Afghanistan and root
  out organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities;
  regular meetings with Afghan and Coalition allies aim to resolve
  periodic claims of boundary encroachments

Palau
  border delineation disputes being negotiated with Philippines,
  Indonesia

Palmyra Atoll
  none

Panama
  organized illegal narcotics operations in Colombia operate
  within the border region with Panama

Papua New Guinea
  relies on assistance from Australia to keep out
  illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including
  goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and
  secessionists

Paracel Islands
  occupied by China, also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam

Paraguay
  unruly region at convergence of Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay
  borders is locus of money laundering, smuggling, arms and illegal
  narcotics trafficking, and fundraising for extremist organizations

Peru
  Peru proposes changing its latitudinal maritime boundary with
  Chile to an equidistance line with a southwestern axis; organized
  illegal narcotics operations in Colombia have penetrated Peru's
  shared border; Peru does not support Bolivia's claim to restore
  maritime access through a sovereign corridor through Chile along the
  Peruvian border

Philippines
  The Philippines claims sovereignty over certain of the
  Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands,
  also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has
  eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in
  March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines,
  and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic
  activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant
  claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the
  Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of
  attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  as a member state that forms part of the EU's external
  border, Poland must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Portugal
  none

Puerto Rico
  increasing numbers of illegal migrants from the
  Dominican Republic cross the Mona Passage to Puerto Rico each year
  looking for work

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  none

Romania
  Romania and Ukraine have taken their dispute over
  Ukrainian-administered Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea
  maritime boundary to the ICJ for adjudication; Romania also opposes
  Ukraine's reopening of a navigation canal from the Danube border
  through Ukraine to the Black Sea; Hungary amended the status law
  extending special social and cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians
  in Romania, to which Romania had objected

Russia
  in 2004, China and Russia divided up the islands in the Amur,
  Ussuri, and Argun Rivers, ending a century-old border dispute; the
  sovereignty dispute over the islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri,
  Shikotan, and the Habomai group, known in Japan as the "Northern
  Territories" and in Russia as the "Southern Kurils," occupied by the
  Soviet Union in 1945, now administered by Russia, and claimed by
  Japan, remains the primary sticking point to signing a peace treaty
  formally ending World War II hostilities; Russia and Georgia agree
  on delimiting 80% of their common border, leaving certain small,
  strategic segments and the maritime boundary unresolved; OSCE
  observers monitor volatile areas such as the Pankisi Gorge in the
  Akhmeti region and the Kodori Gorge in Abkhazia; equidistant seabed
  treaties were signed and ratified with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in
  the Caspian Sea but no consensus exists on dividing the water column
  among the littoral states; Russia and Norway dispute their maritime
  limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights beyond
  Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone;
  various groups in Finland advocate restoration of Karelia and other
  areas ceded to the Soviet Union following the Second World War but
  the Finnish Government asserts no territorial demands; in 1996, the
  Estonia-Russia technical border agreement was initialed but both
  have been hesitant to sign and ratify it, with Russia asserting that
  Estonia needs to better assimilate Russian-speakers and Estonian
  groups advocating realignment of the boundary based more closely on
  the 1920 Tartu Peace Treaty that would bring the now divided ethnic
  Setu people and parts of the Narva region within Estonia; the
  Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and
  unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
  ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
  to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
  World War and other issues; in 2003, the Lithuania-Russia land and
  maritime boundary treaty was ratified and a transit regime
  established through Lithuania linking Russia and its Kaliningrad
  coastal exclave, leaving only improvements to the border demarcation
  in 2005; delimitation of land boundary with Ukraine is complete, but
  states have agreed to defer demarcation; Russia and Ukraine continue
  talks but still dispute the alignment of a maritime boundary through
  the Kerch Strait and Sea of Azov; Kazakhstan and Russia continue
  demarcation of their long border; Russian Duma has not yet ratified
  1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement with the US in the Bering Sea

Rwanda
  Tutsi, Hutu, Hema, Lendu, and other conflicting ethnic
  groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various
  government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes region,
  transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the
  Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control over populated areas and
  natural resources - government heads pledge to end conflicts, but
  localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; DROC
  and Rwanda established a border verification mechanism in 2005 to
  address accusations of Rwandan military supporting Congolese rebels
  and the Congo providing rebel Rwandan "Interhamwe" forces the means
  and bases to attack Rwandan forces; as of 2004, Rwandan refugees
  lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Zambia

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  joins other Caribbean states to counter
  Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a
  criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its
  EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Saint Lucia
  joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's
  claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under
  UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf
  over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under UNCLOS, which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea

Samoa
  none

San Marino
  none

Sao Tome and Principe
  none

Saudi Arabia
  despite resistance from nomadic groups, the demarcation
  of the Saudi Arabia-Yemen boundary established under the 2000 Jeddah
  Treaty is almost complete; Yemen protests Saudi erection of a
  concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal
  cross-border activities in sections of the boundary; Kuwait and
  Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran;
  because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment
  of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown

Senegal
  The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau attempt to stem Senegalese
  citizens from the Casamance region fleeing separatist violence,
  cross border raids, and arms smuggling

Serbia and Montenegro
  Kosovo remains unresolved administered by
  several thousand peacekeepers from the UN Interim Administration
  Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since 1999, with Kosovar Albanians
  overwhelmingly supporting and Serbian officials opposing Kosovo
  independence; the international community had agreed to begin a
  process to determine final status but contingency of solidifying
  multi-ethnic democracy in Kosovo has not been satisfied; ethnic
  Albanians in Kosovo refuse demarcation of the boundary with
  Macedonia in accordance with the 2000 Macedonia-Serbia and
  Montenegro delimitation agreement; Serbia and Montenegro have
  delimited about half of the boundary with Bosnia and Herzegovina,
  but sections along the Drina River remain in dispute

Seychelles
  together with Mauritius, Seychelles claims the Chagos
  Archipelago (UK-administered British Indian Ocean Territory)

Sierra Leone
  domestic fighting among disparate rebel groups,
  warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and
  Sierra Leone perpetuate insurgencies, street violence, looting, arms
  trafficking, ethnic conflicts, and refugees in border areas; UN
  Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000
  peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; Sierra Leone pressures
  Guinea to remove its forces from the town of Yenga occupied since
  1998

Singapore
  disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh
  water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works,
  bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca
  Island/Pulau Batu Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island
  dispute within three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005
  to finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining
  unresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in
  the Malacca Strait

Slovakia
  Hungary amended its status law extending special social and
  cultural benefits to ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia, to which
  Slovakia had protested; consultations continue between Slovakia and
  Hungary over Hungary's completion of its portion of the
  Gabcikovo-Nagymaros hydroelectric dam project along the Danube; as a
  member state that forms part of the EU's external border, Slovakia
  must implement the strict Schengen border rules

Slovenia
  the Croatia-Slovenia land and maritime boundary agreement,
  which would have ceded most of Piran Bay and maritime access to
  Slovenia and several villages to Croatia, remains unratified and in
  dispute; as a member state that forms part of the EU's external
  border, Slovenia must implement the strict Schengen border rules to
  curb illegal migration and commerce through southeastern Europe
  while encouraging close cross-border ties with Croatia

Solomon Islands
  Australian Defense Force leads the Regional
  Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) at the invitation
  of the Solomon Islands' Government to maintain civil and political
  order and reinforce regional security

Somalia
  "Somaliland" secessionists provide port facilities to
  land-locked Ethiopia and establish commercial ties with regional
  states; "Puntland" and "Somaliland" "governments" seek support from
  neighboring states in their secessionist aspirations and in
  conflicts with each other; Ethiopia has only an administrative line
  with the Oromo region of southern Somalia and maintains alliances
  with local Somali clans opposed to the unrecognized Somali Interim
  Government, which plans eventual relocation from Kenya to Mogadishu;
  rival militia and clan fighting in southern Somalia periodically
  spills over into Kenya; most of the remaining 23,000 Somali refuges
  in Ethiopia are expected to be repatriated in 2005

South Africa
  South Africa has placed military along the border to
  stem the thousands of Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape
  political persecution; managed dispute with Namibia over the
  location of the boundary in the Orange River

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Argentina, which claims
  the islands in its constitution and briefly occupied the islands by
  force in 1982, agreed in 1995 to no longer seek settlement by force

Southern Ocean
  Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica
  entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK
  assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in
  the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in
  extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations
  Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea
  ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or
  maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves
  (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal
  claims exist in the waters in the sector between 90 degrees west and
  150 degrees west

Spain
  in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
  referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared
  sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks
  between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
  Gibraltar greater autonomy; Morocco protests Spain's control over
  the coastal enclaves of Ceuta, Melilla, and the islands of Penon de
  Velez de la Gomera, Penon de Alhucemas and Islas Chafarinas, and
  surrounding waters; Morocco serves as the primary launching site of
  illegal migration into Spain from North Africa

Spratly Islands
  all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China,
  Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the
  Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone
  that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands but has
  not publicly claimed the reef; claimants in November 2002 signed the
  "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,"
  which has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
  of conduct"; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the
  Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratlys

Sri Lanka
  none

Sudan
  the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel
  militia fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all
  of its border states who provide shelter for fleeing refugees and
  cover to disparate domestic and foreign conflicting elements; since
  2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have driven about
  200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad; large numbers of
  Sudanese refugees have also fled to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the
  Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
  southern Sudan provides shelter to Ugandans seeking periodic
  protection from soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army; Sudan
  accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to
  demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by
  civil and ethnic fighting in Sudan; Kenya's administrative boundary
  extends into the southern Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle";
  Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer triangular areas that
  extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd
  Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is
  economically developing the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty
  Line; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water
  and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations from
  the Central African Republic along the border

Suriname
  area claimed by French Guiana between Riviere Litani and
  Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa); Suriname claims a
  triangle of land between the New and Kutari/Koetari rivers in a
  historic dispute over the headwaters of the Courantyne; Guyana seeks
  UNCLOS arbitration to resolve the long-standing dispute with
  Suriname over the axis of the territorial sea boundary in
  potentially oil-rich waters

Svalbard
  despite recent discussions, Russia and Norway dispute their
  maritime limits in the Barents Sea and Russia's fishing rights
  beyond Svalbard's territorial limits within the Svalbard Treaty zone

Swaziland
  none

Sweden
  none

Switzerland
  none

Syria
  Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied with the almost 1,000-strong
  UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) patrolling a buffer zone
  since 1964; Lebanon claims Shaba'a farms in Golan Heights;
  international pressure prompts the removal of Syrian troops and
  intelligence personel stationed in Lebanon since October 1976; Syria
  protests Turkish hydrological projects regulating upper Euphrates
  waters; 2004 Agreement and pending demarcation settles border
  dispute with Jordan

Taiwan
  involved in complex dispute with China, Malaysia,
  Philippines, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei over the Spratly Islands;
  the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China
  Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally binding "code
  of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; Paracel Islands
  are occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam; in 2003,
  China and Taiwan became more vocal in rejecting both Japan's claims
  to the uninhabited islands of the Senkaku-shoto (Diaoyu Tai) and
  Japan's unilaterally declared exclusive economic zone in the East
  China Sea where all parties engage in hydrocarbon prospecting

Tajikistan
  boundary agreements signed in 2002 cede 1,000 sq km of
  Pamir Mountain range to China in return for China relinquishing
  claims to 28,000 sq km of Tajikistani lands but neither state has
  published maps of ceded areas and demarcation has not yet commenced;
  talks continue with Uzbekistan to delimit border and remove
  minefields; disputes in Isfara Valley delay delimitation with
  Kyrgyzstan

Tanzania
  disputes with Malawi over the boundary in Lake Nyasa (Lake
  Malawi) and the meandering Songwe River remain dormant

Thailand
  separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim
  southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia
  to stem terrorist activities; southeast Asian states have enhanced
  border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; Laos and
  Thailand pledge to complete demarcation of their boundary in 2005;
  despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences
  remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic
  rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia and
  Thailand dispute sections of boundary with missing boundary markers;
  Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and
  obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia
  by ICJ decision in 1962; ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand
  to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops resulting
  in Thailand sheltering about 118,000 Burmese refugees in 2004;
  Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam
  construction on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists
  in Burma and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of
  hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan
  Province

Togo
  in 2001 Benin claimed Togo moved boundary monuments - joint
  commission continues to resurvey the boundary

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  none

Trinidad and Tobago
  Barbados will assert its claim before UNCLOS
  that the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary
  with Venezuela extends into its waters; Guyana has also expressed
  its intention to challenge this boundary as it may extend into its
  waters as well

Tromelin Island
  claimed by Mauritius

Tunisia
  none

Turkey
  complex maritime, air, and territorial disputes with Greece
  in the Aegean Sea; status of north Cyprus question remains; Syria
  and Iraq protest Turkish hydrological projects to control upper
  Euphrates waters; Turkey has expressed concern over the status of
  Kurds in Iraq; border with Armenia remains closed over
  Nagorno-Karabakh

Turkmenistan
  cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
  creates water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states;
  bilateral talks continue with Azerbaijan on dividing the seabed and
  contested oilfields in the middle of the Caspian; demarcation of
  land boundary with Kazakhstan has started but Caspian seabed
  delimitation remains stalled

Turks and Caicos Islands have received Haitians fleeing economic and civil disorder

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic
  groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government
  forces; Ugandan refugees have fled the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
  into the southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
  LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border

Ukraine
  1997 boundary treaty with Belarus remains un-ratified due to
  unresolved financial claims, stalling demarcation and reducing
  border security; delimitation of land boundary with Russia is
  complete but the parties have agreed to defer demarcation; maritime
  boundary through the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait remains unresolved
  despite a December 2003 framework agreement and on-going
  expert-level discussions; Moldova and Ukraine have established joint
  customs posts to monitor transit through Moldova's break-away
  Transnistria Region which remains under OSCE supervision; Ukraine
  and Romania have taken their dispute over Ukrainian-administered
  Zmiyinyy (Snake) Island and Black Sea maritime boundary to the ICJ
  for adjudication; Romania opposes Ukraine's reopening of a
  navigation canal from the Danube border through the Ukraine to the
  Black Sea

United Arab Emirates
  because the treaties have not been made public,
  the exact alignment of the boundary with Saudi Arabia is still
  unknown; boundary agreement was signed and ratified with Oman in
  2003 for entire border, including Oman's Musandam Peninsula and Al
  Madhah enclaves, but contents of the agreement and maps showing the
  alignment have not been published; UAE engage in direct talks and
  solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's
  occupation of Lesser and Greater Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island

United Kingdom
  in 2003, Gibraltar residents voted overwhelmingly by
  referendum to remain a British colony and against a "total shared
  sovereignty" arrangement while demanding participation in talks
  between the UK and Spain; Spain disapproves of UK plans to grant
  Gibraltar greater autonomy; Mauritius and Seychelles claim the
  Chagos Archipelago (British Indian Ocean Territory), and its former
  inhabitants since their eviction in 1965; most Chagosians reside in
  Mauritius, and in 2001 were granted UK citizenship but no right to
  patriation in the UK; UK rejects sovereignty talks requested by
  Argentina, which still claims the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; territorial claim
  in Antarctica (British Antarctic Territory) overlaps Argentine claim
  and partially overlaps Chilean claim; Iceland, the UK, and Ireland
  dispute Denmark's claim that the Faroe Islands' continental shelf
  extends beyond 200 nm

United States
  prolonged drought, population growth, and outmoded
  practices and infrastructure in the border region strains
  water-sharing arrangements with Mexico; the US has stepped up
  efforts to stem nationals from Mexico, Central America, and other
  parts of the world from crossing illegally into the United States
  from Mexico; illegal immigrants from the Caribbean, notably Haiti
  and the Dominican Republic, attempt to enter the US through Florida
  by sea; 1990 Maritime Boundary Agreement in the Bering Sea still
  awaits Russian Duma ratification; managed maritime boundary disputes
  with Canada at Dixon Entrance, Beaufort Sea, Strait of Juan de Fuca,
  and around the disputed Machias Seal Island and North Rock; US and
  Canada seek greater cooperation in monitoring people and commodities
  crossing the border; The Bahamas and US have not been able to agree
  on a maritime boundary; US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased
  from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area
  can terminate the lease; Haiti claims US-administered Navassa
  Island; US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica (but has
  reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize the claims of
  any other state; Marshall Islands claims Wake Island

Uruguay
  uncontested dispute with Brazil over certain islands in the
  Quarai/Cuareim and Invernada streams and the resulting tripoint with
  Argentina

Uzbekistan
  cotton monoculture in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan creates
  water-sharing difficulties for Amu Darya river states; delimitation
  with Kazakhstan complete with demarcation underway; delimitation is
  underway with Kyrgyzstan but serious disputes around enclaves and
  elsewhere continue to mar progress for some 130 km of border; talks
  continue with Tajikistan to delimit border and remove minefields

Vanuatu
  Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by
  Vanuatu and France

Venezuela
  claims all of the area west of the Essequibo River in
  Guyana, preventing any discussion of a maritime boundary; Guyana has
  expressed its intention to join Barbados in asserting claims before
  UNCLOS that the Trinidad and Tobago's maritime boundary with
  Venezuela extends into their waters; dispute with Colombia over Los
  Monjes islands and maritime boundary near the Gulf of Venezuela;
  Colombian-organized illegal narcotics and paramilitary activities
  penetrate Venezuela's shared border region resulting in several
  thousand residents migrating away from the border; US, France and
  the Netherlands recognize Venezuela's claim to give full effect to
  Aves Island, which creates a Venezuelan EEZ/continental shelf
  extending over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea; Dominica, Saint
  Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  protest Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation
  and other states' recognition of it

Vietnam
  southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to
  check the spread of avian flu; Cambodia and Laos protest Vietnamese
  squatters and armed encroachments along border; in 2004
  Laotian-Vietnamese boundary commission agrees to erect missing
  markers in two adjoining provinces; demarcation of the China-Vietnam
  boundary proceeds slowly and although the maritime boundary
  delimitation and fisheries agreements were ratified in June 2004,
  implementation has been delayed; China occupies Paracel Islands also
  claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; involved in complex dispute with
  China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and possibly Brunei over the
  Spratly Islands; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
  the South China Sea" has eased tensions but falls short of a legally
  binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants;
  Vietnam continues to expand construction of facilities in the
  Spratly Islands; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China,
  the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine
  seismic activities in the Spratly Islands

Virgin Islands
  none

Wake Island
  claimed by Marshall Islands

Wallis and Futuna
  none

West Bank
  West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current
  status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement -
  permanent status to be determined through further negotiation;
  Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier
  along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel
  announced its intention to pull out settlers and withdraw from four
  settlements in the northern West Bank in 2005; since 1948, about 350
  peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO),
  headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice
  agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist
  other UN personnel in the region

Western Sahara
  Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose
  sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has
  remained in effect since September 1991, administered by the UN
  Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), but attempts
  to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected
  all brokered proposals

World
  stretching over 250,000 km, the world's 325 international land
  boundaries separate the 192 independent states and 73 dependencies,
  areas of special sovereignty, and other miscellaneous entities;
  ethnicity, culture, race, religion, and language have divided states
  into separate political entities as much as history, physical
  terrain, political fiat, or conquest, resulting in sometimes
  arbitrary and imposed boundaries; maritime states have claimed
  limits and have so far established over 130 maritime boundaries and
  joint development zones to allocate ocean resources and to provide
  for national security at sea; boundary, borderland/resource, and
  territorial disputes vary in intensity from managed or dormant to
  violent or militarized; most disputes over the alignment of
  political boundaries are confined to short segments and are today
  less common and less hostile than borderland, resource, and
  territorial disputes; undemarcated, indefinite, porous, and
  unmanaged boundaries, however, encourage illegal cross-border
  activities, uncontrolled migration, and confrontation; territorial
  disputes may evolve from historical and/or cultural claims, or they
  may be brought on by resource competition; ethnic clashes continue
  to be responsible for much of the territorial fragmentation around
  the world; disputes over islands at sea or in rivers frequently form
  the source of territorial and boundary conflict; other sources of
  contention include access to water and mineral (especially
  petroleum) resources, fisheries, and arable land; nonetheless, most
  nations cooperate to clarify their international boundaries and to
  resolve territorial and resource disputes peacefully; regional
  discord directly affects the sustenance and welfare of local
  populations, often leaving the world community to cope with
  resultant refugees, hunger, disease, impoverishment, deforestation,
  and desertification

Yemen
  Yemen protests Eritrea fishing around the Hanish Islands
  awarded to Yemen by the ICJ in 1999; despite resistance from nomadic
  groups, the demarcation of the Saudi Arabia-Yemen boundary
  established under the 2000 Jeddah Treaty is almost complete; Yemen
  protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a security
  barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in sections
  of the boundary

Zambia
  in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections and joined Namibia in
  supporting plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over
  the Zambezi River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not
  clearly delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river; 90,000
  Angolan refugees were repatriated from Zambia by 2004, the remaining
  160,000 are expected to return in 2005

Zimbabwe
  Botswana has built electric fences and South Africa has
  placed military along the border to stem the flow of thousands of
  Zimbabweans fleeing to find work and escape political persecution;
  Namibia has supported and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to
  plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi
  River, thereby de facto recognizing a short, but not clearly
  delimited Botswana-Zambia boundary in the river

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2075 Ethnic groups (%)

Afghanistan
  Pashtun 42%, Tajik 27%, Hazara 9%, Uzbek 9%, Aimak 4%,
  Turkmen 3%, Baloch 2%, other 4%

Albania
  Albanian 95%, Greek 3%, other 2% (Vlach, Roma (Gypsy), Serb,
  Macedonian, Bulgarian) (1989 est.)
  note: in 1989, other estimates of the Greek population ranged from
  1% (official Albanian statistics) to 12% (from a Greek organization)

Algeria
  Arab-Berber 99%, European less than 1%
  note: almost all Algerians are Berber in origin, not Arab; the
  minority who identify themselves as Berber live mostly in the
  mountainous region of Kabylie east of Algiers; the Berbers are also
  Muslim but identify with their Berber rather than Arab cultural
  heritage; Berbers have long agitated, sometimes violently, for
  autonomy; the government is unlikely to grant autonomy but has
  offered to begin sponsoring teaching Berber language in schools

American Samoa
  native Pacific islander 92.9%, Asian 2.9%, white
  1.2%, mixed 2.8%, other 0.2% (2000 census)

Andorra
  Spanish 43%, Andorran 33%, Portuguese 11%, French 7%, other
  6% (1998)

Angola
  Ovimbundu 37%, Kimbundu 25%, Bakongo 13%, mestico (mixed
  European and native African) 2%, European 1%, other 22%

Anguilla
  black (predominant) 90.1%, mixed, mulatto 4.6%, white 3.7%,
  other 1.6% (2001 Census)

Antigua and Barbuda
  black, British, Portuguese, Lebanese, Syrian

Argentina
  white (mostly Spanish and Italian) 97%, mestizo (mixed
  white and Amerindian ancestry), Amerindian, or other non-white
  groups 3%

Armenia
  Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3%
  (2001 census)

Aruba
  mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Australia
  Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%

Austria
  Austrians 91.1%, former Yugoslavs 4% (includes Croatians,
  Slovenes, Serbs, and Bosniaks), Turks 1.6%, German 0.9%, other or
  unspecified 2.4% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan
  Azeri 90.6%, Dagestani 2.2%, Russian 1.8%, Armenian 1.5%,
  other 3.9% (1999 census)
  note: almost all Armenians live in the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
  region

Bahamas, The
  black 85%, white 12%, Asian and Hispanic 3%

Bahrain
  Bahraini 62.4%, non-Bahraini 37.6% (2001 census)

Bangladesh
  Bengali 98%, tribal groups, non-Bengali Muslims (1998)

Barbados
  black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%

Belarus
  Belarusian 81.2%, Russian 11.4%, Polish 3.9%, Ukrainian
  2.4%, other 1.1% (1999 census)

Belgium
  Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11%

Belize
  mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other
  9.7%

Benin
  African 99% (42 ethnic groups, most important being Fon, Adja,
  Yoruba, Bariba), Europeans 5,500

Bermuda
  black 54.8%, white 34.1%, mixed 6.4%, other races 4.3%,
  unspecified 0.4% (2000 census)

Bhutan
  Bhote 50%, ethnic Nepalese 35% (includes Lhotsampas - one of
  several Nepalese ethnic groups), indigenous or migrant tribes 15%

Bolivia
  Quechua 30%, mestizo (mixed white and Amerindian ancestry)
  30%, Aymara 25%, white 15%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Serb 37.1%, Bosniak 48%, Croat 14.3%, other
  0.6% (2000)
  note: Bosniak has replaced Muslim as an ethnic term in part to avoid
  confusion with the religious term Muslim - an adherent of Islam

Botswana
  Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other,
  including Kgalagadi and white 7%

Brazil
  white 53.7%, mulatto (mixed white and black) 38.5%, black
  6.2%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian) 0.9%, unspecified
  0.7% (2000 census)

British Virgin Islands
  black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed

Brunei
  Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including
  Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian) (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  Mossi over 40%, Gurunsi, Senufo, Lobi, Bobo, Mande,
  Fulani

Burma
  Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian
  2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Burundi
  Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%,
  Europeans 3,000, South Asians 2,000

Cambodia
  Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

Cameroon
  Cameroon Highlanders 31%, Equatorial Bantu 19%, Kirdi 11%,
  Fulani 10%, Northwestern Bantu 8%, Eastern Nigritic 7%, other
  African 13%, non-African less than 1%

Canada
  British Isles origin 28%, French origin 23%, other European
  15%, Amerindian 2%, other, mostly Asian, African, Arab 6%, mixed
  background 26%

Cape Verde
  Creole (mulatto) 71%, African 28%, European 1%

Cayman Islands
  mixed 40%, white 20%, black 20%, expatriates of
  various ethnic groups 20%

Central African Republic
  Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%,
  Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%

Chad
  200 distinct groups; in the north and center: Arabs, Gorane
  (Toubou, Daza, Kreda), Zaghawa, Kanembou, Ouaddai, Baguirmi,
  Hadjerai, Fulbe, Kotoko, Hausa, Boulala, and Maba, most of whom are
  Muslim; in the south: Sara (Ngambaye, Mbaye, Goulaye), Moundang,
  Moussei, Massa, most of whom are Christian or animist; about 1,000
  French citizens live in Chad

Chile
  white and white-Amerindian 95%, Amerindian 3%, other 2%

China
  Han Chinese 91.9%, Zhuang, Uygur, Hui, Yi, Tibetan, Miao,
  Manchu, Mongol, Buyi, Korean, and other nationalities 8.1%

Christmas Island
  Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
  note: no indigenous population (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Europeans, Cocos Malays

Colombia
  mestizo 58%, white 20%, mulatto 14%, black 4%, mixed
  black-Amerindian 3%, Amerindian 1%

Comoros
  Antalote, Cafre, Makoa, Oimatsaha, Sakalava

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  over 200 African ethnic groups of
  which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba,
  Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about
  45% of the population

Congo, Republic of the
  Kongo 48%, Sangha 20%, M'Bochi 12%, Teke 17%,
  Europeans and other 3%
  note: Europeans estimated at 8,500, mostly French, before the 1997
  civil war; may be half that in 1998, following the widespread
  destruction of foreign businesses in 1997

Cook Islands
  Cook Island Maori (Polynesian) 87.7%, part Cook Island
  Maori 5.8%, other 6.5% (2001 census)

Costa Rica
  white (including mestizo) 94%, black 3%, Amerindian 1%,
  Chinese 1%, other 1%

Cote d'Ivoire
  Akan 42.1%, Voltaiques or Gur 17.6%, Northern Mandes
  16.5%, Krous 11%, Southern Mandes 10%, other 2.8% (includes 130,000
  Lebanese and 14,000 French) (1998)

Croatia
  Croat 89.6%, Serb 4.5%, other 5.9% (including Bosniak,
  Hungarian, Slovene, Czech, and Roma) (2001 census)

Cuba
  mulatto 51%, white 37%, black 11%, Chinese 1%

Cyprus
  Greek 77%, Turkish 18%, other 5% (2001)

Czech Republic
  Czech 90.4%, Moravian 3.7%, Slovak 1.9%, other 4%
  (2001 census)

Denmark
  Scandinavian, Inuit, Faroese, German, Turkish, Iranian,
  Somali

Djibouti
  Somali 60%, Afar 35%, French, Arab, Ethiopian, and Italian
  5%

Dominica
  black, mixed black and European, European, Syrian, Carib
  Amerindian

Dominican Republic
  white 16%, black 11%, mixed 73%

East Timor
  Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian), Papuan, small Chinese
  minority

Ecuador
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 65%, Amerindian 25%,
  Spanish and others 7%, black 3%

Egypt
  Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
  Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and
  French) 1%

El Salvador
  mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%

Equatorial Guinea
  Bioko (primarily Bubi, some Fernandinos), Rio Muni
  (primarily Fang), Europeans less than 1,000, mostly Spanish

Eritrea
  ethnic Tigrinya 50%, Tigre and Kunama 40%, Afar 4%, Saho
  (Red Sea coast dwellers) 3%, other 3%

Estonia
  Estonian 67.9%, Russian 25.6%, Ukrainian 2.1%, Belarusian
  1.3%, Finn 0.9%, other 2.2% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  Oromo 40%, Amhara and Tigre 32%, Sidamo 9%, Shankella 6%,
  Somali 6%, Afar 4%, Gurage 2%, other 1%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  British

Faroe Islands
  Scandinavian

Fiji
  Fijian 51% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian
  admixture), Indian 44%, European, other Pacific Islanders, overseas
  Chinese, and other 5% (1998 est.)

Finland
  Finn 93.4%, Swede 5.7%, Russian 0.4%, Estonian 0.2%, Roma
  0.2%, Sami 0.1%

France
  Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
  Indochinese, Basque minorities

French Guiana
  black or mulatto 66%, white 12%, East Indian, Chinese,
  Amerindian 12%, other 10%

French Polynesia
  Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,
  metropolitan French 4%

Gabon
  Bantu tribes including four major tribal groupings (Fang,
  Bapounou, Nzebi, Obamba), other Africans and Europeans 154,000,
  including 10,700 French and 11,000 persons of dual nationality

Gambia, The
  African 99% (Mandinka 42%, Fula 18%, Wolof 16%, Jola
  10%, Serahuli 9%, other 4%), non-African 1%

Gaza Strip
  Palestinian Arab and other 99.4%, Jewish 0.6%

Georgia
  Georgian 83.8%, Azeri 6.5%, Armenian 5.7%, Russian 1.5%,
  other 2.5% (2002 census)

Germany
  German 91.5%, Turkish 2.4%, other 6.1% (made up largely of
  Greek, Italian, Polish, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish)

Ghana
  black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba
  16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5%
  (1998)

Gibraltar
  Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese, German,
  North Africans

Greece
  Greek 98%, other 2%
  note: the Greek Government states there are no ethnic divisions in
  Greece

Greenland
  Greenlander 88% (Inuit and Greenland-born whites), Danish
  and others 12% (January 2000)

Grenada
  black 82%, mixed black and European 13%, European and East
  Indian 5%, and trace of Arawak/Carib Amerindian

Guadeloupe
  black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese,
  Chinese less than 5%

Guam
  Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%,
  white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%,
  mixed 9.8% (2000 census)

Guatemala
  Mestizo (mixed Amerindian-Spanish - in local Spanish
  called Ladino) and European 59.4%, K'iche 9.1%, Kaqchikel 8.4%, Mam
  7.9%, Q'eqchi 6.3%, other Mayan 8.6%, indigenous non-Mayan 0.2%,
  other 0.1% (2001 census)

Guernsey
  UK and Norman-French descent with small percentages from
  other European countries

Guinea
  Peuhl 40%, Malinke 30%, Soussou 20%, smaller ethnic groups 10%

Guinea-Bissau
  African 99% (Balanta 30%, Fula 20%, Manjaca 14%,
  Mandinga 13%, Papel 7%), European and mulatto less than 1%

Guyana
  East Indian 50%, black 36%, Amerindian 7%, white, Chinese,
  and mixed 7%

Haiti
  black 95%, mulatto and white 5%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Italians, Swiss, other

Honduras
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and European) 90%, Amerindian 7%,
  black 2%, white 1%

Hong Kong
  Chinese 95%, other 5%

Hungary
  Hungarian 92.3%, Roma 1.9%, other or unknown 5.8% (2001
  census)

Iceland
  homogeneous mixture of descendants of Norse and Celts 94%,
  population of foreign origin 6%

India
  Indo-Aryan 72%, Dravidian 25%, Mongoloid and other 3% (2000)

Indonesia
  Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays
  7.5%, other 26%

Iran
  Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%,
  Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Iraq
  Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Ireland
  Celtic, English

Israel
  Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%,
  Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab)
  (1996 est.)

Italy
  Italian (includes small clusters of German-, French-, and
  Slovene-Italians in the north and Albanian-Italians and
  Greek-Italians in the south)

Jamaica
  black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%,
  mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%

Japan
  Japanese 99%, others 1% (Korean 511,262, Chinese 244,241,
  Brazilian 182,232, Filipino 89,851, other 237,914)
  note: up to 230,000 Brazilians of Japanese origin migrated to Japan
  in the 1990s to work in industries; some have returned to Brazil
  (2004)

Jersey
  Jersey 51.1%, British 34.8%, Irish, French, and other white
  6.6%, Portuguese/Madeiran 6.4%, other 1.1% (2001 census)

Jordan
  Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh (Qazaq) 53.4%, Russian 30%, Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek
  2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Kenya
  Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii
  6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and
  Arab) 1%

Kiribati
  Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Korea, North
  racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese
  community and a few ethnic Japanese

Korea, South
  homogeneous (except for about 20,000 Chinese)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%,
  other 7%

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyz 64.9%, Uzbek 13.8%, Russian 12.5%, Dungan 1.1%,
  Ukrainian 1%, Uygur 1%, other 5.7% (1999 census)

Laos
  Lao Loum (lowland) 68%, Lao Theung (upland) 22%, Lao Soung
  (highland) including the Hmong and the Yao 9%, ethnic
  Vietnamese/Chinese 1%

Latvia
  Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian
  2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002)

Lebanon
  Arab 95%, Armenian 4%, other 1%

Lesotho
  Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%,

Liberia
  indigenous African tribes 95% (including Kpelle, Bassa, Gio,
  Kru, Grebo, Mano, Krahn, Gola, Gbandi, Loma, Kissi, Vai, Dei, Bella,
  Mandingo, and Mende), Americo-Liberians 2.5% (descendants of
  immigrants from the US who had been slaves), Congo People 2.5%
  (descendants of immigrants from the Caribbean who had been slaves)

Libya
  Berber and Arab 97%, Greeks, Maltese, Italians, Egyptians,
  Pakistanis, Turks, Indians, Tunisians

Liechtenstein
  Alemannic 86%, Italian, Turkish, and other 14%

Lithuania
  Lithuanian 83.4%, Polish 6.7%, Russian 6.3%, other or
  unspecified 3.6% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese,
  Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo) and European
  (guest and resident workers)

Macau
  Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry)
  1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)

Macedonia
  Macedonian 64.2%, Albanian 25.2%, Turkish 3.9%, Roma 2.7%,
  Serb 1.8%, other 2.2% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers
  (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry -
  Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian,
  Creole, Comoran

Malawi
  Chewa, Nyanja, Tumbuka, Yao, Lomwe, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni,
  Ngonde, Asian, European

Malaysia
  Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, Indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%,
  others 7.8% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  South Indians, Sinhalese, Arabs

Mali
  Mande 50% (Bambara, Malinke, Soninke), Peul 17%, Voltaic 12%,
  Songhai 6%, Tuareg and Moor 10%, other 5%

Malta
  Maltese (descendants of ancient Carthaginians and Phoenicians,
  with strong elements of Italian and other Mediterranean stock)

Man, Isle of
  Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Briton

Marshall Islands
  Micronesian

Martinique
  African and African-white-Indian mixture 90%, white 5%,
  East Indian, Chinese less than 5%

Mauritania
  mixed Maur/black 40%, Moor 30%, black 30%

Mauritius
  Indo-Mauritian 68%, Creole 27%, Sino-Mauritian 3%,
  Franco-Mauritian 2%

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  mestizo (Amerindian-Spanish) 60%, Amerindian or predominantly
  Amerindian 30%, white 9%, other 1%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  nine ethnic Micronesian and
  Polynesian groups

Moldova
  Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%,
  Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
  note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region

Monaco
  French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21%

Mongolia
  Mongol (mostly Khalkha) 94.9%, Turkic (mostly Kazakh) 5%,
  other (including Chinese and Russian) 0.1% (2000)

Montserrat
  black, white

Morocco
  Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
  indigenous tribal groups 99.66% (Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe,
  Sena, and others), Europeans 0.06%, Euro-Africans 0.2%, Indians 0.08%

Namibia
  black 87.5%, white 6%, mixed 6.5%
  note: about 50% of the population belong to the Ovambo tribe and 9%
  to the Kavangos tribe; other ethnic groups are: Herero 7%, Damara
  7%, Nama 5%, Caprivian 4%, Bushmen 3%, Baster 2%, Tswana 0.5%

Nauru
  Nauruan 58%, other Pacific Islander 26%, Chinese 8%, European
  8%

Nepal
  Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%,
  Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other
  32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Netherlands
  Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin
  mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians)
  (1999 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East
  Asian

New Caledonia
  Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%,
  Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

New Zealand
  European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander
  4.4%, other 0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)

Nicaragua
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 69%, white 17%, black
  9%, Amerindian 5%

Niger
  Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri
  (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200
  French expatriates

Nigeria
  Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, is composed of more
  than 250 ethnic groups; the following are the most populous and
  politically influential: Hausa and Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo
  (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%

Niue
  Niuen 78.2%, Pacific islander 10.2%, European 4.5%, mixed 3.9%,
  Asian 0.2%, unspecified 3% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers, Australian, New
  Zealander, Polynesians

Northern Mariana Islands
  Asian 56.3%, Pacific islander 36.3%,
  Caucasian 1.8%, other 0.8%, mixed 4.8% (2000 census)

Norway
  Norwegian, Sami 20,000

Oman
  Arab, Baluchi, South Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan,
  Bangladeshi), African

Pakistan
  Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir
  (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their
  descendants)

Palau
  Palauan (Micronesian with Malayan and Melanesian admixtures)
  69.9%, Carolinian 1.4%, other Micronesian 1.1%, Filipino 15.3%,
  Chinese 4.9%, other Asian 2.4%, white 1.9%, other or unspecified
  3.2% (2000 census)

Panama
  mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 70%, Amerindian and
  mixed (West Indian) 14%, white 10%, Amerindian 6%

Papua New Guinea
  Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian

Paraguay
  mestizo (mixed Spanish and Amerindian) 95%, other 5%

Peru
  Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white
  15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3%

Philippines
  Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Llocano 9%,
  Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%,
  other 25.3% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands
  descendants of the Bounty mutineers and their
  Tahitian wives

Poland
  Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%,
  other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census)

Portugal
  homogeneous Mediterranean stock; citizens of black African
  descent who immigrated to mainland during decolonization number less
  than 100,000; since 1990 East Europeans have entered Portugal

Puerto Rico
  white (mostly Spanish origin) 80.5%, black 8%,
  Amerindian 0.4%, Asian 0.2%, mixed and other 10.9%

Qatar
  Arab 40%, Pakistani 18%, Indian 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

Reunion
  French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian

Romania
  Romanian 89.5%, Hungarian 6.6%, Roma 2.5%, Ukrainian 0.3%,
  German 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, Turkish 0.2%, other 0.4% (2002 census)

Russia
  Russian 79.8%, Tatar 3.8%, Ukrainian 2%, Bashkir 1.2%,
  Chuvash 1.1%, other or unspecified 12.1% (2002 census)

Rwanda
  Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15%, Twa (Pygmoid) 1%

Saint Helena
  African descent 50%, white 25%, Chinese 25%

Saint Kitts and Nevis predominantly black; some British, Portuguese, and Lebanese

Saint Lucia
  black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1%

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Basques and Bretons (French fishermen)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian
  6%, Carib Amerindian 2%, other 7%

Samoa
  Samoan 92.6%, Euronesians 7% (persons of European and
  Polynesian blood), Europeans 0.4%

San Marino
  Sammarinese, Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
  mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan
  slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract
  laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children
  of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Saudi Arabia
  Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Senegal
  Wolof 43.3%, Pular 23.8%, Serer 14.7%, Jola 3.7%, Mandinka
  3%, Soninke 1.1%, European and Lebanese 1%, other 9.4%

Serbia and Montenegro
  Serb 62.6%, Albanian 16.5%, Montenegrin 5%,
  Hungarian 3.3%, other 12.6% (1991)

Seychelles
  mixed French, African, Indian, Chinese, and Arab

Sierra Leone
  20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%,
  other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves
  who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century),
  refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of
  Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Singapore
  Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000
  census)

Slovakia
  Slovak 85.8%, Hungarian 9.7%, Roma 1.7%,
  Ruthenian/Ukrainian 1%, other and unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Slovenia
  Slovene 83.1%, Serb 2%, Croat 1.8%, Bosniak 1.1%, other or
  unspecified 12% (2002 census)

Solomon Islands
  Melanesian 94.5%, Polynesian 3%, Micronesian 1.2%,
  other 1.1%, unspecified 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia
  Somali 85%, Bantu and other non-Somali 15% (including Arabs
  30,000)

South Africa
  black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%,
  Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census)

Spain
  composite of Mediterranean and Nordic types

Sri Lanka
  Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%,
  Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, other 0.5%, unspecified 10% (2001 census
  provisional data)

Sudan
  black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Suriname
  Hindustani (also known locally as "East Indians"; their
  ancestors emigrated from northern India in the latter part of the
  19th century) 37%, Creole (mixed white and black) 31%, Javanese 15%,
  "Maroons" (their African ancestors were brought to the country in
  the 17th and 18th centuries as slaves and escaped to the interior)
  10%, Amerindian 2%, Chinese 2%, white 1%, other 2%

Svalbard
  Norwegian 55.4%, Russian and Ukrainian 44.3%, other 0.3%
  (1998)

Swaziland
  African 97%, European 3%

Sweden
  indigenous population: Swedes and Finnish and Sami
  minorities; foreign-born or first-generation immigrants: Finns,
  Yugoslavs, Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks

Switzerland
  German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other
  6%

Syria
  Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%

Taiwan
  Taiwanese (including Hakka) 84%, mainland Chinese 14%,
  aborigine 2%

Tajikistan
  Tajik 79.9%, Uzbek 15.3%, Russian 1.1%, Kyrgyz 1.1%,
  other 2.6% (2000 census)

Tanzania
  mainland - native African 99% (of which 95% are Bantu
  consisting of more than 130 tribes), other 1% (consisting of Asian,
  European, and Arab); Zanzibar - Arab, native African, mixed Arab and
  native African

Thailand
  Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Togo
  native African (37 tribes; largest and most important are Ewe,
  Mina, and Kabre) 99%, European and Syrian-Lebanese less than 1%

Tokelau
  Polynesian

Tonga
  Polynesian, Europeans about 300

Trinidad and Tobago
  Indian (South Asian) 40%, African 37.5%, mixed
  20.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.8% (2000 census)

Tunisia
  Arab 98%, European 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
  Turkish 80%, Kurdish 20% (estimated)

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  black 90%, mixed, European, or North
  American 10%

Tuvalu
  Polynesian 96%, Micronesian 4%

Uganda
  Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi
  6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro
  3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%,
  Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

Ukraine
  Ukrainian 77.8%, Russian 17.3%, Belarusian 0.6%, Moldovan
  0.5%, Crimean Tatar 0.5%, Bulgarian 0.4%, Hungarian 0.3%, Romanian
  0.3%, Polish 0.3%, Jewish 0.2%, other 1.8% (2001 census)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati 19%, other Arab and Iranian 23%, South
  Asian 50%, other expatriates (includes Westerners and East Asians)
  8% (1982)
  note: less than 20% are UAE citizens (1982)

United Kingdom
  white (English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%,
  Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%,
  mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census)

United States
  white 81.7%, black 12.9%, Asian 4.2%, Amerindian and
  Alaska native 1%, native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander 0.2%
  (2003 est.)
  note: a separate listing for Hispanic is not included because the US
  Census Bureau considers Hispanic to mean a person of Latin American
  descent (including persons of Cuban, Mexican, or Puerto Rican
  origin) living in the US who may be of any race or ethnic group
  (white, black, Asian, etc.)

Uruguay
  white 88%, mestizo 8%, black 4%, Amerindian (practically
  nonexistent)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbek 80%, Russian 5.5%, Tajik 5%, Kazakh 3%, Karakalpak
  2.5%, Tatar 1.5%, other 2.5% (1996 est.)

Vanuatu
  Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Arab, German, African,
  indigenous people

Vietnam
  Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Thai 1.7%, Muong 1.5%, Khome
  1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nun 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands
  black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%,
  mixed 3.5% (2000 census)

Wallis and Futuna
  Polynesian

West Bank
  Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17%

Western Sahara
  Arab, Berber

Yemen
  predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians, Europeans

Zambia
  African 98.7%, European 1.1%, other 0.2%

Zimbabwe
  African 98% (Shona 82%, Ndebele 14%, other 2%), mixed and
  Asian 1%, white less than 1%

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2076 Exchange rates

Afghanistan
  afghanis per US dollar - 3,000 (2004), 3,000 (2003),
  3,000 (2002), 3,000 (2001), 3,000 (2000)
  note: in 2002, the afghani was revalued and the currency stabilized
  at about 50 afghanis to the dollar; before 2002, the market rate
  varied widely from the official rate

Albania
  leke per US dollar - 102.649 (2004), 121.863 (2003), 140.155
  (2002), 143.485 (2001), 143.709 (2000)

Algeria
  Algerian dinars per US dollar - 72.061 (2004), 77.395
  (2003), 79.682 (2002), 77.215 (2001), 75.26 (2000)

American Samoa
  the US dollar is used

Andorra
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Angola
  kwanza per US dollar - 83.541 (2004), 74.606 (2003), 43.53
  (2002), 22.058 (2001), 10.041 (2000)

Anguilla
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7
  (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Antigua and Barbuda
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7
  (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Argentina
  Argentine pesos per US dollar - 2.9233 (2004), 2.9006
  (2003), 3.0633 (2002), 0.9995 (2001), 0.9995 (2000)

Armenia
  drams per US dollar - 533.45 (2004), 578.76 (2003), 573.35
  (2002), 555.08 (2001), 539.53 (2000)

Aruba
  Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2004), 1.79
  (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000)

Australia
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
  (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Austria
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani manats per US dollar - 4,913.48 (2004),
  4,910.73 (2003), 4,860.82 (2002), 4,656.58 (2001), 4,474.15 (2000)

Bahamas, The
  Bahamian dollars per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1
  (2002), 1 (2001), 1 (2000)

Bahrain
  Bahraini dinars per US dollar - 0.376 (2004), 0.376 (2003),
  0.376 (2002), 0.376 (2001), 0.376 (2000)

Bangladesh
  taka per US dollar - 59.513 (2004), 58.15 (2003), 57.888
  (2002), 55.807 (2001), 52.142 (2000)

Barbados
  Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2
  (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000)

Belarus
  Belarusian rubles per US dollar - 2,160.26 (2004), 2,051.27
  (2003), 1,790.92 (2002), 1,390 (2001), 876.75 (2000)

Belgium
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Belize
  Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2
  (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000)

Benin
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Bermuda
  Bermudian dollar per US dollar - 1.0000 (fixed rate pegged
  to the US dollar)

Bhutan
  ngultrum per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003), 48.61
  (2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)

Bolivia
  bolivianos per US dollar - 7.9363 (2004), 7.6592 (2003),
  7.17 (2002), 6.6069 (2001), 6.1835 (2000)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  marka per US dollar - 1.58 (2004), 1.73
  (2003), 2.08 (2002), 2.19 (2001), 2.12 (2000)
  note: the marka is pegged to the euro

Botswana
  pulas per US dollar - 4.6929 (2004), 4.9499 (2003), 6.3278
  (2002), 5.8412 (2001), 5.1018 (2000)

Brazil
  reals per US dollar - 2.9251 (2004), 3.0771 (2003), 2.9208
  (2002), 2.3577 (2001), 1.8301 (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  the US dollar is used

Brunei
  Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422
  (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)

Bulgaria
  leva per US dollar - 1.5751 (2004), 1.7327 (2003), 2.077
  (2002), 2.1847 (2001), 2.1233 (2000)
  note: on 5 July 1999, the lev was redenominated; the post-5 July
  1999 lev is equal to 1,000 of the pre-5 July 1999 lev

Burkina Faso
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001),
  711.98 (2000)

Burma
  kyats per US dollar - 5.7459 (2004), 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734
  (2002), 6.6841 (2001), 6.4257 (2000)
  note: these are official exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates
  ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar

Burundi
  Burundi francs per US dollar - 1,100.91 (2004), 1,082.62
  (2003), 930.75 (2002), 830.35 (2001), 720.67 (2000)

Cambodia
  riels per US dollar - 4,016.25 (2004), 3,973.33 (2003),
  3,912.08 (2002), 3,916.33 (2001), 3,840.75 (2000)

Cameroon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar
  - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Canada
  Canadian dollars per US dollar - 1.301 (2004), 1.4011 (2003),
  1.5693 (2002), 1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000)

Cape Verde
  Cape Verdean escudos (CVE) per US dollar - 88.808 (2004),
  97.703 (2003), 117.168 (2002), 123.228 (2001), 119.687 (2000)

Cayman Islands
  Caymanian dollars per US dollar - 0.82 (29 October
  2001), 0.83 (3 November 1995), 0.85 (22 November 1993)

Central African Republic
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs
  (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002),
  733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Chad
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Chile
  Chilean pesos per US dollar - 609.37 (2004), 691.43 (2003),
  688.94 (2002), 634.94 (2001), 539.59 (2000)

China
  yuan per US dollar - 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003), 8.277
  (2002), 8.2771 (2001), 8.2785 (2000)

Christmas Island
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004),
  1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598
  (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Colombia
  Colombian pesos per US dollar - 2,628.61 (2004), 2,877.65
  (2003), 2,504.24 (2002), 2,299.63 (2001), 2,087.9 (2000)

Comoros
  Comoran francs (KMF) per US dollar - 396.21 (2004), 435.9
  (2003), 522.74 (2002), 549.78 (2001), 533.98 (2000)
  note: the Comoran franc is pegged to the euro at a rate of 491.9677
  Comoran francs per euro

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Congolese francs per US dollar -
  401.04 (2004), 405.34 (2003), 346.49 (2002), 206.62 (2001), 21.82
  (2000)

Congo, Republic of the
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF)
  per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04
  (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Cook Islands
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004),
  1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Costa Rica
  Costa Rican colones per US dollar - 437.91 (2004), 398.66
  (2003), 359.82 (2002), 328.87 (2001), 308.19 (2000)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001),
  711.98 (2000)

Croatia
  kuna per US dollar - 6.0358 (2004), 6.7035 (2003), 7.8687
  (2002), 8.34 (2001), 8.2766 (2000)

Cuba
  Convertible pesos per US dollar - 0.93
  note: Cuba has three currencies in circulation: the Cuban peso
  (CUP), the convertible peso (CUC), and the US dollar (USD), although
  the dollar is being withdrawn from circulation; in April 2005 the
  official exchange rate changed from $1 per CUC to $1.08 per CUC
  (0.93 CUC per $1), both for individuals and enterprises; individuals
  can buy 24 Cuban pesos (CUP) for each CUC sold, or sell 25 Cuban
  pesos for each CUC bought; enterprises, however, must exchange CUP
  and CUC at a 1:1 ratio.

Cyprus
  Cypriot pounds per US dollar - 0.4686 (2004), 0.5174 (2003),
  0.6107 (2002), 0.6431 (2001), 0.6224 (2000), Turkish lira per US
  dollar 1.426 million (2004), 1.501 million (2003), 1.507 million
  (2002), 1.226 million (2001), 625,200 (2000)

Czech Republic
  koruny per US dollar - 25.7 (2004), 28.209 (2003),
  32.739 (2002), 38.035 (2001), 38.598 (2000)

Denmark
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003),
  7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)

Djibouti
  Djiboutian francs per US dollar - 177.72 (2004), 177.72
  (2003), 177.72 (2002), 177.72 (2001), 177.72 (2000)

Dominica
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7
  (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Dominican Republic
  Dominican pesos per US dollar - 42.12 (2004),
  30.831 (2003), 18.61 (2002), 16.952 (2001), 16.415 (2000)

East Timor
  the US dollar is the legal tender

Ecuador
  25,000 (2004), 25,000 (2003), 25,000 (2002), 25,000 (2001),
  24,988 (2000)

Egypt
  Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 6.1963 (2004), 5.8509 (2003),
  4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000)

El Salvador
  the US dollar became El Salvador's currency in 2001

Equatorial Guinea
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per
  US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04
  (2001), 711.98 (2000)

Eritrea
  nakfa (ERN) per US dollar - 13.788 (2004), 13.878 (2003),
  13.958 (2002), 11.31 (2001), 9.625 (2000)

Estonia
  krooni per US dollar - 12.596 (2004), 13.856 (2003), 16.612
  (2002), 17.478 (2001), 16.969 (2000)

Ethiopia
  birr per US dollar - 8.68 (2004), 8.5997 (2003), 8.5678
  (2002), 8.4575 (2001), 8.2173 (2000)
  note: since 24 October 2001 exchange rates are determined on a daily
  basis via interbank transactions regulated by the Central Bank

European Union
  euros per US dollar - 0.81 (2004), 0.89 (2003), 1.06
  (2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Falkland pounds per US dollar -
  0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609
  (2000)
  note: the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound

Faroe Islands
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877
  (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)

Fiji
  Fijian dollars per US dollar - 1.7331 (2004), 1.8958 (2003),
  2.1869 (2002), 2.2766 (2001), 2.1286 (2000)

Finland
  euros per US dollar - 0.81 (2004), 0.89 (2003), 1.06 (2002),
  1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000)

France
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

French Guiana
  Euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
  1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

French Polynesia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
  dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001),
  129.43 (2000)
  note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Gabon
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Gambia, The
  dalasi per US dollar - 27.306 (2003), 27.306 (2003),
  19.918 (2002), 15.687 (2001), 12.788 (2000)

Gaza Strip
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541
  (2003), 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)

Georgia
  lari per US dollar - 1.9167 (2004), 2.1457 (2003), 2.1957
  (2002), 2.073 (2001), 1.9762 (2000)

Germany
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Ghana
  cedis per US dollar - 9,004.6 (2004), 8,677.4 (2003), 7,932.7
  (2002), 7,170.8 (2001), 5,455.1 (2000)

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125
  (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Gibraltar pound is at par with the British pound

Greece
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Greenland
  Danish kroner per US dollar - 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877
  (2003), 7.8947 (2002), 8.3228 (2001), 8.0831 (2000)

Grenada
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7
  (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Guadeloupe
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 j(2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Guam
  the US dollar is used

Guatemala
  quetzales per US dollar - 7.9465 (2004), 7.9409 (2003),
  7.8216 (2002), 7.8586 (2001), 7.7632 (2000)

Guernsey
  Guernsey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125
  (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Guernsey pound is at par with the British pound

Guinea
  Guinean francs per US dollar - 2,550 (2004), 1,984.9 (2003),
  1,975.8 (2002), 1,950.6 (2001), 1,746.9 (2000)

Guinea-Bissau
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US
  dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001),
  711.98 (2000)
  note: since 1 January 1999, the XOF franc is pegged to the euro at a
  rate of 655.957 XOF francs per euro

Guyana
  Guyanese dollars per US dollar - 198.33 (2004), 193.88
  (2003), 190.67 (2002), 187.32 (2001), 182.43 (2000)

Haiti
  gourdes per US dollar - 38.352 (2004), 42.367 (2003), 29.251
  (2002), 24.429 (2001), 21.171 (2000)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886
  (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Honduras
  lempiras per US dollar - 18.206 (2004), 17.345 (2003),
  16.433 (2002), 15.474 (2001), 14.839 (2000)

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong dollars per US dollar - 7.788 (2004), 7.7868
  (2003), 7.7989 (2002), 7.7988 (2001), 7.7912 (2000)

Hungary
  forints per US dollar - 202.75 (2004), 224.31 (2003), 257.89
  (2002), 286.49 (2001), 282.18 (2000)

Iceland
  Icelandic kronur per US dollar - 70.192 (2004), 76.709
  (2003), 91.662 (2002), 97.425 (2001), 78.616 (2000)

India
  Indian rupees per US dollar - 45.317 (2004), 46.583 (2003),
  48.61 (2002), 47.186 (2001), 44.942 (2000)

Indonesia
  Indonesian rupiahs per US dollar - 8,938.9 (2004), 8,577.1
  (2003), 9,311.2 (2002), 10,260.8 (2001), 8,421.8 (2000)

Iran
  rials per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907
  (2002), 1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)
  note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime
  since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002

Iraq
  New Iraqi dinars per US dollar - 1,890 (second half, 2003),
  0.3109 (2002), 0.3109 (2001), 0.3109 (2000)

Ireland
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Israel
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541
  (2003), 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)

Italy
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Jamaica
  Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 61.197 (2004), 57.741
  (2003), 48.416 (2002), 45.996 (2001), 42.986 (2000)

Japan
  yen per US dollar - 108.19 (2004), 115.93 (2003), 125.39
  (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000)

Jersey
  Jersey pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003),
  0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Jersey pound is at par with the British pound

Jordan
  Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.709 (2004), 0.709 (2003),
  0.709 (2002), 0.709 (2001), 0.709 (2000)

Kazakhstan
  tenge per US dollar - 136.04 (2004), 149.58 (2003),
  153.28 (2002), 146.74 (2001), 142.13 (2000)

Kenya
  Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 79.174 (2004), 75.936 (2003),
  78.749 (2002), 78.563 (2001), 76.176 (2000)

Kiribati
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
  (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Korea, North
  official: North Korean won per US dollar - 170
  (December 2004), 150 (December 2002), 2.15 (December 2001); market:
  North Korean won per US dollar - 300-600 (December 2002)

Korea, South
  South Korean won per US dollar - 1,145.3 (2004),
  1,191.6 (2003), 1,251.1 (2002), 1,291 (2001), 1,131 (2000)

Kuwait
  Kuwaiti dinars per US dollar - 0.2947 (2004), 0.298 (2003),
  0.3039 (2002), 0.3067 (2001), 0.3068 (2000)

Kyrgyzstan
  soms per US dollar - 42.65 (2004), 43.648 (2003), 46.937
  (2002), 48.378 (2001), 47.704 (2000)

Laos
  kips per US dollar - 10,820 (2004), 10,569 (2003), 10,056.3
  (2002), 8,954.6 (2001), 7,887.6 (2000)

Latvia
  lati per US dollar - 0.5402 (2004), 0.5715 (2003), 0.6182
  (2002), 0.6279 (2001), 0.6065 (2000)

Lebanon
  Lebanese pounds per US dollar - 1,507.5 (2004), 1,507.5
  (2003), 1,507.5 (2002), 1,507.5 (2001), 1,507.5 (2000)

Lesotho
  maloti per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407
  (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Liberia
  Liberian dollars per US dollar - 54.906 (2004), 59.379
  (2003), 61.754 (2002), 48.583 (2001), 40.953 (2000)

Libya
  Libyan dinars per US dollar - 1.305 (2004), 1.2929 (2003),
  1.2707 (2002), 0.6051 (2001), 0.5122 (2000)

Liechtenstein
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467
  (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000)

Lithuania
  litai per US dollar - 2.7806 (2004), 3.0609 (2003), 3.677
  (2002), 4 (2001), 4 (2000)

Luxembourg
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Macau
  patacas per US dollar - 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033
  (2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (2000)

Macedonia
  Macedonian denars per US dollar - 49.41 (2004), 54.32
  (2003), 64.35 (2002), 68.04 (2001), 65.9 (2000)

Madagascar
  Malagasy francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3
  (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000)

Malawi
  Malawian kwachas per US dollar - 108.894 (2004), 97.433
  (2003), 76.687 (2002), 72.197 (2001), 59.544 (2000)

Malaysia
  ringgits per US dollar - 3.8 (2004), 3.8 (2003), 3.8
  (2002), 3.8 (2001), 3.8 (2000)

Maldives
  rufiyaa per US dollar - 12.8 (2004), 12.8 (2003), 12.8
  (2002), 12.24 (2001), 11.77 (2000)

Mali
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Malta
  Maltese liri per US dollar - 0.3444 (2004), 0.3773 (2003),
  0.4337 (2002), 0.4501 (2001), 0.4382 (2000)

Man, Isle of
  Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125
  (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)

Marshall Islands
  the US dollar is the legal tender

Martinique
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Mauritania
  ouguiyas per US dollar - NA(2004), 263.03 (2003), 271.74
  (2002), 255.63 (2001), 238.92 (2000)

Mauritius
  Mauritian rupees per US dollar - 27.499 (2004), 27.902
  (2003), 29.962 (2002), 29.129 (2001), 26.25 (2000)

Mayotte
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Mexico
  Mexican pesos per US dollar - 11.286 (2004), 10.789 (2003),
  9.656 (2002), 9.342 (2001), 9.456 (2000)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  the US dollar is used

Moldova
  lei per US dollar - 12.33 (2004), 13.945 (2003), 13.571
  (2002), 12.865 (2001), 12.434 (2000)

Monaco
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Mongolia
  togrogs/tugriks per US dollar - 1,185.3 (2004), 1,146.5
  (2003), 1,110.3 (2002), 1,097.7 (2001), 1,076.7 (2000)

Montserrat
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7
  (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)
  note: fixed rate since 1976

Morocco
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.574 (2003),
  11.021 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000)

Mozambique
  meticais per US dollar - 22,581 (2004), 23,782 (2003),
  23,678 (2002), 20,704 (2001), 15,227 (2000)
  note: effective October 2000, the exchange rate is determined as the
  weighted average of buying and selling exchange rates of all
  transactions of commercial banks and stock exchanges with the public

Namibia
  Namibian dollars per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648
  (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Nauru
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419
  (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Nepal
  Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 73.674 (2004), 76.141 (2003),
  77.877 (2002), 74.949 (2001), 71.094 (2000)

Netherlands
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003),
  1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Netherlands Antilles
  Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar -
  1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000)

New Caledonia
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
  dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001),
  129.43 (2000)

New Zealand
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004),
  1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Nicaragua
  gold cordobas per US dollar - 15.937 (2004), 15.105
  (2003), 14.251 (2002), 13.372 (2001), 12.684 (2000)

Niger
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Nigeria
  nairas per US dollar - 132.89 (2004), 129.22 (2003), 120.58
  (2002), 111.23 (2001), 101.7 (2000)

Niue
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221
  (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Norfolk Island
  Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598 (2004),
  1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Northern Mariana Islands
  the US dollar is used

Norway
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802
  (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000)

Oman
  Omani rials per US dollar - 0.3845 (2004), 0.3845 (2003),
  0.3845 (2002), 0.3845 (2001), 0.3845 (2000)

Pakistan
  Pakistani rupees per US dollar - 58.258 (2004), 57.752
  (2003), 59.724 (2002), 61.927 (2001), 53.648 (2000)

Palau
  the US dollar is used

Panama
  balboas per US dollar - 1 (2004), 1 (2003), 1 (2002), 1
  (2001), 1 (2000)

Papua New Guinea
  kina per US dollar - 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003),
  3.8952 (2002), 3.3887 (2001), 2.7822 (2000)

Paraguay
  guarani per US dollar - 5,974.6 (2004), 6,424.3 (2003),
  5,716.3 (2002), 4,105.9 (2001), 3,486.4 (2000)

Peru
  nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.4132 (2004), 3.4785 (2003), 3.5165
  (2002), 3.5068 (2001), 3.49 (2000)

Philippines
  Philippine pesos per US dollar - 56.04 (2004), 54.203
  (2003), 51.604 (2002), 50.993 (2001), 44.192 (2000)

Pitcairn Islands
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004),
  1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Poland
  zlotych per US dollar - 3.6576 (2004), 3.8891 (2003), 4.08
  (2002), 4.0939 (2001), 4.3461 (2000)
  note: zlotych is the plural form of zloty

Portugal
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Puerto Rico
  the US dollar is used

Qatar
  Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64
  (2002), 3.64 (2001), 3.64 (2000)

Reunion
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Romania
  lei per US dollar - 32,637 (2004), 33,200 (2003), 33,055
  (2002), 29,061 (2001), 21,709 (2000)

Russia
  Russian rubles per US dollar - 28.814 (2004), 30.692 (2003),
  31.349 (2002), 29.169 (2001), 28.129 (2000)

Rwanda
  Rwandan francs per US dollar - 574.62 (2004), 537.66 (2003),
  476.33 (2002), 442.8 (2001), 393.44 (2000)

Saint Helena
  Saint Helenian pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004),
  0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)
  note: the Saint Helenian pound is on par with the British pound

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7
  (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Saint Lucia
  East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7
  (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886
  (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  East Caribbean dollars per US
  dollar - 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003), 2.7 (2002), 2.7 (2001), 2.7 (2000)

Samoa
  tala per US dollar - 2.7807 (2004), 2.9732 (2003), 3.3763
  (2002), 3.478 (2001), 3.2864 (2000)

San Marino
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Sao Tome and Principe
  dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6
  (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)

Saudi Arabia
  Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2004), 3.745
  (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000)

Senegal
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Serbia and Montenegro
  new Yugoslav dinars per US dollar - 64.1915
  (official rate: 65) (2002)

Seychelles
  Seychelles rupees per US dollar - 5.5 (2004), 5.4007
  (2003), 5.48 (2002), 5.8575 (2001), 5.7138 (2000)

Sierra Leone
  leones per US dollar - 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003),
  2,099 (2002), 1,986.2 (2001), 2,092.1 (2000)

Singapore
  Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422
  (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)

Slovakia
  koruny per US dollar - 32.257 (2004), 36.773 (2003), 45.327
  (2002), 48.355 (2001), 46.035 (2000)

Slovenia
  tolars per US dollar - 192.38 (2004), 207.11 (2003), 240.25
  (2002), 242.75 (2001), 222.66 (2000)

Solomon Islands
  Solomon Islands dollars per US dollar - 7.4847
  (2004), 7.5059 (2003), 6.7488 (2002), 5.278 (2001), 5.0889 (2000)

Somalia
  Somali shillings per US dollar - 11,000 (November 2000),
  2,620 (January 1999), 7,500 (November 1997 est.), 7,000 (January
  1996 est.), 5,000 (1 January 1995)
  note: the Republic of Somaliland, a self-declared independent
  country not recognized by any foreign government, issues its own
  currency, the Somaliland shilling

South Africa
  rand per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),
  10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Spain
  euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Sri Lanka
  Sri Lankan rupees per US dollar - 101.194 (2004), 96.521
  (2003), 95.662 (2002), 89.383 (2001), 77.005 (2000)

Sudan
  Sudanese dinars per US dollar - 257.91 (2004), 260.98 (2003),
  263.31 (2002), 258.7 (2001), 257.12 (2000)

Suriname
  Surinamese dollars per US dollar - 2.7336 (2004),
  Surinamese guilders per US dollar - 2.6013 (2003), 2.3468 (2002),
  2.1785 (2001), 1.3225 (2000)
  note: during 1998, the exchange rate splintered into four distinct
  rates; in January 1999 the government floated the guilder, but
  subsequently fixed it when the black-market rate plunged; in January
  2004, the government introduced the Surinamese dollar as replacement
  for the guilder, tied to a US dollar-dominated currency basket

Svalbard
  Norwegian kroner per US dollar - 6.7408 (2004), 7.0802
  (2003), 7.9838 (2002), 8.9917 (2001), 8.8018 (2000)

Swaziland
  emalangeni per US dollar - 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003),
  10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001), 6.9398 (2000)

Sweden
  Swedish kronor per US dollar - 7.3489 (2004), 8.0863 (2003),
  9.7371 (2002), 10.3291 (2001), 9.1622 (2000)

Switzerland
  Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467
  (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000)

Syria
  Syrian pounds per US dollar - (official rate): 11.225 (2004),
  11.225 (2003), 11.225 (2002), 11.225 (2001), 11.225 (2000),
  (parallel market rate in Amman and Beirut) NA (2004), 52.8 (2003),
  52.4 (2002), 50.4 (2002), 49.4 (2000)

Taiwan
  new Taiwan dollars per US dollar - 33.422 (2004), 34.418
  (2003), 34.575 (2002), 33.8 (2001), 33.09 (2000)

Tajikistan
  Tajikistani somoni per US dollar - 2.9705 (2004), 3.0614
  (2003), 2.7641 (2002), 2.3722 (2001), 2.0763 (2000)
  note: the new unit of exchange was introduced on 30 October 2000,
  with one somoni equal to 1,000 of the old Tajikistani rubles

Tanzania
  Tanzanian shillings per US dollar - 1,089.33 (2004),
  1,038.42 (2003), 966.58 (2002), 876.41 (2001), 800.41 (2000)

Thailand
  baht per US dollar - 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96
  (2002), 44.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000)

Togo
  Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar -
  528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98
  (2000)

Tokelau
  New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221
  (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000)

Tonga
  pa'anga per US dollar - 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003), 2.1952
  (2002), 2.1236 (2001), 1.7585 (2000)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago dollars per US dollar -
  6.299 (2004), 6.2951 (2003), 6.2487 (2002), 6.2332 (2001), 6.2998
  (2000)

Tunisia
  Tunisian dinars per US dollar - 1.2455 (2004), 1.2885
  (2003), 1.4217 (2002), 1.4387 (2001), 1.3707 (2000)

Turkey
  Turkish liras per US dollar - 1,425,500 (2004), 1,500,900
  (2003), 1,507,200 (2002), 1,225,600 (2001), 625,200 (2000)
  Note: on 1 January 2005 the old Turkish Lira (TRL)was converted to
  New Turkish Lira (YTL) at a rate of 1,000,000 old to 1 New Turkish
  Lira

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen manats per US dollar - 10,100 (2004), 10,034
  (2003), 10,098 (2002), 5,200 (2001)
  note: in recent years the unofficial rate has hovered around 21,000
  manats to the dollar

Turks and Caicos Islands
  the US dollar is used

Tuvalu
  Tuvaluan dollars or Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.3598
  (2004), 1.5419 (2003), 1.8406 (2002), 1.9334 (2001), 1.7248 (2000)

Uganda
  Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7
  (2003), 1,797.6 (2002), 1,755.7 (2001), 1,644.5 (2000)

Ukraine
  hryvnia per US dollar - 5.3192 (2004), 5.3327 (2003), 5.3266
  (2002), 5.3722 (2001), 5.4402 (2000)

United Arab Emirates
  Emirati dirhams per US dollar - 3.6725 (2004),
  3.6725 (2003), 3.6725 (2002), 3.6725 (2001), 3.6725 (2000)
  note: officially pegged to the US dollar since February 2002

United Kingdom
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125
  (2003), 0.6672 (2002), 0.6947 (2001), 0.6609 (2000)

United States
  British pounds per US dollar - 0.5457 (2004), 0.6139
  (2003), 0.6661 (2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000); Canadian
  dollars per US dollar - 1.3014 (2004), 1.4045 (2003), 1.5693 (2002),
  1.5488 (2001), 1.4851 (2000); Japanese yen per US dollar - 108.13
  (2004), 116.08 (2003), 125.39 (2002), 121.53 (2001), 107.77 (2000);
  euros per US dollar - 0.8048 (2004), 0.8866 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
  1.1175 (2001), 1.08540 (2000)

Uruguay
  Uruguayan pesos per US dollar - 28.704 (2004), 28.209
  (2003), 21.257 (2002), 13.319 (2001), 12.1 (2000)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistani sums per US dollar - 1,020 (2004), 971.265
  (2003), 771.03 (2001), 423.832 (2001), 236.61 (2000)

Vanuatu
  vatu per US dollar - 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2
  (2002), 145.31 (2001), 137.64 (2000)

Venezuela
  bolivares per US dollar - 1,891.3 (2004), 1,607 (2003),
  1,161 (2002), 723.7 (2001), 680 (2000)

Vietnam
  dong per US dollar - 15,746 (2004), 15,510 (2003), 15,280
  (2002), 14,725 (2001), 14,168 (2000)

Virgin Islands
  the US dollar is used

Wallis and Futuna
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per
  US dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26
  (2001), 129.43 (2000)

West Bank
  new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541
  (2003), 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000)

Western Sahara
  Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 8.868 (2004), 9.5744
  (2003), 11.0206 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.6256 (2000)

Yemen
  Yemeni rials per US dollar - 184.78 (2004), 183.45 (2003),
  175.63 (2002), 168.67 (2001), 161.72 (2000)

Zambia
  Zambian kwacha per US dollar - 4,778.9 (2004), 4,733.3
  (2003), 4,398.6 (2002), 3,610.9 (2001), 3,110.8 (2000)

Zimbabwe
  Zimbabwean dollars per US dollar - 4,303.28 (2004), 697.424
  (2003), 55.036 (2002), 55.052 (2001), 44.418 (2000)
  note: these are official exchange rates, non-official rates vary
  significantly

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2077 Executive branch

Afghanistan
  chief of state: President of the Islamic Republic of
  Afghanistan Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government; former
  King ZAHIR Shah holds the honorific, "Father of the Country," and
  presides symbolically over certain occasions, but lacks any
  governing authority; the honorific is not hereditary
  head of government: President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
  Hamid KARZAI (since 7 December 2004); note - the president is both
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: 27 ministers; note - under the new constitution, ministers
  are appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly
  elections: the president and two vice presidents are elected by
  direct vote for a five-year term; if no candidate receives 50% or
  more of the vote in the first round of voting, the two candidates
  with the most votes will participate in a second round; a president
  can only be elected for two terms; election last held 9 October 2004
  (next to be held in 2009)
  election results: Hamid KARZAI elected president; percent of vote -
  Hamid KARZAI 55.4%, Yunus QANOONI 16.3%, Ustad Mohammad MOHAQQEQ
  11.6%, Abdul Rashid DOSTAM 10.0%, Abdul Latif PEDRAM 1.4%, Masooda
  JALAL 1.2%

Akrotiri
  chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Thomas Clayton
  PEARSON (since 9 May 2003); note - reports to the British Ministry
  of Defence
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
  appointed by the monarch

Albania
  chief of state: President of the Republic Alfred MOISIU
  (since 24 July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sali BERISHA (since 10 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the prime minister,
  nominated by the president, and approved by parliament
  elections: president elected by the People's Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 June 2002 (next to be held
  June 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Alfred MOISIU elected president; People's Assembly
  vote by number - total votes 116, for 97, against 19

Algeria
  chief of state: President Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA (since 28
  April 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed OUYAHIA (since 9 May 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 April 2004 (next to be held NA April 2009);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA reelected president for
  second term; percent of vote - Abdelaziz BOUTEFLIKA 85%, Ali BENFLIS
  6.4%, Abdellah DJABALLAH 5%

American Samoa
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
  (since 20 January 2001) and Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since
  20 January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Togiola TULAFONO (since 7 April 2003)
  cabinet: cabinet made up of 12 department directors
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 2 and 16 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: Togiola TULAFONO elected governor; percent of vote
  - Togiola TULAFONO 55.7%, Afoa Moega LUTU 44.3%

Andorra
  chief of state: French Coprince Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
  1995), represented by Philippe MASSONI (since 26 July 2002); Spanish
  Coprince Bishop Joan Enric VIVES i SICILIA (since 12 May 2003),
  represented by Nemesi MARQUES i OSTE (since NA)
  head of government: Executive Council President Albert PINTAT
  SANTOLARIA (since 27 May 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council or Govern designated by the Executive
  Council president
  elections: Executive Council president elected by the General
  Council and formally appointed by the coprinces for a four-year
  term; election last held 4 March 2001 (next to be held April-May
  2005)
  election results: Marc FORNE MOLNE elected executive council
  president; percent of General Council vote - NA%

Angola
  chief of state: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Jose Eduardo DOS SANTOS (since 21
  September 1979); note - the president is both chief of state and
  head of government; Fernando de Piedade Dias DOS SANTOS was
  appointed Prime Minister on 6 December 2002, but this is not a
  position of real power
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by universal ballot for a five-year
  term; President DOS SANTOS originally elected (in 1979) without
  opposition under a one-party system and stood for reelection in
  Angola's first multiparty elections 29-30 September 1992 (next to be
  held September 2006)
  election results: DOS SANTOS 49.6%, Jonas SAVIMBI 40.1%, making a
  run-off election necessary; the run-off was not held and SAVIMBI's
  National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA)
  repudiated the results of the first election; the civil war resumed

Anguilla
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
  represented by Governor Alan Eden HUCKLE (since 28 May 2004)
  head of government: Chief Minister Osbourne FLEMING (since 3 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from among the
  elected members of the House of Assembly
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Antigua and Barbuda
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir James B.
  CARLISLE (since 10 June 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Winston Baldwin SPENCER (since 24
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general chosen
  by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the
  leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the governor general

Argentina
  chief of state: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May
  2003); Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Nestor KIRCHNER (since 25 May 2003);
  Vice President Daniel SCIOLI (since 25 May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 27 April
  2003 (next election to be held NA 2007)
  election results: results of the presidential election of 27 April
  2003: Carlos Saul MENEM 24.3%, Nestor KIRCHNER 22%, Ricardo Lopez
  MURPHY 16.4%, Adolfo Rodriguez SAA 14.4%, Elisa CARRIO 14.2%, other
  8.7%; the subsequent runoff election slated for 25 May 2003 was
  awarded to KIRCHNER by default after MENEM withdrew his candidacy on
  the eve of the election

Armenia
  chief of state: President Robert KOCHARIAN (since 30 March
  1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN (since 12 May
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 19 February and 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA
  2008); prime minister appointed by the president; the prime minister
  and Council of Ministers must resign if the National Assembly
  refuses to accept their program
  election results: Robert KOCHARIAN reelected president; percent of
  vote - Robert KOCHARIAN 67.5%, Stepan DEMIRCHYAN 32.5%

Aruba
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30
  April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since
  11 May 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
  October 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for
  a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime
  minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last
  held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)
  election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
  of legislative vote - NA

Australia
  chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.)
  Michael JEFFERY (since 11 August 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11
  March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister Mark VAILE (since 6 July 2005)
  cabinet: Prime Minister nominates, from among members of Parliament,
  candidates who are subsequently sworn in by the Governor General to
  serve as government ministers
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as
  prime minister by the governor general
  note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Austria
  chief of state: President Heinz FISCHER (since 8 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Wolfgang SCHUESSEL (OeVP)(since 4
  February 2000); Vice Chancellor Hubert GORBACH (since 21 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers chosen by the president on the advice
  of the chancellor
  elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a six-year
  term; presidential election last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2010); chancellor traditionally chosen by the president from
  the plurality party in the National Council; vice chancellor chosen
  by the president on the advice of the chancellor
  election results: Heinz FISCHER elected president; percent of vote -
  Heinz FISCHER (SPOe) 52.4%, Benita FERRERO-WALDNER (OeVP) 47.6%
  note: government coalition - OeVP and FPOe

Azerbaijan
  chief of state: President Ilham ALIYEV (since 31 October
  2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE (since 4 November
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Abbas ABBASOV (since 10 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and
  confirmed by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term;
  election last held 15 October 2003 (next to be held October 2008);
  prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the
  president and confirmed by the National Assembly
  election results: Ilham ALIYEV elected president; percent of vote -
  Ilham ALIYEV 76.8%, Isa GAMBAR 14%

Bahamas, The
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Dame Ivy DUMONT (since NA May
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Perry CHRISTIE (since 3 May 2002)
  and Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia PRATT (since 7 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Bahrain
  chief of state: King HAMAD bin Isa al-Khalifa (since 6 March
  1999); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SALMAN bin Hamad (son of the
  monarch, born 21 October 1969)
  head of government: Prime Minister KHALIFA bin Salman al-Khalifa
  (since NA 1971)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister
  appointed by the monarch

Bangladesh
  chief of state: President Iajuddin AHMED (since 6
  September 2002); note - the president's duties are normally
  ceremonial, but with the 13th amendment to the constitution
  ("Caretaker Government Amendment"), the president's role becomes
  significant at times when Parliament is dissolved and a caretaker
  government is installed - at presidential direction - to supervise
  the elections
  head of government: Prime Minister Khaleda ZIA (since 10 October
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the prime minister and appointed by the
  president
  elections: president elected by National Parliament for a five-year
  term; election scheduled for 16 September 2002 was not held since
  Iajuddin AHMED was the only presidential candidate; he was sworn in
  on 6 September 2002 (next election to be held by NA 2007); following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most
  seats is usually appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Iajuddin AHMED declared by the Election Commission
  elected unopposed as president; percent of National Parliament vote
  - NA

Barbados
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS
  (since 1 June 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7
  September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May
  2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the
  prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Belarus
  chief of state: President Aleksandr LUKASHENKO (since 20
  July 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergei SIDORSKY (since 19
  December 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir SEMASHKO (since
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  first election took place 23 June and 10 July 1994; according to the
  1994 constitution, the next election should have been held in 1999,
  however LUKASHENKO extended his term to 2001 via a November 1996
  referendum; new election held 9 September 2001; October 2004
  referendum ended presidential term limits allowing president to run
  for a third term in September 2006; prime minister and deputy prime
  ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Aleksandr LUKASHENKO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Aleksandr LUKASHENKO 75.6%, Vladimir GONCHARIK 15.4%

Belgium
  chief of state: King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir
  Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers formally appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch and then approved by parliament
  note: government coalition - VLD, MR, PS, SP.A-Spirit

Belize
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17
  November 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28
  August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; prime
  minister recommends the deputy prime minister

Benin
  chief of state: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April
  1996); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Mathieu KEREKOU (since 4 April 1996);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  runoff election held 22 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: Mathieu KEREKOU reelected president; percent of
  vote - Mathieu KEREKOU 84.1%, Bruno AMOUSSOU 15.9%
  note: the four top-ranking contenders following the first-round
  presidential elections were: Mathieu KEREKOU (incumbent) 45.4%,
  Nicephore SOGLO (former president) 27.1%, Adrien HOUNGBEDJI
  (National Assembly Speaker) 12.6%, and Bruno AMOUSSOU (Minister of
  State) 8.6%; the second-round balloting, originally scheduled for 18
  March 2001, was postponed four days because both SOGLO and
  HOUNGBEDJI withdrew alleging electoral fraud; this left KEREKOU to
  run against his own Minister of State, AMOUSSOU, in what was termed
  a "friendly match"

Bermuda
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor Sir John VEREKER (since 11 April 2002)
  head of government: Premier William Alexander SCOTT (since 24 July
  2003); Deputy Premier Ewart BROWN
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the premier, appointed by the governor
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed premier by the governor

Bhutan
  chief of state: King Jigme Singye WANGCHUCK (since 24 July
  1972)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Lyonpo
  Sangay NGEDUP (since 5 September 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers (Lhengye Shungtsog) nominated by the
  monarch, approved by the National Assembly; members serve fixed,
  five-year terms; note - there is also a Royal Advisory Council
  (Lodoi Tsokde), members nominated by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary, but democratic reforms
  in July 1998 grant the National Assembly authority to remove the
  monarch with two-thirds vote

Bolivia
  chief of state: President Eduardo RODRIGUEZ Veltze (since 9
  June 2005); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Eduardo RODRIGUEZ Veltze (since 9 June
  2005); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both chief
  of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 30 June 2002
  (next to be held June 2007)
  election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
  the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
  chosen president by Congress; congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
  DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
  resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003 and Vice
  President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert on 9 June 2005, Eduardo
  RODRIGUEZ Veltze, President of the Supreme Court and constitutional
  successor, became president.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  chief of state: Chairman of the Presidency
  Ivo Miro JOVIC (since 28 June 2005; presidency member since 9 May
  2005 - Croat; note - Dragan COVIC was sacked by High Representative
  Paddy ASHDOWN on 29 Mar 2005); other members of the three-member
  rotating (every eight months) presidency: Borislav PARAVAC (since 10
  April 2003 - Serb); and Sulejman TIHIC (since 5 October 2002 -
  Bosniak)
  head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers Adnan
  TERZIC (since 20 December 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the council chairman;
  approved by the National House of Representatives
  elections: the three members of the presidency (one Bosniak, one
  Croat, one Serb) are elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  the member with the most votes becomes the chairman unless he or she
  was the incumbent chairman at the time of the election, but the
  chairmanship rotates every eight months; election last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA 2006); the chairman of the Council
  of Ministers is appointed by the presidency and confirmed by the
  National House of Representatives
  election results: percent of vote - Mirko SAROVIC with 35.5% of the
  Serb vote was elected chairman of the collective presidency for the
  first eight months; Dragan COVIC received 61.5% of the Croat vote;
  Sulejman TIHIC received 37% of the Bosniak vote
  note: President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko
  LOZANCIC (since 27 January 2003); Vice Presidents Sahbaz DZIHANOVIC
  (since NA 2003) and Desnica RADIVOJEVIC (since NA 2003); President
  of the Republika Srpska: Dragan CAVIC (since 28 November 2002)

Botswana
  chief of state: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April
  1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Festus G. MOGAE (since 1 April 1998)
  and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president indirectly elected for a five-year term;
  election last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2009); vice
  president appointed by the president
  election results: Festus G. MOGAE elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - 52%

Brazil
  chief of state: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Luiz Inacio LULA DA SILVA (since 1
  January 2003); Vice President Jose ALENCAR (since 1 January 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 6 October
  2002 (next to be held 1 October 2006, with a runoff on 29 October
  2006 if necessary); runoff election held 27 October 2002
  election results: in runoff election 27 October 2002, Luiz Inacio
  LULA DA SILVA (PT) elected with 61.3% of the vote; Jose SERRA (PSDB)
  38.7%

British Indian Ocean Territory
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004);
  Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both
  reside in the UK
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and
  administrator appointed by the monarch

British Virgin Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October
  2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Orlando D. SMITH (since 17 June
  2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of
  the Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Brunei
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL
  Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
  (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
  the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
  Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
  religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
  monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
  Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
  succession to the throne if the need arises
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Bulgaria
  chief of state: President Georgi PURVANOV (since 22 January
  2002); Vice President Angel MARIN (since 22 January 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sergei STANISHEV (since 16 August
  2005); Deputy Prime Minister Ivaylo KALFIN (since 16 August 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 11 and 18
  November 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); chairman of the Council of
  Ministers (prime minister) nominated by the president and elected by
  the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers nominated by the prime
  minister and elected by the National Assembly
  election results: Georgi PURVANOV elected president; percent of vote
  - Georgi PURVANOV 54.13%, Petar STOYANOV 45.87%; Sergei STANISHEV
  elected prime minister, result of legislative vote - 168 to 67

Burkina Faso
  chief of state: President Blaise COMPAORE (since 15
  October 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ernest Paramanga YONLI (since 6
  November 2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 November 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); in
  April 2000, the constitution was amended reducing the presidential
  term from seven to five years, enforceable as of 2005, and allowing
  the president to be reelected only once; it is unclear whether this
  amendment will be applied retroactively or not; prime minister
  appointed by the president with the consent of the legislature
  election results: Blaise COMPAORE reelected president with 87.5%
  percent of the vote

Burma
  chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development
  Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October
  2004)
  cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta,
  so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18
  September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration
  Council (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet
  elections: none

Burundi
  chief of state: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
  2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
  second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
  1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
  November 2004)
  head of government: President Domitien NDAYIZEYE (since 30 April
  2003); note - NDAYIZEYE, a Hutu, was sworn in as president for the
  second half of the three-year transitional government inaugurated on
  1 November 2001; Vice President Frederic NGENZEBUHORO (since 11
  November 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by president
  elections: NA; current president assumed power on 30 April 2003 as
  part of the transitional government established by the 2000 Arusha
  Accord; note - next presidential election is scheduled for 22 April
  2005

Cambodia
  chief of state: King Norodom SIHAMONI (since 29 October
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister HUN SEN (since 14 January 1985)
  and Deputy Prime Ministers SAR KHENG (since 3 February 1992),
  Norodom SIRIVUDH, SOK AN, LU LAY SRENG, TEA BANH, HOR NAMHONG, NHEK
  BUNCHHAY (since 16 July 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers in theory appointed by the monarch; in
  practice named by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is chosen by a Royal Throne Council;
  following legislative elections, a member of the majority party or
  majority coalition is named prime minister by the Chairman of the
  National Assembly and appointed by the king

Cameroon
  chief of state: President Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ephraim INONI (since 8 Dec 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from proposals submitted
  by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held NA October
  2011); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Paul BIYA reelected; percent of vote -
  Paul BIYA 70.9%, John FRU NDI 17.4%, Adamou Ndam NJOYA 4.5%, Garga
  Haman ADJI 3.7%

Canada
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Michaelle Jean (since 27 October
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul MARTIN (since 12 December
  2003); Deputy Prime Minister Anne MCLELLAN (since 12 December 2003)
  cabinet: Federal Ministry chosen by the prime minister from among
  the members of his own party sitting in Parliament
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of the prime minister for a
  five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the
  governor general

Cape Verde
  chief of state: President Pedro PIRES (since 22 March
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose Maria Pereira NEVES (since 1
  February 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 11 and 25 February 2001 (next to be held February
  2006); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly and
  appointed by the president
  election results: Pedro PIRES elected president; percent of vote -
  Pedro PIRES (PAICV) 49.43%, Carlos VIEGA (MPD) 49.42%; note - the
  election was won by only twelve votes

Cayman Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); Governor Bruce DINWIDDY (since 29 May 2002)
  head of government: Leader of Government Business Kurt TIBBETTS
  (since 18 May 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor,
  four members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or coalition is appointed by the
  governor Leader of Government Business

Central African Republic
  chief of state: President Francois BOZIZE
  (since 15 March 2003 coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005)
  note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term
  limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005;
  prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary
  majority

Chad
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY (since 4
  December 1990)
  head of government: Prime Minister Pascal YOADIMNADJI (since 3
  February 2005)
  cabinet: Council of State, members appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  term; if no candidate receives at least 50% of the total vote, the
  two candidates receiving the most votes must stand for a second
  round of voting; last held 20 May 2001 (next to be held NA 2006);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY reelected president; percent
  of vote - Lt. Gen. Idriss DEBY 63%, Ngarlegy YORONGAR 16%, Saleh
  KEBZABO 7%

Chile
  chief of state: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11
  March 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar (since 11 March
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 12 December 1999, with runoff election held 16
  January 2000 (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: Ricardo LAGOS Escobar elected president; percent
  of vote - Ricardo LAGOS Escobar 51.32%, Joaquin LAVIN 48.68%

China
  chief of state: President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003) and
  Vice President ZENG Qinghong (since 15 March 2003)
  head of government: Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003); Vice
  Premiers HUANG Ju (since 17 March 2003), WU Yi (17 March 2003), ZENG
  Peiyan (since 17 March 2003), and HUI Liangyu (since 17 March 2003)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the National People's Congress
  (NPC)
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  People's Congress for five-year terms; elections last held 15-17
  March 2003 (next to be held mid-March 2008); premier nominated by
  the president, confirmed by the National People's Congress
  election results: HU Jintao elected president by the Tenth National
  People's Congress with a total of 2,937 votes (four delegates voted
  against him, four abstained, and 38 did not vote); ZENG Qinghong
  elected vice president by the Tenth National People's Congress with
  a total of 2,578 votes (177 delegates voted against him, 190
  abstained, and 38 did not vote); two seats were vacant

Christmas Island
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator Evan WILLIAMS (since 1 November
  2003)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
  head of government: Administrator (nonresident) Evan WILLIAMS (since
  1 November 2003)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and
  Australia

Colombia
  chief of state: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7
  August 2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Alvaro URIBE Velez (since 7 August
  2002); Vice President Francisco SANTOS (since 7 August 2002); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of a coalition of the two dominant parties
  - the PL and PSC - and independents
  elections: president and vice president elected by popular vote for
  a four-year term; election last held 26 May 2002 (next to be held
  May 2006)
  election results: President Alvaro URIBE Velez received 53% of the
  vote; Vice President Francisco SANTOS was elected on the same ticket

Comoros
  chief of state: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May
  2002); note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president;
  in January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  head of government: President AZALI Assoumani (since 26 May 2002);
  note - following a 1999 coup AZALI was appointed president; in
  January 2002 he resigned his position to run in the 14 April 2002
  presidential elections; Prime Minister Hamada Madi BOLERO was
  appointed interim president until replaced again by AZALI in May
  2002 when BOLERO was appointed Minister of External Defense and
  Territorial Security; the president is both the chief of state and
  the head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: as defined by the 2001 constitution, the presidency
  rotates every four years among the elected presidents from the three
  main islands in the Union; election last held 14 April 2002 (next to
  be held April 2007); prime minister appointed by the president; note
  - AZALI has not appointed a Prime Minister since he was sworn into
  office in May 2002
  election results: President AZALI Assoumani elected president with
  75% of the vote

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of state: President Joseph
  KABILA (since 26 January 2001); note - following the assassination
  of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph
  KABILA succeeded to the presidency; the president is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Joseph KABILA (since 26 January 2001);
  note - following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire
  KABILA, on 16 January 2001, Joseph KABILA succeeded to the
  presidency; the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: National Executive Council, appointed by the president
  elections: prior to the overthrow of MOBUTU Sese Seko, the president
  was elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last
  held 29 July 1984 (next was scheduled to be held in May 1997);
  formerly, there was also a prime minister who was elected by the
  High Council of the Republic; note - a Transitional Government is
  drafting a new constitution with free elections scheduled to be held
  in NA 2005
  election results: MOBUTU Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga
  reelected president in 1984 without opposition
  note: Joseph KABILA succeeded his father, Laurent Desire KABILA,
  following the latter's assassination in January 2001, negotiations
  with rebel leaders led to the establishment of a transitional
  government in July 2003 with free elections scheduled to be held in
  NA 2005

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of state: President Denis
  SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October 1997, following the civil war in
  which he toppled elected president Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO (since 25 October
  1997, following the civil war in which he toppled elected president
  Pascal LISSOUBA); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (eligible for a second seven-year term); election last held 10 March
  2002 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO reelected president; percent
  of vote - Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO 89.4%, Joseph Kignoumbi Kia MBOUNGOU
  2.7%

Cook Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Frederick GOODWIN (since 9 February 2001); New
  Zealand High Commissioner Kurt MEYER (since July 2001),
  representative of New Zealand
  head of government: Prime Minister Jim MARURAI (since 14 December
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Terepai MAOATE (since 9 August 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister; collectively
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the UK representative is
  appointed by the monarch; the New Zealand high commissioner is
  appointed by the New Zealand Government; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually becomes prime minister

Coral Sea Islands
  administered from Canberra by the Department of
  the Environment, Sport, and Territories

Costa Rica
  chief of state: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May
  2002); First Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002);
  Second Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Abel PACHECO (since 8 May 2002); First
  Vice President Lineth SABORIO (since 8 May 2002); Second Vice
  President (vacant); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 3 February
  2002; run-off election held 7 April 2002 (next to be held February
  2006)
  election results: Abel PACHECO elected president; percent of vote -
  Abel PACHECO (PUSC) 58%; Rolando ARAYA (PLN) 42%

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of state: President Laurent GBAGBO (since 26
  October 2000);
  head of government: Prime Minister Seydou DIARRA (since 25 January
  2003); note - appointed as transitional Prime Minister by President
  GBAGBO as part of a French brokered peace plan
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Laurent GBAGBO elected president; percent of vote
  - Laurent GBAGBO 59.4%, Robert GUEI 32.7%, Francis WODIE 5.7%, other
  2.2%

Croatia
  chief of state: President Stjepan (Stipe) MESIC (since 18
  February 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ivo SANADER (since 9 December
  2003); Deputy Prime Ministers Jadranka KOSOR (since 23 December
  2003) and Damir POLANEC (since NA February 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers named by the prime minister and
  approved by the parliamentary Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 January 2005 (next to be held January 2010);
  the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president and
  then approved by the Assembly
  election results: Stjepan MESIC reelected president; percent of vote
  - Stjepan MESIC (HNS) 66%, Jadranka KOSOR (HDZ) 34%

Cuba
  chief of state: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President of the Council of State and President
  of the Council of Ministers Fidel CASTRO Ruz (prime minister from
  February 1959 until 24 February 1976 when office was abolished;
  president since 2 December 1976); First Vice President of the
  Council of State and First Vice President of the Council of
  Ministers Gen. Raul CASTRO Ruz (since 2 December 1976); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers proposed by the president of the
  Council of State and appointed by the National Assembly or the
  31-member Council of State, elected by the Assembly to act on its
  behalf when it is not in session
  elections: president and vice presidents elected by the National
  Assembly for a term of five years; election last held 6 March 2003
  (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: Fidel CASTRO Ruz reelected president; percent of
  legislative vote - 100%; Raul CASTRO Ruz elected vice president;
  percent of legislative vote - 100%

Cyprus
  chief of state: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  head of government: President Tassos PAPADOPOULOS (since 1 March
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; post of vice president is currently vacant; under the
  1960 constitution, the post is reserved for a Turkish Cypriot
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed jointly by the president and
  vice president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
  election results: Tassos PAPADOPOULOS elected president; percent of
  vote - Tassos PAPADOPOULOS 51.5%, Glafkos KLIRIDIS 38.8%, Alekos
  MARKIDIS 6.6%
  note: Mehmet Ali TALAT becomes "president" of north Cyprus, 24 April
  2005, after "presidential" elections on 17 April 2005; results -
  Mehmet Ali TALAT 55.6%, Dervis EROGLU 22.7%; Ferdi Sabit SOYER is
  "prime minister"; there is a Council of Ministers (cabinet) in north
  Cyprus, appointed by the "prime minister"

Czech Republic
  chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since 7 March
  2003)
  note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down
  from office on 2 February 2003 having served exactly 10 years;
  parliament finally elected a successor on 28 February 2003 after two
  inconclusive elections in January 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Jiri PAROUBEK (since 25 April
  2005), Deputy Prime Ministers Zdenek SKROMACH (since 4 August 2004),
  Martin JAHN (since 4 August 2004), Pavel NEMEC (since 4 August
  2004), Milan SIMONOVSKY (since 4 August 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term;
  last successful election held 28 February 2003 (after earlier
  elections held 15 and 24 January 2003 were inconclusive; next
  election to be held January 2008); prime minister appointed by the
  president
  election results: Vaclav KLAUS elected president on 28 February
  2003; Vaclav KLAUS 142 votes, Jan SOKOL 124 votes (third round;
  combined votes of both chambers of parliament)

Denmark
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II (since 14 January 1972);
  Heir Apparent Crown Prince FREDERIK, elder son of the monarch (born
  26 May 1968)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN (since 27
  November 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch

Dhekelia
  chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Administrator Maj. Gen. Peter Tomas Clayton
  PEARSON (since 9 May 2003); note - reports to the British Ministry
  of Defence
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is
  appointed by the monarch

Djibouti
  chief of state: President Ismail Omar GUELLEH (since 8 May
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed Dileita DILEITA (since 4
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 8 April 2005 (next to be held by April 2011);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ismail Omar GUELLEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Ismail Omar GUELLEH 100%

Dominica
  chief of state: President Nicholas J. O. LIVERPOOL (since
  October 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Roosevelt SKERRIT (since 8
  January 2004); note - assumed post after death of Prime Minister
  Pierre CHARLES
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 1 October 2003 (next to be held
  October 2008); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Nicholas LIVERPOOL elected president; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Dominican Republic
  chief of state: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna
  (since 16 August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro
  (since 16 August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna (since 16
  August 2004); Vice President Rafael ALBURQUERQUE de Castro (since 16
  August 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 16 May 2004
  (next to be held in May 2008)
  election results: Leonel FERNANDEZ elected president; percent of
  vote - Leonel FERNANDEZ (PLD) 57.1%, Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez
  (PRD) 33.7%, Eduardo ESTRELLA (PRSC) 8.7%

East Timor
  chief of state: President Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO (since
  20 May 2002); note - the president plays a largely symbolic role but
  is able to veto some legislation; he formerly used the name Jose
  Alexandre GUSMAO
  head of government: Prime Minister Mari Bin Amude ALKATIRI (since 20
  May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 April 2002 (next to be held in April 2007);
  after the first legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party was appointed prime minister by the president, suggesting a
  precedent for the future
  election results: Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO elected president; percent
  of vote - Kay Rala Xanana GUSMAO 82.7%, Francisco Xavier do AMARAL
  17.3%

Ecuador
  chief of state: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April
  2005); Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May
  2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government; former President Lucio GUTIERREZ was removed from office
  by congress effective 20 April 2005
  head of government: President Alfredo PALACIO (since 20 April 2005);
  Vice President Nicanor Alejandro SERRANO Aguilar (since 5 May 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: the president and vice president are elected on the same
  ticket by popular vote for a four-year term (no immediate
  reelection); election last held 20 October 2002; runoff election
  held 24 November 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
  election results: results of the 24 November 2002 runoff election -
  Lucio GUTIERREZ elected president; percent of vote - Lucio GUTIERREZ
  54.3%; Alvaro NOBOA 45.7%; note - Vice President Alfredo PALACIO
  assumed the presidency on 20 April 2005 after congress removed Lucio
  GUTIERREZ from office

Egypt
  chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14
  October 1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; note
  - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a constitutional
  amendment that changed the presidential election to a multicandidate
  popular vote; previously the president was nominated by the People's
  Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national, popular
  referendum; last referendum held 26 September 1999; first election
  under terms of constitutional amendment held 7 September 2005; next
  election scheduled for 2011
  election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote
  - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

El Salvador
  chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez
  (since 1 June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1
  June 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1
  June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 21 March
  2004 (next to be held March 2009)
  election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;
  percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (ARENA) 57.7%, Schafik
  HANDAL (FMLN) 35.6%, Hector SILVA (CDU-PDC) 3.9%, other 2.8%

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of state: President Brig. Gen. (Ret.)
  Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO (since 3 August 1979 when he seized
  power in a military coup)
  head of government: Prime Minister Miguel Abia BITEO BORICO (since
  14 June 2004); First Deputy Prime Minister Mercelino Oyono NTUTUMU
  (since 15 June 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Mangue Obama
  NFUBEA (since 15 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held December 2009);
  prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO reelected president;
  percent of vote - Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO 97.1%, Celestino
  Bonifacio BACALE 2.2%; elections marred by widespread fraud

Eritrea
  chief of state: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June
  1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  head of government: President ISAIAS Afworki (since 8 June 1993);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government and is head of the State Council and National Assembly
  cabinet: State Council is the collective executive authority;
  members appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly; election last
  held 8 June 1993 (next election date uncertain as the National
  Assembly did not hold a presidential election in December 2001 as
  anticipated)
  election results: ISAIAS Afworki elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - ISAIAS Afworki 95%

Estonia
  chief of state: President Arnold RUUTEL (since 8 October
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  approved by Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term; if
  a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after three
  rounds of balloting in the Parliament, then an electoral assembly
  (made up of Parliament plus members of local governments) elects the
  president, choosing between the two candidates with the largest
  percentage of votes; election last held 21 September 2001 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); prime minister nominated by the
  president and approved by Parliament
  election results: Arnold RUUTEL elected president on 21 September
  2001 by a 367-member electoral assembly that convened following
  Parliament's failure in August to elect then-President MERI's
  successor; on the second ballot of voting, RUUTEL received 186 votes
  to Parliament Speaker Toomas SAVI's 155; the remaining 26 ballots
  were either left blank or invalid

Ethiopia
  chief of state: President GIRMA Woldegiorgis (since 8
  October 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister MELES Zenawi (since NA August
  1995)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers as provided for in the December 1994
  constitution; ministers are selected by the prime minister and
  approved by the House of People's Representatives
  elections: president elected by the House of People's
  Representatives for a six-year term; election last held 8 October
  2001 (next to be held October 2007); prime minister designated by
  the party in power following legislative elections
  election results: GIRMA Woldegiorgis elected president; percent of
  vote by the House of People's Representatives - 100%

European Union
  chief of union: President of the European Commission
  Jose DURAO BARROSO (since 22 November 2004)
  cabinet: European Commission (composed of 25 members, one from each
  member country; each commissioner responsible for one or more policy
  areas)
  elections: the president of the European Commission is designated by
  member governments; the president-designate then chooses the other
  Commission members; the European Parliament confirms the entire
  Commission for a five-year term; election last held 18 November 2004
  (next to be held 2009)
  election results: European Parliament approved the European
  Commission by an approval vote of 449 to 149 with 82 abstentions
  note: the European Council brings together heads of state and
  government and the president of the European Commission and meets at
  least twice a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the major
  political issues relating to European integration and to issue
  general policy guidelines

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002);
  Chief Executive Chris SIMPKINS (since NA March 2003); Financial
  Secretary Derek F. HOWATT (since NA)
  cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative
  Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial
  secretary), and the governor
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch

Faroe Islands
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since
  14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Birgit KLEIS,
  chief administrative officer (since 1 November 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Joannes EIDESGAARD (since 3
  February 2004)
  cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held
  20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than January 2008)
  election results: Joannes EIDESGAARD elected prime minister; percent
  of parliamentary vote - NA%
  note: coalition of Social Democrats, Union Party, and People's Party

Fiji
  chief of state: President Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda
  (since 18 July 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE (since 10
  September 2000)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament; note - there
  is also a Presidential Council that advises the president on matters
  of national importance and a Great Council of Chiefs, which consists
  of the highest ranking members of the traditional chief system
  elections: president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a
  five-year term; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Ratu Josefa ILOILOVATU Uluivuda elected president
  by the Great Council of Chiefs; percent of vote - NA%

Finland
  chief of state: President Tarja HALONEN (since 1 March 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Matti VANHANEN (since 24 June
  2003) and Deputy Prime Minister Eero HEINALUOMA (since 24 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of State or Valtioneuvosto appointed by the
  president, responsible to parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 16 January 2000 and 6 February 2000 (next to be
  held February 2006); the president appoints the prime minister and
  deputy prime minister from the majority party or the majority
  coalition after parliamentary elections and the parliament must
  approve the appointment
  election results: Tarja HALONEN elected president; percent of vote -
  Tarja HALONEN (SDP) 51.6%, Esko AHO (Kesk) 48.4%
  note: government coalition - Kesk, SDP, and SFP

France
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dominique DE VILLEPIN (since 31
  May 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  suggestion of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (changed from seven-year term in October 2000); election last held
  21 April and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round April 2007,
  second round May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National
  Assembly majority and appointed by the president
  election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected president; percent of
  vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%, Jean-Marie LE PEN
  (FN) 18.04%

French Guiana
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Ange MANCINI (since 31
  July 2002)
  head of government: President of the General Council Joseph
  HO-TEN-YOU (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council
  Antoine KARAM (since 22 March 1992)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; presidents of the General and Regional
  Councils are appointed by the members of those councils

French Polynesia
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the
  Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001); note - Michel
  MATHIER leaves 30 July 2005, replaced by Jacques MICHAUT (acting
  high commissioner), until the arrival of Anne BOQUET in early
  September 2005
  head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
  French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the
  Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
  of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as
  ministers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly
  are elected by the members of the assembly

Gabon
  chief of state: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba (since 2
  December 1967)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Francois NTOUTOUME-EMANE
  (since 23 January 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2005); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba reelected;
  percent of vote - El Hadj Omar BONGO Ondimba 66.6%, Pierre
  MAMBOUNDOU 16.5%, Fr. Paul M'BA-ABESSOLE 13.4%

Gambia, The
  chief of state: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since
  18 October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 he was Chairman of the
  Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH (since 18
  October 1996; note - from 1994 to 1996 was he Chairman of the
  Junta); Vice President Isatou Njie SAIDY (since 20 March 1997); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 18 October 2001 (next to be held October 2006)
  election results: Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH reelected president; percent
  of vote - Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH 52.9%, Ousainou DARBOE 32.7%

Georgia
  chief of state: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25
  January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government for the power ministries: state security
  (includes interior) and defense
  head of government: President Mikheil SAAKASHVILI (since 25 January
  2004); Prime Minister Zurab NOGHAIDELI (since 17 February 2005);
  note - the president is the chief of state and head of government
  for the power ministries: state security (includes interior) and
  defense; the prime minister is head of the remaining ministries of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 4 January 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Mikheil SAAKASHVILI elected president; percent of
  vote - Mikheil SAAKASHVILI 96.3%, Temur SHASHIASHVILI 1.9%

Germany
  chief of state: President Horst KOEHLER (since 1 July 2004)
  head of government: Chancellor Gerhard SCHROEDER (since 27 October
  1998); Vice Chancellor Joschka FISCHER (since 17 October 1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by
  the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by a Federal
  Convention including all members of the Federal Assembly and an
  equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election
  last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held 23 May 2009); chancellor
  elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a
  four-year term; election last held 22 September 2002 (next to be
  held September 2006)
  election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604
  votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN;
  Gerhard SCHROEDER elected chancellor; percent of Federal Assembly
  vote 50.7%

Ghana
  chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January
  2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject
  to approval by Parliament
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 December
  2004 (next to be held December 2008)
  election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR reelected president in
  election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 53.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.7%

Gibraltar
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis
  RICHARDS (since 27 May 2003)
  head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected
  members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation
  with the chief minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually
  appointed chief minister by the governor

Greece
  chief of state: President Karolos PAPOULIAS (since 12 March
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Konstandinos KARAMANLIS (since 7
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by parliament for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held by February
  2010); according to the Greek Constitution, presidents may only
  serve two terms; president appoints leader of the party securing
  plurality of vote in election to become prime minister and form a
  government
  election results: Karolos PAPOULIAS elected president; number of
  parlimentary votes, 279 out of 300

Greenland
  chief of state: Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14
  January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Peter LAURITEEN
  (since NA 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Hans ENOKSEN (since 14 December
  2002)
  cabinet: Home Rule Government is elected by the parliament
  (Landstinget) on the basis of the strength of parties
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner appointed
  by the monarch; prime minister is elected by parliament (usually the
  leader of the majority party); election last held 3 December 2002
  (next to be held December 2006)
  election results: Hans ENOKSEN elected prime minister
  note: government coalition - Siumut and Inuit Ataqatigiit

Grenada
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Daniel WILLIAMS (since 9 August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Keith MITCHELL (since 22 June
  1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general

Guadeloupe
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
  17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since
  17 August 2004)
  head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT
  (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin
  LUREL (since 2 April 2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
  election results: NA

Guam
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20
  January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
  2001)
  head of government: Governor Felix P. P. CAMACHO (since 6 January
  2003) and Lieutenant Governor Kaleo MOYLAN (since 6 January 2003)
  cabinet: executive departments; heads appointed by the governor with
  the consent of the Guam legislature
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for a four-year term; governor and lieutenant governor
  elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term;
  election last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Felix P. P. CAMACHO elected governor; percent of
  vote - Felix P. P. CAMACHO (Republican Party) 55.4%, Robert A.
  UNDERWOOD (Democratic Party) 44.6%

Guatemala
  chief of state: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
  (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
  (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Oscar Jose Rafael BERGER Perdomo
  (since 14 January 2004); Vice President Eduardo STEIN Barillas
  (since 14 January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 9 November 2003; runoff held 28 December 2003
  (next to be held November 2007)
  election results: Oscar BERGER Perdomo elected president; percent of
  vote - Oscar BERGER Perdomo (GANA) 54.1%, Alvarado COLOM (UNE) 45.9%

Guernsey
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen.
  Sir John FOLEY (since NA 2000)
  head of government: Chief Minister Laurie MORGAN (since 1 May 2004)
  cabinet: Policy Council elected by the States of Deliberation
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch; chief minister is elected by States of Delibertion
  election results: Laurie MORGAN elected chief minister, percent of
  vote of the States of Deliberation NA%

Guinea
  chief of state: President Lansana CONTE (head of military
  government since 5 April 1984, elected president 19 December 1993)
  head of government: Prime Minister Cellou Dalein DIALLO (since 4
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast to be elected
  president; election last held 21 December 2003 (next to be held
  December 2008); the prime minister is appointed by the president
  election results: Lansana CONTE reelected president; percent of vote
  - Lansana CONTE (PUP) 95.3%, Mamadou Boye BARRY (UPR) 4.6%

Guinea-Bissau
  chief of state: President Henrique ROSA (interim;
  since 28 September 2003); note - a September 2003 coup overthrew the
  elected government of Kumba YALA; General Verissimo Correia SEABRA
  served as interim president from 14 to 28 September 2003
  head of government: Prime Minister Carlos GOMES Junior (since 9 May
  2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 28 November 1999 and 16 January 2000 (next to be
  held May 2005); prime minister appointed by the president after
  consultation with party leaders in the legislature
  election results: Kumba YALA elected president; percent of vote,
  second ballot - Kumba YALA (PRS) 72%, Malan Bacai SANHA (PAIGC) 28%
  note: a bloodless coup led to the dissolution of the elected
  government of Kumba YALA in September 2003; General Verissimo
  Correia SEABRA served as interim president from 14 September 2003
  until stepping aside on 28 September 2003 with the establishment of
  a caretaker government

Guyana
  chief of state: President Bharrat JAGDEO (since 11 August
  1999); note - assumed presidency after resignation of President
  Janet JAGAN
  head of government: Prime Minister Samuel HINDS (since December 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president,
  responsible to the legislature
  elections: president elected by the majority party in the National
  Assembly following legislative elections, which must be held at
  least every five years; elections last held 19 March 2001 (next to
  be held by March 2006); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Bharrat JAGDEO reelected; percent of
  legislative vote - NA%

Haiti
  chief of state: Interim President Boniface ALEXANDRE (since 29
  February 2004)
  note: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE resigned as president on 29 February
  2004; ALEXANDRE, as Chief of the Supreme Court, constitutionally
  succeeded Aristide
  head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gerald LATORTUE (since 12
  March 2004), chosen by extraconstitutional Council of Eminent
  Persons representing cross-section of political and civic interests
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November
  2005); prime minister appointed by the president, ratified by the
  National Assembly
  election results: Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE elected president; percent
  of vote - Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE 92%

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of state: Pope BENEDICT XVI (since 19
  April 2005)
  head of government: Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo SODANO (since
  1 December 1990)
  cabinet: Pontifical Commission appointed by the pope
  elections: pope elected for life by the College of Cardinals;
  election last held 19 April 2005 (next to be held after the death of
  the current pope); secretary of state appointed by the pope
  election results: Joseph RATZINGER elected Pope BENEDICT XVI

Honduras
  chief of state: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
  January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
  27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
  LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
  Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (since 27
  January 2002); First Vice President Vicente WILLIAMS Agasse (since
  27 January 2002); Second Vice President Armida Villela Maria DE
  LOPEZ Contreras (since 27 January 2002); Third Vice President
  Alberto DIAZ Lobo (since 27 January 2002); note - the president is
  both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
  2005)
  election results: Ricardo (Joest) MADURO (PN) elected president -
  52.2%, Raphael PINEDA Ponce (PL) 44.3%, others 3.5%

Hong Kong
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15
  March 2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Donald TSANG (since 24 June 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of seven non-official members
  and 14 official members
  elections: previous chief executive TUNG Chee-hwa was elected to
  second five-year term in March 2002 by 800-member election committee
  dominated by pro-Beijing forces, resignation accepted 12 March 2005;
  Donald TSANG acted as chief executive between 12 March 2005 and 25
  May 2005; Henry TANG acted as chief executive between 25 May 2005
  and 24 June 2005; last election 16 June 2005 to fill final two years
  of TUNG's term (next to be held in June 2007)

Hungary
  chief of state: Laszlo SOLYOM (since 5 August 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ferenc GYURCSANY (since 29
  September 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly on
  the recommendation of the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 6-7 June 2005 (next to be held by
  June 2010); prime minister elected by the National Assembly on the
  recommendation of the president; election last held 29 September 2004
  election results: Laszlo SOLYOM elected president by a simple
  majority in the third round of voting, 185 to 182; Ferenc GYURCSANY
  elected prime minister; result of legislative vote - 197 to 12
  note: to be elected, the president must win two-thirds of
  legislative vote in the first two rounds or a simple majority in the
  third round

Iceland
  chief of state: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON (since 1
  August 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Halldor ASGRIMSSON (since 15
  September 2004); note - Former Prime Minister David ODDSSON switched
  positions with former Foreign Minister Halldor ASGRIMMSON
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by
  parliament
  elections: president, which is largely a ceremonial post, elected by
  popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 26 June 2004
  (next to be held June 2008); following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition
  is usually the prime minister
  election results: Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON wins with 85.6% of the
  vote, Baldur AGUSTSSON 12.5%, Astthor MAGNUSSON 1.9%

India
  chief of state: President A.P.J. Abdul KALAM (since 26 July
  2002); Vice President Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT (since 19 August 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Manmohan SINGH (since NA May 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of
  the states for a five-year term; election last held July 2002 (next
  to be held 18 July 2007); vice president elected by both houses of
  Parliament for a five-year term; election last held 12 August 2002
  (next to be held August 2007); prime minister chosen by
  parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative
  elections; election last held April - May 2004 (next to be held May
  2009)
  election results: Abdul KALAM elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - 89.6%; Bhairon Singh SHEKHAWAT elected vice
  president; percent of Parliament vote - 59.8%

Indonesia
  chief of state: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since
  20 October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
  October 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO (since 20
  October 2004) and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf KALLA (since 20
  October 2004);
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president were elected for five-year
  terms by direct vote of the citizenry; last held 20 September 2004
  (next to be held in September 2009)
  election results: Susilo Bambang YUDHOYONO elected president
  receiving 60.6% of vote; MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri received 39.4%

Iran
  chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI
  (since 4 June 1989)
  head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August
  2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26
  August 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with
  legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over
  appointments to the more sensitive ministries
  elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by
  the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate
  runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of
  vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%;
  note - 2% of ballots spoiled

Iraq
  chief of state: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) President
  Jalal TALABANI (since 6 April 2005); Deputy Presidents Adil Abd
  AL-MAHDI and Ghazi al-Ujayl al-YAWR (since 6 April 2005); note - the
  President and Deputy Presidents comprise the Presidency Council)
  head of government: Iraqi Transitional Government (ITG) Prime
  Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI (since April 2005); Deputy Prime
  Ministers Rowsch SHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaq
  al-JABBURI (since May 2005)
  cabinet: 32 ministers appointed by the Presidency Council, plus
  Prime Minister Ibrahim al-JAFARI, Deputy Prime Ministers Rowsch
  SHAWAYS, Ahmad CHALABI, and Abid al-Mutlaq al-JABBURI
  elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member Transitional
  National Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution and pave
  the way for new national elections at the end of 2005

Ireland
  chief of state: President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November
  1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bertie AHERN (since 26 June 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination
  by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October
  2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other
  candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime
  minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by
  the president
  election results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote -
  Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
  note: government coalition - Fianna Fail and the Progressive
  Democrats

Israel
  chief of state: President Moshe KATZAV (since 31 July 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 7 March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the
  Knesset
  elections: president is largely a ceremonial role and is elected by
  the Knesset for a seven-year term; election last held 31 July 2000
  (next to be held mid-2007); following legislative elections, the
  president assigns a Knesset member - traditionally the leader of the
  largest party - the task of forming a governing coalition; election
  last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall of 2006)
  election results: Moshe KATZAV elected president by the 120-member
  Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES,
  received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON
  continues as prime minister after Likud Party victory in January
  2003 Knesset elections; Likud won 38 seats and then formed coalition
  government with Shinui, the National Religious Party, and the
  National Union

Italy
  chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI (since 13 May
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the
  president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio BERLUSCONI (since 10
  June 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  approved by the president
  elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of
  both houses of parliament and 58 regional representatives for a
  seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held May
  2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by
  parliament
  election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of
  electoral college vote - 70%
  note: a four-party government coalition includes Forza Italia,
  National Alliance, Northern League, and Union of Christian Democrats
  and Center Democrats

Jamaica
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Sir Howard Felix COOKE (since 1
  August 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Percival James PATTERSON (since
  30 March 1992)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime
  minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House
  of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor
  general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime
  minister

Japan
  chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)
  head of government: Prime Minister Junichiro KOIZUMI (since 26 April
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: Diet designates prime minister; constitution requires
  that prime minister commands parliamentary majority; following
  legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of
  majority coalition in House of Representatives usually becomes prime
  minister; KOIZUMI's term as leader of the LDP is scheduled to end in
  September 2006; a new prime minister may be chosen at that time;
  monarch is hereditary

Jersey
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
  head of government: Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief Air
  Chief Marshall Sir John CHESHIRE (since 24 January 2001) and Bailiff
  Philip Martin BAILHACHE (since NA February 1995)
  cabinet: committees appointed by the Assembly of the States
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor and
  bailiff appointed by the monarch

Jordan
  chief of state: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999);
  Prince HUSSEIN (born 1994), son of King ABDALLAH, is first in line
  to inherit the throne
  head of government: Prime Minister Adnan BADRAN (since 7 April
  2005); Deputy Prime Ministers Marwan al-MUASHER and Hisham al-TEL
  (since 3 July 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation
  with the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Kazakhstan
  chief of state: President Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV
  (chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 22 February 1990, elected
  president 1 December 1991)
  head of government: Prime Minister Daniyal AKHMETOV (since 13 June
  2003); First Deputy Prime Minister Akhmetzhan YESIMOV (since 14 May
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 10 January 1999, a year before it was previously
  scheduled (next to be held NA 2006); note - President NAZARBAYEV's
  previous term was extended to 2000 by a nationwide referendum held
  30 April 1995; prime minister and first deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president
  election results: Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV reelected president;
  percent of vote - Nursultan A. NAZARBAYEV 81.7%, Serikbolsyn
  ABDILDIN 12.1%, Gani KASYMOV 4.7%, Engels GABBASSOV 1.5%
  note: President NAZARBAYEV arranged a referendum in 1995 that
  expanded his presidential powers: only he can initiate
  constitutional amendments, appoint and dismiss the government,
  dissolve Parliament, call referenda at his discretion, and appoint
  administrative heads of regions and cities

Kenya
  chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
  and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002)
  and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute
  terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the
  vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to
  avoid a runoff; election last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held
  December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote -
  Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Kiribati
  chief of state: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003);
  Vice President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: President Anote TONG (since 10 July 2003); Vice
  President Teima ONORIO; note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  cabinet: 12-member Cabinet appointed by the president from among the
  members of the House of Parliament
  elections: the House of Parliament chooses the presidential
  candidates from among its members and then those candidates compete
  in a general election; president is elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 4 July 2003 (next to be held not
  later than July 2007); vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Anote TONG 47.4%, Harry TONG 43.5%, Banuera BERINA
  9.1%

Korea, North
  chief of state: KIM Jong Il (since July 1994); note -
  on 3 September 2003, rubberstamp Supreme People's Assembly (SPA)
  reelected KIM Jong Il Chairman of the National Defense Commission, a
  position accorded nation's "highest administrative authority"; SPA
  reelected KIM Yong Nam President of its Presidium also with
  responsibility of representing state and receiving diplomatic
  credentials; SPA appointed PAK Pong Ju Premier
  head of government: Premier PAK Pong Ju (since 3 September 2003);
  Vice Premiers KWAK Pom Gi (since 5 September 1998), JON Sung Hun
  (since 3 September 2003), RO Tu Chol (since 3 September 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet (Naegak), members, except for the Minister of
  People's Armed Forces, are appointed by the SPA
  elections: election last held in September 2003 (next to be held in
  September 2008)
  election results: KIM Jong Il and KIM Yong Nam were only nominees
  for positions and ran unopposed

Korea, South
  chief of state: President ROH Moo-hyun (since 25
  February 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hae-chan (since 25 May 2004);
  Deputy Prime Ministers HAN Duck-soo (14 March 2005), KIM Jin-pyo
  (since 28 January 2005), and OH Myung (since 18 October 2004)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the president on the prime
  minister's recommendation
  elections: president elected by popular vote for single five-year
  term; election last held 19 December 2002 (next to be held in
  February 2008); prime minister appointed by president with consent
  of National Assembly; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
  on prime minister's recommendation
  election results: results of the 19 December 2002 election - ROH
  Moo-hyun elected president; percent of vote - ROH Moo-hyun (MDP)
  48.9%; LEE Hoi-chang (GNP) 46.6%; other 4.5%

Kuwait
  chief of state: Amir JABIR al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah (since
  31 December 1977); Crown Prince SAAD al-Abdullah al-Salim al-Sabah
  head of government: Prime Minister SABAH al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah
  (since 13 July 2003); First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
  the Interior NAWWAF al-Ahmad al-Sabah (since 2003); Deputy Prime
  Ministers JABIR MUBARAK al-Hamad al-Sabah (since 2001) and Muhammad
  Dayfallah al-SHARAR (since 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister and
  approved by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of state: President Kurmanbek BAKIYEV (since 14
  August 2005); note - former President Askar AKAYEV resigned
  effective 11 April 2005 following widespread protests that forced
  him to flee the country on 24 March 2005
  head of government: Prime Minister Feliks KULOV (since 1 September
  2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 10 July 2005 (next scheduled for NA 2010);
  prime minister nominated by the president for approval by Parliament
  election results: Kurmanbek BAKIYEV elected president; percent of
  vote - Kurmanbek BAKIYEV 88.6%, Tursunbai BAKIR-UULU 3.9%, other
  candidates 7.5%; Feliks KULOV approved as prime minister 55-8

Laos
  chief of state: President Gen. KHAMTAI Siphadon (since 26
  February 1998) and Vice President Lt. Gen. CHOUMMALI Saignason
  (since 27 March 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister BOUNGNANG Volachit (since 27
  March 2001); First Deputy Prime Minister Bouasone BOUPHAVANH (since
  3 October 2003) Deputy Prime Minister Maj. Gen. ASANG Laoli (since
  May 2002), Deputy Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisolit (since 27 March
  2001), and Deputy Prime Minister SOMSAVAT Lengsavat (since 26
  February 1998)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held
  in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president with the
  approval of the National Assembly for a five-year term
  election results: KHAMTAI Siphadon elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Latvia
  chief of state: President Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA (since 8 July
  1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Aigars KALVITIS (since 2 December
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  appointed by the Parliament
  elections: president reelected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 20 June 2003 (next to be held by June 2007);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA reelected president;
  parliamentary vote - Vaira VIKE-FREIBERGA 88 of 94 votes cast

Lebanon
  chief of state: President Emile LAHUD (since 24 November
  1998)
  head of government: Prime Minister Fuad SINIORA (since 30 June
  2005); Deputy Prime Minister Elias MURR (since April 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet chosen by the prime minister in consultation with
  the president and members of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a six-year
  term; election last held 15 October 1998 (next election date NA);
  note - on 3 September 2004 the National Assembly voted 96 to 29 to
  extend Emile LAHUD's six-year term by three years; the prime
  minister and deputy prime minister appointed by the president in
  consultation with the National Assembly; by agreement, the president
  is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and
  the speaker of the legislature is a Shia Muslim
  election results: for 15 October 1998 election: Emile LAHUD elected
  president; National Assembly vote - 118 votes in favor, 0 against,
  10 abstentions

Lesotho
  chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996);
  note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November
  1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile
  head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May
  1998)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: none; according to the constitution, the leader of the
  majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister;
  the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution,
  which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is
  a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative
  powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to
  determine who is next in the line of succession, who shall serve as
  regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age, and may
  even depose the monarch

Liberia
  chief of state: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October
  2003); note - this is an interim position until presidential
  elections in 2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: Chairman Gyude BRYANT (since 14 October 2003);
  note - this is an interim position until presidential elections in
  2005; the chairman is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and confirmed by the
  Senate; note - current cabinet positions are divided among groups
  participating in the Liberian peace process
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term
  (renewable); election last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 11
  October 2005)
  election results: Charles Ghankay TAYLOR elected president; percent
  of vote - Charles Ghankay TAYLOR (NPP) 75.3%, Ellen Johnson SIRLEAF
  (UP) 9.6%, Alhaji KROMAH (ALCOP) 4%, other 11.1%; note - TAYLOR
  stepped down in August 2003
  note: a UN-brokered cease-fire among warring factions and the
  Liberian government resulted in the August 2003 resignation of
  former president Charles TAYLOR; a jointly agreed upon replacement,
  Chairman Gyude BRYANT, assumed office as head of the National
  Transitional Government on 14 October 2003

Libya
  chief of state: Revolutionary Leader Col. Muammar Abu Minyar
  al-QADHAFI (since 1 September 1969); note - holds no official title,
  but is de facto chief of state
  head of government: Secretary of the General People's Committee
  (Prime Minister) Shukri Muhammad GHANIM (since 14 June 2003)
  cabinet: General People's Committee established by the General
  People's Congress
  elections: national elections are indirect through a hierarchy of
  people's committees; head of government elected by the General
  People's Congress; election last held 2 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA)
  election results: NA

Liechtenstein
  chief of state: Prince HANS ADAM II (since 13 November
  1989, assumed executive powers 26 August 1984); Heir Apparent Prince
  ALOIS, son of the monarch (born 11 June 1968); note - on 15 August
  2004, HANS ADAM transferred the official duties of the ruling prince
  to ALOIS, but HANS ADAM retains status of chief of state
  head of government: Head of Government Ottmar HASLER (since 5 April
  2001) and Deputy Head of Government Rita KIEBER-BECK (since 5 April
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet elected by the parliament, confirmed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party in the Landtag is
  usually appointed the head of government by the monarch and the
  leader of the largest minority party in the Landtag is usually
  appointed the deputy head of government by the monarch

Lithuania
  chief of state: President Valdas ADAMKUS (since 12 July
  2004)
  head of government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS (since 3
  July 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the premier
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 13 June 2004 and 27 June 2004 (next to be held
  June 2009); premier appointed by the president on the approval of
  the Parliament
  election results: Valdas ADAMKUS elected president; percent of vote
  - Valdas ADAMKUS 52.2%, Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE 47.8%

Luxembourg
  chief of state: Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000);
  Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November
  1981)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1
  January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Jean ASSELBORN (since 31 July
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following popular
  elections to the Chamber of Deputies, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed
  prime minister by the monarch; the deputy prime minister is
  appointed by the monarch; they are responsible to the Chamber of
  Deputies
  note: government coalition - CSV and LSAP

Macau
  chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March
  2003)
  head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20
  December 1999)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary,
  four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist
  elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee
  for up to two five-year terms
  election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004;
  received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3
  members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent

Macedonia
  chief of state: President Branko CRVENKOVSKI (since 12 May
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Vlado BUCKOVSKI (since 17
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the majority vote of all
  the deputies in the Assembly; note - current cabinet formed by the
  government coalition parties SDSM, LDP, and BDI
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  two-round election last held 14 April and 28 April 2004 (next to be
  held April 2009); prime minister elected by the Assembly; election
  last held 1 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Branko CRVENKOVSKI elected president on
  second-round ballot; percent of vote - Branko CRVENKOVSKI 62.7%,
  Sasko KEDEV 37.3%; Vlado BUCKOVSKI elected prime minister by the
  Assembly

Madagascar
  chief of state: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held November 2006);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%,
  Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%

Malawi
  chief of state: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (since 24 May
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: 46-member Cabinet named by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
  election results: Bingu wa MUTHARIKA elected president; percent of
  vote - Bingu wa MUTHARIKA (UDF) 35.9%, John TEMBO (MCP) 27.1%,
  Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA (MC) 25.7%, Brown MPINGANJIRA (NDA) 8.7%,
  Justin MALEWEZI (independent) 2.5%

Malaysia
  chief of state: Paramount Ruler Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni
  Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the Raja of Perlis (since 12
  December 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDULLAH bin Ahmad Badawi (since
  31 October 2003); Deputy Prime Minister Mohamed NAJIB bin Abdul
  Razak (since 7 January 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament with consent of the paramount ruler
  elections: paramount ruler elected by and from the hereditary rulers
  of nine of the states for five-year terms; election last held 12
  December 2001 (next to be held in 2006); prime minister designated
  from among the members of the House of Representatives; following
  legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins a plurality
  of seats in the House of Representatives becomes prime minister
  election results: Tuanku SYED SIRAJUDDIN ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed
  Putra Jamalullail elected paramount ruler

Maldives
  chief of state: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
  November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM (since 11
  November 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president nominated by the Majlis and then the nomination
  must be ratified by a national referendum (at least a 51% approval
  margin is required); president elected for a five-year term;
  election last held 17 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM reelected in
  referendum held 17 October 2003; percent of popular vote - Maumoon
  Abdul GAYOOM 90.3%

Mali
  chief of state: President Amadou Toumani TOURE (since 8 June
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ousmane Issoufi MAIGA (since 30
  April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  (two-term limit); election last held 12 May 2002 (next to be held
  May 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Amadou Toumani TOURE elected president; percent of
  vote - Amadou Toumani TOURE 64.4%, Soumaila CISSE 35.6%

Malta
  chief of state: President Eddie FENECH ADAMI (since 4 April
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence GONZI (since 23 March
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by the House of Representatives for a
  five-year term; election last held 29 March 2004 (next to be held by
  April 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president for a five-year term; the
  deputy prime minister is appointed by the president on the advice of
  the prime minister
  election results: Eddie FENECH ADAMI elected president; percent of
  House of Representatives vote - 33 out of 65 votes

Man, Isle of
  chief of state: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since
  6 February 1952), represented by Lieutenant Governor Ian MACFADYEN
  (since 26 October 2002)
  head of government: Chief Minister Donald GELLING (since 14 December
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed
  by the monarch for a five-year term; the Chief Minister is elected
  by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2004 (next to be held
  December 2010)
  election results: Donald GELLING elected chief minister by the
  Tynwald; note - Richard CORKILL resigned 2 December 2004

Marshall Islands
  chief of state: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5
  January 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Kessai Hesa NOTE (since 5 January
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet selected by the president from among the members of
  Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament from among its own
  members for a four-year term; election last held 17 November 2003
  (next to be held November 2007)
  election results: Kessai Hesa NOTE elected president; percent of
  Parliament vote - 100%

Martinique
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
  17 May 1995); Prefect Yves DASSONVILLE (since 14 January 2004); note
  - took office 8 February 2004
  head of government: President of the General Council Claude LISE
  (since 22 March 1992); President of the Regional Council Alfred
  MARIE-JEANNE (since NA March 1998)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Mauritania
  chief of state: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA
  (since 12 December 1984); note - President TAYA deposed in a coup by
  the Military Council for Justice and Democracy led by Col. Ely Ould
  Mohamed VALL on 3 August 2005
  head of government: Prime Minister Sidi Mohamed Ould BOUBAKAR (since
  8 August 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 7 November 2003 (next to be held NA 2009); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA reelected
  for a third term with 60.8% of the vote

Mauritius
  chief of state: President Sir Anerood JUGNAUTH (since 7
  October 2003) and Vice President Abdool Raouf BUNDHUN (since 25
  February 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Paul BERENGER (since 30 September
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly for five-year terms; election last held 25 February 2002
  (next to be held NA 2007); prime minister and deputy prime minister
  appointed by the president, responsible to the National Assembly
  election results: Karl OFFMANN elected president and Raouf BUNDHUN
  elected vice president; percent of vote by the National Assembly -
  NA%; note - Karl OFFMANN stepped down on 30 September 2003

Mayotte
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
  May 1995), represented by Prefect Jean-Paul KIHL (since 17 January
  2005)
  head of government: President of the General Council Said Omar OILI
  (since NA 2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; president of the General Council
  elected by the members of the General Council for a six-year term

Mexico
  chief of state: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1
  December 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Vicente FOX Quesada (since 1 December
  2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; note - appointment of
  attorney general requires consent of the Senate
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 2 July 2000 (next to be held 2 July 2006)
  election results: Vicente FOX Quesada elected president; percent of
  vote - Vicente FOX Quesada (PAN) 42.52%, Francisco LABASTIDA Ochoa
  (PRI) 36.1%, Cuauhtemoc CARDENAS Solorzano (PRD) 16.64%, other 4.74%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  chief of state: President Joseph J.
  URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May
  2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from
  among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last
  held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed
  constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for
  president and vice president failed
  election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of
  Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent
  of Congress vote - NA%

Moldova
  chief of state: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April
  2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since 29 January
  2002)
  cabinet: selected by president, subject to approval of Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 4 April 2005 (next to be held NA 2009); note -
  prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with
  Parliament; within 15 days from designation, the prime
  minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the
  Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime
  minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of
  confidence 19 April 2001
  election results: Vladimir VORONIN reelected president;
  parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 75, Gheorghe DUCA 1; Vasile
  TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence
  - 75 of 101

Monaco
  chief of state: Prince ALBERT II (since 6 April 2005)
  head of government: Minister of State Jean-Paul PROUST (since 1 June
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; minister of state
  appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national
  candidates presented by the French Government

Mongolia
  chief of state: President Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (since 24 June
  2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ (since 20 August
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Chultem ULAAN (since 28 September 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the State Great Hural (parliament) in
  consultation with the president
  elections: presidential candidates nominated by political parties
  represented in State Great Hural and elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; presidential tenure limited to two four-year terms;
  election last held 22 May 2005 (next to be held in May 2009);
  following legislative elections, leader of majority party or
  majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by State Great
  Hural
  election results: Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR elected president; percent of
  vote - Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR (MPRP) 53.44%, Mendsaikhanin ENKHSAIKHAN
  (DP) 20.05%, Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN (MRP) 13.92%, Badarchyn
  ERDENEBAT (M-MNSDP) 12.59%; Tsakhi ELBEGDORJ elected prime minister
  by the State Great Hural 74 to 0

Montserrat
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor Deborah BARNES-JONES (since 10 May
  2004)
  head of government: Chief Minister John OSBORNE (since 5 April 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief
  minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the
  finance secretary
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the
  monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party usually becomes chief minister

Morocco
  chief of state: King MOHAMED VI (since 30 July 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister Driss JETTOU (since 9 October
  2002)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch following legislative elections

Mozambique
  chief of state: President Armando GUEBUZA (since 2
  February 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Luisa DIOGO (since 17 February
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
  2009); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Armando GUEBUZA elected president; percent of vote
  - Armando GUEBUZA 63.7%, Afonso DHLAKAMA 31.7%

Namibia
  chief of state: President Hifikepunye POHAMBA (since 15
  November 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Nahas ANGULA (since 21 March 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 15 November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
  election results: Hifikepunye POHAMBA elected president; percent of
  vote - NA%

Nauru
  chief of state: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Ludwig SCOTTY (since 26 October 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: president elected by Parliament for a three-year term;
  election last held 23 October 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: Ludwig SCOTTY was unopposed in the parliamentary
  elections for president

Nepal
  chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to
  the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King
  DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur DEUBA; note - the
  Prime Minister resigned in Februrary 2005
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the prime minister; note - the King dissolved the Cabinet in
  February 2005
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority
  coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch
  note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at
  the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most
  of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is
  believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally
  wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while
  still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three
  days later and was succeeded by his uncle

Netherlands
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980);
  Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the
  monarch
  head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
  July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
  2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
  Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
  note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
  apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet
  on legislative and administrative policy

Netherlands Antilles
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the
  Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General
  Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
  the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
  by the Staten; election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held
  by NA 2006)
  note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP
  Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia

New Caledonia
  chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU
  (since 15 July 2005)
  head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle
  THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)
  cabinet: Consultative Committee
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
  government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note
  - last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was
  elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions

New Zealand
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since
  4 April 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Helen CLARK (since 10 December
  1999) and Deputy Prime Minister Michael CULLEN (since NA July 2002)
  cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Nicaragua
  chief of state: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
  January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
  2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (since 10
  January 2002); Vice President Jose RIZO Castellon (since 10 January
  2002); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 4 November
  2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: Enrique BOLANOS Geyer (PLC) elected president -
  56.3%, Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra (FSLN) 42.3%, Alberto SABORIO (PCN)
  1.4%; Jose RIZO Castellon elected vice president

Niger
  chief of state: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
  1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President TANDJA Mamadou (since 22 December
  1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was
  appointed by the president and shares some executive
  responsibilities with the president
  cabinet: 27-member Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  second round last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December
  2009); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: TANDJA Mamadou reelected president; percent of
  vote - TANDJA Mamadou 65.5%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 34.5%

Nigeria
  chief of state: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May
  1999); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Olusegun OBASANJO (since 29 May 1999);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Federal Executive Council
  elections: president is elected by popular vote for no more than two
  four-year terms; election last held 19 April 2003 (next to be held
  NA 2007)
  election results: Olusegun OBASANJO elected president; percent of
  vote - Olusegun OBASANJO (PDP) 61.9%, Muhammadu BUHARI (ANPP) 31.2%,
  Chukwuemeka Odumegwu OJUKWU (APGA) 3.3%, other 3.6%

Niue
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); the
  UK and New Zealand are represented by New Zealand High Commissioner
  John BRYAN (since NA May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Young VIVIAN (since 1 May 2002)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of the premier and three ministers
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; premier elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a three-year term; election last held 12
  May 2005 (next to be held May 2008)
  election results: Young VIVIAN reelected premier; percent of
  Legislative Assembly vote - Young VIVIAN (NPP) 85%, O'Love JACOBSEN
  (independent) 15%

Norfolk Island
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); the UK and Australia are represented by Administrator Grant
  TAMBLING (since 1 November 2003)
  head of government: Assembly President and Chief Minister Geoffrey
  Robert GARDNER (since 5 December 2001)
  cabinet: Executive Council is made up of four of the nine members of
  the Legislative Assembly; the council devises government policy and
  acts as an advisor to the administrator
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the
  governor general of Australia; chief minister elected by the
  Legislative Assembly for a term of not more than three years;
  election last held 20 Ocotber 2004 (next to be held by December 2007)
  election results: Geoffrey Robert GARDNER elected chief minister;
  percent of Legislative Assembly vote - 17.2%

Northern Mariana Islands
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of
  the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY
  (since 20 January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since 14 January
  2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENAVENTE (since 14 January 2002)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005)
  election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way
  race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 42.8%

Norway
  chief of state: King HARALD V (since 17 January 1991); Heir
  Apparent Crown Prince HAAKON MAGNUS, son of the monarch (born 20
  July 1973)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jens STOLTENBERG (since 17
  October 2005)
  cabinet: State Council appointed by the monarch with the approval of
  parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following parliamentary
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
  monarch with the approval of the parliament

Oman
  chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said
  al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister QABOOS bin Said
  al-Said (since 23 July 1970); note - the monarch is both the chief
  of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Pakistan
  note: following a military takeover on 12 October 1999,
  Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  Committee, General Pervez MUSHARRAF, suspended Pakistan's
  constitution and assumed the additional title of Chief Executive; on
  12 May 2000, Pakistan's Supreme Court unanimously validated the
  October 1999 coup and granted MUSHARRAF executive and legislative
  authority for three years from the coup date; on 20 June 2001,
  MUSHARRAF named himself as president and was sworn in, replacing
  Mohammad Rafiq TARAR; in a referendum held on 30 April 2002,
  MUSHARRAF's presidency was extended by five more years; on 1 January
  2004, MUSHARRAF won a vote of confidence in the Senate, National
  Assembly, and four provincial assemblies
  chief of state: President General Pervez MUSHARRAF (since 20 June
  2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shaukat AZIZ (since 28 August
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the president is elected by Parliament for a five-year
  term; note - in a referendum held on 30 April 2002, MUSHARRAF's
  presidency was extended by five more years (next to be held NA
  2007); the prime minister is selected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: AZIZ elected by the National Assembly on 27 August
  2004 with 191 of the votes

Palau
  chief of state: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since
  19 January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January
  2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. (since 19
  January 2001) and Vice President Camsek CHIN (since 1 January 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet
  elections: president and vice president elected on separate tickets
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 2 November
  2004 (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. reelected president;
  percent of vote - Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr. 64%, Polycarp BASILIUS
  33%; Elias Camsek CHIN elected vice president; percent of vote -
  Elias Camsek CHIN 70%, Sandra PIERANTOZZI 29%

Panama
  chief of state: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
  September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
  September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since
  1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: President Martin TORRIJOS Espino (since 1
  September 2004); First Vice President Samuel LEWIS Navarro (since 1
  September 2004); Second Vice President Ruben AROSEMENA Valdes (since
  1 September 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice presidents elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 2 May 2004
  (next to be held 3 May 2009); note - beginning in 2009, Panama will
  have only one vice president.
  election results: Martin TORRIJOS Espino elected president; percent
  of vote - Martin TORRIJOS Espino 47.5%, Guillermo ENDARA Galimany
  30.6%, Jose Miguel ALEMAN 17%, Ricardo MARTINELLI 4.9%
  note: government coalition - PRD (Democratic Revolutionary Party),
  PP (Popular Party)

Papua New Guinea
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE
  (since 29 June 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2
  August 2002); deputy prime minister (vacant)
  cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor
  general on the recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the
  governor general

Paraguay
  chief of state: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15
  August 2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August
  2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Nicanor DUARTE Frutos (since 15 August
  2003); Vice President Luis CASTIGLIONI Joria (since 15 August 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 27 April
  2003 (next to be held April 2008)
  election results: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos elected president; percent
  of vote - Nicanor DUARTE Frutos 37.1%, Julio Cesar Ramon FRANCO
  Gomez 23.9%, Pedro Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella 21.3%, Guillermo
  SANCHEZ Guffanti 13.5%, other 4.2%

Peru
  chief of state: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
  July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government; additionally, the constitution provides for two vice
  presidents, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President
  David WAISMAN Rjavinsthi (since 28 July 2001)
  head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique (since 28
  July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government; additionally, the constitution provides for two vice
  presidents, First Vice President (vacant) and Second Vice President
  David WAISMAN Rjavinsthi (since 28 July 2001)
  note: Prime Minister Pedro Pablo KUCZYNSKI (since 25 August 2005)
  does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the
  president
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  special presidential and congressional elections held 8 April 2001,
  with runoff election held 3 June 2001; next to be held 9 April 2006
  election results: President Alejandro TOLEDO Manrique elected
  president in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO
  Manrique 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9%

Philippines
  chief of state: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since
  20 January 2001); note - president is both chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO (since 20
  January 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with consent of
  Commission of Appointments
  elections: president and vice president (Manuel "Noli" DE CASTRO)
  elected on separate tickets by popular vote for six-year terms;
  election last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May 2010)
  election results: results of the election - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
  elected president; percent of vote - Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO 40%,
  Fernando POE 37%, three others 23%

Pitcairn Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by UK High Commissioner to New Zealand
  and Governor (nonresident) of the Pitcairn Islands Richard FELL
  (since NA December 2001); Commissioner (nonresident) Leslie JAQUES
  (since September 2003); serves as liaison between the governor and
  the Island Council
  head of government: Governor Richard FELL; mayor and chairman of the
  Island Council Jay WARREN (since 15 December 2004)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; high commissioner and
  commissioner appointed by the monarch; island mayor elected by
  popular vote for a three-year term; election last held December 2004
  (next to be held December 2007)
  election results: Jay WARREN elected mayor and chairman of the
  Island Council

Poland
  chief of state: President Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI (since 23
  December 1995)
  head of government: Prime Minister Marek BELKA (since 24 June 2004);
  Deputy Prime Minister Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA (since 24 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the prime minister and
  the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and
  the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held October 2005);
  prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  and confirmed by the Sejm
  election results: Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI reelected president;
  percent of popular vote - Aleksander KWASNIEWSKI 53.9%, Andrzej
  OLECHOWSKI 17.3%, Marian KRZAKLEWSKI 15.6%, Lech WALESA 1%

Portugal
  chief of state: President Jorge SAMPAIO (since 9 March 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Jose SOCRATES (since 12 March
  2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  note: there is also a Council of State that acts as a consultative
  body to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held January 2006);
  following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
  leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister
  by the president
  election results: Jorge SAMPAIO reelected president; percent of vote
  - Jorge SAMPAIO (Socialist) 55.8%, Joaquim FERREIRA Do Amaral
  (Social Democrat) 34.5%, Antonio ABREU (Communist) 5.1%

Puerto Rico
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
  (since 20 January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January
  2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the
  legislature
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor elected by popular vote for a
  four-year term; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2008)
  election results: Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (PPD) elected governor;
  percent of vote - 48.4%

Qatar
  chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June
  1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin
  Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad
  bin Khalifa al-Thani, third son of the monarch (selected Heir
  Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also
  holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-chief of
  the Armed Forces
  head of government: Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Khalifa al-Thani,
  brother of the monarch (since 30 October 1996); Deputy Prime
  Minister MUHAMMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, brother of the monarch
  (since 20 January 1998); First Deputy Prime Minister HAMAD bin JASIM
  bin JABIR al-Thani (since 16 September 2003; also Foreign Minister
  since 1992); Second Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad
  al-ATTIYAH (since 16 September 2003; also Energy Minister since NA
  1992)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
  note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member
  Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed
  at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election
  for the CMC was held in March 1999

Reunion
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17
  May 1995), represented by Prefect Laurent CAYREL (since 16 July 2005)
  head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc
  POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council
  Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the
  French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and
  Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils

Romania
  chief of state: President Traian BASESCU (since 20 December
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Calin Popescu-TARICEANU (since 29
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 28 November 2004, with runoff between the top two
  candidates held 12 December 2004 (next to be held 28 November 2009
  and 12 December 2009); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: percent of vote - Traian BASESCU 51.23%, Adrian
  NASTASE 48.77%

Russia
  chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN
  (acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5
  March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9
  March 2004)
  cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of
  the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected other
  individuals; all are appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Presidential Administration (PA) that provides
  staff and policy support to the president, drafts presidential
  decrees, and coordinates policy among government agencies; a
  Security Council also reports directly to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a four-year term;
  election last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March 2008); note
  - no vice president; if the president dies in office, cannot
  exercise his powers because of ill health, is impeached, or resigns,
  the premier succeeds him; the premier serves as acting president
  until a new presidential election is held, which must be within
  three months; premier appointed by the president with the approval
  of the Duma
  election results: Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN reelected president;
  percent of vote - Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN 71.2%, Nikolay
  KHARITONOV 13.7%, other (no candidate above 5%) 15.1%

Rwanda
  chief of state: President Paul KAGAME (since 22 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Bernard MAKUZA (since 8 March
  2000)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: last held 25 August 2003 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: Paul KAGAME elected president in first direct
  popular vote; Paul KAGAME 95.05%, Faustin TWAGIRAMUNGU 3.62%,
  Jean-Nepomuscene NAYINZIRA 1.33%

Saint Helena
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952)
  head of government: Governor and Commander in Chief Michael CLANCY
  (since 15 October 2004)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, two ex officio
  officers, and six elected members of the Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor is appointed by
  the monarch

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1952), represented by Governor General Cuthbert Montraville
  SEBASTIAN (since 1 January 1996)
  head of government: Prime Minister Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS (since 6 July
  1995) and Deputy Prime Minister Sam CONDOR (since 6 July 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general in consultation
  with the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is
  usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Lucia
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Dame Pearlette LOUISY (since
  September 1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth Davis ANTHONY (since 24
  May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy
  prime minister appointed by the governor general

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC
  of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Albert DUPUY
  (since 10 January 2005)
  head of government: President of the General Council Marc
  PLANTAGENEST (since NA)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round
  - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the
  French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
  president of the General Council is elected by the members of the
  council

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II
  (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir
  Fredrick Nathaniel BALLANTYNE (since 2 September 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ralph E. GONSALVES (since 29
  March 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of
  the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is
  appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the
  leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by
  the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister

Samoa
  chief of state: Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA (cochief of state
  from 1 January 1962 until becoming sole chief of state 5 April 1963)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA
  (since 1996); note - TUILA'EPA served as deputy prime minister from
  1992 and assumed the duties of acting prime minister in 1996, when
  former Prime Minister TOFILAU Eti Alesana resigned in poor health;
  TUILA'EPA was confirmed as prime minister (November 1998) after
  TOFILAU died; Deputy Prime Minister MISA Telefoni (since 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 12 members, appointed by the chief of
  state on the prime minister's advice
  elections: upon the death of Chief Tanumafili II MALIETOA, a new
  chief of state will be elected by the Legislative Assembly to serve
  a five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the chief of
  state with the approval of the Legislative Assembly

San Marino
  chief of state: cochiefs of state Captain Regent Claudio
  MUCCIOLI and Captain Regent Antonello BACCIOCHI (for the period 1
  October 2005 - 31 March 2006)
  head of government: Secretary of State for Foreign and Political
  Affairs Fabio BERARDI (15 December 2003)
  cabinet: Congress of State elected by the Great and General Council
  for a five-year term
  elections: cochiefs of state (captains regent) elected by the Great
  and General Council for a six-month term; election last held NA
  September 2005 (next to be held March 2006); secretary of state for
  foreign and political affairs elected by the Great and General
  Council for a five-year term; election last held 13 December 2003
  (next to be held June 2006 when general elections are scheduled)
  election results: Claudio MUCCIOLI and Antonello BACCIOCHI elected
  captains regent; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Fabio BERARDI
  elected secretary of state for foreign and political affairs;
  percent of legislative vote - NA%
  note: the popularly elected parliament (Grand and General Council)
  selects two of its members to serve as the Captains Regent (cochiefs
  of state) for a six-month period; they preside over meetings of the
  Grand and General Council and its cabinet (Congress of State), which
  has 10 other members, all selected by the Grand and General Council;
  assisting the captains regent are 10 secretaries of state; the
  secretary of state for Foreign Affairs has assumed some of the
  prerogatives of a prime minister

Sao Tome and Principe
  chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES
  (since 3 September 2001)
  head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo SILVEIRA (since 7
  June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA resigned 2 June 2005
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  proposal of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held July 2006); prime
  minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the
  president
  election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao
  Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%

Saudi Arabia
  chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin
  Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown
  Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch,
  born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state
  and head of government
  head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz
  Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin
  Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January
  1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and
  includes many royal family members
  elections: note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced
  its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local
  and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period
  of four to five years; in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal
  and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal
  council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April
  2005

Senegal
  chief of state: President Abdoulaye WADE (since 1 April 2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Macky SALL (since 21 April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in
  consultation with the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
  under new constitution; election last held under prior constitution
  (seven-year terms) 27 February and 19 March 2000 (next to be held
  February 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Abdoulaye WADE elected president; percent of vote
  in the second round of voting - Abdoulaye WADE (PDS) 58.49%, Abdou
  DIOUF (PS) 41.51%

Serbia and Montenegro
  chief of state: President Svetozar MAROVIC
  (since 7 March 2003); note - the president is both the chief of
  state and head of government
  head of government: President Svetozar MAROVIC (since 7 March 2003);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Federal Ministries act as Cabinet
  elections: president elected by the parliament for a four-year term;
  election last held 7 March 2003 (next to be held 2007)
  election results: Svetozar MAROVIC elected president by the
  parliament; vote was Svetozar MAROVIC 65, other 47

Seychelles
  chief of state: President James MICHEL (since 14 April
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President James MICHEL (since 14 April 2004);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 31 August-2 September 2001 (next to be held NA
  2006)
  election results: France Albert RENE re-elected president; percent
  of vote - France Albert RENE (SPPF) 54.19%, Wavel RAMKALAWAN (UO)
  44.95%, Philippe BOULLE 0.86%; note - the first time that
  presidential elections have been held separately from legislative
  elections; France Albert RENE stepped down 14 April 2004 and Vice
  President James MICHEL was sworn in as president

Sierra Leone
  chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29
  March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March
  1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the
  approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible
  to the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007); note -
  president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
  election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of
  vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA (APC) 22.4%

Singapore
  chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN
  (since 1 September 1999)
  head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August
  2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);
  Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime
  Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN
  Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president, responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last
  appointed 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011);
  following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader
  of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by
  president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president
  election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president
  in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified
  three other would-be candidates

Slovakia
  chief of state: President Ivan GASPAROVIC (since 15 June
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30
  October 1998); Deputy Prime Minister Ivan MIKLOS (since 30 October
  1998); Deputy Prime Minister Pal CSAKY (since 30 October 1998);
  Deputy Prime Minister Pavol RUSKO (since May 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of
  the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a five-year
  term; election last held 3 April and 17 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2009); following National Council elections, the leader of the
  majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
  appointed prime minister by the president
  election results: Ivan GASPAROVIC elected president in runoff;
  percent of vote - Ivan GASPAROVIC 59.9%, Vladimir MECIAR 40.1%;
  Mikulas DZURINDA reelected prime minister October 2002
  note: government coalition - SDKU, SMK, KDH, ANO

Slovenia
  chief of state: President Janez DRNOVSEK (since 22 December
  2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Janez JANSA (since 9 November
  2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and
  elected by the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 10 November and 1 December 2002 (next to be held
  in the fall of 2007); following National Assembly elections, the
  leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition
  is usually nominated to become prime minister by the president and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 9 November 2004
  (next National Assembly elections to be held October 2008)
  election results: Janez DRNOVSEK elected president; percent of vote
  - Janez DRNOVSEK 56.5%, Barbara BREZIGAR 43.5%; Janez JANSA elected
  prime minister; National Assembly vote - 57 to 27

Solomon Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952), represented by Governor General Nathaniel WAENA (since 7 July
  2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA (since 17
  December 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Snyder RINI (since 17 December
  2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet consists of 20 members appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister from among the members
  of Parliament
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general
  appointed by the monarch on the advice of Parliament for up to five
  years; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority
  party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by Parliament; deputy prime minister appointed by the
  governor general on the advice of the prime minister from among the
  members of Parliament

Somalia
  chief of state: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed (since 14 October
  2004); note - a new Transitional Federal Government consisting of a
  275-member parliament was established in October 2004 but remains
  resident in Nairobi, Kenya, and has not extablished effective
  governance inside Somalia
  head of government: Prime Minister Ali Muhammad GHEDI (since 24
  December 2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and approved by the
  Transitional Federal Assembly
  election results: Abdullahi YUSUF Ahmed, the leader of the Puntland
  region of Somalia, was elected president by the Transitional Federal
  Assembly

South Africa
  chief of state: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June
  1999); Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23
  June 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head
  of government
  head of government: President Thabo MBEKI (since 16 June 1999);
  Executive Deputy President Phumzile MLAMBO-NGCUKA (since 23 June
  2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  five-year term; election last held 24 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2009)
  election results: Thabo MBEKI elected president; percent of National
  Assembly vote - 100% (by acclamation)
  note: ANC-IFP is the governing coalition

Spain
  chief of state: King JUAN CARLOS I (since 22 November 1975);
  Heir Apparent Prince FELIPE, son of the monarch, born 30 January 1968
  head of government: President of the Government and Prime Minister
  Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (since 17 April 2004); First Vice
  President and Deputy Prime Minister (and Minister of the Presidency)
  Maria Teresa FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA (since 18 April 2004) and Second
  Vice President (and Minister of Economy and Finance) Pedro SOLBES
  (since 18 April 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers designated by the president
  note: there is also a Council of State that is the supreme
  consultative organ of the government, but its recommendations are
  non-binding
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually proposed president by the monarch and
  elected by the National Assembly; election last held 14 March 2004
  (next to be held March 2008); vice presidents appointed by the
  monarch on the proposal of the president
  election results: Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO (PSOE) elected
  president; percent of National Assembly vote - 52.29%

Sri Lanka
  chief of state: President Chandrika Bandaranaike
  KUMARATUNGA (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE
  (since 6 April 2004) is the prime minister; the president is
  considered both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA
  (since 12 November 1994); note - Mahinda RAJAPAKSE is the prime
  minister (since 6 April 2004); the president is considered both the
  chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president in consultation with the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 21 December 1999 (next to be held NA December
  2005)
  election results: Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA reelected
  president; percent of vote - Chandrika Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA 51%,
  Ranil WICKREMASINGHE 42%, other 7%

Sudan
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4
  August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20
  September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Salva KIIR (since 4
  August 2005), Second Vice President Ali Osman TAHA (since 20
  September 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
  National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
  or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 13-23 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
  election results: Field Marshall Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR
  86.5%, Ja'afar Muhammed NUMAYRI 9.6%, three other candidates
  received a combined vote of 3.9%; election widely viewed as rigged;
  all popular opposition parties boycotted elections because of a lack
  of guarantees for a free and fair election
  note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary
  Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served
  concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
  and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed
  president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for
  the first time in March 1996

Suriname
  chief of state: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since
  12 August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Runaldo Ronald VENETIAAN (since 12
  August 2000); Vice President Jules Rattankoemar AJODHIA (since 12
  August 2000); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president from among
  the members of the National Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected by the National
  Assembly or, if no presidential or vice presidential candidate
  receives a a two-thirds constitutional majority in the National
  Assembly after two votes, by a simple majority in the larger
  People's United Assembly (869 representatives from the national,
  local, and regional councils), for five-year terms; election last
  held 25 May 2005 (next to be held 25 May 2010)

Svalbard
  chief of state: King HARALD V of Norway (since 17 January
  1991)
  head of government: Governor Odd Olsen INGERO (since 8 June 2001)
  and Assistant Governor Rune Baard HANSEN (since NA)
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor and assistant
  governor responsible to the Polar Department of the Ministry of
  Justice

Swaziland
  chief of state: King MSWATI III (since 25 April 1986)
  head of government: Prime Minister Absolom Themba DLAMINI (since 14
  November 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet recommended by the prime minister and confirmed by
  the monarch
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed
  by the monarch

Sweden
  chief of state: King CARL XVI GUSTAF (since 19 September
  1973); Heir Apparent Princess VICTORIA Ingrid Alice Desiree,
  daughter of the monarch (born 14 July 1977)
  head of government: Prime Minister Goran PERSSON (since 21 March
  1996)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister
  elections: the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the prime minister is elected by the parliament; election
  last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA September 2006)
  election results: Goran PERSSON reelected prime minister with 131
  out of 349 votes

Switzerland
  chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January
  2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005);
  note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005);
  Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
  (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal
  Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year
  terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004
  (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of
  Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice
  president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%

Syria
  chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000);
  Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984)
  and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
  head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10
  September 2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of
  President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held
  2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister
  and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
  election results: Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote
  - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%
  note: Hafiz al-ASAD died on 10 June 2000; on 20 June 2000, the Ba'th
  Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name
  to the People's Council on 25 June 2000

Taiwan
  chief of state: President CHEN Shui-bian (since 20 May 2000)
  and Vice President Annette LU (LU Hsiu-lien) (since 20 May 2000)
  head of government: Premier (President of the Executive Yuan) Frank
  HSIEH (since 1 February 2005) and Vice Premier (Vice President of
  the Executive Yuan) - WU Rong-i) (since 18 February 2005)
  cabinet: Executive Yuan appointed by the president
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 20 March
  2004 (next to be held in March 2008); premier appointed by the
  president; vice premiers appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the premier
  election results: CHEN Shui-bian re-elected president; percent of
  vote - CHEN Shui-bian (DPP) 50.1%, LIEN Chan (KMT) 49.9%

Tajikistan
  chief of state: President Emomali RAHMONOV (since 6
  November 1994; head of state and Supreme Assembly chairman since 19
  November 1992)
  head of government: Prime Minister Oqil OQILOV (since 20 January
  1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved
  by the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
  election last held 6 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2006); prime
  minister appointed by the president; Tajikistan held a
  constitutional referendum on 22 June 2003 that, among other things,
  set a limit of two seven-year terms for the president
  election results: Emomali RAHMONOV elected president; percent of
  vote - Emomali RAHMONOV 97%, Davlat USMON 2%

Tanzania
  chief of state: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
  November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
  2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  head of government: President Benjamin William MKAPA (since 23
  November 1995); Vice President Dr. Ali Mohammed SHEIN (since 5 July
  2001); note - the president is both chief of state and head of
  government
  note: Zanzibar elects a president who is head of government for
  matters internal to Zanzibar; Amani Abeid KARUME was elected to that
  office on 29 October 2000
  cabinet: Cabinet ministers, including the prime minister, are
  appointed by the president from among the members of the National
  Assembly
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ballot
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 29 October
  2000 (next to be held 30 October 2005); prime minister appointed by
  the president
  election results: Benjamin William MKAPA reelected president;
  percent of vote - Benjamin William MKAPA 71.7%, Ibrahim Haruna
  LIPUMBA 16.3%, Augustine Lyatonga MREME 7.8%, John Momose CHEYO 4.2%

Thailand
  chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
  head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9
  February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHITCHAI Wannasathi (since
  11 March 2005), PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004), SOMKHIT
  Chatusiphithak (since 11 March 2005), SURAKIAT Sathianthai (since 11
  March 2005); SURIYA Chungrungruankit (since 3 August 2005), SUWAT
  Liptapanlop (since 3 August 2005), WISANU Kruangam (since 8 November
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers
  note: there is also a Privy Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is
  designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
  following national elections for the House of Representatives, the
  leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually
  is appointed prime minister by the king

Togo
  chief of state: President Faure GNASSINGBE (since 6 February
  2005); note - Gnassingbe EYADEMA died on 5 February 2005 and was
  succeeded by his son, Faure GNASSINGBE; popular elections in April
  2005 validated the succession
  head of government: Prime Minister Edem KODJO (since 8 June 2005)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and the
  prime minister
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held NA); prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Faure GNASSINGBE elected president; percent of
  vote - Faure GNASSINGBE 60.2%, Emmanuel Akitani BOB 38.3%, Nicolas
  LAWSON 1.0%, Harry OLYMPIO 0.6%

Tokelau
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General of New Zealand Dame Silvia
  CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); New Zealand is represented by
  Administrator Neil WALTER (since 1 March 2003)
  head of government: Pio TUIA (since February 2005); note - position
  rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders)
  cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau,
  consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku
  (village mayors) functions as a cabinet
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed
  by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the
  head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves
  a one-year term

Tonga
  chief of state: King Taufa'ahau TUPOU IV (since 16 December
  1965)
  head of government: Prime Minister Prince Lavaka ata ULUKALALA
  (since 3 January 2000) and Deputy Prime Minister James C. COCKER
  (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: cabinet consists of 16 members, 12 appointed by the monarch
  for life; 4 appointed from among the elected members of the
  Legislative Assembly including 2 each from the Nobles and Peoples
  representatives serving three year terms
  note: there is also a Privy Council that consists of the monarch,
  the Cabinet, and two governors
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and
  deputy prime minister appointed for life by the monarch

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of state: President George Maxwell
  RICHARDS (since 17 March 2003)
  head of government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING (since 24
  December 2001)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed from among the members of Parliament
  elections: president elected by an electoral college, which consists
  of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives, for a
  five-year term; election last held 14 February 2003 (next to be held
  in 2008); the president usually appoints as prime minister the
  leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives
  election results: George Maxwell RICHARDS elected president; percent
  of electoral college vote - 43%

Tunisia
  chief of state: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (since 7
  November 1987)
  head of government: Prime Minister Mohamed GHANNOUCHI (since 17
  November 1999)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009);
  prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI reelected for a
  fourth term; percent of vote - Zine El Abidine BEN ALI 94.5%,
  Mohamed BOUCHIHA 3.8%, Mohamed Ali HALOUANI 1%

Turkey
  chief of state: President Ahmet Necdet SEZER (since 16 May
  2000)
  head of government: Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN (14 March
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  nomination of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a
  seven-year term; election last held 5 May 2000 (next to be held May
  2007); prime minister appointed by the president from among members
  of parliament
  election results: Ahmed Necdet SEZER elected president on the third
  ballot; percent of National Assembly vote - 60%
  note: president must have a two-thirds majority of the National
  Assembly on the first two ballots and a simple majority on the third
  ballot

Turkmenistan
  chief of state: President and Chairman of the Cabinet
  of Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the
  first direct presidential election occurred); note - the president
  is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President and Chairman of the Cabinet of
  Ministers Saparmurat NIYAZOV (since 27 October 1990, when the first
  direct presidential election occurred); note - the president is both
  the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: NIYAZOV's term in office was extended indefinitely on 28
  December 1999 during a session of the People's Council (Halk
  Maslahaty)
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 21 June 1992 (next to be held in 2008 when
  NIYAZOV turns 70 and is constitutionally ineligible to run); note -
  President NIYAZOV was unanimously approved as president for life by
  the People's Council on 28 December 1999; deputy chairmen of the
  cabinet of ministers are appointed by the president
  election results: Saparmurat NIYAZOV elected president without
  opposition; percent of vote - Saparmurat NIYAZOV 99.5%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6
  February 1953), represented by Governor Richard TAUWHARE (since 11
  July 2005)
  head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15
  August 2003)
  cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and
  five appointed by the governor from among the members of the
  Legislative Council
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by
  the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor

Tuvalu
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952),
  represented by Governor General Filoimea TELITO (since 15 April 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA (since 11 October
  2004)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the
  recommendation of the prime minister
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
  the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; prime
  minister and deputy prime minister elected by and from the members
  of Parliament; election last held 11 October 2004 (next to be held
  following parliamentary elections in 2006)
  election results: Saufatu SOPOANGA resigned parliamentary seat on 27
  August 2004 following no-confidence vote on 25 August 2004;
  succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Maatia TOAFA in an acting
  capacity on 27 August 2004; Maatia TOAFA confirmed Prime Minister in
  a Parliamentary election (8-7 vote) on 11 October 2004

Uganda
  chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI
  (since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both
  chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since
  seizing power 29 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI
  (since 5 April 1999); note - the president is both chief of state
  and head of government; the prime minister assists the president in
  the supervision of the cabinet
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected
  legislators
  elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); note -
  first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was
  held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president
  election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
  percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza
  BESIGYE 27.8%

Ukraine
  chief of state: President Viktor A. YUSHCHENKO (since 23
  January 2005)
  head of government: Prime Minister Yuriy YEKHANUROV (since 22
  September 2005); First Deputy Prime Minister - Stanislav STASHEVSKYY
  (since 27 September 2005)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president and
  approved by the Supreme Council
  note: there is also a National Security and Defense Council or NSDC
  originally created in 1992 as the National Security Council, but
  significantly revamped and strengthened under former-President
  KUCHMA; the NSDC staff is tasked with developing national security
  policy on domestic and international matters and advising the
  president; a Presidential Administration that helps draft
  presidential edicts and provides policy support to the president;
  and a Council of Regions that serves as an advisory body
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  note - a special repeat runoff presidential election between Viktor
  YUSHCHENKO and Viktor YANUKOVYCH took place on 26 December 2004
  after the earlier 21 November 2004 contest - won by Mr. YANUKOVYCH -
  was invalidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Court because of widespread
  and significant violations; prime minister and deputy prime
  ministers appointed by the president and approved by the Supreme
  Council
  election results: Viktor YUSHCHENKO elected president; percent of
  vote - Viktor YUSHCHENKO 51.99%, Viktor YANUKOVYCH 44.2%

United Arab Emirates
  chief of state: President Sheikh KHALIFA bin
  Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 3 November 2004), ruler of Abu Zaby (Abu
  Dhabi) (since 4 November 2004) and Vice President MAKTUM bin Rashid
  al-Maktum (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai)
  head of government: Prime Minister MAKTUM bin Rashid al-Maktum
  (since 8 October 1990), ruler of Dubayy (Dubai); Deputy Prime
  Minister SULTAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 November 1990);
  Deputy Prime Minister HAMDAN bin Zayid al-Nuhayyan (since 20 October
  2003)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  note: there is also a Federal Supreme Council (FSC) composed of the
  seven emirate rulers; the FSC is the highest constitutional
  authority in the UAE; establishes general policies and sanctions
  federal legislation; meets four times a year; Abu Zaby (Abu Dhabi)
  and Dubayy (Dubai) rulers have effective veto power
  elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
  Supreme Council (composed of rulers of the seven emirates) for
  five-year terms; election last held 3 November 2004 upon the death
  of the UAE's Founding Father and first President ZAYID bin Sultan Al
  Nuhayyan (next to be held 2009); prime minister and deputy prime
  minister appointed by the president
  election results: Sheikh KHALIFA bin Zayid Al Nuhayyan elected
  president by a unanimous vote of the FSC; MAKTUM bin Rashid
  al-Maktum unanimously reaffirmed vice president

United Kingdom
  chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
  1952); Heir Apparent Prince CHARLES (son of the queen, born 14
  November 1948)
  head of government: Prime Minister Anthony (Tony) BLAIR (since 2 May
  1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
  elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following legislative
  elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the
  majority coalition is usually the prime minister

United States
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH (since 20
  January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President George W. BUSH (since 20 January
  2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with Senate approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by a college of representatives who are elected directly from each
  state; president and vice president serve four-year terms; election
  last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: George W. BUSH reelected president; percent of
  popular vote - George W. BUSH (Republican Party) 50.9%, John KERRY
  (Democratic Party) 48.1%, other 1.0%

Uruguay
  chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March
  2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note
  - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ (since 1 March 2005)
  and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVA (since 1 March 2005); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
  parliamentary approval
  elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
  by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held 31 October
  2004 (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote
  - Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING
  10.3%

Uzbekistan
  chief of state: President Islom KARIMOV (since 24 March
  1990, when he was elected president by the then Supreme Soviet)
  head of government: Prime Minister Shavkat MIRZIYAYEV (since 11
  December 2003)
  cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers appointed by the president with
  approval of the Supreme Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term
  (previously was a five-year term, extended by constitutional
  amendment in 2002); election last held 9 January 2000 (next to be
  held December 2007); prime minister and deputy ministers appointed
  by the president
  election results: Islom KARIMOV reelected president; percent of vote
  - Islom KARIMOV 91.9%, Abdulkhafiz JALALOV 4.2%

Vanuatu
  chief of state: President Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16
  August 2004)
  head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December
  2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004);
  Prime Minister Serge VOHOR ousted in no-confidence vote on 11
  December 2004
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
  responsible to Parliament
  elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral
  college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional
  councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to
  be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the
  majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime
  minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime
  minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general
  elections in 2008)
  election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49
  votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004

Venezuela
  chief of state: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3
  February 1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28
  April 2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: President Hugo CHAVEZ Frias (since 3 February
  1999); Vice President Jose Vicente RANGEL Vale (since 28 April
  2002); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
  election last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Hugo CHAVEZ Frias reelected president; percent of
  vote - 60%
  note: a special presidential recall vote on 15 August 2004 resulted
  in a victory for CHAVEZ; percent of vote - 58% in favor of CHAVEZ
  fulfilling the remaining two years of his term, 42% in favor of
  terminating his presidency immediately

Vietnam
  chief of state: President Tran Duc LUONG (since 24 September
  1997)
  head of government: Prime Minister Phan Van KHAI (since 25 September
  1997); First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DUNG (since 29
  September 1997); Deputy Prime Ministers Vu KHOAN (8 August 2002) and
  Pham Gia KHIEM (since 29 September 1997)
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by president based on proposal of prime
  minister and ratification of National Assembly
  elections: president elected by the National Assembly from among its
  members for a five-year term; election last held 25 July 2002 (next
  to be held when National Assembly meets following legislative
  elections in 2007); prime minister appointed by the president from
  among the members of the National Assembly; deputy prime ministers
  appointed by the prime minister
  election results: Tran Duc LUONG elected president; percent of
  National Assembly vote - NA%

Virgin Islands
  chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US
  (since 20 January 2001)
  head of government: Governor Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (since 5
  January 1999)
  cabinet: NA
  elections: US president and vice president elected on the same
  ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected
  on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election
  last held 5 November 2002 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL reelected governor;
  percent of vote - Dr. Charles Wesley TURNBULL (Democrat) 50.5%, John
  de JONGH 24.4%

Wallis and Futuna
  chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
  (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE
  FURST (since 18 January 2005)
  head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
  KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
  cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three
  members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
  Territorial Assembly
  note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers
  elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
  term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the
  advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the
  Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by
  the members of the assembly

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of state: President Ali Abdallah SALIH (since 22 May
  1990, the former president of North Yemen, assumed office upon the
  merger of North and South Yemen); Vice President Maj. Gen. Abd
  al-Rab Mansur al-HADI (since 3 October 1994)
  head of government: Prime Minister Abd al-Qadir BA JAMAL (since 4
  April 2001)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister
  elections: president elected by direct, popular vote for a
  seven-year term (recently extended from a five-year term by
  constitutional amendment); election last held 23 September 1999
  (next to be held NA 2006); vice president appointed by the
  president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by
  the president
  election results: Ali Abdallah SALIH elected president; percent of
  vote - Ali Abdallah SALIH 96.3%, Najib Qahtan AL-SHAABI 3.7%

Zambia
  chief of state: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January
  2002); Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note -
  the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  head of government: President Levy MWANAWASA (since 2 January 2002);
  Vice President Lupando MWAPE (since 4 October 2004); note - the
  president is both the chief of state and head of government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among the members
  of the National Assembly
  elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
  election last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006);
  vice president appointed by the president
  election results: Levy MWANAWASA elected president; percent of vote
  - Levy MWANAWASA 29%, Anderson MAZOKA 27%, Christon TEMBO 13%,
  Tilyenji KAUNDA 10%, Godfrey MIYANDA 8%, Benjamin MWILA 5%, Michael
  SATA 3%, other 5%

Zimbabwe
  chief of state: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE
  (since 31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6
  December 2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and
  head of government
  head of government: Executive President Robert Gabriel MUGABE (since
  31 December 1987); Vice President Joyce MUJURU (since 6 December
  2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
  government
  cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president; responsible to the
  House of Assembly
  elections: presidential candidates nominated with a nomination paper
  signed by at least 10 registered voters (at least one from each
  province) and elected by popular vote for a 6-year term; election
  last held 9-11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2008); co-vice
  presidents appointed by the president
  election results: Robert Gabriel MUGABE reelected president; percent
  of vote - Robert Gabriel MUGABE 56.2%, Morgan TSVANGIRAI 41.9%

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2078 Exports

Afghanistan
  $446 million (not including illicit exports or
  reexports) (FY03-04)

Albania
  $552.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Algeria
  $32.16 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  $30 million (2002)

Andorra
  $58 million f.o.b. (1998)

Angola
  $12.76 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  $2.6 million (1999)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $689 million (2002)

Argentina
  $33.78 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Armenia
  $850 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Aruba
  $128 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

Australia
  $86.89 billion (2004 est.)

Austria
  $102.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $3.168 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $636 million (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  $8.205 billion (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  $7.478 billion (2004 est.)

Barbados
  $206 million (2002)

Belarus
  $11.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Belgium
  $255.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Belize
  $401.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Benin
  $720.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  $879 million (2002)

Bhutan
  $154 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)

Bolivia
  $1.986 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $1.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Botswana
  $2.94 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Brazil
  $95 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $25.3 million (2002)

Brunei
  $7.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  $9.134 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $418.6 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Burma
  $2.137 billion f.o.b.
  note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the
  value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled
  to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2004 est.)

Burundi
  $31.84 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  $2.311 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  $2.445 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Canada
  $315.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  $61.11 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $1.2 million (1999)

Central African Republic
  $172 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chad
  $365 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Chile
  $29.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

China
  $583.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  $15.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Comoros
  $28 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $1.417 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $2.224 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  $9.1 million (2000)

Costa Rica
  $6.184 billion (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $5.124 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Croatia
  $7.845 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cuba
  $2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: $1.094 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus: $49.3
  million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  $66.51 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Denmark
  $73.06 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  $155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $39 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $5.446 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

East Timor
  $8 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  $7.56 billion (2004 est.)

Egypt
  $11 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  $3.249 billion (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $2.771 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  $64.44 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Estonia
  $5.701 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  $562.8 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

European Union $1.109 trillion note: external exports, excluding intra EU trade (2003)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $82 million (2002)

Faroe Islands
  $408 million f.o.b. (2002)

Fiji
  $609 million f.o.b. (2002)

Finland
  $61.04 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

France
  $419 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  $155 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  $244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Gabon
  $3.71 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  $114.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $205 million f.o.b., includes West Bank (2002)

Georgia
  $909.4 million (2004 est.)

Germany
  $893.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ghana
  $3.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  $136 million f.o.b. (2002)

Greece
  $15.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Greenland
  $388 million f.o.b. (2002)

Grenada
  $46 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  $140 million f.o.b. (1997)

Guam
  $38 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  $2.911 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $709.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $54 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guyana
  $570.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Haiti
  $338.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Honduras
  $1.457 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  $268.1 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2004 est.)

Hungary
  $54.62 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Iceland
  $2.902 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

India
  $69.18 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  $69.86 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Iran
  $38.79 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Iraq
  $10.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ireland
  $103.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Israel
  $34.41 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Italy
  $336.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  $1.679 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Japan
  $538.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $3.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $18.47 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kenya
  $2.589 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  $35 million f.o.b. (2002)

Korea, North
  $1.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  $250.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  $27.42 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $646.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Laos
  $365.5 million (2004 est.)

Latvia
  $3.569 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  $1.783 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  $484.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Liberia
  $1.079 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Libya
  $18.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $2.47 billion (1996)

Lithuania
  $8.88 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  $13.4 billion f.o.b. (2003)

Macau
  $2.58 billion f.o.b., including reexports (2003)

Macedonia
  $1.629 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  $868.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Malawi
  $503.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  $123.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Maldives
  $90 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mali
  $915 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Malta
  $2.625 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  $9 million f.o.b. (2000)

Martinique
  $250 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mauritania
  $541 million f.o.b. (2002)

Mauritius
  $2.012 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  $3.44 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mexico
  $182.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)

Moldova
  $1.03 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Monaco
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Mongolia
  $853 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  $700,000 (2001)

Morocco
  $9.754 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  $689.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Namibia
  $1.356 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Nauru
  $640,000 f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Nepal
  $568 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border
  trade with India (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  $293.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $1.579 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Caledonia
  $448 million f.o.b. (2002)

New Zealand
  $19.85 billion (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  $750 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Niger
  $280 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  $33.99 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Niue
  $137,200 (1999)

Norfolk Island
  $1.5 million f.o.b. (FY99/00)

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  $76.64 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Oman
  $13.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  $15.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Palau
  $18 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Panama
  $5.699 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2004
  est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $2.437 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  $2.936 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Peru
  $12.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Philippines
  $38.63 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  $75.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Portugal
  $37.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $46.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)

Qatar
  $15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Reunion
  $214 million f.o.b. (1997)

Romania
  $23.54 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Russia
  $162.5 billion (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  $69.78 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  $17 million f.o.b. (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $70 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  $66 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $10 million f.o.b. (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $38 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
  $14 million f.o.b. (2002)

San Marino
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  $6.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $113 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Senegal
  $1.374 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $3.245 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  $256.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $49 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Singapore
  $174 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  $29.24 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  $14.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $74 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Somalia
  $79 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

South Africa
  $41.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Spain
  $172.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $5.306 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sudan
  $3.395 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Suriname
  $495 million f.o.b. (2002)

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $900.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sweden
  $121.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  $130.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Syria
  $6.086 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  $170.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  $1.13 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  $1.248 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Thailand
  $87.91 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Togo
  $663.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  $98,000 f.o.b. (1983)

Tonga
  $27 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $6.671 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  $9.926 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Turkey
  $69.46 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $169.2 million (2000)

Tuvalu
  $1 million f.o.b. (2002)

Uganda
  $621.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  $32.91 billion (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $69.48 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  $347.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

United States
  $795 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  $2.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $3.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  $26.6 million f.o.b. (2003)

Venezuela
  $35.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  $23.72 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

West Bank
  $205 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip (2002)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  $8.819 trillion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Yemen
  $4.468 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Zambia
  $1.548 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $1.409 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2079 Debt - external

Afghanistan
  $8 billion in bilateral debt, mostly to Russia;
  Afghanistan has $500 million in debt to Multilateral Development
  Banks (2004)

Albania
  $1.41 billion (2003)

Algeria
  $21.9 billion (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  $NA

Andorra
  $NA

Angola
  $10.45 billion (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  $8.8 million (1998)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $231 million (1999)

Argentina
  $157.7 billion (2004 est.)

Armenia
  $905 million (June 2001)

Aruba
  $285 million (1996)

Australia
  $308.7 billion (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Austria
  $15.5 billion (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $1.832 billion (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $308.5 million (2002)

Bahrain
  $6.215 billion (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  $19.97 billion (2004 est.)

Barbados
  $668 million (2003)

Belarus
  $600 million (2004 est.)

Belgium
  $28.3 billion (1999 est.)

Belize
  $1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)

Benin
  $1.6 billion (2000)

Bermuda
  $160 million (FY99/00)

Bhutan
  $245 million (2000)

Bolivia
  $5.439 billion (June 2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $3 billion (2004 est.)

Botswana
  $531 million (2004 est.)

Brazil
  $219.8 billion (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $36.1 million (1997)

Brunei
  $0

Bulgaria
  $16.1 billion (November 2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $1.3 billion (2000)

Burma
  $6.752 billion (2004 est.)

Burundi
  $1.133 billion (2002)

Cambodia
  $2.4 billion (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  $8.46 billion (2004 est.)

Canada
  $570 billion (2004)

Cape Verde
  $325 million (2002)

Cayman Islands
  $70 million (1996)

Central African Republic
  $881.4 million (2000 est.)

Chad
  $1.1 billion (2000 est.)

Chile
  $44.6 billion (2004 est.)

China
  $233.3 billion (3rd quarter 2004 est.)

Colombia
  $38.7 billion (2004 est.)

Comoros
  $232 million (2000 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $11.6 billion (2000 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $5 billion (2000 est.)

Cook Islands
  $141 million (1996 est.)

Costa Rica
  $5.962 billion (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $11.81 billion (2004 est.)

Croatia
  $26.4 billion (2004 est.)

Cuba
  $12.09 billion (convertible currency); another $15-20 billion
  owed to Russia (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: $7.327 billion; north Cyprus: $NA (2004
  est.)

Czech Republic
  $36.28 billion (2004 est.)

Denmark
  $21.7 billion (2000)

Djibouti
  $366 million (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $161.5 million (2001)

Dominican Republic
  $7.745 billion (2004 est.)

East Timor
  none

Ecuador
  $16.81 billion (2004 est.)

Egypt
  $33.75 billion (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  $4.792 billion (September 2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $248 million (2000 est.)

Eritrea
  $311 million (2000 est.)

Estonia
  $8.373 billion (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  $2.9 billion (2001 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $NA

Faroe Islands
  $64 million (1999)

Fiji
  $188.1 million (2001 est.)

Finland
  $30 billion (December 1993)

France
  $NA

French Guiana
  $1.2 billion (1988)

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  $3.804 billion (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  $476 million (2001 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $108 million (includes West Bank) (1997 est.)

Georgia
  $1.8 billion (2002)

Germany
  NA

Ghana
  $7.396 billion (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  $NA (2000 est.)

Greece
  $67.23 billion (2004 est.)

Greenland
  $25 million (1999)

Grenada
  $196 million (2000)

Guadeloupe
  $NA (yearend 2003 est.)

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  $5.969 billion (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $3.25 billion (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $941.5 million (2000 est.)

Guyana
  $1.2 billion (2002)

Haiti
  $1.2 billion (2004 est.)

Honduras
  $5.365 billion (September 2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  $66.94 billion (2004 est.)

Hungary
  $57 billion (2004 est.)

Iceland
  $3.073 billion (2002)

India
  $117.2 billion (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  $141.5 billion (2004 est.)

Iran
  $13.4 billion (2004 est.)

Iraq
  $125 billion (2004 est.)

Ireland
  $11 billion (1998)

Israel
  $74.46 billion (2004 est.)

Italy
  $913.9 billion (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  $5.964 billion (2004 est.)

Japan
  NA (2002 est.)

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  $7.32 billion (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $26.03 billion (2004 est.)

Kenya
  $6.792 billion (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  $10 million (1999 est.)

Korea, North
  $12 billion (1996 est.)

Korea, South
  $160 billion (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  $15.02 billion (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $1.97 billion (2004 est.)

Laos
  $2.49 billion (2001)

Latvia
  $7.368 billion (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  $15.84 billion (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  $735 million (2002)

Liberia
  $2.1 billion (2000 est.)

Libya
  $4.069 billion (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $0 (2001)

Lithuania
  $10.01 billion (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  $NA

Macau
  $2.7 billion (2003)

Macedonia
  $1.863 billion (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  $4.6 billion (2002)

Malawi
  $3.129 billion (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  $53.36 billion (2004 est.)

Maldives
  $281 million (2003 est.)

Mali
  $3.3 billion (2000)

Malta
  $130 million (1997)

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  $86.5 million (FY99/00 est.)

Martinique
  $180 million (1994)

Mauritania
  $2.5 billion (2000)

Mauritius
  $1.78 billion (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  $NA

Mexico
  $149.9 billion (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)

Moldova
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Monaco
  $18 billion (2000 est.)

Mongolia
  $1.191 billion (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  $8.9 million (1997)

Morocco
  $17.07 billion (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  $966 million (2002 est.)

Namibia
  $1.136 billion (2004 est.)

Nauru
  $33.3 million (2002)

Nepal
  $2.7 billion (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  $1.35 billion (1996)

New Caledonia
  $79 million (1998 est.)

New Zealand
  $47.34 billion (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  $4.573 billion (2004 est.)

Niger
  $1.6 billion (1999 est.)

Nigeria
  $30.55 billion (2004 est.)

Niue
  $418,000 (2002 est.)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  $0 (Norway is a net external creditor) (2003 est.)

Oman
  $4.814 billion (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  $33.97 billion (2004 est.)

Palau
  $0 (FY99/00)

Panama
  $8.78 billion (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $2.463 billion (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  $3.239 billion (2004 est.)

Peru
  $29.79 billion (2004 est.)

Philippines
  $55.6 billion (September 2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  $99.15 billion (2004 est.)

Portugal
  $274.7 billion (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  $18.62 billion (2004 est.)

Reunion
  $NA

Romania
  $24.59 billion (2004 est.)

Russia
  $169.6 billion (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  $1.3 billion (2000 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA (1996)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $171 million (2001)

Saint Lucia
  $214 million (2000)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $167.2 million (2000)

Samoa
  $197 million (2000)

San Marino
  $NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  $318 million (2002)

Saudi Arabia
  $34.35 billion (2004 est.)

Senegal
  $3.476 billion (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $12.97 billion (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  $218.1 million (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $1.5 billion (2002 est.)

Singapore
  $19.4 billion (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  $19.54 billion (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  $14.65 billion (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $180.4 million (2002)

Somalia
  $3 billion (2001 est.)

South Africa
  $27.01 billion (2004 est.)

Spain
  $771.1 billion (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $10.85 billion (2004 est.)

Sudan
  $21 billion (2004 est.)

Suriname
  $321 million (2002 est.)

Swaziland
  $320 million (2002 est.)

Sweden
  $66.5 billion (1994)

Switzerland
  $NA (2000)

Syria
  $4 billion (excludes military debt and debt to Russia) (2004
  est.)

Taiwan
  $55.5 billion (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  $888 million (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  $7.321 billion (2004 est.)

Thailand
  $50.59 billion (2004 est.)

Togo
  $1.4 billion (2000)

Tokelau
  $0

Tonga
  $63.4 million (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $2.94 billion (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  $14.71 billion (2004 est.)

Turkey
  $16.9 billion (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $2.4 billion to $5 billion (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  $3.865 billion (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  $16.37 billion (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $5.9 billion (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  $4.71 trillion (2003)

United States
  $1.4 trillion (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  $12.8 billion (March 2004)

Uzbekistan
  $4.351 billion (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  $83.7 million (2002)

Venezuela
  $33.29 billion (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  $16.55 billion (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $NA

West Bank
  $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  $12.7 trillion (2004 est.)

Yemen
  $5.4 billion (2004 est.)

Zambia
  $5.353 billion (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $4.086 billion (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2080 Fiscal year

Afghanistan
  21 March - 20 March

Albania
  calendar year

Algeria
  calendar year

American Samoa
  1 October - 30 September

Andorra
  calendar year

Angola
  calendar year

Anguilla
  1 April - 31 March

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 April - 31 March

Argentina
  calendar year

Armenia
  calendar year

Aruba
  calendar year

Australia
  1 July - 30 June

Austria
  calendar year

Azerbaijan
  calendar year

Bahamas, The
  1 July - 30 June

Bahrain
  calendar year

Bangladesh
  1 July - 30 June

Barbados
  1 April - 31 March

Belarus
  calendar year

Belgium
  calendar year

Belize
  1 April - 31 March

Benin
  calendar year

Bermuda
  1 April - 31 March

Bhutan
  1 July - 30 June

Bolivia
  calendar year

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  calendar year

Botswana
  1 April - 31 March

Brazil
  calendar year

British Virgin Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Brunei
  calendar year

Bulgaria
  calendar year

Burkina Faso
  calendar year

Burma
  1 April - 31 March

Burundi
  calendar year

Cambodia
  calendar year

Cameroon
  1 July - 30 June

Canada
  1 April - 31 March

Cape Verde
  calendar year

Cayman Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Central African Republic
  calendar year

Chad
  calendar year

Chile
  calendar year

China
  calendar year

Christmas Island
  1 July - 30 June

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  1 July - 30 June

Colombia
  calendar year

Comoros
  calendar year

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  calendar year

Congo, Republic of the
  calendar year

Cook Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Costa Rica
  calendar year

Cote d'Ivoire
  calendar year

Croatia
  calendar year

Cuba
  calendar year

Cyprus
  calendar year

Czech Republic
  calendar year

Denmark
  calendar year

Djibouti
  calendar year

Dominica
  1 July - 30 June

Dominican Republic
  calendar year

East Timor
  1 July - 30 June

Ecuador
  calendar year

Egypt
  1 July - 30 June

El Salvador
  calendar year

Equatorial Guinea
  1 January - 31 December

Eritrea
  calendar year

Estonia
  calendar year

Ethiopia
  8 July - 7 July

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1 April - 31 March

Faroe Islands
  calendar year

Fiji
  calendar year

Finland
  calendar year

France
  calendar year

French Guiana
  calendar year

French Polynesia
  calendar year

Gabon
  calendar year

Gambia, The
  calendar year

Gaza Strip
  calendar year

Georgia
  calendar year

Germany
  calendar year

Ghana
  calendar year

Gibraltar
  1 July - 30 June

Greece
  calendar year

Greenland
  calendar year

Grenada
  calendar year

Guadeloupe
  calendar year

Guam
  1 October - 30 September

Guatemala
  calendar year

Guernsey
  calendar year

Guinea
  calendar year

Guinea-Bissau
  calendar year

Guyana
  calendar year

Haiti
  1 October - 30 September

Holy See (Vatican City)
  calendar year

Honduras
  calendar year

Hong Kong
  1 April - 31 March

Hungary
  calendar year

Iceland
  calendar year

India
  1 April - 31 March

Indonesia
  calendar year; note - previously was 1 April - 31 March,
  but starting with 2001, has been changed to calendar year

Iran
  21 March - 20 March

Iraq
  calendar year

Ireland
  calendar year

Israel
  calendar year

Italy
  calendar year

Jamaica
  1 April - 31 March

Japan
  1 April - 31 March

Jersey
  1 April - 31 March

Jordan
  calendar year

Kazakhstan
  calendar year

Kenya
  1 July - 30 June

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  calendar year

Korea, South
  calendar year

Kuwait
  1 April - 31 March

Kyrgyzstan
  calendar year

Laos
  1 October - 30 September

Latvia
  calendar year

Lebanon
  calendar year

Lesotho
  1 April - 31 March

Liberia
  calendar year

Libya
  calendar year

Liechtenstein
  calendar year

Lithuania
  calendar year

Luxembourg
  calendar year

Macau
  calendar year

Macedonia
  calendar year

Madagascar
  calendar year

Malawi
  1 July - 30 June

Malaysia
  calendar year

Maldives
  calendar year

Mali
  calendar year

Malta
  1 April - 31 March

Man, Isle of
  1 April - 31 March

Marshall Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Martinique
  calendar year

Mauritania
  calendar year

Mauritius
  1 July - 30 June

Mayotte
  calendar year

Mexico
  calendar year

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1 October - 30 September

Moldova
  calendar year

Monaco
  calendar year

Mongolia
  calendar year

Montserrat
  1 April - 31 March

Morocco
  calendar year

Mozambique
  calendar year

Namibia
  1 April - 31 March

Nauru
  1 July - 30 June

Nepal
  16 July - 15 July

Netherlands
  calendar year

Netherlands Antilles
  calendar year

New Caledonia
  calendar year

New Zealand
  1 July - 30 June

Nicaragua
  calendar year

Niger
  calendar year

Nigeria
  calendar year

Niue
  1 April - 31 March

Norfolk Island
  1 July - 30 June

Northern Mariana Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Norway
  calendar year

Oman
  calendar year

Pakistan
  1 July - 30 June

Palau
  1 October - 30 September

Panama
  calendar year

Papua New Guinea
  calendar year

Paraguay
  calendar year

Peru
  calendar year

Philippines
  calendar year

Pitcairn Islands
  1 April - 31 March

Poland
  calendar year

Portugal
  calendar year

Puerto Rico
  1 July - 30 June

Qatar
  1 April - 31 March

Reunion
  calendar year

Romania
  calendar year

Russia
  calendar year

Rwanda
  calendar year

Saint Helena
  1 April - 31 March

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  calendar year

Saint Lucia
  1 April - 31 March

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  calendar year

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  calendar year

Samoa
  June 1 - May 31

San Marino
  calendar year

Sao Tome and Principe
  calendar year

Saudi Arabia
  1 March - 28 February

Senegal
  calendar year

Serbia and Montenegro
  calendar year

Seychelles
  calendar year

Sierra Leone
  calendar year

Singapore
  1 April - 31 March

Slovakia
  calendar year

Slovenia
  calendar year

Solomon Islands
  calendar year

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  1 April - 31 March

Spain
  calendar year

Sri Lanka
  calendar year

Sudan
  calendar year

Suriname
  calendar year

Swaziland
  1 April - 31 March

Sweden
  calendar year

Switzerland
  calendar year

Syria
  calendar year

Taiwan
  1 July - 30 June (up to FY98/99); 1 July 1999 - 31 December
  2000 for FY00; calendar year (after FY00)

Tajikistan
  calendar year

Tanzania
  1 July - 30 June

Thailand
  1 October - 30 September

Togo
  calendar year

Tokelau
  1 April - 31 March

Tonga
  1 July - 30 June

Trinidad and Tobago
  1 October - 30 September

Tunisia
  calendar year

Turkey
  calendar year

Turkmenistan
  calendar year

Turks and Caicos Islands
  calendar year

Tuvalu
  calendar year

Uganda
  1 July - 30 June

Ukraine
  calendar year

United Arab Emirates
  calendar year

United Kingdom
  6 April - 5 April

United States
  1 October - 30 September

Uruguay
  calendar year

Uzbekistan
  calendar year

Vanuatu
  calendar year

Venezuela
  calendar year

Vietnam
  calendar year

Virgin Islands
  1 October - 30 September

Wallis and Futuna
  calendar year

West Bank
  calendar year (since 1 January 1992)

Western Sahara
  calendar year

Yemen
  calendar year

Zambia
  calendar year

Zimbabwe
  calendar year

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2081 Flag description

Afghanistan
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist), red, and
  green, with a gold emblem centered on the red band; the emblem
  features a temple-like structure encircled by a wreath on the left
  and right and by a bold Islamic inscription above

Akrotiri
  the flag of the UK is used

Albania
  red with a black two-headed eagle in the center

Algeria
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and white; a
  red, five-pointed star within a red crescent centered over the
  two-color boundary; the crescent, star, and color green are
  traditional symbols of Islam (the state religion)

American Samoa
  blue, with a white triangle edged in red that is
  based on the outer side and extends to the hoist side; a brown and
  white American bald eagle flying toward the hoist side is carrying
  two traditional Samoan symbols of authority, a staff and a war club

Andorra
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red with the national coat of arms centered in the yellow band; the
  coat of arms features a quartered shield; similar to the flags of
  Chad and Romania, which do not have a national coat of arms in the
  center, and the flag of Moldova, which does bear a national emblem

Angola
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and black with a
  centered yellow emblem consisting of a five-pointed star within half
  a cogwheel crossed by a machete (in the style of a hammer and sickle)

Anguilla
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Anguillan coat of arms centered in the outer half
  of the flag; the coat of arms depicts three orange dolphins in an
  interlocking circular design on a white background with blue wavy
  water below

Antigua and Barbuda
  red, with an inverted isosceles triangle based
  on the top edge of the flag; the triangle contains three horizontal
  bands of black (top), light blue, and white, with a yellow rising
  sun in the black band

Argentina
  three equal horizontal bands of light blue (top), white,
  and light blue; centered in the white band is a radiant yellow sun
  with a human face known as the Sun of May

Armenia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, and orange

Aruba
  blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the
  lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the
  upper hoist-side corner

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Australia
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side
  quadrant known as the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation
  of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for
  each of the six original states and one representing all of
  Australia's internal and external territories; the remaining half is
  a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with
  one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars

Austria
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and red

Azerbaijan
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and
  green; a crescent and eight-pointed star in white are centered in
  red band

Bahamas, The
  three equal horizontal bands of aquamarine (top), gold,
  and aquamarine, with a black equilateral triangle based on the hoist
  side

Bahrain
  red, the traditional color for flags of Persian Gulf states,
  with a white serrated band (five white points) on the hoist side;
  the five points represent the five pillars of Islam

Baker Island
  the flag of the US is used

Bangladesh
  green with a large red disk slightly to the hoist side of
  center; the red sun of freedom represents the blood shed to achieve
  independence; the green field symbolizes the lush countryside, and
  secondarily, the traditional color of Islam

Barbados
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and
  blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the
  trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the
  colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)

Bassas da India
  the flag of France is used

Belarus
  red horizontal band (top) and green horizontal band one-half
  the width of the red band; a white vertical stripe on the hoist side
  bears Belarusian national ornamention in red

Belgium
  three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow,
  and red; the design was based on the flag of France

Belize
  blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom
  edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the
  coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a
  mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in
  the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green
  garland

Benin
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and red (bottom)
  with a vertical green band on the hoist side

Bermuda
  red, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Bermudian coat of arms (white and green shield with
  a red lion holding a scrolled shield showing the sinking of the ship
  Sea Venture off Bermuda in 1609) centered on the outer half of the
  flag

Bhutan
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
  upper triangle is yellow and the lower triangle is orange; centered
  along the dividing line is a large black and white dragon facing
  away from the hoist side

Bolivia
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
  with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the
  flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in
  the yellow band

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  a wide medium blue vertical band on the fly
  side with a yellow isosceles triangle abutting the band and the top
  of the flag; the remainder of the flag is medium blue with seven
  full five-pointed white stars and two half stars top and bottom
  along the hypotenuse of the triangle

Botswana
  light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in
  the center

Bouvet Island
  the flag of Norway is used

Brazil
  green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a
  blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each
  state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the
  night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with
  the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

British Indian Ocean Territory white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

British Virgin Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in
  the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked
  on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll
  bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

Brunei
  yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double
  width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national
  emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a
  swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned
  crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

Bulgaria
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and
  red; note - the national emblem, formerly on the hoist side of the
  white stripe, has been removed

Burkina Faso
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with
  a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular
  pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Burma
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing, 14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel
  containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 7
  administrative divisions and 7 states

Burundi
  divided by a white diagonal cross into red panels (top and
  bottom) and green panels (hoist side and outer side) with a white
  disk superimposed at the center bearing three red six-pointed stars
  outlined in green arranged in a triangular design (one star above,
  two stars below)

Cambodia
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (double width),
  and blue with a white three-towered temple representing Angkor Wat
  outlined in black in the center of the red band; only national flag
  to incorporate a building in its design

Cameroon
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), red, and
  yellow with a yellow five-pointed star centered in the red band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Canada
  two vertical bands of red (hoist and fly side, half width),
  with white square between them; an 11-pointed red maple leaf is
  centered in the white square; the official colors of Canada are red
  and white

Cape Verde
  three horizontal bands of light blue (top, double width),
  white (with a horizontal red stripe in the middle third), and light
  blue; a circle of 10 yellow five-pointed stars is centered on the
  hoist end of the red stripe and extends into the upper and lower
  blue bands

Cayman Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms centered on the outer half
  of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above
  a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a
  scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE
  SEAS

Central African Republic
  four equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
  white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there
  is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band

Chad
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; similar to the flag of Romania; also similar to the flags of
  Andorra and Moldova, both of which have a national coat of arms
  centered in the yellow band; design was based on the flag of France

Chile
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a
  blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end
  of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the
  center representing a guide to progress and honor; blue symbolizes
  the sky, white is for the snow-covered Andes, and red stands for the
  blood spilled to achieve independence; design was influenced by the
  US flag

China
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller
  yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the
  middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner

Christmas Island
  the flag of Australia is used; note - in early
  1986, the Christmas Island Assembly held a design competition for an
  island flag, however, the winning design has never been formally
  adopted as the official flag of the territory

Clipperton Island
  the flag of France is used

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Colombia
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double-width), blue,
  and red; similar to the flag of Ecuador, which is longer and bears
  the Ecuadorian coat of arms superimposed in the center

Comoros
  four equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), white, red, and
  blue with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist; centered
  within the triangle is a white crescent with the convex side facing
  the hoist and four white, five-pointed stars placed vertically in a
  line between the points of the crescent; the horizontal bands and
  the four stars represent the four main islands of the archipelago -
  Mwali, Njazidja, Nzwani, and Mayotte (a territorial collectivity of
  France, but claimed by Comoros); the crescent, stars, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  light blue with a large yellow
  five-pointed star in the center and a columnar arrangement of six
  small yellow five-pointed stars along the hoist side

Congo, Republic of the
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
  by a yellow band; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green and the
  lower triangle is red; uses the popular pan-African colors of
  Ethiopia

Cook Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and a large circle of 15 white five-pointed stars (one for
  every island) centered in the outer half of the flag

Coral Sea Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Costa Rica
  five horizontal bands of blue (top), white, red (double
  width), white, and blue, with the coat of arms in a white elliptical
  disk on the hoist side of the red band; above the coat of arms a
  light blue ribbon contains the words, AMERICA CENTRAL, and just
  below it near the top of the coat of arms is a white ribbon with the
  words, REPUBLICA COSTA RICA

Cote d'Ivoire
  three equal vertical bands of orange (hoist side),
  white, and green; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer
  and has the colors reversed - green (hoist side), white, and orange;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is green (hoist side),
  white, and red; design was based on the flag of France

Croatia
  red, white, and blue horizontal bands with Croatian coat of
  arms (red and white checkered)

Cuba
  five equal horizontal bands of blue (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; a red equilateral triangle based on the
  hoist side bears a white, five-pointed star in the center; design
  influenced by the US flag

Cyprus
  white with a copper-colored silhouette of the island (the
  name Cyprus is derived from the Greek word for copper) above two
  green crossed olive branches in the center of the flag; the branches
  symbolize the hope for peace and reconciliation between the Greek
  and Turkish communities
  note: the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" flag has a
  horizontal red stripe at the top and bottom between which is a red
  crescent and red star on a white field

Czech Republic
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red
  with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side (identical to
  the flag of the former Czechoslovakia)

Denmark
  red with a white cross that extends to the edges of the
  flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side,
  and that design element of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) was
  subsequently adopted by the other Nordic countries of Finland,
  Iceland, Norway, and Sweden

Dhekelia
  the flag of the UK is used

Djibouti
  two equal horizontal bands of light blue (top) and light
  green with a white isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
  bearing a red five-pointed star in the center

Dominica
  green, with a centered cross of three equal bands - the
  vertical part is yellow (hoist side), black, and white and the
  horizontal part is yellow (top), black, and white; superimposed in
  the center of the cross is a red disk bearing a sisserou parrot
  encircled by 10 green, five-pointed stars edged in yellow; the 10
  stars represent the 10 administrative divisions (parishes)

Dominican Republic
  a centered white cross that extends to the edges
  divides the flag into four rectangles - the top ones are blue (hoist
  side) and red, and the bottom ones are red (hoist side) and blue; a
  small coat of arms featuring a shield supported by an olive branch
  (left) and a palm branch (right) is at the center of the cross;
  above the shield a blue ribbon displays the motto, DIOS, PATRIA,
  LIBERTAD (God, Fatherland, Liberty), and below the shield, REPUBLICA
  DOMINICANA appears on a red ribbon

East Timor
  red, with a black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
  side) superimposed on a slightly longer yellow arrowhead that
  extends to the center of the flag; there is a white star in the
  center of the black triangle

Ecuador
  three horizontal bands of yellow (top, double width), blue,
  and red with the coat of arms superimposed at the center of the
  flag; similar to the flag of Colombia, which is shorter and does not
  bear a coat of arms

Egypt
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side
  with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the
  name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
  based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
  which has two green stars, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus
  an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white
  band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

El Salvador
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL; similar to the flag
  of Nicaragua, which has a different coat of arms centered in the
  white band - it features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA
  DE NICARAGUA on top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; also similar
  to the flag of Honduras, which has five blue stars arranged in an X
  pattern centered in the white band

Equatorial Guinea
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
  white, and red with a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
  side and the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of
  arms has six yellow six-pointed stars (representing the mainland and
  five offshore islands) above a gray shield bearing a silk-cotton
  tree and below which is a scroll with the motto UNIDAD, PAZ,
  JUSTICIA (Unity, Peace, Justice)

Eritrea
  red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) dividing
  the flag into two right triangles; the upper triangle is green, the
  lower one is blue; a gold wreath encircling a gold olive branch is
  centered on the hoist side of the red triangle

Estonia
  pre-1940 flag restored by Supreme Soviet in May 1990 - three
  equal horizontal bands of blue (top), black, and white

Ethiopia
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and
  red with a yellow pentagram and single yellow rays emanating from
  the angles between the points on a light blue disk centered on the
  three bands; Ethiopia is the oldest independent country in Africa,
  and the three main colors of her flag were so often adopted by other
  African countries upon independence that they became known as the
  pan-African colors

Europa Island
  the flag of France is used

European Union
  on a blue field, 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged
  in a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe; the
  number of stars is fixed

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising was once the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT

Faroe Islands
  white with a red cross outlined in blue extending to
  the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted
  toward the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Fiji
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the
  flag; the shield depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered
  by the cross of Saint George featuring stalks of sugarcane, a palm
  tree, bananas, and a white dove

Finland
  white with a blue cross extending to the edges of the flag;
  the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the
  style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

France
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and
  red; known as the "Le drapeau tricolore" (French Tricolor), the
  origin of the flag dates to 1790 and the French Revolution; the
  design and/or colors are similar to a number of other flags,
  including those of Belgium, Chad, Ireland, Cote d'Ivoire,
  Luxembourg, and Netherlands; the official flag for all French
  dependent areas

French Guiana
  the flag of France is used

French Polynesia
  two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white
  band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave
  pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the
  upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave
  pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  the flag of France is used

Gabon
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), yellow, and blue

Gambia, The
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue with
  white edges, and green

Georgia
  white rectangle, in its central portion a red cross
  connecting all four sides of the flag; in each of the four corners
  is a small red bolnur-katskhuri cross; the five-cross flag appears
  to date back to the 14th century

Germany
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold

Ghana
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green
  with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band;
  uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag
  of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band

Gibraltar
  two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red
  with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band;
  hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band

Glorioso Islands
  the flag of France is used

Greece
  nine equal horizontal stripes of blue alternating with white;
  there is a blue square in the upper hoist-side corner bearing a
  white cross; the cross symbolizes Greek Orthodoxy, the established
  religion of the country

Greenland
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red with a
  large disk slightly to the hoist side of center - the top half of
  the disk is red, the bottom half is white

Grenada
  a rectangle divided diagonally into yellow triangles (top
  and bottom) and green triangles (hoist side and outer side), with a
  red border around the flag; there are seven yellow, five-pointed
  stars with three centered in the top red border, three centered in
  the bottom red border, and one on a red disk superimposed at the
  center of the flag; there is also a symbolic nutmeg pod on the
  hoist-side triangle (Grenada is the world's second-largest producer
  of nutmeg, after Indonesia); the seven stars represent the seven
  administrative divisions

Guadeloupe
  the flag of France is used

Guam
  territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all
  four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse
  containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree
  with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the
  national flag

Guatemala
  three equal vertical bands of light blue (hoist side),
  white, and light blue with the coat of arms centered in the white
  band; the coat of arms includes a green and red quetzal (the
  national bird) and a scroll bearing the inscription LIBERTAD 15 DE
  SEPTIEMBRE DE 1821 (the original date of independence from Spain)
  all superimposed on a pair of crossed rifles and a pair of crossed
  swords and framed by a wreath

Guernsey
  white with the red cross of Saint George (patron saint of
  England) extending to the edges of the flag and a yellow equal-armed
  cross of William the Conqueror superimposed on the Saint George cross

Guinea
  three equal vertical bands of red (hoist side), yellow, and
  green; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guinea-Bissau
  two equal horizontal bands of yellow (top) and green
  with a vertical red band on the hoist side; there is a black
  five-pointed star centered in the red band; uses the popular
  pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Guyana
  green, with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist
  side) superimposed on a long, yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow,
  black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow, white border
  between the yellow and the green

Haiti
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a
  centered white rectangle bearing the coat of arms, which contains a
  palm tree flanked by flags and two cannons above a scroll bearing
  the motto L'UNION FAIT LA FORCE (Union Makes Strength)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  the flag of Australia is used

Holy See (Vatican City)
  two vertical bands of yellow (hoist side)
  and white with the crossed keys of Saint Peter and the papal miter
  centered in the white band

Honduras
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue
  with five blue, five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern centered
  in the white band; the stars represent the members of the former
  Federal Republic of Central America - Costa Rica, El Salvador,
  Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua; similar to the flag of El
  Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by the words
  REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in the white
  band; also similar to the flag of Nicaragua, which features a
  triangle encircled by the word REPUBLICA DE NICARAGUA on top and
  AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom, centered in the white band

Hong Kong
  red with a stylized, white, five-petal bauhinia flower in
  the center

Howland Island
  the flag of the US is used

Hungary
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and green

Iceland
  blue with a red cross outlined in white extending to the
  edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
  hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

India
  three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange)
  (top), white, and green with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel)
  centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Niger, which has
  a small orange disk centered in the white band

Indonesia
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar
  to the flag of Monaco, which is shorter; also similar to the flag of
  Poland, which is white (top) and red

Iran
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red;
  the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in
  the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in
  the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is
  repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11
  times along the top edge of the red band

Iraq
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
  with three green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in
  the white band; the phrase ALLAHU AKBAR (God is Great) in green
  Arabic script - Allahu to the right of the middle star and Akbar to
  the left of the middle star - was added in January 1991 during the
  Persian Gulf crisis; similar to the flag of Syria, which has two
  stars but no script, Yemen, which has a plain white band, and that
  of Egypt which has a gold Eagle of Saladin centered in the white
  band; design is based upon the Arab Liberation colors

Ireland
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and
  has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green;
  also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors
  of green (hoist side), white, and red

Israel
  white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as
  the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal
  horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag

Italy
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green
  (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the
  Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side),
  white, and green
  note: inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in
  1797

Jamaica
  diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles -
  green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)

Jan Mayen
  the flag of Norway is used

Japan
  white with a large red disk (representing the sun without
  rays) in the center

Jarvis Island
  the flag of the US is used

Jersey
  white with a diagonal red cross extending to the corners of
  the flag; in the upper quadrant, surmounted by a yellow crown, a red
  shield with the three lions of England in yellow

Johnston Atoll
  the flag of the US is used

Jordan
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), representing the
  Abbassid Caliphate, white, representing the Ummayyad Caliphate, and
  green, representing the Fatimid Caliphate; a red isosceles triangle
  on the hoist side, representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, and
  bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven
  verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven
  points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national
  spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations; design is
  based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Juan de Nova Island
  the flag of France is used

Kazakhstan
  sky blue background representing the endless sky and a
  gold sun with 32 rays soaring above a golden steppe eagle in the
  center; on the hoist side is a "national ornamentation" in gold

Kenya
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green;
  the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
  crossed spears is superimposed at the center

Kingman Reef
  the flag of the US is used

Kiribati
  the upper half is red with a yellow frigate bird flying
  over a yellow rising sun, and the lower half is blue with three
  horizontal wavy white stripes to represent the ocean

Korea, North
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple
  width), and blue; the red band is edged in white; on the hoist side
  of the red band is a white disk with a red five-pointed star

Korea, South
  white with a red (top) and blue yin-yang symbol in the
  center; there is a different black trigram from the ancient I Ching
  (Book of Changes) in each corner of the white field

Kuwait
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red
  with a black trapezoid based on the hoist side; design, which dates
  to 1961, based on the Arab revolt flag of World War I

Kyrgyzstan
  red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays
  representing the 40 Kyrgyz tribes; on the obverse side the rays run
  counterclockwise, on the reverse, clockwise; in the center of the
  sun is a red ring crossed by two sets of three lines, a stylized
  representation of the roof of the traditional Kyrgyz yurt

Laos
  three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and
  red with a large white disk centered in the blue band

Latvia
  three horizontal bands of maroon (top), white (half-width),
  and maroon

Lebanon
  three horizontal bands consisting of red (top), white
  (middle, double width), and red (bottom) with a green cedar tree
  centered in the white band

Lesotho
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side corner; the
  upper half is white, bearing the brown silhouette of a large shield
  with crossed spear and club; the lower half is a diagonal blue band
  with a green triangle in the corner

Liberia
  11 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; there is a white five-pointed star on a blue
  square in the upper hoist-side corner; the design was based on the
  US flag

Libya
  plain green; green is the traditional color of Islam (the
  state religion)

Liechtenstein
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with
  a gold crown on the hoist side of the blue band

Lithuania
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and
  red

Luxembourg
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
  light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a
  darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France

Macau
  light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and
  water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one
  large in center of arc and four smaller

Macedonia
  a yellow sun with eight broadening rays extending to the
  edges of the red field

Madagascar
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
  vertical white band of the same width on hoist side

Malawi
  three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green
  with a radiant, rising, red sun centered in the black band

Malaysia
  14 equal horizontal stripes of red (top) alternating with
  white (bottom); there is a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side
  corner bearing a yellow crescent and a yellow 14-pointed star; the
  crescent and the star are traditional symbols of Islam; the design
  was based on the flag of the US

Maldives
  red with a large green rectangle in the center bearing a
  vertical white crescent; the closed side of the crescent is on the
  hoist side of the flag

Mali
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Malta
  two equal vertical bands of white (hoist side) and red; in the
  upper hoist-side corner is a representation of the George Cross,
  edged in red

Man, Isle of
  red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in
  the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the
  knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of
  the flag, a two-sided emblem is used

Marshall Islands
  blue with two stripes radiating from the lower
  hoist-side corner - orange (top) and white; there is a white star
  with four large rays and 20 small rays on the hoist side above the
  two stripes

Martinique
  a light blue background is divided into four quadrants by
  a white cross; in the center of each rectangle is a white snake; the
  flag of France is used for official occasions

Mauritania
  green with a yellow five-pointed star above a yellow,
  horizontal crescent; the closed side of the crescent is down; the
  crescent, star, and color green are traditional symbols of Islam

Mauritius
  four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow,
  and green

Mayotte
  the flag of France is used

Mexico
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  red; the coat of arms (an eagle perched on a cactus with a snake in
  its beak) is centered in the white band

Micronesia, Federated States of
  light blue with four white
  five-pointed stars centered; the stars are arranged in a diamond
  pattern

Midway Islands
  the flag of the US is used

Moldova
  same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of
  blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a
  Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons
  carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its
  right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast
  is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox
  head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow

Monaco
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to
  the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which
  is white (top) and red

Mongolia
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), blue, and
  red; centered on the hoist-side red band in yellow is the national
  emblem ("soyombo" - a columnar arrangement of abstract and geometric
  representation for fire, sun, moon, earth, water, and the yin-yang
  symbol)

Montserrat
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer
  half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside
  a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross

Morocco
  red with a green pentacle (five-pointed, linear star) known
  as Sulayman's (Solomon's) seal in the center of the flag; red and
  green are traditional colors in Arab flags, although the use of red
  is more commonly associated with the Arab states of the Persian
  gulf; design dates to 1912

Mozambique
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top), black, and
  yellow with a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; the
  black band is edged in white; centered in the triangle is a yellow
  five-pointed star bearing a crossed rifle and hoe in black
  superimposed on an open white book

Namibia
  a large blue triangle with a yellow sunburst fills the upper
  left section and an equal green triangle (solid) fills the lower
  right section; the triangles are separated by a red stripe that is
  contrasted by two narrow white-edge borders

Nauru
  blue with a narrow, horizontal, yellow stripe across the
  center and a large white 12-pointed star below the stripe on the
  hoist side; the star indicates the country's location in relation to
  the Equator (the yellow stripe) and the 12 points symbolize the 12
  original tribes of Nauru

Navassa Island
  the flag of the US is used

Nepal
  red with a blue border around the unique shape of two
  overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a
  white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white
  12-pointed sun

Netherlands
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and
  blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue
  and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating
  with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th
  century

Netherlands Antilles
  white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the
  center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five
  white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the
  center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main
  islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

New Caledonia
  the flag of France is used

New Zealand
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant with four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in
  the outer half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
  constellation

Nicaragua
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  blue with the national coat of arms centered in the white band; the
  coat of arms features a triangle encircled by the words REPUBLICA DE
  NICARAGUA on the top and AMERICA CENTRAL on the bottom; similar to
  the flag of El Salvador, which features a round emblem encircled by
  the words REPUBLICA DE EL SALVADOR EN LA AMERICA CENTRAL centered in
  the white band; also similar to the flag of Honduras, which has five
  blue stars arranged in an X pattern centered in the white band

Niger
  three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green
  with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the
  white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked
  wheel centered in the white band

Nigeria
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and
  green

Niue
  yellow with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the flag of the UK bears five yellow five-pointed stars -
  a large one on a blue disk in the center and a smaller one on each
  arm of the bold red cross

Norfolk Island
  three vertical bands of green (hoist side), white,
  and green with a large green Norfolk Island pine tree centered in
  the slightly wider white band

Northern Mariana Islands
  blue, with a white, five-pointed star
  superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional
  foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a
  wreath

Norway
  red with a blue cross outlined in white that extends to the
  edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the
  hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Oman
  three horizontal bands of white, red, and green of equal width
  with a broad, vertical, red band on the hoist side; the national
  emblem (a khanjar dagger in its sheath superimposed on two crossed
  swords in scabbards) in white is centered near the top of the
  vertical band

Pakistan
  green with a vertical white band (symbolizing the role of
  religious minorities) on the hoist side; a large white crescent and
  star are centered in the green field; the crescent, star, and color
  green are traditional symbols of Islam

Palau
  light blue with a large yellow disk (representing the moon)
  shifted slightly to the hoist side

Palmyra Atoll
  the flag of the US is used

Panama
  divided into four, equal rectangles; the top quadrants are
  white (hoist side) with a blue five-pointed star in the center and
  plain red; the bottom quadrants are plain blue (hoist side) and
  white with a red five-pointed star in the center

Papua New Guinea
  divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner;
  the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise
  centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed
  stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered

Paraguay
  three equal, horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue
  with an emblem centered in the white band; unusual flag in that the
  emblem is different on each side; the obverse (hoist side at the
  left) bears the national coat of arms (a yellow five-pointed star
  within a green wreath capped by the words REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY,
  all within two circles); the reverse (hoist side at the right) bears
  the seal of the treasury (a yellow lion below a red Cap of Liberty
  and the words Paz y Justicia (Peace and Justice) capped by the words
  REPUBLICA DEL PARAGUAY, all within two circles)

Peru
  three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red
  with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms
  features a shield bearing a vicuna, cinchona tree (the source of
  quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all
  framed by a green wreath

Philippines
  two equal horizontal bands of blue (top; representing
  peace and justice) and red (representing courage); a white
  equilateral triangle based on the hoist side represents equality;
  the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary
  rays, each representing one of the first eight provinces that sought
  independence from Spain; each corner of the triangle contains a
  small, yellow, five-pointed star representing the three major
  geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao;
  the design of the flag dates to 1897; in wartime the flag is flown
  upside down with the red band at the top

Pitcairn Islands
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the Pitcairn Islander coat of arms centered
  on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms is yellow, green,
  and light blue with a shield featuring a yellow anchor

Poland
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; similar to
  the flags of Indonesia and Monaco which are red (top) and white

Portugal
  two vertical bands of green (hoist side, two-fifths) and
  red (three-fifths) with the Portuguese coat of arms centered on the
  dividing line

Puerto Rico
  five equal horizontal bands of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist
  side bears a large, white, five-pointed star in the center; design
  initially influenced by the US flag, but similar to the Cuban flag,
  with the colors of the bands and triangle reversed

Qatar
  maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on
  the hoist side

Reunion
  the flag of France is used

Romania
  three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and
  red; the national coat of arms that used to be centered in the
  yellow band has been removed; now similar to the flag of Chad, also
  resembles the flags of Andorra and Moldova

Russia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red

Rwanda
  three horizontal bands of sky blue (top, double width),
  yellow, and green, with a golden sun with 24 rays near the fly end
  of the blue band

Saint Helena
  blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant and the Saint Helenian shield centered on the outer half of
  the flag; the shield features a rocky coastline and three-masted
  sailing ship

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  divided diagonally from the lower hoist side
  by a broad black band bearing two white, five-pointed stars; the
  black band is edged in yellow; the upper triangle is green, the
  lower triangle is red

Saint Lucia
  blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black
  arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist
  side rides on a dark blue background with yellow wavy lines under
  the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three
  parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal
  cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing
  the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white
  background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red
  background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one
  above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by
  colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the
  flag of France is used for official occasions

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  three vertical bands of blue (hoist
  side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three
  green diamonds arranged in a V pattern

Samoa
  red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side quadrant
  bearing five white five-pointed stars representing the Southern
  Cross constellation

San Marino
  two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and light blue
  with the national coat of arms superimposed in the center; the coat
  of arms has a shield (featuring three towers on three peaks) flanked
  by a wreath, below a crown and above a scroll bearing the word
  LIBERTAS (Liberty)

Sao Tome and Principe
  three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow
  (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed
  side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles
  triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African
  colors of Ethiopia

Saudi Arabia
  green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the
  Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as
  "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a
  white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design
  dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with
  the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932

Senegal
  three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow,
  and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow
  band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

Serbia and Montenegro
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top),
  white, and red

Seychelles
  five oblique bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, red,
  white, and green (bottom) radiating from the bottom of the hoist side

Sierra Leone
  three equal horizontal bands of light green (top),
  white, and light blue

Singapore
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near
  the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent
  (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five
  white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

Slovakia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
  superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
  side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue

Slovenia
  three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red,
  with the Slovenian seal (a shield with the image of Triglav,
  Slovenia's highest peak, in white against a blue background at the
  center; beneath it are two wavy blue lines depicting seas and
  rivers, and above it are three six-pointed stars arranged in an
  inverted triangle, which are taken from the coat of arms of the
  Counts of Celje, the great Slovene dynastic house of the late 14th
  and early 15th centuries); the seal is located in the upper hoist
  side of the flag centered in the white and blue bands

Solomon Islands
  divided diagonally by a thin yellow stripe from the
  lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is blue
  with five white five-pointed stars arranged in an X pattern; the
  lower triangle is green

Somalia
  light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the
  center; blue field influenced by the flag of the UN

South Africa
  two equal width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue
  separated by a central green band which splits into a horizontal Y,
  the arms of which end at the corners of the hoist side; the Y
  embraces a black isosceles triangle from which the arms are
  separated by narrow yellow bands; the red and blue bands are
  separated from the green band and its arms by narrow white stripes

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  blue, with the flag of
  the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the South Georgia and
  the South Sandwich Islands coat of arms centered on the outer half
  of the flag; the coat of arms features a shield with a golden lion
  centered; the shield is supported by a fur seal on the left and a
  penguin on the right; a reindeer appears above the shield, and below
  it on a scroll is the motto LEO TERRAM PROPRIAM PROTEGAT (Let the
  Lion Protect its Own Land)

Spain
  three horizontal bands of red (top), yellow (double width),
  and red with the national coat of arms on the hoist side of the
  yellow band; the coat of arms includes the royal seal framed by the
  Pillars of Hercules, which are the two promontories (Gibraltar and
  Ceuta) on either side of the eastern end of the Strait of Gibraltar

Sri Lanka
  yellow with two panels; the smaller hoist-side panel has
  two equal vertical bands of green (hoist side) and orange; the other
  panel is a large dark red rectangle with a yellow lion holding a
  sword, and there is a yellow bo leaf in each corner; the yellow
  field appears as a border around the entire flag and extends between
  the two panels

Sudan
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black
  with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Suriname
  five horizontal bands of green (top, double width), white,
  red (quadruple width), white, and green (double width); there is a
  large, yellow, five-pointed star centered in the red band

Svalbard
  the flag of Norway is used

Swaziland
  three horizontal bands of blue (top), red (triple width),
  and blue; the red band is edged in yellow; centered in the red band
  is a large black and white shield covering two spears and a staff
  decorated with feather tassels, all placed horizontally

Sweden
  blue with a golden yellow cross extending to the edges of the
  flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in
  the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

Switzerland
  red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
  center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Syria
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black,
  colors associated with the Arab Liberation flag; two small green
  five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band;
  former flag of the United Arab Republic where the two stars
  represented the constituent states of Syria and Egypt; similar to
  the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, Iraq, which has
  three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line
  centered in the white band, and that of Egypt, which has a gold
  Eagle of Saladin centered in the white band; the current design
  dates to 1980

Taiwan
  red with a dark blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner
  bearing a white sun with 12 triangular rays

Tajikistan
  three horizontal stripes of red (top), a wider stripe of
  white, and green; a gold crown surmounted by seven gold,
  five-pointed stars is located in the center of the white stripe

Tanzania
  divided diagonally by a yellow-edged black band from the
  lower hoist-side corner; the upper triangle (hoist side) is green
  and the lower triangle is blue

Thailand
  five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double
  width), white, and red

Togo
  five equal horizontal bands of green (top and bottom)
  alternating with yellow; there is a white five-pointed star on a red
  square in the upper hoist-side corner; uses the popular pan-African
  colors of Ethiopia

Tokelau
  the flag of New Zealand is used

Tonga
  red with a bold red cross on a white rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner

Trinidad and Tobago
  red with a white-edged black diagonal band from
  the upper hoist side to the lower fly side

Tromelin Island
  the flag of France is used

Tunisia
  red with a white disk in the center bearing a red crescent
  nearly encircling a red five-pointed star; the crescent and star are
  traditional symbols of Islam

Turkey
  red with a vertical white crescent (the closed portion is
  toward the hoist side) and white five-pointed star centered just
  outside the crescent opening

Turkmenistan
  green field with a vertical red stripe near the hoist
  side, containing five carpet guls (designs used in producing rugs)
  stacked above two crossed olive branches similar to the olive
  branches on the UN flag; a white crescent moon and five white stars
  appear in the upper corner of the field just to the fly side of the
  red stripe

Turks and Caicos Islands
  blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper
  hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer
  half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell,
  lobster, and cactus

Tuvalu
  light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side
  quadrant; the outer half of the flag represents a map of the country
  with nine yellow five-pointed stars symbolizing the nine islands

Uganda
  six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,
  black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center
  and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the
  hoist side

Ukraine
  two equal horizontal bands of azure (top) and golden yellow
  represent grainfields under a blue sky

United Arab Emirates
  three equal horizontal bands of green (top),
  white, and black with a wider vertical red band on the hoist side

United Kingdom
  blue field with the red cross of Saint George (patron
  saint of England) edged in white superimposed on the diagonal red
  cross of Saint Patrick (patron saint of Ireland), which is
  superimposed on the diagonal white cross of Saint Andrew (patron
  saint of Scotland); properly known as the Union Flag, but commonly
  called the Union Jack; the design and colors (especially the Blue
  Ensign) have been the basis for a number of other flags including
  other Commonwealth countries and their constituent states or
  provinces, as well as British overseas territories

United States
  13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom)
  alternating with white; there is a blue rectangle in the upper
  hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars
  arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and
  bottom) alternating with rows of five stars; the 50 stars represent
  the 50 states, the 13 stripes represent the 13 original colonies;
  known as Old Glory; the design and colors have been the basis for a
  number of other flags, including Chile, Liberia, Malaysia, and
  Puerto Rico

Uruguay
  nine equal horizontal stripes of white (top and bottom)
  alternating with blue; there is a white square in the upper
  hoist-side corner with a yellow sun bearing a human face known as
  the Sun of May and 16 rays alternately triangular and wavy

Uzbekistan
  three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and
  green separated by red fimbriations with a white crescent moon and
  12 white stars in the upper hoist-side quadrant

Vanuatu
  two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a
  black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by
  a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two
  points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle);
  centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed
  namele leaves, all in yellow

Venezuela
  three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), blue, and
  red with the coat of arms on the hoist side of the yellow band and
  an arc of seven white five-pointed stars centered in the blue band

Vietnam
  red with a large yellow five-pointed star in the center

Virgin Islands
  white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center
  between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a
  yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows
  in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white
  stripes below a blue panel

Wake Island
  the flag of the US is used

Wallis and Futuna
  a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a
  little off center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red
  background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in
  the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official
  occasions

Yemen
  three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black;
  similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars and of Iraq
  which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a
  horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag
  of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band

Zambia
  green with a panel of three vertical bands of red (hoist
  side), black, and orange below a soaring orange eagle, on the outer
  edge of the flag

Zimbabwe
  seven equal horizontal bands of green, yellow, red, black,
  red, yellow, and green with a white isosceles triangle edged in
  black with its base on the hoist side; a yellow Zimbabwe bird
  representing the long history of the country is superimposed on a
  red five-pointed star in the center of the triangle, which
  symbolizes peace; green symbolizes agriculture, yellow - mineral
  wealth, red - blood shed to achieve independence, and black stands
  for the native people

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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@2085 Highways (km)

Afghanistan
  total: 21,000 km
  paved: 2,793 km
  unpaved: 18,207 km (1999 est.)

Albania
  total: 18,000 km
  paved: 5,400 km
  unpaved: 12,600 km (2002)

Algeria
  total: 104,000 km
  paved: 71,656 km (including 640 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 32,344 km (1999)

American Samoa
  total: 185 km
  paved: 185 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2004)

Andorra
  total: 269 km
  paved: 198 km
  unpaved: 71 km

Angola
  total: 51,429 km
  paved: 5,328 km
  unpaved: 46,101 km (2001)

Anguilla
  total: 105 km
  paved: 65 km
  unpaved: 40 km (1997)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 250 km (1999 est.)

Argentina
  total: 215,471 km
  paved: 63,348 km (including 734 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 152,123 km (1999)

Armenia
  total: 8,431 km
  paved: 8,161 km (includes 7,567 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 270 km (2002)

Aruba
  total: 800 km
  paved: 513 km
  unpaved: 287 km
  note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large
  tracts of the interior (1995)

Australia
  total: 811,603 km
  paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.)

Austria
  total: 200,000 km
  paved: 200,000 km (including 1,645 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Azerbaijan
  total: 28,030 km
  paved: 25,890 km
  unpaved: 2,130 km (2002)

Bahamas, The
  total: 2,693 km
  paved: 1,546 km
  unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 3,459 km
  paved: 2,653 km
  unpaved: 806 km (2002)

Bangladesh
  total: 207,486 km
  paved: 19,773 km
  unpaved: 187,713 km (1999)

Barbados
  total: 1,600 km
  paved: 1,578 km
  unpaved: 22 km (2002)

Belarus
  total: 79,990 km
  paved: 69,351 km
  unpaved: 10,639 km (2002)

Belgium
  total: 149,028 km
  paved: 116,540 km (including 1,729 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 32,488 km (2002)

Belize
  total: 2,872 km
  paved: 488 km
  unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)

Benin
  total: 6,787 km
  paved: 1,357 km (including 10 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,430 km (1999 est.)

Bermuda total: 450 km paved: 450 km unpaved: 0 km note: public roads - 209 km; private roads - 241 km (2002)

Bhutan
  total: 4,007 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 3,983 km (2002)

Bolivia
  total: 60,282 km
  paved: 3,979 km
  unpaved: 56,303 km (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 21,846 km
  paved: 11,424 km
  unpaved: 10,422 km (1999 est.)

Botswana
  total: 10,217 km
  paved: 5,619 km
  unpaved: 4,598 km (1999)

Brazil
  total: 1,724,929 km
  paved: 94,871 km
  unpaved: 1,630,058 km (2000)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  total: NA km
  paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on
  Diego Garcia
  unpaved: NA km

British Virgin Islands
  total: 177 km
  paved: 177 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Brunei
  total: 2,525 km
  paved: 2,525 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Bulgaria
  total: 37,077 km
  paved: 34,111 km (including 328 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,966 km (2002)

Burkina Faso
  total: 12,506 km
  paved: 2,001 km
  unpaved: 10,505 km (1999)

Burma
  total: 28,200 km
  paved: 3,440 km
  unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)

Burundi
  total: 14,480 km
  paved: 1,028 km
  unpaved: 13,452 km (1999 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 12,323 km
  paved: 1,996 km
  unpaved: 10,327 km (2000 est)

Cameroon
  total: 34,300 km
  paved: 4,288 km
  unpaved: 30,012 km (1999 est.)

Canada
  total: 1,408,800 km
  paved: 497,306 km (including 16,900 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 911,494 km (2002)

Cape Verde
  total: 1,350 km
  paved: 932 km
  unpaved: 418 km (2000)

Cayman Islands total: 785 km paved: 785 km (2000)

Central African Republic
  total: 23,810 km
  paved: 643 km
  unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)

Chad
  total: 33,400 km
  paved: 267 km
  unpaved: 33,133 km (1999 est.)

Chile
  total: 79,605 km
  paved: 16,080 km (including 407 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 63,525 km (2001)

China
  total: 1,765,222 km
  paved: 395,410 km (with at least 25,130 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,369,812 km (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  total: 240 km
  paved: 30 km
  unpaved: 210 km (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: 15 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (2003)

Colombia
  total: 112,998 km
  paved: 26,000 km
  unpaved: 84,000 km (2000)

Comoros
  total: 880 km
  paved: 673 km
  unpaved: 207 km (1999 est)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 12,800 km
  paved: 1,242 km
  unpaved: 11,558 km (1999 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: 320 km
  paved: 33 km
  unpaved: 287 km (2000)

Costa Rica
  total: 35,303 km
  paved: 4,236 km
  unpaved: 31,067 km (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 50,400 km
  paved: 4,889 km
  unpaved: 45,511 km (1999 est.)

Croatia
  total: 28,344 km
  paved: 23,979 km (including 455 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 4,365 km (2002)

Cuba
  total: 60,858 km
  paved: 29,820 km (including 638 km of expressway)
  unpaved: 31,038 km (1999 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 13,943 km (Republic of Cyprus: 11,593 km; north
  Cyprus: 2,350 km)
  paved: Republic of Cyprus: 7,211 km; north Cyprus: 1,370 km
  unpaved: Republic of Cyprus: 4,382 km; north Cyprus: 980 km
  (2002/1996 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 127,204 km
  paved: 127,204 km (including 518 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Denmark
  total: 71,847 km
  paved: 71,847 km (including 918 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Djibouti
  total: 2,890 km
  paved: 364 km
  unpaved: 2,526 km (1999 est.)

Dominica
  total: 780 km
  paved: 393 km
  unpaved: 387 km (1999 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 12,600 km
  paved: 6,224 km
  unpaved: 6,376 km (1999)

East Timor
  total: 3,800 km
  paved: 428 km
  unpaved: 3,372 km (1995)

Ecuador
  total: 43,197 km
  paved: 8,164 km
  unpaved: 35,033 km (2002)

Egypt
  total: 64,000 km
  paved: 49,984 km
  unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 10,029 km
  paved: 1,986 km (including 327 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 8,043 km (1999 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 2,880 km (1999 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 4,010 km
  paved: 874 km
  unpaved: 3,136 km (1999 est.)

Estonia
  total: 55,944 km
  paved: 13,874 km (including 99 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 42,070 km (2002)

Ethiopia
  total: 33,297 km
  paved: 3,996 km
  unpaved: 29,301 km (2002)

European Union total: 4,634,810 km (including 56,704 km of expressways) paved: 4,161,318 km unpaved: 473,492 km (1999-2000)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: 440 km
  paved: 50 km
  unpaved: 390 km (2002)

Faroe Islands
  total: 463 km
  paved: 454 km
  unpaved: 9 km (1999)

Fiji
  total: 3,440 km
  paved: 1,692 km
  unpaved: 1,748 km (1999 est.)

Finland
  total: 78,197 km
  paved: 50,539 km (including 794 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 27,658 km (2004)

France
  total: 893,100 km
  paved: 893,100 km (including 12,000 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

French Guiana
  total: 817 km (1998)

French Polynesia
  total: 2,590 km
  paved: 1,735 km
  unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Gabon
  total: 8,464 km
  paved: 838 km
  unpaved: 7,626 km (2000 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 2,700 km
  paved: 956 km
  unpaved: 1,744 km (1999)

Gaza Strip total: NA km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km note: small, poorly developed road network

Georgia
  total: 20,229 km
  paved: 18,914 km
  unpaved: 1,315 km (2002)

Germany
  total: 230,735 km
  paved: 230,735 km (including 11,515 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Ghana
  total: 46,176 km
  paved: 8,496 km
  unpaved: 37,679 km (1999 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 29 km
  paved: 29 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Greece
  total: 117,000 km
  paved: 107,406 km (including 470 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,594 km (1999 est.)

Greenland
  total: NA (there are no roads between towns) (2003)

Grenada total: 1,040 km paved: 638 km unpaved: 402 km (1999 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 947 km (2002)

Guam
  total: 977 km
  paved: 962 km
  unpaved: 15 km (2004)

Guatemala
  total: 14,118 km
  paved: 4,871 km (including 74 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 9,247 km (1999)

Guernsey
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Guinea
  total: 30,500 km
  paved: 5,033 km
  unpaved: 25,467 km (1999 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 4,400 km
  paved: 453 km
  unpaved: 3,947 km (1999 est.)

Guyana
  total: 7,970 km
  paved: 590 km
  unpaved: 7,380 km (1999 est.)

Haiti
  total: 4,160 km
  paved: 1,011 km
  unpaved: 3,149 km (1999 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none; all city streets

Honduras
  total: 13,603 km
  paved: 2,775 km
  unpaved: 10,828 km (1999 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 1,831 km
  paved: 1,831 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Hungary
  total: 159,568 km
  paved: 70,050 km (including 533 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 89,518 km (2002)

Iceland
  total: 13,004 km
  paved/oiled gravel: 4,331 km
  unpaved: 8,673 km (2004)

India
  total: 2,525,989 km
  paved: 1,448,655 km
  unpaved: 1,077,334 km (1999)

Indonesia
  total: 342,700 km
  paved: 158,670 km
  unpaved: 184,030 km (1999 est.)

Iran
  total: 167,157 km
  paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)

Iraq
  total: 45,550 km
  paved: 38,399 km
  unpaved: 7,151 km (1999)

Ireland
  total: 95,736 km
  paved: 95,736 km (including 125 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Israel
  total: 16,903 km
  paved: 16,903 km (including 56 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Italy
  total: 479,688 km
  paved: 479,688 km (including 6,621 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Jamaica
  total: 18,700 km
  paved: 13,109 km
  unpaved: 5,591 km (1999 est.)

Japan
  total: 1,171,647 km
  paved: 903,340 km (including 6,851 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 268,307 km (2001)

Jersey
  total: 577 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Jordan
  total: 7,301 km
  paved: 7,301 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Kazakhstan
  total: 82,980 km
  paved: 77,918 km
  unpaved: 5,062 km (2002)

Kenya
  total: 63,942 km
  paved: 7,737 km
  unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Kiribati
  total: 670 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1999 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 31,200 km
  paved: 1,997 km
  unpaved: 29,203 km (1999 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 86,990 km
  paved: 66,721 km (including 1,996 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20,269 km (2001)

Kuwait
  total: 4,450 km
  paved: 3,587 km
  unpaved: 863 km (1999 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 18,500 km
  paved: 16,854 km (including 140 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,646 km (1999 est.)

Laos
  total: 21,716 km
  paved: 9,664 km
  unpaved: 12,052 km (1999 est.)

Latvia
  total: 60,472 km
  paved: 57,206 km
  unpaved: 3,265 km (2002)

Lebanon
  total: 7,300 km
  paved: 6,198 km
  unpaved: 1,102 km (1999 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 5,940 km
  paved: 1,087 km
  unpaved: 4,853 km (1999)

Liberia
  total: 10,600 km
  paved: 657 km
  unpaved: 9,943 km (1999 est.)

Libya
  total: 83,200 km
  paved: 47,590 km
  unpaved: 35,610 km (1999 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 250 km
  paved: 250 km
  unpaved: 0 km

Lithuania
  total: 77,148 km
  paved: 69,202 km (including 417 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 7,946 km (2002)

Luxembourg
  total: 5,210 km
  paved: 5,210 km (including 126 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Macau
  total: 341 km
  paved: 341 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Macedonia
  total: 8,684 km
  paved: 5,540 km (including 133 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 3,144 km (1999 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 49,827 km
  paved: 5,780 km
  unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)

Malawi
  total: 28,400 km
  paved: 5,254 km
  unpaved: 23,146 km (1999 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 65,877 km
  paved: 51,318 km
  unpaved: 14,559 km (2001)

Maldives
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Mali
  total: 15,100 km
  paved: 1,827 km
  unpaved: 13,273 km (1999 est.)

Malta
  total: 2,222 km
  paved: 2,000 km
  unpaved: 222 km (2002)

Man, Isle of
  total: 800 km
  paved: 800 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Marshall Islands total: 64.5 km paved: 64.5 km unpaved: NA km note: paved roads on major islands (Majuro, Kwajalein), otherwise stone-, coral-, or laterite-surfaced roads and tracks (2002)

Martinique total: 2,105 km (2000)

Mauritania
  total: 7,660 km
  paved: 866 km
  unpaved: 6,794 km (1999 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 2,000 km
  paved: 1,960 km (including 60 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 40 km (2002)

Mayotte
  total: 93 km
  paved: 72 km
  unpaved: 21 km

Mexico
  total: 329,532 km
  paved: 108,087 km (including 6,429 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 221,445 km (1999 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 240 km
  paved: 42 km
  unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

Midway Islands
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Moldova
  total: 12,719 km
  paved: 10,977 km
  unpaved: 1,742 km (2002)

Monaco
  total: 50 km
  paved: 50 km
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 49,256 km
  paved: 8,874 km
  unpaved: 40,376 km (2002)

Montserrat
  total: 227 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km
  note: volcanic eruptions beginning in 1995 destroyed most of the
  road system (2003)

Morocco
  total: 57,694 km
  paved: 32,551 km (including 481 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,143 km (2002)

Mozambique
  total: 30,400 km
  paved: 5,685 km
  unpaved: 24,715 km (1999 est.)

Namibia
  total: 42,237 km
  paved: 5,406 km
  unpaved: 36,831 km (2002)

Nauru
  total: 30 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 6 km (1999 est.)

Nepal
  total: 13,223 km
  paved: 4,073 km
  unpaved: 9,150 km (1999 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 116,500 km
  paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 600 km
  paved: 300 km
  unpaved: 300 km

New Caledonia
  total: 5,432 km (2000)

New Zealand
  total: 92,382 km
  paved: 59,124 km (including at least 169 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 33,258 km (2002)

Nicaragua
  total: 18,712 km
  paved: 2,126 km
  unpaved: 16,586 km (2002)

Niger
  total: 10,100 km
  paved: 798 km
  unpaved: 9,302 km (1999 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 194,394 km
  paved: 60,068 km (including 1,194 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 134,326 km (1999 est.)

Niue
  total: 234 km
  paved: 86 km
  unpaved: 148 km (2001)

Norfolk Island
  total: 80 km
  paved: 53 km
  unpaved: 27 km (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 362 km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km (1991)

Norway
  total: 91,852 km
  paved: 71,185 km (including 178 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 20,667 km (2002)

Oman
  total: 34,965 km
  paved: 9,673 km (including 550 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 25,292 km (2001)

Pakistan
  total: 257,683 km
  paved: 152,033 km (including 339 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 105,650 km (2001)

Palau
  total: 61 km
  paved: 36 km
  unpaved: 25 km

Palmyra Atoll
  most of the roads and many causeways built during
  World War II are unserviceable and overgrown (2001)

Panama
  total: 11,643 km
  paved: 4,028 km (including 30 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 7,615 km (2000 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 19,600 km
  paved: 686 km
  unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 29,500 km
  paved: 14,986 km
  unpaved: 14,514 km (1999 est)

Peru
  total: 78,230 km
  paved: 10,452 km
  unpaved: 67,778 km (2001)

Philippines
  total: 202,124 km
  paved: 19,202 km
  unpaved: 182,922 km (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  total: 6.4 km
  paved: 0 km
  unpaved: 6.4 km

Poland
  total: 364,697 km
  paved: 249,088 km (including 399 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 115,609 km (2001)

Portugal
  total: 17,135 km
  paved: 14,736 km (including 1,659 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,399 km (2002)

Puerto Rico
  total: 25,328 km
  paved: 23,665 km (including 426 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,363 km (2004)

Qatar
  total: 1,230 km
  paved: 1,107 km
  unpaved: 123 km (1999 est.)

Reunion
  total: 1,214 km (including 88 km of four-lane roads) (2001)

Romania
  total: 198,755 km
  paved: 100,173 km (including 113 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 98,582 km (2002)

Russia
  total: 537,289 km
  paved: 362,133 km
  unpaved: 175,156 km (2001)

Rwanda
  total: 12,000 km
  paved: 996 km
  unpaved: 11,004 km (1999 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 198 km (Saint Helena 138 km, Ascension 40 km,
  Tristan da Cunha 20 km)
  paved: 168 km (Saint Helena 118km, Ascension 40 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km)
  unpaved: 30 km (Saint Helena 20 km, Ascension 0 km, Tristan da Cunha
  10 km) (2000)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 320 km
  paved: 136 km
  unpaved: 184 km (1999 est)

Saint Lucia
  total: 1,210 km
  paved: 63 km
  unpaved: 1,147 km (1999 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 114 km
  paved: 69 km
  unpaved: 45 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 829 km
  paved: 580 km
  unpaved: 249 km (2002)

Samoa
  total: 790 km
  paved: 332 km
  unpaved: 458 km (1999 est.)

San Marino
  total: 220 km
  paved: 220 km
  unpaved: 0 km (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 320 km
  paved: 218 km
  unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 152,044 km
  paved: 45,461 km
  unpaved: 106,583 km (2000)

Senegal
  total: 14,576 km
  paved: 4,271 km including 7 km of expressways
  unpaved: 10,305 km (2000)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 45,290 km
  paved: 28,261 km (including 374 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 17,029 km (2002)

Seychelles
  total: 373 km
  paved: 315 km
  unpaved: 58 km (1997 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 11,300 km
  paved: 904 km
  unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Singapore
  total: 3,130 km
  paved: 3,130 km (including 150 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Slovakia
  total: 42,970 km
  paved: 37,698 km (including 302 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 5,272 km (2002)

Slovenia
  total: 20,250 km
  paved: 20,250 km (including 456 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Solomon Islands
  total: 1,360 km
  paved: 34 km
  unpaved: 1,326 km (1999 est.)

Somalia
  total: 22,100 km
  paved: 2,608 km
  unpaved: 19,492 km (1999 est.)

South Africa
  total: 275,971 km
  paved: 57,568 km (including 2,032 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 218,403 km (2002)

Spain
  total: 664,852 km
  paved: 658,203 km (including 11,152 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,649 km (2001)

Sri Lanka
  total: 11,650 km
  paved: 11,068 km
  unpaved: 582 km (2002)

Sudan
  total: 11,900 km
  paved: 4,320 km
  unpaved: 7,580 km (1999 est.)

Suriname
  total: 4,492 km
  paved: 1,168 km
  unpaved: 3,324 km (2002)

Svalbard
  total: NA km
  paved: NA km
  unpaved: NA km

Swaziland
  total: 3,107 km
  paved: NA
  unpaved: NA (2000)

Sweden
  total: 213,237 km
  paved: 167,604 km (including 1,542 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 45,633 km (2002)

Switzerland
  total: 71,212 km
  paved: 71,212 km (including 1,706 of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2002)

Syria
  total: 45,697 km
  paved: 6,489 km (including 1,001 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 39,208 km (2002)

Taiwan
  total: 37,299 km
  paved: 35,621 km (including 608 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 1,678 km (2002)

Tajikistan
  total: 27,767 km
  paved: NA
  unpaved: NA (2000)

Tanzania
  total: 88,200 km
  paved: 3,704 km
  unpaved: 84,496 km (1999 est.)

Thailand
  total: 57,403 km
  paved: 56,542 km
  unpaved: 861 km (2000 est.)

Togo
  total: 7,520 km
  paved: 2,376 km
  unpaved: 5,144 km (1999 est.)

Tokelau
  total: NA
  paved: NA
  unpaved: NA

Tonga
  total: 680 km
  paved: 184 km
  unpaved: 496 km (1999 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 8,320 km
  paved: 4,252 km
  unpaved: 4,068 km (1999 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 18,997 km
  paved: 12,424 km (including 142 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 6,573 km (2001)

Turkey
  total: 354,421 km
  paved: 147,404 km (including 1,851 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 207,017 km (2002)

Turkmenistan
  total: 24,000 km
  paved: 19,488 km
  unpaved: 4,512 km (1999 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 121 km
  paved: 24 km
  unpaved: 97 km (2000)

Tuvalu
  total: 8 km
  paved: 0 km
  unpaved: 8 km (1999 est.)

Uganda
  total: 27,000 km
  paved: 1,809 km
  unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 169,679 km
  paved: 164,249 km
  unpaved: 5,430 km (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 1,088 km
  paved: 1,088 km (including 253 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (1999 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 392,931 km
  paved: 392,931 km (including 3,431 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 0 km (2003)

United States
  total: 6,393,603 km
  paved: 4,180,053 km (including 74,406 km of expressways)
  unpaved: 2,213,550 km (2003)

Uruguay
  total: 8,983 km
  paved: 8,081 km
  unpaved: 902 km (1999 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 81,600 km
  paved: 71,237 km
  unpaved: 10,363 km (1999 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 1,070 km
  paved: 256 km
  unpaved: 814 km (1999 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 96,155 km
  paved: 32,308 km
  unpaved: 63,847 km (1999 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 93,300 km
  paved: 23,418 km
  unpaved: 69,882 km (1999 est.)

Virgin Islands total: 1,257 km paved: 1,192 km unpaved: 65 km note: the only US possession where driving on the left side of the road is practiced (2003)

Wallis and Futuna total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

West Bank
  total: 4,500 km
  paved: 2,700 km
  unpaved: 1,800 km
  note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish
  settlements (1997 est.)

Western Sahara
  total: 6,200 km
  paved: 1,350 km
  unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est)

World
  total: 32,345,165 km
  paved: 19,403,061 km
  unpaved: 12,942,104 km (2002)

Yemen
  total: 67,000 km
  paved: 7,705 km
  unpaved: 59,295 km (1999 est.)

Zambia
  total: 91,440 km
  paved: 20,117 km
  unpaved: 71,323 km (2001)

Zimbabwe
  total: 18,338 km
  paved: 8,692 km
  unpaved: 9,646 km (1999 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2086 Illicit drugs

Afghanistan
  world's largest producer of opium; cultivation of opium
  poppy reached unprecedented level of 206,700 hectares in 2004;
  counterdrug efforts largely unsuccessful; potential opium production
  of 4,950 metric tons; potential heroin production of 582 metric tons
  if all opium was processed; source of hashish; many
  narcotics-processing labs throughout the country; drug trade source
  of instability and some antigovernment groups profit from the trade;
  80-90% of the heroin consumed in Europe comes from Afghan opium;
  vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through informal financial
  networks

Albania
  increasingly active transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  opiates, hashish, and cannabis transiting the Balkan route and - to
  a far lesser extent - cocaine from South America destined for
  Western Europe; limited opium and growing cannabis production;
  ethnic Albanian narcotrafficking organizations active and expanding
  in Europe; vulnerable to money laundering associated with regional
  trafficking in narcotics, arms, contraband, and illegal aliens

Angola
  used as a transshipment point for cocaine destined for
  Western Europe and other African states

Anguilla
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
  for the US and Europe

Antigua and Barbuda
  considered a minor transshipment point for
  narcotics bound for the US and Europe; more significant as an
  offshore financial center

Argentina
  used as a transshipment country for cocaine headed for
  Europe and the US; some money-laundering activity, especially in the
  Tri-Border Area; domestic consumption of drugs in urban centers is
  increasing

Armenia
  illicit cultivation of small amount of cannabis for domestic
  consumption; used as a transit point for illicit drugs - mostly
  opium and hashish - moving from Southwest Asia to Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

Aruba
  transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
  accompanying money-laundering activity

Australia
  Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit
  opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of
  opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate

Austria
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and South
  American cocaine destined for Western Europe

Azerbaijan
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy,
  mostly for CIS consumption; small government eradication program;
  transit point for Southwest Asian opiates bound for Russia and to a
  lesser extent the rest of Europe

Bahamas, The
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
  US and Europe; offshore financial center

Bangladesh
  transit country for illegal drugs produced in neighboring
  countries

Barbados
  one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics
  bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center

Belarus
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
  the domestic market; transshipment point for illicit drugs to and
  via Russia, and to the Baltics and Western Europe; a small and
  lightly regulated financial center; new anti-money-laundering
  legislation does not meet international standards; few
  investigations or prosecutions of money-laundering activities

Belgium
  growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for
  US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American
  cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin,
  hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe; despite a
  strengthening of legislation, the country remains vulnerable to
  money laundering related to narcotics, automobiles, alcohol, and
  tobacco

Belize
  major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit
  producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and
  offshore sector

Benin
  transshipment point for narcotics associated with Nigerian
  trafficking organizations and most commonly destined for Western
  Europe and the US; vulnerable to money laundering due to a poorly
  regulated financial infrastructure

Bolivia
  world's third-largest cultivator of coca (after Colombia and
  Peru) with an estimated 28,450 hectares under cultivation in June
  2003, a 23% increase from June 2002; intermediate coca products and
  cocaine exported mostly to or through Brazil, Argentina, and Chile
  to European and US drug markets; eradication and alternative crop
  programs under the MESA administration have been unable to keep pace
  with farmers' attempts to increase cultivation; money-laundering
  activity related to narcotics trade, especially along the borders
  with Brazil and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  minor transit point for marijuana and opiate
  trafficking routes to Western Europe; remains highly vulnerable to
  money-laundering activity given a primarily cash-based and
  unregulated economy, weak law enforcement and instances of corruption

Brazil
  illicit producer of cannabis; minor coca cultivation in the
  Amazon region, used for domestic consumption; government has a
  large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important
  transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine
  headed for Europe and the US; also used by traffickers as a way
  station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia;
  upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important
  market for Colombian, Bolivian, and Peruvian cocaine; illicit
  narcotics proceeds earned in Brazil are often laundered through the
  financial system; significant illicit financial activity in the
  Tri-Border Area

British Virgin Islands
  transshipment point for South American
  narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial
  center makes it vulnerable to money laundering

Brunei
  drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled
  substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory
  death penalty

Bulgaria
  major European transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine for the
  European market; limited producer of precursor chemicals; some money
  laundering of drug-related proceeds through financial institutions

Burma
  remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium
  (estimated production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003
  due to eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900
  hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); lack of government will and
  ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious
  commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall
  antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for
  regional consumption; currently under Financial Action Task Force
  countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate
  money-laundering controls (2005)

Cambodia
  narcotics-related corruption reportedly involving some in
  the government, military, and police; possible small-scale opium,
  heroin, and amphetamine production; large producer of cannabis for
  the international market; vulnerable to money laundering due to its
  cash-based economy and porous borders

Canada
  illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic drug market and
  export to US; use of hydroponics technology permits growers to plant
  large quantities of high-quality marijuana indoors; transit point
  for heroin and cocaine entering the US market; vulnerable to
  narcotics money laundering because of its mature financial services
  sector

Cape Verde
  used as a transshipment point for illicit drugs moving
  from Latin America and Asia destined for Western Europe; the lack of
  a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

Cayman Islands
  offshore financial center; vulnerable to drug
  transshipment to the US and Europe

Chile
  important transshipment country for cocaine destined for
  Europe and the US; economic prosperity and increasing trade have
  made Chile more attractive to traffickers seeking to launder drug
  profits, especially through the Iquique Free Trade Zone, but a new
  anti-money-laundering law improves controls; imported precursors
  passed on to Bolivia; domestic cocaine consumption is rising

China
  major transshipment point for heroin produced in the Golden
  Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem; source country for
  chemical precursors and methamphetamine

Colombia
  illicit producer of coca, opium poppy, and cannabis;
  world's leading coca cultivator (cultivation of coca in 2002 was
  144,450 hectares, a 15% decline since 2001); potential production of
  opium between 2001 and 2002 declined by 25% to 91 metric tons;
  potential production of heroin declined to 11.3 metric tons; the
  world's largest processor of coca derivatives into cocaine; supplier
  of about 90% of the cocaine to the US market and the great majority
  of cocaine to other international drug markets; important supplier
  of heroin to the US market; active aerial eradication program; a
  significant portion of non-US narcotics proceeds are either
  laundered or invested in Colombia through the black market peso
  exchange

Congo, Democratic Republic of the illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for domestic consumption; while rampant corruption and inadequate supervision leaves the banking system vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center

Costa Rica
  transshipment country for cocaine and heroin from South
  America; illicit production of cannabis on small, scattered plots;
  domestic cocaine consumption, particularly crack cocaine, is rising

Cote d'Ivoire
  illicit producer of cannabis, mostly for local
  consumption; transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian
  heroin to Europe and occasionally to the US, and for Latin American
  cocaine destined for Europe and South Africa; while rampant
  corruption and inadequate supervision leave the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, the lack of a developed financial
  system limits the country's utility as a major money-laundering
  center

Croatia
  transit point along the Balkan route for Southwest Asian
  heroin to Western Europe; has been used as a transit point for
  maritime shipments of South American cocaine bound for Western Europe

Cuba
  territorial waters and air space serve as transshipment zone
  primarily for marijuana bound for North America; established the
  death penalty for certain drug-related crimes in 1999

Cyprus
  minor transit point for heroin and hashish via air routes and
  container traffic to Europe, especially from Lebanon and Turkey;
  some cocaine transits as well; despite a strengthening of
  anti-money-laundering legislation, remains highly vulnerable to
  money laundering; identification of benefiting owners and reporting
  of suspicious transactions by nonresident-controlled companies in
  offshore sector remains weak

Czech Republic
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
  minor transit point for Latin American cocaine to Western Europe;
  producer of synthetic drugs for local and regional markets;
  susceptible to money laundering related to drug trafficking,
  organized crime

Dominica
  transshipment point for narcotics bound for the US and
  Europe; minor cannabis producer; anti-money-laundering enforcement
  is weak, making the country particularly vulnerable to money
  laundering

Dominican Republic
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; has become a transshipment point for
  ecstasy from the Netherlands and Belgium destined for US and Canada;
  substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics
  traffickers favor the Dominican Republic for illicit financial
  transactions

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  significant transit country for cocaine originating in
  Colombia and Peru; importer of precursor chemicals used in
  production of illicit narcotics; attractive location for
  cash-placement by drug traffickers laundering money because of
  dollarization and weak anti-money-laundering regime, especially
  vulnerable along the border with Colombia; increased activity on the
  northern frontier by trafficking groups and Colombian insurgents

Egypt
  transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin
  and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for
  Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax
  financial regulations and enforcement

El Salvador
  transshipment point for cocaine; small amounts of
  marijuana produced for local consumption; domestic cocaine abuse on
  the rise

Estonia
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Southwest
  Asia and the Caucasus via Russia, cocaine from Latin America to
  Western Europe and Scandinavia, and synthetic drugs from Western
  Europe to Scandinavia; increasing domestic drug abuse problem;
  possible precursor manufacturing and/or trafficking; potential money
  laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking is a
  concern as is possible use of the gambling sector to launder funds

Ethiopia
  Transit hub for heroin originating in Southwest and
  Southeast Asia and destined for Europe and North America as well as
  cocaine destined for markets in southern Africa; cultivates qat
  (khat) for local use and regional export, principally to Djibouti
  and Somalia (legal in all three countries); the lack of a
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

France
  transshipment point for and consumer of South American
  cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and European synthetics

French Guiana
  small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption;
  minor transshipment point to Europe

Georgia
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  domestic consumption; used as transshipment point for opiates via
  Central Asia to Western Europe and Russia

Germany
  source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine
  processors; transshipment point for and consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and European-produced synthetic
  drugs; major financial center

Ghana
  illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade;
  major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a
  lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the
  US; widespread crime and money laundering problem, but the lack of a
  well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility
  as a money-laundering center

Greece
  a gateway to Europe for traffickers smuggling cannabis and
  heroin from the Middle East and Southwest Asia to the West and
  precursor chemicals to the East; some South American cocaine
  transits or is consumed in Greece; money laundering related to drug
  trafficking and organized crime

Grenada
  small-scale cannabis cultivation; lesser transshipment point
  for marijuana and cocaine to US

Guatemala
  major transit country for cocaine and heroin; minor
  producer of illicit opium poppy and cannabis for mostly domestic
  consumption; proximity to Mexico makes Guatemala a major staging
  area for drugs (particularly for cocaine); money laundering is a
  serious problem; corruption is a major problem; remains on Financial
  Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for
  continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering
  control regime

Guyana
  transshipment point for narcotics from South America -
  primarily Venezuela - to Europe and the US; producer of cannabis

Haiti
  major Caribbean transshipment point for cocaine en route to
  the US and Europe; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian
  narcotics traffickers favor Haiti for illicit financial
  transactions; pervasive corruption

Honduras
  transshipment point for drugs and narcotics; illicit
  producer of cannabis, cultivated on small plots and used principally
  for local consumption; corruption is a major problem; some
  money-laundering activity

Hong Kong
  makes strenuous law enforcement efforts, but faces
  difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and
  methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system
  provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of
  synthetic drugs, especially among young people

Hungary
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and cannabis
  and for South American cocaine destined for Western Europe; limited
  producer of precursor chemicals, particularly for amphetamine and
  methamphetamine; improving, but remains vulnerable to money
  laundering related to organized crime and drug trafficking

India
  world's largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical
  trade, but an undetermined quantity of opium is diverted to illicit
  international drug markets; transit point for illicit narcotics
  produced in neighboring countries; illicit producer of methaqualone;
  vulnerable to narcotics money laundering through the hawala system

Indonesia
  illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use;
  possible growing role as transshipment point for Golden Triangle
  heroin

Iran
  despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic
  narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to
  official Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug
  users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations

Ireland
  transshipment point for and consumer of hashish from North
  Africa to the UK and Netherlands and of European-produced synthetic
  drugs; minor transshipment point for heroin and cocaine destined for
  Western Europe; despite recent legislation, narcotics-related money
  laundering using bureaux de change, trusts, and shell companies
  involving the offshore financial community remains a concern

Israel
  increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs
  arrive in country from Lebanon and, increasingly, from Jordan;
  money-laundering center

Italy
  important gateway for and consumer of Latin American cocaine
  and Southwest Asian heroin entering the European market; money
  laundering by organized crime and from smuggling

Jamaica
  major transshipment point for cocaine from South America to
  North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis;
  government has an active manual cannabis eradication program;
  corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering
  activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit
  financial transactions

Kazakhstan
  significant illicit cultivation of cannabis for CIS
  markets, as well as limited cultivation of opium poppy and ephedra
  (for the drug ephedrine); limited government eradication of illicit
  crops; transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia
  and the rest of Europe

Kenya
  widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit
  country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North
  America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa;
  significant potential for money-laundering activity given the
  country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption,
  and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

Korea, North
  for years, from the 1970's into the 2000's, citizens of
  the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea (DPRK), many of
  them diplomatic employees of the government, were apprehended abroad
  while trafficking in narcotics, including two in Turkey in December
  2004; in recent years, police investigations in Taiwan and Japan
  have linked North Korea to large illicit shipments of heroin and
  methamphetamine, including an attempt by the North Korean merchant
  ship Pong Su to deliver 150 kg of heroin to Australia in April 2003;
  all indications point to North Korea emerging as an important
  regional source of illicit drugs targeting markets in Japan, Taiwan,
  the Russian Far East, and China

Kyrgyzstan
  limited illicit cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy
  for CIS markets; limited government eradication of illicit crops;
  transit point for Southwest Asian narcotics bound for Russia and the
  rest of Europe

Laos
  estimated cultivation in 2004 - 10,000 hectares, a 45% decrease
  from 2003; estimated potential production in 2004 - 49 metric tons,
  a significant decrease from 200 metric tons in 2003 (2005)

Latvia
  transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
  Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
  cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable
  to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent
  enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
  offshore companies and the gaming industry; organized crime
  (including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
  prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds

Lebanon
  cannabis cultivation dramatically reduced to 2,500 hectares
  in 2002; opium poppy cultivation minimal; small amounts of Latin
  American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin transit country on way
  to European markets and for Middle Eastern consumption

Liberia
  transshipment point for Southeast and Southwest Asian heroin
  and South American cocaine for the European and US markets;
  corruption, criminal activity, arms-dealing, and diamond trade
  provide significant potential for money laundering, but the lack of
  well-developed financial system limits the country's utility as a
  major money-laundering center

Liechtenstein
  has strengthened money-laundering controls, but money
  laundering remains a concern due to Liechtenstein sophisticated
  offshore financial services sector

Lithuania
  transshipment point for opiates and other illicit drugs
  from Southwest Asia, Latin America, and Western Europe to Western
  Europe and Scandinavia; limited production of methamphetamine and
  ecstasy; susceptible to money laundering despite changes to banking
  legislation

Macedonia
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and
  hashish; minor transit point for South American cocaine destined for
  Europe; although most criminal activity is thought to be domestic
  and not a financial center, money laundering is a problem due to a
  mostly cash-based economy and weak enforcement (no arrests or
  prosecutions for money laundering to date)

Madagascar
  illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild
  varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point
  for heroin

Malaysia
  transit point for some illicit drugs; drug trafficking
  prosecuted vigorously and carries severe penalties

Malta
  minor transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to
  Western Europe

Martinique
  transshipment point for cocaine and marijuana bound for
  the US and Europe

Mauritius
  minor consumer and transshipment point for heroin from
  South Asia; small amounts of cannabis produced and consumed locally;
  significant offshore financial industry creates potential for money
  laundering, but corruption levels are relatively low and the
  government appears generally to be committed to regulating its
  banking industry

Mexico
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy (cultivation in 2001 -
  4,400 hectares; potential heroin production - 7 metric tons) and of
  cannabis (in 2001 - 4,100 hectares); government eradication efforts
  have been key in keeping illicit crop levels low; major supplier of
  heroin and largest foreign supplier of marijuana and methamphetamine
  to the US market; continues as the primary transshipment country for
  US-bound cocaine from South America, accounting for about 70 percent
  of estimated annual cocaine movement to the US; major drug
  syndicates control majority of drug trafficking throughout the
  country; producer and distributor of ecstasy; significant
  money-laundering center

Moldova
  limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for
  CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from
  Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and
  possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity

Montserrat
  transshipment point for South American narcotics destined
  for the US and Europe

Morocco
  illicit producer of hashish; shipments of hashish mostly
  directed to Western Europe; transit point for cocaine from South
  America destined for Western Europe

Mozambique
  Southern African transit point for South Asian hashish
  and heroin, and South American cocaine probably destined for the
  European and South African markets; producer of cannabis (for local
  consumption) and methaqualone (for export to South Africa);
  corruption and poor regulatory capability makes the banking system
  vulnerable to money laundering, but the lack of a well-developed
  financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a
  money-laundering center

Nauru
  offshore banking recently stopped, remains on Financial Action
  Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for
  continued failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering
  control regime

Nepal
  illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
  international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
  Asia to the West

Netherlands
  major European producer of ecstasy, illicit
  amphetamines, and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for
  cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of
  US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money
  laundering

Netherlands Antilles
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

Nicaragua
  transshipment point for cocaine destined for the US and
  transshipment point for arms-for-drugs dealing

Nigeria
  a transit point for heroin and cocaine intended for
  European, East Asian, and North American markets; safehaven for
  Nigerian narcotraffickers operating worldwide; major
  money-laundering center; massive corruption and criminal activity;
  remains on Financial Action Task Force Non-Cooperative Countries and
  Territories List for continued failure to address deficiencies in
  money-laundering control regime

Pakistan
  opium poppy in Federally Administered Tribal Areas,
  North-West Frontier Province, and Balochistan Province has rebounded
  since it was nearly eliminated in 2001; key transit point for Afghan
  drugs, including heroin, opium, morphine, and hashish, bound for
  Western markets, the Gulf States, and Africa; financial crimes
  related to drug trafficking, terrorism, corruption, and smuggling
  remain problems

Panama
  major cocaine transshipment point and primary
  money-laundering center for narcotics revenue; money-laundering
  activity is especially heavy in the Colon Free Zone; offshore
  financial center; negligible signs of coca cultivation; monitoring
  of financial transactions is improving; official corruption remains
  a major problem

Paraguay
  major illicit producer of cannabis, most or all of which is
  consumed in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile; transshipment country for
  Andean cocaine headed for Brazil, other Southern Cone markets,
  Europe, and US; corruption and some money-laundering activity,
  especially in the Tri-Border Area

Peru
  until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer; emerging
  opium producer; cultivation of coca in Peru fell 15 percent to
  31,150 hectares between 2002 and the end of 2003; much of the
  cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into
  cocaine, while finished cocaine is shipped out from Pacific ports to
  the international drug market; increasing amounts of base and
  finished cocaine, however, are being moved to Brazil and Bolivia for
  use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to Europe and Africa

Philippines
  exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East
  Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point
  for heroin and crystal methamphetamine; domestic methamphetamine
  production is a growing problem; remains on Financial Action Task
  Force Non-Cooperative Countries and Territories List for continued
  failure to address deficiencies in money-laundering control regime

Poland
  major illicit producer of synthetic drugs for the
  international market; minor transshipment point for Asian and Latin
  American illicit drugs to Western Europe

Portugal
  gateway country for Latin American cocaine and Southwest
  Asian heroin entering the European market (especially from Brazil);
  transshipment point for hashish from North Africa to Europe;
  consumer of Southwest Asian heroin

Romania
  major transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
  transiting the Balkan route and small amounts of Latin American
  cocaine bound for Western Europe; although not a significant
  financial center, role as a narcotics conduit leaves it vulnerable
  to laundering which occurs via the banking system, currency exchange
  houses, and casinos

Russia
  limited cultivation of illicit cannabis and opium poppy and
  producer of methamphetamine, mostly for domestic consumption;
  government has active illicit crop eradication program; used as
  transshipment point for Asian opiates, cannabis, and Latin American
  cocaine bound for growing domestic markets, to a lesser extent
  Western and Central Europe, and occasionally to the US; major source
  of heroin precursor chemicals; corruption and organized crime are
  key concerns; heroin increasingly popular in domestic market

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; some money-laundering activity

Saint Lucia
  transit point for South American drugs destined for the
  US and Europe

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  transshipment point for South
  American drugs destined for the US and Europe; small-scale cannabis
  cultivation

Saudi Arabia
  death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption
  of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering
  center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation

Senegal
  transshipment point for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin
  and South American cocaine moving to Europe and North America;
  illicit cultivator of cannabis

Serbia and Montenegro
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin
  moving to Western Europe on the Balkan route; economy vulnerable to
  money laundering

Singapore
  as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore
  is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a
  transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money
  laundering

Slovakia
  transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for
  Western Europe; producer of synthetic drugs for regional market

Slovenia
  minor transit point for cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
  bound for Western Europe, and for precursor chemicals

South Africa
  transshipment center for heroin, hashish, marijuana,
  and cocaine; cocaine consumption on the rise; world's largest market
  for illicit methaqualone, usually imported illegally from India
  through various east African countries; illicit cultivation of
  marijuana; attractive venue for money launderers given the
  increasing level of organized criminal and narcotics activity in the
  region

Spain
  key European gateway country and consumer for Latin American
  cocaine and North African hashish entering the European market;
  destination and minor transshipment point for Southwest Asian
  heroin; money-laundering site for European earnings of Colombian
  narcotics trafficking organizations

Suriname
  growing transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for Europe and Brazil; transshipment point for
  arms-for-drugs dealing

Switzerland
  a major international financial center vulnerable to the
  layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite
  significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules
  persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through
  offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for
  and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Syria
  a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and
  Western markets; weak anti-money-laundering controls, bank
  privatization may leave it vulnerable to money-laundering

Taiwan
  regional transit point for heroin and methamphetamine; major
  problem with domestic consumption of methamphetamine and heroin;
  renewal of domestic methamphetamine production is a problem

Tajikistan
  major transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for
  Russian and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited
  illicit cultivation of opium poppy for domestic consumption;
  Tajikistan seizes roughly 80 percent of all drugs captured in
  Central Asia and stands third worldwide in seizures of opiates
  (heroin and raw opium)

Tanzania
  growing role in transshipment of southwest and southeast
  Asian heroin and south American cocaine destined for south African,
  European, and US markets and of south Asian methaqualone bound for
  southern Africa; money laundering remains a problem

Thailand
  a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit
  transit point for heroin en route to the international drug market
  from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of
  cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring
  countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication
  efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
  amphetamine production for regional consumption; increasing
  indigenous abuse of methamphetamine

Togo
  transit hub for Nigerian heroin and cocaine traffickers; money
  laundering not a significant problem

Trinidad and Tobago
  transshipment point for South American drugs
  destined for the US and Europe; producer of cannabis

Turkey
  key transit route for Southwest Asian heroin to Western
  Europe and - to a far lesser extent the US - via air, land, and sea
  routes; major Turkish, Iranian, and other international trafficking
  organizations operate out of Istanbul; laboratories to convert
  imported morphine base into heroin are in remote regions of Turkey
  as well as near Istanbul; government maintains strict controls over
  areas of legal opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw
  concentrate

Turkmenistan
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
  and Western European markets; transit point for heroin precursor
  chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Turks and Caicos Islands
  transshipment point for South American
  narcotics destined for the US and Europe

Ukraine
  limited cultivation of cannabis and opium poppy, mostly for
  CIS consumption; some synthetic drug production for export to the
  West; limited government eradication program; used as transshipment
  point for opiates and other illicit drugs from Africa, Latin
  America, and Turkey to Europe and Russia; Ukraine has improved
  anti-money-laundering controls, resulting in its removal from the
  Financial Action Task Force's (FATF's) Noncooperative Countries and
  Territories List in February 2004; Ukraine's anti-money-laundering
  regime continues to be monitored by FATF

United Arab Emirates
  the UAE is a drug transshipment point for
  traffickers given its proximity to southwest Asian drug producing
  countries; the UAE's position as a major financial center makes it
  vulnerable to money laundering; anti-money-laundering controls
  improving

United Kingdom
  producer of limited amounts of synthetic drugs and
  synthetic precursor chemicals; major consumer of Southwest Asian
  heroin, Latin American cocaine, and synthetic drugs;
  money-laundering center

United States
  consumer of cocaine shipped from Colombia through
  Mexico and the Caribbean; consumer of heroin, marijuana, and
  increasingly methamphetamine from Mexico; consumer of high-quality
  Southeast Asian heroin; illicit producer of cannabis, marijuana,
  depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, and methamphetamine;
  money-laundering center

Uzbekistan
  transit country for Afghan narcotics bound for Russian
  and, to a lesser extent, Western European markets; limited illicit
  cultivation of cannabis and small amounts of opium poppy for
  domestic consumption; poppy cultivation almost wiped out by
  government crop eradication program; transit point for heroin
  precursor chemicals bound for Afghanistan

Venezuela
  small-scale illicit producer of opium and coca for the
  processing of opiates and coca derivatives; however, large
  quantities of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transit the country
  from Colombia bound for US and Europe; significant narcotics-related
  money-laundering activity, especially along the border with Colombia
  and on Margarita Island; active eradication program primarily
  targeting opium; increasing signs of drug-related activities by
  Colombian insurgents on border

Vietnam
  minor producer of opium poppy; probable minor transit point
  for Southeast Asian heroin; domestic opium/heroin/methamphetamine
  addiction problems

World
  cocaine: worldwide, coca is grown on an estimated 173,450
  hectares - almost exclusively in South America with 70% in Colombia;
  potential cocaine production during 2003 is estimated at 728 metric
  tons (or 835 metric tons of export quality cocaine); coca
  eradication programs continue in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru; 376
  metric tons of export quality cocaine are documented to have been
  seized in 2003, and 26 metric tons disrupted (jettisoned or
  destroyed); consumption of export quality cocaine is estimated to
  have been 800 metric tons
  opiates: cultivation of opium poppy occurred on an estimated 137,944
  hectares in 2003 - mostly in Southwest and Southeast Asia - with 44%
  in Afghanistan, potentially produced 3,775 metric tons of opium,
  which conceivably could be converted to the equivalent of 429 metric
  tons of pure heroin; opium eradication programs have been undertaken
  in Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, Mexico, Pakistan, Thailand, and
  Vietnam

Zambia
  transshipment point for moderate amounts of methaqualone,
  small amounts of heroin, and cocaine bound for Southern Africa and
  possibly Europe; a poorly developed financial infrastructure coupled
  with a government commitment to combating money laundering make it
  an unattractive venue for money launderers

Zimbabwe
  transit point for African cannabis and South Asian heroin,
  mandrax, and methamphetamines destined for the South African and
  European markets

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2087 Imports

Afghanistan
  $3.759 billion (FY03-04)

Albania
  $2.076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Algeria
  $15.25 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  $123 million (2002)

Andorra
  $1.077 billion (1998)

Angola
  $4.896 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  $80.9 million (1999)

Antigua and Barbuda
  $692 million (2002 est.)

Argentina
  $22.06 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Armenia
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Aruba
  $841 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Australia
  $98.1 billion (2004 est.)

Austria
  $101.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $3.622 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  $1.63 billion (2003)

Bahrain
  $5.87 billion (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  $10.03 billion (2004 est.)

Barbados
  $1.039 billion (2002)

Belarus
  $13.57 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Belgium
  $235 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Belize
  $579.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Benin
  $934.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  $5.523 billion (2002)

Bhutan
  $196 million c.i.f. (2000 est.)

Bolivia
  $1.595 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $5.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Botswana
  $2.255 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Brazil
  $61 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  $187 million (2002 est.)

Brunei
  $5.2 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Bulgaria
  $12.23 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $866.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Burma
  $1.754 billion f.o.b.
  note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of
  consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from
  Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2004 est.)

Burundi
  $138.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  $3.129 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  $1.979 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Canada
  $256.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  $387.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  $457.4 million (1999)

Central African Republic
  $136 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Chad
  $500.7 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Chile
  $22.53 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

China
  $552.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  $15.34 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Comoros
  $88 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  $933 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $749.3 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  $50.7 million (2000)

Costa Rica
  $7.842 billion (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $3.36 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Croatia
  $16.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cuba
  $5.296 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: $5.258 billion f.o.b. north Cyprus:
  $415.2 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  $68.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Denmark
  $63.45 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  $665 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Dominica
  $98.2 million f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $8.093 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

East Timor
  $167 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  $7.65 billion (2004 est.)

Egypt
  $19.21 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  $5.968 billion (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $1.167 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  $622 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Estonia
  $7.318 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  $2.104 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

European Union $1.123 trillion note: external imports, excluding intra-EU trade (2003)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  $53 million (2002)

Faroe Islands
  $466 million c.i.f. (2002)

Fiji
  $835 million c.i.f. (2002)

Finland
  $45.17 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

France
  $419.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  $625 million c.i.f. (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  $1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Gabon
  $1.225 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  $180.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  $1.9 billion c.i.f., includes West Bank (2002)

Georgia
  $1.806 billion (2004 est.)

Germany
  $716.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ghana
  $3.699 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  $1.743 billion c.i.f. (2002)

Greece
  $54.28 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Greenland
  $445 million c.i.f. (2002)

Grenada
  $208 million (2002 est.)

Guadeloupe
  $1.7 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Guam
  $462 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guatemala
  $7.77 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  $NA

Guinea
  $641.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  $104 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Guyana
  $650.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Haiti
  $1.085 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Honduras
  $3.332 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  $275.9 billion (2004 est.)

Hungary
  $58.68 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Iceland
  $3.307 billion (2004 est.)

India
  $89.33 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  $45.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Iran
  $31.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Iraq
  $9.9 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ireland
  $60.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Israel
  $36.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Italy
  $329.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  $3.624 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Japan
  $401.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Jersey
  $NA

Jordan
  $7.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $13.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kenya
  $4.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  $83 million c.i.f. (2002)

Korea, North
  $2.1 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Korea, South
  $214.2 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  $11.12 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $775.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Laos
  $579.5 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Latvia
  $5.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  $8.162 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  $730.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Liberia
  $5.051 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Libya
  $7.224 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  $917.3 million (1996)

Lithuania
  $11.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  $16.3 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Macau
  $2.76 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Macedonia
  $2.677 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  $1.147 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Malawi
  $521.1 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  $99.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Maldives
  $392 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Mali
  $927 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Malta
  $3.407 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  $NA

Marshall Islands
  $54 million f.o.b. (2000)

Martinique
  $2 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Mauritania
  $860 million f.o.b. (2002)

Mauritius
  $2.245 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  $141.3 million f.o.b. (1997)

Mexico
  $190.8 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

Moldova
  $1.83 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Monaco
  $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and
  rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market
  system through customs union with France

Mongolia
  $1 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  $17 million (2001)

Morocco
  $15.63 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  $972.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Namibia
  $1.473 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Nauru
  $19.8 million c.i.f. (2004 est.)

Nepal
  $1.419 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  $252.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  $2.233 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Caledonia
  $1.007 billion f.o.b. (2002)

New Zealand
  $19.77 billion (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  $2.02 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Niger
  $400 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  $17.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Niue
  $2.38 million (1999)

Norfolk Island
  $17.9 million c.i.f. (FY91/92)

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  $45.96 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Oman
  $6.373 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  $14.01 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Palau
  $99 million f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Panama
  $7.164 billion f.o.b. (includes the Colon Free Zone) (2004
  est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $1.353 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  $3.33 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Peru
  $9.6 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Philippines
  $37.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  $81.61 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Portugal
  $52.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  $29.1 billion c.i.f. (2001)

Qatar
  $6.15 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Reunion
  $2.5 billion c.i.f. (1997)

Romania
  $28.43 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Russia
  $92.91 billion (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  $260 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  $42 million c.i.f. (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  $195 million (2002 est.)

Saint Lucia
  $267 million (2002 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  $106 million f.o.b. (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  $174 million (2002 est.)

Samoa
  $113 million f.o.b. (2002)

San Marino
  trade data are included with the statistics for Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  $41 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $36.21 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Senegal
  $2.128 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $9.538 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  $393.4 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  $264 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Singapore
  $155.2 billion (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  $29.67 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  $16.07 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  $67 million f.o.b. (2003)

Somalia
  $344 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

South Africa
  $39.42 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Spain
  $222 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $7.265 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sudan
  $3.496 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Suriname
  $604 million f.o.b. (2002)

Svalbard
  $NA

Swaziland
  $1.14 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Sweden
  $97.97 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  $121.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Syria
  $5.042 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  $165.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  $1.3 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  $1.972 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Thailand
  $80.84 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Togo
  $824.9 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  $323,000 c.i.f. (1983)

Tonga
  $86 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $4.65 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  $11.52 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Turkey
  $94.5 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $2.85 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  $175.6 million (2000)

Tuvalu
  $79 million c.i.f. (2002)

Uganda
  $1.306 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  $31.45 billion (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $45.66 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  $439.4 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

United States
  $1.476 trillion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  $2.071 billion f.o.b. (2003)

Uzbekistan
  $2.82 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  $138 million c.i.f. (2002)

Venezuela
  $14.98 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  $26.31 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  $300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

West Bank
  $1.5 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip (2002)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  $8.754 trillion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Yemen
  $3.734 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Zambia
  $1.519 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $1.599 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2088 Independence

Afghanistan
  19 August 1919 (from UK control over Afghan foreign
  affairs)

Albania
  28 November 1912 (from Ottoman Empire)

Algeria
  5 July 1962 (from France)

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  1278 (was formed under the joint suzerainty of the French
  count of Foix and the Spanish bishop of Urgel)

Angola
  11 November 1975 (from Portugal)

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda
  1 November 1981 (from UK)

Argentina
  9 July 1816 (from Spain)

Armenia
  21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Aruba
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Australia
  1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

Austria
  1156 (Duchy of Austria founded); 12 November 1918 (republic
  proclaimed)

Azerbaijan
  30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Bahamas, The
  10 July 1973 (from UK)

Bahrain
  15 August 1971 (from UK)

Bangladesh
  16 December 1971 (from West Pakistan); note - 26 March
  1971 is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December
  1971 is known as Victory Day and commemorates the official creation
  of the state of Bangladesh

Barbados
  30 November 1966 (from UK)

Belarus
  25 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Belgium
  4 October 1830 (a provisional government declares
  independence from the Netherlands); 21 July 1831 (King Leopold I
  ascends to the throne)

Belize
  21 September 1981 (from UK)

Benin
  1 August 1960 (from France)

Bermuda
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
  8 August 1949 (from India)

Bolivia
  6 August 1825 (from Spain)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1 March 1992 (from Yugoslavia; referendum for
  independence was completed 1 March 1992; independence was declared 3
  March 1992)

Botswana
  30 September 1966 (from UK)

Brazil
  7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  1 January 1984 (from UK)

Bulgaria
  3 March 1878 (as an autonomous principality within the
  Ottoman Empire); 22 September 1908 (complete independence from the
  Ottoman Empire)

Burkina Faso
  5 August 1960 (from France)

Burma
  4 January 1948 (from UK)

Burundi
  1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian
  administration)

Cambodia
  9 November 1953 (from France)

Cameroon
  1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Canada
  1 July 1867 (union of British North American colonies); 11
  December 1931 (independence recognized)

Cape Verde
  5 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  13 August 1960 (from France)

Chad
  11 August 1960 (from France)

Chile
  18 September 1810 (from Spain)

China
  221 BC (unification under the Qin or Ch'in Dynasty); 1 January
  1912 (Manchu Dynasty replaced by a Republic); 1 October 1949
  (People's Republic established)

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  20 July 1810 (from Spain)

Comoros
  6 July 1975 (from France)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  30 June 1960 (from Belgium)

Congo, Republic of the
  15 August 1960 (from France)

Cook Islands
  none (became self-governing in free association with
  New Zealand on 4 August 1965 and has the right at any time to move
  to full independence by unilateral action)

Costa Rica
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Cote d'Ivoire
  7 August 1960 (from France)

Croatia
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Cuba
  20 May 1902 (from Spain 10 December 1898; administered by the
  US from 1898 to 1902)

Cyprus
  16 August 1960 (from UK); note - Turkish Cypriots proclaimed
  self-rule on 13 February 1975 and independence in 1983, but these
  proclamations are only recognized by Turkey

Czech Republic
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
  Republic and Slovakia)

Denmark
  first organized as a unified state in 10th century; in 1849
  became a constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
  27 June 1977 (from France)

Dominica
  3 November 1978 (from UK)

Dominican Republic
  27 February 1844 (from Haiti)

East Timor
  28 November 1975 (date of proclamation of independence
  from Portugal); note - 20 May 2002 is the official date of
  international recognition of East Timor's independence from Indonesia

Ecuador
  24 May 1822 (from Spain)

Egypt
  28 February 1922 (from UK)

El Salvador
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Equatorial Guinea
  12 October 1968 (from Spain)

Eritrea
  24 May 1993 (from Ethiopia)

Estonia
  20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Ethiopia
  oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest
  in the world - at least 2,000 years

European Union
  7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed
  establishing the EU); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered
  into force)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing
  overseas administrative division of Denmark)

Fiji
  10 October 1970 (from UK)

Finland
  6 December 1917 (from Russia)

France
  486 (unified by Clovis)

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France)

Gabon
  17 August 1960 (from France)

Gambia, The
  18 February 1965 (from UK)

Georgia
  9 April 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Germany
  18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into
  four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945
  following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West
  Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and included the former UK, US, and
  French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany)
  proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR zone;
  unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
  1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 March 1991

Ghana
  6 March 1957 (from UK)

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Greece
  1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)

Greenland
  none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; foreign affairs is
  the responsibility of Denmark, but Greenland actively participates
  in international agreements relating to Greenland)

Grenada
  7 February 1974 (from UK)

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  2 October 1958 (from France)

Guinea-Bissau
  24 September 1973 (unilaterally declared by
  Guinea-Bissau); 10 September 1974 (recognized by Portugal)

Guyana
  26 May 1966 (from UK)

Haiti
  1 January 1804 (from France)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  11 February 1929 (from Italy); note - the
  three treaties signed with Italy on 11 February 1929 acknowledged,
  among other things, the full sovereignty of the Vatican and
  established its territorial extent; however, the origin of the Papal
  States, which over the years have varied considerably in extent, may
  be traced back to the 8th century

Honduras
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  1001 (unification by King Stephen I)

Iceland
  1 December 1918 (became a sovereign state under the Danish
  Crown); 17 June 1944 (from Denmark)

India
  15 August 1947 (from UK)

Indonesia
  17 August 1945 (independence proclaimed); 27 December 1949
  (Netherlands recognizes Indonesian independence)

Iran
  1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed)

Iraq
  3 October 1932 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration); note - on 28 June 2004 the Coalition Provisional
  Authority transferred sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government

Ireland
  6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)

Israel
  14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Italy
  17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not
  finally unified until 1870)

Jamaica
  6 August 1962 (from UK)

Japan
  660 BC (traditional founding by Emperor JIMMU)

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British
  administration)

Kazakhstan
  16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Kenya
  12 December 1963 (from UK)

Kiribati
  12 July 1979 (from UK)

Korea, North
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Korea, South
  15 August 1945 (from Japan)

Kuwait
  19 June 1961 (from UK)

Kyrgyzstan
  31 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Laos
  19 July 1949 (from France)

Latvia
  21 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Lebanon
  22 November 1943 (from League of Nations mandate under
  French administration)

Lesotho
  4 October 1966 (from UK)

Liberia
  26 July 1847

Libya
  24 December 1951 (from Italy)

Liechtenstein
  23 January 1719 (Principality of Liechtenstein
  established); 12 July 1806 (independence from the Holy Roman Empire)

Lithuania
  11 March 1990 (independence declared from Soviet Union); 6
  September 1991 (Soviet Union recognizes Lithuania's independence)

Luxembourg
  1839 (from the Netherlands)

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
  8 September 1991 (referendum by registered voters
  endorsing independence from Yugoslavia)

Madagascar
  26 June 1960 (from France)

Malawi
  6 July 1964 (from UK)

Malaysia
  31 August 1957 (from UK)

Maldives
  26 July 1965 (from UK)

Mali
  22 September 1960 (from France)

Malta
  21 September 1964 (from UK)

Man, Isle of
  none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands 21 October 1986 (from the US-administered UN trusteeship)

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  28 November 1960 (from France)

Mauritius
  12 March 1968 (from UK)

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  16 September 1810 (from Spain)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  3 November 1986 (from the
  US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Moldova
  27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Monaco
  1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi)

Mongolia
  11 July 1921 (from China)

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  2 March 1956 (from France)

Mozambique
  25 June 1975 (from Portugal)

Namibia
  21 March 1990 (from South African mandate)

Nauru
  31 January 1968 (from the Australia-, NZ-, and UK-administered
  UN trusteeship)

Nepal
  1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

Netherlands
  23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low
  Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; it was
  not until 1648 that Spain recognized their independence)

Netherlands Antilles
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France); note - a
  referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new
  referendum is scheduled for 2014

New Zealand
  26 September 1907 (from UK)

Nicaragua
  15 September 1821 (from Spain)

Niger
  3 August 1960 (from France)

Nigeria
  1 October 1960 (from UK)

Niue
  on 19 October 1974, Niue became a self-governing parliamentary
  government in free association with New Zealand

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Northern Mariana Islands
  none (commonwealth in political union with
  the US)

Norway
  7 June 1905 (Norway declared the union with Sweden
  dissolved); 26 October 1905 (Sweden agreed to the repeal of the
  union)

Oman
  1650 (expulsion of the Portuguese)

Pakistan
  14 August 1947 (from UK)

Palau
  1 October 1994 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

Panama
  3 November 1903 (from Colombia; became independent from Spain
  28 November 1821)

Papua New Guinea
  16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered
  UN trusteeship)

Paraguay
  14 May 1811 (from Spain)

Peru
  28 July 1821 (from Spain)

Philippines
  12 June 1898 (from Spain)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  11 November 1918 (independent republic proclaimed)

Portugal
  1143 (Kingdom of Portugal recognized); 5 October 1910
  (independent republic proclaimed)

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
  3 September 1971 (from UK)

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France)

Romania
  9 May 1877 (independence proclaimed from the Ottoman Empire;
  independence recognized 13 July 1878 by the Treaty of Berlin;
  kingdom proclaimed 26 March 1881); 30 December 1947 (republic
  proclaimed)

Russia
  24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Rwanda
  1 July 1962 (from Belgium-administered UN trusteeship)

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  19 September 1983 (from UK)

Saint Lucia
  22 February 1979 (from UK)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27 October 1979 (from UK)

Samoa
  1 January 1962 (from New Zealand-administered UN trusteeship)

San Marino
  3 September 301

Sao Tome and Principe
  12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

Saudi Arabia
  23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

Senegal
  4 April 1960 (from France); note - complete independence was
  achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960

Serbia and Montenegro
  27 April 1992 (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  or FRY - now Serbia and Montenegro - formed as self-proclaimed
  successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia or SFRY)

Seychelles
  29 June 1976 (from UK)

Sierra Leone
  27 April 1961 (from UK)

Singapore
  9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Slovakia
  1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech
  Republic and Slovakia)

Slovenia
  25 June 1991 (from Yugoslavia)

Solomon Islands
  7 July 1978 (from UK)

Somalia
  1 July 1960 (from a merger of British Somaliland, which
  became independent from the UK on 26 June 1960, and Italian
  Somaliland, which became independent from the Italian-administered
  UN trusteeship on 1 July 1960, to form the Somali Republic)

South Africa
  31 May 1910 (from UK); note - South Africa became a
  republic in 1961 following an October 1960 referendum

Spain
  the Iberian peninsula was characterized by a variety of
  independent kingdoms prior to the Moslem occupation that began in
  the early 8th century A. D. and lasted nearly seven centuries; the
  small Christian redoubts of the north began the reconquest almost
  immediately, culminating in the seizure of Granada in 1492; this
  event completed the unification of several kingdoms and is
  traditionally considered the forging of present-day Spain

Sri Lanka
  4 February 1948 (from UK)

Sudan
  1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

Suriname
  25 November 1975 (from Netherlands)

Svalbard
  none (territory of Norway)

Swaziland
  6 September 1968 (from UK)

Sweden
  6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)

Switzerland
  1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Syria
  17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French
  administration)

Tajikistan
  9 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Tanzania
  26 April 1964; Tanganyika became independent 9 December
  1961 (from UK-administered UN trusteeship); Zanzibar became
  independent 19 December 1963 (from UK); Tanganyika united with
  Zanzibar 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and
  Zanzibar; renamed United Republic of Tanzania 29 October 1964

Thailand
  1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

Togo
  27 April 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship)

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)

Trinidad and Tobago
  31 August 1962 (from UK)

Tunisia
  20 March 1956 (from France)

Turkey
  29 October 1923 (successor state to the Ottoman Empire)

Turkmenistan
  27 October 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  1 October 1978 (from UK)

Uganda
  9 October 1962 (from UK)

Ukraine
  24 August 1991 (from the Soviet Union)

United Arab Emirates
  2 December 1971 (from UK)

United Kingdom
  England has existed as a unified entity since the
  10th century; the union between England and Wales, begun in 1284
  with the Statute of Rhuddlan, was not formalized until 1536 with an
  Act of Union; in another Act of Union in 1707, England and Scotland
  agreed to permanently join as Great Britain; the legislative union
  of Great Britain and Ireland was implemented in 1801, with the
  adoption of the name the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
  Ireland; the Anglo-Irish treaty of 1921 formalized a partition of
  Ireland; six northern Irish counties remained part of the United
  Kingdom as Northern Ireland and the current name of the country, the
  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, was adopted in
  1927

United States
  4 July 1776 (from Great Britain)

Uruguay
  25 August 1825 (from Brazil)

Uzbekistan
  1 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

Vanuatu
  30 July 1980 (from France and UK)

Venezuela
  5 July 1811 (from Spain)

Vietnam
  2 September 1945 (from France)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Yemen
  22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the merger of
  the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and the
  Marxist-dominated People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen
  (Aden) or South Yemen]); note - previously North Yemen had become
  independent in November of 1918 (from the Ottoman Empire) and South
  Yemen had become independent on 30 November 1967 (from the UK)

Zambia
  24 October 1964 (from UK)

Zimbabwe
  18 April 1980 (from UK)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2089 Industrial production growth rate (%)

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  6% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  1% (2000)

Anguilla
  3.1% (1997 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  6% (1997 est.)

Argentina
  12% (2004 est.)

Armenia
  15% (2002 est.)

Aruba
  NA%

Australia
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Austria
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  4% (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  2% (2000 est.)

Bangladesh
  6.5% (2004 est.)

Barbados
  -3.2% (2000 est.)

Belarus
  4% (2004 est.)

Belgium
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Belize
  4.6% (1999)

Benin
  8.3% (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  NA%

Bhutan
  9.3% (1996 est.)

Bolivia
  5.7% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  5.5% (2003 est.)

Botswana
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Brazil
  6% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA%

Brunei
  5% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  14% (2001 est.)

Burma
  NA

Burundi
  18% (2001)

Cambodia
  22% (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  4.2% (1999 est.)

Canada
  2% (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  NA%

Central African Republic
  3% (2002)

Chad
  5% (1995)

Chile
  7.8% (2004 est.)

China
  17.1% (2004 est.)

Colombia
  4% (2004 est.)

Comoros
  -2% (1999 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  0% (2002 est.)

Cook Islands
  1% (2002)

Costa Rica
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  15% (1998 est.)

Croatia
  2.7% (2004 est.)

Cuba
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 0.4% (2002); north Cyprus: -0.3% (2002)

Czech Republic
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Denmark
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  3% (1996 est.)

Dominica
  -10% (1997 est.)

Dominican Republic
  2% (2001 est.)

East Timor
  8.5%

Ecuador
  10% (2004 est.)

Egypt
  2.5% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  30% (2002 est.)

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  5% (2000 est.)

Ethiopia
  6.7% (2001 est.)

European Union
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA%

Faroe Islands
  8% (1999 est.)

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  2% (2004 est.)

France
  1.7% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Gambia, The
  NA

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  3% (2000)

Germany
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Ghana
  3.8% (2000 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  0.7% (1997 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  4.1% (1999)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  3.2% (1994)

Guinea-Bissau
  2.6% (1997 est.)

Guyana
  7.1% (1997 est.)

Haiti
  NA

Honduras
  7.7% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  1% (2004 est.)

Hungary
  9.6% (2004 est.)

Iceland
  8.8% (2004 est.)

India
  7.4% (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  10.5% (2004 est.)

Iran
  3.5% excluding oil (2004 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  7% (2004 est.)

Israel
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Italy
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  -2% (2000 est.)

Japan
  6.6% (2004 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  5% (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  10.6% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  2.6% (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  0.7% (1991 est.)

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  10.1% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  -5% (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  6% (2000 est.)

Laos
  9.7% (2001 est.)

Latvia
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  15.5% (1999)

Liberia
  NA

Libya
  NA

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  12% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  0% (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  3% (2000 est.)

Malawi
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  10.2% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  4.4% (1996 est.)

Mali
  NA (FY96/97)

Malta
  NA%

Man, Isle of
  3.2% (FY96/97)

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  2% (2000 est.)

Mauritius
  8% (2000 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  3.8% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  17% (2003 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  4.1% (2002 est.)

Montserrat
  NA%

Morocco
  NA

Mozambique
  3.4% (2000)

Namibia
  NA

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  8.7% (FY99/00)

Netherlands
  0.8% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA%

New Caledonia
  -0.6% (1996)

New Zealand
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  4.4% (2000 est.)

Niger
  NA (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Oman
  -1.2% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  13.1% (2004 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  0% (2000 est.)

Peru
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Philippines
  5% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  10% (2004 est.)

Portugal
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA%

Qatar
  10% (2003 est.)

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  4% (2004 est.)

Russia
  6.4% (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  7% (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA%

Saint Lucia
  -8.9% (1997 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -0.9% (1997 est.)

Samoa
  2.8% (2000)

San Marino
  6% (1997 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Senegal
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  1.7% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  NA

Singapore
  11.1% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  3.9% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Spain
  3% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  7.1% (2004 est.)

Sudan
  8.5% (1999 est.)

Suriname
  6.5% (1994 est.)

Swaziland
  3.7% (FY95/96)

Sweden
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Syria
  7% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  12.2% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  8.2% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  8.4% (1999 est.)

Thailand
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Togo
  NA

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  8.6% (FY98/99)

Trinidad and Tobago
  7.2% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Turkey
  16.5% (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  official government estimate: 22% (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA%

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  16.5% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  4% (2000)

United Kingdom
  0.9% (2004 est.)

United States
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  22% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  6.2% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  1% (1997 est.)

Venezuela
  12.3% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  16% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  3% (2003 est.)

Yemen
  3% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  6.9% (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  -7.8% (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2090 Industries

Afghanistan
  small-scale production of textiles, soap, furniture,
  shoes, fertilizer, cement; handwoven carpets; natural gas, coal,
  copper

Albania
  food processing, textiles and clothing; lumber, oil, cement,
  chemicals, mining, basic metals, hydropower

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, light industries, mining,
  electrical, petrochemical, food processing

American Samoa
  tuna canneries (largely supplied by foreign fishing
  vessels), handicrafts

Andorra
  tourism (particularly skiing), cattle raising, timber,
  banking

Angola
  petroleum; diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, feldspar, bauxite,
  uranium, and gold; cement; basic metal products; fish processing;
  food processing; brewing; tobacco products; sugar; textiles, ship
  repair

Anguilla
  tourism, boat building, offshore financial services

Antigua and Barbuda
  tourism, construction, light manufacturing
  (clothing, alcohol, household appliances)

Argentina
  food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables,
  textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals, printing, metallurgy, steel

Armenia
  diamond-processing, metal-cutting machine tools,
  forging-pressing machines, electric motors, tires, knitted wear,
  hosiery, shoes, silk fabric, chemicals, trucks, instruments,
  microelectronics, jewelry manufacturing, software development, food
  processing, brandy

Aruba
  tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Australia
  mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food
  processing, chemicals, steel

Austria
  construction, machinery, vehicles and parts, food, metals,
  chemicals, lumber and wood processing, paper and paperboard,
  communications equipment, tourism

Azerbaijan
  petroleum and natural gas, petroleum products, oilfield
  equipment; steel, iron ore, cement; chemicals and petrochemicals;
  textiles

Bahamas, The
  tourism, banking, cement, oil transshipment, salt, rum,
  aragonite, pharmaceuticals, spiral-welded steel pipe

Bahrain
  petroleum processing and refining, aluminum smelting, iron
  pelletization, fertilizers, offshore banking, ship repairing; tourism

Bangladesh
  cotton textiles, jute, garments, tea processing, paper
  newsprint, cement, chemical fertilizer, light engineering, sugar

Barbados
  tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for
  export

Belarus
  metal-cutting machine tools, tractors, trucks, earthmovers,
  motorcycles, televisions, chemical fibers, fertilizer, textiles,
  radios, refrigerators

Belgium
  engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly,
  transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and
  beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum

Belize
  garment production, food processing, tourism, construction

Benin
  textiles, food processing, construction materials, cement
  (2001)

Bermuda
  tourism, international business, light manufacturing

Bhutan
  cement, wood products, processed fruits, alcoholic beverages,
  calcium carbide

Bolivia
  mining, smelting, petroleum, food and beverages, tobacco,
  handicrafts, clothing

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  steel, coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, manganese,
  bauxite, vehicle assembly, textiles, tobacco products, wooden
  furniture, tank and aircraft assembly, domestic appliances, oil
  refining (2001)

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock
  processing; textiles

Brazil
  textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin,
  steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and
  equipment

British Virgin Islands
  tourism, light industry, construction, rum,
  concrete block, offshore financial center

Brunei
  petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,
  construction

Bulgaria
  electricity, gas and water; food, beverages and tobacco;
  machinery and equipment, base metals, chemical products, coke,
  refined petroleum, nuclear fuel

Burkina Faso
  cotton lint, beverages, agricultural processing, soap,
  cigarettes, textiles, gold

Burma
  agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood
  products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials;
  pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement

Burundi
  light consumer goods such as blankets, shoes, soap; assembly
  of imported components; public works construction; food processing

Cambodia
  tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood
  products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles

Cameroon
  petroleum production and refining, aluminum production,
  food processing, light consumer goods, textiles, lumber, ship repair

Canada
  transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and
  unprocessed minerals, food products; wood and paper products; fish
  products, petroleum and natural gas

Cape Verde
  food and beverages, fish processing, shoes and garments,
  salt mining, ship repair

Cayman Islands
  tourism, banking, insurance and finance,
  construction, construction materials, furniture

Central African Republic
  gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing,
  textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles

Chad
  oil, cotton textiles, meatpacking, beer brewing, natron (sodium
  carbonate), soap, cigarettes, construction materials

Chile
  copper, other minerals, foodstuffs, fish processing, iron and
  steel, wood and wood products, transport equipment, cement, textiles

China
  mining and ore processing, iron, steel, aluminum, and other
  metals; coal; machine building; armaments; textiles and apparel;
  petroleum; cement; chemicals; fertilizers; consumer products,
  including footwear, toys, and electronics; food processing;
  transportation equipment, including automobiles, rail cars and
  locomotives, ships, and aircraft; telecommunications equipment,
  commercial space launch vehicles and satellites

Christmas Island
  tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  copra products and tourism

Colombia
  textiles, food processing, oil, clothing and footwear,
  beverages, chemicals, cement; gold, coal, emeralds

Comoros
  tourism, perfume distillation

Congo, Democratic Republic of the mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair

Congo, Republic of the
  petroleum extraction, cement, lumber,
  brewing, sugar, palm oil, soap, flour, cigarettes

Cook Islands
  fruit processing, tourism, fishing, clothing,
  handicrafts

Costa Rica
  microprocessors, food processing, textiles and clothing,
  construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products

Cote d'Ivoire
  foodstuffs, beverages; wood products, oil refining,
  truck and bus assembly, textiles, fertilizer, building materials,
  electricity, ship construction and repair

Croatia
  chemicals and plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal,
  electronics, pig iron and rolled steel products, aluminum, paper,
  wood products, construction materials, textiles, shipbuilding,
  petroleum and petroleum refining, food and beverages; tourism

Cuba
  sugar, petroleum, tobacco, construction, nickel, steel, cement,
  agricultural machinery, pharmaceuticals

Cyprus
  tourism, food and beverage processing; cement and gypsum
  production; ship repair and refurbishment; textiles; light
  chemicals; metal products; wood, paper, stone, and clay products

Czech Republic
  metallurgy, machinery and equipment, motor vehicles,
  glass, armaments

Denmark
  iron, steel, nonferrous metals, chemicals, food processing,
  machinery and transportation equipment, textiles and clothing,
  electronics, construction, furniture and other wood products,
  shipbuilding and refurbishment, windmills

Dhekelia
  none

Djibouti
  construction, agricultural processing, salt

Dominica
  soap, coconut oil, tourism, copra, furniture, cement
  blocks, shoes

Dominican Republic
  tourism, sugar processing, ferronickel and gold
  mining, textiles, cement, tobacco

East Timor
  printing, soap manufacturing, handicrafts, woven cloth

Ecuador
  petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products,
  chemicals

Egypt
  textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
  construction, cement, metals

El Salvador
  food processing, beverages, petroleum, chemicals,
  fertilizer, textiles, furniture, light metals

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, fishing, sawmilling, natural gas

Eritrea
  food processing, beverages, clothing and textiles, salt,
  cement, commercial ship repair

Estonia
  engineering, electronics, wood and wood products, textile;
  information technology, telecommunications

Ethiopia
  food processing, beverages, textiles, chemicals, metals
  processing, cement

Europa Island
  none

European Union
  among the world's largest and most technologically
  advanced, the European Union industrial base includes: ferrous and
  non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products,
  petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail
  transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles,
  construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding,
  electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated
  manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment,
  fishing, food and beverage processing, furniture, paper, textiles,
  tourism

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fish and wool processing; tourism

Faroe Islands
  fishing, fish processing, small ship repair and
  refurbishment, handicrafts

Fiji
  tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small
  cottage industries

Finland
  metals and metal products, electronics, machinery and
  scientific instruments, shipbuilding, pulp and paper, foodstuffs,
  chemicals, textiles, clothing

France
  machinery, chemicals, automobiles, metallurgy, aircraft,
  electronics; textiles, food processing; tourism

French Guiana
  construction, shrimp processing, forestry products,
  rum, gold mining

French Polynesia
  tourism, pearls, agricultural processing,
  handicrafts, phosphates

Gabon
  petroleum extraction and refining; manganese, and gold mining;
  chemicals; ship repair; food and beverage; textile; lumbering and
  plywood; cement

Gambia, The
  processing peanuts, fish, and hides; tourism; beverages;
  agricultural machinery assembly, woodworking, metalworking; clothing

Gaza Strip
  generally small family businesses that produce textiles,
  soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the
  Israelis have established some small-scale modern industries in an
  industrial center

Georgia
  steel, aircraft, machine tools, electrical appliances,
  mining (manganese and copper), chemicals, wood products, wine

Germany
  among the world's largest and most technologically advanced
  producers of iron, steel, coal, cement, chemicals, machinery,
  vehicles, machine tools, electronics, food and beverages;
  shipbuilding; textiles

Ghana
  mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting,
  food processing, cement, small commercial ship building

Gibraltar
  tourism, banking and finance, ship repairing, tobacco

Greece
  tourism; food and tobacco processing, textiles; chemicals,
  metal products; mining, petroleum

Greenland
  fish processing (mainly shrimp and Greenland halibut);
  gold, niobium, tantalite, uranium, iron and diamond mining;
  handicrafts, hides and skins, small shipyards

Grenada
  food and beverages, textiles, light assembly operations,
  tourism, construction

Guadeloupe
  construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism

Guam
  US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services,
  concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles

Guatemala
  sugar, textiles and clothing, furniture, chemicals,
  petroleum, metals, rubber, tourism

Guernsey
  tourism, banking

Guinea
  bauxite, gold, diamonds; alumina refining; light
  manufacturing and agricultural processing industries

Guinea-Bissau
  agricultural products processing, beer, soft drinks

Guyana
  bauxite, sugar, rice milling, timber, textiles, gold mining

Haiti
  sugar refining, flour milling, textiles, cement, light
  assembly industries based on imported parts

Holy See (Vatican City) printing; production of coins, medals, postage stamps; a small amount of mosaics and staff uniforms; worldwide banking and financial activities

Honduras
  sugar, coffee, textiles, clothing, wood products

Hong Kong
  textiles, clothing, tourism, banking, shipping,
  electronics, plastics, toys, watches, clocks

Hungary
  mining, metallurgy, construction materials, processed foods,
  textiles, chemicals (especially pharmaceuticals), motor vehicles

Iceland
  fish processing; aluminum smelting, ferrosilicon production,
  geothermal power; tourism

India
  textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transportation
  equipment, cement, mining, petroleum, machinery, software

Indonesia
  petroleum and natural gas, textiles, apparel, footwear,
  mining, cement, chemical fertilizers, plywood, rubber, food, tourism

Iran
  petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other
  construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining
  and vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments

Iraq
  petroleum, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, food
  processing, fertilizer, metal fabrication/processing

Ireland
  steel, lead, zinc, silver, aluminum, barite, and gypsum
  mining processing; food products, brewing, textiles, clothing;
  chemicals, pharmaceuticals; machinery, rail transportation
  equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, ship construction and
  refurbishment; glass and crystal; software, tourism

Israel
  high-technology projects (including aviation, communications,
  computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics, fiber
  optics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food,
  beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, construction, metals
  products, chemical products, plastics, diamond cutting, textiles and
  footwear

Italy
  tourism, machinery, iron and steel, chemicals, food
  processing, textiles, motor vehicles, clothing, footwear, ceramics

Jamaica
  tourism, bauxite/alumina, textiles, agro processing, wearing
  apparel, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical
  products, telecommunications

Japan
  among world's largest and technologically advanced producers
  of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, machine tools, steel and
  nonferrous metals, ships, chemicals, textiles, processed foods

Jersey
  tourism, banking and finance, dairy

Jordan
  phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining,
  cement, potash, inorganic chemicals, light manufacturing, tourism

Kazakhstan
  oil, coal, iron ore, manganese, chromite, lead, zinc,
  copper, titanium, bauxite, gold, silver, phosphates, sulfur, iron
  and steel; tractors and other agricultural machinery, electric
  motors, construction materials

Kenya
  small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
  textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products; oil
  refining, aluminum, steel, lead, cement; commercial ship repair,
  tourism

Kiribati
  fishing, handicrafts

Korea, North
  military products; machine building, electric power,
  chemicals; mining (coal, iron ore, magnesite, graphite, copper,
  zinc, lead, and precious metals), metallurgy; textiles, food
  processing; tourism

Korea, South
  electronics, telecommunications, automobile production,
  chemicals, shipbuilding, steel

Kuwait
  petroleum, petrochemicals, cement, shipbuilding and repair,
  desalination, food processing, construction materials

Kyrgyzstan
  small machinery, textiles, food processing, cement,
  shoes, sawn logs, refrigerators, furniture, electric motors, gold,
  rare earth metals

Laos
  tin and gypsum mining, timber, electric power, agricultural
  processing, construction, garments, tourism

Latvia
  buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers,
  agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios,
  electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note -
  dependent on imports for energy and raw materials

Lebanon
  banking, food processing, jewelry, cement, textiles, mineral
  and chemical products, wood and furniture products, oil refining,
  metal fabricating

Lesotho
  food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts;
  construction; tourism

Liberia
  rubber processing, palm oil processing, timber, diamonds

Libya
  petroleum, iron and steel, food processing, textiles,
  handicrafts, cement

Liechtenstein
  electronics, metal manufacturing, dental products,
  ceramics, pharmaceuticals, food products, precision instruments,
  tourism, optical instruments

Lithuania
  metal-cutting machine tools, electric motors, television
  sets, refrigerators and freezers, petroleum refining, shipbuilding
  (small ships), furniture making, textiles, food processing,
  fertilizers, agricultural machinery, optical equipment, electronic
  components, computers, amber

Luxembourg
  banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals,
  metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum, information
  technology, tourism and banking

Macau
  tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear,
  toys

Macedonia
  coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel,
  textiles, wood products, tobacco, food processing, buses, steel

Madagascar
  meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar,
  textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper,
  petroleum, tourism

Malawi
  tobacco, tea, sugar, sawmill products, cement, consumer goods

Malaysia
  Peninsular Malaysia - rubber and oil palm processing and
  manufacturing, light manufacturing industry, electronics, tin mining
  and smelting, logging and processing timber; Sabah - logging,
  petroleum production; Sarawak - agriculture processing, petroleum
  production and refining, logging

Maldives
  fish processing, tourism, shipping, boat building, coconut
  processing, garments, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand
  mining

Mali
  food processing; construction; phosphate and gold mining

Malta
  tourism; electronics, ship building and repair, construction;
  food and beverages, textiles, footwear, clothing, tobacco

Man, Isle of
  financial services, light manufacturing, tourism

Marshall Islands
  copra, tuna processing, tourism, craft items from
  shell, wood, and pearls

Martinique
  construction, rum, cement, oil refining, sugar, tourism

Mauritania
  fish processing, mining of iron ore and gypsum

Mauritius
  food processing (largely sugar milling), textiles,
  clothing; chemicals, metal products, transport equipment,
  nonelectrical machinery; tourism

Mayotte
  newly created lobster and shrimp industry, construction

Mexico
  food and beverages, tobacco, chemicals, iron and steel,
  petroleum, mining, textiles, clothing, motor vehicles, consumer
  durables, tourism

Micronesia, Federated States of
  tourism, construction, fish
  processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood,
  and pearls

Moldova
  food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment,
  refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar,
  vegetable oil, shoes, textiles

Monaco
  tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer
  products

Mongolia
  construction and construction materials; mining (coal,
  copper, molybdenum, fluorspar, and gold); oil; food and beverages;
  processing of animal products, cashmere and natural fiber
  manufacturing

Montserrat
  tourism, rum, textiles, electronic appliances

Morocco
  phosphate rock mining and processing, food processing,
  leather goods, textiles, construction, tourism

Mozambique
  food, beverages, chemicals (fertilizer, soap, paints),
  aluminum, petroleum products, textiles, cement, glass, asbestos,
  tobacco

Namibia
  meatpacking, fish processing, dairy products; mining
  (diamond, lead, zinc, tin, silver, tungsten, uranium, copper)

Nauru
  phosphate mining, offshore banking, coconut products

Nepal
  tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
  mills; cigarette; cement and brick production

Netherlands
  agroindustries, metal and engineering products,
  electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum,
  construction, microelectronics, fishing

Netherlands Antilles
  tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire),
  petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities
  (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

New Caledonia
  nickel mining and smelting

New Zealand
  food processing, wood and paper products, textiles,
  machinery, transportation equipment, banking and insurance, tourism,
  mining

Nicaragua
  food processing, chemicals, machinery and metal products,
  textiles, clothing, petroleum refining and distribution, beverages,
  footwear, wood

Niger
  uranium mining, cement, brick, soap, textiles, food
  processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses

Nigeria
  crude oil, coal, tin, columbite, palm oil, peanuts, cotton,
  rubber, wood, hides and skins, textiles, cement and other
  construction materials, food products, footwear, chemicals,
  fertilizer, printing, ceramics, steel, small commercial ship
  construction and repair

Niue
  tourism, handicrafts, food processing

Norfolk Island
  tourism, light industry, ready mixed concrete

Northern Mariana Islands
  tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts

Norway
  petroleum and gas, food processing, shipbuilding, pulp and
  paper products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, textiles, fishing

Oman
  crude oil production and refining, natural and liquefied
  natural gas (LNG) production, construction, cement, copper, steel,
  chemicals, optic fiber

Pakistan
  textiles and apparel, food processing, pharmaceuticals,
  construction materials, paper products, fertilizer, shrimp

Palau
  tourism, craft items (from shell, wood, pearls), construction,
  garment making

Panama
  construction, brewing, cement and other construction
  materials, sugar milling

Papua New Guinea
  copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood
  production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and
  copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism

Paraguay
  sugar, cement, textiles, beverages, wood products, steel,
  metallurgic, electric power

Peru
  mining and refining of minerals and metals, petroleum
  extraction and refining, natural gas, fishing and fish processing,
  textiles, clothing, food processing, steel, metal fabrication

Philippines
  electronics assembly, garments, footwear,
  pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing,
  petroleum refining, fishing

Pitcairn Islands
  postage stamps, handicrafts, beekeeping, honey

Poland
  machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals,
  shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

Portugal
  textiles and footwear; wood pulp, paper, and cork; metals
  and metalworking; oil refining; chemicals; fish canning; rubber and
  plastic products; ceramics; electronics and communications
  equipment; rail transportation equipment; aerospace equipment; ship
  construction and refurbishment; wine; tourism

Puerto Rico
  pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products,
  tourism

Qatar
  crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers,
  petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship
  repair

Reunion
  sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil
  extraction

Romania
  textiles and footwear, light machinery and auto assembly,
  mining, timber, construction materials, metallurgy, chemicals, food
  processing, petroleum refining

Russia
  complete range of mining and extractive industries producing
  coal, oil, gas, chemicals, and metals; all forms of machine building
  from rolling mills to high-performance aircraft and space vehicles;
  defense industries including radar, missile production, and advanced
  electronic components, shipbuilding; road and rail transportation
  equipment; communications equipment; agricultural machinery,
  tractors, and construction equipment; electric power generating and
  transmitting equipment; medical and scientific instruments; consumer
  durables, textiles, foodstuffs, handicrafts

Rwanda
  cement, agricultural products, small-scale beverages, soap,
  furniture, shoes, plastic goods, textiles, cigarettes

Saint Helena
  construction, crafts (furniture, lacework, fancy
  woodwork), fishing

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  sugar processing, tourism, cotton, salt,
  copra, clothing, footwear, beverages

Saint Lucia
  clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages,
  corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut
  processing

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish processing and supply base for
  fishing fleets; tourism

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  food processing, cement, furniture,
  clothing, starch

Samoa
  food processing, building materials, auto parts

San Marino
  tourism, banking, textiles, electronics, ceramics,
  cement, wine

Sao Tome and Principe
  light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish
  processing; timber

Saudi Arabia
  crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic
  petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic
  soda), cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics, commercial ship
  repair, commercial aircraft repair

Senegal
  agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining,
  fertilizer production, petroleum refining, construction materials,
  ship construction and repair

Serbia and Montenegro
  machine building (aircraft, trucks, and
  automobiles; tanks and weapons; electrical equipment; agricultural
  machinery); metallurgy (steel, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc,
  chromium, antimony, bismuth, cadmium); mining (coal, bauxite,
  nonferrous ore, iron ore, limestone); consumer goods (textiles,
  footwear, foodstuffs, appliances); electronics, petroleum products,
  chemicals, and pharmaceuticals

Seychelles
  fishing; tourism; processing of coconuts and vanilla,
  coir (coconut fiber) rope, boat building, printing, furniture;
  beverages

Sierra Leone
  diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages,
  textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small
  commercial ship repair

Singapore
  electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling
  equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber
  products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore
  platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade

Slovakia
  metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity,
  gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers;
  machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport
  vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products

Slovenia
  ferrous metallurgy and aluminum products, lead and zinc
  smelting, electronics (including military electronics), trucks,
  electric power equipment, wood products, textiles, chemicals,
  machine tools

Solomon Islands
  fish (tuna), mining, timber

Somalia
  a few light industries, including sugar refining, textiles,
  wireless communication

South Africa
  mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold,
  chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile,
  iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship
  repair

Spain
  textiles and apparel (including footwear), food and beverages,
  metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles,
  machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear,
  pharmaceuticals, medical equipment

Sri Lanka
  rubber processing, tea, coconuts, and other agricultural
  commodities; telecommunications, insurance, and banking; clothing,
  cement, petroleum refining, textiles, tobacco

Sudan
  oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar,
  soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals,
  armaments, automobile/light truck assembly

Suriname
  bauxite and gold mining, alumina production, oil,
  lumbering, food processing, fishing

Swaziland
  mining (coal, raw asbestos), wood pulp, sugar, soft drink
  concentrates, textile and apparel

Sweden
  iron and steel, precision equipment (bearings, radio and
  telephone parts, armaments), wood pulp and paper products, processed
  foods, motor vehicles

Switzerland
  machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision
  instruments

Syria
  petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco,
  phosphate rock mining

Taiwan
  electronics, petroleum refining, armaments, chemicals,
  textiles, iron and steel, machinery, cement, food processing,
  vehicles, consumer products, pharmaceuticals

Tajikistan
  aluminum, zinc, lead, chemicals and fertilizers, cement,
  vegetable oil, metal-cutting machine tools, refrigerators and
  freezers

Tanzania
  agricultural processing (sugar, beer, cigarettes, sisal
  twine), diamond, gold and iron mining, soda ash, oil refining,
  shoes, cement, apparel, wood products, fertilizer, salt

Thailand
  tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing,
  beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry,
  electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated
  circuits, furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten
  producer, and third-largest tin producer

Togo
  phosphate mining, agricultural processing, cement; handicrafts,
  textiles, beverages

Tokelau
  small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking,
  plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing

Tonga
  tourism, fishing

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum, chemicals, tourism, food processing,
  cement, beverage, cotton textiles

Tunisia
  petroleum, mining (particularly phosphate and iron ore),
  tourism, textiles, footwear, agribusiness, beverages

Turkey
  textiles, food processing, autos, mining (coal, chromite,
  copper, boron), steel, petroleum, construction, lumber, paper

Turkmenistan
  natural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food
  processing

Turks and Caicos Islands
  tourism, offshore financial services

Tuvalu
  fishing, tourism, copra

Uganda
  sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement, steel
  production

Ukraine
  coal, electric power, ferrous and nonferrous metals,
  machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, food processing
  (especially sugar)

United Arab Emirates
  petroleum, fishing, aluminum, cement,
  fertilizers, commercial ship repair, petrochemicals, construction
  materials, some boat building, handicrafts, textiles

United Kingdom
  machine tools, electric power equipment, automation
  equipment, railroad equipment, shipbuilding, aircraft, motor
  vehicles and parts, electronics and communications equipment,
  metals, chemicals, coal, petroleum, paper and paper products, food
  processing, textiles, clothing, and other consumer goods

United States
  leading industrial power in the world, highly
  diversified and technologically advanced; petroleum, steel, motor
  vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics,
  food processing, consumer goods, lumber, mining

Uruguay
  food processing, electrical machinery, transportation
  equipment, petroleum products, textiles, chemicals, beverages

Uzbekistan
  textiles, food processing, machine building, metallurgy,
  gold petroleum, natural gas, chemicals

Vanuatu
  food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning

Venezuela
  petroleum, iron ore mining, construction materials, food
  processing, textiles, steel, aluminum, motor vehicle assembly

Vietnam
  food processing, garments, shoes, machine-building, mining,
  cement, chemical fertilizer, glass, tires, oil, coal, steel, paper

Virgin Islands
  tourism, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum
  distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics

Wallis and Futuna
  copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

West Bank
  generally small family businesses that produce cement,
  textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs;
  the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in
  the settlements and industrial centers

Western Sahara
  phosphate mining, handicrafts

World
  dominated by the onrush of technology, especially in
  computers, robotics, telecommunications, and medicines and medical
  equipment; most of these advances take place in OECD nations; only a
  small portion of non-OECD countries have succeeded in rapidly
  adjusting to these technological forces; the accelerated development
  of new industrial (and agricultural) technology is complicating
  already grim environmental problems

Yemen
  crude oil production and petroleum refining; small-scale
  production of cotton textiles and leather goods; food processing;
  handicrafts; small aluminum products factory; cement; commercial
  ship repair

Zambia
  copper mining and processing, construction, foodstuffs,
  beverages, chemicals, textiles, fertilizer, horticulture

Zimbabwe
  mining (coal, gold, platinum, copper, nickel, tin, clay,
  numerous metallic and nonmetallic ores), steel, wood products,
  cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing and footwear, foodstuffs,
  beverages

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2091 Infant mortality rate (deaths/1,000 live births)

Afghanistan
  total: 163.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 167.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 158.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Albania
  total: 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Algeria
  total: 31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Andorra
  total: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Angola
  total: 191.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 203.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 178.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  total: 21.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 19.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Argentina
  total: 15.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Armenia
  total: 23.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Aruba
  total: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Australia
  total: 4.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Austria
  total: 4.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 81.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 83.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 79.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 25.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 31.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 17.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 62.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Barbados
  total: 12.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Belarus
  total: 13.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Belgium
  total: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Belize
  total: 25.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Benin
  total: 85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 90 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 79.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 8.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 100.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 98.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 102.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 53.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 49.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 21.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 23.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Botswana
  total: 54.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 53.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Brazil
  total: 29.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 18.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Brunei
  total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 20.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 97.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 89.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Burma
  total: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 73.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Burundi
  total: 69.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 75.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 71.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 80.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 62.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 68.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.14 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Canada
  total: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 47.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 52.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 42.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 8.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Chad
  total: 93.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 103.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Chile
  total: 8.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

China
  total: 24.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 27.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Colombia
  total: 20.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Comoros
  total: 74.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 83.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 92.87 deaths/1,000 live
  births
  male: 101.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 92.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 98.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 86.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Costa Rica
  total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 90.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 73.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Croatia
  total: 6.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cuba
  total: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 7.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 3.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Denmark
  total: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  total: 104.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 111.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 96.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Dominica
  total: 14.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 32.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

East Timor
  total: 47.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 40.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 23.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 28.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Egypt
  total: 32.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 31.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 25.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 85.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 91.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 78.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 74.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Estonia
  total: 7.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 95.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

European Union
  total: 5.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.5 deaths/1,000 live births (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  total: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Fiji
  total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Finland
  total: 3.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

France
  total: 4.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  total: 12.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 8.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Gabon
  total: 53.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 72.02 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 78.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total: 22.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Georgia
  total: 18.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Germany
  total: 4.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Ghana
  total: 51.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 54.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 5.13 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Greece
  total: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Greenland
  total: 15.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.15 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Grenada
  total: 14.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 8.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guam
  total: 6.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  total: 35.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 35.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  total: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guinea
  total: 90.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 84.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 107.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 117.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 96.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Guyana
  total: 33.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 36.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Haiti
  total: 73.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 79.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 66.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Honduras
  total: 29.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 2.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Hungary
  total: 8.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Iceland
  total: 3.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

India
  total: 56.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.86 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 55.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 35.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 40.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 30.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Iran
  total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Iraq
  total: 50.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 56.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Ireland
  total: 5.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Israel
  total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Italy
  total: 5.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.29 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 12.36 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Japan
  total: 3.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 3.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Jersey
  total: 5.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Jordan
  total: 17.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.75 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 29.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Kenya
  total: 61.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 64.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 48.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 43.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 24.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 35.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 40.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 30.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Laos
  total: 85.22 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 75.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Latvia
  total: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 11.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 24.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 84.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 89.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 79.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Liberia
  total: 128.87 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 135.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 121.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Libya
  total: 24.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.92 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 6.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 4.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Macau
  total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  total: 10.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 76.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Malawi
  total: 103.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 99.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 20.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 14.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Maldives
  total: 56.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 57.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mali
  total: 116.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 123.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 110.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Malta
  total: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total: 5.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total: 29.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Martinique
  total: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  total: 70.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 73.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 15.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  total: 62.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 68.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 56.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mexico
  total: 20.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Moldova
  total: 40.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Monaco
  total: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 53.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 57.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 50.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  total: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Morocco
  total: 41.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 45.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 130.79 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 135.91 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 125.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Namibia
  total: 48.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 44.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Nauru
  total: 9.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 12.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Nepal
  total: 66.98 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 68.79 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 10.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 5.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  total: 29.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Niger
  total: 121.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 125.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 117.33 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 98.8 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 105.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 91.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Niue
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Norfolk Island
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 7.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Norway
  total: 3.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.07 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Oman
  total: 19.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 16.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 72.44 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 72.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Palau
  total: 14.84 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Panama
  total: 20.47 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 51.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 47.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 25.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 30.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Peru
  total: 31.94 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 34.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Philippines
  total: 23.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 20.54 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Poland
  total: 8.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.59 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 7.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Portugal
  total: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total: 8.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Qatar
  total: 18.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Reunion
  total: 7.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Romania
  total: 26.43 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 23.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Russia
  total: 15.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 91.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 96.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 85.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 19 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.74 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 15.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 14.49 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 16.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total: 13.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 12.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 7.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 14.78 deaths/1,000 live
  births
  male: 16.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Samoa
  total: 27.71 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 32.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

San Marino
  total: 5.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 13.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.19 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Senegal
  total: 55.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 59.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 51.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 12.89 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 14.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 15.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 19.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 143.64 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 161.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 125.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Singapore
  total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 7.41 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 8.65 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 4.45 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total: 21.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 24.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Somalia
  total: 116.7 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 126.06 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 107.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

South Africa
  total: 61.81 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 65.6 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 57.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Spain
  total: 4.42 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.82 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 14.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Sudan
  total: 62.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 63.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 61.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Suriname
  total: 23.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.57 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Swaziland
  total: 69.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 72.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 65.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Sweden
  total: 2.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 2.93 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 2.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Syria
  total: 29.53 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 29.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 29.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 6.4 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 110.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 122.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 98.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 98.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 107.85 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 88.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Thailand
  total: 20.48 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Togo
  total: 66.61 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.24 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 58.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Tonga
  total: 12.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.97 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 24.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.23 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 22.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 24.77 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 27.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 21.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Turkey
  total: 41.04 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 44.68 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 37.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 73.08 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 76.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 69.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 15.67 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 18.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 13.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 20.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 22.9 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.02 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Uganda
  total: 67.83 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 71.18 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 20.34 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.55 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 19.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 14.51 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 17.05 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 11.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 5.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

United States
  total: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 7.17 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 11.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 13.27 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 10.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 71.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 74.78 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 67.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 55.16 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 57.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 52.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 22.2 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 25.31 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 25.95 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 26.35 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 25.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total: 8.03 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 9.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 6.88 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

West Bank
  total: 19.62 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 21.66 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 17.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

World
  total: 50.11 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 52.1 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 48.01 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Yemen
  total: 61.5 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 66.26 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 56.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Zambia
  total: 88.29 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 95.63 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 80.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 67.69 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 70.32 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 64.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2092 Inflation rate (consumer prices) (%)

Afghanistan
  10.3% (2003)

Albania
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Algeria
  3.1% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  NA%

Andorra
  4.3% (2000)

Angola
  43.8% (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  2.3%

Antigua and Barbuda
  0.4% (2000 est.)

Argentina
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Armenia
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Aruba
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Australia
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Austria
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  4.6% (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  1.2% (year ending September 2004)

Bahrain
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  6% (2004 est.)

Barbados
  -0.5% (2003 est.)

Belarus
  17.4% (2004 est.)

Belgium
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Belize
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Benin
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Bermuda
  3.3% (mid-2003 est.)

Bhutan
  3% (2002 est.)

Bolivia
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Botswana
  7% (2004 est.)

Brazil
  7.6% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  2.5% (2003)

Brunei
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Burma
  17.2% (2004 est.)

Burundi
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  1% (2004 est.)

Canada
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  1.5% (2004 est.)

Cayman Islands
  2.8% (2002)

Central African Republic
  3.6% (2001 est.)

Chad
  8% (2004 est.)

Chile
  2.4% (2004 est.)

China
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Colombia
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Comoros
  3.5% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  14% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  1.8% (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  3.2% (2000 est.)

Costa Rica
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Croatia
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Cuba
  3.1% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 2.4% (2003 est.); north Cyprus: 12.6%
  (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Denmark
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  2% (2002 est.)

Dominica
  1% (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
  55% (2004 est.)

East Timor
  4% (2003 est.)

Ecuador
  2% (2004 est.)

Egypt
  9.5% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  8.5% (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  10% (2004 est.)

Estonia
  3% (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  2.4% (2004 est.)

European Union
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  3.6% (1998)

Faroe Islands
  5.1% (1999)

Fiji
  1.6% (2002 est.)

Finland
  0.7% (2004 est.)

France
  2.3% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  1.5% (2002 est.)

French Polynesia
  1.5% (2002 est.)

Gabon
  1.5% (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  7% (2004 est.)

Gaza Strip
  2.2% (includes West Bank) (2001 est.)

Georgia
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Germany
  1.6% (2004 est.)

Ghana
  13% (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  1.5% (1998)

Greece
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Greenland
  1.6% (1999 est.)

Grenada
  2.8% (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  0% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  7.2% (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  4.9% (2004 est.)

Guinea
  18% (2004 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  4% (2002 est.)

Guyana
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Haiti
  22% (2004 est.)

Honduras
  7% (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  -0.3% (2004 est.)

Hungary
  7% (2004 est.)

Iceland
  4% (2004 est.)

India
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  6.1% (2004 est.)

Iran
  15.5% (2004 est.)

Iraq
  25.4% (2004 est.)

Ireland
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Israel
  0% (2004 est.)

Italy
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  12.4% (2004 est.)

Japan
  -0.1% (2004 est.)

Jersey
  5.3% (2004)

Jordan
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  6.9% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  9% (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  2.5% (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  NA (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  2.3% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Laos
  12.3% (2004 est.)

Latvia
  6% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  2% (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  5.3% (2004 est.)

Liberia
  15% (2003 est.)

Libya
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  1% (2001)

Lithuania
  1.1% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Macau
  2% (3rd quarter, 2004)

Macedonia
  0.4% (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  7.5% (2004 est.)

Malawi
  12% (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  1.3% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  1% (2002 est.)

Mali
  4.5% (2002 est.)

Malta
  2.9% (2004 est.)

Man, Isle of
  3.6% (March 2003 est.)

Marshall Islands
  2% (2001 est.)

Martinique
  3.9% (1990)

Mauritania
  7% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1% (2002 est.)

Moldova
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Monaco
  1.9% (2000)

Mongolia
  11% (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  2.6% (2002 est.)

Morocco
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  12.8% (2004 est.)

Namibia
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Nauru
  -3.6% (1993)

Nepal
  2.9% (2002 est.)

Netherlands
  1.4% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  2.1% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  -0.6% (2000 est.)

New Zealand
  2.4% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  9.3% (2004 est.)

Niger
  3% (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  16.5% (2004 est.)

Niue
  1% (1995)

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  1.2% (1997 est.)

Norway
  1% (2004 est.)

Oman
  0.2% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  4.8% (FY03/04 est.)

Palau
  3.4% (2000 est.)

Panama
  2% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  5.1% (2004 est.)

Peru
  3.8% (2004 est.)

Philippines
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  3.4% (2004 est.)

Portugal
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  6.5% (2003 est.)

Qatar
  3% (2004 est.)

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  9.6% (2004 est.)

Russia
  11.5% (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  7% (2004 est.)

Saint Helena
  3.2% (1997 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  1.7% (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  3% (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2.1% (1991-96 average)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -0.4% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  4% (2001 est.)

San Marino
  3.3% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  14% (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0.8% (2004 est.)

Senegal
  0.8% (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  8.8% (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  5% (2004 est.)

Sierra Leone
  1% (2002 est.)

Singapore
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  7.5% (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  10% (2003 est.)

Somalia
  note - businesses print their own money, so inflation rates
  cannot be sensibly determined (2004 est.)

South Africa
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Spain
  3.2% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  5.8% (2004 est.)

Sudan
  9% (2004 est.)

Suriname
  23% (2003 est.)

Swaziland
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Sweden
  0.7% (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Syria
  2.1% (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  1.7% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  8% (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  5.4% (2004 est.)

Thailand
  2.8% (2004 est.)

Togo
  1% (2004 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  10.3% (2002 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  3.3% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  4.1% (2004 est.)

Turkey
  9.3% (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  9% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4% (1995)

Tuvalu
  5% (2000 est.)

Uganda
  3.5% (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  12% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  3.2% (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.4% (2004 est.)

United States
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  7.6% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  3% (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  3.1% (2003 est.)

Venezuela
  22.4% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  9.5% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2.2% (2003)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  developed countries 1% to 4% typically; developing countries
  5% to 60% typically; national inflation rates vary widely in
  individual cases, from declining prices in Japan to hyperinflation
  in several Third World countries (2004 est.)

Yemen
  12.2% (2004 est.)

Zambia
  18.3% (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  133% (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2093 Waterways (km)

Afghanistan 1,200 km note: chiefly Amu Darya, which handles vessels up to 500 DWT (2004)

Albania
  43 km (2004)

Angola
  1,300 km (2004)

Argentina
  11,000 km (2004)

Australia
  2,000 km (mainly used for recreation on Murray and
  Murray-Darling river systems) (2004)

Austria
  358 km (2003)

Bangladesh
  8,372 km
  note: includes 2,575 km main cargo routes (2004)

Belarus
  2,500 km (use limited by location on perimeter of country
  and by shallowness) (2003)

Belgium
  2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) (2003)

Belize
  825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Benin
  150 km (on River Niger along northern border) (2004)

Bolivia
  10,000 km (commercially navigable) (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Sava River (northern border) open to shipping
  but use limited because of no agreement with neighboring countries
  (2004)

Brazil
  50,000 km (most in areas remote from industry and population)
  (2004)

Brunei
  209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004)

Bulgaria
  470 km (2004)

Burma
  12,800 km (2004)

Burundi
  mainly on Lake Tanganyika (2004)

Cambodia
  2,400 km (mainly on Mekong River) (2004)

Cameroon
  navigation mainly on Benue River; limited during rainy
  season (2004)

Canada
  631 km
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
  Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with United States (2003)

Central African Republic
  2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and
  Sangha rivers) (2004)

Chad
  Chari and Legone rivers are navigable only in wet season (2002)

China
  121,557 km (2002)

Colombia
  9,187 km (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15,000 km (navigation on the Congo curtailed by fighting) (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  4,385 km (on Congo and Oubanqui rivers) (2004)

Costa Rica
  730 km (seasonally navigable by small craft) (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  980 km (navigable rivers, canals, and numerous coastal
  lagoons) (2003)

Croatia
  785 km (2004)

Cuba
  240 km (2004)

Czech Republic
  664 km (on Elbe, Vltava, and Oder rivers) (2004)

Denmark
  417 km (2001)

Ecuador
  1,500 km (most inaccessible) (2003)

Egypt
  3,500 km
  note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway,
  and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including
  approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m
  (2004)

El Salvador
  Rio Lempa partially navigable (2004)

Estonia
  500 km (2003)

European Union
  53,512 km

Fiji
  203 km
  note: 122 km navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges
  (2004)

Finland
  7,842 km
  note: includes Saimaa Canal system of 3,577 km; southern part leased
  from Russia (2004)

France
  8,500 km (1,686 km accessible to craft of 3,000 metric tons)
  (2000)

French Guiana
  3,760 km
  note: 460 km navigable by small oceangoing vessels and coastal and
  river steamers, 3,300 km by native craft (2004)

Gabon
  1,600 km (310 km on Ogooue River) (2003)

Gambia, The
  390 km (on River Gambia; small ocean-going vessels can
  reach 190 km) (2004)

Germany
  7,300 km
  note: Rhine River carries most goods; Main-Danube Canal links North
  Sea and Black Sea (2004)

Ghana
  1,293 km
  note: 168 km for launches and lighters on Volta, Ankobra, and Tano
  rivers; 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways on Lake Volta
  (2003)

Greece
  6 km
  note: Corinth Canal (6 km) crosses the Isthmus of Corinth; shortens
  sea voyage by 325 km (2004)

Guatemala
  990 km
  note: 260 km navigable year round; additional 730 km navigable
  during high-water season (2004)

Guinea
  1,295 km (navigable by shallow-draft native craft) (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
  4 largest rivers are navigable for some distance; many
  inlets and creeks give shallow-water access to much of interior
  (2004)

Guyana
  1,077 km
  note: Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo rivers are navigable by
  oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km respectively (2004)

Honduras
  465 km (most navigable only by small craft) (2004)

Hungary
  1,622 km (most on Danube River) (2004)

India
  14,500 km
  note: 5,200 km on major rivers and 485 km on canals suitable for
  mechanized vessels (2004)

Indonesia
  21,579 km
  note: Sumatra 5,471 km, Java and Madura 820 km, Kalimantan 10,460
  km, Sulawesi (Celebes) 241 km, Irian Jaya 4,587 km (2004)

Iran
  850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004)

Iraq
  5,275 km (not all navigable)
  note: Euphrates River (2,815 km), Tigris River (1,895 km), and Third
  River (565 km) are principal waterways (2004)

Ireland
  753 km (pleasure craft only) (2004)

Italy
  2,400 km
  note: used for commercial traffic; of limited overall value compared
  to road and rail (2004)

Japan
  1,770 km (seagoing vessels use inland seas) (2004)

Kazakhstan
  4,000 km
  note: on the Syr Darya (Syrdariya) and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers (2004)

Kenya
  part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya
  (2004)

Kiribati
  5 km (small network of canals in Line Islands) (2003)

Korea, North
  2,250 km
  note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Korea, South
  1,608 km
  note: most navigable only by small craft (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  600 km (2004)

Laos
  4,600 km
  note: primarily Mekong and tributaries; 2,897 additional km are
  intermittently navigable by craft drawing less than 0.5 m (2003)

Latvia
  300 km (2004)

Liechtenstein
  28 km (2004)

Lithuania
  600 km (2004)

Luxembourg
  37 km (on Moselle River) (2003)

Madagascar
  600 km (2004)

Malawi
  700 km
  note: on Lake Nyasa (Lake Malawi) and Shire River (2003)

Malaysia
  7,200 km
  note: Peninsular Malaysia 3,200 km, Sabah 1,500 km, Sarawak 2,500 km
  (2004)

Mali
  1,815 km (2004)

Mauritania
  some ferry traffic on Senegal River (2004)

Mexico 2,900 km note: navigable rivers and coastal canals (2004)

Moldova
  424 km (2004)

Mongolia
  580 km
  note: only waterway in operation is Lake Khovsgol (135 km); Selenge
  River (270 km) and Orkhon River (175 km) are navigable but carry
  little traffic; lakes and rivers freeze in winter, are open from May
  to September (2004)

Mozambique
  460 km (Zambezi River navigable to Tete and along Cahora
  Bassa Lake) (2004)

Netherlands
  5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)

Nicaragua
  2,220 km (including lakes Managua and Nicaragua) (1997)

Niger
  300 km
  note: Niger River is navigable to Gaya between September and March
  (2004)

Nigeria
  8,600 km (Niger and Benue rivers and smaller rivers and
  creeks) (2004)

Panama
  800 km (includes 82 km Panama Canal) (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  10,940 km (2003)

Paraguay
  3,100 km (2004)

Peru
  8,808 km
  note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km
  of Lago Titicaca (2004)

Philippines 3,219 km note: limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m (2004)

Poland
  3,997 km (navigable rivers and canals) (2003)

Portugal
  210 km (on Douro River from Porto) (2003)

Romania
  1,731 km (2004)

Russia
  96,000 km
  note: 72,000 km system in European Russia links Baltic Sea, White
  Sea, Caspian Sea, Sea of Azov, and Black Sea (2004)

Rwanda
  Lac Kivu navigable by shallow-draft barges and native craft
  (2004)

Senegal
  1,000 km (primarily on Senegal, Saloum, and Casamance
  rivers) (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
  587 km
  note: Danube River traffic delayed by pontoon bridge at Novi Sad;
  plan to replace by summer of 2005 (2004)

Sierra Leone
  800 km (2003)

Slovakia
  172 km (on Danube River) (2004)

Spain
  1,045 km (2003)

Sri Lanka
  160 km (primarily on rivers in southwest) (2004)

Sudan
  4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile
  rivers) (2004)

Suriname
  1,200 km (most navigable by ships with drafts up to 7 m)
  (2003)

Switzerland
  65 km
  note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and
  Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)

Syria
  900 km (not economically significant) (2002)

Tajikistan
  200 km (along Vakhsh River) (2003)

Tanzania
  Lake Tanganyika, Lake Victoria, and Lake Nyasa principal
  avenues of commerce with neighboring countries; rivers not navigable
  (2004)

Thailand 4,000 km note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2003)

Togo
  50 km (seasonally on Mono River depending on rainfall) (2003)

Turkey
  1,200 km (2003)

Turkmenistan
  1,300 km (Amu Darya and Kara Kum canal important inland
  waterways) (2003)

Uganda
  300 km (on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga,
  and parts of Albert Nile) (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  1,672 km (most on Dnieper River) (2004)

United Kingdom
  3,200 km (620 km used for commerce) (2004)

United States
  41,009 km (19,312 km used for commerce)
  note: Saint Lawrence Seaway of 3,769 km, including the Saint
  Lawrence River of 3,058 km, shared with Canada (2004)

Uruguay
  1,600 km (2002)

Uzbekistan
  1,100 km (2004)

Venezuela
  7,100 km
  note: Orinoco River and Lake de Maracaibo navigable by oceangoing
  vessels, Orinoco for 400 km (2004)

Vietnam
  17,702 km (5,000 km navigable by vessels up to 1.8 m draft)
  (2004)

World
  671,886 km (2004)

Zambia
  2,250 km
  note: includes Lake Tanganyika and the Zambezi and Luapula rivers
  (2003)

Zimbabwe
  on Lake Kariba, length small (2003)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2094 Judicial branch

Afghanistan
  the new constitution establishes a nine-member Stera
  Mahkama or Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for
  10-year terms by the president with approval of the Wolesi Jirga)
  and subordinate High Courts and Appeals Courts; there is also a
  Minister of Justice; a separate Afghan Independent Human Rights
  Commission established by the Bonn Agreement is charged with
  investigating human rights abuses and war crimes

Albania
  Constitutional Court, Supreme Court (chairman is elected by
  the People's Assembly for a four-year term), and multiple appeals
  and district courts

Algeria
  Supreme Court or Court Supreme

American Samoa
  High Court (chief justice and associate justices are
  appointed by the US Secretary of the Interior)

Andorra
  Tribunal of Judges or Tribunal de Batlles; Tribunal of the
  Courts or Tribunal de Corts; Supreme Court of Justice of Andorra or
  Tribunal Superior de Justicia d'Andorra; Supreme Council of Justice
  or Consell Superior de la Justicia; Fiscal Ministry or Ministeri
  Fiscal; Constitutional Tribunal or Tribunal Constitucional

Angola
  Supreme Court or Tribunal da Relacao (judges are appointed by
  the president)

Anguilla
  High Court (judge provided by Eastern Caribbean Supreme
  Court)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint
  Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands
  and presides over the Court of Summary Jurisdiction)

Argentina
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court
  judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

Armenia
  Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)

Aruba
  Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the
  monarch)

Australia
  High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are
  appointed by the governor general)

Austria
  Supreme Judicial Court or Oberster Gerichtshof;
  Administrative Court or Verwaltungsgerichtshof; Constitutional Court
  or Verfassungsgerichtshof

Azerbaijan
  Supreme Court

Bahamas, The
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; magistrates courts

Bahrain
  High Civil Appeals Court

Bangladesh
  Supreme Court (the chief justices and other judges are
  appointed by the president)

Barbados
  Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the
  Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)

Belarus
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president);
  Constitutional Court (half of the judges appointed by the president
  and half appointed by the Chamber of Representatives)

Belgium
  Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or
  Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the
  Government; candidacies have to be submitted by the High Justice
  Council)

Belize
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor
  general on the advice of the prime minister)

Benin
  Constitutional Court or Cour Constitutionnelle; Supreme Court
  or Cour Supreme; High Court of Justice

Bermuda
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrate Courts

Bhutan
  Supreme Court of Appeal (the monarch); High Court (judges
  appointed by the monarch)

Bolivia
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year
  terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each
  department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BiH Constitutional Court (consists of nine
  members: four members are selected by the Bosniak/Croat Federation's
  House of Representatives, two members by the Republika Srpska's
  National Assembly, and three non-Bosnian members by the president of
  the European Court of Human Rights); BiH State Court (consists of
  nine judges and three divisions - Administrative, Appellate and
  Criminal - having jurisdiction over cases related to state-level law
  and appellate jurisdiction over cases initiated in the entities;
  note - a War Crimes Chamber may be added at a future date)
  note: the entities each have a Supreme Court; each entity also has a
  number of lower courts; there are 10 cantonal courts in the
  Federation, plus a number of municipal courts; the Republika Srpska
  has five municipal courts

Botswana
  High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in
  each district)

Brazil
  Supreme Federal Tribunal (11 ministers are appointed for life
  by the president and confirmed by the Senate); Higher Tribunal of
  Justice; Regional Federal Tribunals (judges are appointed for life);
  note - though appointed "for life," judges, like all federal
  employees, have a mandatory retirement age of 70

British Virgin Islands
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting
  of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of
  the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the
  High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction

Brunei
  Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the
  monarch for three-year terms)

Bulgaria
  Supreme Administrative Court; Supreme Court of Cassation;
  Constitutional Court (12 justices appointed or elected for nine-year
  terms); Supreme Judicial Council (consists of the chairmen of the
  two Supreme Courts, the Chief Prosecutor, and 22 other members;
  responsible for appointing the justices, prosecutors, and
  investigating magistrates in the justice system; members of the
  Supreme Judicial Council elected for five-year terms, 11 elected by
  the National Assembly and 11 by bodies of the judiciary)

Burkina Faso
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court

Burma
  remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but
  there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not
  independent of the executive

Burundi
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal (there are three in separate locations); Tribunals of
  First Instance (17 at the province level and 123 small local
  tribunals)

Cambodia
  Supreme Council of the Magistracy (provided for in the
  constitution and formed in December 1997); Supreme Court (and lower
  courts) exercises judicial authority

Cameroon
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); High
  Court of Justice (consists of 9 judges and 6 substitute judges,
  elected by the National Assembly)

Canada
  Supreme Court of Canada (judges are appointed by the prime
  minister through the governor general); Federal Court of Canada;
  Federal Court of Appeal; Provincial Courts (these are named
  variously Court of Appeal, Court of Queens Bench, Superior Court,
  Supreme Court, and Court of Justice)

Cape Verde
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Supremo Tribunal de Justia

Cayman Islands
  Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of
  Appeal

Central African Republic
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme;
  Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the
  president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court
  of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts

Chad
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Magistrate
  Courts

Chile
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are appointed by the
  president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates
  provided by the court itself; the president of the Supreme Court is
  elected by the 21-member court); Constitutional Tribunal

China
  Supreme People's Court (judges appointed by the National
  People's Congress); Local Peoples Courts (comprise higher,
  intermediate and local courts); Special Peoples Courts (primarily
  military, maritime, and railway transport courts)

Christmas Island
  Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court

Colombia
  four roughly coequal, supreme judicial organs; Supreme
  Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (highest court of
  criminal law; judges are selected by their peers from the nominees
  of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms); Council of
  State (highest court of administrative law; judges are selected from
  the nominees of the Superior Judicial Council for eight-year terms);
  Constitutional Court (guards integrity and supremacy of the
  constitution; rules on constitutionality of laws, amendments to the
  constitution, and international treaties); Superior Judicial Council
  (administers and disciplines the civilian judiciary; resolves
  jurisdictional conflicts arising between other courts; members are
  elected by three sister courts and Congress for eight-year terms)

Comoros
  Supreme Court or Cour Supremes (two members appointed by the
  president, two members elected by the Federal Assembly, one elected
  by the Council of each island, and others are former presidents of
  the republic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Congo, Republic of the
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Cook Islands
  High Court

Costa Rica
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (22 justices are elected
  for eight-year terms by the Legislative Assembly)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consists of four
  chambers: Judicial Chamber for criminal cases, Audit Chamber for
  financial cases, Constitutional Chamber for judicial review cases,
  and Administrative Chamber for civil cases; there is no legal limit
  to the number of members

Croatia
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; judges for both courts
  appointed for eight-year terms by the Judicial Council of the
  Republic, which is elected by the Assembly

Cuba
  People's Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo Popular (president,
  vice president, and other judges are elected by the National
  Assembly)

Cyprus
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed jointly by the president
  and vice president)
  note: there is also a Supreme Court in north Cyprus

Czech Republic
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court; chairman and
  deputy chairmen are appointed by the president for a 10-year term

Denmark
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch for life)

Djibouti
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Dominica
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the Court of
  Appeal and the High Court (located in Saint Lucia; one of the six
  judges must reside in Dominica and preside over the Court of Summary
  Jurisdiction)

Dominican Republic
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are
  appointed by a the National Judicial Council comprised of the
  President, the leaders of both chambers of congress, the President
  of the Supreme Court, and an opposition or non-governing party
  member)

East Timor
  Supreme Court of Justice - constitution calls for one
  judge to be appointed by National Parliament and rest appointed by
  Superior Council for Judiciary; note - until Supreme Court is
  established, Court of Appeals is highest court

Ecuador
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (according to the
  Constitution, new justices are elected by the full Supreme Court; in
  December 2004, however, Congress successfully replaced the entire
  court via a simple-majority resolution)

Egypt
  Supreme Constitutional Court

El Salvador
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges are selected by
  the Legislative Assembly)

Equatorial Guinea
  Supreme Tribunal

Eritrea
  High Court - regional, subregional, and village courts; also
  have military and special courts

Estonia
  National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Ethiopia
  Federal Supreme Court (the president and vice president of
  the Federal Supreme Court are recommended by the prime minister and
  appointed by the House of People's Representatives; for other
  federal judges, the prime minister submits to the House of People's
  Representatives for appointment candidates selected by the Federal
  Judicial Administrative Council)

European Union
  Court of Justice of the European Communities (ensures
  that the treaties are interpreted and applied correctly) - 25
  justices (one from each member state) appointed for a six-year term;
  note - for the sake of efficiency, the court can sit with 11
  justices known as the "Grand Chamber"; Court of First Instance - 25
  justices appointed for a six-year term

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction

Faroe Islands
  none

Fiji
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president); Court of
  Appeal; High Court; Magistrates' Courts

Finland
  Supreme Court or Korkein Oikeus (judges appointed by the
  president)

France
  Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are
  appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of
  the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel
  (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the
  president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the
  president of the Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat

French Guiana
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel (highest local court
  based in Martinique with jurisdiction over Martinique, Guadeloupe,
  and French Guiana)

French Polynesia
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First
  Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative
  Law or Tribunal Administratif

Gabon
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme consisting of three chambers -
  Judicial, Administrative, and Accounts; Constitutional Court; Courts
  of Appeal; Court of State Security; County Courts

Gambia, The
  Supreme Court

Georgia
  Supreme Court (judges elected by the Supreme Council on the
  president's recommendation); Constitutional Court; first and second
  instance courts

Germany
  Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht
  (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the
  Bundesrat)

Ghana
  Supreme Court

Gibraltar
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal

Greece
  Supreme Judicial Court; Special Supreme Tribunal; all judges
  appointed for life by the president after consultation with a
  judicial council

Greenland
  High Court or Landsret (appeals can be made to the Ostre
  Landsret or Eastern Division of the High Court or Supreme Court in
  Copenhagen)

Grenada
  West Indies Associate States Supreme Court (an associate
  judge resides in Grenada)

Guadeloupe
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over
  Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique

Guam
  Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president);
  Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by
  the governor)

Guatemala
  Constitutional Court or Corte de Constitutcionalidad is
  Guatemala's highest court (five judges are elected for concurrent
  five-year terms by Congress, each serving one year as president of
  the Constitutional Court; one is elected by Congress, one elected by
  the Supreme Court of Justice, one appointed by the President, one
  elected by Superior Counsel of Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala,
  and one by Colegio de Abogados); Supreme Court of Justice or Corte
  Suprema de Justicia (13 members serve concurrent five-year terms and
  elect a president of the Court each year from among their number;
  the president of the Supreme Court of Justice also supervises trial
  judges around the country, who are named to five-year terms)

Guernsey
  Royal Court

Guinea
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Guinea-Bissau
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal da Justica (consists
  of nine justices appointed by the president and serve at his
  pleasure; final court of appeals in criminal and civil cases);
  Regional Courts (one in each of nine regions; first court of appeals
  for Sectoral Court decisions; hear all felony cases and civil cases
  valued at over $1,000); 24 Sectoral Courts (judges are not
  necessarily trained lawyers; they hear civil cases under $1,000 and
  misdemeanor criminal cases)

Guyana
  Supreme Court of Judicature; Judicial Court of Appeal; High
  Court

Haiti
  Supreme Court or Cour de Cassation

Holy See (Vatican City)
  there are three tribunals responsible for
  civil and criminal matters within Vatican City; three other
  tribunals rule on issues pertaining to the Holy See
  note: judicial duties were established by the Motu Proprio of Pius
  XII on 1 May 1946

Honduras
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
  (judges are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress)

Hong Kong
  Court of Final Appeal in the Hong Kong Special
  Administrative Region

Hungary
  Constitutional Court (judges are elected by the National
  Assembly for nine-year terms)

Iceland
  Supreme Court or Haestirettur (justices are appointed for
  life by the Minister of Justice); eight district courts (justices
  are appointed for life by the Minister of Justice)

India
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president and
  remain in office until they reach the age of 65)

Indonesia
  Supreme Court or Mahkamah Agung (justices appointed by the
  president from a list of candidates approved by the legislature); a
  separate Constitutional Court or Makhama Konstitusi was invested by
  the president on 16 August 2003; in March 2004 the Supreme Court
  assumed administrative and financial responsibility for the lower
  court system from the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights

Iran
  Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary
  court, and a special administrative court

Iraq
  Supreme Court appointed by the Prime Minister, confirmed by the
  Presidency Council

Ireland
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  advice of the prime minister and cabinet)

Israel
  Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)

Italy
  Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale (composed of 15
  judges: one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by
  parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative
  Supreme Courts)

Jamaica
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on
  the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal

Japan
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the monarch after
  designation by the cabinet; all other justices are appointed by the
  cabinet)

Jersey
  Royal Court (judges elected by an electoral college and the
  bailiff)

Jordan
  Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)

Kazakhstan
  Supreme Court (44 members); Constitutional Council (7
  members)

Kenya
  Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president);
  High Court

Kiribati
  Court of Appeal; High Court; 26 Magistrates' courts; judges
  at all levels are appointed by the president

Korea, North
  Central Court (judges are elected by the Supreme
  People's Assembly)

Korea, South
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by president with
  consent of National Assembly); Constitutional Court (justices
  appointed by president based partly on nominations by National
  Assembly and Chief Justice of the court)

Kuwait
  High Court of Appeal

Kyrgyzstan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed for 10-year terms by
  the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the president);
  Constitutional Court; Higher Court of Arbitration

Laos
  People's Supreme Court (the president of the People's Supreme
  Court is elected by the National Assembly on the recommendation of
  the National Assembly Standing Committee; the vice president of the
  People's Supreme Court and the judges are appointed by the National
  Assembly Standing Committee)

Latvia
  Supreme Court (judges' appointments are confirmed by
  Parliament)

Lebanon
  four Courts of Cassation (three courts for civil and
  commercial cases and one court for criminal cases); Constitutional
  Council (called for in Ta'if Accord - rules on constitutionality of
  laws); Supreme Council (hears charges against the president and
  prime minister as needed)

Lesotho
  High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on
  the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's
  Court; customary or traditional court

Liberia
  Supreme Court

Libya
  Supreme Court

Liechtenstein
  Supreme Court or Oberster Gerichtshof; Court of Appeal
  or Obergericht

Lithuania
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
  judges for all courts appointed by the President

Luxembourg
  judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2
  district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative
  courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative
  courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all
  courts are appointed for life by the monarch

Macau
  Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region

Macedonia
  Supreme Court - the Assembly appoints the judges;
  Constitutional Court - the Assembly appoints the judges; Republican
  Judicial Council - the Assembly appoints the judges

Madagascar
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court
  or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle

Malawi
  Supreme Court of Appeal; High Court (chief justice appointed
  by the president, puisne judges appointed on the advice of the
  Judicial Service Commission); magistrate's courts

Malaysia
  Federal Court (judges appointed by the paramount ruler on
  the advice of the prime minister)

Maldives
  High Court

Mali
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Malta
  Constitutional Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister

Man, Isle of
  High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the
  Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant
  governor)

Marshall Islands
  Supreme Court; High Court

Martinique
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Mauritania
  Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Court of Appeals; lower
  courts

Mauritius
  Supreme Court

Mayotte
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel

Mexico
  Supreme Court of Justice or Suprema Corte de Justicia
  Nacional (justices or ministros are appointed by the president with
  consent of the Senate)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Supreme Court

Moldova
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for
  constitutional judicature)

Monaco
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the
  monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council)

Mongolia
  Supreme Court (serves as appeals court for people's and
  provincial courts but rarely overturns verdicts of lower courts;
  judges are nominated by the General Council of Courts and approved
  by the president)

Montserrat
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia,
  one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and
  presides over the High Court)

Morocco
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed on the recommendation of
  the Supreme Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the monarch)

Mozambique
  Supreme Court (the court of final appeal; some of its
  professional judges are appointed by the president and some are
  elected by the Assembly); other courts include an Administrative
  Court, customs courts, maritime courts, courts marshal, labor courts
  note: although the constitution provides for a separate
  Constitutional Court, one has never been established; in its absence
  the Supreme Court reviews constitutional cases

Namibia
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission)

Nauru
  Supreme Court

Nepal
  Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed
  by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
  other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
  the Judicial Council)

Netherlands
  Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for
  life by the monarch)

Netherlands Antilles
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed
  by the monarch)

New Caledonia
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint
  Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

New Zealand
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note -
  Judges appointed by the Governor-General

Nicaragua
  Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (16 judges elected for
  five-year terms by the National Assembly)

Niger
  State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Nigeria
  Supreme Court (judges appointed by the President); Federal
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the federal government on
  the advice of the Advisory Judicial Committee)

Niue
  Supreme Court of New Zealand; High Court of Niue

Norfolk Island
  Supreme Court; Court of Petty Sessions

Northern Mariana Islands
  Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court;
  Federal District Court

Norway
  Supreme Court or Hoyesterett (justices appointed by the
  monarch)

Oman
  Supreme Court
  note: the nascent civil court system, administered by region, has
  judges who practice secular and Sharia (Islamic) law

Pakistan
  Supreme Court (justices appointed by the president);
  Federal Islamic or Shari'a Court

Palau
  Supreme Court; National Court; Court of Common Pleas

Panama
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (nine
  judges appointed for 10-year terms); five superior courts; three
  courts of appeal

Papua New Guinea
  Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by
  the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
  Council after consultation with the minister responsible for
  justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
  Services Commission)

Paraguay
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia
  (judges appointed on the proposal of the Council of Magistrates or
  Consejo de la Magistratura)

Peru
  Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges
  are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary)

Philippines
  Supreme Court (15 justices are appointed by the
  president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council and
  serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan
  (special court for hearing corruption cases of government officials)

Pitcairn Islands
  Magistrate's Court; Supreme Court; Court of Appeal;
  Judicial Officers are appointed by the Governor

Poland
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president on the
  recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an
  indefinite period); Constitutional Tribunal (judges are chosen by
  the Sejm for nine-year terms)

Portugal
  Supreme Court or Supremo Tribunal de Justica (judges
  appointed for life by the Conselho Superior da Magistratura)

Puerto Rico
  Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
  composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court
  (justices for all these courts appointed by the governor with the
  consent of the Senate)

Qatar
  Court of Appeal
  note: under the new judiciary law issued in 2003, the former two
  court systems, civil and Islamic law, were merged under a higher
  court, the Court of Cassation, established for appeals

Reunion
  Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel

Romania
  Supreme Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the
  president on the recommendation of the Superior Council of
  Magistrates, a board of eleven judges and six prosecutors elected by
  parliament)

Russia
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of
  Arbitration; judges for all courts are appointed for life by the
  Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

Rwanda
  Supreme Court; High Courts of the Republic; Provincial
  Courts; District Courts; mediation committees

Saint Helena
  Supreme Court; Magistrate's Court; Small Debts Court;
  Juvenile Court

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on
  Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Kitts
  and Nevis)

Saint Lucia
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to
  Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica,
  Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint
  Vincent and the Grenadines)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal
  Superieur d'Appel

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
  (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in
  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Samoa
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; District Court; Land and
  Titles Court

San Marino
  Council of Twelve or Consiglio dei XII

Sao Tome and Principe
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the
  National Assembly)

Saudi Arabia
  Supreme Council of Justice

Senegal
  Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final
  Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals; note - the judicial
  system was reformed in 1992

Serbia and Montenegro
  The Court of Serbia and Montenegro; judges are
  elected by the Serbia and Montenegro Parliament for six-year terms
  note: since the promulgation of the 2003 Constitution, the Federal
  Court has constitutional and administrative functions; it has an
  equal number of judges from each republic

Seychelles
  Court of Appeal; Supreme Court; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president

Sierra Leone
  Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Singapore
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
  with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by
  the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Slovakia
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
  Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
  nominees approved by the National Council)

Slovenia
  Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Assembly
  on the recommendation of the Judicial Council); Constitutional Court
  (judges elected for nine-year terms by the National Assembly and
  nominated by the president)

Solomon Islands
  Court of Appeal

Somalia
  following the breakdown of the central government, most
  regions have reverted to local forms of conflict resolution, either
  secular, traditional clan-based arbitration, or Islamic (Shari'a)
  law with a provision for appeal of all sentences

South Africa
  Constitutional Court; Supreme Court of Appeals; High
  Courts; Magistrate Courts

Spain
  Supreme Court or Tribunal Supremo

Sri Lanka
  Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; judges for both courts
  are appointed by the president

Sudan
  Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts

Suriname
  Cantonal Courts and a Court of Justice as an appellate
  court (justices are nominated for life)

Swaziland
  High Court; Court of Appeal; judges for both courts are
  appointed by the monarch

Sweden
  Supreme Court or Hogsta Domstolen (judges are appointed by
  the prime minister and the cabinet)

Switzerland
  Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms
  by the Federal Assembly)

Syria
  Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for
  four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of
  Cassation; State Security Courts

Taiwan
  Judicial Yuan (justices appointed by the president with
  consent of the Legislative Yuan)

Tajikistan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Tanzania
  Permanent Commission of Enquiry (official ombudsman); Court
  of Appeal (consists of a chief justice and four judges); High Court
  (consists of a Jaji Kiongozi and 29 judges appointed by the
  president; holds regular sessions in all regions); District Courts;
  Primary Courts (limited jurisdiction and appeals can be made to the
  higher courts)

Thailand
  Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)

Togo
  Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Supreme Court or Cour Supreme

Tokelau
  Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal
  jurisdiction in Tokelau

Tonga
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the monarch); Court of
  Appeal (consists of the Privy Council with the addition of the chief
  justice of the Supreme Court)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Supreme Court of Judicature (comprised of the
  High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeals; the chief justice is
  appointed by the president after consultation with the prime
  minister and the leader of the opposition; other justices are
  appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal
  Service Commission); High Court of Justice; Court of Appeals; the
  highest court of appeal is the Privy Council in London

Tunisia
  Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation

Turkey
  Constitutional Court; High Court of Appeals (Yargitay);
  Council of State (Danistay); Court of Accounts (Sayistay); Military
  High Court of Appeals; Military High Administrative Court

Turkmenistan
  Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Supreme Court

Tuvalu
  High Court (a chief justice visits twice a year to preside
  over its sessions; its rulings can be appealed to the Court of
  Appeal in Fiji); eight Island Courts (with limited jurisdiction)

Uganda
  Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and
  approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by
  the president)

Ukraine
  Supreme Court; Constitutional Court

United Arab Emirates
  Union Supreme Court (judges are appointed by
  the president)

United Kingdom
  House of Lords (highest court of appeal; several
  Lords of Appeal in Ordinary are appointed by the monarch for life);
  Supreme Courts of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland (comprising
  the Courts of Appeal, the High Courts of Justice, and the Crown
  Courts); Scotland's Court of Session and Court of the Justiciary

United States
  Supreme Court (its nine justices are appointed for
  life on condition of good behavior by the president with
  confirmation by the Senate); United States Courts of Appeal; United
  States District Courts; State and County Courts

Uruguay
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
  elected for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)

Uzbekistan
  Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and
  confirmed by the Supreme Assembly)

Vanuatu
  Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
  after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the
  opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on
  the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)

Venezuela
  Supreme Tribunal of Justice or Tribuna Suprema de Justicia
  (magistrates are elected by the National Assembly for a single
  12-year term)

Vietnam
  Supreme People's Court (chief justice is elected for a
  five-year term by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the
  president)

Virgin Islands
  US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third
  Circuit jurisdiction); Territorial Court (judges appointed by the
  governor for 10-year terms)

Wallis and Futuna
  none; justice generally administered under French
  law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings
  administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Yemen
  Supreme Court

Zambia
  Supreme Court (the final court of appeal; justices are
  appointed by the president); High Court (has unlimited jurisdiction
  to hear civil and criminal cases)

Zimbabwe
  Supreme Court; High Court

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2095 Labor force

Afghanistan
  11.8 million (2001 est.)

Albania
  1.09 million (not including 352,000 emigrant workers) (2004
  est.)

Algeria
  9.91 million (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  14,000 (1996)

Andorra
  33,000 (2001 est.)

Angola
  5.41 million (2004 est.)

Anguilla
  6,049 (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  30,000

Argentina
  15.04 million (2004 est.)

Armenia
  1.4 million (2001)

Aruba
  41,500 (1997 est.)

Australia
  10.35 million (2004 est.)

Austria
  3.45 million (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  5.09 million (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  156,000 (1999)

Bahrain
  370,000
  note: 44% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  65.49 million
  note: extensive export of labor to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Oman,
  Qatar, and Malaysia; workers' remittances estimated at $1.71 billion
  in 1998-99 (2004 est.)

Barbados
  128,500 (2001 est.)

Belarus
  4.305 million (31 December 2003)

Belgium
  4.75 million (2004 est.)

Belize
  90,000
  note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel
  (2001 est.)

Benin
  NA (1996)

Bermuda
  37,470 (2000)

Bhutan
  NA
  note: massive lack of skilled labor

Bolivia
  3.8 million (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.026 million (2001)

Botswana
  264,000 formal sector employees (2000)

Brazil
  89 million (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  12,770 (2004)

Brunei
  158,000
  note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
  residents make up about 40% of labor force (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  3.398 million (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  5 million
  note: a large part of the male labor force migrates annually to
  neighboring countries for seasonal employment (2003)

Burma
  27.01 million (2004 est.)

Burundi
  2.99 million (2002)

Cambodia
  7 million (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  6.68 million (2004 est.)

Canada
  17.37 million (2004)

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  19,820 (1995)

Central African Republic
  NA

Chad
  NA

Chile
  6.2 million (2004 est.)

China
  760.8 million (2003)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  20.7 million (2004 est.)

Comoros
  144,500 (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  14.51 million (1993 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  8,000 (1996)

Costa Rica
  1.81 million (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  6.7 million (68% agricultural) (2004 est.)

Croatia
  1.71 million (2004 est.)

Cuba
  4.55 million
  note: state sector 78%, non-state sector 22% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 330,000, north Cyprus: 95,025 (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  5.25 million (2004 est.)

Denmark
  2.87 million (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  282,000 (2000)

Dominica
  25,000 (1999 est.)

Dominican Republic
  2.3 million - 2.6 million (2000 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  4.53 million (urban) (2004 est.)

Egypt
  20.71 million (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  2.75 million (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  660,000 (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  NA (2001 est.)

European Union
  215 million (various)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  1,100 (est.)

Faroe Islands
  24,250 (October 2000)

Fiji
  137,000 (1999)

Finland
  2.66 million (2004 est.)

France
  27.7 million (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  58,800 (1997)

French Polynesia
  70,000 (1996)

Gabon
  650,000 (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  400,000 (1996)

Gaza Strip
  725,000 (2004)

Georgia
  2.1 million (2001 est.)

Germany
  42.63 million (2004 est.)

Ghana
  10.24 million (2004 est.)

Gibraltar
  14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) (1999)

Greece
  4.4 million (2004 est.)

Greenland
  24,500 (1999 est.)

Grenada
  42,300 (1996)

Guadeloupe
  125,900 (1997)

Guam
  60,000 (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  3.68 million (2004 est.)

Guernsey
  32,290 (2001)

Guinea
  3 million (1999)

Guinea-Bissau
  480,000 (1999)

Guyana
  418,000 (2001 est.)

Haiti
  3.6 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, unskilled labor abundant (1995)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  2.47 million (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  3.54 million (October 2004 est.)

Hungary
  4.17 million (2004 est.)

Iceland
  158,100 (2004 est.)

India
  482.2 million (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  111.5 million (2004 est.)

Iran 23 million note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Iraq
  6.7 million (2004 est.)

Ireland
  1.92 million (2004 est.)

Israel
  2.68 million (2004 est.)

Italy
  24.27 million (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  1.14 million (2004 est.)

Japan
  66.97 million (2004 est.)

Jersey
  52,790 (2004)

Jordan
  1.41 million (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  7.95 million (2004 est.)

Kenya
  11.4 million (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  7,870 economically active, not including subsistence
  farmers (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  9.6 million

Korea, South
  22.9 million (2004 est.)

Kuwait 1.42 million note: non-Kuwaitis represent about 80% of the labor force (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.7 million (2000)

Laos
  2.6 million (2001 est.)

Latvia
  1.17 million (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  2.6 million
  note: in addition, there are as many as 1 million foreign workers
  (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  838,000 (2000)

Libya
  1.59 million (2004 est.)

Liechtenstein
  29,000 of whom 19,000 are foreigners; 13,000 commute
  from Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to work each day (31 December
  2001)

Lithuania
  1.63 million (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  293,700 (of whom 105,000 are foreign cross-border workers
  commuting primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2004 est.)

Macau
  231,500 (3rd Quarter, 2004)

Macedonia
  855,000 (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  7.3 million (2000)

Malawi
  4.5 million (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  10.49 million (2004 est.)

Maldives
  88,000 (2000)

Mali
  3.93 million (2001 est.)

Malta
  160,000 (2002 est.)

Man, Isle of
  39,690 (2001)

Marshall Islands
  28,700 (1996 est.)

Martinique
  165,900 (1998)

Mauritania
  786,000 (2001)

Mauritius
  560,000 (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  48,800 (2000)

Mexico
  34.73 million (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  1.36 million (2004 est.)

Monaco
  30,540 (January 1994)

Mongolia
  1.488 million (2003)

Montserrat
  4,521 (lowered by flight of people from volcanic
  activity) (2000 est.)

Morocco
  11.02 million (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  9.2 million (2000 est.)

Namibia
  840,000 (2004 est.)

Nepal 10 million note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)

Netherlands
  7.53 million (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  89,000 (2000)

New Caledonia
  79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed) (1996)

New Zealand
  2.05 million (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  1.93 million (2004 est.)

Niger
  70,000 receive regular wages or salaries (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  55.67 million (2004 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  1,345

Northern Mariana Islands 6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (June 1995)

Norway
  2.38 million (2004 est.)

Oman
  920,000 (2002 est.)

Pakistan
  45.43 million
  note: extensive export of labor, mostly to the Middle East, and use
  of child labor (2004 est.)

Palau
  9,845 (2000)

Panama
  1.32 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor, but an oversupply of unskilled
  labor (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  3.32 million (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  2.66 million (2004 est.)

Peru
  11 million (2004 est.)

Philippines
  35.86 million (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  15 able-bodied men (2004)

Poland
  17.02 million (2004 est.)

Portugal
  5.48 million (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  1.3 million (2000)

Qatar
  140,000 (2004 est.)

Reunion
  309,900 (2000)

Romania
  9.66 million (2004 est.)

Russia
  71.83 million (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  4.6 million (2000)

Saint Helena 3,500 note: 1,200 work offshore (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18,170 (June 1995)

Saint Lucia
  43,800 (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  3,261 (1999)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  67,000 (1984 est.)

Samoa
  90,000 (2000 est.)

San Marino
  18,500 (1999)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  6.62 million
  note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is
  non-national (2004 est.)

Senegal
  4.65 million (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  3.2 million (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  30,900 (1996)

Sierra Leone
  1.369 million (1981 est.)

Singapore
  2.18 million (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  2.2 million (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Slovenia
  870,000 (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  26,840 (1999)

Somalia
  3.7 million (very few are skilled laborers)

South Africa
  16.63 million economically active (2004 est.)

Spain
  19.33 million (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  7.26 million (2004 est.)

Sudan
  11 million (1996 est.)

Suriname
  104,000 (2003)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  383,200 (2000)

Sweden
  4.46 million (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  3.77 million (2004 est.)

Syria
  5.12 million (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  10.22 million (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  3.187 million (2000)

Tanzania
  19 million (2004 est.)

Thailand
  36.43 million (November 2004 est.)

Togo
  1.74 million (1996)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  33,910 (1996)

Trinidad and Tobago
  590,000 (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  3.55 million
  note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Turkey
  25.3 million
  note: about 1.2 million Turks work abroad (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  2.32 million (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  4,848 (1990 est.)

Tuvalu
  7,000 (2001 est.)

Uganda
  12.41 million (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  21.11 million (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.36 million
  note: 73.9% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national
  (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  29.78 million (2004 est.)

United States
  147.4 million (includes unemployed) (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  1.56 million (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  14.64 million (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  12.25 million (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  42.98 million (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  48,900 (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  364,000 (2004)

Western Sahara
  12,000

World
  NA

Yemen
  5.98 million (2004 est.)

Zambia
  4.63 million (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  4.23 million (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2096 Land boundaries (km)

Afghanistan
  total: 5,529 km
  border countries: China 76 km, Iran 936 km, Pakistan 2,430 km,
  Tajikistan 1,206 km, Turkmenistan 744 km, Uzbekistan 137 km

Akrotiri
  total: 47.4 km
  border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

Albania
  total: 720 km
  border countries: Greece 282 km, Macedonia 151 km, Serbia and
  Montenegro 287 km

Algeria
  total: 6,343 km
  border countries: Libya 982 km, Mali 1,376 km, Mauritania 463 km,
  Morocco 1,559 km, Niger 956 km, Tunisia 965 km, Western Sahara 42 km

American Samoa
  0 km

Andorra
  total: 120.3 km
  border countries: France 56.6 km, Spain 63.7 km

Angola
  total: 5,198 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,511 km (of
  which 225 km is the boundary of discontiguous Cabinda Province),
  Republic of the Congo 201 km, Namibia 1,376 km, Zambia 1,110 km

Anguilla
  0 km

Antarctica 0 km note: see entry on Disputes - international

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 km

Argentina
  total: 9,665 km
  border countries: Bolivia 832 km, Brazil 1,224 km, Chile 5,150 km,
  Paraguay 1,880 km, Uruguay 579 km

Armenia
  total: 1,254 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan-proper 566 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
  exclave 221 km, Georgia 164 km, Iran 35 km, Turkey 268 km

Aruba
  0 km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  0 km

Australia
  0 km

Austria
  total: 2,562 km
  border countries: Czech Republic 362 km, Germany 784 km, Hungary 366
  km, Italy 430 km, Liechtenstein 35 km, Slovakia 91 km, Slovenia 330
  km, Switzerland 164 km

Azerbaijan
  total: 2,013 km
  border countries: Armenia (with Azerbaijan-proper) 566 km, Armenia
  (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave) 221 km, Georgia 322 km, Iran
  (with Azerbaijan-proper) 432 km, Iran (with Azerbaijan-Naxcivan
  exclave) 179 km, Russia 284 km, Turkey 9 km

Bahamas, The
  0 km

Bahrain
  0 km

Baker Island
  0 km

Bangladesh total: 4,246 km border countries: Burma 193 km, India 4,053 km

Barbados
  0 km

Bassas da India
  0 km

Belarus
  total: 2,900 km
  border countries: Latvia 141 km, Lithuania 502 km, Poland 407 km,
  Russia 959 km, Ukraine 891 km

Belgium
  total: 1,385 km
  border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km,
  Netherlands 450 km

Belize
  total: 516 km
  border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km

Benin
  total: 1,989 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 306 km, Niger 266 km, Nigeria 773 km,
  Togo 644 km

Bermuda
  0 km

Bhutan
  total: 1,075 km
  border countries: China 470 km, India 605 km

Bolivia
  total: 6,743 km
  border countries: Argentina 832 km, Brazil 3,400 km, Chile 861 km,
  Paraguay 750 km, Peru 900 km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 1,459 km
  border countries: Croatia 932 km, Serbia and Montenegro 527 km

Botswana
  total: 4,013 km
  border countries: Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe
  813 km

Bouvet Island
  0 km

Brazil
  total: 14,691 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,224 km, Bolivia 3,400 km, Colombia
  1,643 km, French Guiana 673 km, Guyana 1,119 km, Paraguay 1,290 km,
  Peru 1,560 km, Suriname 597 km, Uruguay 985 km, Venezuela 2,200 km

British Indian Ocean Territory
  0 km

British Virgin Islands
  0 km

Brunei
  total: 381 km
  border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Bulgaria
  total: 1,808 km
  border countries: Greece 494 km, Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 318 km, Turkey 240 km

Burkina Faso
  total: 3,193 km
  border countries: Benin 306 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Ghana 549 km,
  Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km

Burma
  total: 5,876 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km,
  Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Burundi
  total: 974 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
  290 km, Tanzania 451 km

Cambodia
  total: 2,572 km
  border countries: Laos 541 km, Thailand 803 km, Vietnam 1,228 km

Cameroon
  total: 4,591 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 797 km, Chad 1,094 km,
  Republic of the Congo 523 km, Equatorial Guinea 189 km, Gabon 298
  km, Nigeria 1,690 km

Canada total: 8,893 km border countries: US 8,893 km (includes 2,477 km with Alaska)

Cape Verde
  0 km

Cayman Islands
  0 km

Central African Republic
  total: 5,203 km
  border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic
  Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan
  1,165 km

Chad
  total: 5,968 km
  border countries: Cameroon 1,094 km, Central African Republic 1,197
  km, Libya 1,055 km, Niger 1,175 km, Nigeria 87 km, Sudan 1,360 km

Chile
  total: 6,171 km
  border countries: Argentina 5,150 km, Bolivia 861 km, Peru 160 km

China
  total: 22,117 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 76 km, Bhutan 470 km, Burma 2,185 km,
  India 3,380 km, Kazakhstan 1,533 km, North Korea 1,416 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 858 km, Laos 423 km, Mongolia 4,677 km, Nepal 1,236 km,
  Pakistan 523 km, Russia (northeast) 3,605 km, Russia (northwest) 40
  km, Tajikistan 414 km, Vietnam 1,281 km
  regional borders: Hong Kong 30 km, Macau 0.34 km

Christmas Island
  0 km

Clipperton Island
  0 km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  0 km

Colombia
  total: 6,004 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,643 km, Ecuador 590 km, Panama 225 km,
  Peru 1,496 km (est.), Venezuela 2,050 km

Comoros
  0 km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 10,730 km
  border countries: Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary
  of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central
  African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda
  217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 5,504 km
  border countries: Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African
  Republic 467 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Gabon
  1,903 km

Cook Islands
  0 km

Coral Sea Islands
  0 km

Costa Rica
  total: 639 km
  border countries: Nicaragua 309 km, Panama 330 km

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 3,110 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 584 km, Ghana 668 km, Guinea 610 km,
  Liberia 716 km, Mali 532 km

Croatia
  total: 2,197 km
  border countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 932 km, Hungary 329 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro (north) 241 km, Serbia and Montenegro (south)
  25 km, Slovenia 670 km

Cuba
  total: 29 km
  border countries: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay 29 km
  note: Guantanamo Naval Base is leased by the US and thus remains
  part of Cuba

Cyprus
  total: NA; note - boundary with Dhekelia is being resurveyed
  border countries: Akrotiri 47.4 km, Dhekelia NA

Czech Republic
  total: 1,881 km
  border countries: Austria 362 km, Germany 646 km, Poland 658 km,
  Slovakia 215 km

Denmark total: 68 km border countries: Germany 68 km

Dhekelia total: NA; note - boundary with Cyprus is being resurveyed

Djibouti total: 516 km border countries: Eritrea 109 km, Ethiopia 349 km, Somalia 58 km

Dominica 0 km

Dominican Republic
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Haiti 360 km

East Timor
  total: 228 km
  border countries: Indonesia 228 km

Ecuador
  total: 2,010 km
  border countries: Colombia 590 km, Peru 1,420 km

Egypt
  total: 2,665 km
  border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km,
  Sudan 1,273 km

El Salvador
  total: 545 km
  border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 539 km
  border countries: Cameroon 189 km, Gabon 350 km

Eritrea
  total: 1,626 km
  border countries: Djibouti 109 km, Ethiopia 912 km, Sudan 605 km

Estonia
  total: 633 km
  border countries: Latvia 339 km, Russia 294 km

Ethiopia
  total: 5,328 km
  border countries: Djibouti 349 km, Eritrea 912 km, Kenya 861 km,
  Somalia 1,600 km, Sudan 1,606 km

Europa Island
  0 km

European Union
  total: 11,214.8 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Andorra 120.3 km, Belarus 1,050
  km, Bulgaria 494 km, Croatia 999 km, Holy See 3.2 km, Liechtenstein
  34.9 km, Macedonia 246 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Norway 2,348 km, Romania
  443 km, Russia 2,257 km, San Marino 39 km, Serbia and Montenegro 151
  km, Switzerland 1,811 km, Turkey 206 km, Ukraine 726 km
  note: data for European Continent only

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 km

Faroe Islands
  0 km

Fiji
  0 km

Finland
  total: 2,681 km
  border countries: Norway 727 km, Sweden 614 km, Russia 1,340 km

France
  total: 2,889 km
  border countries: Andorra 56.6 km, Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km,
  Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco 4.4 km, Spain 623 km,
  Switzerland 573 km

French Guiana total: 1,183 km border countries: Brazil 673 km, Suriname 510 km

French Polynesia
  0 km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  0 km

Gabon
  total: 2,551 km
  border countries: Cameroon 298 km, Republic of the Congo 1,903 km,
  Equatorial Guinea 350 km

Gambia, The
  total: 740 km
  border countries: Senegal 740 km

Gaza Strip
  total: 62 km
  border countries: Egypt 11 km, Israel 51 km

Georgia
  total: 1,461 km
  border countries: Armenia 164 km, Azerbaijan 322 km, Russia 723 km,
  Turkey 252 km

Germany
  total: 3,621 km
  border countries: Austria 784 km, Belgium 167 km, Czech Republic 646
  km, Denmark 68 km, France 451 km, Luxembourg 138 km, Netherlands 577
  km, Poland 456 km, Switzerland 334 km

Ghana
  total: 2,094 km
  border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo
  877 km

Gibraltar total: 1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 km

Glorioso Islands
  0 km

Greece
  total: 1,228 km
  border countries: Albania 282 km, Bulgaria 494 km, Turkey 206 km,
  Macedonia 246 km

Greenland
  0 km

Grenada
  0 km

Guadeloupe total: 10.2 km border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km

Guam
  0 km

Guatemala
  total: 1,687 km
  border countries: Belize 266 km, El Salvador 203 km, Honduras 256
  km, Mexico 962 km

Guernsey
  0 km

Guinea
  total: 3,399 km
  border countries: Cote d'Ivoire 610 km, Guinea-Bissau 386 km,
  Liberia 563 km, Mali 858 km, Senegal 330 km, Sierra Leone 652 km

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 724 km
  border countries: Guinea 386 km, Senegal 338 km

Guyana
  total: 2,462 km
  border countries: Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Haiti
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Dominican Republic 360 km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  0 km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 3.2 km
  border countries: Italy 3.2 km

Honduras
  total: 1,520 km
  border countries: Guatemala 256 km, El Salvador 342 km, Nicaragua
  922 km

Hong Kong total: 30 km regional border: China 30 km

Howland Island
  0 km

Hungary
  total: 2,171 km
  border countries: Austria 366 km, Croatia 329 km, Romania 443 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 151 km, Slovakia 677 km, Slovenia 102 km,
  Ukraine 103 km

Iceland
  0 km

India
  total: 14,103 km
  border countries: Bangladesh 4,053 km, Bhutan 605 km, Burma 1,463
  km, China 3,380 km, Nepal 1,690 km, Pakistan 2,912 km

Indonesia
  total: 2,830 km
  border countries: East Timor 228 km, Malaysia 1,782 km, Papua New
  Guinea 820 km

Iran
  total: 5,440 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km,
  Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq
  1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km

Iraq
  total: 3,650 km
  border countries: Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 240 km, Saudi
  Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 352 km

Ireland
  total: 360 km
  border countries: UK 360 km

Israel
  total: 1,017 km
  border countries: Egypt 266 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km,
  Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km

Italy
  total: 1,932.2 km
  border countries: Austria 430 km, France 488 km, Holy See (Vatican
  City) 3.2 km, San Marino 39 km, Slovenia 232 km, Switzerland 740 km

Jamaica
  0 km

Jan Mayen
  0 km

Japan
  0 km

Jarvis Island
  0 km

Jersey
  0 km

Johnston Atoll
  0 km

Jordan
  total: 1,635 km
  border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km,
  Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km

Juan de Nova Island
  0 km

Kazakhstan
  total: 12,012 km
  border countries: China 1,533 km, Kyrgyzstan 1,051 km, Russia 6,846
  km, Turkmenistan 379 km, Uzbekistan 2,203 km

Kenya
  total: 3,477 km
  border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km,
  Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Kingman Reef
  0 km

Kiribati
  0 km

Korea, North
  total: 1,673 km
  border countries: China 1,416 km, South Korea 238 km, Russia 19 km

Korea, South
  total: 238 km
  border countries: North Korea 238 km

Kuwait
  total: 462 km
  border countries: Iraq 240 km, Saudi Arabia 222 km

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 3,878 km
  border countries: China 858 km, Kazakhstan 1,051 km, Tajikistan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,099 km

Laos
  total: 5,083 km
  border countries: Burma 235 km, Cambodia 541 km, China 423 km,
  Thailand 1,754 km, Vietnam 2,130 km

Latvia
  total: 1,150 km
  border countries: Belarus 141 km, Estonia 339 km, Lithuania 453 km,
  Russia 217 km

Lebanon
  total: 454 km
  border countries: Israel 79 km, Syria 375 km

Lesotho
  total: 909 km
  border countries: South Africa 909 km

Liberia
  total: 1,585 km
  border countries: Guinea 563 km, Cote d'Ivoire 716 km, Sierra Leone
  306 km

Libya
  total: 4,348 km
  border countries: Algeria 982 km, Chad 1,055 km, Egypt 1,115 km,
  Niger 354 km, Sudan 383 km, Tunisia 459 km

Liechtenstein
  total: 76 km
  border countries: Austria 34.9 km, Switzerland 41.1 km

Lithuania
  total: 1,273 km
  border countries: Belarus 502 km, Latvia 453 km, Poland 91 km,
  Russia (Kaliningrad) 227 km

Luxembourg
  total: 359 km
  border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 138 km

Macau
  total: 0.34 km
  regional border: China 0.34 km

Macedonia
  total: 766 km
  border countries: Albania 151 km, Bulgaria 148 km, Greece 246 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 221 km

Madagascar
  0 km

Malawi
  total: 2,881 km
  border countries: Mozambique 1,569 km, Tanzania 475 km, Zambia 837 km

Malaysia
  total: 2,669 km
  border countries: Brunei 381 km, Indonesia 1,782 km, Thailand 506 km

Maldives
  0 km

Mali
  total: 7,243 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,376 km, Burkina Faso 1,000 km, Guinea
  858 km, Cote d'Ivoire 532 km, Mauritania 2,237 km, Niger 821 km,
  Senegal 419 km

Malta
  0 km

Man, Isle of
  0 km

Marshall Islands
  0 km

Martinique
  0 km

Mauritania
  total: 5,074 km
  border countries: Algeria 463 km, Mali 2,237 km, Senegal 813 km,
  Western Sahara 1,561 km

Mauritius
  0 km

Mayotte
  0 km

Mexico total: 4,353 km border countries: Belize 250 km, Guatemala 962 km, US 3,141 km

Micronesia, Federated States of
  0 km

Midway Islands
  0 km

Moldova
  total: 1,389 km
  border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km

Monaco
  total: 4.4 km
  border countries: France 4.4 km

Mongolia
  total: 8,220 km
  border countries: China 4,677 km, Russia 3,543 km

Montserrat
  0 km

Morocco
  total: 2,017.9 km
  border countries: Algeria 1,559 km, Western Sahara 443 km, Spain
  (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Spain (Melilla) 9.6 km

Mozambique
  total: 4,571 km
  border countries: Malawi 1,569 km, South Africa 491 km, Swaziland
  105 km, Tanzania 756 km, Zambia 419 km, Zimbabwe 1,231 km

Namibia
  total: 3,936 km
  border countries: Angola 1,376 km, Botswana 1,360 km, South Africa
  967 km, Zambia 233 km

Nauru
  0 km

Navassa Island
  0 km

Nepal
  total: 2,926 km
  border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Netherlands
  total: 1,027 km
  border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 10.2 km
  border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 10.2 km

New Caledonia
  0 km

New Zealand
  0 km

Nicaragua
  total: 1,231 km
  border countries: Costa Rica 309 km, Honduras 922 km

Niger
  total: 5,697 km
  border countries: Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km,
  Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km

Nigeria
  total: 4,047 km
  border countries: Benin 773 km, Cameroon 1,690 km, Chad 87 km, Niger
  1,497 km

Niue
  0 km

Norfolk Island
  0 km

Northern Mariana Islands
  0 km

Norway
  total: 2,542 km
  border countries: Finland 727 km, Sweden 1,619 km, Russia 196 km

Oman
  total: 1,374 km
  border countries: Saudi Arabia 676 km, UAE 410 km, Yemen 288 km

Pakistan
  total: 6,774 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912
  km, Iran 909 km

Palau
  0 km

Palmyra Atoll
  0 km

Panama
  total: 555 km
  border countries: Colombia 225 km, Costa Rica 330 km

Papua New Guinea
  total: 820 km
  border countries: Indonesia 820 km

Paracel Islands
  0 km

Paraguay
  total: 3,920 km
  border countries: Argentina 1,880 km, Bolivia 750 km, Brazil 1,290 km

Peru
  total: 5,536 km
  border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km,
  Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km

Philippines
  0 km

Pitcairn Islands
  0 km

Poland
  total: 2,788 km
  border countries: Belarus 407 km, Czech Republic 658 km, Germany 456
  km, Lithuania 91 km, Russia (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Slovakia
  444 km, Ukraine 526 km

Portugal total: 1,214 km border countries: Spain 1,214 km

Puerto Rico 0 km

Qatar total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Reunion
  0 km

Romania
  total: 2,508 km
  border countries: Bulgaria 608 km, Hungary 443 km, Moldova 450 km,
  Serbia and Montenegro 476 km, Ukraine (north) 362 km, Ukraine (east)
  169 km

Russia
  total: 20,017 km
  border countries: Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China
  (southeast) 3,605 km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 294 km, Finland
  1,340 km, Georgia 723 km, Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km,
  Latvia 217 km, Lithuania (Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,485
  km, Norway 196 km, Poland (Kaliningrad Oblast) 206 km, Ukraine 1,576
  km

Rwanda
  total: 893 km
  border countries: Burundi 290 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  217 km, Tanzania 217 km, Uganda 169 km

Saint Helena
  0 km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 km

Saint Lucia
  0 km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 km

Samoa
  0 km

San Marino total: 39 km border countries: Italy 39 km

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 4,431 km
  border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
  676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Senegal
  total: 2,640 km
  border countries: The Gambia 740 km, Guinea 330 km, Guinea-Bissau
  338 km, Mali 419 km, Mauritania 813 km

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 2,246 km
  border countries: Albania 287 km, Bosnia and Herzegovina 527 km,
  Bulgaria 318 km, Croatia (north) 241 km, Croatia (south) 25 km,
  Hungary 151 km, Macedonia 221 km, Romania 476 km

Seychelles
  0 km

Sierra Leone total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Singapore
  0 km

Slovakia
  total: 1,524 km
  border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677
  km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km

Slovenia
  total: 1,334 km
  border countries: Austria 330 km, Croatia 670 km, Italy 232 km,
  Hungary 102 km

Solomon Islands
  0 km

Somalia
  total: 2,340 km
  border countries: Djibouti 58 km, Ethiopia 1,600 km, Kenya 682 km

South Africa
  total: 4,862 km
  border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491
  km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 km

Spain
  total: 1,917.8 km
  border countries: Andorra 63.7 km, France 623 km, Gibraltar 1.2 km,
  Portugal 1,214 km, Morocco (Ceuta) 6.3 km, Morocco (Melilla) 9.6 km

Spratly Islands
  0 km

Sri Lanka
  0 km

Sudan
  total: 7,687 km
  border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
  Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
  km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Suriname total: 1,707 km border countries: Brazil 597 km, French Guiana 510 km, Guyana 600 km

Svalbard 0 km

Swaziland
  total: 535 km
  border countries: Mozambique 105 km, South Africa 430 km

Sweden
  total: 2,233 km
  border countries: Finland 614 km, Norway 1,619 km

Switzerland
  total: 1,852 km
  border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km,
  Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Syria
  total: 2,253 km
  border countries: Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon
  375 km, Turkey 822 km

Taiwan
  0 km

Tajikistan
  total: 3,651 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 1,206 km, China 414 km, Kyrgyzstan 870
  km, Uzbekistan 1,161 km

Tanzania
  total: 3,861 km
  border countries: Burundi 451 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  459 km, Kenya 769 km, Malawi 475 km, Mozambique 756 km, Rwanda 217
  km, Uganda 396 km, Zambia 338 km

Thailand
  total: 4,863 km
  border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km,
  Malaysia 506 km

Togo
  total: 1,647 km
  border countries: Benin 644 km, Burkina Faso 126 km, Ghana 877 km

Tokelau
  0 km

Tonga
  0 km

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 km

Tromelin Island
  0 km

Tunisia
  total: 1,424 km
  border countries: Algeria 965 km, Libya 459 km

Turkey
  total: 2,648 km
  border countries: Armenia 268 km, Azerbaijan 9 km, Bulgaria 240 km,
  Georgia 252 km, Greece 206 km, Iran 499 km, Iraq 352 km, Syria 822 km

Turkmenistan
  total: 3,736 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 744 km, Iran 992 km, Kazakhstan 379
  km, Uzbekistan 1,621 km

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 km

Tuvalu
  0 km

Uganda
  total: 2,698 km
  border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933
  km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Ukraine
  total: 4,663 km
  border countries: Belarus 891 km, Hungary 103 km, Moldova 939 km,
  Poland 526 km, Romania (south) 169 km, Romania (west) 362 km, Russia
  1,576 km, Slovakia 97 km

United Arab Emirates
  total: 867 km
  border countries: Oman 410 km, Saudi Arabia 457 km

United Kingdom
  total: 360 km
  border countries: Ireland 360 km

United States
  total: 12,034 km
  border countries: Canada 8,893 km (including 2,477 km with Alaska),
  Mexico 3,141 km
  note: US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is leased by the US and
  is part of Cuba; the base boundary is 29 km

Uruguay
  total: 1,564 km
  border countries: Argentina 579 km, Brazil 985 km

Uzbekistan
  total: 6,221 km
  border countries: Afghanistan 137 km, Kazakhstan 2,203 km,
  Kyrgyzstan 1,099 km, Tajikistan 1,161 km, Turkmenistan 1,621 km

Vanuatu
  0 km

Venezuela
  total: 4,993 km
  border countries: Brazil 2,200 km, Colombia 2,050 km, Guyana 743 km

Vietnam
  total: 4,639 km
  border countries: Cambodia 1,228 km, China 1,281 km, Laos 2,130 km

Virgin Islands
  0 km

Wake Island
  0 km

Wallis and Futuna
  0 km

West Bank
  total: 404 km
  border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km

Western Sahara
  total: 2,046 km
  border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km

World
  the land boundaries in the world total 250,472 km (not
  counting shared boundaries twice); two nations, China and Russia,
  each border 14 other countries
  note: 43 nations and other areas are landlocked, these include:
  Afghanistan, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bhutan,
  Bolivia, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic,
  Chad, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Holy See (Vatican City), Hungary,
  Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
  Macedonia, Malawi, Mali, Moldova, Mongolia, Nepal, Niger, Paraguay,
  Rwanda, San Marino, Slovakia, Swaziland, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
  Turkmenistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, West Bank, Zambia, Zimbabwe; two
  of these, Liechtenstein and Uzbekistan, are doubly landlocked

Yemen
  total: 1,746 km
  border countries: Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km

Zambia
  total: 5,664 km
  border countries: Angola 1,110 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo
  1,930 km, Malawi 837 km, Mozambique 419 km, Namibia 233 km, Tanzania
  338 km, Zimbabwe 797 km

Zimbabwe
  total: 3,066 km
  border countries: Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa
  225 km, Zambia 797 km

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2097 Land use (%)

Afghanistan
  arable land: 12.13%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 87.65% (2001)

Albania
  arable land: 21.09%
  permanent crops: 4.42%
  other: 74.49% (2001)

Algeria
  arable land: 3.22%
  permanent crops: 0.25%
  other: 96.53% (2001)

American Samoa
  arable land: 10%
  permanent crops: 15%
  other: 75% (2001)

Andorra
  arable land: 2.22%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.78% (2001)

Angola
  arable land: 2.41%
  permanent crops: 0.24%
  other: 97.35% (2001)

Anguilla
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly rock with sparse scrub oak, few trees, some
  commercial salt ponds) (2001)

Antarctica
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (ice 98%, barren rock 2%) (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  arable land: 18.18%
  permanent crops: 4.55%
  other: 77.27% (2001)

Argentina
  arable land: 12.31%
  permanent crops: 0.48%
  other: 87.21% (2001)

Armenia
  arable land: 17.55%
  permanent crops: 2.3%
  other: 80.15% (2001)

Aruba
  arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 89.47% (2001)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all grass and sand) (2001)

Australia
  arable land: 6.55% (includes about 27 million hectares of
  cultivated grassland)
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 93.41% (2001)

Austria
  arable land: 16.91%
  permanent crops: 0.86%
  other: 82.23% (2001)

Azerbaijan
  arable land: 19.63%
  permanent crops: 2.71%
  other: 77.66% (2001)

Bahamas, The
  arable land: 0.8%
  permanent crops: 0.4%
  other: 98.8% (2001)

Bahrain
  arable land: 2.82%
  permanent crops: 5.63%
  other: 91.55% (2001)

Baker Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Bangladesh
  arable land: 62.11%
  permanent crops: 3.07%
  other: 34.82% (2001)

Barbados
  arable land: 37.21%
  permanent crops: 2.33%
  other: 60.46% (2001)

Bassas da India
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all rock) (2001)

Belarus
  arable land: 29.55%
  permanent crops: 0.6%
  other: 69.85% (2001)

Belgium
  arable land: 23.28%
  permanent crops: 0.4%
  other: 76.32%
  note: includes Luxembourg (2001)

Belize
  arable land: 2.85%
  permanent crops: 1.71%
  other: 95.44% (2001)

Benin
  arable land: 18.08%
  permanent crops: 2.4%
  other: 79.52% (2001)

Bermuda
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (55% developed, 45% rural/open space) (2001)

Bhutan
  arable land: 3.09%
  permanent crops: 0.43%
  other: 96.48% (2001)

Bolivia
  arable land: 2.67%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 97.14% (2001)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  arable land: 13.6%
  permanent crops: 2.96%
  other: 83.44% (2001)

Botswana
  arable land: 0.65%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99.34% (2001)

Bouvet Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (93% ice) (2001)

Brazil
  arable land: 6.96%
  permanent crops: 0.9%
  other: 92.15% (2001)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

British Virgin Islands
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 6.67%
  other: 73.33% (2001)

Brunei
  arable land: 0.57%
  permanent crops: 0.76%
  other: 98.67% (2001)

Bulgaria
  arable land: 40.02%
  permanent crops: 1.92%
  other: 58.06% (2001)

Burkina Faso
  arable land: 14.43%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 85.38% (2001)

Burma
  arable land: 15.19%
  permanent crops: 0.97%
  other: 83.84% (2001)

Burundi
  arable land: 35.05%
  permanent crops: 14.02%
  other: 50.93% (2001)

Cambodia
  arable land: 20.96%
  permanent crops: 0.61%
  other: 78.43% (2001)

Cameroon
  arable land: 12.81%
  permanent crops: 2.58%
  other: 84.61% (2001)

Canada
  arable land: 4.96%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 95.02% (2001)

Cape Verde
  arable land: 9.68%
  permanent crops: 0.5%
  other: 89.82% (2001)

Cayman Islands
  arable land: 3.85%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 96.15% (2001)

Central African Republic
  arable land: 3.1%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 96.76% (2001)

Chad
  arable land: 2.86%
  permanent crops: 0.02%
  other: 97.12% (2001)

Chile
  arable land: 2.65%
  permanent crops: 0.42%
  other: 96.93% (2001)

China
  arable land: 15.4%
  permanent crops: 1.25%
  other: 83.35% (2001)

Christmas Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100%
  note: mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national
  park (2001)

Clipperton Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all coral) (2001)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Colombia
  arable land: 2.42%
  permanent crops: 1.67%
  other: 95.91% (2001)

Comoros
  arable land: 35.87%
  permanent crops: 23.32%
  other: 40.81% (2001)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  arable land: 2.96%
  permanent crops: 0.52%
  other: 96.52% (2001)

Congo, Republic of the
  arable land: 0.51%
  permanent crops: 0.13%
  other: 99.36% (2001)

Cook Islands
  arable land: 17.39%
  permanent crops: 13.04%
  other: 69.57% (2001)

Coral Sea Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001)

Costa Rica
  arable land: 4.41%
  permanent crops: 5.88%
  other: 89.71% (2001)

Cote d'Ivoire
  arable land: 9.75%
  permanent crops: 13.84%
  other: 76.41% (2001)

Croatia
  arable land: 26.09%
  permanent crops: 2.27%
  other: 71.65% (2001)

Cuba
  arable land: 33.05%
  permanent crops: 7.6%
  other: 59.35% (2001)

Cyprus
  arable land: 7.79%
  permanent crops: 4.44%
  other: 87.77% (2001)

Czech Republic
  arable land: 39.8%
  permanent crops: 3.05%
  other: 57.15% (2001)

Denmark
  arable land: 54.02%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 45.79% (2001)

Djibouti
  arable land: 0.04%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.96% (2001)

Dominica
  arable land: 6.67%
  permanent crops: 20%
  other: 73.33% (2001)

Dominican Republic
  arable land: 22.65%
  permanent crops: 10.33%
  other: 67.02% (2001)

East Timor
  arable land: 4.71%
  permanent crops: 0.67%
  other: 94.62% (2001)

Ecuador
  arable land: 5.85%
  permanent crops: 4.93%
  other: 89.22% (2001)

Egypt
  arable land: 2.87%
  permanent crops: 0.48%
  other: 96.65% (2001)

El Salvador
  arable land: 31.85%
  permanent crops: 12.07%
  other: 56.08% (2001)

Equatorial Guinea
  arable land: 4.63%
  permanent crops: 3.57%
  other: 91.8% (2001)

Eritrea
  arable land: 4.95%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 95.02% (2001)

Estonia
  arable land: 16.04%
  permanent crops: 0.45%
  other: 83.51% (2001)

Ethiopia
  arable land: 10.71%
  permanent crops: 0.75%
  other: 88.54% (2001)

Europa Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (mangrove forests and woodlands) (2001)

European Union
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (2001)

Faroe Islands
  arable land: 2.14%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.86% (2001)

Fiji
  arable land: 10.95%
  permanent crops: 4.65%
  other: 84.4% (2001)

Finland
  arable land: 7.19%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 92.78% (2001)

France
  arable land: 33.53%
  permanent crops: 2.07%
  other: 64.4% (2001)

French Guiana
  arable land: 0.14%
  permanent crops: 0.05%
  other: 99.81% (90% forest, 10% other) (2001)

French Polynesia
  arable land: 0.82%
  permanent crops: 5.46%
  other: 93.72% (2001)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Gabon
  arable land: 1.26%
  permanent crops: 0.66%
  other: 98.08% (2001)

Gambia, The
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0.5%
  other: 74.5% (2001)

Gaza Strip
  arable land: 28.95%
  permanent crops: 21.05%
  other: 50% (2001)

Georgia
  arable land: 11.44%
  permanent crops: 3.86%
  other: 84.7% (2001)

Germany
  arable land: 33.85%
  permanent crops: 0.59%
  other: 65.56% (2001)

Ghana
  arable land: 16.26%
  permanent crops: 9.67%
  other: 74.07% (2001)

Gibraltar
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Glorioso Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (all lush vegetation and coconut palms) (2001)

Greece
  arable land: 21.1%
  permanent crops: 8.78%
  other: 70.12% (2001)

Greenland
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Grenada
  arable land: 5.88%
  permanent crops: 29.41%
  other: 64.71% (2001)

Guadeloupe
  arable land: 11.24%
  permanent crops: 3.55%
  other: 85.21% (2001)

Guam
  arable land: 9.09%
  permanent crops: 16.36%
  other: 74.55% (2001)

Guatemala
  arable land: 12.54%
  permanent crops: 5.03%
  other: 82.43% (2001)

Guernsey
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Guinea
  arable land: 3.63%
  permanent crops: 2.58%
  other: 93.79% (2001)

Guinea-Bissau
  arable land: 10.67%
  permanent crops: 8.82%
  other: 80.51% (2001)

Guyana
  arable land: 2.44%
  permanent crops: 0.15%
  other: 97.41% (2001)

Haiti
  arable land: 28.3%
  permanent crops: 11.61%
  other: 60.09% (2001)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Honduras
  arable land: 9.55%
  permanent crops: 3.22%
  other: 87.23% (2001)

Hong Kong
  arable land: 5.05%
  permanent crops: 1.01%
  other: 93.94% (2001)

Howland Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Hungary
  arable land: 50.09%
  permanent crops: 2.06%
  other: 47.85% (2001)

Iceland
  arable land: 0.07%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.93% (2001)

India
  arable land: 54.4%
  permanent crops: 2.74%
  other: 42.86% (2001)

Indonesia
  arable land: 11.32%
  permanent crops: 7.23%
  other: 81.45% (2001)

Iran
  arable land: 8.72%
  permanent crops: 1.39%
  other: 89.89% (2001)

Iraq
  arable land: 13.15%
  permanent crops: 0.78%
  other: 86.07% (2001)

Ireland
  arable land: 15.2%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 84.77% (2001)

Israel
  arable land: 16.39%
  permanent crops: 4.17%
  other: 79.44% (2001)

Italy
  arable land: 27.79%
  permanent crops: 9.53%
  other: 62.68% (2001)

Jamaica
  arable land: 16.07%
  permanent crops: 10.16%
  other: 73.77% (2001)

Jan Mayen
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Japan
  arable land: 12.19%
  permanent crops: 0.96%
  other: 86.85% (2001)

Jarvis Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Jersey
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Johnston Atoll
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Jordan
  arable land: 2.67%
  permanent crops: 1.83%
  other: 95.5% (2001)

Juan de Nova Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (90% forest) (2001)

Kazakhstan
  arable land: 7.98%
  permanent crops: 0.05%
  other: 91.97% (2001)

Kenya
  arable land: 8.08%
  permanent crops: 0.98%
  other: 90.94% (2001)

Kingman Reef
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Kiribati
  arable land: 2.74%
  permanent crops: 50.68%
  other: 46.58% (2001)

Korea, North
  arable land: 20.76%
  permanent crops: 2.49%
  other: 76.75% (2001)

Korea, South
  arable land: 17.18%
  permanent crops: 1.95%
  other: 80.87% (2001)

Kuwait
  arable land: 0.73%
  permanent crops: 0.11%
  other: 99.16% (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  arable land: 7.3%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 92.35%
  note: Kyrgyzstan has the world's largest natural growth walnut
  forest (2001)

Laos
  arable land: 3.8%
  permanent crops: 0.35%
  other: 95.85% (2001)

Latvia
  arable land: 29.67%
  permanent crops: 0.47%
  other: 69.86% (2001)

Lebanon
  arable land: 16.62%
  permanent crops: 13.98%
  other: 69.4% (2001)

Lesotho
  arable land: 10.87%
  permanent crops: 0.13%
  other: 89% (2001)

Liberia
  arable land: 3.95%
  permanent crops: 2.28%
  other: 93.77% (2001)

Libya
  arable land: 1.03%
  permanent crops: 0.19%
  other: 98.78% (2001)

Liechtenstein
  arable land: 25%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 75% (2001)

Lithuania
  arable land: 45.22%
  permanent crops: 0.91%
  other: 53.87% (2001)

Luxembourg
  arable land: 23.28%
  permanent crops: 0.4%
  other: 76.32% (includes Belgium) (2001)

Macau
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100%
  note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (2001)

Macedonia
  arable land: 22.26%
  permanent crops: 1.81%
  other: 75.93% (2001)

Madagascar
  arable land: 5.07%
  permanent crops: 1.03%
  other: 93.91% (2001)

Malawi
  arable land: 23.38%
  permanent crops: 1.49%
  other: 75.13% (2001)

Malaysia
  arable land: 5.48%
  permanent crops: 17.61%
  other: 76.91% (2001)

Maldives
  arable land: 13.33%
  permanent crops: 16.67%
  other: 70% (2001)

Mali
  arable land: 3.82%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 96.15% (2001)

Malta
  arable land: 28.13%
  permanent crops: 3.13%
  other: 68.74% (2001)

Man, Isle of
  arable land: 9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland)
  (2002)

Marshall Islands
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 38.89%
  other: 44.44% (2001)

Martinique
  arable land: 10.38%
  permanent crops: 9.43%
  other: 80.19% (2001)

Mauritania
  arable land: 0.48%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 99.51% (2001)

Mauritius
  arable land: 49.26%
  permanent crops: 2.96%
  other: 47.78% (2001)

Mayotte
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Mexico
  arable land: 12.99%
  permanent crops: 1.31%
  other: 85.7% (2001)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  arable land: 5.71%
  permanent crops: 45.71%
  other: 48.58% (2001)

Midway Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Moldova
  arable land: 55.3%
  permanent crops: 10.79%
  other: 33.91% (2001)

Monaco
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (urban area) (2001)

Mongolia
  arable land: 0.77%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.23% (2001)

Montserrat
  arable land: 20%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 80% (2001)

Morocco
  arable land: 19.61%
  permanent crops: 2.17%
  other: 78.22% (2001)

Mozambique
  arable land: 5.1%
  permanent crops: 0.3%
  other: 94.6% (2001)

Namibia
  arable land: 0.99%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.01% (2001)

Nauru
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Navassa Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Nepal
  arable land: 21.68%
  permanent crops: 0.64%
  other: 77.68% (2001)

Netherlands
  arable land: 26.71%
  permanent crops: 0.97%
  other: 72.32% (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  arable land: 10%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 90% (2001)

New Caledonia
  arable land: 0.38%
  permanent crops: 0.33%
  other: 99.29% (2001)

New Zealand
  arable land: 5.6%
  permanent crops: 6.99%
  other: 87.41% (2001)

Nicaragua
  arable land: 15.94%
  permanent crops: 1.94%
  other: 82.12% (2001)

Niger
  arable land: 3.54%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 96.45% (2001)

Nigeria
  arable land: 31.29%
  permanent crops: 2.96%
  other: 65.75% (2001)

Niue
  arable land: 15.38%
  permanent crops: 11.54%
  other: 73.08% (2001)

Norfolk Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Northern Mariana Islands
  arable land: 13.04%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 82.61% (2001)

Norway
  arable land: 2.87%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.13% (2001)

Oman
  arable land: 0.12%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 99.74% (2001)

Pakistan
  arable land: 27.87%
  permanent crops: 0.87%
  other: 71.26% (2001)

Palau
  arable land: 8.7%
  permanent crops: 4.35%
  other: 86.95% (2001)

Palmyra Atoll
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (forests and woodlands) (2005)

Panama
  arable land: 7.36%
  permanent crops: 1.98%
  other: 90.66% (2001)

Papua New Guinea
  arable land: 0.46%
  permanent crops: 1.44%
  other: 98.1% (2001)

Paracel Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Paraguay
  arable land: 7.6%
  permanent crops: 0.23%
  other: 92.17% (2001)

Peru
  arable land: 2.89%
  permanent crops: 0.4%
  other: 96.71% (2001)

Philippines
  arable land: 18.95%
  permanent crops: 16.77%
  other: 64.28% (2001)

Pitcairn Islands
  arable land: NA%
  permanent crops: NA%
  other: NA%

Poland
  arable land: 45.91%
  permanent crops: 1.12%
  other: 52.97% (2001)

Portugal
  arable land: 21.75%
  permanent crops: 7.81%
  other: 70.44% (2001)

Puerto Rico
  arable land: 3.95%
  permanent crops: 5.52%
  other: 90.53% (2001)

Qatar
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0.27%
  other: 98.09% (2001)

Reunion
  arable land: 13.6%
  permanent crops: 1.2%
  other: 85.2% (2001)

Romania
  arable land: 40.82%
  permanent crops: 2.25%
  other: 56.93% (2001)

Russia
  arable land: 7.33%
  permanent crops: 0.11%
  other: 92.56% (2001)

Rwanda
  arable land: 40.54%
  permanent crops: 12.16%
  other: 47.3% (2001)

Saint Helena
  arable land: 12.9%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 87.1% (2001)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  arable land: 19.44%
  permanent crops: 2.78%
  other: 77.78% (2001)

Saint Lucia
  arable land: 6.56%
  permanent crops: 22.95%
  other: 70.49% (2001)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  arable land: 13.04%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 86.96% (2001)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  arable land: 17.95%
  permanent crops: 17.95%
  other: 64.1% (2001)

Samoa
  arable land: 21.2%
  permanent crops: 24.38%
  other: 54.42% (2001)

San Marino
  arable land: 16.67%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 83.33% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  arable land: 6.25%
  permanent crops: 48.96%
  other: 44.79% (2001)

Saudi Arabia
  arable land: 1.67%
  permanent crops: 0.09%
  other: 98.24% (2001)

Senegal
  arable land: 12.78%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 87.01% (2001)

Serbia and Montenegro
  arable land: 33.35%
  permanent crops: 3.2%
  other: 63.45% (2001)

Seychelles
  arable land: 2.22%
  permanent crops: 13.33%
  other: 84.45% (2001)

Sierra Leone
  arable land: 6.98%
  permanent crops: 0.89%
  other: 92.13% (2001)

Singapore
  arable land: 1.64%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 98.36% (2001)

Slovakia
  arable land: 30.16%
  permanent crops: 2.62%
  other: 67.22% (2001)

Slovenia
  arable land: 8.6%
  permanent crops: 1.49%
  other: 89.91% (2001)

Solomon Islands
  arable land: 0.64%
  permanent crops: 2%
  other: 97.36% (2001)

Somalia
  arable land: 1.67%
  permanent crops: 0.04%
  other: 98.29% (2001)

South Africa
  arable land: 12.08%
  permanent crops: 0.79%
  other: 87.13% (2001)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (largely covered by permanent ice and snow with some
  sparse vegetation consisting of grass, moss, and lichen) (2001)

Spain
  arable land: 26.07%
  permanent crops: 9.87%
  other: 64.06% (2001)

Spratly Islands
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Sri Lanka
  arable land: 13.86%
  permanent crops: 15.7%
  other: 70.44% (2001)

Sudan
  arable land: 6.83%
  permanent crops: 0.18%
  other: 92.99% (2001)

Suriname
  arable land: 0.37%
  permanent crops: 0.06%
  other: 99.57% (2001)

Svalbard
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (no trees, and the only bushes are crowberry and
  cloudberry) (2001)

Swaziland
  arable land: 10.35%
  permanent crops: 0.7%
  other: 88.95% (2001)

Sweden
  arable land: 6.54%
  permanent crops: 0.01%
  other: 93.45% (2001)

Switzerland
  arable land: 10.42%
  permanent crops: 0.61%
  other: 88.97% (2001)

Syria
  arable land: 25.22%
  permanent crops: 4.43%
  other: 70.35% (2001)

Taiwan
  arable land: 24%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 75% (2001)

Tajikistan
  arable land: 6.61%
  permanent crops: 0.92%
  other: 92.47% (2001)

Tanzania
  arable land: 4.52%
  permanent crops: 1.08%
  other: 94.4% (2001)

Thailand
  arable land: 29.36%
  permanent crops: 6.46%
  other: 64.18% (2001)

Togo
  arable land: 46.15%
  permanent crops: 2.21%
  other: 51.64% (2001)

Tokelau
  arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Tonga
  arable land: 23.61%
  permanent crops: 43.06%
  other: 33.33% (2001)

Trinidad and Tobago
  arable land: 14.62%
  permanent crops: 9.16%
  other: 76.22% (2001)

Tromelin Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (grasses; scattered bushes) (2001)

Tunisia
  arable land: 17.86%
  permanent crops: 13.74%
  other: 68.4% (2001)

Turkey
  arable land: 30.93%
  permanent crops: 3.31%
  other: 65.76% (2001)

Turkmenistan
  arable land: 3.72%
  permanent crops: 0.14%
  other: 96.14% (2001)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  arable land: 2.33%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 97.67% (2001)

Tuvalu
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Uganda
  arable land: 25.88%
  permanent crops: 10.65%
  other: 63.47% (2001)

Ukraine
  arable land: 56.21%
  permanent crops: 1.61%
  other: 42.18% (2001)

United Arab Emirates
  arable land: 0.6%
  permanent crops: 2.25%
  other: 97.15% (2001)

United Kingdom
  arable land: 23.46%
  permanent crops: 0.21%
  other: 76.33% (2001)

United States
  arable land: 19.13%
  permanent crops: 0.22%
  other: 80.65% (2001)

Uruguay
  arable land: 7.43%
  permanent crops: 0.23%
  other: 92.34% (2001)

Uzbekistan
  arable land: 10.83%
  permanent crops: 0.83%
  other: 88.34% (2001)

Vanuatu
  arable land: 2.46%
  permanent crops: 7.38%
  other: 90.16% (2001)

Venezuela
  arable land: 2.95%
  permanent crops: 0.92%
  other: 96.13% (2001)

Vietnam
  arable land: 19.97%
  permanent crops: 5.95%
  other: 74.08% (2001)

Virgin Islands
  arable land: 11.76%
  permanent crops: 2.94%
  other: 85.3% (2001)

Wake Island
  arable land: 0%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 100% (2001)

Wallis and Futuna
  arable land: 5%
  permanent crops: 25%
  other: 70% (2001)

West Bank
  arable land: 16.9%
  permanent crops: 18.97%
  other: 64.13% (2001)

Western Sahara
  arable land: 0.02%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 99.98% (2001)

World
  arable land: 10.73%
  permanent crops: 1%
  other: 88.27% (2001)

Yemen
  arable land: 2.78%
  permanent crops: 0.24%
  other: 96.98% (2001)

Zambia
  arable land: 7.08%
  permanent crops: 0.03%
  other: 92.9% (2001)

Zimbabwe
  arable land: 8.32%
  permanent crops: 0.34%
  other: 91.34% (2001)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2098 Languages (%)

Afghanistan
  Afghan Persian or Dari (official) 50%, Pashtu (official)
  35%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor
  languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism

Akrotiri
  English, Greek

Albania
  Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek,
  Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects

Algeria
  Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects

American Samoa
  Samoan 90.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other
  Polynesian languages), English 2.9%, Tongan 2.4%, other Pacific
  islander 2.1%, other 2%
  note: most people are bilingual (2000 census)

Andorra
  Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese

Angola
  Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages

Anguilla
  English (official)

Antigua and Barbuda
  English (official), local dialects

Argentina
  Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French

Armenia
  Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001
  census)

Aruba
  Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
  English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Australia
  English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%,
  unspecified 5.8% (2001 Census)

Austria
  German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in
  Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official
  in Burgenland)

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijani (Azeri) 89%, Russian 3%, Armenian 2%, other
  6% (1995 est.)

Bahamas, The
  English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

Bahrain
  Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu

Bangladesh
  Bangla (official, also known as Bengali), English

Barbados
  English

Belarus
  Belarusian, Russian, other

Belgium
  Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German
  (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)

Belize
  English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole

Benin
  French (official), Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in
  south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north)

Bermuda
  English (official), Portuguese

Bhutan
  Dzongkha (official), Bhotes speak various Tibetan dialects,
  Nepalese speak various Nepalese dialects

Bolivia
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara (official)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian

Botswana
  Setswana 78.2%, Kalanga 7.9%, Sekgalagadi 2.8%, English
  2.1% (official), other 8.6%, unspecified 0.4% (2001 census)

Brazil
  Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

British Virgin Islands
  English (official)

Brunei
  Malay (official), English, Chinese

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and
  unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  French (official), native African languages belonging
  to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population

Burma
  Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Burundi
  Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
  Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)

Cambodia
  Khmer (official) 95%, French, English

Cameroon
  24 major African language groups, English (official),
  French (official)

Canada
  English (official) 59.3%, French (official) 23.2%, other 17.5%

Cape Verde
  Portuguese, Crioulo (a blend of Portuguese and West
  African words)

Cayman Islands
  English

Central African Republic
  French (official), Sangho (lingua franca
  and national language), tribal languages

Chad
  French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more
  than 120 different languages and dialects

Chile
  Spanish

China
  Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing
  dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan
  (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
  (see Ethnic groups entry)

Christmas Island
  English (official), Chinese, Malay

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Malay (Cocos dialect), English

Colombia
  Spanish

Comoros
  Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of
  Swahili and Arabic)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  French (official), Lingala (a
  lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or
  Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Congo, Republic of the
  French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba
  (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects
  (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

Cook Islands
  English (official), Maori

Costa Rica
  Spanish (official), English

Cote d'Ivoire
  French (official), 60 native dialects with Dioula the
  most widely spoken

Croatia
  Croatian 96.1%, Serbian 1%, other and undesignated 2.9%
  (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German) (2001
  census)

Cuba
  Spanish

Cyprus
  Greek, Turkish, English

Czech Republic
  Czech

Denmark
  Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German
  (small minority)
  note: English is the predominant second language

Dhekelia
  English, Greek

Djibouti
  French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

Dominica
  English (official), French patois

Dominican Republic
  Spanish

East Timor
  Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian,
  English
  note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole,
  Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people

Ecuador
  Spanish (official), Amerindian languages (especially Quechua)

Egypt
  Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by
  educated classes

El Salvador
  Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)

Equatorial Guinea
  Spanish (official), French (official), pidgin
  English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo

Eritrea
  Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic
  languages

Estonia
  Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%,
  unknown 0.7% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  Amharic, Tigrinya, Oromigna, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic,
  other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in
  schools)

European Union
  Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish,
  French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian,
  Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note
  - only official languages are listed; Irish (Gaelic) will become the
  twenty-first language on 1 January 2007

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  English

Faroe Islands
  Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish

Fiji
  English (official), Fijian, Hindustani

Finland
  Finnish 92% (official), Swedish 5.6% (official), other 2.4%
  (small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities) (2003)

France
  French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and
  languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque,
  Flemish)

French Guiana
  French

French Polynesia
  French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4%
  (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002
  census)

Gabon
  French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira,
  Bandjabi

Gambia, The
  English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other
  indigenous vernaculars

Gaza Strip
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
  Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Georgia
  Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%,
  other 7%
  note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia

Germany
  German

Ghana
  English (official), African languages (including Akan,
  Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)

Gibraltar
  English (used in schools and for official purposes),
  Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

Greece
  Greek 99% (official), English, French

Greenland
  Greenlandic (East Inuit), Danish, English

Grenada
  English (official), French patois

Guadeloupe
  French (official) 99%, Creole patois

Guam
  English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%,
  other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other
  languages 3.5% (2000 census)

Guatemala
  Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially
  recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel,
  Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)

Guernsey
  English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country
  districts

Guinea
  French (official), each ethnic group has its own language

Guinea-Bissau
  Portuguese (official), Crioulo, African languages

Guyana
  English, Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu

Haiti
  French (official), Creole (official)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Italian, Latin, French, various other
  languages

Honduras
  Spanish, Amerindian dialects

Hong Kong
  Chinese (Cantonese), English; both are official

Hungary
  Hungarian 93.6%, other or unspecified 6.4% (2001 census)

Iceland
  Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken

India
  English enjoys associate status but is the most important
  language for national, political, and commercial communication;
  Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the
  people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu,
  Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi,
  Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular
  variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is
  not an official language

Indonesia
  Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay),
  English, Dutch, local dialects, the most widely spoken of which is
  Javanese

Iran
  Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects
  26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

Iraq
  Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian,
  Armenian

Ireland
  English (official) is the language generally used, Irish
  (official) (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along
  the western seaboard

Israel
  Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority,
  English most commonly used foreign language

Italy
  Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige
  region are predominantly German speaking), French (small
  French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene
  (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

Jamaica
  English, patois English

Japan
  Japanese

Jersey
  English 94.5% (official), Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (2001
  census)

Jordan
  Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and
  middle classes

Kazakhstan
  Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official,
  used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic
  communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Kenya
  English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous
  languages

Kiribati
  I-Kiribati, English (official)

Korea, North
  Korean

Korea, South
  Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high
  school

Kuwait
  Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyz (official), Russian (official)

Laos
  Lao (official), French, English, and various ethnic languages

Latvia
  Latvian (official) 58.2%, Russian 37.5%, Lithuanian and other
  4.3% (2000 census)

Lebanon
  Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

Lesotho
  Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

Liberia
  English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages, of
  which a few can be written and are used in correspondence

Libya
  Arabic, Italian, English, all are widely understood in the
  major cities

Liechtenstein
  German (official), Alemannic dialect

Lithuania
  Lithuanian (official) 82%, Russian 8%, Polish 5.6%, other
  and unspecified 4.4% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative
  language), French (administrative language)

Macau
  Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese
  dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)

Macedonia
  Macedonian 66.5%, Albanian 25.1%, Turkish 3.5%, Roma 1.9%,
  Serbian 1.2%, other 1.8% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  French (official), Malagasy (official)

Malawi
  Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%,
  Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other
  3.6% (1998 census)

Malaysia
  Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects
  (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil,
  Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
  note: in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are
  spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan

Maldives
  Maldivian Dhivehi (dialect of Sinhala, script derived from
  Arabic), English spoken by most government officials

Mali
  French (official), Bambara 80%, numerous African languages

Malta
  Maltese (official), English (official)

Man, Isle of
  English, Manx Gaelic

Marshall Islands
  Marshallese 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999
  census)
  note: English widely spoken as a second language; both Marshallese
  and English are official languages

Martinique
  French, Creole patois

Mauritania
  Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya,
  Wolof

Mauritius
  Creole 80.5%, Bhojpuri 12.1%, French 3.4% (official),
  other 3.7%, unspecified 0.3% (2000 census)

Mayotte
  Mahorian (a Swahili dialect), French (official language)
  spoken by 35% of the population

Mexico
  Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional
  indigenous languages

Micronesia, Federated States of
  English (official and common
  language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian,
  Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

Moldova
  Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian
  language), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)

Monaco
  French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

Mongolia
  Khalkha Mongol 90%, Turkic, Russian (1999)

Montserrat
  English

Morocco
  Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the
  language of business, government, and diplomacy

Mozambique
  Emakhuwa 26.1%, Xichangana 11.3%, Portuguese 8.8%
  (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language), Elomwe
  7.6%, Cisena 6.8%, Echuwabo 5.8%, other Mozambican languages 32%,
  other foreign languages 0.3%, unspecified 1.3% (1997 census)

Namibia
  English 7% (official), Afrikaans common language of most of
  the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%,
  indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama

Nauru
  Nauruan (official, a distinct Pacific Island language),
  English widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and
  commercial purposes

Nepal
  Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu
  (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi
  2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
  note: many in government and business also speak English

Netherlands
  Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Netherlands Antilles
  Papiamento 65.4% (a
  Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely
  spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other
  1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

New Caledonia
  French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

New Zealand
  English (official), Maori (official)

Nicaragua
  Spanish 97.5% (official), Miskito 1.7%, other 0.8% (1995
  census)
  note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast

Niger
  French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Nigeria
  English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani

Niue
  Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and
  Samoan; English

Norfolk Island
  English (official), Norfolk a mixture of 18th century
  English and ancient Tahitian

Northern Mariana Islands
  Philippine languages 24.4%, Chinese 23.4%,
  Chamorro 22.4%, English 10.8%, other Pacific island languages 9.5%,
  other 9.6% (2000 census)

Norway
  Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official),
  small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Oman
  Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects

Pakistan
  Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
  Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
  English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
  government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

Palau
  Palauan 64.7% official in all islands except Sonsoral
  (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are
  official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official),
  Filipino 13.5%, English 9.4%, Chinese 5.7%, Carolinian 1.5%,
  Japanese 1.5%, other Asian 2.3%, other languages 1.5% (2000 census)

Panama
  Spanish (official), English 14%; note - many Panamanians
  bilingual

Papua New Guinea
  Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca,
  English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
  note: 715 indigenous languages - many unrelated

Paraguay
  Spanish (official), Guarani (official)

Peru
  Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large
  number of minor Amazonian languages

Philippines
  two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and
  English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano,
  Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Pitcairn Islands
  English (official), Pitcairnese (mixture of an 18th
  century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

Poland
  Polish 97.8%, other and unspecified 2.2% (2002 census)

Portugal
  Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally
  used)

Puerto Rico
  Spanish, English

Qatar
  Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Reunion
  French (official), Creole widely used

Romania
  Romanian (official), Hungarian, German

Russia
  Russian, many minority languages

Rwanda
  Kinyarwanda (official) universal Bantu vernacular, French
  (official), English (official), Kiswahili (Swahili) used in
  commercial centers

Saint Helena
  English

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  English

Saint Lucia
  English (official), French patois

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  French (official)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  English, French patois

Samoa
  Samoan (Polynesian), English

San Marino
  Italian

Sao Tome and Principe
  Portuguese (official)

Saudi Arabia
  Arabic

Senegal
  French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka

Serbia and Montenegro
  Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%

Seychelles
  Creole 91.8%, English 4.9% (official), other 3.1%,
  unspecified 0.2% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone
  English (official, regular use limited to literate
  minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne
  (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole,
  spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled
  in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10%
  of the population but understood by 95%)

Singapore
  Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%,
  Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects
  1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Slovakia
  Slovak (official) 83.9%, Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%,
  Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6% (2001 census)

Slovenia
  Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified
  4.4% (2002 census)

Solomon Islands
  Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua
  franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the
  population
  note: 120 indigenous languages

Somalia
  Somali (official), Arabic, Italian, English

South Africa
  IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi
  9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%,
  other 7.2% (2001 census)

Spain
  Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%;
  note - Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other
  languages are official regionally

Sri Lanka
  Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil
  (national language) 18%, other 8%
  note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken
  competently by about 10% of the population

Sudan
  Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of
  Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English
  note: program of "Arabization" in process

Suriname
  Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo
  (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is native language of
  Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca
  among others), Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

Svalbard
  Norwegian, Russian

Swaziland
  English (official, government business conducted in
  English), siSwati (official)

Sweden
  Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities

Switzerland
  German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%,
  Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%,
  Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8%
  (2000 census)
  note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national
  languages, but only the first three are official languages

Syria
  Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian
  widely understood; French, English somewhat understood

Taiwan
  Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese (Min), Hakka dialects

Tajikistan
  Tajik (official), Russian widely used in government and
  business

Tanzania
  Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili
  in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce,
  administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in
  Zanzibar), many local languages
  note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people
  living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili
  is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety
  of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the
  lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of
  most people is one of the local languages

Thailand
  Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
  regional dialects

Togo
  French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina
  (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes
  spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the
  north)

Tokelau
  Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English

Tonga
  Tongan, English

Trinidad and Tobago
  English (official), Hindi, French, Spanish,
  Chinese

Tunisia
  Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce),
  French (commerce)

Turkey
  Turkish (official), Kurdish, Arabic, Armenian, Greek

Turkmenistan
  Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  English (official)

Tuvalu
  Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

Uganda
  English (official national language, taught in grade schools,
  used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio
  broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo
  languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital
  and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages,
  Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Ukraine
  Ukrainian (official) 67%, Russian 24%; small Romanian-,
  Polish-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities

United Arab Emirates
  Arabic (official), Persian, English, Hindi, Urdu

United Kingdom
  English, Welsh (about 26% of the population of
  Wales), Scottish form of Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland)

United States
  English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European
  3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census)

Uruguay
  Spanish, Portunol, or Brazilero (Portuguese-Spanish mix on
  the Brazilian frontier)

Uzbekistan
  Uzbek 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

Vanuatu
  local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as
  Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%,
  unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
  Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

Vietnam
  Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a
  second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer; mountain area
  languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

Virgin Islands
  English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%,
  French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)

Wallis and Futuna
  Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language),
  Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

West Bank
  Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many
  Palestinians), English (widely understood)

Western Sahara
  Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

World
  Chinese, Mandarin 13.69%, Spanish 5.05%, English 4.84%, Hindi
  2.82%, Portuguese 2.77%, Bengali 2.68%, Russian 2.27%, Japanese
  1.99%, German, Standard 1.49%, Chinese, Wu 1.21% (2004 est.)
  note: percents are for "first language" speakers only

Yemen
  Arabic

Zambia
  English (official), major vernaculars - Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi,
  Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages

Zimbabwe
  English (official), Shona, Sindebele (the language of the
  Ndebele, sometimes called Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal
  dialects

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2100 Legal system

Afghanistan
  according to the new constitution, no law should be
  "contrary to Islam"; the state is obliged to create a prosperous and
  progressive society based on social justice, protection of human
  dignity, protection of human rights, realization of democracy, and
  to ensure national unity and equality among all ethnic groups and
  tribes; the state shall abide by the UN charter, international
  treaties, international conventions that Afghanistan signed, and the
  Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Akrotiri
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Albania
  has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International
  Criminal Court for its citizens

Algeria
  socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review
  of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of
  various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review
  of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Angola
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law;
  recently modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased
  use of free markets

Anguilla
  based on English common law

Antarctica
  Antarctica is administered through meetings of the
  consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are
  carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own
  nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national
  laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US
  nationals, such as murder, may apply extra-territorially; some US
  laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic
  Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and
  criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized
  by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the
  introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into
  specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants;
  and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica;
  violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up
  to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science
  Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement
  responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation
  Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to
  Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805,
  Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans
  to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more
  information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs,
  National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone:
  (703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more
  generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas
  between 60 and 90 degrees latitude South, is subject to a number of
  relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by
  the states party to the Antarctic Treaty.

Antigua and Barbuda
  based on English common law

Argentina
  mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Armenia
  based on civil law system

Aruba
  based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
  influence

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  the laws of the Commonwealth of
  Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where
  applicable, apply

Australia
  based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Austria
  civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of
  legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate
  administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Azerbaijan
  based on civil law system

Bahamas, The
  based on English common law

Bahrain
  based on Islamic law and English common law

Baker Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Bangladesh
  based on English common law

Barbados
  English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts

Bassas da India
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Belarus
  based on civil law system

Belgium
  civil law system influenced by English constitutional
  theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Belize
  English law

Benin
  based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bermuda
  English law

Bhutan
  based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bolivia
  based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  based on civil law system

Botswana
  based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial
  review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Bouvet Island
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Brazil
  based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

British Indian Ocean Territory
  the laws of the UK, where applicable,
  apply

British Virgin Islands
  English law

Brunei
  based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
  supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Bulgaria
  civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burkina Faso
  based on French civil law system and customary law

Burma
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Burundi
  based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cambodia
  primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes
  from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)
  period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences
  of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing
  influence of common law in recent years

Cameroon
  based on French civil law system, with common law
  influence; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Canada
  based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil
  law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Cape Verde
  derived from the legal system of Portugal

Cayman Islands
  British common law and local statutes

Central African Republic
  based on French law

Chad
  based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Chile
  based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent
  codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction
  note: Chile is in the process of completely overhauling its criminal
  justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system is being
  gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of
  implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region expected in June
  2005

China
  a complex amalgam of custom and statute, largely criminal law;
  rudimentary civil code in effect since 1 January 1987; new legal
  codes in effect since 1 January 1980; continuing efforts are being
  made to improve civil, administrative, criminal, and commercial law

Christmas Island
  under the authority of the governor general of
  Australia and Australian law

Clipperton Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  based upon the laws of Australia and local
  laws

Colombia
  based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US
  procedures was enacted into law in 2004; judicial review of
  executive and legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction,
  with reservations

Comoros
  French and Sharia (Islamic) law in a new consolidated code

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  based on Belgian civil law system
  and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Congo, Republic of the
  based on French civil law system and
  customary law

Cook Islands
  based on New Zealand law and English common law

Coral Sea Islands
  the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply

Costa Rica
  based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Cote d'Ivoire
  based on French civil law system and customary law;
  judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Croatia
  based on civil law system

Cuba
  based on Spanish and American law, with large elements of
  Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Cyprus
  based on common law, with civil law modifications

Czech Republic
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to
  bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal
  theory

Denmark
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Dhekelia
  the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Djibouti
  based on French civil law system, traditional practices,
  and Islamic law

Dominica
  based on English common law

Dominican Republic
  based on French civil codes; undergoing
  modification in 2004 towards an accusatory system

East Timor
  UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains
  in place but will be replaced by civil and penal codes based on
  Portuguese law (2004)

Ecuador
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Egypt
  based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic
  codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State
  (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

El Salvador
  based on civil and Roman law, with traces of common law;
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Equatorial Guinea
  partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom

Eritrea
  primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with
  revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been
  promulgated; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted
  laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Sharia law

Estonia
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative
  acts

Ethiopia
  currently transitional mix of national and regional courts

Europa Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  English common law

Faroe Islands
  Danish

Fiji
  based on British system

Finland
  civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may
  request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

France
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
  administrative but not legislative acts

French Guiana
  French legal system

French Polynesia
  based on French system

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  the laws of France, where
  applicable, apply

Gabon
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme
  Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gambia, The
  based on a composite of English common law, Koranic law,
  and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Georgia
  based on civil law system

Germany
  civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review
  of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Ghana
  based on English common law and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Gibraltar
  English law

Glorioso Islands
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Greece
  based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil,
  criminal, and administrative courts

Greenland
  Danish

Grenada
  based on English common law

Guadeloupe
  French legal system

Guam
  modeled on US; US federal laws apply

Guatemala
  civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Guernsey
  English law and local statutes; justice is administered by
  the Royal Court

Guinea
  based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree;
  legal codes currently being revised; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  based on English common law with certain admixtures of
  Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Haiti
  based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  the laws of Australia, where
  applicable, apply

Holy See (Vatican City)
  based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to
  it

Honduras
  rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing
  influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include
  abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial
  system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Hong Kong
  based on English common law

Howland Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Hungary
  rule of law based on Western model

Iceland
  civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

India
  based on English common law; limited judicial review of
  legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims,
  Christians, and Hindus

Indonesia
  based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by
  indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election
  codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Iran
  the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government

Iraq
  based on civil and Islamic law under the Iraqi Interim
  Government (IG) and Transitional Administrative Law (TAL)

Ireland
  based on English common law, substantially modified by
  indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme
  Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Israel
  mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations,
  and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal
  systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that
  it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Italy
  based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials;
  judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Jamaica
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Jan Mayen
  the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply

Japan
  modeled after European civil law system with English-American
  influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

Jarvis Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jersey
  English law and local statute; justice is administered by the
  Royal Court

Johnston Atoll
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Jordan
  based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of
  legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Juan de Nova Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Kazakhstan
  based on civil law system

Kenya
  based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law,
  tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional
  amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in
  1991

Kingman Reef
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  based on German civil law system with Japanese
  influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Korea, South
  combines elements of continental European civil law
  systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought

Kuwait
  civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal
  matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Kyrgyzstan
  based on civil law system

Laos
  based on traditional customs, French legal norms and
  procedures, and socialist practice

Latvia
  based on civil law system

Lebanon
  mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and
  civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Lesotho
  based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liberia
  dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common
  law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten
  tribal practices for indigenous sector

Libya
  based on Italian civil law system and Islamic law; separate
  religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of
  legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Liechtenstein
  local civil and penal codes; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Lithuania
  based on civil law system; legislative acts can be
  appealed to the constitutional court

Luxembourg
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Macau
  based on Portuguese civil law system

Macedonia
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts

Madagascar
  based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malawi
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Malaysia
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the
  federation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Maldives
  based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law
  primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mali
  based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court (which was
  formally established on 9 March 1994); has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Malta
  based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Man, Isle of
  English common law and Manx statute

Marshall Islands
  based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the
  legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Martinique
  French legal system

Mauritania
  a combination of Shari'a (Islamic law) and French civil
  law

Mauritius
  based on French civil law system with elements of English
  common law in certain areas

Mayotte
  French law

Mexico
  mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system;
  judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Micronesia, Federated States of based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

Midway Islands
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Moldova
  based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews
  legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of
  resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and
  Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents

Monaco
  based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Mongolia
  blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine
  "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution
  ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Montserrat
  English common law and statutory law

Morocco
  based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law
  system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional
  Chamber of Supreme Court

Mozambique
  based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law

Namibia
  based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution

Nauru
  acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law

Navassa Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Nepal
  based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Netherlands
  civil law system incorporating French penal theory;
  constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States
  General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Netherlands Antilles
  based on Dutch civil law system with some
  English common law influence

New Caledonia
  the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy
  to the islands; formerly under French law

New Zealand
  based on English law, with special land legislation and
  land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations

Nicaragua
  civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative
  acts

Niger
  based on French civil law system and customary law; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Nigeria
  based on English common law, Islamic Shariah law (in 12
  northern states), and traditional law

Niue
  English common law
  note: Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws

Norfolk Island
  based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and
  acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either
  Australian or Norfolk Island law

Northern Mariana Islands
  based on US system, except for customs,
  wages, immigration laws, and taxation

Norway
  mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law
  traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature
  when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Oman
  based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to
  the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Pakistan
  based on English common law with provisions to accommodate
  Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Palau
  based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature,
  municipal, common, and customary laws

Palmyra Atoll
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Panama
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Papua New Guinea
  based on English common law

Paraguay
  based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes;
  judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice

Peru
  based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Philippines
  based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Pitcairn Islands
  local island by-laws

Poland
  mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover
  Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part
  of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of
  legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are
  final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
  Justice in Strasbourg

Portugal
  civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the
  constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Puerto Rico
  based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal
  system of justice

Qatar
  discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although
  civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and
  personal matters

Reunion
  French law

Romania
  former mixture of civil law system and communist legal
  theory; is now based on the constitution of France's Fifth Republic

Russia
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts

Rwanda
  based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary
  law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  based on English common law

Saint Lucia
  based on English common law

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  French law with special adaptations for
  local conditions, such as housing and taxation

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  based on English common law

Samoa
  based on English common law and local customs; judicial review
  of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the
  citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

San Marino
  based on civil law system with Italian law influences;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sao Tome and Principe
  based on Portuguese legal system and customary
  law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Saudi Arabia
  based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been
  introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Senegal
  based on French civil law system; judicial review of
  legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State
  audits the government's accounting office; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Serbia and Montenegro
  based on civil law system

Seychelles
  based on English common law, French civil law, and
  customary law

Sierra Leone
  based on English law and customary laws indigenous to
  local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Singapore
  based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Slovakia
  civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply
  with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in
  Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory

Slovenia
  based on civil law system

Solomon Islands
  English common law, which is widely disregarded

Somalia
  no national system; Shari'a and secular courts are in some
  localities

South Africa
  based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law;
  accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  the laws of the UK,
  where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland
  Islands presides over the Magistrates Court

Spain
  civil law system, with regional applications; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sri Lanka
  a highly complex mixture of English common law,
  Roman-Dutch, Muslim, Sinhalese, and customary law; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sudan
  based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January
  1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic
  law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of
  the northern states regardless of their religion; some separate
  religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations

Suriname
  based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal
  theory

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts
  and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; has not
  accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Sweden
  civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Switzerland
  civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees
  of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Syria
  based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious
  courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Taiwan
  based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

Tajikistan
  based on civil law system; no judicial review of
  legislative acts

Tanzania
  based on English common law; judicial review of legislative
  acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted
  compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Thailand
  based on civil law system, with influences of common law;
  has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Togo
  French-based court system

Tokelau
  New Zealand and local statutes

Tonga
  based on English law

Trinidad and Tobago
  based on English common law; judicial review of
  legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction

Tromelin Island
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Tunisia
  based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some
  judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint
  session

Turkey
  civil law system derived from various European continental
  legal systems; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with
  reservations; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights
  (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified
  European Convention on Human Rights

Turkmenistan
  based on civil law system

Turks and Caicos Islands
  based on laws of England and Wales, with a
  few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one
  based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory
  ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Ukraine
  based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative
  acts

United Arab Emirates
  federal court system introduced in 1971;
  applies to all emirates except Dubayy (Dubai) and Ra's al Khaymah,
  which are not fully integrated into the federal system; all emirates
  have secular courts to adjudicate criminal, civil, and commercial
  matters and Islamic courts to review family and religious disputes

United Kingdom
  common law tradition with early Roman and modern
  continental influences; has judicial review of Acts of Parliament
  under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction, with reservations

United States
  federal court system based on English common law; each
  state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one
  (Louisiana's) is based on English common law; judicial review of
  legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
  reservations

Uruguay
  based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Uzbekistan
  evolution of Soviet civil law; still lacks independent
  judicial system

Vanuatu
  unified system being created from former dual French and
  British systems

Venezuela
  open, adversarial court system

Vietnam
  based on communist legal theory and French civil law system

Virgin Islands
  based on US laws

Wake Island
  the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Wallis and Futuna
  French legal system

World
  all members of the UN are parties to the statute that
  established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court

Yemen
  based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and
  local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
  jurisdiction

Zambia
  based on English common law and customary law; judicial
  review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has
  not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Zimbabwe
  mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2101 Legislative branch

Afghanistan
  nonfunctioning as of January 2004; government is
  empowered by the constitution to issue legislation by decree until
  the new assembly is seated; under the new constitution, the
  bicameral National Assembly will consist of the Wolesi Jirga or
  House of People (no more than 249 seats), directly elected for a
  five-year term, and the Meshrano Jirga or House of Elders (102
  seats, one third elected from provincial councils for a four-year
  term, one third elected from local district councils for a
  three-year term, and one third presidential appointees for a
  five-year term; the presidential appointees will include two
  representatives of Kuchis and two representatives of the disabled;
  half of the presidential appointees will be women)
  note: on rare occasions the government may convene the Loya Jirga on
  issues of independence, national sovereignty, and territorial
  integrity; it can amend the provisions of the constitution and
  prosecute the president; it is made up of members of the National
  Assembly and chairpersons of the provincial and district councils
  elections: scheduled for spring 2005

Albania
  unicameral People's Assembly or Kuvendi Popullor (140 seats;
  100 are elected by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote
  for four-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 July 2005 (next to be held July 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PD 55, PS 40, PR 11, PSD 7, LSI 5, other 22

Algeria
  bicameral Parliament consists of the National People's
  Assembly or Al-Majlis Ech-Chaabi Al-Watani (389 seats - changed from
  380 seats in the 2002 elections; members elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms) and the Council of Nations (Senate) (144
  seats; one-third of the members appointed by the president,
  two-thirds elected by indirect vote; members serve six-year terms;
  the constitution requires half the council to be renewed every three
  years)
  elections: National People's Assembly - last held 30 May 2002 (next
  to be held NA 2007); Council of Nations (Senate) - last held 30
  December 2003 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: National People's Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FLN 199, RND 48, Islah 43, MSP 38, PT
  21, FNA 8, EnNahda 1, PRA 1, MEN 1, independents 29; Council of
  Nations - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party NA%

American Samoa
  bicameral Fono or Legislative Assembly consists of
  the House of Representatives (21 seats - 20 of which are elected by
  popular vote and 1 is an appointed, nonvoting delegate from Swains
  Island; members serve two-year terms) and the Senate (18 seats;
  members are elected from local chiefs and serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2006); Senate - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Senate - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - independents 18
  note: American Samoa elects one nonvoting representative to the US
  House of Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next
  to be held November 2006); results - Eni F. H. FALEOMAVAEGA
  (Democrat) reelected as delegate

Andorra
  unicameral General Council of the Valleys or Consell General
  de las Valls (28 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote,
  14 from a single national constituency and 14 to represent each of
  the 7 parishes; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2005 (next to be held March-April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLA 41.2%, PS 38.1%,
  CDA 11%, other 9.7%; seats by party - PLA 14, PS 12, CDA 2

Angola
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (220
  seats; members elected by proportional vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 29-30 September 1992 (next to be held September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MPLA 54%, UNITA 34%,
  others 12%; seats by party - MPLA 129, UNITA 70, PRS 6, FNLA 5, PLD
  3, others 7

Anguilla
  unicameral House of Assembly (11 seats total, 7 elected by
  direct popular vote, 2 ex officio members, and 2 appointed; members
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 February 2005 (next to be held 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - AUF 38.9%, ANSA 19.2%,
  AUM 19.4%, APP 9.5 %, independents 13%; seats by party - AUF 4, ANSA
  2, AUM 1

Antigua and Barbuda
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
  (17-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of
  Representatives (17 seats; members are elected by proportional
  representation to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 23 March 2004 (next
  to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  ALP 4, UPP 13

Argentina
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists
  of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote;
  presently one-third of the members elected every two years to a
  six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are
  elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two
  years to a four-year term)
  elections: Senate - last held intermittently by province during the
  2nd half of 2003 (next to be held NA 2005); Chamber of Deputies -
  last held intermittently by province during the 2nd half of 2003
  (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%;
  seats by bloc or party - PJ 41, UCR 16, provincial parties 15;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by bloc or party - NA%; seats
  by bloc or party - PJ 133, UCR 46, IF 23, ARI 11, Socialist 6,
  other/provincial parties 38

Armenia
  unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov
  (131 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
  terms; 75 members elected by party list, 56 by direct vote)
  elections: last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in the spring of
  2007)
  note: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.5%, Justice
  Bloc 13.6%, Rule of Law 12.3%, ARF (Dashnak) 11.4%, National Unity
  Party 8.8%, United Labor Party 5.7%; seats by party - Republican
  Party 23, Justice Bloc 14, Rule of Law 12, ARF (Dashnak) 11,
  National Unity 9, United Labor 6; note - seats by party change
  frequently as deputies switch parties or announce themselves
  independent

Aruba
  unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA
  7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8,
  MPA 1, RED 1

Australia
  bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76
  seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two
  mainland territories; one-half of state members are elected every
  three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms while all
  territory members are elected every three years) and the House of
  Representatives (150 seats; members elected by popular preferential
  voting to serve terms of up to three-years; no state can have fewer
  than five representatives)
  elections: Senate - last held 9 October 2004 (next to be held no
  later than June 2008); House of Representatives - last held 9
  October 2004 (next to be called no later than November 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party (for session beginning on 1 July 2005) - Liberal
  Party-National Party coalition 39, Australian Labor Party 28,
  Democrats 4, Australian Greens 4, Family First Party 1; House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Liberal Party-National Party coalition 87, Australian Labor Party
  60, independents 3

Austria
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung consists of
  Federal Council or Bundesrat (62 members; members represent each of
  the states on the basis of population, but with each state having at
  least three representatives; members serve a five- or six-year term)
  and the National Council or Nationalrat (183 seats; members elected
  by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: National Council - last held 24 November 2002 (next to be
  held in the fall of 2006)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - OeVP
  42.3%, SPOe 36.5%, FPOe 10.0%, Greens 9.5%; seats by party - OeVP
  79, SPOe 69, FPOe 18, Greens 17; seating as of May 2005 after split
  within the Freedom Party: OeVP 79, SPOe 69, Greens 17, BZOe 11, FPOe
  7

Azerbaijan
  unicameral National Assembly or Milli Mejlis (125 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 November 2000 (next to be held NA November
  2005)
  note: 100 members of the current parliament were elected on the
  basis of single mandate constituencies, while 25 were elected based
  on proportional balloting; as a result of a 24 August 2002 national
  referendum on changes to the constitution, all 125 members of the
  next parliament will be elected from single mandate constituencies
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NAP and allies 108, APF "Reform" 6, CSP 3, PNIA 2, Musavat Party 2,
  CPA 2, APF "Classic" 1, Compatriot Party 1
  note: PNIA, Musavat, and APF "Classic" parties refused to take their
  seats

Bahamas, The
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (16-member
  body appointed by the governor general upon the advice of the prime
  minister and the opposition leader for five-year terms) and the
  House of Assembly (40 seats; members elected by direct popular vote
  to serve five-year terms); the government may dissolve the
  parliament and call elections at any time
  elections: last held 1 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 50.8%, FNM 41.1%,
  independents 5.2%; seats by party - PLP 29, FNM 7, independents 4

Bahrain
  bicameral Parliament consists of Shura Council (40 members
  appointed by the King) and House of Deputies (40 members directly
  elected to serve four-year terms)
  elections: House of Deputies - last held 31 October 2002 (next
  election to be held NA 2006)
  election results: House of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - independents 21, Sunni Islamists 9, other 10
  note: first elections since 7 December 1973; unicameral National
  Assembly dissolved 26 August 1975; National Action Charter created
  bicameral legislature on 23 December 2000; approved by referendum 14
  February 2001; first legislative session of Parliament held on 25
  December 2002

Bangladesh
  unicameral National Parliament or Jatiya Sangsad; 300
  seats elected by popular vote from single territorial constituencies
  (the constitutional amendment reserving 30 seats for women over and
  above the 300 regular parliament seats expired in May 2001); members
  serve five-year terms
  elections: last held 1 October 2001 (next to be held before October
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BNP and alliance
  partners 47%, AL 40%; seats by party - BNP 195, AL 58, JI 17, JP
  (Ershad faction) 14, IOJ 3, JP (Naziur) 4, other 9; note - the
  election of October 2001 brought a majority BNP government aligned
  with three other smaller parties - Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya
  Jote, and Jatiya Party (Manzur)

Barbados
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body
  appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be
  held by May 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7

Belarus
  bicameral National Assembly or Natsionalnoye Sobranie
  consists of the Council of the Republic or Soviet Respubliki (64
  seats; 56 members elected by regional councils and 8 members
  appointed by the president, all for 4-year terms) and the Chamber of
  Representatives or Palata Predstaviteley (110 seats; members elected
  by universal adult suffrage to serve 4-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 March and 1 April 2001 and 17 and 31 October
  2004; international observers widely denounced the October 2004
  elections as flawed and undemocratic, based on massive government
  falsification; pro-Lukashenko candidates won every seat, after many
  opposition candidates were disqualified for technical reasons
  election results: Soviet Respubliki - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - NA; Palata Predstaviteley - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Belgium
  bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in
  Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by
  popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year
  terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van
  Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in
  French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on
  the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 18 May 2003
  (next to be held no later than May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - SP.A-Spirit
  15.5%, VLD 15.4%, CD & V 12.7%, PS 12.8%, MR 12.1%, VB 9.4%, CDH
  5.6%; seats by party - SP.A-Spirit 7, VLD 7, CD & V 6, PS 6, MR 5,
  VB 5, CDH 2, other 2 (note - there are also 31 indirectly elected
  senators); Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD
  15.4%, SP.A-Spirit 14.9%, CD & V 13.3%, PS 13.0%, VB 11.6%, MR
  11.4%, CDH 5.5%, Ecolo 3.1%; seats by party - VLD 25, SP.A-Spirit
  23, CD & V 21, PS 25, VB 18, MR 24, CDH 8 Ecolo 4, other 2
  note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered
  devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of
  government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a
  complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six
  governments each with its own legislative assembly

Belize
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (12
  members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the
  prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition,
  and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and
  Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce
  and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National
  Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee;
  members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next
  to be held March 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PUP 21, UDP 8

Benin
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (83 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Presidential Movement 52, opposition (PRB, PRD, E'toile, and 5 other
  small parties) 31

Bermuda
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (an 11-member
  body appointed by the governor, the premier, and the opposition) and
  the House of Assembly (36 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve up to five-year terms)
  elections: last general election held 24 July 2003 (next to be held
  July 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PLP 51.7%, UBP 48%;
  seats by party - PLP 22, UBP 14

Bhutan
  unicameral National Assembly or Tshogdu (150 seats; 105
  elected from village constituencies, 10 represent religious bodies,
  and 35 are designated by the monarch to represent government and
  other secular interests; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: local elections last held November 2002 (next to be held
  NA 2005)
  election results: NA

Bolivia
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
  elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
  five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130
  seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are
  elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
  30 June 2002 (next to be held June 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
  of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNR
  36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  bicameral Parliamentary Assembly or Skupstina
  consists of the National House of Representatives or Predstavnicki
  Dom (42 seats - elected by proportional representation, 28 seats
  allocated from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 14 seats
  from the Republika Srpska; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms); and the House of Peoples or Dom Naroda (15 seats -
  5 Bosniak, 5 Croat, 5 Serb; members elected by the Bosniak/Croat
  Federation's House of Representatives and the Republika Srpska's
  National Assembly to serve four-year terms); note - Bosnia's
  election law specifies four-year terms for the state and first-order
  administrative division entity legislatures
  elections: National House of Representatives - elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held in NA 2006); House of Peoples - last
  constituted NA January 2003 (next to be constituted in 2007)
  election results: National House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party/coalition - SDA 21.9%, SDS 14.0%, SBiH 10.5%, SDP
  10.4%, SNSD 9.8%, HDZ 9.5%, PDP 4.6%, others 19.3%; seats by
  party/coalition - SDA 10, SDS 5, SBiH 6, SDP 4, SNSD 3, HDZ 5, PDP
  2, others 7; House of Peoples - percent of vote by party/coalition -
  NA%; seats by party/coalition - NA
  note: the Bosniak/Croat Federation has a bicameral legislature that
  consists of a House of Representatives (98 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms); elections last held 5
  October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006); percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party/coalition - SDA 32, HDZ-BiH 16, SDP 15,
  SBiH 15, other 20; and a House of Peoples (60 seats - 30 Bosniak, 30
  Croat); last constituted December 2002; the Republika Srpska has a
  National Assembly (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms); elections last held 5 October 2002 (next to
  be held in the fall of 2006); percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party/coalition - SDS 26, SNSD 19, PDP 9, SDA 6, SRS 4, SPRS 3,
  DNZ 3, SBiH 4, SDP 3, others 6; as a result of the 2002
  constitutional reform process, a 28-member Republika Srpska Council
  of Peoples (COP) was established in the Republika Srpska National
  Assembly including 8 Croats, 8 Bosniaks, 8 Serbs, and 4 members of
  the smaller communities

Botswana
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a
  largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the
  eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members
  selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (61
  seats, 57 members are directly elected by popular vote and four are
  appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly elections last held 30 October 2004
  (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - BDP 52%, BNF 26%, BCP
  17%, other 5%; seats by party - BDP 44, BNF 12, BCP 1

Brazil
  bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of
  the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from
  each state and federal district elected according to the principle
  of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a
  four-year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year
  period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513
  seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Federal Senate - last held 6 October 2002 for two-thirds
  of the Senate (next to be held October 2006 for one-third of the
  Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 October 2002 (next to be
  held October 2006)
  election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PMBD 19, PFL 19, PT 14, PSDB 11, PDT 5, PSB 4, PL
  3, PTB 3, PPS 1, PSD 1, PP 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - PT 91, PFL 84, PMDB 74, PSDB 71, PP
  49, PL 26, PTB 26, PSB 22, PDT 21, PPS 15, PCdoB 12, PRONA 6, PV 5,
  other 11; note - many congressmen have changed party affiliation
  since the most recent election

British Virgin Islands
  unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of
  9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 May 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NDP 8, VIP 5

Brunei
  Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time
  in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed
  constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15
  elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and
  appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
  elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

Bulgaria
  unicameral National Assembly or Narodno Sobranie (240
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 June 2005 (next to be held June 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CfB 31.1%, NMS2 19.9%,
  MRF 12.7%, ATAKA 8.2%, UDF 7.7%, DSB 6.5%, BPU 5.2%; seats by party
  - CfB 83, NMS2 53, MRF 33, ATAKA 21, UDF 20, DSB 17, BPU 13

Burkina Faso
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (111 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: National Assembly election last held 5 May 2002 (next to
  be held May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CDP 57, RDA-ADF 17, PDP/PS 10, CFD 5, PAI 5, others 17

Burma
  unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by
  junta to convene
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government),
  other 60

Burundi
  bicameral, consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (expanded from 121 to approximately 140 seats under the
  transitional government inaugurated 1 November 2001; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and a Senate (54
  seats; term length is undefined, the current senators will likely
  serve out the three-year transition period)
  elections: last held 29 June 1993 (next was scheduled to be held in
  1998, but was suspended by presidential decree in 1996; elections
  are currently planned to be held by April 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRODEBU 71.04%, UPRONA
  21.4%, other 7.56%; seats by party - FRODEBU 65, UPRONA 16,
  civilians 27, other parties 13

Cambodia
  bicameral, consists of the National Assembly (123 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
  Senate (61 seats; two members appointed by the monarch, two elected
  by the National Assembly, and 57 elected by "functional
  constituencies"; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 27 July 2003 (next to be
  held in July 2008); Senate - last held 2 March 1999 (scheduled to be
  held in 2004 but delayed)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - CPP
  47%, SRP 22%, FUNCINPEC 21%, other 10%; seats by party - CPP 73,
  FUNCINPEC 26, SRP 24; Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - CPP 31, FUNCINPEC 21, SRP 7, other 2 (July 2003)

Cameroon
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (180
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms; note - the president can either lengthen or shorten the term
  of the legislature)
  elections: last held 23 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RDCP 133, SDF 21, UDC 5, other 21
  note: the constitution calls for an upper chamber for the
  legislature, to be called a Senate, but it has yet to be established

Canada
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
  Senat (members appointed by the governor general with the advice of
  the prime minister and serve until reaching 75 years of age; its
  normal limit is 105 senators) and the House of Commons or Chambre
  des Communes (308 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve for up to five-year terms)
  elections: House of Commons - last held 28 June 2004 (next to be
  held by NA 2009)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Liberal Party 36.7%, Conservative Party 29.6%, New Democratic Party
  15.7%, Bloc Quebecois 12.4%, Greens 4.3%, independents 0.4%, other
  0.9%; seats by party - Liberal Party 134, Conservative Party 99,
  Bloc Quebecois 54, New Democratic Party 19, independent 2

Cape Verde
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (72
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 January 2001 (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAICV 47.3%, MPD 39.8%,
  ADM 6%, other 6.9%; seats by party - PAICV 40, MPD 30, ADM 2

Cayman Islands
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three
  appointed members from the Executive Council and 15 elected by
  popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 May 2005 (next to be held 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - PPM 9, UDP 5,
  independent 1

Central African Republic
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms
  elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be
  held 13 March 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD
  9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%,
  independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD
  6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7

Chad
  bicameral according to constitution, consists of a National
  Assembly (155 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and a Senate (not yet created and size unspecified,
  members to serve six-year terms, one-third of membership renewable
  every two years)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 21 April 2002 (next to be
  held in April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MPS 110, RDP 12, FAR 9, RNDP 5, URD 5, UNDR 3, others 11

Chile
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
  the Senate or Senado (48 seats, 38 elected by popular vote, 9
  designated members, and 1 former president who has served a full
  six-year term and is senator for life); elected members serve
  eight-year terms (one-half elected every four years) and the Chamber
  of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (120 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held
  December 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 December 2001
  (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - CPD 20 (PDC 12, PS 5, PPD 3), APC 16 (UDI 9, RN 7),
  independents 2; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CPD 62 (PDC 24, PPD 21, PS 11, PRSD 6), UDI
  35, RN 22, independent 1

China
  unicameral National People's Congress or Quanguo Renmin
  Daibiao Dahui (2,985 seats; members elected by municipal, regional,
  and provincial people's congresses to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held December 2002-February 2003 (next to be held
  late 2007-February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - NA

Christmas Island
  unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
  election; last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held in 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  unicameral Cocos (Keeling) Islands Shire
  Council (7 seats)
  elections: held every two years with half the members standing for
  election; last held NA

Colombia
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Senate or
  Senado (102 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Camara de
  Representantes (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 March 2002 (next to be held March
  2006); House of Representatives - last held 10 March 2002 (next to
  be held March 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PL 28, PSC 13, independents and smaller parties (many
  aligned with conservatives) 61; House of Representatives - percent
  of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PL 54, PSC 21, independents
  and other parties 91

Comoros
  unicameral Assembly of the Union (33 seats; 15 deputies are
  selected by the individual islands' local assemblies and the 18 by
  universal suffrage; deputies serve for five years);
  elections: last held 18 and 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  a 300-member Transitional
  Constituent Assembly established in August 2000
  elections: NA; members of the Transitional Constituent Assembly were
  appointed by former President Laurent Desire KABILA

Congo, Republic of the
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate
  (66 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (137 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 11 July 2002 (next to be held July
  2007); National Assembly - last held 27 May and 26 June 2002 (next
  to be held by NA May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FDP 56, other 10; National Assembly - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 83, UDR 6, UPADS 3, other 45

Cook Islands
  unicameral Parliament (25 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 September 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  CIP 10, DAP 9, Demo Tumu 4, independent 1; note - one seat undecided
  pending by-election
  note: the House of Ariki (chiefs) advises on traditional matters and
  maintains considerable influence, but has no legislative powers

Costa Rica
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  (57 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 February 2002 (next to be held 3 February
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PUSC 19, PLN 17, PAC 14, PML 6, PRC 1; note - seats by party as of
  January 2005 - PUSC 19, PLN 16, PAC 8, PML 5, PRC 1, Patriotic Union
  3, Homeland First 1, Authentic Member from Heredia 1, Democratic
  National Alliance 1, independent 2

Cote d'Ivoire
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  (225 seats; members are elected in single- and multi-district
  elections by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 10 December 2000 with by-elections on
  14 January 2001 (next to be held October 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FPI 96, PDCI-RDA 94, RDR 5, PIT 4, other 2, independents 22, vacant 2
  note: a Senate is scheduled to be created in the next full election
  in 2005

Croatia
  unicameral Assembly or Sabor (152 seats; note - one seat was
  added in the November 2003 parliamentary elections; members elected
  from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Assembly - last held 23 November 2003 (next to be held in
  2007)
  election results: Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; number
  of seats by party - HDZ 66, SDP 34, HSS 10, HNS 10, HSP 8, IDS 4,
  Libra 3, HSU 3, SDSS 3, other 11
  note: minority government coalition - HDZ, DC, HSLS, HSU, SDSS

Cuba
  unicameral National Assembly of People's Power or Asemblea
  Nacional del Poder Popular (609 seats, elected directly from slates
  approved by special candidacy commissions; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 19 January 2003 (next to be held in NA 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - PCC 97.6%; seats - PCC 609

Cyprus
  unicameral - Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives or
  Vouli Antiprosopon (80 seats; 56 assigned to the Greek Cypriots, 24
  to Turkish Cypriots; note - only those assigned to Greek Cypriots
  are filled; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms); north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic or Cumhuriyet Meclisi
  (50 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: Republic of Cyprus: last held 27 May 2001 (next to be
  held May 2006); north Cyprus: last held 14 December 2003 (next to be
  held NA 2008)
  election results: Republic of Cyprus: House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - AKEL 34.71%, DISY 34%, DIKO 14.84%, KISOS
  6.51%, others 9.94%; seats by party - AKEL (Communist) 20, DISY 19,
  DIKO 9, KISOS 4, others 4; north Cyprus: Assembly of the Republic -
  percent of vote by party - CTP 35.8%, UBP 32.3%, Peace and
  Democratic Movement 13.4%, DP 12.3%; seats by party - CTP 19, UBP
  18, Peace and Democratic Movement 6, DP 7

Czech Republic
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the
  Senate or Senat (81 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Poslanecka Snemovna (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held in two rounds 5-6 November and 12-13
  November 2004 (next to be held November 2006); Chamber of Deputies -
  last held 14-15 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - ODS 37, KDU-CSL 14, Open Democracy 13, CSSD 7, Caucus Open
  Democracy 7, independents 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - CSSD 30.2%, ODS 24.5%, KSCM 18.5%, KDU-CSL & US-DEU
  coalition 14.3%, other minor 12.5%; seats by party - CSSD 70, ODS
  57, KSCM 41, KDU-CSL 21, US-DEU 10, independent 1

Denmark
  unicameral People's Assembly or Folketinget (179 seats,
  including 2 from Greenland and 2 from the Faroe Islands; members are
  elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Party 29%,
  Social Democrats 25.9%, Danish People's Party 13.2%, Conservative
  Party 10.3%, Social Liberal Party 9.2%, Socialist People's Party 6%,
  Unity List 3.4%; seats by party - Liberal Party 52, Social Democrats
  47, Danish People's Party 24, Conservative Party 18, Social Liberal
  Party 17, Socialist People's Party 11, Unity List 6; note - does not
  include the 2 seats from Greenland and the 2 seats from the Faroe
  Islands

Djibouti
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (65
  seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 January 2003 (next to be held January 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - RPP 62.2%, FRUD 36.9%; seats -
  RPP 65, FRUD 0; note - RPP (the ruling party) dominated the election

Dominica
  unicameral House of Assembly (30 seats, 9 appointed
  senators, 21 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 May 2005 (next to be held by 5 August 2010);
  note - tradition dictates that the election will be held within five
  years of the last election, but technically it is five years from
  the first seating of parliament (12 May 2005) plus a 90-day grace
  period
  election results: percent of vote by party - DLP 52.08%, UWP 43.6%,
  DFP 3.15%; seats by party - DLP 12, UWP 8, independent 1

Dominican Republic
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
  consists of the Senate or Senado (32 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
  or Camara de Diputados (150 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held May
  2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 16 May 2002 (next to be held
  May 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRD 29, PLD 2, PRSC 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - PRD 73, PLD 41, PRSC 36

East Timor
  unicameral National Parliament (number of seats can vary,
  minimum requirement of 52 and a maximum of 65 seats; members elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - for its first term
  of office, the National Parliament is comprised of 88 members on an
  exceptional basis
  elections: (next to be held August 2006); direct elections for
  national parliament were never held; elected delegates to the
  national convention named themselves legislators instead of having
  elections; hence the exceptional numbers for this term of the
  national parliament.
  election results: percent of vote by party - FRETILIN 57.37%, PD
  8.72%, PSD 8.18%, ASDT 7.84%, UDT 2.36%, PNT 2.21%, KOTA 2.13%, PPT
  2.01%, PDC 1.98%, PST 1.78%, independents/other 5.42%; seats by
  party - FRETILIN 55, PD 7, PSD 6, ASDT 6, PDC 2, UDT 2, KOTA 2, PNT
  2, PPT 2, UDC/PDC 1, PST 1, PL 1, independent 1

Ecuador
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (100
  seats; members are popularly elected by province to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2002 (next to be held October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PSC 25, PRE 15, ID 16, PRIAN 10, PSP 9, Pachakutik Movement 6, MPD
  5, DP 4, PS-FA 3, independents 7; note - defections by members of
  National Congress are commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in
  the numbers of seats held by the various parties

Egypt
  bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
  al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
  the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
  Council or Majlis al-Shura - which functions only in a consultative
  role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the
  president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half
  the members)
  elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19
  October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held
  October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004
  (next to be held May-June 2007)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
  seats by party - NDP 388, Tagammu 6, NWP 7, Nasserists 3, Al-Ahrar
  1, independents 37 (2 seats determined by a later byelection, 10
  seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by
  party - NA; seats by party - NA

El Salvador
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa
  (84 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  three-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  FMLN 31, ARENA 28, PCN 15, PDC 5, CD 5

Equatorial Guinea
  unicameral House of People's Representatives or
  Camara de Representantes del Pueblo (80 seats; members directly
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  PDGE 98, NA 2
  note: Parliament has little power since the constitution vests all
  executive authority in the president

Eritrea
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; term limits not
  established)
  elections: in May 1997, following the adoption of the new
  constitution, 75 members of the PFDJ Central Committee (the old
  Central Committee of the EPLF), 60 members of the 527-member
  Constituent Assembly, that had been established in 1997 to discuss
  and ratify the new constitution, and 15 representatives of Eritreans
  living abroad were formed into a Transitional National Assembly to
  serve as the country's legislative body until countrywide elections
  to a National Assembly were held; although only 75 of 150 members of
  the Transitional National Assembly were elected, the constitution
  stipulates that once past the transition stage, all members of the
  National Assembly will be elected by secret ballot of all eligible
  voters; National Assembly elections scheduled for December 2001 were
  postponed indefinitely

Estonia
  unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party 25.4%, Res
  Publica 24.6%, Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian People's Union 13%, Pro
  Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3% People's Party Moodukad 7%;
  seats by party - Center Party 28, Res Publica 28, Reform Party 19,
  Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria Union 7, People's Party
  Moodukad 6

Ethiopia
  bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Federation or
  upper chamber (108 seats; members are chosen by state assemblies to
  serve five-year terms) and the House of People's Representatives or
  lower chamber (548 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote from single-member districts to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 May 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - OPDO 177,
  ANDM 134, TPLF 38, WGGPDO 27, EPRDF 19, SPDO 18, GNDM 15, KSPDO 10,
  ANDP 8, GPRDF 7, SOPDM 7, BGPDUF 6, BMPDO 5, KAT 4, other regional
  political groupings 22, independents 8; note - 43 seats unconfirmed
  note: irregularities and violence at some polling stations
  necessitated the rescheduling of voting in certain constituencies;
  voting postponed in Somali regional state because of severe drought

European Union
  Council of the European Union (25 member-state
  ministers having 321 votes; the number of votes is roughly
  proportional to member-states' population); note - the Council is
  the main decision-making body of the EU; European Parliament (732
  seats; seats allocated among member states by proportion to
  population); members elected by direct universal suffrage for a
  five-year term
  elections: last held 10-13 June 2004 (next to be held June 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - EPP-ED
  268, PES 202, ALDE 88, Greens/EFA 42, EUL/NGL 41, IND/DEM 36, UEN
  27, independents 28

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout

Faroe Islands
  unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the
  seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 January 2004 (next to be held no later than
  January 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Union Party 23.7%,
  Social Democrats 21.8%, Republican Party 21.7%, People's Party
  20.6%, Center Party 5.2%, Independence Party 4.6%; seats by party -
  Union Party 7, Social Democrats 7, Republican Party 8, People's
  Party 7, Center Party 2, Independence Party 1
  note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on
  8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009); results - percent
  of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 1, People's
  Party 1

Fiji
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (34 seats; 24
  appointed by the President on the advice of the Great Council of
  Chiefs, nine appointed by the president, and one appointed by the
  council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23
  reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, three
  reserved for other ethnic groups, one reserved for the council of
  Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open
  seats; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 25 August through 1
  September and 19 September 2001 (next to be held not later than
  September 2006)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - FLP 26.5%, SDL 27.5%, NFP 1.2%, MV 4.2%, NLUP 1.3%, UGP .3%,
  independents 1.4%; seats by party - FLP 27, SDL 32, MV 6, NFP 1,
  NLUP 2, UGP 1, independents 2

Finland
  unicameral Parliament or Eduskunta (200 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional basis to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 16 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Kesk 24.7%, SDP 24.5%,
  Kok 18.5%, VAS 9.9%, VIHR 8%, KD 5.3%, SFP 4.6%; seats by party -
  Kesk 55, SDP 53, Kok 40, VAS 19, VIHR 14, KD 7, SFP 8, others 4

France
  bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of the Senate or
  Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for overseas
  departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
  members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve
  nine-year terms; elected by thirds every three years); note -
  between now and 2010, 25 new seats will be added to the Senate for a
  total of 346 seats - 326 for metropolitan France and overseas
  departments, 2 for New Caledonia, 2 for Mayotte, 1 for Saint-Pierre
  and Miquelon, 3 for overseas territories, and 12 for French
  nationals abroad; members will be indirectly elected by an electoral
  college to serve six-year terms, with one-half the seats being
  renewed every three years; and the National Assembly or Assemblee
  Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
  single-member majority system to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 26 September 2004 (next to be held
  September 2007); National Assembly - last held 8-16 June 2002 (next
  to be held not later than June 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - UMP 156, PS 97, UDF 33, PCF 23, RDSE 15, other 7; National
  Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 355,
  PS 140, UDF 29, PCF 21, Radical Party 7, Greens 3, other 22

French Guiana
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  and a unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (31 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA 2004)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PSG 5, various left-wing parties 5, independents 7,
  other 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - PS 28.28%,
  various left parties 22.56%, RPR 15.91%, independents 8.6%, Walwari
  Committee 6%; seats by party - PS 11, various left parties 9, RPR 6,
  independents 3, Walwari Committee 2
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
  (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - NA; 2 seats were elected to the French
  National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
  1, Walwari Committee 1

French Polynesia
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
  Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004
  election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy
  27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13
  February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the
  Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New
  Democracy 3
  note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998
  (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
  - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French
  National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR
  1, UMP 1

Gabon
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate (91 seats;
  members elected by members of municipal councils and departmental
  assemblies) and the National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 9 and 23 December 2001
  (next to be held December 2006); Senate - last held 26 January and 9
  February 2003 (next to be held by January 2009)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - PDG 86, RNB-RPG 8, PGP 3, ADERE 3, CLR 2, PUP
  1, PSD 1, independents 13, others 3; Senate - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - PDG 53, RNB 20, PGP 4, ADERE 3, RDP 1,
  CLR 1, independents 9

Gambia, The
  unicameral National Assembly (53 seats; 48 elected by
  popular vote, five appointed by the president; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 January 2002 (next to be held February 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  APRC 45, PDOIS 2, NRP 1,

Georgia
  unicameral Supreme Council (commonly referred to as
  Parliament) or Umaghiesi Sabcho (235 seats - 150 elected by party
  lists); members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held spring 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - National
  Movement-Democrats 67.6%, Rightist Opposition 7.6%, all other
  parties received less than 7% each; seats by party - National
  Movement-Democrats 135, Rightist Opposition 15

Germany
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Federal
  Assembly or Bundestag (613 seats; elected by popular vote under a
  system combining direct and proportional representation; a party
  must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain
  representation; members serve four-year terms) and the Federal
  Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments are directly
  represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes depending on population
  and are required to vote as a block)
  elections: Federal Assembly - last held 18 September 2005 (next to
  be held September 2009); note - there are no elections for the
  Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the
  state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the
  potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election
  election results: Federal Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  CDU/CSU 35.2%, SPD 34.3%, FDP 9.8%, Left 8.7%, Greens 8.1%; seats by
  party - CDU/CSU 225, SPD 222, FDP 61, Left 54, Greens 51; Federal
  Council - current composition - NA

Ghana
  unicameral Parliament (230 seats; note - increased from 200
  seats in last election; members are elected by direct, popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPP 128, NDC 92, other 10

Gibraltar
  unicameral House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by
  popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio
  members; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%;
  seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7

Greece
  unicameral Parliament or Vouli ton Ellinon (300 seats;
  members are elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 7 March 2004 (next to be held by
  March 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ND 45.4%, PASOK 40.6%,
  KKE 5.9%, Synaspismos 3.3%; seats by party - ND 165, PASOK 117, KKE
  12, Synaspismos 6

Greenland
  unicameral Parliament or Landstinget (31 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held on 3 December 2002 (next to be held by December
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Siumut 28.7%, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 25.5%, Atassut Party 20.4%, Demokratiit 15.6%,
  Katusseqatigiit 5.3%; seats by party - Siumut 10, Inuit Ataqatigiit
  8, Atassut 7, Demokratiit 5, Katusseqatigiit 1
  note: two representatives were elected to the Danish Parliament or
  Folketing on 8 February 2005 (next to be held February 2009);
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Siumut 1, Inuit
  Ataqatigiit 1

Grenada
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 13-member
  body, 10 appointed by the government and three by the leader of the
  opposition) and the House of Representatives (15 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 27 November 2003 (next to be held by
  November 2008)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NNP 8, NDC 7

Guadeloupe
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
  unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held March 2004 (next to be held
  by NA 2010); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
  held NA 2010)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6,
  right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second
  round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by
  party - PS 29, UMP 12
  note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held September 2004 (next to be held September 2013);
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA, Guadeloupe
  elects four representatives to the French National Assembly;
  elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007);
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1,
  different right parties 1

Guam
  unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 6, Republican Party 9
  note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of
  Representatives; election last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2006); results - Madeleine BORDALLO (Democratic Party) was
  elected as delegate; percent of vote by party - Democratic Party
  64.6%, Republican Party 35.4%; seats by party - Democratic Party 1

Guatemala
  unicameral Congress of the Republic or Congreso de la
  Republica (158 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 November 2003 (next to be held November 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GANA 49, FRG 41, UNE 33, PAN 17, other 18
  note: for the 9 November 2003 election, the number of congressional
  seats increased from 113 to 158

Guernsey
  unicameral States of Deliberation (45 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote for 4 years); note - Alderney and Sark have
  their own parliaments
  elections: last held 21 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Guinea
  unicameral People's National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale
  Populaire (114 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 30 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PUP 61.6%, UPR 26.6%,
  other 11.8%; seats by party - PUP 85, UPR 20, other 9

Guinea-Bissau
  unicameral National People's Assembly or Assembleia
  Nacional Popular (100 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve a maximum of four years)
  elections: last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAIGC 31.5%, PRS 24.8%,
  PUSD 16.1%, UE 4.1%, APU 1.3%, 13 other parties 22.2%; seats by
  party - PAIGC 45, PRS 35, PUSD 17, UE 2, APU 1

Guyana
  unicameral National Assembly (68 seats, 65 elected by popular
  vote, 1 elected Speaker of the National Assembly, and 2 nonvoting
  members appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 March 2001 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PPP/C 34, PNC 27, GAP and WPA 2, ROAR 1, TUF 1

Haiti
  bicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale consists of
  the Senate (27 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms; one-third elected every two years) and the Chamber
  of Deputies (83 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms); note - the National Assembly stopped functioning
  in January 2004 when the terms of all Deputies and two-thirds of
  sitting Senators expired; no replacements have been elected; the
  President is currently ruling by decree
  elections: Senate - last held for two-thirds of seats 21 May 2000
  with runoffs on 9 July boycotted by the opposition; seven seats
  still disputed; election for remaining one-third held on 26 November
  2000 (next to be held in 2005); Chamber of Deputies - last held 21
  May 2000 with runoffs on 30 July boycotted by the opposition; one
  vacant seat rerun 26 November 2000 (next to be held in November 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - FL 26, independent 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote
  by party - NA%; seats by party - FL 73, MOCHRENA 3, PLB 2, OPL 1,
  vacant 1, other minor parties and independents 3

Holy See (Vatican City)
  unicameral Pontifical Commission

Honduras
  unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional (128
  seats; members are elected proportionally to the number of votes
  their party's presidential candidate receives to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 25 November 2001 (next to be held 27 November
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PN 61, PL 55, PUD 5, PDC 4, PINU-SD 3

Hong Kong
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (60 seats; in 2004
  30 seats indirectly elected by functional constituencies, 30 elected
  by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 September 2004 (next to be held in September
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - pro-democracy group
  62%; seats by party - (pro-Beijing 34) DAB 12, Liberal Party 10,
  independents 11, FTU 1; (pro-democracy 25) independents 11,
  Democratic Party 9, CTU 2, ADPL 1, Frontier Party 1, NWSC 1; other 1

Hungary
  unicameral National Assembly or Orszaggyules (386 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote under a system of proportional
  and direct representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 7 and 21 April 2002 (next to be held NA April
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party (5% or more of the vote
  required for parliamentary representation in the first round) -
  Fidesz/MDF 48.70%, MSzP 46.11%, SzDSz 4.92%, other 0.27%; seats by
  party - Fidesz 164, MSzP 178, MDF 24, SzDSz 20

Iceland
  unicameral Parliament or Althing (63 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Independence Party
  33.7%, Social Democratic Alliance 31.0%, Progressive Party 17.7%,
  Left-Green Alliance 8.8%, Liberal Party 7.4%; seats by party -
  Independence Party 22, Social Democratic Alliance 20, Progressive
  Party 12, Left-Green Alliance 5, Liberal Party 4

India
  bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of
  States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250
  members, up to 12 of whom are appointed by the president, the
  remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and
  territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the
  People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular
  vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Assembly - last held 20 April through 10 May
  2004 (next to be held 2009)
  election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - INC 145, BJP 138, CPI(M) 43, SP 36, RJD 24,
  BSP 19, DMK 16, SS 12, BJD 11, CPI 10, NCP 9, JDU 8, SAD 8, PMK 6,
  TDP 5, TRS 5, JMM 5, LJSP 4, MDMK 4, independents 5, other 30

Indonesia
  unicameral House of Representatives or Dewan Perwakilan
  Rakyat (DPR) (550 seats; members elected to serve five-year terms);
  House of Regional Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Daerah or DPD),
  constitutionally mandated role includes providing legislative input
  to DPR on issues affecting regions; People's Consultative Assembly
  (Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat or MPR) has role in inaugurating and
  impeaching President and in amending constitution; consists of
  popularly-elected members in DPR and DPD; MPR does not formulate
  national policy
  elections: last held 5 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Golkar 21.6%, PDI-P
  18.5%, PKB 10.6%, PPP 8.2%, PD 7.5%, PKS 7.3%, PAN 6.4%, others
  19.9%; seats by party - Golkar 128, PDI-P 109, PPP 58, PD 55, PAN
  53, PKB 52, PKS 45, others 50
  note: because of election rules, the number of seats won does not
  always follow the number of votes received by parties

Iran
  unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or
  Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats
  with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004
  (next to be held February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party -
  conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43,
  religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Iraq
  unicameral National Assembly or Mejlis Watani (consisting of
  275 members elected by a closed-list, proportional-representation
  system for the period between the National Assembly election and the
  formation of a permanent Iraqi government pursuant to the
  establishment of a permanent constitution)
  elections: held 30 January 2005 to elect a 275-member Transitional
  National Assembly that will draft a permanent constitution and pave
  the way for new national elections at the end of 2005
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  United Iraqi Alliance 48.2%, Democratic Patriotic Alliance of
  Kurdistan 25.7%, Iraqi List 13.8%, others 12.3%; number of seats by
  party - United Iraqi Alliance 140, Democratic Patriotic Alliance of
  Kurdistan 75, Iraqi List 40, others 20

Ireland
  bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or
  Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from
  candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated
  by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House
  of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held
  by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002
  (next to be held by May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive
  Democrats 4, independents and others 6; House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor
  Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party
  3.8%, others 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31,
  Labor Party 21, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, Sinn Fein 5,
  others 14

Israel
  unicameral Knesset (120 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 28 January 2003 (next scheduled to be held fall
  of 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Likud Party 29.4%,
  Labor 14.5%, Shinui 12.3%, Shas 8.2%, National Union 5.5%, Meretz
  5.2%, United Torah Judaism 4.3%, National Religious Party 4.2%,
  Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3.0%, One Nation 2.8%,
  National Democratic Assembly 2.3%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya (YBA) 2.2%,
  United Arab List 2.1%, Green Leaf Party 1.2%, Herut 1.2%, other
  1.6%; seats by party - Likud 38, Labor 19, Shinui 15, Shas 11,
  National Union 7, Meretz 6, National Religious Party 6, United Torah
  Judaism 5, Democratic Front for Peace and Equality 3, One Nation 3,
  National Democratic Assembly 3, YBA 2, United Arab List 2

Italy
  bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or
  Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which
  232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional
  representation; in addition, there are a small number of
  senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic;
  members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera
  dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional
  proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held 2006);
  Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 May 2001 (next to be held May
  2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - House of Liberties 172 (Forza Italia 77, National Alliance
  47, UDC 31, Lega Padana 17), Olive Tree 108 (Democrats of the Left
  63, Daisy Alliance 35, Greens 10), Per le Autonomie 10, other 25;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  - House of Liberties 337 (Forza Italia 176, National Alliance 97,
  UDC 36, Northern League 28), Olive Tree 214 (Democrats of the Left
  135, Daisy Alliance 79), Rifondazione Communista (Italian Communist
  Party) 11, other 68

Jamaica
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member
  body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the
  prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is
  allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and
  the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held in October
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%;
  seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26

Japan
  bicameral Diet or Kokkai consists of the House of Councillors
  or Sangi-in (242 seats - members elected for six-year terms; half
  reelected every three years; 144 members in multi-seat
  constituencies and 98 by proportional representation) and the House
  of Representatives or Shugi-in (480 seats - members elected for
  four-year terms; 300 in single-seat constituencies; 180 members by
  proportional representation in 11 regional blocs)
  elections: House of Councillors - last held 11 July 2004 (next to be
  held in July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 11
  September 2005 (next election by September 2009)
  election results: House of Councillors - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - LDP 115, DPJ 82, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5,
  others 7; distribution of seats as of October 2004 - LDP 114, DPJ
  84, Komeito 24, JCP 9, SDP 5, others 6
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LDP 47.8%, DPJ
  36.4%, others 15.8%; seats by party - LDP 296, DPJ 113, Komeito 31,
  JCP 9, SDP 7, others 24 (2005)

Jersey
  unicameral Assembly of the States (55 voting members - 12
  senators (elected for 6-year terms), 12 constables or heads of
  parishes (elected for 3-year terms), 29 deputies (elected for 3-year
  terms); the bailiff and the deputy bailiff; and 3 non-voting members
  - the Dean of Jersey, the Attorney General, and the Solicitor
  General all appointed by the monarch)
  elections: last held NA (next to be held NA)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 53

Jordan
  bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of
  the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (55
  seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories
  of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis
  al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis
  of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six
  seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special
  electoral panel if no women are elected)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003 (next
  to be held NA 2007)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front (IAF)
  10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action
  Front 18; note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female
  IAF candidate
  note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved
  by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first
  parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties
  were not legalized until 1992; King ABDALLAH delayed the 2001
  elections until 2003

Kazakhstan
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (39 seats; 7
  senators are appointed by the president; other members are popularly
  elected, two from each of the 14 oblasts, the capital of Astana, and
  the city of Almaty, to serve six-year terms; note - formerly
  composed of 47 seats) and the Majilis (77 seats; 10 out of the 77
  Majilis members are elected from the winning party's lists; members
  are popularly elected to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - (indirect) last held 17 September 1999 (next to
  be held December 2005); Majilis - last held 19 September and 3
  October 2004 (next to be held September 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; candidates nominated by local councils; Majilis -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Otan 42, AIST 11,
  ASAR (All Together) 4, Ak Zhol (Bright Path) 1, Democratic Party 1,
  independent 18; note - most independent candidates are affiliated
  with parastatal enterprises and other pro-government institutions

Kenya
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called
  "nominated" members who are appointed by the president but selected
  by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
  ex-officio members)
  elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
  by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

Kiribati
  unicameral House of Parliament or Maneaba Ni Maungatabu (42
  seats; 39 elected by popular vote, one ex officio member - the
  attorney general, one appointed to represent Banaba, and one other;
  members serve four-year terms)
  elections: first round elections last held 29 November 2002; second
  round elections held 6 December 2002 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  BTK 17, MTM 16, independents 7, other 2 (includes attorney general)
  note: legislative elections were held in two rounds - the first
  round on 9 May 2003 and the second round on 14 May 2003

Korea, North
  unicameral Supreme People's Assembly or Ch'oego Inmin
  Hoeui (687 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 3 August 2003 (next to be held in August 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  NA; ruling party approves a list of candidates who are elected
  without opposition; some seats are held by minor parties

Korea, South
  unicameral National Assembly or Kukhoe (299 seats -
  members elected for four-year terms; 243 in single-seat
  constituencies, 56 by proportional representation
  elections: last held 15 April 2004 (next to be held in April 2008;
  byelections held on 30 April 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Uri 51%, GNP 41%, DLP
  3%, DP 3%, others 2%; seats by party - Uri 146, GNP 125, DLP 10, DP
  9, ULD 3, independents 6
  note: percent of vote is for 2004 general election; seats by party
  reflect results of 2005 byelections involving six seats; MDP became
  DP in May 2005 (2005)

Kuwait
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-Umma (50 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Islamists 21,
  government supporters 14, liberals 3, and independents 12; note -
  all cabinet ministers are also ex officio members of the National
  Assembly

Kyrgyzstan
  bicameral Supreme Council or Jorgorku Kenesh consists of
  the Assembly of People's Representatives (70 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the
  Legislative Assembly (35 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms); note - in accordance with a 2003
  referendum, the Parliament is slated to become unicameral with 75
  deputies after the 27 February 2005 elections
  elections: Assembly of People's Representatives - last held 20
  February and 12 March 2000; Legislative Assembly - last held 20
  February and 12 March 2000; elections for the new unicameral body or
  Jorgorku Kenesh were held 27 February 2005, but the vast majority of
  positions remained undecided and were to be contested in a runoff
  election scheduled for 13 March 2005; election irregularities caused
  widespread protests that resulted in the president being forced to
  flee the country; new legislative elections have not yet been
  rescheduled
  election results: Assembly of People's Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; and Legislative Assembly -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; note - total
  seats by party in the Supreme Council were as follows: Union of
  Democratic Forces 12, Communists 6, My Country Party of Action 4,
  independents 73, other 10
  note: the legislature became bicameral for the 5 February 1995
  elections; the 2000 election results include both the Assembly of
  People's Representatives and the Legislative Assembly

Laos
  unicameral National Assembly (109 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - total number of seats
  increased from 99 to 109 for the 2002 election)
  elections: last held 24 February 2002 (next to be held in 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  LPRP or LPRP-approved (independent, non-party members) 109

Latvia
  unicameral Parliament or Saeima (100 seats; members are
  elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 October 2002 (next to be held NA October 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - JL 23.9%, PCTVL 18.9%,
  TP 16.7%, ZZS 9.5%, First Party 7.6%, LNNK 5.4%; seats by party - JL
  26, PCTVL 24, TP 21, ZZS 12, First Party 10, LNNK 7

Lebanon
  unicameral National Assembly or Majlis Alnuwab (Arabic) or
  Assemblee Nationale (French) (128 seats; members elected by popular
  vote on the basis of sectarian proportional representation to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held in four rounds on 29 May, 5, 12, 19 June 2005
  (next to be held 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by group - NA; seats by group -
  Future Movement Bloc 36; Democratic Gathering 15; Development and
  Resistance Bloc 15; Loyalty to the Resistance 14; Free Patriotic
  Movement 14; Lebanese Forces 6; Qornet Shewan 5; Popular Bloc 4;
  Tripoli Independent Bloc 3; Syrian National Socialist Party 2;
  Kataeb Reform Movement 2; Tachnaq Party 2; Democratic Renewal
  Movement 1; Democratic Left 1; Nasserite Popular Movement 1; Ba'th
  Party 1; Kataeb Party 1; independent 5

Lesotho
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22
  principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party)
  and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by
  proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year
  terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120
  in the May 2002 election
  elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC
  7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18

Liberia
  bicameral National Assembly consists of the Senate (26
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve nine-year terms) and
  the House of Representatives (64 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 19 July 1997 (next to be held 11
  October 2005); House of Representatives - last held 19 July 1997
  (next to be held 11 October 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NPP 21, UP 3, ALCOP 2; House of Representatives - percent of
  vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 49, UP 7, ALCOP 3,
  Alliance of Political Parties 2, UPP 2, LPP 1

Libya
  unicameral General People's Congress (NA seats; members
  elected indirectly through a hierarchy of people's committees)

Liechtenstein
  unicameral Parliament or Landtag (25 seats; members
  are elected by direct, popular vote under proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 and 13 March 2005 (next to be held by NA
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - FBP 48.7%, VU 38.2%, FL
  13%; seats by party - FBP 12, VU 10, FL 3

Lithuania
  unicameral Parliament or Seimas (141 seats, 71 members are
  directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional
  representation; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 and 24 October 2004 (next to be held October
  2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor 28.6%, Working
  for Lithuania (Social Democrats and Social Liberals) 20.7%, Homeland
  Union (Conservatives) 14.6%, For Order and Justice (Liberal
  Democrats and Lithuanian People's Union) 11.4%, Liberal and Center
  Union 9.1%, Union of Farmers and New Democracy 6.6%; seats by
  faction - Labor 39, Homeland Union 25, Social Democrats 20, Liberal
  and Center Union 18, Social Liberals 11, Union of Farmers and New
  Democracy Parties 10, Liberal Democrats 10, Electoral Action 2,
  independents 6

Luxembourg
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60
  seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 13 June 2004 (next to be held by June 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 36.1%, LSAP 23.4%,
  DP 16.1%, Green Party 11.6%, ADR 10%; seats by party - CSV 24, LSAP
  14, DP 10, Green Party 7, ADR 5
  note: there is also a Council of State that serves as an advisory
  body to the Chamber of Deputies; the Council of State has 21 members
  appointed by the Grand Duke on the advice of the prime minister

Macau
  unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (29 seats; 12 elected
  by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and seven appointed by the
  chief executive; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 September 2005 (next in September 2009)
  election results: percent of vote - Development Union 12.8%, Macau
  Development Alliance 9%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, New
  Democratic Macau Association 18.2%, others na; seats by political
  group - Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, Macau
  United Citizens' Association 2, New Democratic Macau Association 2,
  New Hope 1, Union Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by
  professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief
  executive

Macedonia
  unicameral Assembly or Sobranie (120 seats - members
  elected by popular vote from party lists based on the percentage of
  the overall vote the parties gain in each of six electoral
  districts; all serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Together for Macedonia coalition 60 (SDSM 43, LDP 12, others 5),
  VMRO-DPMNE 33 (VMRO 28 and LDT 5), Democratic Union for Integration
  16, Democratic Party of Albanians 7, Party for Democratic Prosperity
  2, National Democratic Party 1, Socialist Party of Macedonia 1

Madagascar
  bicameral legislature consists of a National Assembly or
  Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100
  seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose
  members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of
  the seats appointed by the president; all members will serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to
  be held NA 2006)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD
  5, others 3, independents 22

Malawi
  unicameral National Assembly (193 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UDF 74, MCP 60, Independents 24, RP 16, others 18, vacancies 1

Malaysia
  bicameral Parliament or Parlimen consists of the Senate or
  Dewan Negara (70 seats; 44 appointed by the paramount ruler, 26
  appointed by the state legislatures) and the House of
  Representatives or Dewan Rakyat (219 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 21 March 2004 (next
  must be held by 2009)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - BN 91%, DAP 5%, PAS 3%, other 1%; seats by party - BN 199,
  DAP 12, PAS 6, PKR 1, independent 1

Maldives
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis (50 seats; 42 elected
  by popular vote, 8 appointed by the president; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 22 January 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 50

Mali
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (147 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 July and 28 July 2002 (next to be held July
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Hope 2002 coalition 66, ADEMA 51, other 30

Malta
  unicameral House of Representatives (usually 65 seats; note -
  additional seats are given to the party with the largest popular
  vote to ensure a legislative majority; members are elected by
  popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held by April 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PN 51.7%, MLP 47.6%, AD
  0.7%; seats by party - PN 34, MLP 31

Man, Isle of
  bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council
  (an 11-member body composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord
  Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others
  named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Keys - last held 22 November 2001 (next to be
  held November 2006)
  election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - Man
  Labor Party 17.3%, Alliance for Progressive Government 14.6%; seats
  by party - Man Labor Party 2, Alliance for Progressive Government 3,
  independents 19

Marshall Islands
  unicameral Parliament or Nitijela (33 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 November 2003 (next to be held not later
  than November 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
  note: the Council of Chiefs is a 12-member body that advises on
  matters affecting customary law and practice

Martinique
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (45 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a
  unicameral Regional Assembly or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members
  are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held NA March 2000 (next to be
  held NA 2006); Regional Assembly - last held on 28 March 2004 (next
  to be held by March 2010)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - left-wing candidates 13, PPM 11, RPR 6, right-wing
  candidates 5, PCM 3, UDF 3, PMS 2, independents 2; note - the PPM
  won a plurality; Regional Assembly (second round) - percent of vote
  by party - MIM 53.8%, PPM 30.6%; seats by party - MIM 28, PPM 9,
  other 4
  note: Martinique elects 2 seats to the French Senate; elections last
  held NA September 2001 (next to be held September 2004); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PPM 2; Martinique
  also elects 4 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next
  to be held not later than June 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, PS 1, MIM 1, left-wing
  candidate 1 (candidacy of the left-wing candidate was found invalid
  by the Constitutional Council; new elections will be called)

Mauritania
  bicameral legislature consists of the Senate or Majlis
  al-Shuyukh (56 seats, a part of the seats up for election every two
  years; members elected by municipal leaders to serve six-year terms)
  and the National Assembly or Majlis al-Watani (81 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 9 and 16 April 2004 (next to be held
  April 2006); National Assembly - last held 19 and 26 October 2001
  (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - PRDS 79%,
  RDU 3.5%, UDP 3.5%, AC 5%, UFP 3.5%, FP 1.5%; seats by party - PRDS
  64, UDP 3, RDU 3, AC 4, RFD 3, UFP 3, and FP 1

Mauritius
  unicameral National Assembly (66 seats; 62 elected by
  popular vote, 4 appointed by the election commission from the losing
  political parties to give representation to various ethnic
  minorities; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held on 11 September 2000 (next to be held September
  2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MSM/MMM 52.3%, MLP/PMSD
  36.9%, OPR 10.8%; seats by party - MSM/MMM 54, MLP/PMSD 6, OPR 2

Mayotte
  unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 and 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MDM 23.3%, UMP 22.8%,
  PS 10.2%, MRC 8.9%, FRAP 6.5%, MPM 1.2%; seats by party - MDM 6, UMP
  9, MRC 2, MPM 1, diverse left 1
  note: Mayotte elects one member of the French Senate; elections last
  held 24 September 2001 (next to be held September 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Mayotte also
  elects one member to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 16 June 2002 (next to be held as a special election in June
  2005); results - percent of vote by party - UMP-RPR 55.08%, UDF
  44.92%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1

Mexico
  bicameral National Congress or Congreso de la Union consists
  of the Senate or Camara de Senadores (128 seats; 96 are elected by
  popular vote to serve six-year terms, and 32 are allocated on the
  basis of each party's popular vote) and the Federal Chamber of
  Deputies or Camara Federal de Diputados (500 seats; 300 members are
  directly elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms;
  remaining 200 members are allocated on the basis of each party's
  popular vote, also for three-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 July 2000 for all of the seats (next
  to be held 2 July 2006); Chamber of Deputies - last held 6 July 2003
  (next to be held 2 July 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PRI 60, PAN 46, PRD 16, PVEM 5, unassigned 1; Chamber of
  Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PRI 222,
  PAN 151, PRD 95, PVEM 17, PT 6, CD 5, unassigned 4; note - special
  elections were held in December 2003; the PRI and the PRD each won
  one seat and were each assigned one additional proportional
  representation seat

Micronesia, Federated States of unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote) elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

Moldova
  unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and
  electoral blocs elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PCRM 46.1%, Democratic
  Moldova Bloc 28.4%, PPCD 9.1%, other parties 16.4%; seats by party -
  PCRM 56, Democratic Moldova Bloc 34, PPCD 11

Monaco
  unicameral National Council or Conseil National (24 seats; 16
  members elected by list majority system, 8 by proportional
  representation; to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 9 February 2003 (next to be held February 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UNAM 21, UND 3

Mongolia
  unicameral State Great Hural 76 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms
  elections: last held 27 June 2004 (next to be held in June 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MPRP 48.78%, MDC 44.8%,
  independents 3.5%, Republican Party 1.5%, others 1.42%; seats by
  party - MPRP 36, MDC 34, others 4; note - following June 2004
  election, two seats in dispute and unoccupied

Montserrat
  unicameral Legislative Council (11 seats, 9 popularly
  elected; members serve five-year terms)
  note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney
  general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members
  elections: last held April 2001 (next to be held by November 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NPLM 7, NPP 2
  note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single
  constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast
  ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council

Morocco
  bicameral Parliament consists of an upper house or Chamber
  of Counselors (270 seats; members elected indirectly by local
  councils, professional organizations, and labor syndicates for
  nine-year terms; one-third of the members are renewed every three
  years) and a lower house or Chamber of Representatives (325 seats;
  295 by multi-seat constituencies and 30 from national lists of
  women; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Counselors - last held 6 October 2003 (next to
  be held NA 2006); Chamber of Representatives - last held 27
  September 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: Chamber of Counselors - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - RNI 42, MDS 33, UC 28, MP 27, PND 21, PI 21,
  USFP 16, MNP 15, PA 13, FFD 12, other 42; Chamber of Representatives
  - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - USFP 50, PI 48,
  PJD 42, RNI 41, MP 27, MNP 18, UC 16, PND 12, PPS 11, UD 10, other 50

Mozambique
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
  Republica (250 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote
  on a secret ballot to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 1-2 December 2004 (next to be held December
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Frelimo 62%, Renamo
  29.7%; seats by party - Frelimo 160, Renamo 90

Namibia
  bicameral legislature consists of the National Council (26
  seats; two members are chosen from each regional council to serve
  six-year terms) and the National Assembly (72 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: National Council - elections for regional councils, to
  determine members of the National Council, held 15-16 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2009); National Assembly - last held 15-16
  November 2004 (next to be held November 2009)
  election results: National Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - NA; National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - SWAPO 55, COD 5, DTA 4, UDF 3, MAG 1, other 4
  note: the National Council is primarily an advisory body

Nauru
  unicameral Parliament (18 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 May 2003 (next to be held not later than May
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - Nauru First Party
  3, independents 15

Nepal

  bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35
  appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15
  elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected
  every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999
  (next election NA); note - Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22
  May 2002
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana
  Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%;
  seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana
  Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1

Netherlands
  bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of
  the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly
  elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms)
  and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held
  May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
  held May 2007)
  election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
  Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
  CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
  Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
  PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
  8, D66 6, other 5

Netherlands Antilles
  unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao
  14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP
  note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of
  several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led
  government on 4 April 2004

New Caledonia
  unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial
  (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or
  Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3
  note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate;
  elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later
  than September 2007; between now and 2010 New Caledonia will gain a
  second seat in the French Senate); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats
  to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June
  2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by
  party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 2

New Zealand
  unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called
  Parliament (120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in
  single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and
  51 proportional seats chosen from party lists, all to serve
  three-year terms)
  elections: last held 17 September 2005 (next to be held not later
  than 15 November 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NZLP 41.1%, NP 39.1%,
  NZFP 5.72%, Green Party 5.3%, Maori 2.12%, UF 2.67%, ACT New Zealand
  1.51%, Progressive 1.16%; seats by party - NZLP 50, NP 48, NZFP 7,
  Green Party 6, Maori 4, UF 3, ACT New Zealand 2, Progressive 1
  note: results of 2005 election saw the total number of seats
  increase to 121 because the Maori Party won one more electorate seat
  than its entitlement under the party vote

Nicaragua
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (92
  seats; members are elected by proportional representation and party
  lists to serve five-year terms; one seat for previous President, one
  seat for runner-up in previous Presidential election
  elections: last held 4 November 2001 (next to be held by November
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Liberal Alliance
  (ruling party - includes PCCN, PLC, PALI, PLIUN, and PUCA) 46.03%,
  FSLN 36.55%, PCN 2.12%; seats by party - Liberal Alliance 53, FSLN
  38, PCN 1

Niger
  unicameral National Assembly (113 seats; note - expanded from
  83 seats; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  MNSD 47, CDS 22, PNDS 17, RSD 7, RDP 6, ANDP 5, Party for Socialism
  and Democracy in Niger 1, other 8

Nigeria
  bicameral National Assembly consists of Senate (109 seats -
  3 from each state plus one from Abuja, members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms) and House of Representatives (346
  seats, members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 12 April 2003 (next to be held NA
  2007); House of Representatives - last held 12 April 2003 (next to
  be held NA 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PDP 53.7%,
  ANPP 27.9%, AD 9.7%; seats by party - PDP 76, ANPP 27, AD 6; House
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PDP 54.5%, ANPP
  27.4%, AD 8.8%, other 9.3%; seats by party - PDP 223, ANPP 96, AD
  34, other 6; note - one seat is vacant

Niue
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (20 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve three-year terms; six elected from a common
  roll and 14 are village representatives)
  elections: last held 30 April 2005 (next to be held April 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

Norfolk Island
  unicameral Legislative Assembly (9 seats; members
  elected by electors who have nine equal votes each but only four
  votes can be given to any one candidate; members serve three-year
  terms)
  elections: last held 20 October 2004 (next to be held by December
  2007)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 9
  (note - no political parties)

Northern Mariana Islands
  bicameral Legislature consists of the
  Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 1 November 2003 (next to be held 5
  November 2005); House of Representatives - last held 1 November 2003
  (next to be held 5 November 2005)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7,
  Democratic Party 1, independent 1
  note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting
  delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or
  "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party
  - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)

Norway
  modified unicameral Parliament or Storting (169 seats;
  members are elected by popular vote by proportional representation
  to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 12 September 2005 (next to be held September
  2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Labor Party 32.7%,
  Progress Party 22.1%, Conservative Party 14.1%, Socialist Left Party
  8.8%, Christian People's Party 6.8%, Center Party 6.5%, Liberal
  Party 5.9%, Red Electoral Alliance 1.2%, other 1.9%; seats by party
  - Labor Party 61, Progress Party 38, Conservative Party 23,
  Socialist Left Party 15, Christian People's Party 11, Center Party
  11, Liberal Party 10
  note: for certain purposes, the parliament divides itself into two
  chambers and elects one-fourth of its membership to an upper house
  or Lagting

Oman
  bicameral Majlis Oman consists of an upper chamber or Majlis
  al-Dawla (58 seats; members appointed by the monarch; has advisory
  powers only) and a lower chamber or Majlis al-Shura (83 seats;
  members elected by universal suffrage for four-year term; body has
  some limited power to propose legislation, but otherwise has only
  advisory powers)
  elections: last held 4 October 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: NA

Pakistan
  bicameral Parliament or Majlis-e-Shoora consists of the
  Senate (100 seats - formerly 87; members indirectly elected by
  provincial assemblies to serve four-year terms; and the National
  Assembly (342 seats - formerly 217; 60 seats represent women; 10
  seats represent minorities; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 24 and 27 February 2003 (next to be
  held by February 2007); National Assembly - last held 10 October
  2002 (next to be held by October 2006)
  election results: Senate results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - PML/Q 40, PPPP 11, MMA 21, MQM/A 6, PML/N 4, NA 3,
  PML/F 1, PkMAP 2, ANP 2, PPP/S 2, JWP 1, BNP-Awami 1, BNP-Mengal 1,
  BNM/H 1, independents 4; National Assembly results - percent of
  votes by party - NA%; seats by party - PML/Q 126, PPPP 81, MMA 63,
  PML/N 19, MQM/A 17, NA 16, PML/F 5, PML/J 3, PPP/S 2, BNP 1, JWP 1,
  PAT 1, PML/Z 1, PTI 1, MQM/H 1, PkMAP 1, independents 3

Palau
  bicameral Parliament or Olbiil Era Kelulau (OEK) consists of
  the Senate (9 seats; members elected by popular vote on a population
  basis to serve four-year terms) and the House of Delegates (16
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2008); House of Delegates - last held 2 November 2004 (next
  to be held November 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote - NA%; seats -
  independents 9 (four new members elected); House of Delegates -
  percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 16 (one new member
  elected)

Panama
  unicameral National Assembly (formerly called Legislative
  Assembly) or Asamblea Nacional (78 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms; note - in 2009, the number of
  seats will change to 71)
  elections: last held 2 May 2004 (next to be held 3 May 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PRD 40, PA 17, PS 8, MOLIRENA 3, CD 2, PP 2, PLN 1, other 5
  note: legislators from outlying rural districts are chosen on a
  plurality basis while districts located in more populous towns and
  cities elect multiple legislators by means of a proportion-based
  formula

Papua New Guinea
  unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred
  to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open
  electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003;
  completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not
  completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not
  later than June 2007
  election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%,
  URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%;
  seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU
  6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political
  parties is fluid (2003)

Paraguay
  bicameral Congress or Congreso consists of the Chamber of
  Senators or Camara de Senadores (45 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies
  or Camara de Diputados (80 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 27 April 2003 (next to be
  held April 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 27 April 2003
  (next to be held April 2008)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - ANR 16, PLRA 12, UNACE 7, PQ 7, PPS 2, PEN 1;
  Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  - ANR 37, PLRA 21, UNACE 10, PQ 10, PPS 2

Peru
  unicameral Congress of the Republic of Peru or Congreso de la
  Republica del Peru (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 8 April 2001 (next to be held 9 April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PP 26.3%, APRA 19.7%,
  UN 13.8%, FIM 11.0%, others 29.2%; seats by party - PP 47, APRA 28,
  UN 17, FIM 11, others 17

Philippines
  bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or
  Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members
  elected at large by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the
  House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (212 members
  representing districts plus 24 sectoral party-list members; members
  elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the
  Constitution prohibits the House of Representatives from having more
  than 250 members)
  elections: Senate - last held 10 May 2004 (next to be held in May
  2007); House of Representatives - elections last held 10 May 2004
  (next to be held in May 2007)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - Lakas 30%, LP
  13%, KNP 13%, independents 17%, others 27%; seats by party - Lakas
  7, LP 3, KNP (coalition) 3, independents 4, others 6; note - there
  are 23 rather than 24 sitting senators because one senator was
  elected Vice President; 14 senators are pro-government, 9 are in
  opposition; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - Lakas 93, NPC 53, LP 34, LDP 11, others 20;
  party-listers 24; note - there are 211 rather than 212 sitting
  representatives because one was appointed Secretary of Tourism (2004)

Pitcairn Islands
  unicameral Island Council (10 seats - 5 elected by
  popular vote, 1 nominated by the 5 elected members, 2 appointed by
  the governor including 1 seat for the Island Secretary, the Island
  Mayor, and a commissioner liaising between the governor and council;
  elected members serve one-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - all independents

Poland
  bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house, the
  Senate or Senat (100 seats; members are elected by a majority vote
  on a provincial basis to serve four-year terms), and a lower house,
  the Sejm (460 seats; members are elected under a complex system of
  proportional representation to serve four-year terms); the
  designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only
  used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly
  elections: Senate - last held 25 September 2005 (next to be held by
  September 2009); Sejm elections last held September 25 2005 (next to
  be held by September 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - PiS 49, PO 34, LPR 7, SO 3, PSL 2, independents 5; Sejm -
  percent of vote by party - PiS 27%, PO 24.1%, SO 11.4%, SLD 11.3%,
  LPR 8%, PSL 7%, other 11.2%; seats by party - PiS 155, PO 133, SO
  56, SLD 55, LPR 34, PSL 25, German minorities 2
  note: two seats are assigned to ethnic minority parties in the Sejm
  only

Portugal
  unicameral Assembly of the Republic or Assembleia da
  Republica (230 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20 February 2005 (next to be held February
  2009); note - President SAMPAIO called for early elections after
  dissolving parliament on 10 December 2004 because he lacked
  confidence in the four-month center-right government
  election results: percent of vote by party - PS 45.1%, PSD 28.7%,
  CDU 7.6%, PP 7.3%, BE 6.4%; seats by party - PS 121, PSD 75, CDU 14,
  PP 12, BE 8

Puerto Rico
  bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate
  (at least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2008); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PNP 43.4%, PPD
  40.3%, PIP 9.4%; seats by party - PNP 17, PPD 9, PIP 1; House of
  Representatives - percent of vote by party - PNP 46.3%, PPD 43.1%,
  PIP 9.7%; seats by party - PNP 32, PPD 18, PIP 1
  note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner
  to serve a four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US
  House of Representatives; aside from not voting on the House floor,
  he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress; elections last
  held 2 November 2004 (next to be held November 2008); results -
  percent of vote by party - PNP 48.6%; seats by party - PNP 1; Luis
  FORTUNO elected resident commissioner

Qatar
  unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats;
  members appointed)
  note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there
  were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their
  terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which
  came into force on 8 June 2004, provides for a 45-member
  Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect
  two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the
  remaining members

Reunion
  unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by
  direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral
  Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular
  vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to
  be held NA); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be
  held NA 2010)
  election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10,
  UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council (second
  round) - percent of vote by party - PCR 44.9%, UMP 32.8%, PS-Greens
  22.3%; seats by party - PCR 27, UMP 11, PS-Greens 7
  note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also
  elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last
  held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1,
  PCR 1

Romania
  bicameral Parliament or Parlament consists of the Senate or
  Senat (137 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote on a
  proportional representation basis to serve four-year terms) and the
  Chamber of Deputies or Adunarea Deputatilor (332 seats; members are
  elected by direct, popular vote on a proportional representation
  basis to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 28 November 2004 (next to be held 28
  November 2008); Chamber of Deputies - last held 28 November 2004
  (next to be held 28 November 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by alliance/party -
  PSD-PUR 37.1%, PNL-PD 31.8%, PRM 13.6%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party -
  PSD 46, PNL 28, PD 21, PRM 21, PUR 11, UMDR 10; Chamber of Deputies
  - percent of vote by alliance/party - PSD-PUR 36.6%, PNL-PD 31.3%%,
  PRM 12.9%, UDMR 6.2%; seats by party - PSD 113, PNL 64, PD 48, PRM
  48, UDMR 22, PUR 19, ethnic minorities 18

Russia
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye consists
  of the Federation Council or Sovet Federatsii (178 seats; as of July
  2000, members appointed by the top executive and legislative
  officials in each of the 89 federal administrative units - oblasts,
  krays, republics, autonomous okrugs and oblasts, and the federal
  cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg; members serve four-year
  terms) and the State Duma or Gosudarstvennaya Duma (450 seats;
  currently 225 seats elected by proportional representation from
  party lists winning at least 5% of the vote, and 225 seats from
  single-member constituencies; members are elected by direct, popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held
  NA December 2007)
  election results: State Duma - percent of vote received by parties
  clearing the 5% threshold entitling them to a proportional share of
  the 225 party list seats - United Russia 37.1%, CPRF 12.7%, LDPR
  11.6%, Motherland 9.1%; seats by party - United Russia 222, CPRF 53,
  LDPR 38, Motherland 37, People's Party 19, Yabloko 4, SPS 2, other
  7, independents 65, repeat election required 3

Rwanda
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (53
  seats; members elected by direct vote)
  elections: last held 29 September 2003 (next to be held Chamber of
  Deputies - NA 2008; Senate - NA 2011)
  election results: seats by party under the 2003 Constitution - RPF
  40, PSD 7, PL 6

Saint Helena
  unicameral Legislative Council (16 seats, including the
  speaker, 3 ex officio and 12 elected members; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  unicameral National Assembly (14 seats, 3
  appointed and 11 popularly elected from single-member
  constituencies; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 October 2004 (next to be held by 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SKNLP 7, CCM 2, NRP 1, PAM 1

Saint Lucia
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats;
  six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on
  the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after
  consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the
  House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote
  from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 3 December 2001 (next to be
  held in December 2006)
  election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - SLP
  55%, UWP 37%, NA 3.5%; seats by party - SLP 14, UWP 3

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  unicameral General Council or Conseil
  General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
  elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held
  NA April 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5
  note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate;
  elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September
  2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French
  National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002,
  second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by July 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3

Samoa
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fono (49 seats - 47 elected
  by voters affiliated with traditional village-based electoral
  districts, 2 elected by independent, mostly non-Samoan or
  part-Samoan, voters who cannot, (or choose not to) establish a
  village affiliation; only chiefs (matai) may stand for election to
  the Fono from the 47 village-based electorates; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: election last held 3 March 2001 (next election to be held
  not later than March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  HRPP 30, SNDP 13, independents 6

San Marino
  unicameral Grand and General Council or Consiglio Grande
  e Generale (60 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 10 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDCS 41.4%, PSS 24.2%,
  PD 20.8%, APDS 8.2%, RC 3.4%, AN 1.9%; seats by party - PDCS 25, PSS
  15, PD 12, APDS 5, RC 2, AN 1

Sao Tome and Principe
  unicameral National Assembly or Assembleia
  Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for
  Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats
  by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23,
  Ue-Kedadji coalition 8

Saudi Arabia
  Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members
  and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Senegal
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (120
  seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  note: the former National Assembly, dissolved in the spring of 2001,
  had 140 seats
  elections: last held 29 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  SOPI Coalition 89, AFP 11, PS 10, other 10

Serbia and Montenegro
  unicameral Parliament (126 seats - 91 Serbian,
  35 Montenegrin - filled by nominees of the two state parliaments for
  the first two years, after which the Constitutional Charter calls
  for direct elections
  elections: last held 25 February 2003 (next to be held 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Serbian parties: SRS 30, DSS 20, DS 13, G17 Plus 12, SPO-NS 8, SPS
  8; Montenegrin parties: DPS 15, SNP 9, SDP 4, DSS 3, NS 2, LSCG 2

Seychelles
  unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (34
  seats - 25 elected by popular vote, 9 allocated on a proportional
  basis to parties winning at least 10% of the vote; members serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 4-6 December 2002 (next to be held by 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SPPF 54.3%, SNP 42.6%,
  DP 3.1%; seats by party - SPPF 23, SNP 11
  note: the 9 awarded seats are apportioned according to the
  percentage that each party won of the total vote

Sierra Leone
  unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by
  popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate
  elections; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held May 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC
  22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2

Singapore
  unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
  are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate
  who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a
  "nonconstituency" member
  elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than
  25 June 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
  constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1

Slovakia
  unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or
  Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on
  the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 20-21 September 2002 (next to be held September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS-LS 19.5%, SDKU
  15.1%, Smer 13.5%, SMK 11.2%, KDH 8.3%, ANO 8%, KSS 6.3%; seats by
  party - governing coalition 69 (SDKU 22, SMK 20, KDH 15, ANO 12),
  opposition 81 (HZDS 26, Smer 25, KSS 9, Free Forum 6, People's Union
  5, and independents 10)

Slovenia
  bicameral Parliament consisting of a National Assembly or
  Drzavni Zbor (90 seats; 40 are directly elected and 50 are selected
  on a proportional basis; note - the numbers of directly elected and
  proportionally elected seats varies with each election; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and the National
  Council or Drzavni Svet (this is primarily an advisory body
  organized on corporatist principles with limited legislative powers;
  it may propose laws, ask to review any National Assembly decisions,
  and call national referenda; members are indirectly elected to
  five-year terms by an electoral college)
  elections: National Assembly - last held 3 October 2004 (next to be
  held October 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - SDS 29.1%, LDS 22.8%,
  ZLSD 10.2%, NSi 9%, SLS 6.8%, SNS 6.3%, DeSUS 4.1%, other 11.7%;
  seats by party - SDS 29, LDS 23, ZLSD 10, NSi 9, SLS 7, SNS 6, DeSUS
  4, Hungarian and Italian minorities 1 each

Solomon Islands
  unicameral National Parliament (50 seats; members
  elected from single-member constituencies by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 5 December 2001 (next to be held not later than
  December 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 40%, SIACC 40%, PPP
  20%; seats by party - PAP 16, SIACC 13, PPP 2, SILP 1, independents
  18

Somalia
  unicameral National Assembly
  note: fledgling parliament; a 275-member Transitional Federal
  Assembly; the new parliament consists of 61 seats assigned to each
  of four large clan groups (Darod, Digil-Mirifle, Dir, and Hawiye)
  with the remaining 31 seats divided between minority clans

South Africa
  bicameral Parliament consisting of the National
  Assembly (400 seats; members are elected by popular vote under a
  system of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) and
  the National Council of Provinces (90 seats, 10 members elected by
  each of the nine provincial legislatures for five-year terms; has
  special powers to protect regional interests, including the
  safeguarding of cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic
  minorities); note - following the implementation of the new
  constitution on 3 February 1997 the former Senate was disbanded and
  replaced by the National Council of Provinces with essentially no
  change in membership and party affiliations, although the new
  institution's responsibilities have been changed somewhat by the new
  constitution
  elections: National Assembly and National Council of Provinces -
  last held 14 April 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - ANC
  69.7%, DA 12.4%, IFP 7%, UDM 2.3%, NNP 1.7%, ACDP 1.6%, other 5.3%;
  seats by party - ANC 279, DA 50, IFP 28, UDM 9, NNP 7, ACDP 6, other
  21; National Council of Provinces - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - NA

Spain
  bicameral; General Courts or National Assembly or Las Cortes
  Generales consists of the Senate or Senado (259 seats - 208 members
  directly elected by popular vote and the other 51 appointed by the
  regional legislatures to serve four-year terms) and the Congress of
  Deputies or Congreso de los Diputados (350 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on block lists by proportional
  representation to serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be held March
  2008); Congress of Deputies - last held 14 March 2004 (next to be
  held March 2008)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - PP 49%, PSOE
  38.9%, Entesa Catalona de Progress 5.7%, CiU 1.99%, PNV 2.8%, CC
  1.4%; seats by party - PP 102, PSOE 81, Entesa Catalona de Progress
  12, CiU 4, PNV 6, CC 3; Congress of Deputies - percent of vote by
  party - PSOE 43.3%, PP 37.8%, CiU 3.2%, ERC 2.5%, PNV 1.6%, IU 3.2%,
  CC 0.9%; seats by party - PSOE 164, PP 148, CiU 10, ERC 8, PNV 7, IU
  2, CC 3, other 8

Sri Lanka
  unicameral Parliament (225 seats; members elected by
  popular vote on the basis of a modified proportional representation
  system by district to serve six-year terms)
  elections: last held 2 April 2004 (next to be held by 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party or electoral alliance -
  SLFP and JVP 45.6%, UNP 37.83%, TNA 6.84%, JHU 5.97%, SLMC 2.02%,
  UPF 0.54%, EPDP 0.27%, others 0.93%; seats by party or electoral
  alliance - SLFP and JVP 105, UNP 82, TNA 22, JHU 9, SLMC 5, UPF 1,
  EPDP 1

Sudan
  unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly
  elected, 90 elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as
  National Congress; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA)
  election results: NCP 355, others 5

Suriname
  unicameral National Assembly or Nationale Assemblee (51
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 May 2005 (next to be held May 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NF 41.2%, NDP 23.1%,
  VVV 14.5%, A-Com 7.3%, A1 6.2%, other 5.9%; seats by party - NF 23,
  NDP 15, VVV 5, A-Com 5, A1 3

Swaziland
  bicameral Parliament or Libandla, an advisory body,
  consists of the Senate (30 seats - 10 appointed by the House of
  Assembly and 20 appointed by the monarch; members serve five-year
  terms) and the House of Assembly (65 seats - 10 appointed by the
  monarch and 55 elected by popular vote; members serve five-year
  terms)
  elections: House of Assembly - last held 18 October 2003 (next to be
  held October 2008)
  election results: House of Assembly - balloting is done on a
  nonparty basis; candidates for election are nominated by the local
  council of each constituency and for each constituency the three
  candidates with the most votes in the first round of voting are
  narrowed to a single winner by a second round

Sweden
  unicameral Parliament or Riksdag (349 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote on a proportional representation basis to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 15 September 2002 (next to be held September
  2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Social Democrats 39.8%,
  Moderates 15.2%, Liberal Party 13.3%, Christian Democrats 9.1%, Left
  Party 8.3%, Center Party 6.1%, Greens 4.6%; seats by party - Social
  Democrats 144, Moderates 55, Liberal Party 48, Christian Democrats
  33, Left Party 30, Center Party 22, Greens 17

Switzerland
  bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in
  German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in
  Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German),
  Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian)
  (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council
  or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio
  Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular
  vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year
  terms)
  elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October
  2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
  National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held
  October 2007)
  election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3;
  National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%,
  FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%;
  seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13,
  other small parties 14

Syria
  unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-Shaab (250 seats;
  members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents
  33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the
  constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF
  alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Taiwan
  unicameral Legislative Yuan (225 seats - 168 elected by
  popular vote, 41 elected on basis of proportion of islandwide votes
  received by participating political parties, 8 elected from overseas
  Chinese constituencies on basis of proportion of island-wide votes
  received by participating political parties, 8 elected by popular
  vote among aboriginal populations; members serve three-year terms)
  and unicameral National Assembly (300 seat nonstanding body;
  delegates nominated by parties and elected by proportional
  representation six to nine months after Legislative Yuan calls to
  amend Constitution, impeach president, or change national borders)
  note: as a result of constitutional amendments approved by the
  National Assembly on 7 June 2005, the number of seats in the
  legislature will be reduced from 225 to 113 beginning with the
  election in 2007; the amendments also eliminate the National
  Assembly, thus giving Taiwan a unicameral legislature
  elections: Legislative Yuan - last held 11 December 2004 (next to be
  held in December 2007); National Assembly - last held 14 May 2005
  election results: Legislative Yuan - percent of vote by party - DPP
  38%, KMT 35%, PFP 15%, TSU 8%, other parties and independents 4%;
  seats by party - DPP 89, KMT 79, PFP 34, TSU 12, other parties 7,
  independents 4; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - DPP
  42.5%, KMT 38.9%, TSU 7%, PFP 6%, others 6.6%; seats by party - DPP
  127, KMT 117, TSU 21, PFP 18, others 17 (2005)

Tajikistan
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Majlisi Oli consists of the
  Assembly of Representatives (lower chamber) or Majlisi Namoyandagon
  (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
  terms) and the National Assembly (upper chamber) or Majlisi Milliy
  (33 seats; members are indirectly elected, 25 selected by local
  deputies, 8 appointed by the president; all serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 February and 13 March 2000 for the Assembly
  of Representatives (next to be held NA 2010) and 23 March 2000 for
  the National Assembly (next to be held NA 2005)
  election results: Assembly of Representatives - percent of vote by
  party - PDPT 74%, CPT 13%, Islamic Revival Party 8%, other 5%; seats
  by party - PDPT 49, CPT 4, Islamic Revival Party 2, independents 5,
  vacant 3; National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
  by party - NA

Tanzania
  unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (274 seats - 232
  elected by popular vote, 37 allocated to women nominated by the
  president, five to members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives;
  members serve five-year terms); note - in addition to enacting laws
  that apply to the entire United Republic of Tanzania, the Assembly
  enacts laws that apply only to the mainland; Zanzibar has its own
  House of Representatives to make laws especially for Zanzibar (the
  Zanzibar House of Representatives has 50 seats, directly elected by
  universal suffrage to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 29 October 2000 (next to be held 30 October
  2005)
  election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - CCM 244, CUF 16, CHADEMA 4, TLP 3, UDP 2,
  Zanzibar representatives 5; Zanzibar House of Representatives -
  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CCM 34, CUF 16

Thailand
  bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the
  Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha
  Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to
  serve four-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and
  22 July 2000 (next to be held by March 2006); House of
  Representatives - last held 6 February 2005 (next to be held in
  February 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
  party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
  NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

Togo
  unicameral National Assembly (81 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 October 2002 (next to be held NA 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPT 72, RSDD 3, UDPS 2, Juvento 2, MOCEP 1, independents 1
  note: two opposition parties boycotted the election, the Union of
  the Forces for Change, and the Action Committee for Renewal

Tokelau
  unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional
  representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to
  serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats,
  Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers
  limited legislative power on the General Fono
  elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005)

Tonga
  unicameral Legislative Assembly or Fale Alea (30 seats - 12
  reserved for cabinet ministers sitting ex officio, nine for nobles
  selected by the country's 33 nobles, and nine elected by popular
  vote; members serve three-year terms)
  elections: last held 21 March 2005 (next to be held in 2008)
  election results: Peoples Representatives: percent of vote - HRDMT
  70%; seats - HRDMT 7, independents 2

Trinidad and Tobago
  bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (31
  seats; 16 members appointed by the ruling party, 9 by the President,
  6 by the opposition party for a maximum term of five years) and the
  House of Representatives (36 seats; members are elected by popular
  vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: House of Representatives - last held 7 October 2002 (next
  to be held by October 2007)
  election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote - PNM
  55.5%, UNC 44.5%; seats by party - PNM 20, UNC 16
  note: Tobago has a unicameral House of Assembly with 12 members
  serving four-year terms

Tunisia
  unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al-Nuwaab (189
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
  RCD 152, MDS 14, PUP 11, UDU 7, Al-Tajdid 3, PSL 2

Turkey
  unicameral Grand National Assembly of Turkey or Turkiye Buyuk
  Millet Meclisi (550 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
  serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 3 November 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); note
  - a special rerun of the General Election in the province of Siirt
  on 9 March 2003 resulted in the election of Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN to
  a seat in parliament, a prerequisite for becoming prime minister, on
  14 March 2003
  election results: percent of vote by party - AKP 34.3%, CHP 19.4%,
  DYP 9.6%, MHP 8.3%, ANAP 5.1%, DSP 1.1%, and others; seats by party
  - AKP 363, CHP 178, independents 9; note - parties surpassing the
  10% threshold are entitled to parliamentary seats; seats by party as
  of 1 December 2004 - AKP 368, CHP 171, DYP 4, LDP 1, independents 5,
  vacant 1

Turkmenistan
  under the 1992 constitution, there are two
  parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's Council or Halk
  Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some
  of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed;
  meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Parliament or Mejlis (50
  seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: People's Council - last held in April 2003; Mejlis - last
  held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2009)
  election results: Mejlis - DPT 100%; seats by party - DPT 50; note -
  all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of
  Turkmenistan and are preapproved by President NIYAZOV
  note: in late 2003, a new law was adopted, reducing the powers of
  the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative
  organ; the Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and
  the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its
  supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the
  constitution, or announce referendums or its elections; since the
  president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and
  the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of
  making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative
  branches of government

Turks and Caicos Islands
  unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of
  which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%;
  seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August
  2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now
  has 5

Tuvalu
  unicameral Parliament or Fale I Fono, also called House of
  Assembly (15 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 25 July 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
  election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 15

Uganda
  unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214 directly
  elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by legally established special
  interest groups [women 56, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8
  ex officio members; members serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held by June 2006);
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

Ukraine
  unicameral Supreme Council or Verkhovna Rada (450 seats;
  under recent amendments to Ukraine's election law, the Rada's seats
  are allocated on a proportional basis to those parties that gain 3%
  or more of the national electoral vote; members serve five-year
  terms beginning with the next election in 2006)
  elections: last held 31 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party/bloc - Our Ukraine 24%,
  CPU 20%, United Ukraine 12%, SPU 7%, Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc 7%,
  United Social Democratic Party 6%, other 24%; seats by party/bloc -
  Our Ukraine 101, Regions of Ukraine 61, CPU 59, Working Ukraine 14,
  United Social Democratic Party 33, Agrarian Party 22, SPU 20, Yuliya
  Tymoshenko Bloc 19, United Ukraine 19, People's Democratic
  Party-Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs 16, Center Group 15,
  Democratic Initiatives 14, unaffiliated 57 (December 2004)
  note: following the election, United Ukraine splintered into the
  Agrarian Party, European Choice, People's Choice, People's
  Democratic Party, Regions of Ukraine, and Working
  Ukraine-Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; these factions have since
  undergone a number of changes

United Arab Emirates
  unicameral Federal National Council (FNC) or
  Majlis al-Ittihad al-Watani (40 seats; members appointed by the
  rulers of the constituent states to serve two-year terms)
  elections: none
  note: reviews legislation, but cannot change or veto

United Kingdom
  bicameral Parliament comprised of House of Lords
  (consists of approximately 500 life peers, 92 hereditary peers and
  26 clergy) and House of Commons (646 seats since 2005 elections;
  members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms unless
  the House is dissolved earlier)
  elections: House of Lords - no elections (note - in 1999, as
  provided by the House of Lords Act, elections were held in the House
  of Lords to determine the 92 hereditary peers who would remain
  there; pending further reforms, elections are held only as vacancies
  in the hereditary peerage arise); House of Commons - last held 5 May
  2005 (next to be held by May 2010)
  election results: House of Commons - percent of vote by party -
  Labor 35.2%, Conservative 32.3%, Liberal Democrats 22%, other 10.5%;
  seats by party - Labor 356, Conservative 197, Liberal Democrat 62,
  other 31; note - as of 30 September 2005 the seats by party - Labor
  354, Conservative 196, Liberal Democrat 62, other 34
  note: in 1998 elections were held for a Northern Ireland Assembly
  (because of unresolved disputes among existing parties, the transfer
  of power from London to Northern Ireland came only at the end of
  1999 and has been suspended four times the latest occurring in
  October 2002); in 1999 there were elections for a new Scottish
  Parliament and a new Welsh Assembly

United States
  bicameral Congress consists of the Senate (100 seats,
  one-third are renewed every two years; two members are elected from
  each state by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of
  Representatives (435 seats; members are directly elected by popular
  vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: Senate - last held 2 November 2004 (next to be held
  November 2006); House of Representatives - last held 2 November 2004
  (next to be held November 2006)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 55, Democratic Party 44, independent 1;
  House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - Republican Party 231, Democratic Party 200, undecided 4

Uruguay
  bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of
  Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) and Chamber of
  Representatives or Camara de Representantes (99 seats; members are
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
  be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
  October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
  election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber
  of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
  - EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1

Uzbekistan
  bicameral Supreme Assembly or Oliy Majlis consists of an
  Upper House or Senate (100 seats; 84 members are elected by regional
  governing councils to serve five-year terms and 16 are appointed by
  the president) and a Lower House or Legislative Chamber (120 seats;
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 26 December 2004 and 9 January 2005 (next to be
  held December 2009)
  election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
  party - NA; Legislative Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
  seats by party - LDPU 41, NDP 32, Fidokorlar 17, MTP 11, Adolat 9,
  unaffiliated 10
  note: all parties in the Supreme Assembly support President KARIMOV

Vanuatu
  unicameral Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular
  vote to serve four-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  UMP 8, VP 8, NUP 10, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16;
  note - political party associations are fluid
  note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture
  and language

Venezuela
  unicameral National Assembly or Asamblea Nacional (165
  seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms;
  three seats reserved for the indigenous peoples of Venezuela)
  elections: last held 30 July 2000 (next to be held July 2005)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  pro-government 108 (MVR 92, MAS 6, indigenous 3, other 7),
  opposition 57 (AD 33, COPEI 6, Justice First 5, other 13)

Vietnam
  unicameral National Assembly or Quoc-Hoi (498 seats; members
  elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 19 May 2002 (next to be held 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - CPV 90%, other 10% (the
  10% are not CPV members but are approved by the CPV to stand for
  election); seats by party - CPV 447, CPV-approved 51

Virgin Islands
  unicameral Senate (15 seats; members are elected by
  popular vote to serve two-year terms)
  elections: last held 6 November 2002 (next to be held 2 November
  2004)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  Democratic Party 10, ICM 2, independent 3
  note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the
  US House of Representatives; election last held 6 November 2002
  (next to be held 2 November 2004); results - Donna M.
  CHRISTIAN-CHRISTENSON (Democrat) reelected

Wallis and Futuna
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
  Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  five-year terms)
  elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7
  note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and
  one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate -
  elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September
  2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (now
  UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002
  (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party -
  NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

Yemen
  a new constitutional amendment ratified on 20 February 2001
  created a bicameral legislature consisting of a Shura Council (111
  seats; members appointed by the president) and a House of
  Representatives (301 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
  six-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 April 2003 (next to be held NA April 2009)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
  GPC 228, Islah 47, YSP 7, Nasserite Unionist Party 3, National Arab
  Socialist Ba'th Party 2, independents 14

Zambia
  unicameral National Assembly (150 seats; members are elected
  by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
  elections: last held 27 December 2001 (next to be held December 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - MMD 45.9%, UPND 32.4%,
  UNIP 8.8%, FDD 8.1%, HP 2.7%, PF 0.7%, ZRP 0.7%, independents 0.7%;
  seats by party - MMD 68, UPND 48, UNIP 13, FDD 12, HP 4, PF 1, ZRP
  1, independents 1; seats not determined 2

Zimbabwe
  unicameral House of Assembly (150 seats - 120 elected by
  popular vote for five-year terms, 12 nominated by the president, 10
  occupied by traditional chiefs chosen by their peers, and 8 occupied
  by provincial governors appointed by the president)
  elections: last held 31 March 2005 (next to be held NA 2010)
  election results: percent of vote by party - ZANU-PF 59.6%, MDC
  39.5%, other 0.9%; seats by party - ZANU-PF 78, MDC 41, Independents
  1

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2102 Life expectancy at birth (years)

Afghanistan
  total population: 42.9 years
  male: 42.71 years
  female: 43.1 years (2005 est.)

Albania
  total population: 77.24 years
  male: 74.6 years
  female: 80.15 years (2005 est.)

Algeria
  total population: 73 years
  male: 71.45 years
  female: 74.63 years (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  total population: 75.84 years
  male: 72.27 years
  female: 79.62 years (2005 est.)

Andorra
  total population: 83.51 years
  male: 80.6 years
  female: 86.6 years (2005 est.)

Angola
  total population: 38.43 years
  male: 37.28 years
  female: 39.64 years (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  total population: 77.11 years
  male: 74.18 years
  female: 80.12 years (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total population: 71.9 years
  male: 69.53 years
  female: 74.38 years (2005 est.)

Argentina
  total population: 75.91 years
  male: 72.17 years
  female: 79.85 years (2005 est.)

Armenia
  total population: 71.55 years
  male: 67.97 years
  female: 75.75 years (2005 est.)

Aruba
  total population: 79.14 years
  male: 75.8 years
  female: 82.65 years (2005 est.)

Australia
  total population: 80.39 years
  male: 77.52 years
  female: 83.4 years (2005 est.)

Austria
  total population: 78.92 years
  male: 76.03 years
  female: 81.96 years (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total population: 63.35 years
  male: 59.24 years
  female: 67.66 years (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total population: 65.54 years
  male: 62.11 years
  female: 69.04 years (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  total population: 74.23 years
  male: 71.76 years
  female: 76.78 years (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  total population: 62.08 years
  male: 62.13 years
  female: 62.02 years (2005 est.)

Barbados
  total population: 72.59 years
  male: 70.6 years
  female: 74.6 years (2005 est.)

Belarus
  total population: 68.72 years
  male: 63.03 years
  female: 74.69 years (2005 est.)

Belgium
  total population: 78.62 years
  male: 75.44 years
  female: 81.94 years (2005 est.)

Belize
  total population: 68.44 years
  male: 66.54 years
  female: 70.44 years (2005 est.)

Benin
  total population: 52.66 years
  male: 51.53 years
  female: 53.82 years (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  total population: 77.79 years
  male: 75.7 years
  female: 79.91 years (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  total population: 54.39 years
  male: 54.65 years
  female: 54.11 years (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  total population: 65.5 years
  male: 62.89 years
  female: 68.25 years (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total population: 77.83 years
  male: 74.21 years
  female: 81.72 years (2005 est.)

Botswana
  total population: 33.87 years
  male: 33.89 years
  female: 33.84 years (2005 est.)

Brazil
  total population: 71.69 years
  male: 67.74 years
  female: 75.85 years (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total population: 76.49 years
  male: 75.41 years
  female: 77.62 years (2005 est.)

Brunei
  total population: 74.8 years
  male: 72.36 years
  female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  total population: 72.03 years
  male: 68.41 years
  female: 75.87 years (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total population: 48.45 years
  male: 46.96 years
  female: 49.99 years (2005 est.)

Burma
  total population: 60.7 years
  male: 57.8 years
  female: 63.78 years (2005 est.)

Burundi
  total population: 50.29 years
  male: 49.61 years
  female: 50.99 years (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  total population: 58.92 years
  male: 56.98 years
  female: 60.95 years (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  total population: 50.89 years
  male: 50.71 years
  female: 51.08 years (2005 est.)

Canada
  total population: 80.1 years
  male: 76.73 years
  female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  total population: 70.45 years
  male: 67.13 years
  female: 73.86 years (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total population: 79.95 years
  male: 77.33 years
  female: 82.6 years (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  total population: 43.39 years
  male: 43.27 years
  female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)

Chad
  total population: 47.18 years
  male: 45.55 years
  female: 48.87 years (2005 est.)

Chile
  total population: 76.58 years
  male: 73.3 years
  female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

China
  total population: 72.27 years
  male: 70.65 years
  female: 74.09 years (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Colombia
  total population: 71.72 years
  male: 67.88 years
  female: 75.7 years (2005 est.)

Comoros
  total population: 61.96 years
  male: 59.65 years
  female: 64.33 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total population: 51.1 years
  male: 49.68 years
  female: 52.56 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total population: 52.26 years
  male: 51.17 years
  female: 53.39 years (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Costa Rica
  total population: 76.84 years
  male: 74.26 years
  female: 79.55 years (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total population: 48.62 years
  male: 46.05 years
  female: 51.27 years (2005 est.)

Croatia
  total population: 74.45 years
  male: 70.79 years
  female: 78.31 years (2005 est.)

Cuba
  total population: 77.23 years
  male: 74.94 years
  female: 79.65 years (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  total population: 77.65 years
  male: 75.29 years
  female: 80.13 years (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  total population: 76.02 years
  male: 72.74 years
  female: 79.49 years (2005 est.)

Denmark
  total population: 77.62 years
  male: 75.34 years
  female: 80.03 years (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  total population: 43.1 years
  male: 41.84 years
  female: 44.39 years (2005 est.)

Dominica
  total population: 74.65 years
  male: 71.73 years
  female: 77.71 years (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total population: 71.44 years
  male: 69.94 years
  female: 73.03 years (2005 est.)

East Timor
  total population: 65.9 years
  male: 63.63 years
  female: 68.29 years (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  total population: 76.21 years
  male: 73.35 years
  female: 79.22 years (2005 est.)

Egypt
  total population: 71 years
  male: 68.5 years
  female: 73.62 years (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  total population: 71.22 years
  male: 67.61 years
  female: 75.01 years (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total population: 49.7 years
  male: 48.01 years
  female: 51.44 years (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  total population: 58.47 years
  male: 56.96 years
  female: 60.02 years (2005 est.)

Estonia
  total population: 71.77 years
  male: 66.28 years
  female: 77.6 years (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  total population: 48.83 years
  male: 47.67 years
  female: 50.03 years (2005 est.)

European Union
  total population: 78.3 years
  male: 75.1 years
  female: 81.6 years (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  total population: 79.21 years
  male: 75.77 years
  female: 82.67 years (2005 est.)

Fiji
  total population: 69.53 years
  male: 67.05 years
  female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Finland
  total population: 78.35 years
  male: 74.82 years
  female: 82.02 years (2005 est.)

France
  total population: 79.6 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 83.42 years (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  total population: 77.09 years
  male: 73.77 years
  female: 80.58 years (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  total population: 75.9 years
  male: 73.5 years
  female: 78.42 years (2005 est.)

Gabon
  total population: 55.02 years
  male: 53.63 years
  female: 56.45 years (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  total population: 53.75 years
  male: 51.91 years
  female: 55.64 years (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total population: 71.79 years
  male: 70.5 years
  female: 73.15 years (2005 est.)

Georgia
  total population: 75.88 years
  male: 72.59 years
  female: 79.67 years (2005 est.)

Germany
  total population: 78.65 years
  male: 75.66 years
  female: 81.81 years (2005 est.)

Ghana
  total population: 58.47 years
  male: 57.7 years
  female: 59.26 years (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  total population: 79.67 years
  male: 76.8 years
  female: 82.7 years (2005 est.)

Greece
  total population: 79.09 years
  male: 76.59 years
  female: 81.76 years (2005 est.)

Greenland
  total population: 69.65 years
  male: 66.07 years
  female: 73.31 years (2005 est.)

Grenada
  total population: 64.53 years
  male: 62.74 years
  female: 66.31 years (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total population: 77.9 years
  male: 74.74 years
  female: 81.21 years (2005 est.)

Guam
  total population: 78.4 years
  male: 75.34 years
  female: 81.64 years (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  total population: 69.06 years
  male: 67.37 years
  female: 70.84 years (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  total population: 80.3 years
  male: 77.3 years
  female: 83.41 years (2005 est.)

Guinea
  total population: 49.36 years
  male: 48.19 years
  female: 50.57 years (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total population: 46.61 years
  male: 44.77 years
  female: 48.52 years (2005 est.)

Guyana
  total population: 65.5 years
  male: 62.86 years
  female: 68.28 years (2005 est.)

Haiti
  total population: 52.92 years
  male: 51.58 years
  female: 54.31 years (2005 est.)

Honduras
  total population: 69.3 years
  male: 67.71 years
  female: 70.97 years (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  total population: 81.5 years
  male: 78.81 years
  female: 84.41 years (2005 est.)

Hungary
  total population: 72.4 years
  male: 68.18 years
  female: 76.89 years (2005 est.)

Iceland
  total population: 80.19 years
  male: 78.13 years
  female: 82.34 years (2005 est.)

India
  total population: 64.35 years
  male: 63.57 years
  female: 65.16 years (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  total population: 69.57 years
  male: 67.13 years
  female: 72.13 years (2005 est.)

Iran
  total population: 69.96 years
  male: 68.58 years
  female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)

Iraq
  total population: 68.7 years
  male: 67.49 years
  female: 69.97 years (2005 est.)

Ireland
  total population: 77.56 years
  male: 74.95 years
  female: 80.34 years (2005 est.)

Israel
  total population: 79.32 years
  male: 77.21 years
  female: 81.55 years (2005 est.)

Italy
  total population: 79.68 years
  male: 76.75 years
  female: 82.81 years (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  total population: 73.33 years
  male: 71.63 years
  female: 75.12 years (2005 est.)

Japan
  total population: 81.15 years
  male: 77.86 years
  female: 84.61 years (2005 est.)

Jersey
  total population: 79.24 years
  male: 76.77 years
  female: 81.91 years (2005 est.)

Jordan
  total population: 78.24 years
  male: 75.75 years
  female: 80.88 years (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total population: 66.55 years
  male: 61.21 years
  female: 72.2 years (2005 est.)

Kenya
  total population: 47.99 years
  male: 48.87 years
  female: 47.09 years (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  total population: 61.71 years
  male: 58.71 years
  female: 64.86 years (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  total population: 71.37 years
  male: 68.65 years
  female: 74.22 years (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  total population: 76.85 years
  male: 73.42 years
  female: 80.57 years (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  total population: 77.03 years
  male: 76.01 years
  female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total population: 68.16 years
  male: 64.16 years
  female: 72.38 years (2005 est.)

Laos
  total population: 55.08 years
  male: 53.07 years
  female: 57.17 years (2005 est.)

Latvia
  total population: 71.05 years
  male: 65.78 years
  female: 76.6 years (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  total population: 72.63 years
  male: 70.17 years
  female: 75.21 years (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  total population: 34.47 years
  male: 35.49 years
  female: 33.42 years (2005 est.)

Liberia
  total population: 38.89 years
  male: 37.03 years
  female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Libya
  total population: 76.5 years
  male: 74.29 years
  female: 78.82 years (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total population: 79.55 years
  male: 75.96 years
  female: 83.16 years (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  total population: 73.97 years
  male: 68.94 years
  female: 79.28 years (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  total population: 78.74 years
  male: 75.45 years
  female: 82.24 years (2005 est.)

Macau
  total population: 82.12 years
  male: 79.29 years
  female: 85.09 years (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  total population: 73.73 years
  male: 71.28 years
  female: 76.37 years (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  total population: 56.95 years
  male: 54.57 years
  female: 59.4 years (2005 est.)

Malawi
  total population: 41.43 years
  male: 41.66 years
  female: 41.2 years (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  total population: 72.24 years
  male: 69.56 years
  female: 75.11 years (2005 est.)

Maldives
  total population: 64.06 years
  male: 62.76 years
  female: 65.42 years (2005 est.)

Mali
  total population: 48.64 years
  male: 46.68 years
  female: 50.66 years (2005 est.)

Malta
  total population: 78.86 years
  male: 76.7 years
  female: 81.15 years (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total population: 78.34 years
  male: 74.98 years
  female: 81.87 years (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total population: 70.01 years
  male: 68.05 years
  female: 72.06 years (2005 est.)

Martinique
  total population: 79.04 years
  male: 79.43 years
  female: 78.64 years (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  total population: 52.73 years
  male: 50.52 years
  female: 55 years (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  total population: 72.38 years
  male: 68.4 years
  female: 76.41 years (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  total population: 61.39 years
  male: 59.22 years
  female: 63.62 years (2005 est.)

Mexico
  total population: 75.19 years
  male: 72.42 years
  female: 78.1 years (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  total population: 69.75 years
  male: 67.96 years
  female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)

Moldova
  total population: 65.18 years
  male: 61.12 years
  female: 69.43 years (2005 est.)

Monaco
  total population: 79.57 years
  male: 75.7 years
  female: 83.63 years (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  total population: 64.52 years
  male: 62.3 years
  female: 66.86 years (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  total population: 78.71 years
  male: 76.54 years
  female: 80.98 years (2005 est.)

Morocco
  total population: 70.66 years
  male: 68.35 years
  female: 73.07 years (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  total population: 40.32 years
  male: 39.9 years
  female: 40.75 years (2005 est.)

Namibia
  total population: 43.93 years
  male: 44.71 years
  female: 43.13 years (2005 est.)

Nauru
  total population: 62.73 years
  male: 59.16 years
  female: 66.48 years (2005 est.)

Nepal
  total population: 59.8 years
  male: 60.09 years
  female: 59.5 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  total population: 78.81 years
  male: 76.25 years
  female: 81.51 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total population: 75.83 years
  male: 73.58 years
  female: 78.2 years (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  total population: 74.04 years
  male: 71.07 years
  female: 77.16 years (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  total population: 78.66 years
  male: 75.67 years
  female: 81.78 years (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  total population: 70.33 years
  male: 68.27 years
  female: 72.49 years (2005 est.)

Niger
  total population: 43.5 years
  male: 43.54 years
  female: 43.45 years (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  total population: 46.74 years
  male: 46.21 years
  female: 47.29 years (2005 est.)

Niue
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Norfolk Island
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  total population: 75.88 years
  male: 73.31 years
  female: 78.61 years (2005 est.)

Norway
  total population: 79.4 years
  male: 76.78 years
  female: 82.17 years (2005 est.)

Oman
  total population: 73.13 years
  male: 70.92 years
  female: 75.46 years (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  total population: 63 years
  male: 62.04 years
  female: 64.01 years (2005 est.)

Palau
  total population: 70.14 years
  male: 66.98 years
  female: 73.48 years (2005 est.)

Panama
  total population: 75.25 years
  male: 72.68 years
  female: 77.93 years (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total population: 64.93 years
  male: 62.76 years
  female: 67.21 years (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  total population: 74.89 years
  male: 72.35 years
  female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Peru
  total population: 69.53 years
  male: 67.77 years
  female: 71.37 years (2005 est.)

Philippines
  total population: 69.91 years
  male: 67.03 years
  female: 72.92 years (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  total population: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

Poland
  total population: 74.74 years
  male: 70.71 years
  female: 79.03 years (2005 est.)

Portugal
  total population: 77.53 years
  male: 74.25 years
  female: 81.03 years (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total population: 78.29 years
  male: 74.35 years
  female: 82.43 years (2005 est.)

Qatar
  total population: 73.67 years
  male: 71.15 years
  female: 76.32 years (2005 est.)

Reunion
  total population: 73.95 years
  male: 70.55 years
  female: 77.52 years (2005 est.)

Romania
  total population: 71.35 years
  male: 67.86 years
  female: 75.06 years (2005 est.)

Russia
  total population: 67.1 years
  male: 60.55 years
  female: 74.04 years (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  total population: 46.96 years
  male: 45.92 years
  female: 48.03 years (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  total population: 77.76 years
  male: 74.86 years
  female: 80.81 years (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total population: 72.15 years
  male: 69.31 years
  female: 75.16 years (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total population: 73.61 years
  male: 70.05 years
  female: 77.42 years (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total population: 78.46 years
  male: 76.13 years
  female: 80.9 years (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total population: 73.62 years
  male: 71.78 years
  female: 75.51 years (2005 est.)

Samoa
  total population: 70.72 years
  male: 67.93 years
  female: 73.65 years (2005 est.)

San Marino
  total population: 81.62 years
  male: 78.13 years
  female: 85.43 years (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total population: 66.99 years
  male: 65.43 years
  female: 68.59 years (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total population: 75.46 years
  male: 73.46 years
  female: 77.55 years (2005 est.)

Senegal
  total population: 58.9 years
  male: 57.37 years
  female: 60.47 years (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total population: 74.73 years
  male: 72.15 years
  female: 77.51 years (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  total population: 71.82 years
  male: 66.41 years
  female: 77.4 years (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total population: 39.87 years
  male: 37.74 years
  female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)

Singapore
  total population: 81.62 years
  male: 79.05 years
  female: 84.39 years (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  total population: 74.5 years
  male: 70.52 years
  female: 78.68 years (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  total population: 76.14 years
  male: 72.42 years
  female: 80.1 years (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total population: 72.66 years
  male: 70.16 years
  female: 75.28 years (2005 est.)

Somalia
  total population: 48.09 years
  male: 46.36 years
  female: 49.87 years (2005 est.)

South Africa
  total population: 43.27 years
  male: 43.47 years
  female: 43.06 years (2005 est.)

Spain
  total population: 79.52 years
  male: 76.18 years
  female: 83.08 years (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total population: 73.17 years
  male: 70.6 years
  female: 75.86 years (2005 est.)

Sudan
  total population: 58.54 years
  male: 57.33 years
  female: 59.8 years (2005 est.)

Suriname
  total population: 68.96 years
  male: 66.75 years
  female: 71.27 years (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

Swaziland
  total population: 33.22 years
  male: 32.49 years
  female: 33.98 years (2005 est.)

Sweden
  total population: 80.4 years
  male: 78.19 years
  female: 82.74 years (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  total population: 80.39 years
  male: 77.58 years
  female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)

Syria
  total population: 70.03 years
  male: 68.75 years
  female: 71.38 years (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  total population: 77.26 years
  male: 74.49 years
  female: 80.28 years (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  total population: 64.56 years
  male: 61.68 years
  female: 67.59 years (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  total population: 45.24 years
  male: 44.56 years
  female: 45.94 years (2005 est.)

Thailand
  total population: 71.95 years
  male: 69.65 years
  female: 74.37 years (2005 est.)

Togo
  total population: 57.01 years
  male: 55.02 years
  female: 59.06 years (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  total population: NA
  male: -9 years
  female: -9 years (2005 est.)

Tonga
  total population: 69.53 years
  male: 67.05 years
  female: 72.14 years (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total population: 66.73 years
  male: 65.6 years
  female: 67.91 years (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  total population: 74.89 years
  male: 73.2 years
  female: 76.71 years (2005 est.)

Turkey
  total population: 72.36 years
  male: 69.94 years
  female: 74.91 years (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total population: 61.39 years
  male: 58.02 years
  female: 64.93 years (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total population: 74.51 years
  male: 72.28 years
  female: 76.84 years (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  total population: 68.01 years
  male: 65.79 years
  female: 70.33 years (2005 est.)

Uganda
  total population: 51.59 years
  male: 50.74 years
  female: 52.46 years (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  total population: 69.68 years
  male: 64.39 years
  female: 75.31 years (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total population: 75.24 years
  male: 72.73 years
  female: 77.87 years (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  total population: 78.38 years
  male: 75.94 years
  female: 80.96 years (2005 est.)

United States
  total population: 77.71 years
  male: 74.89 years
  female: 80.67 years (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  total population: 76.13 years
  male: 72.92 years
  female: 79.45 years (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total population: 64.19 years
  male: 60.82 years
  female: 67.73 years (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  total population: 62.49 years
  male: 61 years
  female: 64.05 years (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  total population: 74.31 years
  male: 71.27 years
  female: 77.58 years (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  total population: 70.61 years
  male: 67.82 years
  female: 73.6 years (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total population: 78.91 years
  male: 75.08 years
  female: 82.96 years (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

West Bank
  total population: 73.08 years
  male: 71.33 years
  female: 74.95 years (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  total population: NA years
  male: NA years
  female: NA years

World
  total population: 64.33 years
  male: 62.73 years
  female: 66.04 years (2005 est.)

Yemen
  total population: 61.75 years
  male: 59.89 years
  female: 63.71 years (2005 est.)

Zambia
  total population: 39.7 years
  male: 39.43 years
  female: 39.98 years (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total population: 39.13 years
  male: 40.2 years
  female: 38.03 years (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2103 Literacy (%)

Afghanistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 36%
  male: 51%
  female: 21% (1999 est.)

Albania
  definition: age 9 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 79.5% (2003 est.)

Algeria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70%
  male: 78.8%
  female: 61% (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 98%
  female: 97% (1980 est.)

Andorra
  definition: NA
  total population: 100%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Angola
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66.8%
  male: 82.1%
  female: 53.8% (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  definition: age 12 and over can read and write
  total population: 95%
  male: 95%
  female: 95% (1984 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five
  or more years of schooling
  total population: 89%
  male: 90%
  female: 88% (1960 est.)

Argentina
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.1%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.1% (2003 est.)

Armenia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Aruba
  definition:
  total population: 97%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Australia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (1980 est.)

Austria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Azerbaijan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 98.2% (1999 est.)

Bahamas, The
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.6%
  male: 94.7%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89.1%
  male: 91.9%
  female: 85% (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 43.1%
  male: 53.9%
  female: 31.8% (2003 est.)

Barbados
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.7% (2002 est.)

Belarus
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Belgium
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Belize
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 94.1%
  female: 94.1% (2003 est.)

Benin
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 33.6%
  male: 46.4%
  female: 22.6% (2002 est.)

Bermuda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 99% (1970 est.)

Bhutan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.2%
  male: 56.2%
  female: 28.1% (1995 est.)

Bolivia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.2%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 81.6% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.6%
  male: 98.4%
  female: 91.1% (2000 est.)

Botswana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.8%
  male: 76.9%
  female: 82.4% (2003 est.)

Brazil
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 86.1%
  female: 86.6% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Brunei
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.9%
  male: 96.3%
  female: 91.4% (2002)

Bulgaria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.2% (2003 est.)

Burkina Faso
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 26.6%
  male: 36.9%
  female: 16.6% (2003 est.)

Burma
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.3%
  male: 89.2%
  female: 81.4% (2002)

Burundi
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.6%
  male: 58.5%
  female: 45.2% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 73.6%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 64.1% (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 73.4% (2003 est.)

Canada
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97% (1986 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Cape Verde
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.6%
  male: 85.8%
  female: 69.2% (2003 est.)

Cayman Islands
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Central African Republic
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 51%
  male: 63.3%
  female: 39.9% (2003 est.)

Chad
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write French or Arabic
  total population: 47.5%
  male: 56%
  female: 39.3% (2003 est.)

Chile
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.2%
  male: 96.4%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

China
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.9%
  male: 95.1%
  female: 86.5% (2002)

Christmas Island
  NA

Colombia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 92.6% (2003 est.)

Comoros
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 56.5%
  male: 63.6%
  female: 49.3% (2003 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  definition: age 15 and over can
  read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba
  total population: 65.5%
  male: 76.2%
  female: 55.1% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.8%
  male: 89.6%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Costa Rica
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 96.1% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.9%
  male: 57.9%
  female: 43.6% (2003 est.)

Croatia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.5%
  male: 99.4%
  female: 97.8% (2003 est.)

Cuba
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 96.9% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.6%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 96.3% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.9% (1999 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Denmark
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Djibouti
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.9%
  male: 78%
  female: 58.4% (2003 est.)

Dominica
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 94%
  male: 94%
  female: 94% (2003 est.)

Dominican Republic
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.7%
  male: 84.6%
  female: 84.8% (2003 est.)

East Timor
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 58.6% (2002)

Ecuador
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 94%
  female: 91% (2003 est.)

Egypt
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.7%
  male: 68.3%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 80.2%
  male: 82.8%
  female: 77.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.7%
  male: 93.3%
  female: 78.4% (2003 est.)

Eritrea
  definition: NA
  total population: 58.6%
  male: 69.9%
  female: 47.6% (2003 est.)

Estonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.7%
  male: 50.3%
  female: 35.1% (2003 est.)

Faroe Islands definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: probably the same as Denmark proper

Fiji
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Finland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100% (2000 est.)
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

France
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1980 est.)

French Guiana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83%
  male: 84%
  female: 82% (1982 est.)

French Polynesia
  definition: age 14 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1977 est.)

Gabon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 63.2%
  male: 73.7%
  female: 53.3% (1995 est.)

Gambia, The
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.1%
  male: 47.8%
  female: 32.8% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 96.3%
  female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Georgia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 100%
  female: 98% (1999 est.)

Germany
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1997 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Ghana
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.8%
  male: 82.7%
  female: 67.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  definition: NA
  total population: above 80%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Greece
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.5%
  male: 98.6%
  female: 96.5% (2003 est.)

Greenland definition: NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper

Grenada
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 98%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Guadeloupe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90%
  male: 90%
  female: 90% (1982 est.)

Guam
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1990 est.)

Guatemala
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.6%
  male: 78%
  female: 63.3% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 35.9%
  male: 49.9%
  female: 21.9% (1995 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 42.4%
  male: 58.1%
  female: 27.4% (2003 est.)

Guyana
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 52.9%
  male: 54.8%
  female: 51.2% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  definition: NA
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Honduras
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.2%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 76.3% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 93.5%
  male: 96.9%
  female: 89.6% (2002)

Hungary
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.5%
  female: 99.3% (2003 est.)

Iceland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.9% (1997 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

India
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 59.5%
  male: 70.2%
  female: 48.3% (2003 est.)

Indonesia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 92.5%
  female: 83.4% (2002 est.)

Iran
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.4%
  male: 85.6%
  female: 73% (2003 est.)

Iraq
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.4%
  male: 55.9%
  female: 24.4% (2003 est.)

Ireland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98% (1981 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Israel
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 95.4%
  male: 97.3%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Italy
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99%
  female: 98.3% (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 87.9%
  male: 84.1%
  female: 91.6% (2003 est.)

Japan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2002)

Jersey
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Jordan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.3%
  male: 95.9%
  female: 86.3% (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (1999 est.)

Kenya
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.1%
  male: 90.6%
  female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Korea, North
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99%

Korea, South
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 99.2%
  female: 96.6% (2002)

Kuwait
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 83.5%
  male: 85.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.7%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 98.1% (1999 est.)

Laos
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 66.4%
  male: 77.4%
  female: 55.5% (2002)

Latvia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.8% (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.4%
  male: 93.1%
  female: 82.2% (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84.8%
  male: 74.5%
  female: 94.5% (2003 est.)

Liberia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 57.5%
  male: 73.3%
  female: 41.6% (2003 est.)

Libya
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82.6%
  male: 92.4%
  female: 72% (2003 est.)

Liechtenstein
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Lithuania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100% (2000 est.)

Macau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.5%
  male: 97.2%
  female: 92% (2003 est.)

Macedonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.1%
  male: 98.2%
  female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Madagascar
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68.9%
  male: 75.5%
  female: 62.5% (2003 est.)

Malawi
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 62.7%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 49.8% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.7%
  male: 92%
  female: 85.4% (2002)

Maldives
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.2%
  male: 97.1%
  female: 97.3% (2003 est.)

Mali
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 46.4%
  male: 53.5%
  female: 39.6% (2003 est.)

Malta
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.8%
  male: 92%
  female: 93.6% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Marshall Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.7%
  male: 93.6%
  female: 93.7% (1999)

Martinique
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.7%
  male: 97.4%
  female: 98.1% (2003 est.)

Mauritania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 41.7%
  male: 51.8%
  female: 31.9% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 85.6%
  male: 88.6%
  female: 82.7% (2003 est.)

Mayotte
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Mexico
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.2%
  male: 94%
  female: 90.5% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  definition: age 15 and over can read
  and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 91%
  female: 88% (1980 est.)

Moldova
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.1%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 98.7% (2003 est.)

Monaco
  definition: NA
  total population: 99%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Mongolia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.8%
  male: 98%
  female: 97.5% (2002)

Montserrat
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1970 est.)

Morocco
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 51.7%
  male: 64.1%
  female: 39.4% (2003 est.)

Mozambique
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 47.8%
  male: 63.5%
  female: 32.7% (2003 est.)

Namibia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 84%
  male: 84.4%
  female: 83.7% (2003 est.)

Nauru
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Nepal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 45.2%
  male: 62.7%
  female: 27.6% (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Netherlands Antilles
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

New Caledonia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91%
  male: 92%
  female: 90% (1976 est.)

New Zealand
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Nicaragua
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 67.5%
  male: 67.2%
  female: 67.8% (2003 est.)

Niger
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 17.6%
  male: 25.8%
  female: 9.7% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 68%
  male: 75.7%
  female: 60.6% (2003 est.)

Niue
  definition: NA
  total population: 95%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 96% (1980 est.)

Norway
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 100%
  male: 100%
  female: 100%

Oman
  definition: NA
  total population: 75.8%
  male: 83.1%
  female: 67.2% (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 48.7%
  male: 61.7%
  female: 35.2% (2004 est.)

Palau
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92%
  male: 93%
  female: 90% (1980 est.)

Panama
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 93.2%
  female: 91.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 64.6%
  male: 71.1%
  female: 57.7% (2002)

Paraguay
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 93% (2003 est.)

Peru
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 87.7%
  male: 93.5%
  female: 82.1% (2004 est.)

Philippines
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 92.5%
  female: 92.7% (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.8%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

Portugal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.3%
  male: 95.5%
  female: 91.3% (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 94.1%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 94.4% (2002 est.)

Qatar
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 89%
  male: 89.1%
  female: 88.6% (2004 est.)

Reunion
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88.9%
  male: 87%
  female: 90.8% (2003 est.)

Romania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.4%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 97.7% (2003 est.)

Russia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.5% (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 70.4%
  male: 76.3%
  female: 64.7% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  definition: age 20 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1987 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended
  school
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 98% (1980 est.)

Saint Lucia
  definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school
  total population: 90.1%
  male: 89.5%
  female: 90.6% (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  definition: age 15 and over can read and
  write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (1982 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  definition: age 15 and over has
  ever attended school
  total population: 96%
  male: 96%
  female: 96% (1970 est.)

Samoa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.7% (2003 est.)

San Marino
  definition: age 10 and over can read and write
  total population: 96%
  male: 97%
  female: 95% (1976 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 79.3%
  male: 85%
  female: 62% (1991 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 78.8%
  male: 84.7%
  female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

Senegal
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 40.2%
  male: 50%
  female: 30.7% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.4%
  male: 98.9%
  female: 94.1% (2002 est.)

Seychelles
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 91.4%
  female: 92.3% (2003 est.)

Sierra Leone
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English,
  Mende, Temne, or Arabic
  total population: 29.6%
  male: 39.8%
  female: 20.5% (2000 est.)

Singapore
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.5%
  male: 96.6%
  female: 88.6% (2002)

Slovakia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.6%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  definition: NA
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.7%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Somalia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 37.8%
  male: 49.7%
  female: 25.8% (2001 est.)

South Africa
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.4%
  male: 87%
  female: 85.7% (2003 est.)

Spain
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97.9%
  male: 98.7%
  female: 97.2% (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.3%
  male: 94.8%
  female: 90% (2003 est.)

Sudan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 61.1%
  male: 71.8%
  female: 50.5% (2003 est.)

Suriname
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 88%
  male: 92.3%
  female: 84.1% (2000 est.)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 81.6%
  male: 82.6%
  female: 80.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1979 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Switzerland
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99% (1980 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Syria
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 76.9%
  male: 89.7%
  female: 64% (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.1% (2003)

Tajikistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.4%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99.1% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write Kiswahili
  (Swahili), English, or Arabic
  total population: 78.2%
  male: 85.9%
  female: 70.7% (2003 est.)

Thailand
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 92.6%
  male: 94.9%
  female: 90.5% (2002)

Togo
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 60.9%
  male: 75.4%
  female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  definition: can read and write Tongan and/or English
  total population: 98.9%
  male: 98.8%
  female: 99% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.6%
  male: 99.1%
  female: 98% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74.3%
  male: 83.4%
  female: 65.3% (2004 est.)

Turkey
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 86.5%
  male: 94.3%
  female: 78.7% (2003 est.)

Turkmenistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98.8%
  male: 99.3%
  female: 98.3% (1995 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  definition: age 15 and over has ever
  attended school
  total population: 98%
  male: 99%
  female: 98% (1970 est.)

Tuvalu
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Uganda
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 69.9%
  male: 79.5%
  female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.7%
  male: 99.8%
  female: 99.6% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 77.9%
  male: 76.1%
  female: 81.7% (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  definition: age 15 and over has completed five or
  more years of schooling
  total population: 99% (2000 est.)
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

United States
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 97%
  male: 97%
  female: 97% (1999 est.)

Uruguay
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 98%
  male: 97.6%
  female: 98.4% (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99.3%
  male: 99.6%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 74%
  male: NA%
  female: NA% (1999 est.)

Venezuela
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 93.4%
  male: 93.8%
  female: 93.1% (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 90.3%
  male: 93.9%
  female: 86.9% (2002)

Virgin Islands
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

Wallis and Futuna
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50%
  male: 50%
  female: 50% (1969 est.)

West Bank
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 91.9%
  male: 96.3%
  female: 87.4% (2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  definition: NA
  total population: NA%
  male: NA%
  female: NA%

World
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 82%
  male: 87%
  female: 77%
  note: over two-thirds of the world's 785 million illiterate adults
  are found in only eight countries (India, China, Bangladesh,
  Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Indonesia, and Egypt); of all the
  illiterate adults in the world, two-thirds are women; extremely low
  literacy rates are concentrated in three regions, South and West
  Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arab states, where around
  one-third of the men and half of all women are illiterate (2005 est.)

Yemen
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 50.2%
  male: 70.5%
  female: 30% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 80.6%
  male: 86.8%
  female: 74.8% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write English
  total population: 90.7%
  male: 94.2%
  female: 87.2% (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2105 Manpower available for military service

Afghanistan
  males age 22-49: 4,952,812 (2005 est.)

Albania
  males age 19-49: 809,524 (2005 est.)

Algeria
  males age 19-49: 8,033,049 (2005 est.)

Angola
  males age 17-49: 2,423,221 (2005 est.)

Argentina
  males age 18-49: 8,981,886 (2005 est.)

Armenia
  males age 18-49: 722,836 (2005 est.)

Australia
  males age 16-49: 4,943,676 (2005 est.)

Austria
  males age 18-49: 1,914,800 (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  males age 18-49: 1,961,973 (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  males age 18-49: 202,126 (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  males age 18-49: 35,170,019 (2005 est.)

Barbados
  males age 18-49: 71,330 (2005 est.)

Belarus
  males age 18-49: 2,520,644 (2005 est.)

Belgium
  males age 16-49: 2,436,736 (2005 est.)

Belize
  males age 18-49: 60,750 (2005 est.)

Benin
  males age 21-49: 1,207,071
  females age 21-49: 1,216,180 (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  males age 18-49: 483,860 (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  males age 18-49: 1,923,234 (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  males age 18-49: 1,034,367 (2005 est.)

Botswana
  males age 18-49: 350,649 (2005 est.)

Brazil
  males age 19-49: 45,586,036 (2005 est.)

Brunei
  males age 18-49: 103,885 (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  males age 18-49: 1,661,211 (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  males age 18-49: 2,664,572 (2005 est.)

Burma
  males age 18-49: 11,254,374
  females age 18-49: 11,303,100 (2005 est.)

Burundi
  males age 16-49: 1,379,793 (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  males age 18-49: 2,981,823 (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  males age 18-49: 3,410,440 (2005 est.)

Canada
  males age 16-49: 8,216,510 (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  males age 18-49: 84,641 (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  males age 18-49: 758,103 (2005 est.)

Chad
  males age 20-49: 1,559,382 (2005 est.)

Chile
  males age 18-49: 3,815,761 (2005 est.)

China
  males age 18-49: 342,956,265 (2005 est.)

Colombia
  males age 18-49: 10,212,456 (2005 est.)

Comoros
  males age 18-49: 138,940 (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 18-49: 11,052,696 (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  males age 18-49: 686,123 (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  males age 18-49: 997,690 (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  males age 18-49: 3,696,106 (2005 est.)

Croatia
  males age 18-49: 1,005,058 (2005 est.)

Cuba
  males age 17-49: 2,967,865
  females age 17-49: 2,913,559 (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  males age 18-49: 184,352 (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  males age 18-49: 2,414,728 (2005 est.)

Denmark
  males age 18-49: 1,175,108 (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  males age 18-49: 95,328 (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  males age 18-49: 2,108,197 (2005 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  males age 20-49: 2,792,770 (2005 est.)

Egypt
  males age 18-49: 18,347,560 (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  males age 18-49: 1,391,278 (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  males age 18-49: 106,571 (2005 est.)

Estonia
  males age 18-49: 291,696 (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  males age 18-49: 14,568,277 (2005 est.)

Fiji
  males age 18-49: 215,104 (2005 est.)

Finland
  males age 18-49: 1,121,275 (2005 est.)

France
  males age 17-49: 13,676,509 (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  males age 18-49: 47,809 (2005 est.)

Gabon
  males age 18-49: 276,310 (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  males age 18-49: 309,279 (2005 est.)

Georgia
  males age 18-49: 1,038,736 (2005 est.)

Germany
  males age 18-49: 18,917,537 (2005 est.)

Ghana
  males age 18-49: 4,761,226 (2005 est.)

Greece
  males age 18-49: 2,459,988 (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  males age 18-49: 3,020,292 (2005 est.)

Guinea
  males age 18-49: 1,853,316 (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  males age 18-49: 288,770 (2005 est.)

Guyana
  males age 18-49: 206,098 (2005 est.)

Haiti
  males age 18-49: 1,626,491 (2005 est.)

Honduras
  males age 18-49: 1,448,369 (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  males age 18-49: 1,743,972 (2005 est.)

Hungary
  males age 18-49: 2,303,116 (2005 est.)

Iceland
  males age 18-49: 69,038 (2005 est.)

India
  males age 16-49: 287,551,111 (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  males age 18-49: 60,543,028 (2005 est.)

Iran
  males age 18-49: 18,319,545 (2005 est.)

Iraq
  males age 18-49: 5,870,640 (2005 est.)

Ireland
  males age 17-49: 977,092 (2005 est.)

Israel
  males age 17-49: 1,492,125
  females age 17-49: 1,443,916 (2005 est.)

Italy
  males age 18-49: 13,491,260 (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  males age 18-49: 696,900 (2005 est.)

Japan
  males age 18-49: 27,003,112 (2005 est.)

Jordan
  males age 17-49: 1,573,995 (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  males age 18-49: 3,758,255 (2005 est.)

Kenya
  males age 18-49: 7,303,153 (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  males age 17-49: 5,851,801 (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  males age 20-49: 12,458,257 (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  males age 18-49: 864,745 (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  males age 18-49: 1,193,529 (2005 est.)

Laos
  males age 15-49: 1,500,625 (2005 est.)

Latvia
  males age 19-49: 517,713 (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  males age 18-49: 974,363 (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  males age 18-49: 400,457 (2005 est.)

Liberia
  males age 18-49: 659,795 (2005 est.)

Libya
  males age 17-49: 1,505,675 (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  males age 19-49: 830,368 (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  males age 17-49: 110,867 (2005 est.)

Macau
  males age 18-49: 112,744 (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  males age 18-49: 498,259 (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  males age 18-49: 3,542,797 (2005 est.)

Malawi
  males age 18-49: 2,320,190 (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  males age 18-49: 5,584,231 (2005 est.)

Maldives
  males age 18-49: 71,774 (2005 est.)

Mali
  males age 18-49: 2,206,728 (2005 est.)

Malta
  males age 18-49: 90,651 (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  males age 18-49: 606,463 (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  males age 18-49: 313,271 (2005 est.)

Mexico
  males age 18-49: 24,488,008 (2005 est.)

Moldova
  males age 18-49: 1,066,459 (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  males age 18-49: 736,182 (2005 est.)

Morocco
  males age 18-49: 7,908,864 (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  males age 18-49: 3,793,373 (2005 est.)

Namibia
  males age 18-49: 441,293 (2005 est.)

Nauru
  males age 18-49: 2,874 (2005 est.)

Nepal
  males age 18-49: 6,107,091 (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  males age 20-49: 3,557,918 (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  males age 16-49: 54,200 (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  males age 17-49: 984,700 (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  males age 17-49: 1,309,970 (2005 est.)

Niger
  males age 18-49: 2,135,680 (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  males age 18-49: 26,804,314 (2005 est.)

Norway
  males age 18-49: 1,014,592 (2005 est.)

Oman
  males age 18-49: 719,871 (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  males age 16-49: 39,028,014 (2005 est.)

Panama
  males age 18-49: 733,031 (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  males age 18-49: 1,264,728 (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  males age 18-49: 1,345,022 (2005 est.)

Peru
  males age 18-49: 6,647,874 (2005 est.)

Philippines
  males age 18-49: 20,131,179 (2005 est.)

Poland
  males age 17-49: 9,673,712 (2005 est.)

Portugal
  males age 18-49: 2,435,042 (2005 est.)

Qatar
  males age 18-49: 302,873
  note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)

Reunion
  males age 18-49: 183,421 (2005 est.)

Romania
  males age 20-49: 5,061,984 (2005 est.)

Russia
  males age 18-49: 35,247,049 (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  males age 16-49: 2,004,750 (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  males age 18-49: 33,438 (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  males age 18-49: 7,648,999 (2005 est.)

Senegal
  males age 18-49: 2,183,343 (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  males age 19-49: 2,389,729 (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  males age 18-49: 21,612 (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  males age 18-49: 1,110,077 (2005 est.)

Singapore
  males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  males age 18-49: 1,351,848 (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  males age 17-49: 496,929 (2005 est.)

Somalia
  males age 18-49: 1,787,727 (2005 est.)

South Africa
  males age 18-49: 10,354,769 (2005 est.)

Spain
  males age 20-49: 9,366,588 (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  males age 18-49: 4,933,217 (2005 est.)

Sudan
  males age 18-49: 8,291,695 (2005 est.)

Suriname
  males age 18-49: 111,582 (2005 est.)

Swaziland
  males age 18-49: 248,676 (2005 est.)

Sweden
  males age 19-49: 1,838,427 (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  males age 19-49: 1,707,694 (2005 est.)

Syria
  males age 18-49: 4,356,413 (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  males age 19-49: 5,883,828 (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  males age 18-49: 1,556,415 (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  males age 18-49: 7,422,869 (2005 est.)

Thailand
  males age 21-49: 14.984 million (2005 est.)

Togo
  males age 18-49: 1,148,890 (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  males age 18-49: 293,094 (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  males age 20-49: 2,441,741 (2005 est.)

Turkey
  males age 20-49: 16,756,323 (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  males age 18-49: 1,132,833 (2005 est.)

Uganda
  males age 18-49: 5,012,620 (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  males age 18-49: 11,067,239 (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates males age 18-49: 653,181 note: includes non-nationals (2005 est.)

United Kingdom males age 16-49: 14,607,724 (2005 est.)

United States males age 18-49: 67,742,879 females age 18-49: 67,070,144 (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  males age 18-49: 764,408 (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  males age 18-49: 6,340,220 (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  males age 18-49: 6,236,012 (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  males age 18-49: 21,341,813 (2005 est.)

Yemen
  males age 18-49: 4,058,223 (2005 est.)

Zambia
  males age 18-49: 2,219,739 (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  males age 18-49: 2,840,053 (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2106 Maritime claims

Afghanistan
  none (landlocked)

Albania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Algeria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 32-52 nm

American Samoa
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Andorra
  none (landlocked)

Angola
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Anguilla
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Antarctica
  Australia, Chile, and Argentina claim Exclusive Economic
  Zone (EEZ) rights or similar over 200 nm extensions seaward from
  their continental claims, but like the claims themselves, these
  zones are not accepted by other countries; 20 of 27 Antarctic
  consultative nations have made no claims to Antarctic territory
  (although Russia and the US have reserved the right to do so) and do
  not recognize the claims of the other nations; also see the Disputes
  - international entry

Antigua and Barbuda
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Argentina
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Armenia
  none (landlocked)

Aruba
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Australia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Austria
  none (landlocked)

Azerbaijan
  none (landlocked)

Bahamas, The
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bahrain
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  continental shelf: extending to boundaries to be determined

Baker Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bangladesh
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: up to the outer limits of the continental margin

Barbados
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Bassas da India
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Belarus
  none (landlocked)

Belgium
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: geographic coordinates define outer limit
  continental shelf: median line with neighbors

Belize
  territorial sea: 12 nm in the north, 3 nm in the south; note
  - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's
  territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act,
  1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for
  negotiating a definitive agreement on territorial differences with
  Guatemala
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Benin
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Bermuda
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Bhutan
  none (landlocked)

Bolivia
  none (landlocked)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  no data available

Botswana
  none (landlocked)

Bouvet Island
  territorial sea: 4 nm

Brazil
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

British Indian Ocean Territory
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

British Virgin Islands
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Brunei
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Bulgaria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Burkina Faso
  none (landlocked)

Burma
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Burundi
  none (landlocked)

Cambodia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Cameroon
  territorial sea: 50 nm

Canada
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Cape Verde
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cayman Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Central African Republic
  none (landlocked)

Chad
  none (landlocked)

Chile
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200/350 nm

China
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Christmas Island territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Clipperton Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Colombia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Comoros
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: boundaries with neighbors

Congo, Republic of the
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Cook Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Coral Sea Islands territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Costa Rica
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Cote d'Ivoire
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Croatia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Cuba
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Cyprus
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Czech Republic
  none (landlocked)

Denmark
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Djibouti
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominica
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Dominican Republic
  territorial sea: 6 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

East Timor
  territorial sea: NA
  exclusive economic zone: NA
  continental shelf: NA
  exclusive fishing zone: NA

Ecuador
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 100 nm from 2,500 meter isobath

Egypt
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

El Salvador
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Equatorial Guinea territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Eritrea
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Estonia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: limits fixed in coordination with
  neighboring states

Ethiopia
  none (landlocked)

Europa Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Faroe Islands
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Fiji
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  rectilinear shelf claim added

Finland
  territorial sea: 12 nm (in the Gulf of Finland - 3 nm)
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm; extends to continental shelf boundary
  with Sweden

France
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

French Guiana
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

French Polynesia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm from Iles Kerguelen (does not
  include the rest of French Southern and Antarctic Lands)

Gabon
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Gambia, The
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  continental shelf: not specified
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Gaza Strip
  Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the
  Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be
  determined through further negotiation

Georgia
  NA

Germany
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Ghana
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Gibraltar
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Glorioso Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Greece
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Greenland
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm or agreed boundaries or median line

Grenada
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guadeloupe
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guam
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guatemala
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Guernsey
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Guinea
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guinea-Bissau
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Guyana
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental
  margin

Haiti
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Heard Island and McDonald Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (landlocked)

Honduras
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: natural extension of territory or to 200 nm

Hong Kong
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Howland Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Hungary
  none (landlocked)

Iceland
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

India
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Indonesia
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Iran
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the
  Persian Gulf
  continental shelf: natural prolongation

Iraq
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Ireland
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Israel
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Italy
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Jamaica
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Jan Mayen
  territorial sea: 4 nm
  contiguous zone: 10 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Japan
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the
  international straits - La Perouse or Soya, Tsugaru, Osumi, and
  Eastern and Western Channels of the Korea or Tsushima Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jarvis Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jersey
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Johnston Atoll
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Jordan
  territorial sea: 3 nm

Juan de Nova Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kazakhstan
  none (landlocked)

Kenya
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Kingman Reef
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Kiribati
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Korea, North
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  note: military boundary line 50 nm in the Sea of Japan and the
  exclusive economic zone limit in the Yellow Sea where all foreign
  vessels and aircraft without permission are banned

Korea, South
  territorial sea: 12 nm; between 3 nm and 12 nm in the
  Korea Strait
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Kuwait
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Kyrgyzstan
  none (landlocked)

Laos
  none (landlocked)

Latvia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Lebanon
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Lesotho
  none (landlocked)

Liberia
  territorial sea: 200 nm

Libya
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  note: Gulf of Sidra closing line - 32 degrees, 30 minutes north

Liechtenstein
  none (landlocked)

Lithuania
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Luxembourg
  none (landlocked)

Macau
  not specified

Macedonia
  none (landlocked)

Madagascar
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath

Malawi
  none (landlocked)

Malaysia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation;
  specified boundary in the South China Sea

Maldives
  measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mali
  none (landlocked)

Malta
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 25 nm

Man, Isle of territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Marshall Islands territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Martinique territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mauritania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mauritius
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Mayotte
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Mexico
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Micronesia, Federated States of
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Midway Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Moldova
  none (landlocked)

Monaco
  territorial sea: 12 nm

Mongolia
  none (landlocked)

Montserrat
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Morocco
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Mozambique
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Namibia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nauru
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Navassa Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Nepal none (landlocked)

Netherlands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Netherlands Antilles
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

New Caledonia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

New Zealand
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Nicaragua territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: natural prolongation

Niger
  none (landlocked)

Nigeria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Niue
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norfolk Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Northern Mariana Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Norway
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 10 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Oman
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Pakistan
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Palau
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Palmyra Atoll
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Panama
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Papua New Guinea
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Paracel Islands
  NA

Paraguay
  none (landlocked)

Peru
  territorial sea: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Philippines
  territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100
  nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has
  also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm
  in breadth
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Pitcairn Islands
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Poland
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: defined by international treaties

Portugal
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Puerto Rico
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Qatar
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or
  the median line

Reunion
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Romania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Russia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Rwanda
  none (landlocked)

Saint Helena territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Lucia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Saint Pierre and Miquelon territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Samoa
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

San Marino
  none (landlocked)

Sao Tome and Principe
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Saudi Arabia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Senegal
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA

Seychelles
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sierra Leone
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm

Singapore
  territorial sea: 3 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as
  defined in treaties and practice

Slovakia
  none (landlocked)

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Somalia territorial sea: 200 nm

South Africa territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Spain
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean)

Spratly Islands
  NA

Sri Lanka
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Sudan
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 18 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Suriname
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Svalbard
  territorial sea: 4 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm unilaterally claimed by Norway but
  not recognized by Russia

Swaziland
  none (landlocked)

Sweden
  territorial sea: 12 nm (adjustments made to return a portion
  of straits to high seas)
  exclusive economic zone: agreed boundaries or midlines
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Switzerland
  none (landlocked)

Syria
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 41 nm

Taiwan
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tajikistan
  none (landlocked)

Tanzania
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Thailand
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Togo
  territorial sea: 30 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tokelau
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Tonga
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Trinidad and Tobago measured from claimed archipelagic baselines territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin

Tromelin Island territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Tunisia
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm

Turkey
  territorial sea: 6 nm in the Aegean Sea; 12 nm in Black Sea
  and in Mediterranean Sea
  exclusive economic zone: in Black Sea only: to the maritime boundary
  agreed upon with the former USSR

Turkmenistan
  none (landlocked)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Tuvalu
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Uganda
  none (landlocked)

Ukraine
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m or to the depth of exploitation

United Arab Emirates
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

United Kingdom
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: as defined in continental shelf orders or in
  accordance with agreed upon boundaries

United States
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: not specified

Uruguay
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Uzbekistan
  none (doubly landlocked)

Vanuatu
  measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Venezuela
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 15 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Vietnam
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Virgin Islands
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wake Island
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Wallis and Futuna
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

West Bank
  none (landlocked)

Western Sahara
  contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue

World
  a variety of situations exist, but in general, most countries
  make the following claims measured from the mean low-tide baseline
  as described in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:
  territorial sea - 12 nm , contiguous zone - 24 nm , and exclusive
  economic zone - 200 nm ; additional zones provide for exploitation
  of continental shelf resources and an exclusive fishing zone;
  boundary situations with neighboring states prevent many countries
  from extending their fishing or economic zones to a full 200 nm

Yemen
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  contiguous zone: 24 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

Zambia
  none (landlocked)

Zimbabwe
  none (landlocked)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2107 International organization participation

Afghanistan
  AsDB, CP, ECO, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA,
  NAM, OIC, OPCW, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Albania
  ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
  PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Algeria
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BIS, FAO, G-15, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, LAS, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC,
  OSCE (partner), UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

American Samoa
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Andorra
  CE, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE,
  UN, UNESCO, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Angola
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), SADC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Anguilla
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS
  (associate), UPU

Antigua and Barbuda
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (subscriber), ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
  WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Argentina
  AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-6, G-15,
  G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NSG, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Armenia
  BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE,
  PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Aruba
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO
  (associate)

Australia
  ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD,
  OPCW, Paris Club, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNMEE, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO, ZC

Austria
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI,
  CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO, ZC

Azerbaijan
  AsDB, BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE,
  PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Bahamas, The
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOM,
  IOC, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Bahrain
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Bangladesh
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  ONUB, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Barbados
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Belarus
  CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
  NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Belgium
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
  (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Belize
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Benin
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH,
  MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary),
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Bermuda
  Caricom (associate), ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU,
  WCO, Egmont Group, Caribbean Financial Action Task Force

Bhutan
  AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IMF, IOC,
  IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC, SACEP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Bolivia
  CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BIS, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OIC
  (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Botswana
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Brazil
  AfDB, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UN
  Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
  UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

British Virgin Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
  (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate), UPU

Brunei
  APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Bulgaria
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO, ZC

Burkina Faso
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WADB
  (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Burma
  APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM,
  OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WTO

Burundi
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cambodia
  ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cameroon
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, C, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, MONUC,
  NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Canada
  ACCT, AfDB, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE (observer), EAPC, EBRD, ESA
  (cooperating state), FAO, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Cape Verde
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Cayman Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC,
  UNESCO (associate), UPU

Central African Republic
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Chad
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Chile
  APEC, BIS, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
  MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

China
  AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS,
  CDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA
  (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB,
  OPCW, PCA, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  BCIE, CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
  (associate), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Comoros
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AMF, AU, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF,
  IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO,
  G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent),
  ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Congo, Republic of the
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ,
  G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Cook Islands
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, ICAO, ICFTU, IFAD, IFRCS, IOC, OPCW,
  PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Costa Rica
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS,
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cote d'Ivoire
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-24,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
  OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Croatia
  ABEDA, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, NAM
  (observer), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UPU,
  WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Cuba
  ACP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM, OAS
  (excluded from formal participation since 1962), OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Cyprus
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU (observer affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Czech Republic
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU
  (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Denmark
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security
  Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU
  (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Djibouti
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Dominica
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Dominican Republic
  ACP, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer),
  MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

East Timor
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICCt, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS
  (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF (observer), UN,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO

Ecuador
  CAN, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Egypt
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU,
  EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC,
  OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

El Salvador
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Equatorial Guinea
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Eritrea
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), IGAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Estonia
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
  member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
  NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Ethiopia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO (observer)

European Union
  European Union: ASEAN (dialogue member), ARF
  (dialogue member), EBRD, IDA, OAS (observer), OECD, WTO
  European Commission: Australian Group, CBSS, CERN, FAO, G-10, NSG
  (observer), UN (observer)
  European Central Bank: BIS
  European Investment Bank: WADB (nonregional member)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  ICFTU, UPU

Faroe Islands
  IMO (associate), NC, NIB, UPU

Fiji
  ACP, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO

Finland
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NC, NEA, NIB, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

France
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, BSEC
  (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5,
  G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
  Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNITAR,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB
  (nonregional), WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

French Guiana
  UPU, WCL, WFTU

French Polynesia
  FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO

Gabon
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-24, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Gambia, The
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Georgia
  BSEC, CE, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Germany
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
  CDB, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8,
  G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
  Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCO, WEU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Ghana
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
  OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Gibraltar
  Interpol (subbureau), UPU

Greece
  Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU,
  EU, FAO, G- 6, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Greenland
  NC, NIB, UPU

Grenada
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW
  (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Guadeloupe
  WCL, WFTU

Guam
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Guatemala
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Guernsey
  UPU

Guinea
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
  OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Guinea-Bissau
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW (signatory),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Guyana
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA,
  RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO

Haiti
  ACCT, ACP, Caricom (suspended), FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory),
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDP, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Holy See (Vatican City)
  CE (observer), IAEA, ICFTU, IOM (observer),
  ITU, NAM (guest), OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, UN (observer), UNCTAD,
  UNHCR, UPU, WIPO, WToO (observer), WTO (observer)

Honduras
  ABEDA, BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO,
  NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW (signatory), PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Hong Kong
  APEC, AsDB, BIS, ICC, ICFTU, IHO, IMF, IMO (associate),
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,
  WToO (associate), WTO

Hungary
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA
  (cooperating state), EU (new member), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
  affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Iceland
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO

India
  AfDB, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, C, CERN
  (observer), CP, FAO, G- 6, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS
  (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Indonesia
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-15, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC,
  NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Iran
  CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO

Iraq
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU,
  LAS, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer), WToO

Ireland
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU,
  FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO,
  MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE,
  Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNIFIL, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Israel
  BIS, BSEC (observer), CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD,
  FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS (observer), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MIGA, OAS (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Italy
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CDB, CE,
  CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 7, G- 8, G-10,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA
  (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
  (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Jamaica
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM,
  OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Japan
  AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP, EBRD, FAO,
  G-5, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, LAIA, MIGA, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW,
  OSCE (partner), Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOVIC,
  UNRWA, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Jordan
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Kazakhstan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA,
  IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP,
  SCO, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Kenya
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM,
  ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Kiribati
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNESCO,
  UPU, WHO, WMO

Korea, North
  ARF, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO

Korea, South
  AfDB, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner),
  Australia Group, BIS, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA, MIGA, MINURSO, NAM (guest), NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Kuwait
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BDEAC, CAEU, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
  IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC,
  OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Kyrgyzstan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM (observer), OIC, OPCW,
  OSCE, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Laos
  ACCT, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
  OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Latvia
  Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
  member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
  NATO, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Lebanon
  ABEDA, ACCT, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Lesotho
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, The Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Liberia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Libya
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
  (observer), WToO

Liechtenstein
  CE, EBRD, EFTA, IAEA, ICCt, ICRM, IFRCS, Interpol,
  IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WIPO, WTO

Lithuania
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC,
  EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NATO, NIB, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member
  affiliate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Luxembourg
  ACCT, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, CE, EAPC, EBRD,
  EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Macau
  IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO
  (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO
  (associate), WTO

Macedonia
  ACCT, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Madagascar
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Malawi
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Malaysia
  ABEDA, APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, FAO, G-15,
  G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO,
  MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Maldives
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Mali
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCO,
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Malta
  Australia Group, C, CE, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, NSG, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (observer affiliate), WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Man, Isle of
  UPU

Marshall Islands
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, IDA,
  IFC, IMF, IMO, Interpol, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, WHO

Martinique
  UPU, WCL, WFTU

Mauritania
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, FAO,
  G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO
  (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
  NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO

Mauritius
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Mayotte
  UPU

Mexico
  APEC, BCIE, BIS, CDB, CE (observer), EBRD, FAO, G-3, G-6,
  G-15, G-19, G-24, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, NAM (observer), NEA, OAS, OECD,
  OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
  UNMOVIC, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Micronesia, Federated States of
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO, WMO

Moldova
  ACCT, BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, OPCW,
  OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Monaco
  ACCT, CE, FAO, IAEA, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM,
  IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Mongolia
  ARF, AsDB, CP, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, OSCE (partner), SCO
  (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Montserrat
  Caricom, CDB, ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU

Morocco
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, EBRD, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Mozambique
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA,
  MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMISET, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Namibia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SACU,
  SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Nauru
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, ICAO, ICCt, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Nepal
  AsDB, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MICAH, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, SAARC,
  SACEP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  WToO, WTO (observer)

Netherlands
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Netherlands Antilles
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)

New Caledonia
  FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WFTU, WMO

New Zealand
  ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11
  August 1986), APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia
  Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca,
  SPC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET,
  UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Nicaragua
  BCIE, CACM, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL,
  OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Niger
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, ONUB,
  OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional),
  WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Nigeria
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OIC,
  ONUB, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Niue
  ACP, FAO, PIF, Sparteca, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Norfolk Island
  UPU

Northern Mariana Islands
  Interpol (subbureau)

Norway
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  EFTA, ESA, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO,
  ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, NSG, OAS (observer),
  OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNMEE, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO,
  ZC

Oman
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, WToO

Pakistan
  ARF, AsDB, C (reinstated 2004), CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC,
  NAM, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL,
  UNMISET, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO

Palau
  ACP, AsDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IMF,
  IOC, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WHO

Panama
  FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAES, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Papua New Guinea
  ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO

Paraguay
  CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC,
  NAM (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO

Peru
  APEC, CAN, CSN, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur
  (associate), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW,
  PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Philippines
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-24, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
  MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Pitcairn Islands
  UPU

Poland
  ACCT (observer), Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS,
  CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF,
  UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNOMIG,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO, ZC

Portugal
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
  OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WToO, WTO, ZC

Puerto Rico
  ICFTU, Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WToO
  (associate)

Qatar
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO, WToO

Reunion
  InOC, UPU, WFTU

Romania
  ACCT, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EU
  (applicant), FAO, G- 9, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS
  (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UN Security Council
  (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WEU (associate affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO, ZC

Russia
  APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE,
  CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA,
  MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE,
  Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI,
  UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer),
  ZC

Rwanda
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, CEPGL, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Saint Helena
  ICFTU, UPU

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,
  WIPO, WTO

Saint Lucia
  ACCT, ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  UPU, WFTU

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTO

Samoa
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

San Marino
  CE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU,
  WHO, WIPO, WToO

Sao Tome and Principe
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Saudi Arabia
  ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Senegal
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC,
  NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMIL,
  UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Serbia and Montenegro
  BSEC, CE, CEI, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer),
  ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Seychelles
  ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Sierra Leone
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Singapore
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Slovakia
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU
  (new member), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA,
  NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA,
  UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
  WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Slovenia
  Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU (new
  member), FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (member affiliate), WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Solomon Islands
  ACP, AsDB, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU,
  OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO

Somalia
  ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, LAS, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
  UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

South Africa
  ACP, AfDB, AU, BIS, C, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, NSG, ONUB,
  OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR,
  UNMEE, UNMIL, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Spain
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB,
  EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
  (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NATO,
  NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU,
  WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Sri Lanka
  AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS
  (observer), ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Sudan
  ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
  PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Suriname
  ACP, Caricom, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU,
  LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Svalbard
  none

Swaziland
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
  MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU,
  WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Sweden
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
  EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 6, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NC, NEA,
  NIB, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP,
  UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOGIP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer),
  WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Switzerland
  ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
  EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA,
  NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Syria
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Taiwan
  APEC, AsDB, BCIE, ICC, ICFTU, IOC, WCL, WTO

Tajikistan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Tanzania
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G- 6, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SADC, UN, UN Security
  Council (temporary), UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE,
  UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Thailand
  APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM,
  OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Togo
  ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WADB (regional), WAEMU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Tokelau
  UNESCO (associate), UPU

Tonga
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
  IFC, IFRCS, IHO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Trinidad and Tobago
  ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-24, G-77, IADB,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Tunisia
  ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AMU, AU, BSEC (observer),
  FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
  IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
  MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner),
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO,
  WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Turkey
  AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC, CE, CERN (observer), EAPC,
  EBRD, ECO, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM,
  IDA, IDB, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC,
  IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIC,
  OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNOMIG,
  UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WEU (associate), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Turkmenistan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol
  (subbureau), UPU

Tuvalu
  ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, IFRCS (observer), IMO, ITU, OPCW, PIF,
  Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO

Uganda
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
  ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO

Ukraine
  BSEC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (observer),
  NSG, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer), ZC

United Arab Emirates
  ABEDA, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD,
  ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OIC,
  OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

United Kingdom
  AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CDB, CE, CERN,
  EAPC, EBRD, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
  ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM
  (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
  Club, PCA, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA,
  UPU, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

United States
  AfDB, ANZUS, APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue
  partner), Australia Group, BIS, CE (observer), CERN (observer), CP,
  EAPC, EBRD, FAO, G-5, G-7, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
  ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UN
  Security Council, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK,
  UNMIL, UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
  WTO, ZC

Uruguay
  CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM,
  IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
  LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM
  (observer), OAS, ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMOGIP, UNMOT, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UPU,
  WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Uzbekistan
  AsDB, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECO, FAO, GUUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
  ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, SCO, UN, UNCTAD,
  UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Vanuatu
  ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA,
  IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, PIF, Sparteca, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Venezuela
  CAN, CDB, CSN, FAO, G-3, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA,
  IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate),
  MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Vietnam
  ACCT (observer), APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, FAO, G-77,
  IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN,
  UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
  WTO (observer)

Virgin Islands
  Interpol (subbureau), IOC, UPU

Wallis and Futuna
  FZ, UPU

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  AFESD, AMF, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAS
  (observer), OIC, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
  UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

Zambia
  ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU,
  ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO
  (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN,
  UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI,
  UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Zimbabwe
  ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt
  (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
  IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNIDO, UNMIK, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2108 Merchant marine

Albania
  total: 25 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 40,878 GRT/62,676 DWT
  by type: cargo 24, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Denmark 1, Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Algeria
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 837,676 GRT/929,847 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 14, chemical tanker 4, liquefied gas
  10, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 3 (United Kingdom 3)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Andorra
  registered in other countries: 1

Angola
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 26,123 GRT/42,879 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 4 (2005)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 980 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,873,626
  GRT/7,683,143 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 630, chemical tanker 9, container
  272, liquefied gas 9, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 8, roll
  on/roll off 17, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 923 (Australia 2, Bangladesh 4, Belgium 4, Colombia
  2, Denmark 8, Estonia 2, Germany 849, Iceland 5, Latvia 5, Lebanon
  2, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 11, Norway 3, Philippines 1, Russia 1,
  Slovenia 5, Sweden 1, Switzerland 5, Turkey 4, United Kingdom 1,
  United States 7) (2005)

Argentina
  total: 26 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 149,007 GRT/212,620 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 9, chemical tanker 1, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 7, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Chile 1, Uruguay 1)
  registered in other countries: 23 (2005)

Australia
  total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,531,461
  GRT/1,999,409 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 7, chemical tanker 3, container 1,
  liquefied gas 4, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8,
  roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 16 (France 1, Germany 3, Japan 1, Philippines 1,
  Saudi Arabia 1, United Kingdom 2, United States 7)
  registered in other countries: 35 (2005)

Austria
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 29,624 GRT/37,425 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, container 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Netherlands 2)
  registered in other countries: 19 (2005)

Azerbaijan
  total: 81 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 253,004 GRT/318,922
  DWT
  by type: cargo 26, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker
  41, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 2
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Bahamas, The
  total: 1,119
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 183, cargo 259, chemical
  tanker 54, combination ore/oil 17, container 74, liquefied gas 28,
  livestock carrier 2, passenger 116, passenger/cargo 40, petroleum
  tanker 168, refrigerated cargo 130, roll on/roll off 20, specialized
  tanker 2, vehicle carrier 24
  foreign-owned: 968 (Angola 4, Australia 4, Belgium 17, Canada 9,
  China 3, Croatia 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 13, Denmark 18, Estonia 1,
  Finland 7, France 28, Germany 15, Greece 194, Hong Kong 11,
  Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Israel 1, Italy 7, Japan 49, Jordan 2, Kenya
  1, Latvia 1, Malaysia 12, Monaco 15, Netherlands 24, New Zealand 1,
  Nigeria 2, Norway 229, Poland 13, Reunion 1, Russia 2, Saudi Arabia
  12, Serbia & Montenegro 2, Singapore 11, Slovenia 1, South Korea 1,
  Spain 6, Sweden 9, Switzerland 4, Thailand 1, Trinidad & Tobago 2,
  Turkey 7, UAE 12, United Kingdom 55, United States 154, Uruguay 2)
  registered in other countries: 35 (2005)

Bahrain
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 219,083 GRT/312,638 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 2, container 2, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Kuwait 2) (2005)

Bangladesh
  total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 319,897 GRT/440,575
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 28, container 6, passenger/cargo 1,
  petroleum tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 10 (China 1, Singapore 9)
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Barbados
  total: 58 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 427,465 GRT/668,195 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 31, chemical tanker 6,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2,
  specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 53 (Bahamas 1, Bangladesh 1, Canada 12, Greece 11,
  Lebanon 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 17, UAE 1, United Kingdom 7)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Belgium
  total: 53 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,146,301 GRT/1,588,184
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 15, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8,
  liquefied gas 17, petroleum tanker 9
  foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 4, France 4, Greece 4)
  registered in other countries: 101 (2005)

Belize
  total: 295 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 207, chemical tanker 9, container 6,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 17, roll
  on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 142 (Australia 2, Belgium 1, China 50, Cuba 1, Cyprus
  1, Estonia 9, Germany 4, Hong Kong 6, Indonesia 3, Italy 2, Japan 5,
  Latvia 4, Malaysia 1, Nigeria 1, Pakistan 1, Poland 2, Russia 23,
  Singapore 5, South Korea 6, Spain 3, Switzerland 1, Turkey 2,
  Ukraine 4, UAE 3, United States 2) (2005)

Bermuda
  total: 108 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,845,326 GRT/6,501,782
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 6, container 22, liquefied gas 13,
  passenger 13, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated
  cargo 11, roll on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 103 (Australia 2, Canada 20, Finland 2, Germany 1,
  Greece 1, Hong Kong 5, Indonesia 1, Nigeria 8, Norway 5, Sweden 9,
  Switzerland 2, United Kingdom 27, United States 20)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Bolivia
  total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 413,407 GRT/699,901 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 9, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 11 (Argentina 1, Egypt 2, Eritrea 1, Germany 1, Iran
  1, Singapore 2, United Kingdom 1, United States 2) (2005)

Brazil
  total: 150 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,961,431 GRT/4,725,267
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 28, cargo 25, chemical tanker 7, combination
  ore/oil 2, container 7, liquefied gas 12, passenger/cargo 12,
  petroleum tanker 48, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 17 (Chile 2, Germany 7, Norway 1, Spain 7)
  registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,825
  GRT/155,909 DWT
  by type: cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 7 (2005)

Brunei
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
  by type: liquefied gas 8
  foreign-owned: 8 (United Kingdom 8) (2005)

Bulgaria
  total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 757,972 GRT/1,115,238
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 13, chemical tanker 4, container 6,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 3
  registered in other countries: 45 (2005)

Burma
  total: 37 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 429,144 GRT/659,622 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 19, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 3,
  roll on'roll off 3, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 4, Japan 5, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Cambodia
  total: 479 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,913,910
  GRT/2,713,967 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 34, cargo 396, chemical tanker 9, container 6,
  livestock carrier 3, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 11,
  refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 5, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 193 (Canada 4, China 39, China 2, Cyprus 4, Egypt 5,
  Estonia 2, France 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 3,
  Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 1, Israel 1, Italy 1, Japan 1, Lebanon 1,
  Nigeria 2, Norway 1, Russia 58, Singapore 5, South Korea 23, Syria
  8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 6, UAE 1, United States 7, Yemen 1) (2005)

Cameroon
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 169,593 GRT/357,023 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)

Canada
  total: 169 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,784,229 GRT/2,657,499
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 49, chemical tanker 6, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 1, passenger 6, passenger/cargo 65, petroleum
  tanker 13, roll on/roll off 6
  foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 3, United States 2)
  registered in other countries: 112 (2005)

Cape Verde
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,395 GRT/6,614 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Cayman Islands
  total: 129 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,827,837
  GRT/4,555,974 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 12, chemical tanker 39, liquefied
  gas 1, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 126 (Denmark 1, Germany 14, Greece 20, Italy 12,
  Norway 1, Philippines 1, Sweden 13, Switzerland 11, United Kingdom
  9, United States 44) (2005)

Chile
  total: 47 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 725,216 GRT/954,519 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, container 1,
  liquefied gas 3, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 8,
  roll on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 4
  registered in other countries: 21 (2005)

China
  total: 1,649 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,724,653
  GRT/27,749,784 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 362, cargo 696, chemical
  tanker 38, combination ore/oil 1, container 135, liquefied gas 30,
  passenger 7, passenger/cargo 81, petroleum tanker 246, refrigerated
  cargo 30, roll on/roll off 11, vehicle carrier 10
  foreign-owned: 9 (Hong Kong 4, Japan 2, South Korea 2, United States
  1)
  registered in other countries: 872 (2005)

Colombia
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 35,427 GRT/46,301 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker
  2
  registered in other countries: 7 (2005)

Comoros
  total: 79 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 452,801 GRT/681,343 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 55, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5,
  refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 35 (Bulgaria 1, Germany 1, Greece 7, India 1, Jordan
  1, Kenya 1, Lebanon 3, Nigeria 1, Norway 1, Pakistan 1, Philippines
  1, Russia 2, Syria 3, Turkey 6, Ukraine 4, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  registered in other countries: 1

Cook Islands
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,074 GRT/7,520 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 1 (2005)

Costa Rica
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,716 GRT/ DWT
  by type: passenger/cargo 2 (2005)

Croatia
  total: 73 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 750,579 GRT/1,178,786 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 25, cargo 12, chemical tanker 2,
  passenger/cargo 25, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 31 (2005)

Cuba
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,818 GRT/81,850 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 4, chemical tanker 1, passenger 2,
  petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 20 (2005)

Cyprus
  total: 972 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,016,374
  GRT/35,760,004 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 384, cargo 248, chemical tanker 45, container
  125, liquefied gas 4, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 19, petroleum
  tanker 103, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 12, vehicle
  carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 899 (Austria 2, Belgium 1, Canada 10, China 8,
  Croatia 3, Cuba 5, Egypt 1, Estonia 3, France 1, Germany 236, Greece
  396, Hong Kong 2, India 2, Iran 2, Israel 3, Japan 18, Latvia 7,
  Monaco 1, Netherlands 12, Norway 14, Philippines 1, Poland 20,
  Portugal 2, Russia 56, Singapore 2, Slovenia 4, South Korea 1, Spain
  4, Sweden 6, Switzerland 4, Syria 2, Ukraine 3, UAE 11, United
  Kingdom 24, United States 31, Vietnam 1)
  registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Czech Republic
  registered in other countries: 3

Denmark
  total: 287 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,952,473 GRT/9,030,444
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 67, chemical tanker 40, container 79,
  liquefied gas 10, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo
  42, petroleum tanker 25, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 8,
  specialized tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 23 (Bahamas 14, France 1, Greece 1, Greenland 1,
  Norway 2, Sweden 2, UAE 1, Vietnam 1)
  registered in other countries: 487 (2005)

Djibouti
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,369 GRT/3,030 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Dominica
  total: 32 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,771 GRT/19,736 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 19, chemical tanker 2, container 1,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 21 (Estonia 6, Greece 3, Pakistan 1, Russia 2,
  Singapore 6, Syria 2, UAE 1) (2005)

Dominican Republic
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 11,230
  GRT/17,011 DWT
  by type: cargo 3 (2005)

Ecuador
  total: 31 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 241,403 GRT/391,898 DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 8, petroleum
  tanker 20
  foreign-owned: 3 (Germany 1, Greece 1, Paraguay 1) (2005)

Egypt
  total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 34, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,
  petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 8
  foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 34 (2005)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,556 GRT/9,704
  DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Eritrea
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,069 GRT/19,549 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, liquefied gas 1, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll
  off 1
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Estonia
  total: 43 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 212,998 GRT/177,488 DWT
  by type: cargo 17, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 6 (Norway 6)
  registered in other countries: 51 (2005)

Ethiopia
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 81,933 GRT/101,287 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, roll on/roll off 2 (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none

Faroe Islands
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 24,051 GRT/11,998
  DWT
  by type: cargo 6, container 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Denmark 2, Germany 1, Iceland 2, Norway 2, United
  Kingdom 1) (2005)

Fiji
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,372 GRT/7,453 DWT
  by type: passenger 3, passenger/cargo 2, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Australia 1) (2005)

Finland
  total: 94 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,152,175 GRT/1,053,906
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 3, cargo 27, chemical tanker 6, container 1,
  passenger 5, passenger/cargo 20, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll
  off 25
  foreign-owned: 2 (Norway 1, United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 42 (2005)

France
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 703,639 GRT/889,705 DWT
  by type: cargo 4, chemical tanker 6, liquefied gas 4, passenger 3,
  passenger/cargo 30, petroleum tanker 8, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Sweden 5, Switzerland 1)
  registered in other countries: 139 (2005)

French Guiana
  registered in other countries: 3

French Polynesia
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537
  GRT/15,150 DWT
  by type: cargo 4, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo
  1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  total: 75 ships (1,000 GRT or
  over) 3,092,387 GRT/5,056,658 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 1, chemical tanker 21, container 19,
  liquefied gas 7, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle
  carrier 4
  foreign-owned: 71 (Belgium 5, Denmark 2, France 45, Germany 2,
  Greece 2, Hong Kong 5, Japan 4, Saudi Arabia 1, Sweden 5) (2005)

Gambia, The
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,976 GRT/10,978 DWT
  by type: passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Switzerland 1) (2005)

Georgia
  total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 855,908 GRT/1,288,812
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 133, container 3, liquefied gas 1,
  passenger 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 6, refrigerated
  cargo 4, roll on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 105 (Albania 1, Azerbaijan 2, Cyprus 2, Egypt 3,
  Estonia 1, Germany 1, Greece 4, Israel 1, Lebanon 3, Romania 6,
  Russia 8, Syria 27, Turkey 14, Ukraine 30, UAE 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Germany
  total: 332 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,721,495 GRT/6,810,631
  DWT
  by type: cargo 69, chemical tanker 13, container 208, liquefied gas
  3, passenger 7, passenger/cargo 25, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll
  off 4
  foreign-owned: 5 (Finland 2, Netherlands 1, Switzerland 1, UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 2,289 (2005)

Ghana
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,086 GRT/26,185 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3
  foreign-owned: 1 (Brazil 1) (2005)

Gibraltar
  total: 161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 980,636 GRT/1,254,661
  DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 2, cargo 96, chemical tanker
  21, container 22, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker
  11, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 142 (Belgium 1, Cyprus 1, Finland 1, France 1,
  Germany 105, Greece 12, Iceland 1, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Latvia 1,
  Norway 8, Sweden 2, Switzerland 1, Taiwan 1, United Kingdom 3,
  United States 2) (2005)

Greece
  total: 861 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 30,186,624
  GRT/52,943,968 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 296, cargo 65, chemical tanker 47, combination
  ore/oil 2, container 46, liquefied gas 2, passenger 13,
  passenger/cargo 121, petroleum tanker 252, roll on/roll off 17
  foreign-owned: 25 (Chile 1, China 1, Cyprus 5, Norway 6, Sweden 1,
  United Kingdom 11)
  registered in other countries: 2,208 (2005)

Greenland
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,593 GRT/3,640 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Guadeloupe
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
  by type: passenger 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005)

Guyana
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,475 GRT/8,758 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Honduras
  total: 137 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 598,600 GRT/616,158 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 67, chemical tanker 6, container 2,
  liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 4, passenger/cargo
  5, petroleum tanker 30, refrigerated cargo 9, roll on/roll off 1,
  specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 44 (Canada 1, China 3, Egypt 1, Greece 4, Hong Kong
  2, Israel 1, Japan 4, Lebanon 1, Mexico 1, Singapore 12, South Korea
  6, Taiwan 2, Tanzania 1, Turkey 1, United States 2, Vanuatu 1,
  Vietnam 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Hong Kong
  total: 837 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,478,042
  GRT/34,554,455 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 446, cargo 119, chemical
  tanker 44, combination ore/oil 2, container 105, liquefied gas 20,
  passenger 6, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 75, roll on/roll
  off 5, vehicle carrier 8
  foreign-owned: 453 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Belgium 3, Canada 9,
  China 246, Denmark 3, France 5, Germany 13, Greece 19, India 1,
  Indonesia 1, Israel 1, Japan 51, Norway 16, Philippines 13,
  Singapore 17, South Korea 8, Taiwan 5, Thailand 4, UAE 1, United
  Kingdom 32, United States 3)
  registered in other countries: 373 (2005)

Iceland
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,341 GRT/6,019 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 30 (2005)

India
  total: 299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,555,507 GRT/11,069,791
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 85, cargo 75, chemical tanker 13, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 7, liquefied gas 14, passenger 3,
  passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 91, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 10 (Australia 1, China 1, Greece 1, UAE 6, United
  Kingdom 1)
  registered in other countries: 30 (2005)

Indonesia
  total: 728 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,192,847
  GRT/4,319,739 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 35, cargo 409, chemical tanker 19, container
  36, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 1, passenger 41,
  passenger/cargo 36, petroleum tanker 125, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 13, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 2
  foreign-owned: 19 (France 1, Japan 3, Philippines 1, Singapore 11,
  Switzerland 1, United Kingdom 2)
  registered in other countries: 113 (2005)

Iran
  total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4, container 14,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker
  30, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)
  registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

Iraq
  total: 14 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 83,221 GRT/125,255 DWT
  by type: cargo 11, petroleum tanker 3 (2005)

Ireland
  total: 39
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 27, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  passenger/cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 11 (Germany 3, Italy 3, Norway 1, Switzerland 1,
  United Kingdom 3)
  registered in other countries: 18 (2005)

Israel
  total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 752,873 GRT/881,711 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, container 16
  registered in other countries: 48 (2005)

Italy
  total: 565 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 8,970,017 GRT/10,354,685
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 43, chemical tanker 128, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 19, liquefied gas 38, livestock carrier 2,
  passenger 16, passenger/cargo 152, petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated
  cargo 4, roll on/roll off 34, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier
  26
  foreign-owned: 47 (France 3, Greece 7, Monaco 2, Switzerland 5,
  Taiwan 8, Turkey 2, United Kingdom 5, United States 15)
  registered in other countries: 125 (2005)

Jamaica
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,881 GRT/100,682 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 5, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 3
  foreign-owned: 8 (Germany 2, Greece 5, UAE 1) (2005)

Japan
  total: 702 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,149,196 GRT/12,680,544
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 136, cargo 29, chemical tanker 23, container
  13, liquefied gas 53, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 157, petroleum
  tanker 160, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 52, vehicle
  carrier 59
  registered in other countries: 2,233 (2005)

Jordan
  total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 78,814 GRT/92,695 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 7, container 2, passenger/cargo 5,
  roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 12 (Greece 3, UAE 9)
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Kazakhstan
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,064 GRT/646 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (United Kingdom 2) (2005)

Kenya
  total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 6 (2005)

Kiribati
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,291 GRT/1,295 DWT
  by type: passenger/cargo 1 (2005)

Korea, North
  total: 238 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 985,108
  GRT/1,389,389 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 191, container 2, livestock carrier
  4, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 13, refrigerated cargo 5,
  roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 52 (China 1, Denmark 2, France 1, Greece 4, Italy 1,
  Lebanon 4, Lithuania 1, Netherlands 1, Pakistan 2, Romania 10,
  Russia 2, Singapore 2, South Korea 2, Syria 9, Turkey 6, Ukraine 1,
  UAE 3) (2005)

Korea, South
  total: 601 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,992,656
  GRT/11,081,142 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 125, cargo 196, chemical tanker 88, container
  71, liquefied gas 20, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 22, petroleum
  tanker 51, refrigerated cargo 15, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle
  carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, United Kingdom 1)
  registered in other countries: 366 (2005)

Kuwait
  total: 39 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,319,082 GRT/3,768,828
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 3, container 6, liquefied gas 5, livestock
  carrier 5, petroleum tanker 20
  registered in other countries: 19 (2005)

Laos
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 2,370 GRT/3,110 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Latvia
  total: 19 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 53,153 GRT/37,414 DWT
  by type: cargo 7, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 5, roll on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 86 (2005)

Lebanon
  total: 44 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 198,602 GRT/248,313 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 26, livestock carrier 8, refrigerated
  cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 6 (Austria 1, Greece 5)
  registered in other countries: 40 (2005)

Liberia
  total: 1,465 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 50,555,752
  GRT/79,125,329 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 275, cargo 91, chemical
  tanker 173, combination ore/oil 22, container 388, liquefied gas 78,
  passenger 2, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 324, refrigerated
  cargo 57, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 9, vehicle carrier
  35
  foreign-owned: 1,392 (Argentina 8, Australia 2, Austria 13, Bahamas
  3, Brazil 6, British 1, Canada 2, Chile 1, China 36, Croatia 7,
  Cyprus 1, Denmark 5, France 3, Germany 511, Greece 149, Hong Kong
  29, India 4, Indonesia 1, Isle of Man 5, Israel 7, Italy 12, Japan
  106, Latvia 18, Monaco 10, Netherlands 18, Nigeria 1, Norway 57,
  Pakistan 1, Poland 14, Romania 1, Russia 63, Saudi Arabia 23,
  Singapore 29, Slovenia 1, South Korea 4, Sweden 12, Switzerland 10,
  Taiwan 54, Turkey 4, Ukraine 7, UAE 10, United Kingdom 56, United
  States 84, Uruguay 3) (2005)

Libya
  total: 17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 129,627 GRT/105,110 DWT
  by type: cargo 7, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum
  tanker 1, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 1 (Algeria 1) (2005)

Lithuania
  total: 54 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 296,856 GRT/317,731 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 24, chemical tanker 1,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 13, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 12 (Denmark 12)
  registered in other countries: 16 (2005)

Luxembourg
  total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 652,454 GRT/805,101
  DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 16, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger
  3, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 40 (Belgium 12, Finland 3, France 8, Germany 10,
  Netherlands 4, United States 3) (2005)

Madagascar
  total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Malaysia
  total: 346 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,389,397
  GRT/7,539,178 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 45, cargo 109, chemical tanker 38, container
  47, liquefied gas 26, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 62, roll on/roll off 6, vehicle
  carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 77 (China 1, Hong Kong 12, Japan 3, Singapore 61)
  registered in other countries: 59 (2005)

Maldives
  total: 16 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 57,118 GRT/72,831 DWT
  by type: cargo 12, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2,
  refrigerated cargo 1
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Malta
  total: 1,140 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,102,401
  GRT/41,176,791 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 438, cargo 303, chemical
  tanker 70, combination ore/oil 2, container 54, liquefied gas 8,
  livestock carrier 1, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 13, petroleum
  tanker 162, refrigerated cargo 43, roll on/roll off 26, specialized
  tanker 1, vehicle carrier 13
  foreign-owned: 1,080 (Austria 3, Azerbaijan 1, Bangladesh 3, Belgium
  12, British 1, Bulgaria 18, Canada 9, China 15, Croatia 10, Cyprus
  2, Czech Republic 2, Estonia 2, Finland 1, France 5, Germany 51,
  Greece 527, Hong Kong 1, Iceland 7, Iran 4, Israel 26, Italy 17,
  Japan 2, Latvia 30, Lebanon 6, Madagascar 1, Monaco 3, Netherlands
  3, Norway 42, Pakistan 2, Poland 24, Portugal 4, Romania 5, Russia
  64, Slovenia 3, South Korea 4, Sweden 3, Switzerland 32, Syria 6,
  Taiwan 1, Turkey 87, Ukraine 25, UAE 5, United Kingdom 8, United
  States 3)
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Man, Isle of
  total: 267 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,834,626
  GRT/11,354,689 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 31, cargo 54, chemical tanker 45, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 15, liquefied gas 46, passenger/cargo 2,
  petroleum tanker 53, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 10,
  specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 253 (Australia 1, Bahamas 8, Denmark 39, France 2,
  Germany 55, Greece 20, Hong Kong 3, Italy 7, Japan 4, Netherlands 2,
  New Zealand 1, Norway 18, Singapore 2, Sweden 1, Turkey 2, United
  Kingdom 86, United States 2)
  registered in other countries: 9 (2005)

Marshall Islands
  total: 540 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 16,954,092
  GRT/28,176,762 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 83, cargo 47, chemical tanker
  77, combination ore/oil 12, container 88, liquefied gas 16,
  passenger 8, petroleum tanker 192, refrigerated cargo 4, roll
  on/roll off 6, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 462 (Australia 1, Bahamas 1, Bermuda 1, Canada 4,
  Chile 2, Croatia 2, Cyprus 7, Denmark 2, Georgia 1, Germany 124,
  Greece 106, Hong Kong 7, India 1, Italy 1, Japan 5, Latvia 6, Monaco
  9, Netherlands 4, New Zealand 1, Norway 21, Philippines 1, Russia 1,
  Saudi Arabia 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 2, Spain 1, Switzerland 5,
  Taiwan 1, Turkey 11, Ukraine 1, UAE 3, United Kingdom 15, United
  States 112) (2005)

Mauritius
  total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 22,946 GRT/27,102 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 6 (India 4, Switzerland 2) (2005)

Mexico
  total: 57 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 649,389 GRT/942,766 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, liquefied gas
  5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 26, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 4 (Denmark 1, Germany 1, UAE 1, United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 6 (2005)

Micronesia, Federated States of total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005)

Moldova
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,636 GRT/1,088 DWT
  by type: cargo 2 (2005)

Monaco
  registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Mongolia
  total: 65 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 339,423 GRT/533,853 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 54, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo
  1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 38 (China 2, Lebanon 1, Philippines 1, Russia 10,
  Singapore 10, South Korea 1, Syria 1, Thailand 1, Ukraine 1, UAE 4,
  Vietnam 6) (2005)

Morocco
  total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 236,131 GRT/252,367 DWT
  by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 6, container 8, passenger/cargo
  13, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5
  foreign-owned: 6 (France 1, Germany 2, Switzerland 2, United Kingdom
  1) (2005)

Mozambique
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,125 GRT/7,024 DWT
  by type: cargo 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Belgium 2) (2005)

Namibia
  total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) 2,265 GRT/3,605 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Netherlands
  total: 558 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460
  GRT/5,212,557 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 361, chemical tanker 32, container
  48, liquefied gas 13, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum
  tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off 15, specialized
  tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 139 (Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Canada 1, Denmark 4,
  Finland 7, Germany 62, Ireland 13, Norway 9, Sweden 19, United
  Kingdom 6, United States 11)
  registered in other countries: 223 (2005)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 168 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007
  GRT/1,668,499 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 23, cargo 72, chemical tanker
  2, container 21, liquefied gas 6, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3,
  refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 158 (Belgium 5, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Hong
  Kong 3, Netherlands 71, Peru 1, Sweden 9, Turkey 7, United Kingdom
  2, United States 1) (2005)

New Caledonia
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2005)

New Zealand
  total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 77,523 GRT/108,352
  DWT
  by type: cargo 3, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 1, bulk carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 2 (Germany 1, Isle of Man 1)
  registered in other countries: 5 (2005)

Nigeria
  total: 46 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 327,808 GRT/608,076 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 6, combination ore/oil 1,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 31,
  refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 3 (Norway 2, Pakistan 1)
  registered in other countries: 25 (2005)

Norway
  total: 740 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 18,820,495
  GRT/27,449,456 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 51, cargo 168, chemical tanker 142,
  combination ore/oil 20, container 3, liquefied gas 81, passenger 5,
  passenger/cargo 113, petroleum tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 6, roll
  on/roll off 30, vehicle carrier 42
  foreign-owned: 174 (Belgium 1, China 3, Cyprus 5, Denmark 28,
  Estonia 2, Finland 5, Germany 4, Hong Kong 52, Iceland 3, Italy 3,
  Japan 3, Lithuania 1, Monaco 1, Netherlands 4, Poland 2, Saudi
  Arabia 7, Singapore 10, Sweden 24, United States 16)
  registered in other countries: 1,117 (2005)

Oman
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 15,430 GRT/6,360 DWT
  by type: passenger 1 (2005)

Pakistan
  total: 13 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 329,486 GRT/512,506 DWT
  by type: cargo 10, petroleum tanker 3
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Panama
  total: 5,005 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 122,960,929
  GRT/183,615,337 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 1,548, cargo 886, chemical
  tanker 465, combination ore/oil 13, container 605, liquefied gas
  183, livestock carrier 8, passenger 42, passenger/cargo 77,
  petroleum tanker 521, refrigerated cargo 298, roll on/roll off 97,
  specialized tanker 5, vehicle carrier 256
  foreign-owned: 4,388 (Andorra 1, Argentina 9, Australia 3, Bahamas
  1, Belgium 14, Brazil 1, Canada 1, Chile 14, China 310, Colombia 5,
  Croatia 1, Cuba 9, Cyprus 7, Denmark 13, Egypt 15, France 7, Germany
  23, Greece 546, Hong Kong 159, India 8, Indonesia 46, Ireland 1,
  Isle of Man 2, Israel 3, Italy 8, Japan 1814, Jordan 9, Latvia 2,
  Lithuania 5, Malaysia 11, Maldives 1, Malta 1, Mexico 4, Monaco 8,
  Netherlands 22, New Zealand 1, Nigeria 6, Norway 66, Pakistan 1,
  Peru 13, Philippines 15, Poland 19, Portugal 8, Romania 13, Russia
  4, Saudi Arabia 4, Singapore 54, South Africa 3, South Korea 292,
  Spain 41, Sri Lanka 1, Sudan 1, Sweden 4, Switzerland 188, Syria 7,
  Taiwan 301, Thailand 10, Trinidad & Tobago 1, Tunisia 1, Turkey 18,
  Ukraine 9, UAE 83, United Kingdom 29, United States 88, Venezuela
  20, Vietnam 2, Yemen 1) (2005)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586
  GRT/60,934 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 1, petroleum
  tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 8 (Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6) (2005)

Paraguay
  total: 21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,667 GRT/30,826 DWT
  by type: cargo 15, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, petroleum
  tanker 2, roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Argentina 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Peru
  total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 13,666 GRT/17,611 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 14 (2005)

Philippines
  total: 419 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,524,259
  GRT/6,437,171 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 85, cargo 109, chemical tanker 13, container
  5, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 15, passenger 11,
  passenger/cargo 73, petroleum tanker 47, refrigerated cargo 23, roll
  on/roll off 17, vehicle carrier 14
  foreign-owned: 69 (Canada 1, China 2, Germany 2, Greece 5, Hong Kong
  2, Japan 31, Malaysia 2, Netherlands 20, Norway 1, UAE 1, United
  States 2)
  registered in other countries: 40 (2005)

Poland
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 154,710 GRT/228,132 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 2, passenger/cargo 1, roll on/roll
  off 1
  registered in other countries: 107 (2005)

Portugal
  total: 114 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 872,557 GRT/1,236,025
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 38, chemical tanker 14, container 7,
  liquefied gas 9, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 9,
  roll on/roll off 4, vehicle carrier 8
  foreign-owned: 97 (Australia 1, Belgium 6, Denmark 5, Germany 18,
  Greece 4, Iceland 1, Italy 11, Japan 8, Lebanon 1, Malta 1, Norway
  4, Spain 19, Switzerland 4)
  registered in other countries: 28 (2005)

Puerto Rico
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 36,728 GRT/37,048 DWT
  by type: roll on/roll off 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Qatar
  total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 525,051 GRT/772,635 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, chemical tanker 5, container 8, liquefied gas 2,
  petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 6 (Kuwait 6) (2005)

Reunion
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 28,264 GRT/44,885 DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (France 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Romania
  total: 34 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 395,350 GRT/510,232 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 20, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 2,
  petroleum tanker 2, roll on/roll off 4
  foreign-owned: 2 (Italy 2)
  registered in other countries: 39 (2005)

Russia
  total: 1,194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,521,472
  GRT/5,505,118 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 1, bulk carrier 45, cargo 767, chemical
  tanker 20, combination ore/oil 48, container 21, passenger 11,
  passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 213, refrigerated cargo 46, roll
  on/roll off 12, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 56 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 1, Estonia 2, Germany 1, Hong
  Kong 1, Latvia 3, Norway 1, Sweden 1, Turkey 28, Ukraine 10, United
  Kingdom 2, United States 4)
  registered in other countries: 326 (2005)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 657 ships (1,000 GRT or
  over) 5,967,418 GRT/9,041,023 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 112, cargo 366, chemical tanker 18,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 24, liquefied gas 4, livestock
  carrier 6, passenger 5, passenger/cargo 19, petroleum tanker 29,
  refrigerated cargo 48, roll on/roll off 22, specialized tanker 2,
  vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 554 (Australia 2, Bangladesh 5, Barbados 1, Belgium
  1, British 5, Bulgaria 17, China 115, Congo 1, Croatia 7, Cuba 1,
  Czech Republic 1, Denmark 12, Egypt 2, Estonia 19, France 12,
  Germany 8, Greece 99, Guyana 3, Hong Kong 10, Iceland 11, India 6,
  Iran 1, Ireland 1, Israel 3, Italy 18, Kenya 4, Latvia 9, Lebanon 6,
  Lithuania 3, Monaco 4, Netherlands 7, Nigeria 3, Norway 19, Pakistan
  4, Poland 1, Puerto Rico 1, Romania 1, Russia 20, Saudi Arabia 3,
  Serbia & Montenegro 1, Singapore 2, Slovenia 6, South Korea 3, Spain
  2, Sweden 1, Switzerland 7, Syria 6, Trinidad & Tobago 1, Tunisia 2,
  Turkey 16, Ukraine 6, UAE 21, United Kingdom 10, United States 24)
  (2005)

Samoa
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,091 GRT/8,127 DWT
  by type: cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Germany 1) (2005)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490
  GRT/97,077 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 64 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706
  GRT/1,963,191 DWT
  by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 12, container 4, passenger/cargo
  8, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 9
  foreign-owned: 14 (Egypt 2, Hong Kong 1, Kuwait 5, Singapore 1,
  Sudan 1, UAE 1, United Kingdom 3)
  registered in other countries: 54 (2005)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 2
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 2 (Finland 1, Turkey 1)
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Seychelles
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 42,223 GRT/63,538 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Nigeria 1) (2005)

Sierra Leone
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,435 GRT/8,750 DWT
  by type: petroleum tanker 2 (2005)

Singapore
  total: 923 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290
  GRT/36,393,317 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 138, cargo 86, chemical tanker 115,
  combination ore/oil 5, container 180, liquefied gas 42, livestock
  carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 316, refrigerated
  cargo 3, vehicle carrier 36
  foreign-owned: 487 (Australia 5, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 10, China 15,
  Denmark 34, Germany 7, Greece 5, Hong Kong 43, India 3, Indonesia
  54, Japan 83, Malaysia 31, Norway 83, Philippines 3, Russia 1,
  Slovenia 1, South Korea 12, Sweden 12, Taiwan 44, Thailand 17, UAE
  6, United Kingdom 12, United States 5)
  registered in other countries: 276 (2005)

Slovakia
  total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 41,891 GRT/63,185 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 18, chemical tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 18 (Bulgaria 8, Estonia 1, Greece 1, Syria 1, Turkey
  6, United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Slovenia
  registered in other countries: 23

South Africa
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 31,505 GRT/37,091 DWT
  by type: container 1, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (Denmark 1)
  registered in other countries: 7 (2005)

Spain
  total: 182 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,740,974 GRT/2,157,551
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 10, cargo 22, chemical tanker 16, container
  19, liquefied gas 8, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 47, petroleum
  tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle
  carrier 7
  foreign-owned: 29 (Cuba 2, Denmark 1, Germany 9, Italy 2, Norway 6,
  United States 7, Uruguay 2)
  registered in other countries: 192 (2005)

Sri Lanka
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 120,924 GRT/173,604 DWT
  by type: cargo 18, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 10)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Sudan
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (2005)

Suriname
  total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,078 GRT/1,214 DWT
  by type: cargo 1 (2005)

Sweden
  total: 205 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,702,763 GRT/1,884,570
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 33, chemical tanker 51, passenger 4,
  passenger/cargo 37, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 37,
  specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 22
  foreign-owned: 42 (Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 11, Germany 6,
  Italy 7, Japan 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 9)
  registered in other countries: 155 (2005)

Switzerland
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843
  GRT/1,050,914 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 3
  foreign-owned: 6 (United Kingdom 6)
  registered in other countries: 291 (2005)

Syria
  total: 120 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 446,981 GRT/636,620 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 105, container 1, livestock carrier
  4, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 12 (Egypt 1, Greece 1, Jordan 2, Lebanon 7, Romania 1)
  registered in other countries: 73 (2005)

Taiwan
  total: 126 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,417,768 GRT/5,617,318
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 36, cargo 23, chemical tanker 2, container 37,
  passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 15, refrigerated cargo 9, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 3 (Hong Kong 3)
  registered in other countries: 432 (2005)

Tanzania
  total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 25,481 GRT/31,011 DWT
  by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 4
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Thailand
  total: 386 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597
  GRT/3,104,712 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 57, cargo 142, chemical tanker 12, combination
  ore/oil 1, container 21, liquefied gas 25, passenger 3,
  passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 89, refrigerated cargo 30, roll
  on/roll off 1, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 55 (Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Norway 45, Singapore 6)
  registered in other countries: 35 (2005)

Togo
  total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 3,918 GRT/3,852 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)

Tonga
  total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 136,977 GRT/200,751 DWT
  by type: cargo 21, chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 2,
  passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
  on/roll off 1, vehicle carrier 1
  foreign-owned: 7 (Cyprus 1, France 1, Greece 1, Norway 1, Romania 2,
  United Kingdom 1) (2005)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 7,178
  GRT/3,633 DWT
  by type: passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 1 (United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 4 (2005)

Tunisia
  total: 12 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 124,733 GRT/122,664 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, passenger/cargo
  4, petroleum tanker 1
  registered in other countries: 3 (2005)

Turkey
  total: 526 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,666,895 GRT/7,311,504
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 108, cargo 228, chemical tanker 45,
  combination ore/oil 1, container 25, liquefied gas 6, passenger 5,
  passenger/cargo 50, petroleum tanker 33, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 22, specialized tanker 1
  foreign-owned: 8 (Cyprus 3, Denmark 2, Greece 1, Italy 1,
  Switzerland 1)
  registered in other countries: 231 (2005)

Turkmenistan
  total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,873 GRT/8,345 DWT
  by type: cargo 3, combination ore/oil 1, petroleum tanker 2,
  refrigerated cargo 1 (2005)

Tuvalu
  total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 54,993 GRT/86,048 DWT
  by type: cargo 20, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 16 (China 9, Germany 2, Hong Kong 4, Thailand 1)
  (2005)

Ukraine
  total: 201 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 675,904 GRT/709,802 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 6, cargo 148, container 4, passenger 7,
  passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, refrigerated cargo 11, roll
  on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 2
  foreign-owned: 1 (Russia 1)
  registered in other countries: 113 (2005)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 578,477
  GRT/739,823 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 11, chemical tanker 5, container 6,
  liquefied gas 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 21, roll
  on/roll off 7
  foreign-owned: 14 (Greece 2, Kuwait 6)
  registered in other countries: 200 (2005)

United Kingdom
  total: 429 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 9,181,284
  GRT/9,566,275 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 55, chemical tanker 48, container
  134, liquefied gas 11, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 64, petroleum
  tanker 40, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 25, vehicle
  carrier 3
  foreign-owned: 202 (Australia 3, Canada 15, Denmark 38, Finland 2,
  Germany 56, Greece 4, Ireland 1, Italy 9, Netherlands 12, Norway 28,
  South Africa 4, Sweden 15, Taiwan 7, United States 8)
  registered in other countries: 446 (2005)

United States
  total: 486 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,436,658
  GRT/14,630,116 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 7, bulk carrier 19, cargo 152, chemical
  tanker 19, container 92, passenger 17, passenger/cargo 57, petroleum
  tanker 79, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 28, vehicle
  carrier 14
  foreign-owned: 49 (Australia 2, Canada 8, China 1, Denmark 20,
  Malaysia 2, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Singapore 11, Sweden 1, United
  Kingdom 1)
  registered in other countries: 680 (2005)

Uruguay
  total: 11 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 10,918 GRT/10,342 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum
  tanker 2, roll on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 4 (Argentina 3, Greece 1)
  registered in other countries: 8 (2005)

Vanuatu
  total: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,192,474 GRT/1,560,828
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 22, cargo 16, container 1, liquefied gas 2,
  refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5
  foreign-owned: 52 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Estonia 1, Greece 1,
  Israel 1, Japan 25, New Zealand 1, Poland 11, Russia 1, Switzerland
  2, Thailand 1, United States 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (2005)

Venezuela
  total: 56 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 740,919 GRT/1,191,483
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 16, chemical tanker 1, container 1,
  liquefied gas 5, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 19, roll
  on/roll off 1
  foreign-owned: 9 (Denmark 2, Greece 1, Hong Kong 2, Mexico 1, Russia
  2, Spain 1)
  registered in other countries: 20 (2005)

Vietnam
  total: 194 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,170,621 GRT/1,798,376
  DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 18, cargo 142, chemical tanker 3, container 2,
  liquefied gas 4, petroleum tanker 22, refrigerated cargo 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 11 (2005)

Wallis and Futuna total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,754 GRT/1,187 DWT by type: passenger 4 foreign-owned: 4 (France 3, United States 1) (2005)

World
  total ships: 30,936 (2005)

Yemen
  total: 5 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 19,766 GRT/24,794 DWT
  by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 2, roll
  on/roll off 1
  registered in other countries: 2 (2005)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2109 National holiday

Afghanistan
  Independence Day, 19 August (1919)

Albania
  Independence Day, 28 November (1912)

Algeria
  Revolution Day, 1 November (1954)

American Samoa
  Flag Day, 17 April (1900)

Andorra
  Our Lady of Meritxell Day, 8 September (1278)

Angola
  Independence Day, 11 November (1975)

Anguilla
  Anguilla Day, 30 May

Antigua and Barbuda
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 November
  (1981)

Argentina
  Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

Armenia
  Independence Day, 21 September (1991)

Aruba
  Flag Day, 18 March

Australia
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Austria
  National Day, 26 October (1955); note - commemorates the
  State Treaty restoring national sovereignty and the end of
  occupation and the passage of the law on permanent neutrality

Azerbaijan
  Founding of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, 28 May
  (1918)

Bahamas, The
  Independence Day, 10 July (1973)

Bahrain
  National Day, 16 December (1971); note - 15 August 1971 is
  the date of independence from the UK, 16 December 1971 is the date
  of independence from British protection

Bangladesh
  Independence Day, 26 March (1971); note - 26 March 1971
  is the date of independence from West Pakistan, 16 December 1971 is
  Victory Day and commemorates the official creation of the state of
  Bangladesh

Barbados
  Independence Day, 30 November (1966)

Belarus
  Independence Day, 3 July (1944); note - 3 July 1944 was the
  date Minsk was liberated from German troops, 25 August 1991 was the
  date of independence from the Soviet Union

Belgium
  21 July (1831) ascension to the Throne of King Leopold I

Belize
  Independence Day, 21 September (1981)

Benin
  National Day, 1 August (1960)

Bermuda
  Bermuda Day, 24 May

Bhutan
  National Day (Ugyen WANGCHUCK became first hereditary king),
  17 December (1907)

Bolivia
  Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  National Day, 25 November (1943)

Botswana
  Independence Day (Botswana Day), 30 September (1966)

Brazil
  Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

British Virgin Islands
  Territory Day, 1 July

Brunei
  National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was
  the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date
  of independence from British protection

Bulgaria
  Liberation Day, 3 March (1878)

Burkina Faso
  Republic Day, 11 December (1958)

Burma
  Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February
  (1947)

Burundi
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Cambodia
  Independence Day, 9 November (1953)

Cameroon
  Republic Day (National Day), 20 May (1972)

Canada
  Canada Day, 1 July (1867)

Cape Verde
  Independence Day, 5 July (1975)

Cayman Islands
  Constitution Day, first Monday in July

Central African Republic
  Republic Day, 1 December (1958)

Chad
  Independence Day, 11 August (1960)

Chile
  Independence Day, 18 September (1810)

China
  Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China,
  1 October (1949)

Christmas Island
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Colombia
  Independence Day, 20 July (1810)

Comoros
  Independence Day, 6 July (1975)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Congo, Republic of the
  Independence Day, 15 August (1960)

Cook Islands
  Constitution Day, first Monday in August (1965)

Costa Rica
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Cote d'Ivoire
  Independence Day, 7 August (1960)

Croatia
  Independence Day, 8 October (1991); note - 25 June 1991 is
  the day the Croatian Parliament voted for independence; following a
  3-month moratorium to allow the European Community to solve the
  Yugoslav crisis peacefully, Parliament adopted a decision on 8
  October 1991 to sever constitutional relations with Yugoslavia

Cuba
  Independence Day, 10 December (1898); note - 10 December 1898
  is the date of independence from Spain, 20 May 1902 is the date of
  independence from US administration; Rebellion Day, 26 July (1953)

Cyprus
  Independence Day, 1 October (1960); note - Turkish Cypriots
  celebrate 15 November (1983) as Independence Day

Czech Republic
  Czech Founding Day, 28 October (1918)

Denmark
  none designated; Constitution Day, 5 June (1849) is
  generally viewed as the National Day

Djibouti
  Independence Day, 27 June (1977)

Dominica
  Independence Day, 3 November (1978)

Dominican Republic
  Independence Day, 27 February (1844)

East Timor
  Independence Day, 28 November (1975)

Ecuador
  Independence Day (independence of Quito), 10 August (1809)

Egypt
  Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

El Salvador
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Equatorial Guinea
  Independence Day, 12 October (1968)

Eritrea
  Independence Day, 24 May (1993)

Estonia
  Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February
  1918 is the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet
  Russia; 20 August 1991 is the date it declared its independence from
  the Soviet Union

Ethiopia
  National Day (defeat of MENGISTU regime), 28 May (1991)

European Union
  Europe Day 9 May (1950); note - a Union-wide holiday,
  the day that Robert Schuman proposed the creation of an organized
  Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)

Faroe Islands
  Olaifest (Olavasoka), 29 July

Fiji
  Independence Day, second Monday of October (1970)

Finland
  Independence Day, 6 December (1917)

France
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

French Guiana
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

French Polynesia
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Gabon
  Founding of the Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG), 12 March
  (1968)

Gambia, The
  Independence Day, 18 February (1965)

Georgia
  Independence Day, 26 May (1918); note - 26 May 1918 is the
  date of independence from Soviet Russia, 9 April 1991 is the date of
  independence from the Soviet Union

Germany
  Unity Day, 3 October (1990)

Ghana
  Independence Day, 6 March (1957)

Gibraltar
  National Day, 10 September (1967); note - day of the
  national referendum to decide whether to remain with the UK or go
  with Spain

Greece
  Independence Day, 25 March (1821)

Greenland
  June 21 (longest day)

Grenada
  Independence Day, 7 February (1974)

Guadeloupe
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Guam
  Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521)

Guatemala
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Guernsey
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Guinea
  Independence Day, 2 October (1958)

Guinea-Bissau
  Independence Day, 24 September (1973)

Guyana
  Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Haiti
  Independence Day, 1 January (1804)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Coronation Day of Pope BENEDICT XVI, 24
  April (2005)

Honduras
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Hong Kong
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
  Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July 1997 is
  celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment
  Day

Hungary
  Saint Stephen's Day, 20 August

Iceland
  Independence Day, 17 June (1944)

India
  Republic Day, 26 January (1950)

Indonesia
  Independence Day, 17 August (1945)

Iran
  Republic Day, 1 April (1979)
  note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include
  Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21
  March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)

Iraq
  Revolution Day, 17 July (1968); note - this holiday was
  celebrated under the SADDAM Husayn regime but the Iraqi Interim
  Government has yet to declare a new national holiday

Ireland
  Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Israel
  Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared
  independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and
  the holiday may occur in April or May

Italy
  Republic Day, 2 June (1946)

Jamaica
  Independence Day, 6 August (1962)

Japan
  Birthday of Emperor AKIHITO, 23 December (1933)

Jersey
  Liberation Day, 9 May (1945)

Jordan
  Independence Day, 25 May (1946)

Kazakhstan
  Independence Day, 16 December (1991)

Kenya
  Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Kiribati
  Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Korea, North
  Founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
  (DPRK), 9 September (1948)

Korea, South
  Liberation Day, 15 August (1945)

Kuwait
  National Day, 25 February (1950)

Kyrgyzstan
  Independence Day, 31 August (1991)

Laos
  Republic Day, 2 December (1975)

Latvia
  Independence Day, 18 November (1918); note - 18 November 1918
  is the date Latvia declared itself independent from Soviet Russia; 4
  May 1990 is when it declared the renewal of independence; 21 August
  1991 is the date of de facto independence from the Soviet Union

Lebanon
  Independence Day, 22 November (1943)

Lesotho
  Independence Day, 4 October (1966)

Liberia
  Independence Day, 26 July (1847)

Libya
  Revolution Day, 1 September (1969)

Liechtenstein
  Assumption Day, 15 August

Lithuania
  Independence Day, 16 February (1918); note - 16 February
  1918 is the date Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet
  Russia and established its statehood; 11 March 1990 is the date it
  declared its independence from the Soviet Union

Luxembourg
  National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June

Macau
  National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's
  Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is
  celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

Macedonia
  Uprising Day, 2 August (1903); note - also known as Saint
  Elijah's Day and Ilinden

Madagascar
  Independence Day, 26 June (1960)

Malawi
  Independence Day (Republic Day), 6 July (1964)

Malaysia
  Independence Day/Malaysia Day, 31 August (1957)

Maldives
  Independence Day, 26 July (1965)

Mali
  Independence Day, 22 September (1960)

Malta
  Independence Day, 21 September (1964)

Man, Isle of
  Tynwald Day, 5 July

Marshall Islands
  Constitution Day, 1 May (1979)

Martinique
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mauritania
  Independence Day, 28 November (1960)

Mauritius
  Independence Day, 12 March (1968)

Mayotte
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Mexico
  Independence Day, 16 September (1810)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

Moldova
  Independence Day, 27 August (1991)

Monaco
  National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November

Mongolia
  Independence Day/Revolution Day, 11 July (1921)

Montserrat
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
  (1926)

Morocco
  Throne Day (accession of King MOHAMED VI to the throne), 30
  July (1999)

Mozambique
  Independence Day, 25 June (1975)

Namibia
  Independence Day, 21 March (1990)

Nauru
  Independence Day, 31 January (1968)

Nepal
  Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)

Netherlands
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909
  and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980),
  30 April

Netherlands Antilles
  Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA
  in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX
  in 1980), 30 April

New Caledonia
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

New Zealand
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Nicaragua
  Independence Day, 15 September (1821)

Niger
  Republic Day, 18 December (1958)

Nigeria
  Independence Day (National Day), 1 October (1960)

Niue
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Norfolk Island
  Bounty Day (commemorates the arrival of Pitcairn
  Islanders), 8 June (1856)

Northern Mariana Islands
  Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)

Norway
  Constitution Day, 17 May (1814)

Oman
  Birthday of Sultan QABOOS, 18 November (1940)

Pakistan
  Republic Day, 23 March (1956)

Palau
  Constitution Day, 9 July (1979)

Panama
  Independence Day, 3 November (1903)

Papua New Guinea
  Independence Day, 16 September (1975)

Paraguay
  Independence Day, 14 May 1811 (observed 15 May annually)

Peru
  Independence Day, 28 July (1821)

Philippines
  Independence Day, 12 June (1898)
  note: 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from
  Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from US

Pitcairn Islands
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in
  June (1926)

Poland
  Constitution Day, 3 May (1791)

Portugal
  Portugal Day, 10 June (1580); note - also called Camoes
  Day, the day that revered national poet Luis de Camoes (1524-80) died

Puerto Rico
  US Independence Day, 4 July (1776); Puerto Rico
  Constitution Day, 25 July (1952)

Qatar
  Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Reunion
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Romania
  Unification Day (of Romania and Transylvania), 1 December
  (1918)

Russia
  Russia Day, 12 June (1990)

Rwanda
  Independence Day, 1 July (1962)

Saint Helena
  Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June
  (1926)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Independence Day, 19 September (1983)

Saint Lucia
  Independence Day, 22 February (1979)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Independence Day, 27 October (1979)

Samoa
  Independence Day Celebration, 1 June (1962); note - 1 January
  1962 is the date of independence from the New Zealand-administered
  UN trusteeship, 1 June 1962 is the date that independence is
  celebrated

San Marino
  Founding of the Republic, 3 September (301)

Sao Tome and Principe
  Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Saudi Arabia
  Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Senegal
  Independence Day, 4 April (1960)

Serbia and Montenegro
  National Day, 27 April

Seychelles
  Constitution Day (National Day), 18 June (1993)

Sierra Leone
  Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Singapore
  National Day, 9 August (1965)

Slovakia
  Constitution Day, 1 September (1992)

Slovenia
  Independence Day/Statehood Day, 25 June (1991)

Solomon Islands
  Independence Day, 7 July (1978)

Somalia
  Foundation of the Somali Republic, 1 July (1960); note - 26
  June (1960) in Somaliland

South Africa
  Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Spain
  National Day, 12 October

Sri Lanka
  Independence Day, 4 February (1948)

Sudan
  Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

Suriname
  Independence Day, 25 November (1975)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  Independence Day, 6 September (1968)

Sweden
  Flag Day, 6 June

Switzerland
  Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Syria
  Independence Day, 17 April (1946)

Taiwan
  Republic Day (Anniversary of the Chinese Revolution), 10
  October (1911)

Tajikistan
  Independence Day (or National Day), 9 September (1991)

Tanzania
  Union Day (Tanganyika and Zanzibar), 26 April (1964)

Thailand
  Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)

Togo
  Independence Day, 27 April (1960)

Tokelau
  Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British
  sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840)

Tonga
  Emancipation Day, 4 June (1970)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Independence Day, 31 August (1962)

Tunisia
  Independence Day, 20 March (1956)

Turkey
  Republic Day, 29 October (1923)

Turkmenistan
  Independence Day, 27 October (1991)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Constitution Day, 30 August (1976)

Tuvalu
  Independence Day, 1 October (1978)

Uganda
  Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Ukraine
  Independence Day, 24 August (1991); the date of 22 January
  (1918), the day Ukraine first declared its independence (from Soviet
  Russia), is now celebrated as Unity Day

United Arab Emirates
  Independence Day, 2 December (1971)

United Kingdom
  the UK does not celebrate one particular national
  holiday

United States
  Independence Day, 4 July (1776)

Uruguay
  Independence Day, 25 August (1825)

Uzbekistan
  Independence Day, 1 September (1991)

Vanuatu
  Independence Day, 30 July (1980)

Venezuela
  Independence Day, 5 July (1811)

Vietnam
  Independence Day, 2 September (1945)

Virgin Islands
  Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)

Wallis and Futuna
  Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Yemen
  Unification Day, 22 May (1990)

Zambia
  Independence Day, 24 October (1964)

Zimbabwe
  Independence Day, 18 April (1980)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2110 Nationality

Afghanistan
  noun: Afghan(s)
  adjective: Afghan

Albania
  noun: Albanian(s)
  adjective: Albanian

Algeria
  noun: Algerian(s)
  adjective: Algerian

American Samoa
  noun: American Samoan(s)
  adjective: American Samoan

Andorra
  noun: Andorran(s)
  adjective: Andorran

Angola
  noun: Angolan(s)
  adjective: Angolan

Anguilla
  noun: Anguillan(s)
  adjective: Anguillan

Antigua and Barbuda
  noun: Antiguan(s), Barbudan(s)
  adjective: Antiguan, Barbudan

Argentina
  noun: Argentine(s)
  adjective: Argentine

Armenia
  noun: Armenian(s)
  adjective: Armenian

Aruba
  noun: Aruban(s)
  adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Australia
  noun: Australian(s)
  adjective: Australian

Austria
  noun: Austrian(s)
  adjective: Austrian

Azerbaijan
  noun: Azerbaijani(s)
  adjective: Azerbaijani

Bahamas, The
  noun: Bahamian(s)
  adjective: Bahamian

Bahrain
  noun: Bahraini(s)
  adjective: Bahraini

Bangladesh
  noun: Bangladeshi(s)
  adjective: Bangladeshi

Barbados
  noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)
  adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)

Belarus
  noun: Belarusian(s)
  adjective: Belarusian

Belgium
  noun: Belgian(s)
  adjective: Belgian

Belize
  noun: Belizean(s)
  adjective: Belizean

Benin
  noun: Beninese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Beninese

Bermuda
  noun: Bermudian(s)
  adjective: Bermudian

Bhutan
  noun: Bhutanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Bhutanese

Bolivia
  noun: Bolivian(s)
  adjective: Bolivian

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  noun: Bosnian(s), Herzegovinian(s)
  adjective: Bosnian, Herzegovinian

Botswana
  noun: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
  adjective: Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

Brazil
  noun: Brazilian(s)
  adjective: Brazilian

British Virgin Islands
  noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: British Virgin Islander

Brunei
  noun: Bruneian(s)
  adjective: Bruneian

Bulgaria
  noun: Bulgarian(s)
  adjective: Bulgarian

Burkina Faso
  noun: Burkinabe (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burkinabe

Burma
  noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Burmese

Burundi
  noun: Burundian(s)
  adjective: Burundian

Cambodia
  noun: Cambodian(s)
  adjective: Cambodian

Cameroon
  noun: Cameroonian(s)
  adjective: Cameroonian

Canada
  noun: Canadian(s)
  adjective: Canadian

Cape Verde
  noun: Cape Verdean(s)
  adjective: Cape Verdean

Cayman Islands
  noun: Caymanian(s)
  adjective: Caymanian

Central African Republic
  noun: Central African(s)
  adjective: Central African

Chad
  noun: Chadian(s)
  adjective: Chadian

Chile
  noun: Chilean(s)
  adjective: Chilean

China
  noun: Chinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Chinese

Christmas Island
  noun: Christmas Islander(s)
  adjective: Christmas Island

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  noun: Cocos Islander(s)
  adjective: Cocos Islander

Colombia
  noun: Colombian(s)
  adjective: Colombian

Comoros
  noun: Comoran(s)
  adjective: Comoran

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  noun: Congolese (singular and
  plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Congo, Republic of the
  noun: Congolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Congolese or Congo

Cook Islands
  noun: Cook Islander(s)
  adjective: Cook Islander

Costa Rica
  noun: Costa Rican(s)
  adjective: Costa Rican

Cote d'Ivoire
  noun: Ivoirian(s)
  adjective: Ivoirian

Croatia
  noun: Croat(s), Croatian(s)
  adjective: Croatian

Cuba
  noun: Cuban(s)
  adjective: Cuban

Cyprus
  noun: Cypriot(s)
  adjective: Cypriot

Czech Republic
  noun: Czech(s)
  adjective: Czech

Denmark
  noun: Dane(s)
  adjective: Danish

Djibouti
  noun: Djiboutian(s)
  adjective: Djiboutian

Dominica
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican

Dominican Republic
  noun: Dominican(s)
  adjective: Dominican

East Timor
  noun: Timorese
  adjective: Timorese

Ecuador
  noun: Ecuadorian(s)
  adjective: Ecuadorian

Egypt
  noun: Egyptian(s)
  adjective: Egyptian

El Salvador
  noun: Salvadoran(s)
  adjective: Salvadoran

Equatorial Guinea
  noun: Equatorial Guinean(s) or Equatoguinean(s)
  adjective: Equatorial Guinean or Equatoguinean

Eritrea
  noun: Eritrean(s)
  adjective: Eritrean

Estonia
  noun: Estonian(s)
  adjective: Estonian

Ethiopia
  noun: Ethiopian(s)
  adjective: Ethiopian

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  noun: Falkland Islander(s)
  adjective: Falkland Island

Faroe Islands
  noun: Faroese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Faroese

Fiji
  noun: Fijian(s)
  adjective: Fijian

Finland
  noun: Finn(s)
  adjective: Finnish

France
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

French Guiana
  noun: French Guianese (singular and plural)
  adjective: French Guianese

French Polynesia
  noun: French Polynesian(s)
  adjective: French Polynesian

Gabon
  noun: Gabonese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Gabonese

Gambia, The
  noun: Gambian(s)
  adjective: Gambian

Gaza Strip
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Georgia
  noun: Georgian(s)
  adjective: Georgian

Germany
  noun: German(s)
  adjective: German

Ghana
  noun: Ghanaian(s)
  adjective: Ghanaian

Gibraltar
  noun: Gibraltarian(s)
  adjective: Gibraltar

Greece
  noun: Greek(s)
  adjective: Greek

Greenland
  noun: Greenlander(s)
  adjective: Greenlandic

Grenada
  noun: Grenadian(s)
  adjective: Grenadian

Guadeloupe
  noun: Guadeloupian(s)
  adjective: Guadeloupe

Guam
  noun: Guamanian(s)
  adjective: Guamanian

Guatemala
  noun: Guatemalan(s)
  adjective: Guatemalan

Guernsey
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Guinea
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Guinea-Bissau
  noun: Guinean(s)
  adjective: Guinean

Guyana
  noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Guyanese

Haiti
  noun: Haitian(s)
  adjective: Haitian

Holy See (Vatican City)
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Honduras
  noun: Honduran(s)
  adjective: Honduran

Hong Kong
  noun: Chinese/Hong Konger
  adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Hungary
  noun: Hungarian(s)
  adjective: Hungarian

Iceland
  noun: Icelander(s)
  adjective: Icelandic

India
  noun: Indian(s)
  adjective: Indian

Indonesia
  noun: Indonesian(s)
  adjective: Indonesian

Iran
  noun: Iranian(s)
  adjective: Iranian

Iraq
  noun: Iraqi(s)
  adjective: Iraqi

Ireland
  noun: Irishman(men), Irishwoman(women), Irish (collective
  plural)
  adjective: Irish

Israel
  noun: Israeli(s)
  adjective: Israeli

Italy
  noun: Italian(s)
  adjective: Italian

Jamaica
  noun: Jamaican(s)
  adjective: Jamaican

Japan
  noun: Japanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Japanese

Jersey
  noun: Channel Islander(s)
  adjective: Channel Islander

Jordan
  noun: Jordanian(s)
  adjective: Jordanian

Kazakhstan
  noun: Kazakhstani(s)
  adjective: Kazakhstani

Kenya
  noun: Kenyan(s)
  adjective: Kenyan

Kiribati
  noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)
  adjective: I-Kiribati

Korea, North
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Korea, South
  noun: Korean(s)
  adjective: Korean

Kuwait
  noun: Kuwaiti(s)
  adjective: Kuwaiti

Kyrgyzstan
  noun: Kyrgyzstani(s)
  adjective: Kyrgyzstani

Laos
  noun: Lao(s) or Laotian(s)
  adjective: Lao or Laotian

Latvia
  noun: Latvian(s)
  adjective: Latvian

Lebanon
  noun: Lebanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Lebanese

Lesotho
  noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)
  adjective: Basotho

Liberia
  noun: Liberian(s)
  adjective: Liberian

Libya
  noun: Libyan(s)
  adjective: Libyan

Liechtenstein
  noun: Liechtensteiner(s)
  adjective: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  noun: Lithuanian(s)
  adjective: Lithuanian

Luxembourg
  noun: Luxembourger(s)
  adjective: Luxembourg

Macau
  noun: Chinese
  adjective: Chinese

Macedonia
  noun: Macedonian(s)
  adjective: Macedonian

Madagascar
  noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)
  adjective: Malagasy

Malawi
  noun: Malawian(s)
  adjective: Malawian

Malaysia
  noun: Malaysian(s)
  adjective: Malaysian

Maldives
  noun: Maldivian(s)
  adjective: Maldivian

Mali
  noun: Malian(s)
  adjective: Malian

Malta
  noun: Maltese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Maltese

Man, Isle of
  noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
  adjective: Manx

Marshall Islands
  noun: Marshallese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Marshallese

Martinique
  noun: Martiniquais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Martiniquais

Mauritania
  noun: Mauritanian(s)
  adjective: Mauritanian

Mauritius
  noun: Mauritian(s)
  adjective: Mauritian

Mayotte
  noun: Mahorais (singular and plural)
  adjective: Mahoran

Mexico
  noun: Mexican(s)
  adjective: Mexican

Micronesia, Federated States of
  noun: Micronesian(s)
  adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

Moldova
  noun: Moldovan(s)
  adjective: Moldovan

Monaco
  noun: Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s)
  adjective: Monegasque or Monacan

Mongolia
  noun: Mongolian(s)
  adjective: Mongolian

Montserrat
  noun: Montserratian(s)
  adjective: Montserratian

Morocco
  noun: Moroccan(s)
  adjective: Moroccan

Mozambique
  noun: Mozambican(s)
  adjective: Mozambican

Namibia
  noun: Namibian(s)
  adjective: Namibian

Nauru
  noun: Nauruan(s)
  adjective: Nauruan

Nepal
  noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Nepalese

Netherlands
  noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
  adjective: Dutch

Netherlands Antilles
  noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
  adjective: Dutch Antillean

New Caledonia
  noun: New Caledonian(s)
  adjective: New Caledonian

New Zealand
  noun: New Zealander(s)
  adjective: New Zealand

Nicaragua
  noun: Nicaraguan(s)
  adjective: Nicaraguan

Niger
  noun: Nigerien(s)
  adjective: Nigerien

Nigeria
  noun: Nigerian(s)
  adjective: Nigerian

Niue
  noun: Niuean(s)
  adjective: Niuean

Norfolk Island
  noun: Norfolk Islander(s)
  adjective: Norfolk Islander(s)

Northern Mariana Islands
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Norway
  noun: Norwegian(s)
  adjective: Norwegian

Oman
  noun: Omani(s)
  adjective: Omani

Pakistan
  noun: Pakistani(s)
  adjective: Pakistani

Palau
  noun: Palauan(s)
  adjective: Palauan

Panama
  noun: Panamanian(s)
  adjective: Panamanian

Papua New Guinea
  noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
  adjective: Papua New Guinean

Paraguay
  noun: Paraguayan(s)
  adjective: Paraguayan

Peru
  noun: Peruvian(s)
  adjective: Peruvian

Philippines
  noun: Filipino(s)
  adjective: Philippine

Pitcairn Islands
  noun: Pitcairn Islander(s)
  adjective: Pitcairn Islander

Poland
  noun: Pole(s)
  adjective: Polish

Portugal
  noun: Portuguese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Portuguese

Puerto Rico
  noun: Puerto Rican(s) (US citizens)
  adjective: Puerto Rican

Qatar
  noun: Qatari(s)
  adjective: Qatari

Reunion
  noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Reunionese

Romania
  noun: Romanian(s)
  adjective: Romanian

Russia
  noun: Russian(s)
  adjective: Russian

Rwanda
  noun: Rwandan(s)
  adjective: Rwandan

Saint Helena
  noun: Saint Helenian(s)
  adjective: Saint Helenian

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  noun: Kittitian(s), Nevisian(s)
  adjective: Kittitian, Nevisian

Saint Lucia
  noun: Saint Lucian(s)
  adjective: Saint Lucian

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
  adjective: French

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  noun: Saint Vincentian(s) or
  Vincentian(s)
  adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian

Samoa
  noun: Samoan(s)
  adjective: Samoan

San Marino
  noun: Sammarinese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sammarinese

Sao Tome and Principe
  noun: Sao Tomean(s)
  adjective: Sao Tomean

Saudi Arabia
  noun: Saudi(s)
  adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Senegal
  noun: Senegalese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Senegalese

Serbia and Montenegro
  noun: Serb(s); Montenegrin(s)
  adjective: Serbian; Montenegrin

Seychelles
  noun: Seychellois (singular and plural)
  adjective: Seychellois

Sierra Leone
  noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
  adjective: Sierra Leonean

Singapore
  noun: Singaporean(s)
  adjective: Singapore

Slovakia
  noun: Slovak(s)
  adjective: Slovak

Slovenia
  noun: Slovene(s)
  adjective: Slovenian

Solomon Islands
  noun: Solomon Islander(s)
  adjective: Solomon Islander

Somalia
  noun: Somali(s)
  adjective: Somali

South Africa
  noun: South African(s)
  adjective: South African

Spain
  noun: Spaniard(s)
  adjective: Spanish

Sri Lanka
  noun: Sri Lankan(s)
  adjective: Sri Lankan

Sudan
  noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Sudanese

Suriname
  noun: Surinamer(s)
  adjective: Surinamese

Swaziland
  noun: Swazi(s)
  adjective: Swazi

Sweden
  noun: Swede(s)
  adjective: Swedish

Switzerland
  noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
  adjective: Swiss

Syria
  noun: Syrian(s)
  adjective: Syrian

Taiwan
  noun: Taiwan (singular and plural)
  note: example: he or she is from Taiwan; they are from Taiwan
  adjective: Taiwan

Tajikistan
  noun: Tajikistani(s)
  adjective: Tajikistani

Tanzania
  noun: Tanzanian(s)
  adjective: Tanzanian

Thailand
  noun: Thai (singular and plural)
  adjective: Thai

Togo
  noun: Togolese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Togolese

Tokelau
  noun: Tokelauan(s)
  adjective: Tokelauan

Tonga
  noun: Tongan(s)
  adjective: Tongan

Trinidad and Tobago
  noun: Trinidadian(s), Tobagonian(s)
  adjective: Trinidadian, Tobagonian

Tunisia
  noun: Tunisian(s)
  adjective: Tunisian

Turkey
  noun: Turk(s)
  adjective: Turkish

Turkmenistan
  noun: Turkmen(s)
  adjective: Turkmen

Turks and Caicos Islands
  noun: none
  adjective: none

Tuvalu
  noun: Tuvaluan(s)
  adjective: Tuvaluan

Uganda
  noun: Ugandan(s)
  adjective: Ugandan

Ukraine
  noun: Ukrainian(s)
  adjective: Ukrainian

United Arab Emirates
  noun: Emirati(s)
  adjective: Emirati

United Kingdom
  noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural)
  adjective: British

United States
  noun: American(s)
  adjective: American

Uruguay
  noun: Uruguayan(s)
  adjective: Uruguayan

Uzbekistan
  noun: Uzbekistani
  adjective: Uzbekistani

Vanuatu
  noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)
  adjective: Ni-Vanuatu

Venezuela
  noun: Venezuelan(s)
  adjective: Venezuelan

Vietnam
  noun: Vietnamese (singular and plural)
  adjective: Vietnamese

Virgin Islands
  noun: Virgin Islander(s)
  adjective: Virgin Islander

Wallis and Futuna noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

West Bank
  noun: NA
  adjective: NA

Western Sahara
  noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
  adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Yemen
  noun: Yemeni(s)
  adjective: Yemeni

Zambia
  noun: Zambian(s)
  adjective: Zambian

Zimbabwe
  noun: Zimbabwean(s)
  adjective: Zimbabwean

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2111 Natural resources

Afghanistan
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, chromite, talc,
  barites, sulfur, lead, zinc, iron ore, salt, precious and
  semiprecious stones

Albania
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, bauxite, chromite, copper,
  iron ore, nickel, salt, timber, hydropower

Algeria
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, uranium, lead,
  zinc

American Samoa
  pumice, pumicite

Andorra
  hydropower, mineral water, timber, iron ore, lead

Angola
  petroleum, diamonds, iron ore, phosphates, copper, feldspar,
  gold, bauxite, uranium

Anguilla
  salt, fish, lobster

Antarctica
  iron ore, chromium, copper, gold, nickel, platinum and
  other minerals, and coal and hydrocarbons have been found in small
  uncommercial quantities; none presently exploited; krill, finfish,
  and crab have been taken by commercial fisheries

Antigua and Barbuda
  NEGL; pleasant climate fosters tourism

Arctic Ocean
  sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits,
  polymetallic nodules, oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals
  (seals and whales)

Argentina
  fertile plains of the pampas, lead, zinc, tin, copper,
  iron ore, manganese, petroleum, uranium

Armenia
  small deposits of gold, copper, molybdenum, zinc, alumina

Aruba
  NEGL; white sandy beaches

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  fish

Atlantic Ocean
  oil and gas fields, fish, marine mammals (seals and
  whales), sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic
  nodules, precious stones

Australia
  bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver,
  uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds,
  natural gas, petroleum

Austria
  oil, coal, lignite, timber, iron ore, copper, zinc,
  antimony, magnesite, tungsten, graphite, salt, hydropower

Azerbaijan
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, nonferrous metals,
  alumina

Bahamas, The
  salt, aragonite, timber, arable land

Bahrain
  oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish, pearls

Baker Island
  guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and
  aquatic wildlife

Bangladesh
  natural gas, arable land, timber, coal

Barbados
  petroleum, fish, natural gas

Bassas da India
  none

Belarus
  forests, peat deposits, small quantities of oil and natural
  gas, granite, dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, clay

Belgium
  construction materials, silica sand, carbonates

Belize
  arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower

Benin
  small offshore oil deposits, limestone, marble, timber

Bermuda
  limestone, pleasant climate fostering tourism

Bhutan
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, calcium carbonate

Bolivia
  tin, natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tungsten, antimony,
  silver, iron, lead, gold, timber, hydropower

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, lead, zinc,
  chromite, cobalt, manganese, nickel, clay, gypsum, salt, sand,
  forests, hydropower

Botswana
  diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal,
  iron ore, silver

Bouvet Island
  none

Brazil
  bauxite, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates,
  platinum, tin, uranium, petroleum, hydropower, timber

British Indian Ocean Territory
  coconuts, fish, sugarcane

British Virgin Islands
  NEGL

Brunei
  petroleum, natural gas, timber

Bulgaria
  bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land

Burkina Faso
  manganese, limestone, marble; small deposits of gold,
  phosphates, pumice, salt

Burma
  petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten,
  lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas,
  hydropower

Burundi
  nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper,
  platinum, vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum,
  gold, tin, tungsten, kaolin, limestone

Cambodia
  oil and gas, timber, gemstones, some iron ore, manganese,
  phosphates, hydropower potential

Cameroon
  petroleum, bauxite, iron ore, timber, hydropower

Canada
  iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum,
  potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum,
  natural gas, hydropower

Cape Verde
  salt, basalt rock, limestone, kaolin, fish, clay, gypsum

Cayman Islands
  fish, climate and beaches that foster tourism

Central African Republic
  diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil,
  hydropower

Chad
  petroleum, uranium, natron, kaolin, fish (Lake Chad), gold,
  limestone, sand and gravel, salt

Chile
  copper, timber, iron ore, nitrates, precious metals,
  molybdenum, hydropower

China
  coal, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, mercury, tin,
  tungsten, antimony, manganese, molybdenum, vanadium, magnetite,
  aluminum, lead, zinc, uranium, hydropower potential (world's largest)

Christmas Island
  phosphate, beaches

Clipperton Island
  fish

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  fish

Colombia
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore, nickel, gold,
  copper, emeralds, hydropower

Comoros
  NEGL

Congo, Democratic Republic of the cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber

Congo, Republic of the petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower

Cook Islands
  NEGL

Coral Sea Islands
  NEGL

Costa Rica
  hydropower

Cote d'Ivoire
  petroleum, natural gas, diamonds, manganese, iron ore,
  cobalt, bauxite, copper, gold, nickel, tantalum, silica sand, clay,
  cocoa beans, coffee, palm oil, hydropower

Croatia
  oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium,
  gypsum, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower

Cuba
  cobalt, nickel, iron ore, chromium, copper, salt, timber,
  silica, petroleum, arable land

Cyprus
  copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay
  earth pigment

Czech Republic
  hard coal, soft coal, kaolin, clay, graphite, timber

Denmark
  petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, chalk, stone,
  gravel and sand

Djibouti
  geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble,
  salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum

Dominica
  timber, hydropower, arable land

Dominican Republic
  nickel, bauxite, gold, silver

East Timor
  gold, petroleum, natural gas, manganese, marble

Ecuador
  petroleum, fish, timber, hydropower

Egypt
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,
  limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

El Salvador
  hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land

Equatorial Guinea
  petroleum, natural gas, timber, gold, bauxite,
  diamonds, tantalum, sand and gravel, clay

Eritrea
  gold, potash, zinc, copper, salt, possibly oil and natural
  gas, fish

Estonia
  oil shale, peat, phosphorite, clay, limestone, sand,
  dolomite, arable land, sea mud

Ethiopia
  small reserves of gold, platinum, copper, potash, natural
  gas, hydropower

Europa Island
  NEGL

European Union
  iron ore, arable land, natural gas, petroleum, coal,
  copper, lead, zinc, hydropower, uranium, potash, fish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  fish, squid, wildlife, calcified
  seaweed, sphagnum moss

Faroe Islands
  fish, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Fiji
  timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Finland
  timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel,
  gold, silver, limestone

France
  coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic,
  potash, feldspar, fluorospar, gypsum, timber, fish

French Guiana
  bauxite, timber, gold (widely scattered), petroleum,
  kaolin, fish, niobium, tantalum, clay

French Polynesia
  timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  fish, crayfish

Gabon
  petroleum, natural gas, diamond, niobium, manganese, uranium,
  gold, timber, iron ore, hydropower

Gambia, The
  fish, titanium (rutile and ilmenite), tin, zircon,
  silica sand, clay, petroleum

Gaza Strip
  arable land, natural gas

Georgia
  forests, hydropower, manganese deposits, iron ore, copper,
  minor coal and oil deposits; coastal climate and soils allow for
  important tea and citrus growth

Germany
  coal, lignite, natural gas, iron ore, copper, nickel,
  uranium, potash, salt, construction materials, timber, arable land

Ghana
  gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish,
  rubber, hydropower, petroleum, silver, salt, limestone

Gibraltar
  none

Glorioso Islands
  guano, coconuts

Greece
  lignite, petroleum, iron ore, bauxite, lead, zinc, nickel,
  magnesite, marble, salt, hydropower potential

Greenland
  coal, iron ore, lead, zinc, molybdenum, gold, platinum,
  uranium, fish, seals, whales, hydropower, possible oil and gas

Grenada
  timber, tropical fruit, deepwater harbors

Guadeloupe
  cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism

Guam
  fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan)

Guatemala
  petroleum, nickel, rare woods, fish, chicle, hydropower

Guernsey
  cropland

Guinea
  bauxite, iron ore, diamonds, gold, uranium, hydropower, fish,
  salt

Guinea-Bissau
  fish, timber, phosphates, bauxite, clay, granite,
  limestone, unexploited deposits of petroleum

Guyana
  bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Haiti
  bauxite, copper, calcium carbonate, gold, marble, hydropower

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  fish

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  timber, gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc, iron ore,
  antimony, coal, fish, hydropower

Hong Kong
  outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

Howland Island
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial
  and aquatic wildlife

Hungary
  bauxite, coal, natural gas, fertile soils, arable land

Iceland
  fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite

India
  coal (fourth-largest reserves in the world), iron ore,
  manganese, mica, bauxite, titanium ore, chromite, natural gas,
  diamonds, petroleum, limestone, arable land

Indian Ocean
  oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel
  aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules

Indonesia
  petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, timber, bauxite,
  copper, fertile soils, coal, gold, silver

Iran
  petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead,
  manganese, zinc, sulfur

Iraq
  petroleum, natural gas, phosphates, sulfur

Ireland
  natural gas, peat, copper, lead, zinc, silver, barite,
  gypsum, limestone, dolomite

Israel
  timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock,
  magnesium bromide, clays, sand

Italy
  coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice,
  fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil
  reserves, fish, arable land

Jamaica
  bauxite, gypsum, limestone

Jan Mayen
  none

Japan
  negligible mineral resources, fish

Jarvis Island
  guano (deposits worked until late 1800s), terrestrial
  and aquatic wildlife

Jersey
  arable land

Johnston Atoll
  guano deposits worked until depletion about 1890,
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Jordan
  phosphates, potash, shale oil

Juan de Nova Island
  guano deposits and other fertilizers

Kazakhstan
  major deposits of petroleum, natural gas, coal, iron ore,
  manganese, chrome ore, nickel, cobalt, copper, molybdenum, lead,
  zinc, bauxite, gold, uranium

Kenya
  limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc,
  diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Kingman Reef
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Kiribati
  phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Korea, North
  coal, lead, tungsten, zinc, graphite, magnesite, iron
  ore, copper, gold, pyrites, salt, fluorspar, hydropower

Korea, South
  coal, tungsten, graphite, molybdenum, lead, hydropower
  potential

Kuwait
  petroleum, fish, shrimp, natural gas

Kyrgyzstan
  abundant hydropower; significant deposits of gold and
  rare earth metals; locally exploitable coal, oil, and natural gas;
  other deposits of nepheline, mercury, bismuth, lead, and zinc

Laos
  timber, hydropower, gypsum, tin, gold, gemstones

Latvia
  peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable
  land

Lebanon
  limestone, iron ore, salt, water-surplus state in a
  water-deficit region, arable land

Lesotho
  water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay,
  building stone

Liberia
  iron ore, timber, diamonds, gold, hydropower

Libya
  petroleum, natural gas, gypsum

Liechtenstein
  hydroelectric potential, arable land

Lithuania
  peat, arable land

Luxembourg
  iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land

Macau
  NEGL

Macedonia
  low-grade iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite,
  manganese, nickel, tungsten, gold, silver, asbestos, gypsum, timber,
  arable land

Madagascar
  graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar
  sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower

Malawi
  limestone, arable land, hydropower, unexploited deposits of
  uranium, coal, and bauxite

Malaysia
  tin, petroleum, timber, copper, iron ore, natural gas,
  bauxite

Maldives
  fish

Mali
  gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, gypsum,
  granite, hydropower
  note: bauxite, iron ore, manganese, tin, and copper deposits are
  known but not exploited

Malta
  limestone, salt, arable land

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands coconut products, marine products, deep seabed minerals

Martinique
  coastal scenery and beaches, cultivable land

Mauritania
  iron ore, gypsum, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil,
  fish

Mauritius
  arable land, fish

Mayotte
  NEGL

Mexico
  petroleum, silver, copper, gold, lead, zinc, natural gas,
  timber

Micronesia, Federated States of
  forests, marine products,
  deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

Midway Islands
  wildlife, terrestrial and aquatic

Moldova
  lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone

Monaco
  none

Mongolia
  oil, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin,
  nickel, zinc, fluorspar, gold, silver, iron

Montserrat
  NEGL

Morocco
  phosphates, iron ore, manganese, lead, zinc, fish, salt

Mozambique
  coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum,
  graphite

Namibia
  diamonds, copper, uranium, gold, lead, tin, lithium,
  cadmium, zinc, salt, hydropower, fish
  note: suspected deposits of oil, coal, and iron ore

Nauru
  phosphates, fish

Navassa Island
  guano

Nepal
  quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small
  deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Netherlands
  natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and
  gravel, arable land

Netherlands Antilles
  phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

New Caledonia
  nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold,
  lead, copper

New Zealand
  natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower,
  gold, limestone

Nicaragua
  gold, silver, copper, tungsten, lead, zinc, timber, fish

Niger
  uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, molybdenum,
  gypsum, salt, petroleum

Nigeria
  natural gas, petroleum, tin, iron ore, coal, limestone,
  niobium, lead, zinc, arable land

Niue
  fish, arable land

Norfolk Island
  fish

Northern Mariana Islands
  arable land, fish

Norway
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc,
  titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropower

Oman
  petroleum, copper, asbestos, some marble, limestone, chromium,
  gypsum, natural gas

Pacific Ocean
  oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and
  gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish

Pakistan
  land, extensive natural gas reserves, limited petroleum,
  poor quality coal, iron ore, copper, salt, limestone

Palau
  forests, minerals (especially gold), marine products,
  deep-seabed minerals

Palmyra Atoll
  terrestrial and aquatic wildlife

Panama
  copper, mahogany forests, shrimp, hydropower

Papua New Guinea
  gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil,
  fisheries

Paracel Islands
  none

Paraguay
  hydropower, timber, iron ore, manganese, limestone

Peru
  copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal,
  phosphate, potash, hydropower, natural gas

Philippines
  timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt,
  copper

Pitcairn Islands
  miro trees (used for handicrafts), fish
  note: manganese, iron, copper, gold, silver, and zinc have been
  discovered offshore

Poland
  coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber,
  arable land

Portugal
  fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin,
  tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable
  land, hydropower

Puerto Rico
  some copper and nickel; potential for onshore and
  offshore oil

Qatar
  petroleum, natural gas, fish

Reunion
  fish, arable land, hydropower

Romania
  petroleum (reserves declining), timber, natural gas, coal,
  iron ore, salt, arable land, hydropower

Russia
  wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil,
  natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
  note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder
  exploitation of natural resources

Rwanda
  gold, cassiterite (tin ore), wolframite (tungsten ore),
  methane, hydropower, arable land

Saint Helena
  fish

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  arable land

Saint Lucia
  forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral
  springs, geothermal potential

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  fish, deepwater ports

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  hydropower, cropland

Samoa
  hardwood forests, fish, hydropower

San Marino
  building stone

Sao Tome and Principe
  fish, hydropower

Saudi Arabia
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Senegal
  fish, phosphates, iron ore

Serbia and Montenegro
  oil, gas, coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper,
  lead, zinc, antimony, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, magnesium,
  pyrite, limestone, marble, salt, hydropower, arable land

Seychelles
  fish, copra, cinnamon trees

Sierra Leone
  diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold,
  chromite

Singapore
  fish, deepwater ports

Slovakia
  brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper
  and manganese ore; salt; arable land

Slovenia
  lignite coal, lead, zinc, mercury, uranium, silver,
  hydropower, forests

Solomon Islands
  fish, forests, gold, bauxite, phosphates, lead,
  zinc, nickel

Somalia
  uranium and largely unexploited reserves of iron ore, tin,
  gypsum, bauxite, copper, salt, natural gas, likely oil reserves

South Africa
  gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese,
  nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper,
  vanadium, salt, natural gas

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  fish

Southern Ocean
  probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields
  on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer
  deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales,
  and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes

Spain
  coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium,
  tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite,
  kaolin, potash, hydropower, arable land

Spratly Islands
  fish, guano, undetermined oil and natural gas
  potential

Sri Lanka
  limestone, graphite, mineral sands, gems, phosphates,
  clay, hydropower

Sudan
  petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore,
  zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Suriname
  timber, hydropower, fish, kaolin, shrimp, bauxite, gold,
  and small amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, iron ore

Svalbard
  coal, iron ore, copper, zinc, phosphate, wildlife, fish

Swaziland
  asbestos, coal, clay, cassiterite, hydropower, forests,
  small gold and diamond deposits, quarry stone, and talc

Sweden
  iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten,
  uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower

Switzerland
  hydropower potential, timber, salt

Syria
  petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt,
  iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower

Taiwan
  small deposits of coal, natural gas, limestone, marble, and
  asbestos

Tajikistan
  hydropower, some petroleum, uranium, mercury, brown coal,
  lead, zinc, antimony, tungsten, silver, gold

Tanzania
  hydropower, tin, phosphates, iron ore, coal, diamonds,
  gemstones, gold, natural gas, nickel

Thailand
  tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,
  fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Togo
  phosphates, limestone, marble, arable land

Tokelau
  NEGL

Tonga
  fish, fertile soil

Trinidad and Tobago
  petroleum, natural gas, asphalt

Tromelin Island
  fish

Tunisia
  petroleum, phosphates, iron ore, lead, zinc, salt

Turkey
  coal, iron ore, copper, chromium, antimony, mercury, gold,
  barite, borate, celestite (strontium), emery, feldspar, limestone,
  magnesite, marble, perlite, pumice, pyrites (sulfur), clay, arable
  land, hydropower

Turkmenistan
  petroleum, natural gas, sulfur, salt

Turks and Caicos Islands
  spiny lobster, conch

Tuvalu
  fish

Uganda
  copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Ukraine
  iron ore, coal, manganese, natural gas, oil, salt, sulfur,
  graphite, titanium, magnesium, kaolin, nickel, mercury, timber,
  arable land

United Arab Emirates
  petroleum, natural gas

United Kingdom
  coal, petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, lead, zinc,
  gold, tin, limestone, salt, clay, chalk, gypsum, potash, silica
  sand, slate, arable land

United States
  coal, copper, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, uranium,
  bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, potash, silver, tungsten,
  zinc, petroleum, natural gas, timber

Uruguay
  arable land, hydropower, minor minerals, fisheries

Uzbekistan
  natural gas, petroleum, coal, gold, uranium, silver,
  copper, lead and zinc, tungsten, molybdenum

Vanuatu
  manganese, hardwood forests, fish

Venezuela
  petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, bauxite, other
  minerals, hydropower, diamonds

Vietnam
  phosphates, coal, manganese, bauxite, chromate, offshore oil
  and gas deposits, forests, hydropower

Virgin Islands
  sun, sand, sea, surf

Wake Island
  none

Wallis and Futuna
  NEGL

West Bank
  arable land

Western Sahara
  phosphates, iron ore

World
  the rapid depletion of nonrenewable mineral resources, the
  depletion of forest areas and wetlands, the extinction of animal and
  plant species, and the deterioration in air and water quality
  (especially in Eastern Europe, the former USSR, and China) pose
  serious long-term problems that governments and peoples are only
  beginning to address

Yemen
  petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble, small deposits of coal,
  gold, lead, nickel, and copper, fertile soil in west

Zambia
  copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver,
  uranium, hydropower

Zimbabwe
  coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron
  ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2112 Net migration rate (migrant(s)/1,000 population)

Afghanistan
  21.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Albania
  -4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Algeria
  -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  -20.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Andorra
  6.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Angola
  0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  -6.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Argentina
  0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Armenia
  -6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Aruba
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Australia
  3.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Austria
  1.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  -4.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  -2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  -0.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Barbados
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belarus
  2.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belgium
  1.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Belize
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Benin
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  2.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Botswana
  6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Brazil
  -0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  10.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Brunei
  3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  -4.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burma
  -1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Burundi
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Canada
  5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  -11.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  18.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: major destination for Cubans trying to migrate to the US (2005
  est.)

Central African Republic
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Chad
  -0.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Chile
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

China
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  -0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Comoros
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the -0.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: fighting between the Congolese Government and Uganda- and Rwanda-backed Congolese rebels spawned a regional war in DROC in August 1998, which left 1.8 million Congolese internally displaced and caused 300,000 Congolese refugees to flee to surrounding countries (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Croatia
  1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cuba
  -1.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Denmark
  2.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Dominica
  -11.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  -3.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

East Timor
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  -6.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Egypt
  -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  -3.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: UNHCR began repatriating about 150,000 Eritrean refugees from
  Sudan in 2001 following the restoration of diplomatic relations
  between the two countries in 2000 (2005 est.)

Estonia
  -3.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: repatriation of Ethiopians who fled to Sudan for refuge from
  war and famine in earlier years is expected to continue for several
  years; some Sudanese and Somali refugees, who fled to Ethiopia from
  the fighting or famine in their own countries, continue to return to
  their homes (2005 est.)

European Union
  1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
  (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Fiji
  -3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Finland
  0.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

France
  0.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  5.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gabon
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Georgia
  -4.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Germany
  2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ghana
  -0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Greece
  2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Greenland
  -8.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Grenada
  -13.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guam
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  -1.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guinea
  -2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: as a result of conflict in neighboring countries, Guinea is
  host to approximately 150,000 Liberian and Sierra Leonean refugees
  (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  -1.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Guyana
  -7.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Haiti
  -1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Honduras
  -1.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  5.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Hungary
  0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iceland
  2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

India
  -0.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iran
  -2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Iraq
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ireland
  4.93 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Israel
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Italy
  2.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  -4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Japan
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jersey
  2.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Jordan
  6.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  -3.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kenya
  0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to
  220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia
  145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  14.96 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  -2.47 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Laos
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Latvia
  -2.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Liberia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: at least 200,000 Liberian refugees are in surrounding
  countries; the uncertain security situation has hindered their
  ability to return (2005 est.)

Libya
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  4.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  -0.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  8.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Macau
  4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  -0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malawi
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: does not reflect net flow of an unknown number of illegal
  immigrants from other countries in the region (2005 est.)

Maldives
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mali
  -0.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Malta
  2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  5.33 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  -5.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Martinique
  -0.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  5.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mexico
  -4.57 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of -21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Moldova
  -0.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Monaco
  7.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Morocco
  -0.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Namibia
  0.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nauru
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nepal
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  3.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  -1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Niger
  -0.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  0.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Niue
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  8.92 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Norway
  1.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oman
  0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  -1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Palau
  2.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Panama
  -0.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  -0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Peru
  -1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Philippines
  -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  -0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Portugal
  3.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  -1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Qatar
  15.17 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Reunion
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Romania
  -0.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Russia
  1.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  -5.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  -2.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  -4.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005
  est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  -7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  (2005 est.)

Samoa
  -11.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

San Marino
  10.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  -2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  -3.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Senegal
  0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  -5.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly
  returning (2005 est.)

Singapore
  10.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Somalia
  5.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

South Africa
  -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Spain
  0.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  -1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sudan
  -0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Suriname
  -8.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Swaziland
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Sweden
  1.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Syria
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  -2.67 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  -3.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Thailand
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Togo
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  -10.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  -0.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turkey
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  -0.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands 11.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uganda
  -1.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  -0.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

United States
  3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  -1.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  -0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  -8.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
  Caledonia (2005 est.)

West Bank
  2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Yemen
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Zambia
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 migrant(s)/1,000 population negligible migrant(s)/1,000
  population
  note: there is an increasing flow of Zimbabweans into South Africa
  and Botswana in search of better economic opportunities (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2113 Geography - note

Afghanistan
  landlocked; the Hindu Kush mountains that run northeast
  to southwest divide the northern provinces from the rest of the
  country; the highest peaks are in the northern Vakhan (Wakhan
  Corridor)

Akrotiri
  British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
  small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Albania
  strategic location along Strait of Otranto (links Adriatic
  Sea to Ionian Sea and Mediterranean Sea)

Algeria
  second-largest country in Africa (after Sudan)

American Samoa
  Pago Pago has one of the best natural deepwater
  harbors in the South Pacific Ocean, sheltered by shape from rough
  seas and protected by peripheral mountains from high winds;
  strategic location in the South Pacific Ocean

Andorra
  landlocked; straddles a number of important crossroads in
  the Pyrenees

Angola
  the province of Cabinda is an exclave, separated from the
  rest of the country by the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
  the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser
  Antilles

Antarctica
  the coldest, windiest, highest (on average), and driest
  continent; during summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface
  at the South Pole than is received at the Equator in an equivalent
  period; mostly uninhabitable

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua has a deeply indented shoreline with
  many natural harbors and beaches; Barbuda has a very large western
  harbor

Arctic Ocean
  major chokepoint is the southern Chukchi Sea (northern
  access to the Pacific Ocean via the Bering Strait); strategic
  location between North America and Russia; shortest marine link
  between the extremes of eastern and western Russia; floating
  research stations operated by the US and Russia; maximum snow cover
  in March or April about 20 to 50 centimeters over the frozen ocean;
  snow cover lasts about 10 months

Argentina
  second-largest country in South America (after Brazil);
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between the South Atlantic
  and the South Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel,
  Drake Passage); Cerro Aconcagua is South America's tallest mountain,
  while Laguna del Carbon is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere

Armenia
  landlocked in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains; Sevana Lich
  (Lake Sevan) is the largest lake in this mountain range

Aruba
  a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches;
  its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the
  Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27
  degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Ashmore Reef National Nature Reserve
  established in August 1983

Atlantic Ocean
  major chokepoints include the Dardanelles, Strait of
  Gibraltar, access to the Panama and Suez Canals; strategic straits
  include the Strait of Dover, Straits of Florida, Mona Passage, The
  Sound (Oresund), and Windward Passage; the Equator divides the
  Atlantic Ocean into the North Atlantic Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean

Australia
  world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country;
  population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts;
  the invigorating tropical sea breeze known as the "Fremantle Doctor"
  affects the city of Perth on the west coast, and is one of the most
  consistent winds in the world

Austria
  landlocked; strategic location at the crossroads of central
  Europe with many easily traversable Alpine passes and valleys; major
  river is the Danube; population is concentrated on eastern lowlands
  because of steep slopes, poor soils, and low temperatures elsewhere

Azerbaijan
  both the main area of the country and the Naxcivan
  exclave are landlocked

Bahamas, The
  strategic location adjacent to US and Cuba; extensive
  island chain of which 30 are inhabited

Bahrain
  close to primary Middle Eastern petroleum sources; strategic
  location in Persian Gulf, through which much of the Western world's
  petroleum must transit to reach open ocean

Baker Island
  treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting
  of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a
  nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
  and marine wildlife

Bangladesh
  most of the country is situated on deltas of large rivers
  flowing from the Himalayas: the Ganges unites with the Jamuna (main
  channel of the Brahmaputra) and later joins the Meghna to eventually
  empty into the Bay of Bengal

Barbados
  easternmost Caribbean island

Bassas da India
  the islands emerge from a circular reef that sits
  atop a long-extinct, submerged volcano

Belarus
  landlocked; glacial scouring accounts for the flatness of
  Belarusian terrain and for its 11,000 lakes; the country is
  geologically well endowed with extensive deposits of granite,
  dolomitic limestone, marl, chalk, sand, gravel, and clay

Belgium
  crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European
  capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels, the seat of both the European
  Union and NATO

Belize
  only country in Central America without a coastline on the
  North Pacific Ocean

Benin
  sandbanks create difficult access to a coast with no natural
  harbors, river mouths, or islands

Bermuda
  consists of about 138 coral islands and islets with ample
  rainfall, but no rivers or freshwater lakes; some land was leased by
  US Government from 1941 to 1995

Bhutan
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
  controls several key Himalayan mountain passes

Bolivia
  landlocked; shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest
  navigable lake (elevation 3,805 m), with Peru

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  within Bosnia and Herzegovina's recognized
  borders, the country is divided into a joint Bosniak/Croat
  Federation (about 51% of the territory) and the Bosnian Serb-led
  Republika Srpska or RS (about 49% of the territory); the region
  called Herzegovina is contiguous to Croatia and Serbia and
  Montenegro (Montenegro), and traditionally has been settled by an
  ethnic Croat majority in the west and an ethnic Serb majority in the
  east

Botswana
  landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the
  country

Bouvet Island
  covered by glacial ice; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
  largest country in South America; shares common boundaries
  with every South American country except Chile and Ecuador

British Indian Ocean Territory archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Virgin Islands
  strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and
  Puerto Rico

Brunei
  close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking
  Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by
  Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia

Bulgaria
  strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land
  routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia

Burkina Faso
  landlocked savanna cut by the three principal rivers of
  the Black, Red, and White Voltas

Burma
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes

Burundi
  landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the
  Kagera, which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote
  headstream of the White Nile

Cambodia
  a land of paddies and forests dominated by the Mekong River
  and Tonle Sap

Cameroon
  sometimes referred to as the hinge of Africa; throughout
  the country there are areas of thermal springs and indications of
  current or prior volcanic activity; Mount Cameroon, the highest
  mountain in Sub-Saharan west Africa, is an active volcano

Canada
  second-largest country in world (after Russia); strategic
  location between Russia and US via north polar route; approximately
  90% of the population is concentrated within 160 km of the US border

Cape Verde
  strategic location 500 km from west coast of Africa near
  major north-south sea routes; important communications station;
  important sea and air refueling site

Cayman Islands
  important location between Cuba and Central America

Central African Republic
  landlocked; almost the precise center of
  Africa

Chad
  landlocked; Lake Chad is the most significant water body in the
  Sahel

Chile
  strategic location relative to sea lanes between Atlantic and
  Pacific Oceans (Strait of Magellan, Beagle Channel, Drake Passage);
  Atacama Desert is one of world's driest regions

China
  world's fourth largest country (after Russia, Canada, and US);
  Mount Everest on the border with Nepal is the world's tallest peak

Christmas Island
  located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean

Clipperton Island
  reef 12 km in circumference

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  islands are thickly covered with coconut
  palms and other vegetation

Colombia
  only South American country with coastlines on both the
  North Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea

Comoros
  important location at northern end of Mozambique Channel

Congo, Democratic Republic of the straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands

Congo, Republic of the
  about 70% of the population lives in
  Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them

Cook Islands
  the northern Cook Islands are seven low-lying, sparsely
  populated, coral atolls; the southern Cook Islands consist of eight
  elevated, fertile, volcanic isles where most of the populace lives

Coral Sea Islands
  important nesting area for birds and turtles

Costa Rica
  four volcanoes, two of them active, rise near the capital
  of San Jose in the center of the country; one of the volcanoes,
  Irazu, erupted destructively in 1963-65

Cote d'Ivoire
  most of the inhabitants live along the sandy coastal
  region; apart from the capital area, the forested interior is
  sparsely populated

Croatia
  controls most land routes from Western Europe to Aegean Sea
  and Turkish Straits

Cuba
  largest country in Caribbean and westernmost island of the
  Greater Antilles

Cyprus
  the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (after
  Sicily and Sardinia)

Czech Republic
  landlocked; strategically located astride some of
  oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; Moravian Gate is
  a traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and
  the Danube in central Europe

Denmark
  controls Danish Straits (Skagerrak and Kattegat) linking
  Baltic and North Seas; about one-quarter of the population lives in
  greater Copenhagen

Dhekelia
  British extraterritorial rights also extended to several
  small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

Djibouti
  strategic location near world's busiest shipping lanes and
  close to Arabian oilfields; terminus of rail traffic into Ethiopia;
  mostly wasteland; Lac Assal (Lake Assal) is the lowest point in
  Africa

Dominica
  known as "The Nature Island of the Caribbean" due to its
  spectacular, lush, and varied flora and fauna, which are protected
  by an extensive natural park system; the most mountainous of the
  Lesser Antilles, its volcanic peaks are cones of lava craters and
  include Boiling Lake, the second-largest, thermally active lake in
  the world

Dominican Republic
  shares island of Hispaniola with Haiti

East Timor
  Timor comes from the Malay word for "East"; the island of
  Timor is part of the Malay Archipelago and is the largest and
  easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands

Ecuador
  Cotopaxi in Andes is highest active volcano in world

Egypt
  controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and
  remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link
  between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition
  to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics;
  dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues;
  prone to influxes of refugees

El Salvador
  smallest Central American country and only one without a
  coastline on Caribbean Sea

Equatorial Guinea
  insular and continental regions rather widely
  separated

Eritrea
  strategic geopolitical position along world's busiest
  shipping lanes; Eritrea retained the entire coastline of Ethiopia
  along the Red Sea upon de jure independence from Ethiopia on 24 May
  1993

Estonia
  the mainland terrain is flat, boggy, and partly wooded;
  offshore lie more than 1,500 islands

Ethiopia
  landlocked - entire coastline along the Red Sea was lost
  with the de jure independence of Eritrea on 24 May 1993; the Blue
  Nile, the chief headstream of the Nile by water volume, rises in
  T'ana Hayk (Lake Tana) in northwest Ethiopia; three major crops are
  believed to have originated in Ethiopia: coffee, grain sorghum, and
  castor bean

Europa Island
  wildlife sanctuary

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  deeply indented coast provides
  good natural harbors; short growing season

Faroe Islands
  archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one
  uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically
  located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic;
  precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands

Fiji
  includes 332 islands of which approximately 110 are inhabited

Finland
  long boundary with Russia; Helsinki is northernmost national
  capital on European continent; population concentrated on small
  southwestern coastal plain

France
  largest West European nation

French Guiana
  mostly an unsettled wilderness; the only
  non-independent portion of the South American continent

French Polynesia
  includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral);
  Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock
  islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island)
  in Kiribati and Nauru

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  islands component is widely
  scattered across remote locations in the southern Indian Ocean

Gabon
  a small population and oil and mineral reserves have helped
  Gabon become one of Africa's wealthier countries; in general, these
  circumstances have allowed the country to maintain and conserve its
  pristine rain forest and rich biodiversity

Gambia, The
  almost an enclave of Senegal; smallest country on the
  continent of Africa

Gaza Strip
  there are 25 Israeli settlements and civilian land use
  sites in the Gaza Strip (February 2002 est.)

Georgia
  strategically located east of the Black Sea; Georgia
  controls much of the Caucasus Mountains and the routes through them

Germany
  strategic location on North European Plain and along the
  entrance to the Baltic Sea

Ghana
  Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake

Gibraltar
  strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the
  North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea

Glorioso Islands
  the islands and rocks are surrounded by an
  extensive reef system

Greece
  strategic location dominating the Aegean Sea and southern
  approach to Turkish Straits; a peninsular country, possessing an
  archipelago of about 2,000 islands

Greenland
  dominates North Atlantic Ocean between North America and
  Europe; sparse population confined to small settlements along coast,
  but close to one-quarter of the population lives in the capital,
  Nuuk; world's second largest ice cap

Grenada
  the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is
  divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada

Guadeloupe
  a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe
  proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the
  smaller, eastern Grande-Terre

Guam
  largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands
  archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean

Guatemala
  no natural harbors on west coast

Guernsey
  large, deepwater harbor at Saint Peter Port

Guinea
  the Niger and its important tributary the Milo have their
  sources in the Guinean highlands

Guinea-Bissau
  this small country is swampy along its western coast
  and low-lying further inland

Guyana
  the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname
  and Uruguay; substantial portions of its western and eastern
  territories are claimed by Venezuela and Suriname respectively

Haiti
  shares island of Hispaniola with Dominican Republic (western
  one-third is Haiti, eastern two-thirds is the Dominican Republic)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  urban; landlocked; enclave in Rome, Italy;
  world's smallest state; outside the Vatican City, 13 buildings in
  Rome and Castel Gandolfo (the pope's summer residence) enjoy
  extraterritorial rights

Honduras
  has only a short Pacific coast but a long Caribbean
  shoreline, including the virtually uninhabited eastern Mosquito Coast

Hong Kong
  more than 200 islands

Howland Island
  almost totally covered with grasses, prostrate vines,
  and low-growing shrubs; small area of trees in the center; primarily
  a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds,
  and marine wildlife

Hungary
  landlocked; strategic location astride main land routes
  between Western Europe and Balkan Peninsula as well as between
  Ukraine and Mediterranean basin; the north-south flowing Duna
  (Danube) and Tisza Rivers divide the country into three large regions

Iceland
  strategic location between Greenland and Europe; westernmost
  European country; Reykjavik is the northernmost national capital in
  the world; more land covered by glaciers than in all of continental
  Europe

India
  dominates South Asian subcontinent; near important Indian
  Ocean trade routes

Indian Ocean
  major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of
  Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and
  the Lombok Strait

Indonesia
  archipelago of 17,508 islands (6,000 inhabited); straddles
  equator; strategic location astride or along major sea lanes from
  Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean

Iran
  strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz,
  which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport

Iraq
  strategic location on Shatt al Arab waterway and at the head of
  the Persian Gulf

Ireland
  strategic location on major air and sea routes between North
  America and northern Europe; over 40% of the population resides
  within 100 km of Dublin

Israel
  there are 242 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
  in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in
  the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (February 2002 est.); Sea
  of Galilee is an important freshwater source

Italy
  strategic location dominating central Mediterranean as well as
  southern sea and air approaches to Western Europe

Jamaica
  strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica
  Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal

Jan Mayen
  barren volcanic island with some moss and grass

Japan
  strategic location in northeast Asia

Jarvis Island
  sparse bunch grass, prostrate vines, and low-growing
  shrubs; primarily a nesting, roosting, and foraging habitat for
  seabirds, shorebirds, and marine wildlife

Jersey
  largest and southernmost of Channel Islands; about 30% of
  population concentrated in Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean;
  Johnston Island and Sand Island are natural islands, which have been
  expanded by coral dredging; North Island (Akau) and East Island
  (Hikina) are manmade islands formed from coral dredging; the
  egg-shaped reef is 34 km in circumference; closed to the public; a
  former US nuclear weapons test site; site of now-closed Johnston
  Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS); most facilities
  dismantled and cleanup complete in 2004; some low-growing vegetation

Jordan
  strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as
  the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the
  occupied West Bank

Juan de Nova Island
  wildlife sanctuary

Kazakhstan
  landlocked; Russia leases approximately 6,000 sq km of
  territory enclosing the Baykonur Cosmodrome; in January 2004,
  Kazakhstan and Russia extended the lease to 2050

Kenya
  the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful
  agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on
  Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography
  supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic
  value

Kingman Reef
  barren coral atoll with deep interior lagoon; closed to
  the public

Kiribati
  21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island)
  in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

Korea, North
  strategic location bordering China, South Korea, and
  Russia; mountainous interior is isolated and sparsely populated

Korea, South
  strategic location on Korea Strait

Kuwait
  strategic location at head of Persian Gulf

Kyrgyzstan
  landlocked; entirely mountainous, dominated by the Tien
  Shan range; many tall peaks, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes

Laos
  landlocked; most of the country is mountainous and thickly
  forested; the Mekong River forms a large part of the western
  boundary with Thailand

Latvia
  most of the country is composed of fertile, low-lying plains,
  with some hills in the east

Lebanon
  Nahr el Litani only major river in Near East not crossing an
  international boundary; rugged terrain historically helped isolate,
  protect, and develop numerous factional groups based on religion,
  clan, and ethnicity

Lesotho
  landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa;
  mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea
  level

Liberia
  facing the Atlantic Ocean, the coastline is characterized by
  lagoons, mangrove swamps, and river-deposited sandbars; the inland
  grassy plateau supports limited agriculture

Libya
  more than 90% of the country is desert or semidesert

Liechtenstein
  along with Uzbekistan, one of only two doubly
  landlocked countries in the world; variety of microclimatic
  variations based on elevation

Lithuania
  fertile central plains are separated by hilly uplands that
  are ancient glacial deposits

Luxembourg
  landlocked; the only Grand Duchy in the world

Macau
  essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the
  two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland

Macedonia
  landlocked; major transportation corridor from Western and
  Central Europe to Aegean Sea and Southern Europe to Western Europe

Madagascar
  world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along
  Mozambique Channel

Malawi
  landlocked; Lake Nyasa, some 580 km long, is the country's
  most prominent physical feature

Malaysia
  strategic location along Strait of Malacca and southern
  South China Sea

Maldives
  1,190 coral islands grouped into 26 atolls (200 inhabited
  islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts); archipelago with
  strategic location astride and along major sea lanes in Indian Ocean

Mali
  landlocked; divided into three natural zones: the southern,
  cultivated Sudanese; the central, semiarid Sahelian; and the
  northern, arid Saharan

Malta
  the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three
  largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino)
  being inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and
  Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
  continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
  exploration

Man, Isle of
  one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the
  southwest, and is a bird sanctuary

Marshall Islands
  two archipelagic island chains of 30 atolls and
  1,152 islands; Bikini and Enewetak are former US nuclear test sites;
  Kwajalein, the famous World War II battleground, is now used as a US
  missile test range

Martinique
  the island is dominated by Mount Pelee, which on 8 May
  1902 erupted and completely destroyed the city of Saint Pierre,
  killing 30,000 inhabitants

Mauritania
  most of the population concentrated in the cities of
  Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the
  southern part of the country

Mauritius
  the main island, from which the country derives its name,
  is of volcanic origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral
  reefs

Mayotte
  part of Comoro Archipelago; 18 islands

Mexico
  strategic location on southern border of US; corn (maize),
  one of the world's major grain crops, is thought to have originated
  in Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of
  four major island groups totaling
  607 islands

Midway Islands
  a coral atoll managed as a national wildlife refuge
  and open to the public for wildlife-related recreation in the form
  of wildlife observation and photography, sport fishing, snorkeling,
  and scuba diving; the refuge is temporarily closed for
  reorganization at present (2004)

Moldova
  landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and
  minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone

Monaco
  second-smallest independent state in the world (after Holy
  See); almost entirely urban

Mongolia
  landlocked; strategic location between China and Russia

Montserrat
  the island is entirely volcanic in origin and contains
  seven active volcanoes

Morocco
  strategic location along Strait of Gibraltar

Mozambique
  the Zambezi flows through the north-central and most
  fertile part of the country

Namibia
  first country in the world to incorporate the protection of
  the environment into its constitution; some 14% of the land is
  protected, including virtually the entire Namib Desert coastal strip

Nauru
  Nauru is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the
  Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
  Makatea in French Polynesia; only 53 km south of Equator

Navassa Island
  strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base
  at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough
  grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees,
  scattered cactus

Nepal
  landlocked; strategic location between China and India;
  contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest
  - the world's tallest - on the border with China

Netherlands
  located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine,
  Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands Antilles
  the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles
  are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group
  (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands
  (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

New Caledonia
  consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of
  the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute,
  and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

New Zealand
  about 80% of the population lives in cities; Wellington
  is the southernmost national capital in the world

Nicaragua
  largest country in Central America; contains the largest
  freshwater body in Central America, Lago de Nicaragua

Niger
  landlocked; one of the hottest countries in the world:
  northern four-fifths is desert, southern one-fifth is savanna,
  suitable for livestock and limited agriculture

Nigeria
  the Niger enters the country in the northwest and flows
  southward through tropical rain forests and swamps to its delta in
  the Gulf of Guinea

Niue
  one of world's largest coral islands

Norfolk Island
  most of the 32-km coastline consists of almost
  inaccessible cliffs, but the land slopes down to the sea in one
  small southern area on Sydney Bay, where the capital of Kingston is
  situated

Northern Mariana Islands
  strategic location in the North Pacific
  Ocean

Norway
  about two-thirds mountains; some 50,000 islands off its much
  indented coastline; strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and air
  routes in North Atlantic; one of most rugged and longest coastlines
  in world

Oman
  strategic location on Musandam Peninsula adjacent to Strait of
  Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

Pacific Ocean
  the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama
  Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides
  the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific
  Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in
  the southwestern Pacific Ocean

Pakistan
  controls Khyber Pass and Bolan Pass, traditional invasion
  routes between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent

Palau
  westernmost archipelago in the Caroline chain, consists of six
  island groups totaling more than 300 islands; includes World War II
  battleground of Beliliou (Peleliu) and world-famous rock islands

Palmyra Atoll
  about 50 islets covered with dense vegetation, coconut
  trees, and balsa-like trees up to 30 meters tall

Panama
  strategic location on eastern end of isthmus forming land
  bridge connecting North and South America; controls Panama Canal
  that links North Atlantic Ocean via Caribbean Sea with North Pacific
  Ocean

Papua New Guinea
  shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of
  world's largest swamps along southwest coast

Paracel Islands
  composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs
  divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent
  Group

Paraguay
  landlocked; lies between Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil;
  population concentrated in southern part of country

Peru
  shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable
  lake, with Bolivia; a remote slope of Nevado Mismi, a 5,316 m peak,
  is the ultimate source of the Amazon River

Philippines
  the Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands;
  favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water
  bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea,
  and Luzon Strait

Pitcairn Islands
  Britain's most isolated dependency; only the larger
  island of Pitcairn is inhabited but it has no port or natural
  harbor; supplies must be transported by rowed longboat from larger
  ships stationed offshore

Poland
  historically, an area of conflict because of flat terrain and
  the lack of natural barriers on the North European Plain

Portugal
  Azores and Madeira Islands occupy strategic locations along
  western sea approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Puerto Rico
  important location along the Mona Passage - a key
  shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is one of the biggest
  and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small rivers and
  high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south coast
  relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

Qatar
  strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major
  petroleum deposits

Reunion
  this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano,
  Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at
  Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the
  Indian Ocean

Romania
  controls most easily traversable land route between the
  Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine

Russia
  largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably
  located in relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its
  size, much of the country lacks proper soils and climates (either
  too cold or too dry) for agriculture; Mount El'brus is Europe's
  tallest peak

Rwanda
  landlocked; most of the country is savanna grassland with the
  population predominantly rural

Saint Helena
  harbors at least 40 species of plants unknown anywhere
  else in the world; Ascension is a breeding ground for sea turtles
  and sooty terns

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  with coastlines in the shape of a baseball bat
  and ball, the two volcanic islands are separated by a three-km-wide
  channel called The Narrows; on the southern tip of long, baseball
  bat-shaped Saint Kitts lies the Great Salt Pond; Nevis Peak sits in
  the center of its almost circular namesake island and its ball shape
  complements that of its sister island

Saint Lucia
  the twin Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton), striking
  cone-shaped peaks south of Soufriere, are one of the scenic natural
  highlights of the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  vegetation scanty

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines the administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is comprised of 32 islands and cays

Samoa
  occupies an almost central position within Polynesia

San Marino
  landlocked; smallest independent state in Europe after
  the Holy See and Monaco; dominated by the Apennines

Sao Tome and Principe
  the smallest country in Africa; the two main
  islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are
  fairly mountainous

Saudi Arabia
  extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea
  provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through
  Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Senegal
  westernmost country on the African continent; The Gambia is
  almost an enclave within Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro
  controls one of the major land routes from
  Western Europe to Turkey and the Near East; strategic location along
  the Adriatic coast

Seychelles
  41 granitic and about 75 coralline islands

Sierra Leone
  rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches)
  a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western
  Africa

Singapore
  focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Slovakia
  landlocked; most of the country is rugged and mountainous;
  the Tatra Mountains in the north are interspersed with many scenic
  lakes and valleys

Slovenia
  despite its small size, this eastern Alpine country
  controls some of Europe's major transit routes

Solomon Islands
  strategic location on sea routes between the South
  Pacific Ocean, the Solomon Sea, and the Coral Sea

Somalia
  strategic location on Horn of Africa along southern
  approaches to Bab el Mandeb and route through Red Sea and Suez Canal

South Africa
  South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost
  completely surrounds Swaziland

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  the north coast of
  South Georgia has several large bays, which provide good anchorage;
  reindeer, introduced early in the 20th century, live on South Georgia

Southern Ocean
  the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between
  South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic
  Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent
  of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the
  Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar
  surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the
  Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching
  south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south
  in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum
  westerly winds

Spain
  strategic location along approaches to Strait of Gibraltar

Spratly Islands
  strategically located near several primary shipping
  lanes in the central South China Sea; includes numerous small
  islands, atolls, shoals, and coral reefs

Sri Lanka
  strategic location near major Indian Ocean sea lanes

Sudan
  largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its
  tributaries

Suriname
  smallest independent country on South American continent;
  mostly tropical rain forest; great diversity of flora and fauna
  that, for the most part, is increasingly threatened by new
  development; relatively small population, mostly along the coast

Svalbard
  northernmost part of the Kingdom of Norway; consists of
  nine main islands; glaciers and snowfields cover 60% of the total
  area

Swaziland
  landlocked; almost completely surrounded by South Africa

Sweden
  strategic location along Danish Straits linking Baltic and
  North Seas

Switzerland
  landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
  along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern
  Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

Syria
  there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites
  in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (February 2002 est.)

Taiwan
  strategic location adjacent to both the Taiwan Strait and the
  Luzon Strait

Tajikistan
  landlocked; mountainous region dominated by the
  Trans-Alay Range in the north and the Pamirs in the southeast;
  highest point, Qullai Ismoili Somoni (formerly Communism Peak), was
  the tallest mountain in the former USSR

Tanzania
  Kilimanjaro is highest point in Africa; bordered by three
  of the largest lakes on the continent: Lake Victoria (the world's
  second-largest freshwater lake) in the north, Lake Tanganyika (the
  world's second deepest) in the west, and Lake Nyasa in the southwest

Thailand
  controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Togo
  the country's length allows it to stretch through six distinct
  geographic regions; climate varies from tropical to savanna

Tokelau
  consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a
  number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over
  three meters above sea level

Tonga
  archipelago of 169 islands (36 inhabited)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Pitch Lake, on Trinidad's southwestern coast, is
  the world's largest natural reservoir of asphalt

Tromelin Island
  climatologically important location for forecasting
  cyclones; wildlife sanctuary (seabirds, tortoises)

Tunisia
  strategic location in central Mediterranean; Malta and
  Tunisia are discussing the commercial exploitation of the
  continental shelf between their countries, particularly for oil
  exploration

Turkey
  strategic location controlling the Turkish Straits (Bosporus,
  Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles) that link Black and Aegean Seas; Mount
  Ararat, the legendary landing place of Noah's Ark, is in the far
  eastern portion of the country

Turkmenistan
  landlocked; the western and central low-lying, desolate
  portions of the country make up the great Garagum (Kara-Kum) desert,
  which occupies over 80% of the country; eastern part is plateau

Turks and Caicos Islands
  about 40 islands (eight inhabited)

Tuvalu
  one of the smallest and most remote countries on Earth; six
  of the coral atolls - Nanumea, Nui, Vaitupu, Nukufetau, Funafuti,
  and Nukulaelae - have lagoons open to the ocean; Nanumaya and Niutao
  have landlocked lagoons; Niulakita does not have a lagoon

Uganda
  landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and
  rivers

Ukraine
  strategic position at the crossroads between Europe and
  Asia; second-largest country in Europe

United Arab Emirates
  strategic location along southern approaches to
  Strait of Hormuz, a vital transit point for world crude oil

United Kingdom
  lies near vital North Atlantic sea lanes; only 35 km
  from France and now linked by tunnel under the English Channel;
  because of heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125
  km from tidal waters

United States
  world's third-largest country by size (after Russia
  and Canada) and by population (after China and India); Mt. McKinley
  is highest point in North America and Death Valley the lowest point
  on the continent

Uruguay
  second-smallest South American country (after Suriname);
  most of the low-lying landscape (three-quarters of the country) is
  grassland, ideal for cattle and sheep raising

Uzbekistan
  along with Liechtenstein, one of the only two doubly
  landlocked countries in the world

Vanuatu
  a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller
  islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes

Venezuela
  on major sea and air routes linking North and South
  America; Angel Falls in the Guiana Highlands is the world's highest
  waterfall

Vietnam
  extending 1,650 km north to south, the country is only 50 km
  across at its narrowest point

Virgin Islands
  important location along the Anegada Passage - a key
  shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best
  natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean

Wake Island
  strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean; emergency
  landing location for transpacific flights

Wallis and Futuna
  both island groups have fringing reefs

West Bank
  landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's
  coastal aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East
  Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts
  (August 2003 est.)

Western Sahara
  the waters off the coast are particularly rich
  fishing areas

World
  the world is now thought to be about 4.55 billion years old,
  just about one-third of the 13-billion-year age estimated for the
  universe

Yemen
  strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the
  Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping
  lanes

Zambia
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
  with Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe
  landlocked; the Zambezi forms a natural riverine boundary
  with Zambia; in full flood (February-April) the massive Victoria
  Falls on the river forms the world's largest curtain of falling water

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2115 Political pressure groups and leaders

Afghanistan
  Jamiat-e Islami (Society of Islam) [former President
  Burhanuddin RABBANI]; Ittihad-e Islami (Islamic Union for the
  Liberation of Afghanistan), [Abdul Rasul SAYYAF]; there are also
  small monarchist, communist, and democratic groups

Albania
  Confederation of Trade Unions of Albania or KSSH [Kastriot
  MUCO]; Front for Albanian National Unification or FBKSH [Gafur
  ADILI]; Omonia [Jani JANI]; Union of Independent Trade Unions of
  Albania or BSPSH [Gezim KALAJA]

Algeria
  The Algerian Human Rights League or LADH or LADDH [Yahia Ali
  ABDENOUR]; SOS Disparus [Nacera DUTOUR]; Somoud [Ali MERABET]

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda or FLEC
  [N'zita Henriques TIAGO, Antonio Bento BEMBE]
  note: FLEC is waging a small-scale, highly factionalized, armed
  struggle for the independence of Cabinda Province

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua Trades and Labor Union or ATLU [William
  ROBINSON]; People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Hugh MARSHALL]

Argentina
  Argentine Association of Pharmaceutical Labs (CILFA);
  Argentine Industrial Union (manufacturers' association); Argentine
  Rural Society (large landowners' association); business
  organizations; Central of Argentine Workers or CTA (a radical union
  for employed and unemployed workers); General Confederation of Labor
  or CGT (Peronist-leaning umbrella labor organization);
  Peronist-dominated labor movement; Roman Catholic Church; students

Armenia
  Yerkrapah Union [Manvel GRIGORIAN]

Aruba
  NA

Austria
  Austrian Trade Union Federation (nominally independent but
  primarily Socialist) or OeGB; Federal Economic Chamber;
  OeVP-oriented League of Austrian Industrialists or VOeI; Roman
  Catholic Church, including its chief lay organization, Catholic
  Action; three composite leagues of the Austrian People's Party or
  OeVP representing business, labor, and farmers and other
  non-government organizations in the areas of environment and human
  rights

Azerbaijan
  Sadval, Lezgin movement; self-proclaimed Armenian
  Nagorno-Karabakh Republic; Talysh independence movement; Union of
  Pro-Azerbaijani Forces (UPAF)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97,
  demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to
  unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic
  fundamentalist groups are active

Bangladesh
  NA

Barbados
  Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor
  Union [David COMMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric
  SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]

Belarus
  NA

Belgium
  Christian, Socialist, and Liberal Trade Unions; Federation
  of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing
  bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and
  medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural
  interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax
  Christi and groups representing immigrants

Belize
  Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR
  [Adele CATZIM]

Benin
  NA

Bermuda
  Bermuda Employer's Union [Eddie SAINTS]; Bermuda Industrial
  Union or BIU [Derrick BURGESS]; Bermuda Public Services Union or
  BPSU [Ed BALL]; Bermuda Union of Teachers [Michael CHARLES]

Bhutan
  Buddhist clergy; ethnic Nepalese organizations leading
  militant antigovernment campaign; Indian merchant community; United
  Front for Democracy (exiled)

Bolivia
  Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions;
  Sole Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman
  LOAYZA]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  NA

Brazil
  Landless Worker's Movement; labor unions and federations;
  large farmers' associations; religious groups including evangelical
  christian churches and the Catholic Church

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria or
  CITUB; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; numerous regional, ethnic, and
  national interest groups with various agendas

Burkina Faso
  Burkinabe General Confederation of Labor or CGTB;
  Burkinabe Movement for Human Rights or MBDHP; Group of 14 February;
  National Confederation of Burkinabe Workers or CNTB; National
  Organization of Free Unions or ONSL; watchdog/political action
  groups throughout the country in both organizations and communities

Burma
  National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB
  (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN
  WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the
  People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and
  joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in
  exile); Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or
  KNU; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union
  Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-government, a
  social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]

Burundi
  loosely organized Hutu and Tutsi militias, often affiliated
  with Hutu and Tutsi extremist parties or subordinate to government
  security forces

Cambodia
  NA

Cameroon
  Southern Cameroon National Council [Ayamba Ette OTUN];
  Human Rights Defense Group [Albert MUKONG, president]

Canada
  NA

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  NA

Chad
  NA

Chile
  revitalized university student federations at all major
  universities; Roman Catholic Church; United Labor Central or CUT
  includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor
  confederations

China
  no substantial political opposition groups exist, although the
  government has identified the Falungong spiritual movement and the
  China Democracy Party as subversive groups

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  two largest insurgent groups active in Colombia -
  Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC and National
  Liberation Army or ELN; largest anti-insurgent paramilitary group is
  United Self-Defense Groups of Colombia or AUC

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  Congolese Trade Union Congress or CSC;
  General Union of Congolese Pupils and Students or UGEEC;
  Revolutionary Union of Congolese Women or URFC; Union of Congolese
  Socialist Youth or UJSC

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  Authentic Confederation of Democratic Workers or CATD
  (Communist Party affiliate); Chamber of Coffee Growers; Confederated
  Union of Workers or CUT (Communist Party affiliate); Costa Rican
  Confederation of Democratic Workers or CCTD (Liberation Party
  affiliate); Federation of Public Service Workers or FTSP; National
  Association for Economic Development or ANFE; National Association
  of Educators or ANDE; Rerum Novarum or CTRN (PLN affiliate) [Gilbert
  Brown]

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA

Croatia
  NA

Cuba
  NA

Cyprus
  Confederation of Cypriot Workers or SEK (pro-West);
  Confederation of Revolutionary Labor Unions or Dev-Is; Federation of
  Turkish Cypriot Labor Unions or Turk-Sen; Pan-Cyprian Labor
  Federation or PEO (Communist controlled)

Czech Republic
  Bohemian and Moravian Trade Union Confederation
  [Milan STECH]

Denmark
  NA

Djibouti
  Union for Presidential Majority UMP (coalition includes
  RPP, FRUD, PPSD and PND); Union for Democratic Changeover or UAD
  (opposition coalition includes ARD, MRDD, UDJ, and PDD) [Ahmed Dini
  AHMED]

Dominica
  Dominica Liberation Movement or DLM (a small leftist party)

Dominican Republic
  Collective of Popular Organizations or COP;
  Citizen Participation Group (Participacion Ciudadania); Foundation
  for Institution-Building (FINJUS)

East Timor
  Popular Council for the Defense of the Democratic
  Republic of East Timor or CPD-RDTL [leader Antonio-Aitahan MATAK] is
  largest political pressure group; it rejects current government and
  claims to be rightful government; Kolimau 2000 [leader Dr. Bruno
  MAGALHAES] is another opposition group; dissatisfied veterans of
  struggle against Indonesia, led by one-time government advisor
  Cornelio GAMA (also known as L-7), also play an important role in
  pressuring government

Ecuador
  Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador or
  CONAIE [Luis MACAS, president]; Coordinator of Social Movements or
  CMS [F. Napoleon SANTOS]; Federation of Indigenous Evangelists of
  Ecuador or FEINE [Marco MURILLO, president]; National Federation of
  Indigenous Afro-Ecuatorianos and Peasants or FENOCIN [Pedro DE LA
  CRUZ, president]; Popular Front or FP [Luis VILLACIS]

Egypt
  despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties,
  the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's
  potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated
  limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two
  terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its
  influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in
  practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are
  officially sanctioned

El Salvador
  labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El
  Salvador or SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar
  Transport and other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National
  Confederation of Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of
  Salvadoran Workers or UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or
  SIPES; Salvadoran Union of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or
  USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers Central or CTS; Workers Union of
  Electrical Corporation or STCEL; business organizations - National
  Association of Small Enterprise or ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly
  Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran Industrial Association or
  ASI

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  Eritrean Islamic Jihad or EIJ [leader NA] (also including
  Eritrean Islamic Jihad Movement or EIJM (also known as the Abu Sihel
  Movement) [leader NA]); Eritrean Islamic Salvation or EIS (also
  known as the Arafa Movement) [leader NA]; Eritrean Liberation Front
  or ELF [ABDULLAH Muhammed]; Eritrean National Alliance or ENA (a
  coalition including EIJ, EIS, ELF, and a number of ELF factions)
  [HERUY Tedla Biru]; Eritrean Public Forum or EPF [ARADOM Iyob]

Estonia
  NA

Ethiopia
  Afar Revolutionary Democratic Union Front or ARDUF [leader
  NA]; Council of Alternative Forces for Peace and Democracy in
  Ethiopia or CAFPDE [BEYANE Petros]; Southern Ethiopia People's
  Democratic Coalition or SEPDC [BEYANE Petros]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  NA

France
  historically-Communist labor union (Confederation Generale du
  Travail) or CGT, approximately 700,000 members (claimed);
  left-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
  Travail) or CFDT, approximately 889,000 members (claimed);
  independent labor union (Confederation Generale du Travail - Force
  Ouvriere) or FO, 300,000 members (est.); independent white-collar
  union (Confederation Generale des Cadres) or CGC, 196,000 members
  (claimed); employers' union (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) or
  MEDEF, 750,000 companies as members (claimed)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  NA

Georgia
  Georgian independent deputies from Abkhaz government in
  exile; separatists in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South
  Ossetia; supporters of the late ousted President Zviad GAMSAKHURDYA

Germany
  business associations, employers' organizations; expellee,
  refugee, trade unions, and veterans groups

Ghana
  NA

Gibraltar
  Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives
  Organization; Women's Association

Greece
  General Confederation of Greek Workers or GSEE [Khristos
  POLYZOGOPOLOS]; Federation of Greek Industries or SEV [Odysseas
  KYRIAKOPOULOS]; Civil Servants Confederation or ADEDY [Spyros
  PAPASPYROS]

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or
  KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General
  Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent
  Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  Agrarian Owners Group or UNAGRO; Alliance Against Impunity
  or AAI; Committee for Campesino Unity or CUC; Coordinating Committee
  of Agricultural, Commercial, Industrial, and Financial Associations
  or CACIF; Mutual Support Group or GAM

Guernsey
  none

Guinea
  NA

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  Civil Liberties Action Committee or CLAC; Guyana Council of
  Indian Organizations or GCIO; Trades Union Congress or TUC
  note: the GCIO and the CLAC are small and active but not well
  organized

Haiti
  Autonomous Organizations of Haitian Workers or CATH [Fignole
  ST-CYR]; Confederation of Haitian Workers or CTH; Federation of
  Workers Trade Unions or FOS; Group of 184 Civil Society
  Organization, or G-184 [Andy APAID]; National Popular Assembly or
  APN; Papaye Peasants Movement or MPP [Chavannes JEAN-BAPTISTE];
  Popular Organizations Gathering Power or PROP; Roman Catholic
  Church; Protestant Federation of Haiti

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none (exclusive of influence exercised by
  church officers)

Honduras
  Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Honduras or
  CODEH; Confederation of Honduran Workers or CTH; Coordinating
  Committee of Popular Organizations or CCOP; General Workers
  Confederation or CGT; Honduran Council of Private Enterprise or
  COHEP; National Association of Honduran Campesinos or ANACH;
  National Union of Campesinos or UNC; Popular Bloc or BP; United
  Federation of Honduran Workers or FUTH

Hong Kong
  Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China); Chinese
  Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong; Confederation of Trade
  Unions or CTU (pro-democracy) [LAU Chin-shek, president; LEE
  Cheuk-yan, general secretary]; Federation of Hong Kong Industries;
  Federation of Trade Unions or FTU (pro-China) [CHENG Yiu-tong,
  executive councilor]; Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic
  Democratic Movement in China [Szeto WAH, chairman]; Hong Kong and
  Kowloon Trade Union Council (pro-Taiwan); Hong Kong General Chamber
  of Commerce; Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union [CHEUNG
  Man-kwong, president]; Neighborhood and Workers' Service Center or
  NWSC (pro-democracy); The Alliance [Bernard CHAN, exco member]

Hungary
  NA

Iceland
  NA

India
  numerous religious or militant/chauvinistic organizations,
  including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, and Rashtriya
  Swayamsevak Sangh; various separatist groups seeking greater
  communal and/or regional autonomy, including the All Parties
  Hurriyat Conference in the Kashmir Valley and the National Socialist
  Council of Nagaland in the Northeast

Indonesia
  NA

Iran
  political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political
  activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic
  include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the
  Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic
  Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active
  pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening
  Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the
  National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist
  organizations; armed political groups that have been almost
  completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq
  Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian
  Kurdistan, and Komala

Iraq
  an insurgency against the Iraqi Interim Government and
  Coalition forces is primarily concentrated in Baghdad and in areas
  west and north of the capital; the diverse, multigroup insurgency is
  led principally by Sunni Arabs whose only common denominator is a
  shared desire to oust the Coalition and end US influence in Iraq

Ireland
  NA

Israel
  Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West
  Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in
  the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Yesha (settler) Council promotes
  settler interests and opposes territorial compromise; B'Tselem
  monitors human rights abuses

Italy
  Italian manufacturers and merchants associations
  (Confindustria, Confcommercio); organized farm groups
  (Confcoltivatori, Confagricoltura); Roman Catholic Church; three
  major trade union confederations (Confederazione Generale Italiana
  del Lavoro or CGIL [Guglielmo EPIFANI] which is left wing,
  Confederazione Italiana dei Sindacati Lavoratori or CISL [Savino
  PEZZOTTA], which is Roman Catholic centrist, and Unione Italiana del
  Lavoro or UIL [Luigi ANGELETTI] which is lay centrist)

Jamaica
  New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black
  religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)

Japan
  NA

Jersey
  none

Jordan
  Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice
  chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president];
  Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim
  Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]

Kazakhstan
  Adil-Soz [Tamara KALEYEVA]; Almaty Helsinki Group [Ninel
  FOKINA]; Confederation of Free Trade Unions [Sergei BELKIN];
  Kazakhstan International Bureau on Human Rights [Yevgeniy ZHOVTIS,
  executive director]; Pensioners Movement or Pokoleniye [Irina
  SAVOSTINA, chairwoman]; Republican Network of International Monitors
  [Dos KUSHIM]; Transparency International [Sergei ZLOTNIKOV]

Kenya
  human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations;
  National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition
  of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha
  KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK
  [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;
  Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur
  al-BUSAIDY]

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  none

Korea, South
  Federation of Korean Industries; Federation of Korean
  Trade Unions; Korean Confederation of Trade Unions; Korean National
  Council of Churches; Korean Traders Association; Korean Veterans'
  Association; National Council of Labor Unions; National Democratic
  Alliance of Korea; National Federation of Farmers' Associations;
  National Federation of Student Associations

Kuwait
  several political groups act as de facto parties: Bedouins,
  merchants, Sunni and Shi'a activists, and secular leftists and
  nationalists

Kyrgyzstan
  Council of Free Trade Unions; Kyrgyz Committee on Human
  Rights [Ramazan DYRYLDAYEV]; National Unity Democratic Movement;
  Union of Entrepreneurs

Laos
  noncommunist political groups proscribed; most opposition
  leaders fled the country in 1975

Latvia
  Headquarters for the Protection of Russian Schools (SHTAB)
  [Aleksandr KAZAKOV]

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  NA

Liberia
  NA

Libya
  various Arab nationalist movements with almost negligible
  memberships may be functioning clandestinely, as well as some
  Islamic elements; an anti-QADHAFI Libyan exile movement exists,
  primarily based in London, but has little influence

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector
  trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural
  producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union
  representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of
  Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL
  (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union);
  OGBL (center-left trade union)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  Civic Movement of Macedonia [Gordana SILJANOVSKA];
  Movement for Macedonia's Euro-Atlantic Integration [Dosta DIMOVSKA]

Madagascar
  Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR;
  Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National
  Council of Christian Churches or FFKM

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  NA

Maldives
  none

Mali
  Patriotic Movement of the Ghanda Koye or MPGK; United Movement
  and Fronts of Azawad or MFUA

Malta
  NA

Man, Isle of
  none

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  Caribbean Revolutionary Alliance or ARC; Central Union
  for Martinique Workers or CSTM [Marc PULVAR]; Frantz Fanon Circle;
  League of Workers and Peasants; Proletarian Action Group or GAP

Mauritania
  Arab nationalists; Ba'thists; General Confederation of
  Mauritanian Workers or CGTM [Abdallahi Ould MOHAMED, secretary
  general]; Independent Confederation of Mauritanian Workers or CLTM
  [Samory Ould BEYE]; Islamists; Mauritanian Workers Union or UTM
  [Mohamed Ely Ould BRAHIM, secretary general]

Mauritius
  various labor unions

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  Confederation of Employers of the Mexican Republic or
  COPARMEX; Confederation of Industrial Chambers or CONCAMIN;
  Confederation of Mexican Workers or CTM; Confederation of National
  Chambers of Commerce or CONCANACO; Coordinator for Foreign Trade
  Business Organizations or COECE; Federation of Unions Providing
  Goods and Services or FESEBES; National Chamber of Transformation
  Industries or CANACINTRA; National Peasant Confederation or CNC;
  National Union of Workers or UNT; Regional Confederation of Mexican
  Workers or CROM; Revolutionary Confederation of Workers and Peasants
  or CROC; Roman Catholic Church

Moldova
  NA

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  NA

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  Democratic Confederation of Labor or CDT [Noubir AMAOUI];
  General Union of Moroccan Workers or UGTM [Abderrazzak AFILAL];
  Moroccan Employers Association or CGEM [Hassan CHAMI]; National
  Labor Union of Morocco or UNMT [Abdelslam MAATI]; Union of Moroccan
  Workers or UMT [Mahjoub BENSEDDIK]

Mozambique
  Institute for Peace and Democracy (Instituto para Paz e
  Democracia) or IPADE [Raul DOMINGOS, president]; Etica [Abdul CARIMO
  Issa, chairman]; Movement for Peace and Citizenship (Movimento para
  Paz e Cidadania); Mozambican League of Human Rights (Liga
  Mocambicana dos Direitos Humanos) or LDH [Alice MABOTE, president];
  Human Rights and Development (Direitos Humanos e Desenvolvimento) or
  DHD [Artemisia FRANCO, secretary general]

Namibia
  NA

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, also
  known as PRAHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, from Communist
  Party of Nepal/Maoist, chief negotiator]; numerous small,
  left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical
  Nepalese antimonarchist groups

Netherlands
  Netherlands Trade Union Federation (FNV) (consisting of
  a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade
  Union Federation (CNV); Trade Union Federation of Middle and High
  Personnel (MHP); Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
  Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational
  firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  NA

Nicaragua
  National Workers Front or FNT is a Sandinista umbrella
  group of eight labor unions including - Farm Workers Association or
  ATC, Health Workers Federation or FETASALUD, Heroes and Martyrs
  Confederation of Professional Associations or CONAPRO, National
  Association of Educators of Nicaragua or ANDEN, National Union of
  Employees or UNE, National Union of Farmers and Ranchers or UNAG,
  Sandinista Workers Central or CST, and Union of Journalists of
  Nicaragua or UPN; Permanent Congress of Workers or CPT is an
  umbrella group of four non-Sandinista labor unions including -
  Autonomous Nicaraguan Workers Central or CTN-A, Confederation of
  Labor Unification or CUS, Independent General Confederation of Labor
  or CGT-I, and Labor Action and Unity Central or CAUS; Nicaraguan
  Workers' Central or CTN is an independent labor union; Superior
  Council of Private Enterprise or COSEP is a confederation of
  business groups

Niger
  NA

Nigeria
  Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force or NDPVF [Mujahid
  Dokubo ASARI]; Nigerian Labor Congress or NLC [Adams OSHIOMOLE]

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  NA

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  military remains most important political force; ulema
  (clergy), landowners, industrialists, and small merchants also
  influential

Palau
  NA

Panama
  Chamber of Commerce; National Civic Crusade; National Council
  of Organized Workers or CONATO; National Council of Private
  Enterprise or CONEP; National Union of Construction and Similar
  Workers (SUNTRACS); Panamanian Association of Business Executives or
  APEDE; Panamanian Industrialists Society or SIP; Workers
  Confederation of the Republic of Panama or CTRP

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  Ahorristas Estafados or AE; Coordinating Table of National
  Campesino Organizations or MCNOC; National Federation of Campesinos
  or FNC; National Workers Central or CNT; Paraguayan Workers
  Confederation or CPT; Roman Catholic Church; Unitary Workers Central
  or CUT

Peru
  leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN
  Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac
  Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned),
  Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)]

Philippines
  AKBAYAN [Reps. Etta ROSALES, Mario AGUJA, and Risa
  HONTIVEROS-BARAQUIEL]; ANAKPAWIS [Reps. Crispin BELTRAN and Rafael
  MARIANO]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC)
  [Reps. Edgar VALDEZ, Ernesto PABLO, and Sunny Rose MADAMBA]; Bayan
  Muna [Reps. Satur OCAMPO, Joel VIRADOR, and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.];
  BUHAY [Reps. Rene VELARDE and Hans Christian SENERES]; BUTIL [Rep.
  Benjamin CRUZ]; CIBAC [Rep. Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; GABRIELA
  [Rep. Liza MAZA]; PARTIDO NG MANGGAGAWA [Rep. Renato MAGTUBO] (2003)

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  All Poland Trade Union Alliance or OPZZ (trade union) [Jan
  GUZ]; Roman Catholic Church [Cardinal Jozef GLEMP]; Solidarity Trade
  Union [Janusz SNIADEK]

Portugal
  NA

Puerto Rico
  Armed Forces for National Liberation or FALN; Armed
  Forces of Popular Resistance; Boricua Popular Army (also known as
  the Macheteros); Volunteers of the Puerto Rican Revolution

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  various human rights and professional associations

Russia
  NA

Rwanda
  IBUKA - association of genocide survivors

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  none

Senegal
  labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers

Serbia and Montenegro
  Political Council for Presevo, Medvedja and
  Bujanovac or PCPMB [leader NA]; Group for Changes of Montenegro or
  GZP [Nebojsa MEDOJEVIC]

Seychelles
  Roman Catholic Church; trade unions

Sierra Leone
  trade unions and student unions

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns
  and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
  Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for
  power

South Africa
  Congress of South African Trade Unions or COSATU
  [Zwelinzima VAVI, general secretary]; South African Communist Party
  or SACP [Blade NZIMANDE, general secretary]; South African National
  Civics Organization or SANCO [Mlungisi HLONGWANE, national
  president]; note - COSATU and SACP are in a formal alliance with the
  ANC

Spain
  business and landowning interests; Catholic Church; free labor
  unions (authorized in April 1977); Socialist General Union of
  Workers or UGT and the smaller independent Workers Syndical Union or
  USO; university students; Trade Union Confederation of Workers'
  Commissions or CC.OO.; Nunca Mas (Galician for "Never Again"; formed
  in response to the oil tanker Prestige oil spill)

Sri Lanka
  Buddhist clergy; labor unions; Liberation Tigers of Tamil
  Eelam or LTTE [Velupillai PRABHAKARAN](insurgent group fighting for
  a separate state); radical chauvinist Sinhalese groups such as the
  National Movement Against Terrorism; Sinhalese Buddhist lay groups

Sudan
  Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI];
  National Democratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI,
  chairman]; Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John
  GARANG]; Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]

Suriname
  Association of Indigenous Village Chiefs [Ricardo PANE];
  Association of Saramaccan Authorities or Maroon [Head Captain WASE];
  Women's Parliament Forum or PVF [Iris GILLIAD]

Swaziland
  NA

Sweden
  NA

Switzerland
  NA

Syria
  conservative religious leaders; Kurdish Democratic Alliance
  [leader NA]; Kurdish Democratic Front [leader NA]; Muslim
  Brotherhood (operates in exile in London) [Ali Badr Eddine
  al-BAYANOUNI]; National Democratic Front [Hassan Abd al-AZIM]

Taiwan
  Taiwan independence movement, various business and
  environmental groups
  note: debate on Taiwan independence has become acceptable within the
  mainstream of domestic politics on Taiwan; political liberalization
  and the increased representation of opposition parties in Taiwan's
  legislature have opened public debate on the island's national
  identity; a broad popular consensus has developed that Taiwan
  currently enjoys de facto independence and - whatever the ultimate
  outcome regarding reunification or independence - that Taiwan's
  people must have the deciding voice; advocates of Taiwan
  independence oppose the stand that the island will eventually unify
  with mainland China; goals of the Taiwan independence movement
  include establishing a sovereign nation on Taiwan and entering the
  UN; other organizations supporting Taiwan independence include the
  World United Formosans for Independence and the Organization for
  Taiwan Nation Building

Tajikistan
  there are three unregistered political parties: Agrarian
  Party or APT [Hikmatullo NASRIDDINOV]; Progressive Party [Sulton
  QUVVATOV]; Unity Party [Hikmatullo SAIDOV]

Tanzania
  NA

Thailand
  NA

Togo
  NA

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  Human Rights and Democracy Movement Tonga or HRDMT [Rev.
  Simote VEA, chairman]

Trinidad and Tobago
  Jamaat-al Muslimeen [Yasin BAKR]

Tunisia
  the Islamic fundamentalist party, Al Nahda (Renaissance), is
  outlawed

Turkey
  Confederation of Public Sector Unions or KESK [Sami EVREN];
  Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions or DISK [Suleyman
  CELEBI]; Independent Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association
  or MUSIAD [Omer BOLAT]; Moral Rights Workers Union or Hak-Is [Salim
  USLU]; Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association or
  TUSIAD [Omer SABANCI]; Turkish Confederation of Employers' Unions or
  TISK [Refik BAYDUR]; Turkish Confederation of Labor or Turk-Is
  [Salih KILIC]; Turkish Confederation of Tradesmen and Craftsmen or
  TESK [Dervis GUNDAY]; Turkish Union of Chambers of Commerce and
  Commodity Exchanges or TOBB [M. Rifat HISARCIKLIOGLU]

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  none

Uganda
  Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament; Confederation of
  British Industry; National Farmers' Union; Trades Union Congress

United States
  NA

Uruguay
  Agrupacion UTE (powerful state worker's union), Rural
  Association of Uruguay (rancher's association), Uruguayan
  Construction League, Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's
  association), Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional
  organization), Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional
  organization), the Catholic Church, students

Uzbekistan
  Agrarian and Entrepreneurs' Party [Marat ZAHIDOV]; Birlik
  (Unity) Movement [Abdurakhim POLAT, chairman]; Erk (Freedom)
  Democratic Party [Muhammad SOLIH, chairman] was banned 9 December
  1992; Ezgulik Human Rights Society [Vasilia INOYATOVA]; Free
  Farmers' Party or Ozod Dehqonlar [Nigara KHIDOYATOVA]; Human Rights
  Society of Uzbekistan [Tolib YAKUBOV, chairman]; Independent Human
  Rights Society of Uzbekistan [Mikhail ARDZINOV, chairman]; Mazlum
  [leader NA]

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  FEDECAMARAS, a conservative business group; VECINOS
  groups; Venezuelan Confederation of Workers or CTV (labor
  organization dominated by the Democratic Action)

Vietnam
  none

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  NA

Zimbabwe
  National Constitutional Assembly or NCA [Lovemore MADHUKU];
  Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition [Brian KAGORO]; Zimbabwe Congress of
  Trade Unions or ZCTU [Lovemore MATOMBO]

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2116 Economy - overview

Afghanistan
  Afghanistan's economic outlook has improved
  significantly since the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001 because
  of the infusion of over $2 billion in international assistance,
  recovery of the agricultural sector, and the reestablishment of
  market institutions. Agriculture boomed in 2003 with the end of a
  four-year drought, but drought conditions returned for the southern
  half of the country in 2004. Despite the progress of the past few
  years, Afghanistan remains extremely poor, landlocked, and highly
  dependent on foreign aid, farming, and trade with neighboring
  countries. It will probably take the remainder of the decade and
  continuing donor aid and attention to raise Afghanistan's living
  standards up from its current status among the lowest in the world.
  Much of the population continues to suffer from shortages of
  housing, clean water, electricity, medical care, and jobs, but the
  Afghan government and international donors remain committed to
  improving access to these basic necessities by prioritizing
  infrastructure development, education, housing development, jobs
  programs, and economic reform over the next year. Growing political
  stability and continued international commitment to Afghan
  reconstruction create an optimistic outlook for maintaining
  improvements in the Afghan economy in 2005. Expanding poppy
  cultivation and a growing opium trade may account for one-third of
  GDP and looms as one of Kabul's most serious policy challenges.

Akrotiri
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to the
  military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Albania
  Poor and backward by European standards, Albania is making
  the difficult transition to a more modern open-market economy. The
  government has taken measures to curb violent crime and to spur
  economic activity and trade. The economy is bolstered by annual
  remittances from abroad of $600-$800 million, mostly from Greece and
  Italy; this helps offset the towering trade deficit. Agriculture,
  which accounts for about one-half of GDP, is held back because of
  frequent drought and the need to modernize equipment, to clarify
  property rights, and to consolidate small plots of land. Energy
  shortages and antiquated and inadequate infrastructure make it
  difficult to attract and sustain foreign investment. The planned
  construction of a new thermal power plant near Vlore and improved
  transmission and distribution facilities will help relieve the
  energy shortages. Also, the government is moving slowly to improve
  the poor national road and rail network, a long-standing barrier to
  sustained economic growth. On the positive side: growth was strong
  in 2003 and 2004, the nation has important oil and gas reserves, and
  inflation is not a problem.

Algeria
  The hydrocarbons sector is the backbone of the economy,
  accounting for roughly 60% of budget revenues, 30% of GDP, and over
  95% of export earnings. Algeria has the seventh-largest reserves of
  natural gas in the world and is the second-largest gas exporter; it
  ranks 14th in oil reserves. Sustained high oil prices in recent
  years, along with macroeconomic policy reforms supported by the IMF,
  have helped improve Algeria's financial and macroeconomic
  indicators. Algeria is running substantial trade surpluses and
  building up record foreign exchange reserves. Real GDP has risen due
  to higher oil output and increased government spending. The
  government's continued efforts to diversify the economy by
  attracting foreign and domestic investment outside the energy
  sector, however, has had little success in reducing high
  unemployment and improving living standards. Structural reform
  within the economy moves ahead slowly.

American Samoa
  This is a traditional Polynesian economy in which
  more than 90% of the land is communally owned. Economic activity is
  strongly linked to the US, with which American Samoa conducts most
  of its foreign trade. Tuna fishing and tuna processing plants are
  the backbone of the private sector, with canned tuna the primary
  export. Transfers from the US Government add substantially to
  American Samoa's economic well-being. Attempts by the government to
  develop a larger and broader economy are restrained by Samoa's
  remote location, its limited transportation, and its devastating
  hurricanes. Tourism is a promising developing sector.

Andorra
  Tourism, the mainstay of Andorra's tiny, well-to-do economy,
  accounts for roughly 80% of GDP. An estimated 9 million tourists
  visit annually, attracted by Andorra's duty-free status and by its
  summer and winter resorts. Andorra's comparative advantage has
  recently eroded as the economies of neighboring France and Spain
  have been opened up, providing broader availability of goods and
  lower tariffs. The banking sector, with its "tax haven" status, also
  contributes substantially to the economy. Agricultural production is
  limited - only 2% of the land is arable - and most food has to be
  imported. The principal livestock activity is sheep raising.
  Manufacturing output consists mainly of cigarettes, cigars, and
  furniture. Andorra is a member of the EU Customs Union and is
  treated as an EU member for trade in manufactured goods (no tariffs)
  and as a non-EU member for agricultural products.

Angola
  Angola has been an economy in disarray because of a quarter
  century of nearly continuous warfare. An apparently durable peace
  was established after the death of rebel leader Jonas SAVIMBI in
  February 2002, but consequences from the conflict continue including
  the impact of widespread land mines. Subsistence agriculture
  provides the main livelihood for 85% of the population. Oil
  production and the supporting activities are vital to the economy,
  contributing about 45% to GDP and more than half of exports. Much of
  the country's food must still be imported. To fully take advantage
  of its rich natural resources - gold, diamonds, extensive forests,
  Atlantic fisheries, and large oil deposits - Angola will need to
  continue reforming government policies and to reduce corruption.
  While Angola made progress in further lowering inflation, from 325%
  in 2000 to about 106% in 2002, the government has failed to make
  sufficient progress on reforms recommended by the IMF such as
  increasing foreign exchange reserves and promoting greater
  transparency in government spending. Increased oil production
  supported 7% GDP growth in 2003 and 12% growth in 2004.

Anguilla
  Anguilla has few natural resources, and the economy depends
  heavily on luxury tourism, offshore banking, lobster fishing, and
  remittances from emigrants. Increased activity in the tourism
  industry, which has spurred the growth of the construction sector,
  has contributed to economic growth. Anguillan officials have put
  substantial effort into developing the offshore financial sector,
  which is small, but growing. In the medium term, prospects for the
  economy will depend largely on the tourism sector and, therefore, on
  revived income growth in the industrialized nations as well as on
  favorable weather conditions.

Antarctica
  Fishing off the coast and tourism, both based abroad,
  account for the limited economic activity. Antarctic fisheries in
  2000-01 (1 July-30 June) reported landing 112,934 metric tons.
  Unregulated fishing, particularly of Patagonian toothfish, is a
  serious problem. The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic
  Marine Living Resources determines the recommended catch limits for
  marine species. A total of 13,571 tourists visited in the 2002-03
  antarctic summer, up from the 11,588 visitors the previous year.
  Nearly all of them were passengers on commercial (nongovernmental)
  ships and several yachts that make trips during the summer. Most
  tourist trips last approximately two weeks.

Antigua and Barbuda
  Tourism continues to dominate the economy,
  accounting for more than half of GDP. Weak tourist arrival numbers
  since early 2000 have slowed the economy, however, and pressed the
  government into a tight fiscal corner. The dual-island nation's
  agricultural production is focused on the domestic market and
  constrained by a limited water supply and a labor shortage stemming
  from the lure of higher wages in tourism and construction.
  Manufacturing comprises enclave-type assembly for export with major
  products being bedding, handicrafts, and electronic components.
  Prospects for economic growth in the medium term will continue to
  depend on income growth in the industrialized world, especially in
  the US, which accounts for slightly more than one-third of tourist
  arrivals.

Arctic Ocean
  Economic activity is limited to the exploitation of
  natural resources, including petroleum, natural gas, fish, and seals.

Argentina
  Argentina benefits from rich natural resources, a highly
  literate population, an export-oriented agricultural sector, and a
  diversified industrial base. Over the past decade, however, the
  country has suffered problems of inflation, external debt, capital
  flight, and budget deficits. Growth in 2000 was a negative 0.8%, as
  both domestic and foreign investors remained skeptical of the
  government's ability to pay debts and maintain the peso's fixed
  exchange rate with the US dollar. The economic situation worsened in
  2001 with the widening of spreads on Argentine bonds, massive
  withdrawals from the banks, and a further decline in consumer and
  investor confidence. Government efforts to achieve a "zero deficit,"
  to stabilize the banking system, and to restore economic growth
  proved inadequate in the face of the mounting economic problems. The
  peso's peg to the dollar was abandoned in January 2002, and the peso
  was floated in February; the exchange rate plunged and real GDP fell
  by 10.9% in 2002, but by mid-year the economy had stabilized, albeit
  at a lower level. GDP expanded by more than 8% in 2003 and again in
  2004, with unemployment falling and inflation remaining in single
  digits.

Armenia
  Under the old Soviet central planning system, Armenia had
  developed a modern industrial sector, supplying machine tools,
  textiles, and other manufactured goods to sister republics in
  exchange for raw materials and energy. Since the implosion of the
  USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale
  agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the
  Soviet era. The agricultural sector has long-term needs for more
  investment and updated technology. The privatization of industry has
  been at a slower pace, but has been given renewed emphasis by the
  current administration. Armenia is a food importer, and its mineral
  deposits (copper, gold, bauxite) are small. The ongoing conflict
  with Azerbaijan over the ethnic Armenian-dominated region of
  Nagorno-Karabakh and the breakup of the centrally directed economic
  system of the former Soviet Union contributed to a severe economic
  decline in the early 1990s. By 1994, however, the Armenian
  Government had launched an ambitious IMF-sponsored economic
  liberalization program that resulted in positive growth rates in
  1995-2003. Armenia joined the WTO in January 2003. Armenia also has
  managed to slash inflation, stabilize the local currency (the dram),
  and privatize most small- and medium-sized enterprises. The chronic
  energy shortages Armenia suffered in the early and mid-1990s have
  been offset by the energy supplied by one of its nuclear power
  plants at Metsamor. Armenia is now a net energy exporter, although
  it does not have sufficient generating capacity to replace Metsamor,
  which is under international pressure to close. The electricity
  distribution system was privatized in 2002. Armenia's severe trade
  imbalance has been offset somewhat by international aid and foreign
  direct investment. Economic ties with Russia remain close,
  especially in the energy sector.

Aruba
  Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy,
  with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important.
  The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has
  resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities.
  Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985
  level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in
  1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings,
  has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and
  exceptionally low unemployment rate have led to a large number of
  unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent
  years. Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11
  September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must
  deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade balance.

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  no economic activity

Atlantic Ocean
  The Atlantic Ocean provides some of the world's most
  heavily trafficked sea routes, between and within the Eastern and
  Western Hemispheres. Other economic activity includes the
  exploitation of natural resources, e.g., fishing, dredging of
  aragonite sands (The Bahamas), and production of crude oil and
  natural gas (Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and North Sea).

Australia
  Australia has an enviable Western-style capitalist
  economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West
  European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy, robust
  business and consumer confidence, and rising exports of raw
  materials and agricultural products are fueling the economy.
  Australia's emphasis on reforms, low inflation, and growing ties
  with China are other key factors behind the economy's strength. The
  impact of drought, weak foreign demand, and strong import demand
  pushed the trade deficit up from $8 billion in 2002, to $18 billion
  in 2003, and to $13 billion in 2004. One other concern is the rapid
  increase in domestic housing prices, which have raised the prospect
  that interest rates will need to be raised to prevent a speculative
  bubble.

Austria
  Austria, with its well-developed market economy and high
  standard of living, is closely tied to other EU economies,
  especially Germany's. The economy features up-to-date industrial and
  agricultural sectors. Timber is a key industry, 47% of the land area
  being forested. Membership in the EU has drawn an influx of foreign
  investors attracted by Austria's access to the single European
  market and proximity to the new EU economies. Slow growth in Europe
  has held the economy to 0.7% growth in 2001, 1.4% in 2002, 0.8% in
  2003, and 1.9% in 2004. To meet increased competition from both EU
  and Central European countries, particularly the new EU members,
  Austria will need to emphasize knowledge-based sectors of the
  economy, continue to deregulate the service sector, and encourage
  much greater participation in the labor market by its aging
  population. The aging phenomenon, together with already high health
  and pension costs, poses fundamental problems in tax and welfare
  policies.

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan's number one export is oil. Azerbaijan's oil
  production declined through 1997 but has registered an increase
  every year since. Negotiation of production-sharing arrangements
  (PSAs) with foreign firms, which have thus far committed $60 billion
  to long-term oilfield development, should generate the funds needed
  to spur future industrial development. Oil production under the
  first of these PSAs, with the Azerbaijan International Operating
  Company, began in November 1997. Azerbaijan shares all the
  formidable problems of the former Soviet republics in making the
  transition from a command to a market economy, but its considerable
  energy resources brighten its long-term prospects. Baku has only
  recently begun making progress on economic reform, and old economic
  ties and structures are slowly being replaced. One obstacle to
  economic progress is the need for stepped up foreign investment in
  the non-energy sector. A second obstacle is the continuing conflict
  with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. Trade with Russia and
  the other former Soviet republics is declining in importance while
  trade is building with Turkey and the nations of Europe. Long-term
  prospects will depend on world oil prices, the location of new
  pipelines in the region, and Azerbaijan's ability to manage its oil
  wealth.

Bahamas, The
  The Bahamas is a stable, developing nation with an
  economy heavily dependent on tourism and offshore banking. Tourism
  alone accounts for more than 60% of GDP and directly or indirectly
  employs half of the archipelago's labor force. Steady growth in
  tourism receipts and a boom in construction of new hotels, resorts,
  and residences had led to solid GDP growth in recent years, but the
  slowdown in the US economy and the attacks of 11 September 2001 held
  back growth in these sectors in 2001-03. Financial services
  constitute the second-most important sector of the Bahamian economy,
  accounting for about 15% of GDP. However, since December 2000, when
  the government enacted new regulations on the financial sector, many
  international businesses have left The Bahamas. Manufacturing and
  agriculture together contribute approximately a tenth of GDP and
  show little growth, despite government incentives aimed at those
  sectors. Overall growth prospects in the short run rest heavily on
  the fortunes of the tourism sector, which depends on growth in the
  US, the source of more than 80% of the visitors. In addition to
  tourism and banking, the government supports the development of a
  "third pillar," e-commerce.

Bahrain
  In well-to-do Bahrain, petroleum production and refining
  account for about 60% of export receipts, 60% of government
  revenues, and 30% of GDP. With its highly developed communication
  and transport facilities, Bahrain is home to numerous multinational
  firms with business in the Gulf. A large share of exports consist of
  petroleum products made from refining imported crude. Construction
  proceeds on several major industrial projects. Unemployment,
  especially among the young, and the depletion of oil and underground
  water resources are major long-term economic problems. In September
  2004 Bahrain signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United
  States - the first such agreement undertaken by a Gulf state. Both
  countries must ratify the FTA before it is enforced.

Baker Island
  no economic activity

Bangladesh
  Despite sustained domestic and international efforts to
  improve economic and demographic prospects, Bangladesh remains a
  poor, overpopulated, and ill-governed nation. Although half of GDP
  is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of
  Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as
  the single-most-important product. Major impediments to growth
  include frequent cyclones and floods, inefficient state-owned
  enterprises, inadequate port facilities, a rapidly growing labor
  force that cannot be absorbed by agriculture, delays in exploiting
  energy resources (natural gas), insufficient power supplies, and
  slow implementation of economic reforms. Economic reform is stalled
  in many instances by political infighting and corruption at all
  levels of government. Progress also has been blocked by opposition
  from the bureaucracy, public sector unions, and other vested
  interest groups. The BNP government, led by Prime Minister Khaleda
  ZIA, has the parliamentary strength to push through needed reforms,
  but the party's political will to do so has been lacking in key
  areas. One encouraging note: growth has been a steady 5% for the
  past several years.

Barbados
  Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on
  sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in
  recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism.
  Offshore finance and information services are important foreign
  exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce
  unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to
  privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted
  in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth probably was
  positive in 2004, as economic conditions in the US and Europe
  moderately improved.

Bassas da India
  no economic activity

Belarus
  Belarus's economy in 2003-04 posted 6.1% and 6.4% growth.
  Still, the economy continues to be hampered by high inflation,
  persistent trade deficits, and ongoing rocky relations with Russia,
  Belarus' largest trading partner and energy supplier. Belarus has
  seen little structural reform since 1995, when President LUKASHENKO
  launched the country on the path of "market socialism." In keeping
  with this policy, LUKASHENKO reimposed administrative controls over
  prices and currency exchange rates and expanded the state's right to
  intervene in the management of private enterprises. In addition,
  businesses have been subject to pressure on the part of central and
  local governments, e.g., arbitrary changes in regulations, numerous
  rigorous inspections, retroactive application of new business
  regulations, and arrests of "disruptive" businessmen and factory
  owners. A wide range of redistributive policies has helped those at
  the bottom of the ladder; the Gini coefficient is among the lowest
  in the world. For the time being, Belarus remains self-isolated from
  the West and its open-market economies. Growth has been strong in
  recent years, despite the roadblocks in a tough, centrally directed
  economy and the high, but decreasing, rate of inflation. Growth has
  been buoyed by increased Russian demand for generally noncompetitive
  Belarusian goods.

Belgium
  This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on
  its central geographic location, highly developed transport network,
  and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is
  concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north. With
  few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of
  raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its
  economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. Roughly
  three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Public debt
  is nearly 100% of GDP. On the positive side, the government has
  succeeded in balancing its budget, and income distribution is
  relatively equal. Belgium began circulating the euro currency in
  January 2002. Economic growth in 2001-03 dropped sharply because of
  the global economic slowdown, with moderate recovery in 2004.

Belize
  In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the
  tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed
  by marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The
  government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in
  September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 6% in
  1999-2004. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit
  and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction
  of poverty with the help of international donors.

Benin
  The economy of Benin remains underdeveloped and dependent on
  subsistence agriculture, cotton production, and regional trade.
  Growth in real output has averaged around 5% in the past six years,
  but rapid population growth has offset much of this increase.
  Inflation has subsided over the past several years. In order to
  raise growth still further, Benin plans to attract more foreign
  investment, place more emphasis on tourism, facilitate the
  development of new food processing systems and agricultural
  products, and encourage new information and communication
  technology. The 2001 privatization policy should continue in
  telecommunications, water, electricity, and agriculture in spite of
  initial government reluctance. The Paris Club and bilateral
  creditors have eased the external debt situation, while pressing for
  more rapid structural reforms. Benin continues to be hurt by
  Nigerian trade protection that bans imports of a growing list of
  products from Benin and elsewhere. As a result, smuggling and
  criminality along the Benin-Nigeria border has been on the rise.

Bermuda
  Bermuda enjoys one of the highest per capita incomes in the
  world, nearly equal to that of the US. Its economy is primarily
  based on providing financial services for international business and
  luxury facilities for tourists. The effects of 11 September 2001
  have had both positive and negative ramifications for Bermuda. On
  the positive side, a number of new reinsurance companies have
  located on the island, contributing to the expansion of an already
  robust international business sector. On the negative side,
  Bermuda's tourism industry - which derives over 80% of its visitors
  from the US - was severely hit as American tourists chose not to
  travel. Tourism rebounded somewhat in 2002-04. Most capital
  equipment and food must be imported. Bermuda's industrial sector is
  small, although construction continues to be important; the average
  cost of a house in June 2003 had risen to $976,000. Agriculture is
  limited, only 20% of the land being arable.

Bhutan
  The economy, one of the world's smallest and least developed,
  is based on agriculture and forestry, which provide the main
  livelihood for more than 90% of the population. Agriculture consists
  largely of subsistence farming and animal husbandry. Rugged
  mountains dominate the terrain and make the building of roads and
  other infrastructure difficult and expensive. The economy is closely
  aligned with India's through strong trade and monetary links and
  dependence on India's financial assistance. The industrial sector is
  technologically backward, with most production of the cottage
  industry type. Most development projects, such as road construction,
  rely on Indian migrant labor. Bhutan's hydropower potential and its
  attraction for tourists are key resources. Model education, social,
  and environment programs are underway with support from multilateral
  development organizations. Each economic program takes into account
  the government's desire to protect the country's environment and
  cultural traditions. For example, the government, in its cautious
  expansion of the tourist sector, encourages visits by upscale,
  environmentally conscientious tourists. Detailed controls and
  uncertain policies in areas like industrial licensing, trade, labor,
  and finance continue to hamper foreign investment.

Bolivia
  Bolivia, long one of the poorest and least developed Latin
  American countries, reformed its economy after suffering a
  disastrous economic crisis in the early 1980s. The reforms spurred
  real GDP growth, which averaged 4 percent in the 1990s, and poverty
  rates fell. Economic growth, however, lagged again beginning in 1999
  because of a global slowdown and homegrown factors such as political
  turmoil, civil unrest, and soaring fiscal deficits, all of which
  hurt investor confidence. In 2003, violent protests against the
  pro-foreign investment economic policies of President SANCHEZ DE
  LOZADA led to his resignation and the cancellation of plans to
  export Bolivia's newly discovered natural gas reserves to large
  northern hemisphere markets. Foreign investment dried up as
  companies adopted a wait-and-see attitude regarding new President
  Carlos MESA's willingness to protect investor rights in the face of
  increased demands by radical groups that the government expropriate
  foreign-owned assets. Real GDP growth in 2003 and 2004 - helped by
  increased demand for natural gas in neighboring Brazil - was
  positive, but still below the levels seen during the 1990s. Bolivia
  remains dependent on foreign aid from multilateral lenders and
  foreign governments.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked next to
  Macedonia as the poorest republic in the old Yugoslav federation.
  Although agriculture is almost all in private hands, farms are small
  and inefficient, and the republic traditionally is a net importer of
  food. Industry has been greatly overstaffed, one reflection of the
  socialist economic structure of Yugoslavia. TITO had pushed the
  development of military industries in the republic with the result
  that Bosnia hosted a number of Yugoslavia's defense plants. The
  interethnic warfare in Bosnia caused production to plummet by 80%
  from 1992 to 1995 and unemployment to soar. With an uneasy peace in
  place, output recovered in 1996-99 at high percentage rates from a
  low base; but output growth slowed in 2000-02. Part of the lag in
  output was made up in 2003-2004. National-level statistics are
  limited and do not capture the large share of black market activity.
  The konvertibilna marka (convertible mark or BAM)- the national
  currency introduced in 1998 - is now pegged to the euro, and the
  Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina has dramatically increased
  its reserve holdings. Implementation of privatization, however, has
  been slow, and local entities only reluctantly support
  national-level institutions. Banking reform accelerated in 2001 as
  all the Communist-era payments bureaus were shut down. A sizeable
  current account deficit and high unemployment rate remain the two
  most serious economic problems. The country receives substantial
  amounts of reconstruction assistance and humanitarian aid from the
  international community but will have to prepare for an era of
  declining assistance.

Botswana
  Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest economic
  growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline
  and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of
  the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a
  per capita GDP of $9,200 in 2004. Two major investment services rank
  Botswana as the best credit risk in Africa. Diamond mining has
  fueled much of the expansion and currently accounts for more than
  one-third of GDP and for 70-80% of export earnings. Tourism,
  financial services, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are
  other key sectors. On the downside, the government must deal with
  high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is
  23.8%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS
  infection rates are the second highest in the world and threaten
  Botswana's impressive economic gains. An expected leveling off in
  diamond mining production overshadow long-term prospects.

Bouvet Island
  no economic activity; declared a nature reserve

Brazil
  Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining,
  manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that
  of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence
  in world markets. From 2001-03 real wages fell and Brazil's economy
  grew, on average, only 2.2% per year, as the country absorbed a
  series of domestic and international economic shocks. That Brazil
  absorbed these shocks without financial collapse is a tribute to the
  resiliency of the Brazilian economy and the economic program put in
  place by former President CARDOSO and strengthened by President LULA
  DA SILVA. In 2004, Brazil enjoyed more robust growth that yielded
  increases in employment and real wages. The three pillars of the
  economic program are a floating exchange rate, an
  inflation-targeting regime, and tight fiscal policy, all reinforced
  by a series of IMF programs. The currency depreciated sharply in
  2001 and 2002, which contributed to a dramatic current account
  adjustment: in 2003 and 2004, Brazil ran record trade surpluses and
  recorded its first current account surpluses since 1992.
  Productivity gains - particularly in agriculture - also contributed
  to the surge in exports, and Brazil in 2004 surpassed the previous
  year's record export level and again posted a current account
  surplus. While economic management has been good, there remain
  important economic vulnerabilities. The most significant are
  debt-related: the government's largely domestic debt increased
  steadily from 1994 to 2003 - straining government finances - before
  falling as a percentage of GDP in 2004, while Brazil's foreign debt
  (a mix of private and public debt) is large in relation to Brazil's
  small (but growing) export base. Another challenge is maintaining
  economic growth over a period of time to generate employment and
  make the government debt burden more manageable.

British Indian Ocean Territory All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

British Virgin Islands
  The economy, one of the most stable and
  prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism,
  generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated
  350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998.
  Tourism suffered in 2002 because of the lackluster US economy. In
  the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration
  to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and
  incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly
  400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The
  adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which
  provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory
  gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make
  the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international
  business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural
  activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic
  food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US
  Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as
  its currency since 1959.

Brunei
  This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of
  foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation,
  welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas
  production account for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far
  above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from
  overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The
  government provides for all medical services and free education
  through the university level and subsidizes rice and housing.
  Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration
  in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion,
  although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman
  for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans
  for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing
  unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in
  general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Bulgaria
  Bulgaria, a former communist country striving to enter the
  European Union, has experienced macroeconomic stability and strong
  growth since a major economic downturn in 1996 led to the fall of
  the then socialist government. As a result, the government became
  committed to economic reform and responsible fiscal planning.
  Minerals, including coal, copper, and zinc play an important role in
  industry. In 1997, macroeconomic stability was reinforced by the
  imposition of a fixed exchange rate of the lev against the German
  D-mark and the negotiation of an IMF standby agreement. Low
  inflation and steady progress on structural reforms improved the
  business environment; Bulgaria has averaged 4% growth since 2000 and
  has begun to attract significant amounts of foreign direct
  investment. Corruption in the public administration, a weak
  judiciary, and the presence of organized crime remain the largest
  challenges for Bulgaria.

Burkina Faso
  One of the poorest countries in the world, landlocked
  Burkina Faso has few natural resources and a weak industrial base.
  About 90% of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture,
  which is vulnerable to harsh climatic conditions. Cotton is the key
  crop and the government has joined with other cotton producing
  countries in the region to lobby for improved access to Western
  markets. GDP growth has largely been driven by increases in world
  cotton prices. Industry remains dominated by unprofitable
  government-controlled corporations. Following the African franc
  currency devaluation in January 1994 the government updated its
  development program in conjunction with international agencies;
  exports and economic growth have increased. The government devolved
  macroeconomic policy and inflation targeting to the West African
  regional central bank (BCEAO), but maintains control over
  microeconomic policies, including reducing the trade deficit and
  implementing reforms to encourage private investment. The bitter
  internal crisis in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire continues to hurt trade
  and industrial prospects and deepens the need for international
  assistance.

Burma
  Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government
  controls, inefficient economic policies, and abject rural poverty.
  The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy
  after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but
  those efforts have since stalled and some of the liberalization
  measures have been rescinded. Burma has been unable to achieve
  monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers
  from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation and
  multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat. In
  addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the
  junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and
  subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 legislative elections.
  Economic sanctions against Burma by the United States - including a
  ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of
  financial services by US persons in response to the government of
  Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy -
  further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. Official statistics
  are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly
  understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial
  border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the size of
  the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good
  economic relations with its neighbors, a better investment climate
  and an improved political situation are needed to promote foreign
  investment, exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking
  crisis hit the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and
  disrupting the economy. As of January 2004, the largest private
  banks remained moribund, leaving the private sector with little
  formal access to credit.

Burundi
  Burundi is a landlocked, resource-poor country with an
  underdeveloped manufacturing sector. The economy is predominantly
  agricultural with roughly 90% of the population dependent on
  subsistence agriculture. Economic growth depends on coffee and tea
  exports, which account for 90% of foreign exchange earnings. The
  ability to pay for imports, therefore, rests primarily on weather
  conditions and international coffee and tea prices. The Tutsi
  minority, 14% of the population, dominates the government and the
  coffee trade at the expense of the Hutu majority, 85% of the
  population. Since October 1993 an ethnic-based war has resulted in
  more than 200,000 deaths, forced 450,000 refugees into Tanzania, and
  displaced 140,000 others internally. Doubts about the prospects for
  sustainable peace continue to impede development. Only one in two
  children go to school, and approximately one in ten adults has
  HIV/AIDS. Food, medicine, and electricity remain in short supply.

Cambodia
  Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997 and 1998 due
  to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political
  infighting, and foreign investment and tourism decreased. In 1999,
  the first full year of peace in 30 years, the government made
  progress on economic reforms. Growth resumed and remained about 5%
  from 2000 to 2004. Economic growth has been largely driven by
  expansion in the garment sector and tourism, but is expected to fall
  in 2005 as growth in the garment sector stalls. Clothing exports
  were fostered by a US-Cambodian Bilateral Textile Agreement signed
  in 1999 which gave Cambodia a guaranteed quota of US textile imports
  and established a bonus for improving working conditions and
  enforcing Cambodian labor laws and international labor standards in
  the industry. With the January 2005 expiration of a WTO Agreement on
  Textiles and Clothing, Cambodia-based textile producers are in
  direct competition with lower priced producing countries such as
  China and India. Faced with the possibility that over the next five
  years Cambodia may lose orders and some of the 250,000 well-paid
  jobs the industry provides, Cambodia has committed itself to a
  policy of continued support for high labor standards in an attempt
  to maintain favor with buyers. Tourism growth remains strong, with
  arrivals up 15% in 2004. The long-term development of the economy
  after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population
  lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the
  poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack
  of basic infrastructure. Fully 75% of the population remains engaged
  in subsistence farming. Fear of renewed political instability and a
  dysfunctional legal system coupled with extensive government
  corruption discourage foreign investment. The Cambodian government
  continues to work with bilateral and multilateral donors to address
  the country's many pressing needs. In December 2004, official donors
  pledged $504 million in aid for 2005 on the condition that the
  Cambodian government begins taking steps to address rampant
  corruption. The next donor pledging session is scheduled for
  December 2005. The major economic challenge for Cambodia over the
  next decade will be fashioning an economic environment in which the
  private sector can create enough jobs to handle Cambodia's
  demographic imbalance. More than 50% of the population is 20 years
  or younger.

Cameroon
  Because of its oil resources and favorable agricultural
  conditions, Cameroon has one of the best-endowed primary commodity
  economies in sub-Saharan Africa. Still, it faces many of the serious
  problems facing other underdeveloped countries, such as a top-heavy
  civil service and a generally unfavorable climate for business
  enterprise. Since 1990, the government has embarked on various IMF
  and World Bank programs designed to spur business investment,
  increase efficiency in agriculture, improve trade, and recapitalize
  the nation's banks. In June 2000, the government completed an
  IMF-sponsored, three-year structural adjustment program; however,
  the IMF is pressing for more reforms, including increased budget
  transparency, privatization, and poverty reduction programs.
  International oil and cocoa prices have considerable impact on the
  economy.

Canada
  As an affluent, high-tech industrial society, newly entered
  in the trillion dollar class, Canada closely resembles the US in its
  market-oriented economic system, pattern of production, and affluent
  living standards. Since World War II, the impressive growth of the
  manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has transformed the
  nation from a largely rural economy into one primarily industrial
  and urban. The 1989 US-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the
  1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) (which includes
  Mexico) touched off a dramatic increase in trade and economic
  integration with the US. Given its great natural resources, skilled
  labor force, and modern capital plant Canada enjoys solid economic
  prospects. Solid fiscal management has produced a long-term budget
  surplus which is substantially reducing the national debt, although
  public debate continues over how to manage the rising cost of the
  publicly funded healthcare system. Exports account for roughly a
  third of GDP. Canada enjoys a substantial trade surplus with its
  principal trading partner, the United States, which absorbs more
  than 85% of Canadian exports.

Cape Verde
  This island economy suffers from a poor natural resource
  base, including serious water shortages exacerbated by cycles of
  long-term drought. The economy is service-oriented, with commerce,
  transport, tourism, and public services accounting for 72% of GDP.
  Although nearly 70% of the population lives in rural areas, the
  share of agriculture in GDP in 2004 was only 12%, of which fishing
  accounted for 1.5%. About 82% of food must be imported. The fishing
  potential, mostly lobster and tuna, is not fully exploited. Cape
  Verde annually runs a high trade deficit, financed by foreign aid
  and remittances from emigrants; remittances supplement GDP by more
  than 20%. Economic reforms are aimed at developing the private
  sector and attracting foreign investment to diversify the economy.
  Future prospects depend heavily on the maintenance of aid flows, the
  encouragement of tourism, remittances, and the momentum of the
  government's development program.

Cayman Islands
  With no direct taxation, the islands are a thriving
  offshore financial center. More than 40,000 companies were
  registered in the Cayman Islands as of 1998, including almost 600
  banks and trust companies; banking assets exceed $500 billion. A
  stock exchange was opened in 1997. Tourism is also a mainstay,
  accounting for about 70% of GDP and 75% of foreign currency
  earnings. The tourist industry is aimed at the luxury market and
  caters mainly to visitors from North America. Total tourist arrivals
  exceeded 1.2 million in 1997, with 600,000 from the US. About 90% of
  the islands' food and consumer goods must be imported. The
  Caymanians enjoy one of the highest outputs per capita and one of
  the highest standards of living in the world.

Central African Republic
  Subsistence agriculture, together with
  forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African
  Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in
  outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP.
  Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the
  diamond industry, for 54%. Important constraints to economic
  development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor
  transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy
  of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between
  the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic
  revitalization, with GDP growth at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution
  of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the
  international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.

Chad
  Chad's primarily agricultural economy will continue to be
  boosted by major oilfield and pipeline projects that began in 2000.
  Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and
  livestock raising for its livelihood. Cotton, cattle, and gum arabic
  provide the bulk of Chad's export earnings; Chad began to export oil
  in 2004. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked
  position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad
  relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and
  private sector investment projects. A consortium led by two US
  companies has been investing $3.7 billion to develop oil reserves
  estimated at 1 billion barrels in southern Chad. Oil production came
  on stream in late 2003.

Chile
  Chile has a market-oriented economy characterized by a high
  level of foreign trade. During the early 1990s, Chile's reputation
  as a role model for economic reform was strengthened when the
  democratic government of Patricio AYLWIN - which took over from the
  military in 1990 - deepened the economic reform initiated by the
  military government. Growth in real GDP averaged 8% during 1991-97,
  but fell to half that level in 1998 because of tight monetary
  policies implemented to keep the current account deficit in check
  and because of lower export earnings - the latter a product of the
  global financial crisis. A severe drought exacerbated the recession
  in 1999, reducing crop yields and causing hydroelectric shortfalls
  and electricity rationing, and Chile experienced negative economic
  growth for the first time in more than 15 years. Despite the effects
  of the recession, Chile maintained its reputation for strong
  financial institutions and sound policy that have given it the
  strongest sovereign bond rating in South America. By the end of
  1999, exports and economic activity had begun to recover, and growth
  rebounded to 4.2% in 2000. Growth fell back to 3.1% in 2001 and 2.1%
  in 2002, largely due to lackluster global growth and the devaluation
  of the Argentine peso. Chile's economy began a slow recovery in
  2003, growing 3.2% and accelerated to 5.8% in 2004. GDP growth
  benefited from high copper prices, solid export earnings
  (particularly forestry, fishing, and mining), and stepped-up foreign
  direct investment. Unemployment, however, remains stubbornly high.
  Chile deepened its longstanding commitment to trade liberalization
  with the signing of a free trade agreement with the US, which took
  effect on 1 January 2004.

China In late 1978 the Chinese leadership began moving the economy from a sluggish, inefficient, Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented system. Whereas the system operates within a political framework of strict Communist control, the economic influence of non-state organizations and individual citizens has been steadily increasing. The authorities switched to a system of household and village responsibility in agriculture in place of the old collectivization, increased the authority of local officials and plant managers in industry, permitted a wide variety of small-scale enterprises in services and light manufacturing, and opened the economy to increased foreign trade and investment. The result has been a quadrupling of GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2004 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still poor. Agriculture and industry have posted major gains especially in coastal areas near Hong Kong and opposite Taiwan and in Shanghai, where foreign investment has helped spur output of both domestic and export goods. The leadership, however, often has experienced - as a result of its hybrid system - the worst results of socialism (bureaucracy and lassitude) and of capitalism (growing income disparities and rising unemployment). China thus has periodically backtracked, retightening central controls at intervals. The government has struggled to (a) sustain adequate jobs growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) keep afloat the large state-owned enterprises, many of which had been shielded from competition by subsidies and had been losing the ability to pay full wages and pensions. From 100 to 150 million surplus rural workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time, low-paying jobs. Popular resistance, changes in central policy, and loss of authority by rural cadres have weakened China's population control program, which is essential to maintaining long-term growth in living standards. At the same time, one demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world. Another long-term threat to growth is the deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table especially in the north. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. As part of its effort to gradually slow the rapid economic growth seen in 2004, Beijing says it will reduce somewhat its spending on infrastructure in 2005, while continuing to focus on poverty relief and through rural tax reform. Accession to the World Trade Organization helps strengthen its ability to maintain strong growth rates but at the same time puts additional pressure on the hybrid system of strong political controls and growing market influences. China has benefited from a huge expansion in computer Internet use, with 94 million users at the end of 2004. Foreign investment remains a strong element in China's remarkable economic growth. Shortages of electric power and raw materials may affect industrial output in 2005. More power generating capacity is scheduled to come on line in 2006. In its rivalry with India as an economic power, China has a lead in the absorption of technology, the rising prominence in world trade, and the alleviation of poverty; India has one important advantage in its relative mastery of the English language, but the number of competent Chinese English-speakers is growing rapidly.

Christmas Island
  Phosphate mining had been the only significant
  economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government
  closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of
  the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993. The casino
  closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support
  the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island,
  projected to begin operations in the near future

Clipperton Island
  Although 115 species of fish have been identified
  in the territorial waters of Clipperton Island, the only economic
  activity is tuna fishing.

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Grown throughout the islands, coconuts are
  the sole cash crop. Small local gardens and fishing contribute to
  the food supply, but additional food and most other necessities must
  be imported from Australia. There is a small tourist industry.

Colombia
  Colombia's economy has been on a recovery trend during the
  past two years despite a serious armed conflict. The economy
  continues to improve thanks to austere government budgets, focused
  efforts to reduce public debt levels, and an export-oriented growth
  focus. Ongoing economic problems facing President URIBE range from
  reforming the pension system to reducing high unemployment. New
  exploration is needed to offset declining oil production. On the
  positive side, several international financial institutions have
  praised the economic reforms introduced by URIBE, which include
  measures designed to reduce the public-sector deficit below 2.5% of
  GDP. The government's economic policy and democratic security
  strategy have engendered a growing sense of confidence in the
  economy, particularly within the business sector. Coffee prices have
  recovered from previous lows as the Colombian coffee industry
  pursues greater market shares in developed countries such as the
  United States.

Comoros
  One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of
  three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and
  rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources. The low
  educational level of the labor force contributes to a subsistence
  level of economic activity, high unemployment, and a heavy
  dependence on foreign grants and technical assistance. Agriculture,
  including fishing, hunting, and forestry, contributes 40% to GDP,
  employs 80% of the labor force, and provides most of the exports.
  The country is not self-sufficient in food production; rice, the
  main staple, accounts for the bulk of imports. The government -
  which is hampered by internal political disputes - is struggling to
  upgrade education and technical training, privatize commercial and
  industrial enterprises, improve health services, diversify exports,
  promote tourism, and reduce the high population growth rate.
  Increased foreign support is essential if the goal of 4% annual GDP
  growth is to be met. Remittances from 150,000 Comorans abroad help
  supplement GDP.

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  The economy of the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth
  - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began
  in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government
  revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of
  perhaps 3.5 million people from war, famine, and disease. Foreign
  businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome
  of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating
  environment. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of
  a large portion of the invading foreign troops. Several IMF and
  World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop
  a coherent economic plan, and President KABILA has begun
  implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP
  data. Economic stability, aided by international donors, improved in
  2003-04, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a
  lack of openness in government policy continues to hamper growth. In
  2005, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most
  exports, could boost Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth.

Congo, Republic of the
  The economy is a mixture of village
  agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based largely on
  oil, support services, and a government characterized by budget
  problems and overstaffing. Oil has supplanted forestry as the
  mainstay of the economy, providing a major share of government
  revenues and exports. In the early 1980s, rapidly rising oil
  revenues enabled the government to finance large-scale development
  projects with GDP growth averaging 5% annually, one of the highest
  rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a substantial portion
  of its oil earnings, contributing to a shortage of revenues. The 12
  January 1994 devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% resulted in
  inflation of 61% in 1994, but inflation has subsided since. Economic
  reform efforts continued with the support of international
  organizations, notably the World Bank and the IMF. The reform
  program came to a halt in June 1997 when civil war erupted. Denis
  SASSOU-NGUESSO, who returned to power when the war ended in October
  1997, publicly expressed interest in moving forward on economic
  reforms and privatization and in renewing cooperation with
  international financial institutions. However, economic progress was
  badly hurt by slumping oil prices and the resumption of armed
  conflict in December 1998, which worsened the republic's budget
  deficit. The current administration presides over an uneasy internal
  peace and faces difficult economic challenges of stimulating
  recovery and reducing poverty.

Cook Islands
  Like many other South Pacific island nations, the Cook
  Islands' economic development is hindered by the isolation of the
  country from foreign markets, the limited size of domestic markets,
  lack of natural resources, periodic devastation from natural
  disasters, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture provides the
  economic base with major exports made up of copra and citrus fruit.
  Manufacturing activities are limited to fruit processing, clothing,
  and handicrafts. Trade deficits are offset by remittances from
  emigrants and by foreign aid, overwhelmingly from New Zealand. In
  the 1980s and 1990s, the country lived beyond its means, maintaining
  a bloated public service and accumulating a large foreign debt.
  Subsequent reforms, including the sale of state assets, the
  strengthening of economic management, the encouragement of tourism,
  and a debt restructuring agreement, have rekindled investment and
  growth.

Coral Sea Islands
  no economic activity

Costa Rica
  Costa Rica's basically stable economy depends on tourism,
  agriculture, and electronics exports. Poverty has been substantially
  reduced over the past 15 years, and a strong social safety net has
  been put into place. Foreign investors remain attracted by the
  country's political stability and high education levels, and tourism
  continues to bring in foreign exchange. Low prices for coffee and
  bananas have hurt the agricultural sector. The government continues
  to grapple with its large deficit and massive internal debt. The
  reduction of inflation remains a difficult problem because of rises
  in the price of imports, labor market rigidities, and fiscal
  deficits. The country also needs to reform its tax system and its
  pattern of public expenditure. Costa Rica recently concluded
  negotiations to participate in the US-Central American Free Trade
  Agreement, which, if ratified by the Costa Rican Legislature, would
  result in economic reforms and an improved investment climate.

Cote d'Ivoire
  Cote d'Ivoire is among the world's largest producers
  and exporters of coffee, cocoa beans, and palm oil. Consequently,
  the economy is highly sensitive to fluctuations in international
  prices for these products and weather conditions. Despite government
  attempts to diversify the economy, it is still heavily dependent on
  agriculture and related activities, engaging roughly 68% of the
  population. After several years of lagging performance, the Ivorian
  economy began a comeback in 1994, due to the 50% devaluation of the
  CFA franc and improved prices for cocoa and coffee, growth in
  nontraditional primary exports such as pineapples and rubber,
  limited trade and banking liberalization, offshore oil and gas
  discoveries, and generous external financing and debt rescheduling
  by multilateral lenders and France. Moreover, government adherence
  to donor-mandated reforms led to a jump to 5% annual growth during
  1996-99. Growth was negative in 2000-03 because of the difficulty of
  meeting the conditions of international donors, continued low prices
  of key exports, and severe civil war. In November 2004 the situation
  deteriorated when President GBAGBO's troops attacked and killed nine
  French peacekeeping forces, and the UN imposed an arms embargo.
  Political uncertainty has clouded the economic outlook for 2005,
  with fear among Ivorians spreading, foreign investment shriveling,
  businessmen fleeing, travel within the country falling, and criminal
  elements that traffic in weapons and diamonds gaining ground.

Croatia
  Before the dissolution of Yugoslavia, the Republic of
  Croatia, after Slovenia, was the most prosperous and industrialized
  area, with a per capita output perhaps one-third above the Yugoslav
  average. The economy emerged from a mild recession in 2000 with
  tourism, banking, and public investments leading the way.
  Unemployment remains high, at about 14 percent, with structural
  factors slowing its decline. While macroeconomic stabilization has
  largely been achieved, structural reforms lag because of deep
  resistance on the part of the public and lack of strong support from
  politicians. Growth, while impressively about 4% for the last
  several years, has been achieved through high fiscal and current
  account deficits. The government is gradually reducing a heavy back
  log of civil cases, many involving land tenure. The EU accession
  process should accelerate fiscal and structural reform.

Cuba
  The government continues to balance the need for economic
  loosening against a desire for firm political control. It has
  undertaken limited reforms to increase enterprise efficiency and
  alleviate serious shortages of food, consumer goods, and services. A
  major feature of the economy is the dichotomy between relatively
  efficient export enclaves and inefficient domestic sectors. The
  average Cuban's standard of living remains at a lower level than
  before the depression of the 1990s, which was caused by the loss of
  Soviet aid and domestic inefficiencies. The government in 2004
  strengthened its controls over dollars coming into the economy from
  tourism, remittances, and trade.

Cyprus
  The Greek Cypriot economy is prosperous but highly
  susceptible to external shocks. The service sector, mainly tourism
  and financial services, dominates the economy; erratic growth rates
  over the past decade reflect the economy's reliance on tourism,
  which often fluctuates with political instability in the region and
  economic conditions in Western Europe. Economic policy is focused on
  meeting the criteria to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism
  (ERM2) within the next two years although sluggish tourism and poor
  fiscal management have resulted in growing budget deficits since
  2001. As in the Turkish sector, water shortages are a perennial
  problem; a few desalination plants are now on-line. After 10 years
  of drought, the country received substantial rainfall from 2001-03,
  alleviating immediate concerns. The Turkish Cypriot economy has
  roughly one-third of the per capita GDP of the south, and economic
  growth tends to be volatile, given north Cyprus's relative
  isolation, bloated public sector, reliance on the Turkish lira, and
  small market size. The Turkish Cypriot economy grew 2.6% in 2004,
  fueled by growth in the construction and education sectors as well
  as increased employment of Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of
  Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots are heavily dependent on transfers from
  the Turkish government. Ankara provides around $300 million a year
  directly into the "TRNC" budget and regularly provides additional
  financing for large infrastructure projects. Agriculture and
  government service, together employ almost half of the work force,
  and the potential for tourism is promising, especially with the
  easing of border restrictions with the Greek Cypriots in April 2003.

Czech Republic
  The Czech Republic is one of the most stable and
  prosperous of the post-Communist states of Central and Eastern
  Europe. Growth in 2000-04 was supported by exports to the EU,
  primarily to Germany, and a strong recovery of foreign and domestic
  investment. Domestic demand is playing an ever more important role
  in underpinning growth as interest rates drop and the availability
  of credit cards and mortgages increases. Current account deficits of
  around 5% of GDP are beginning to decline as demand for Czech
  products in the European Union increases. Inflation is under
  control. Recent accession to the EU gives further impetus and
  direction to structural reform. In early 2004 the government passed
  increases in the Value Added Tax (VAT) and tightened eligibility for
  social benefits with the intention to bring the public finance gap
  down to 4% of GDP by 2006, but more difficult pension and healthcare
  reforms will have to wait until after the next elections.
  Privatization of the state-owned telecommunications firm Cesky
  Telecom is scheduled to take place in 2005. Intensified
  restructuring among large enterprises, improvements in the financial
  sector, and effective use of available EU funds should strengthen
  output growth.

Denmark
  This thoroughly modern market economy features high-tech
  agriculture, up-to-date small-scale and corporate industry,
  extensive government welfare measures, comfortable living standards,
  a stable currency, and high dependence on foreign trade. Denmark is
  a net exporter of food and energy and enjoys a comfortable balance
  of payments surplus. Government objectives include streamlining the
  bureaucracy and further privatization of state assets. The
  government has been successful in meeting, and even exceeding, the
  economic convergence criteria for participating in the third phase
  (a common European currency) of the European Economic and Monetary
  Union (EMU), but Denmark has decided not to join 12 other EU members
  in the euro; even so, the Danish krone remains pegged to the euro.
  Growth in 2004 was sluggish, yet above the scanty 0.3% of 2003.
  Because of high GDP per capita, welfare benefits, a low Gini index,
  and political stability, the Danish people enjoy living standards
  topped by no other nation. A major long-term issue will be the sharp
  decline in the ratio of workers to retirees.

Dhekelia
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to the
  military and their families located in Dhekelia. All food and
  manufactured goods must be imported.

Djibouti
  The economy is based on service activities connected with
  the country's strategic location and status as a free trade zone in
  northeast Africa. Two-thirds of the inhabitants live in the capital
  city, the remainder are mostly nomadic herders. Scanty rainfall
  limits crop production to fruits and vegetables, and most food must
  be imported. Djibouti provides services as both a transit port for
  the region and an international transshipment and refueling center.
  Djibouti has few natural resources and little industry. The nation
  is, therefore, heavily dependent on foreign assistance to help
  support its balance of payments and to finance development projects.
  An unemployment rate of at least 50% continues to be a major
  problem. While inflation is not a concern, due to the fixed tie of
  the Djiboutian franc to the US dollar, the artificially high value
  of the Djiboutian franc adversely affects Djibouti's balance of
  payments. Per capita consumption dropped an estimated 35% over the
  last seven years because of recession, civil war, and a high
  population growth rate (including immigrants and refugees). Faced
  with a multitude of economic difficulties, the government has fallen
  in arrears on long-term external debt and has been struggling to
  meet the stipulations of foreign aid donors.

Dominica
  The Dominican economy depends on agriculture, primarily
  bananas, and remains highly vulnerable to climatic conditions and
  international economic developments. Production of bananas dropped
  precipitously in 2003, a major reason for the 1% decline in GDP.
  Tourism increased in 2003 as the government sought to promote
  Dominica as an "ecotourism" destination. Development of the tourism
  industry remains difficult, however, because of the rugged
  coastline, lack of beaches, and the absence of an international
  airport. The government began a comprehensive restructuring of the
  economy in 2003 - including elimination of price controls,
  privatization of the state banana company, and tax increases - to
  address Dominica's economic crisis and to meet IMF targets. In order
  to diversify the island's production base the government is
  attempting to develop an offshore financial sector and is planning
  to construct an oil refinery on the eastern part of the island.

Dominican Republic
  The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean
  representative democracy which enjoyed GDP growth of more than 7% in
  1998-2000. Growth subsequently plummeted as part of the global
  economic slowdown. Although the country has long been viewed
  primarily as an exporter of sugar, coffee, and tobacco, in recent
  years the service sector has overtaken agriculture as the economy's
  largest employer, due to growth in tourism and free trade zones. The
  country suffers from marked income inequality; the poorest half of
  the population receives less than one-fifth of GNP, while the
  richest 10% enjoys nearly 40% of national income. Growth turned
  negative in 2003 with reduced tourism, a major bank fraud, and
  limited growth in the US economy (the source of about 85% of export
  revenues), but recovered slightly in 2004. Resumption of a badly
  needed IMF loan, slowed due to government repurchase of electrical
  power plants, is basic to the restoration of social and economic
  stability. Newly elected President FERNANDEZ in mid-2004 promised
  belt-tightening reform. His administration has passed tax reform and
  is working to meet preconditions for a $600 IMF standby arrangement
  to ease the country's fiscal situation.

East Timor
  In late 1999, about 70% of the economic infrastructure of
  East Timor was laid waste by Indonesian troops and anti-independence
  militias, and 300,000 people fled westward. Over the next three
  years, however, a massive international program, manned by 5,000
  peacekeepers (8,000 at peak) and 1,300 police officers, led to
  substantial reconstruction in both urban and rural areas. By 2003,
  all but about 30,000 of the refugees had returned. Growth was held
  back in 2003 by extensive drought and the gradual winding down of
  the international presence. The country faces great challenges in
  continuing the rebuilding of infrastructure, strengthening the
  infant civil administration, and generating jobs for young people
  entering the workforce. One promising long-term project is the
  planned development of oil and gas resources in nearby waters, which
  have begun to supplement government revenues ahead of schedule.

Ecuador
  Ecuador has substantial petroleum resources, which have
  accounted for 40% of the country's export earnings and one-fourth of
  central government budget revenues in recent years. Consequently,
  fluctuations in world market prices can have a substantial domestic
  impact. In the late 1990s, Ecuador suffered its worst economic
  crisis, with natural disasters and sharp declines in world petroleum
  prices driving Ecuador's economy into free fall in 1999. Real GDP
  contracted by more than 6%, with poverty worsening significantly.
  The banking system also collapsed, and Ecuador defaulted on its
  external debt later that year. The currency depreciated by some 70%
  in 1999, and, on the brink of hyperinflation, the MAHAUD government
  announced it would dollarize the economy. A coup, however, ousted
  MAHAUD from office in January 2000, and after a short-lived junta
  failed to garner military support, Vice President Gustavo NOBOA took
  over the presidency. In March 2000, Congress approved a series of
  structural reforms that also provided the framework for the adoption
  of the US dollar as legal tender. Dollarization stabilized the
  economy, and growth returned to its pre-crisis levels in the years
  that followed. Under the administration of Lucio GUTIERREZ - January
  2003 to April 2005 - Ecuador benefited from higher world petroleum
  prices, but the government has made little progress on economic
  reforms necessary to reduce Ecuador's vulnerability to petroleum
  price swings and financial crises.

Egypt
  Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid
  1990s has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual
  GDP growth in the range of 2%-3% in 2001-03. However, in 2004 Egypt
  implemented several measures to boost foreign direct investment. In
  September 2004, Egypt pushed through custom reforms, proposed income
  and corporate tax reforms, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized
  several enterprises. The budget deficit rose to an estimated 8% of
  GDP in 2004 compared to 6.1% of GDP the previous year, in part as a
  result of these reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued
  Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January
  2003, leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent
  inflationary pressure. In 2004, the Central Bank implemented
  measures to improve currency liquidity. Egypt reached record tourism
  levels, despite the Taba and Nuweiba bombings in September 2004. The
  development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for
  future growth prospects, but improvement in the capital-intensive
  hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent
  unemployment.

El Salvador
  GDP per capita is roughly half that of Brazil,
  Argentina, and Chile, and the distribution of income is highly
  unequal. The government is striving to open new export markets,
  encourage foreign investment, modernize the tax and healthcare
  systems, and stimulate the sluggish economy. Implementation of the
  Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, ratified by
  El Salvador in 2004, is viewed as a key policy to help achieve these
  objectives. The trade deficit has been offset by annual remittances
  from Salvadorans living abroad - 16% of GDP in 2004 - and external
  aid. With the adoption of the US dollar as its currency, El Salvador
  has lost control over monetary policy and must concentrate on
  maintaining a disciplined fiscal policy.

Equatorial Guinea
  The discovery and exploitation of large oil
  reserves have contributed to dramatic economic growth in recent
  years. Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of
  GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. Although pre-independence
  Equatorial Guinea counted on cocoa production for hard currency
  earnings, the neglect of the rural economy under successive regimes
  has diminished potential for agriculture-led growth (the government
  has stated its intention to reinvest some oil revenue into
  agriculture). A number of aid programs sponsored by the World Bank
  and the IMF have been cut off since 1993 because of corruption and
  mismanagement. No longer eligible for concessional financing because
  of large oil revenues, the government has been unsuccessfully trying
  to agree on a "shadow" fiscal management program with the World Bank
  and IMF. Businesses, for the most part, are owned by government
  officials and their family members. Undeveloped natural resources
  include titanium, iron ore, manganese, uranium, and alluvial gold.
  Growth presumably remained strong in 2004, led by oil.

Eritrea
  Since independence from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Eritrea has
  faced the economic problems of a small, desperately poor country.
  Like the economies of many African nations, the economy is largely
  based on subsistence agriculture, with 80% of the population
  involved in farming and herding. The Ethiopian-Eritrea war in
  1998-2000 severely hurt Eritrea's economy. GDP growth fell to zero
  in 1999 and to -12.1% in 2000. The May 2000 Ethiopian offensive into
  northern Eritrea caused some $600 million in property damage and
  loss, including losses of $225 million in livestock and 55,000
  homes. The attack prevented planting of crops in Eritrea's most
  productive region, causing food production to drop by 62%. Even
  during the war, Eritrea developed its transportation infrastructure,
  asphalting new roads, improving its ports, and repairing war damaged
  roads and bridges. Since the war ended, the government has
  maintained a firm grip on the economy, expanding the use of the
  military and party-owned businesses to complete Eritrea's
  development agenda. Erratic rainfall and the delayed demobilization
  of agriculturalists from the military kept cereal production well
  below normal, holding down growth in 2002-04. Eritrea's economic
  future depends upon its ability to master social problems such as
  illiteracy, unemployment, and low skills, and to open its economy to
  private enterprise so the diaspora's money and expertise can foster
  economic growth.

Estonia
  Estonia, as a new member of the World Trade Organization and
  the European Union, has transitioned effectively to a modern market
  economy with strong ties to the West, including the pegging of its
  currency to the euro. The economy benefits from strong electronics
  and telecommunications sectors and is greatly influenced by
  developments in Finland, Sweden, and Germany, three major trading
  partners. The current account deficit remains high; however, the
  state budget enjoyed a surplus of $130 million in 2003.

Ethiopia
  Ethiopia's poverty-stricken economy is based on
  agriculture, accounting for half of GDP, 60% of exports, and 80% of
  total employment. The agricultural sector suffers from frequent
  drought and poor cultivation practices. Coffee is critical to the
  Ethiopian economy with exports of some $156 million in 2002, but
  historically low prices have seen many farmers switching to qat to
  supplement income. The war with Eritrea in 1998-2000 and recurrent
  drought have buffeted the economy, in particular coffee production.
  In November 2001, Ethiopia qualified for debt relief from the Highly
  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. Under Ethiopia's land
  tenure system, the government owns all land and provides long-term
  leases to the tenants; the system continues to hamper growth in the
  industrial sector as entrepreneurs are unable to use land as
  collateral for loans. Drought struck again late in 2002, leading to
  a 2% decline in GDP in 2003. Normal weather patterns late in 2003
  helped agricultural and GDP growth recover in 2004.

Europa Island
  no economic activity

European Union
  Domestically, the European Union attempts to lower
  trade barriers, adopt a common currency, and move toward convergence
  of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to bolster
  Europe's trade position and its political and economic power.
  Because of the great differences in per capita income (from $10,000
  to $28,000) and historic national animosities, the European
  Community faces difficulties in devising and enforcing common
  policies. For example, both Germany and France since 2003 have
  flouted the member states' treaty obligation to prevent their
  national budgets from running more than a 3% deficit. In 2004, the
  EU admitted 10 central and eastern European countries that are, in
  general, less advanced technologically and economically than the
  existing 15. Twelve EU member states introduced the euro as their
  common currency on 1 January 1999. The UK, Sweden, and Denmark do
  not now participate; the 10 new member states may choose to adopt
  the euro when they meet the EU's fiscal and monetary criteria and
  the member states so agree.

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. Another large source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.

Faroe Islands
  The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since
  1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and
  stable export prices. Unemployment is minimal and there are signs of
  labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic
  development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce
  increasing budget surpluses, which in turn has helped to reduce the
  large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total
  dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely
  vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what
  is a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close
  to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese
  area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified
  economy and thus lessen dependence on Danish economic assistance.
  Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the
  Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other
  Scandinavians.

Fiji
  Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one
  of the most developed of the Pacific island economies, though still
  with a large subsistence sector. Sugar exports and a growing tourist
  industry - with 300,000 to 400,000 tourists annually - are the major
  sources of foreign exchange. Sugar processing makes up one-third of
  industrial activity, but is inefficient. Long-term problems include
  low investment, uncertain land ownership rights, and the
  government's ability to manage its budget. Yet short-run economic
  prospects are good, provided tensions do not again erupt between
  indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians. Overseas remittances from
  Fijians working in Kuwait and Iraq have increased significantly.

Finland
  Finland has a highly industrialized, largely free-market
  economy, with per capita output roughly that of the UK, France,
  Germany, and Italy. Its key economic sector is manufacturing -
  principally the wood, metals, engineering, telecommunications, and
  electronics industries. Trade is important, with exports equaling
  two-fifths of GDP. Finland excels in high-tech exports, e.g., mobile
  phones. Except for timber and several minerals, Finland depends on
  imports of raw materials, energy, and some components for
  manufactured goods. Because of the climate, agricultural development
  is limited to maintaining self-sufficiency in basic products.
  Forestry, an important export earner, provides a secondary
  occupation for the rural population. Rapidly increasing integration
  with Western Europe - Finland was one of the 12 countries joining
  the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) - will dominate the
  economic picture over the next several years. Growth in 2003 was
  held back by the global slowdown but picked up in 2004. High
  unemployment remains a persistent problem.

France
  France is in the midst of transition, from a well-to-do
  modern economy that has featured extensive government ownership and
  intervention to one that relies more on market mechanisms. The
  government has partially or fully privatized many large companies,
  banks, and insurers. It retains controlling stakes in several
  leading firms, including Air France, France Telecom, Renault, and
  Thales, and is dominant in some sectors, particularly power, public
  transport, and defense industries. The telecommunications sector is
  gradually being opened to competition. France's leaders remain
  committed to a capitalism in which they maintain social equity by
  means of laws, tax policies, and social spending that reduce income
  disparity and the impact of free markets on public health and
  welfare. The government has lowered income taxes and introduced
  measures to boost employment and reform the pension system. In
  addition, it is focusing on the problems of the high cost of labor
  and labor market inflexibility resulting from the 35-hour workweek
  and restrictions on lay-offs. The tax burden remains one of the
  highest in Europe (43.8% of GDP in 2003). The lingering economic
  slowdown and inflexible budget items have pushed the budget deficit
  above the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP limit. Finance Minister Herve GAYMARD
  has promised that the 2005 deficit will fall below 3%.

French Guiana
  The economy is tied closely to the much larger French
  economy through subsidies and imports. Besides the French space
  center at Kourou (which accounts for 25% of GDP), fishing and
  forestry are the most important economic activities. Forest and
  woodland cover 90% of the country. The large reserves of tropical
  hardwoods, not fully exploited, support an expanding sawmill
  industry that provides sawn logs for export. Cultivation of crops is
  limited to the coastal area, where the population is largely
  concentrated; rice and manioc are the major crops. French Guiana is
  heavily dependent on imports of food and energy. Unemployment is a
  serious problem, particularly among younger workers.

French Polynesia
  Since 1962, when France stationed military
  personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a
  subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion
  of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the
  tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996,
  the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism
  accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard
  currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and
  deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector
  primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits
  substantially from development agreements with France aimed
  principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social
  services.

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Economic activity is limited to
  servicing meteorological and geophysical research stations and
  French and other fishing fleets. The fish catches landed on Iles
  Kerguelen by foreign ships are exported to France and Reunion.

Gabon
  Gabon enjoys a per capita income four times that of most of
  sub-Saharan African nations. This has supported a sharp decline in
  extreme poverty; yet because of high income inequality a large
  proportion of the population remains poor. Gabon depended on timber
  and manganese until oil was discovered offshore in the early 1970s.
  The oil sector now accounts for 50% of GDP. Gabon continues to face
  fluctuating prices for its oil, timber, and manganese exports.
  Despite the abundance of natural wealth, poor fiscal management
  hobbles the economy. Devaluation of its currency by 50% in January
  1994 sparked a one-time inflationary surge, to 35%; the rate dropped
  to 6% in 1996. The IMF provided a one-year standby arrangement in
  1994-95, a three-year Enhanced Financing Facility (EFF) at near
  commercial rates beginning in late 1995, and stand-by credit of $119
  million in October 2000. Those agreements mandate progress in
  privatization and fiscal discipline. France provided additional
  financial support in January 1997 after Gabon had met IMF targets
  for mid-1996. In 1997, an IMF mission to Gabon criticized the
  government for overspending on off-budget items, overborrowing from
  the central bank, and slipping on its schedule for privatization and
  administrative reform. The rebound of oil prices in 1999-2000 helped
  growth, but drops in production hampered Gabon from fully realizing
  potential gains. In December 2000, Gabon signed a new agreement with
  the Paris Club to reschedule its official debt. A follow-up
  bilateral repayment agreement with the US was signed in December
  2001. Gabon signed a 14 month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF in
  May 2004, and received Paris Club debt rescheduling later that year.
  Short-term progress depends on an upbeat world economy and fiscal
  and other adjustments in line with IMF policies.

Gambia, The
  The Gambia has no significant mineral or natural
  resource deposits and has a limited agricultural base. About 75% of
  the population depends on crops and livestock for its livelihood.
  Small-scale manufacturing activity features the processing of
  peanuts, fish, and hides. Reexport trade normally constitutes a
  major segment of economic activity, but a 1999 government-imposed
  preshipment inspection plan, and instability of the Gambian dalasi
  (currency) have drawn some of the reexport trade away from The
  Gambia. The government's 1998 seizure of the private peanut firm
  Alimenta eliminated the largest purchaser of Gambian groundnuts; the
  following two marketing seasons saw substantially lower prices and
  sales. Despite an announced program to begin privatizing key
  parastatals, no plans have been made public that would indicate that
  the government intends to follow through on its promises.
  Unemployment and underemployment rates remain extremely high;
  short-run economic progress depends on sustained bilateral and
  multilateral aid, on responsible government economic management, on
  continued technical assistance from the IMF and bilateral donors,
  and on expected growth in the construction sector.

Gaza Strip
  High population density, limited land access, and strict
  internal and external controls have kept economic conditions in the
  Gaza Strip - the smaller of the two areas under the Palestinian
  Authority - even more degraded than in the West Bank. An anticipated
  Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005 may offer some
  medium-term opportunities for economic growth. The beginning of the
  second intifadah in September 2000 sparked an economic downturn,
  largely the result of Israeli closure policies; these policies,
  which were imposed in response to security interests in Israel,
  disrupted labor and commodity relationships with the Gaza Strip. In
  2001, and even more severely in 2003, Israeli military measures in
  Palestinian Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much
  capital plant, the disruption of administrative structure, and
  widespread business closures. Including the West Bank, the UN
  estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who
  used to work in Israel or in joint industrial zones have lost their
  jobs. International aid of $2 billion to Gaza Strip and the West
  Bank in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and
  allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations.
  Meanwhile unemployment has continued at half the labor force.
  ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves open more political options that could
  affect the economy.

Georgia
  Georgia's main economic activities include the cultivation
  of agricultural products such as citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and
  grapes; mining of manganese and copper; and output of a small
  industrial sector producing alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
  metals, machinery, and chemicals. The country imports the bulk of
  its energy needs, including natural gas and oil products. Its only
  sizable internal energy resource is hydropower. Despite the severe
  damage the economy has suffered due to civil strife, Georgia, with
  the help of the IMF and World Bank, has made substantial economic
  gains since 1995, achieving positive GDP growth and curtailing
  inflation. However, the Georgian Government has suffered from
  limited resources due to a chronic failure to collect tax revenues.
  Georgia's new government is making progress in reforming the tax
  code, enforcing taxes, and cracking down on corruption. Georgia also
  suffers from energy shortages; it privatized the T'bilisi
  electricity distribution network in 1998, but payment collection
  rates remain low, both in T'bilisi and throughout the regions. The
  country is pinning its hopes for long-term growth on its role as a
  transit state for pipelines and trade. The construction on the
  Baku-T'bilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-T'bilisi-Erzerum gas
  pipeline have brought much-needed investment and job opportunities.

Germany
  Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy -
  the fifth largest in the world - has become one of the slowest
  growing economies in the euro zone. A quick turnaround is not in the
  offing in the foreseeable future. Growth in 2001-03 fell short of
  1%, rising to 1.7% in 2004. The modernization and integration of the
  eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process,
  with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70
  billion. Germany's aging population, combined with high
  unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level
  exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the
  labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers
  and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made
  unemployment a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and growing
  capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany
  to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration
  and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are
  further addressed. In the short run, however, the fall in government
  revenues and the rise in expenditures have raised the deficit above
  the EU's 3% debt limit.

Ghana
  Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice
  the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even
  so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and
  technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major
  sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to
  revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 34% of
  GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders.
  Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country
  (HIPC) program in 2002. Priorities include tighter monetary and
  fiscal policies, accelerated privatization, and improvement of
  social services. Receipts from the gold sector helped sustain GDP
  growth in 2004. Inflation should ease, but remain a major internal
  problem.

Gibraltar
  Self-sufficient Gibraltar benefits from an extensive
  shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an
  international conference center. The British military presence has
  been sharply reduced and now contributes about 7% to the local
  economy, compared with 60% in 1984. The financial sector, tourism
  (almost 5 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and
  duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. The financial
  sector, the shipping sector, and tourism each contribute 25%-30% of
  GDP. Telecommunications accounts for another 10%. In recent years,
  Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a
  private sector economy, but changes in government spending still
  have a major impact on the level of employment.

Glorioso Islands
  no economic activity

Greece
  Greece has a capitalist economy with the public sector
  accounting for about 40% of GDP and with per capita GDP 70% of the
  leading euro-zone economies. Tourism provides 15% of GDP. Immigrants
  make up nearly one-fifth of the work force, mainly in menial jobs.
  Greece is a major beneficiary of EU aid, equal to about 3.3% of
  annual GDP. The Greek economy grew by about 4.0% for the past two
  years, largely because of an investment boom and infrastructure
  upgrades for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Despite strong growth,
  Greece has failed to meet the EU's Growth and Stability Pact budget
  deficit criteria of 3% of GDP since 2000; public debt, inflation,
  and unemployment are also above the eurozone average. Further
  restructuring of the economy will need to include privatizing of
  several state enterprises, undertaking pension and other reforms,
  and minimizing bureaucratic inefficiencies.

Greenland
  The economy remains critically dependent on exports of
  fish and substantial support from the Danish Government, which
  supplies about half of government revenues. The public sector,
  including publicly-owned enterprises and the municipalities, plays
  the dominant role in the economy. Despite several interesting
  hydrocarbon and minerals exploration activities, it will take
  several years before production can materialize. Tourism is the only
  sector offering any near-term potential, and even this is limited
  due to a short season and high costs.

Grenada
  Grenada relies on tourism as its main source of foreign
  exchange, especially since the construction of an international
  airport in 1985. Strong performances in construction and
  manufacturing, together with the development of an offshore
  financial industry, have also contributed to growth in national
  output.

Guadeloupe
  The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism,
  light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large
  subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists
  from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the
  islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by
  other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export
  earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops
  are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still
  dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry
  features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel
  are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young.
  Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy.

Guam
  The economy depends on US military spending, tourism, and the
  export of fish and handicrafts. Total US grants, wage payments, and
  procurement outlays amounted to $1 billion in 1998. Over the past 20
  years, the tourist industry has grown rapidly, creating a
  construction boom for new hotels and the expansion of older ones.
  More than 1 million tourists visit Guam each year. The industry had
  recently suffered setbacks because of the continuing Japanese
  slowdown; the Japanese normally make up almost 90% of the tourists.
  Most food and industrial goods are imported. Guam faces the problem
  of building up the civilian economic sector to offset the impact of
  military downsizing.

Guatemala
  Guatemala is the largest and most populous of the Central
  American countries with a GDP per capita roughly one-half that of
  Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The agricultural sector accounts for
  about one-fourth of GDP, two-thirds of exports, and half of the
  labor force. Coffee, sugar, and bananas are the main products. The
  1996 signing of peace accords, which ended 36 years of civil war,
  removed a major obstacle to foreign investment, but widespread
  political violence and corruption scandals continue to dampen
  investor confidence. The distribution of income remains highly
  unequal, with perhaps 75% of the population below the poverty line.
  Other ongoing challenges include increasing government revenues,
  negotiating further assistance from international donors, upgrading
  both government and private financial operations, curtailing drug
  trafficking, and narrowing the trade deficit.

Guernsey
  Financial services - banking, fund management, insurance -
  account for about 55% of total income in this tiny, prosperous
  Channel Island economy. Tourism, manufacturing, and horticulture,
  mainly tomatoes and cut flowers, have been declining. Light tax and
  death duties make Guernsey a popular tax haven. The evolving
  economic integration of the EU nations is changing the environment
  under which Guernsey operates.

Guinea
  Guinea possesses major mineral, hydropower, and agricultural
  resources, yet remains an underdeveloped nation. The country
  possesses over 30% of the world's bauxite reserves and is the
  second-largest bauxite producer. The mining sector accounted for
  about 75% of exports in 1999. Long-run improvements in government
  fiscal arrangements, literacy, and the legal framework are needed if
  the country is to move out of poverty. Fighting along the Sierra
  Leonean and Liberian borders, as well as refugee movements, have
  caused major economic disruptions, aggravating a loss in investor
  confidence. Foreign mining companies have reduced expatriate staff.
  Panic buying has created food shortages and inflation and caused
  riots in local markets. Guinea is not receiving multilateral aid.
  The IMF and World Bank cut off most assistance in 2003. Growth rose
  slightly in 2004, primarily due to increases in global demand and
  commodity prices on world markets.

Guinea-Bissau
  One of the 10 poorest countries in the world,
  Guinea-Bissau depends mainly on farming and fishing. Cashew crops
  have increased remarkably in recent years, and the country now ranks
  sixth in cashew production. Guinea-Bissau exports fish and seafood
  along with small amounts of peanuts, palm kernels, and timber. Rice
  is the major crop and staple food. However, intermittent fighting
  between Senegalese-backed government troops and a military junta
  destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and caused widespread
  damage to the economy in 1998; the civil war led to a 28% drop in
  GDP that year, with partial recovery in 1999-2002. Before the war,
  trade reform and price liberalization were the most successful part
  of the country's structural adjustment program under IMF
  sponsorship. The tightening of monetary policy and the development
  of the private sector had also begun to reinvigorate the economy.
  Because of high costs, the development of petroleum, phosphate, and
  other mineral resources is not a near-term prospect. However,
  unexploited offshore oil reserves could provide much-needed revenue
  in the long run. The inequality of income distribution is one of the
  most extreme in the world. The government and international donors
  continue to work out plans to forward economic development from a
  lamentably low base. In December 2003, the World Bank, IMF, and UNDP
  were forced to step in to provide emergency budgetary support in the
  amount of $107 million for 2004, representing over 80% of the total
  national budget. Government drift and indecision, however, have
  resulted in continued low growth in 2004.

Guyana
  The Guyanese economy exhibited moderate economic growth in
  2001-02, based on expansion in the agricultural and mining sectors,
  a more favorable atmosphere for business initiatives, a more
  realistic exchange rate, fairly low inflation, and the continued
  support of international organizations. Growth then slowed in 2003
  and came back gradually in 2004, buoyed largely by increased export
  earnings. Chronic problems include a shortage of skilled labor and a
  deficient infrastructure. The government is juggling a sizable
  external debt against the urgent need for expanded public
  investment. The bauxite mining sector should benefit in the near
  term from restructuring and partial privatization.

Haiti
  In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the
  population lives in abject poverty, and natural disasters frequently
  sweep the nation. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the
  agriculture sector, which consists mainly of small-scale subsistence
  farming. Following legislative elections in May 2000, fraught with
  irregularities, international donors - including the US and EU -
  suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated
  1.2% in 2001, 0.9% in 2002, grew 0.4% in 2003, and shrank by 3.5% in
  2004. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500
  million at the start of 2003. Haiti also suffers from rampant
  inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In
  early 2005 Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way
  to reengagement with the Bank. The resumption of aid flows from all
  donors is alleviating but not ending the nation's bitter economic
  problems. Civil strife in 2004 combined with extensive damage from
  flooding in southern Haiti in May 2004 and Tropical Storm Jeanne in
  northwestern Haiti in September 2004 further impoverished Haiti.

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  No indigenous economic activity,
  but the Australian Government allows limited fishing around the
  islands.

Holy See (Vatican City)
  This unique, noncommercial economy is
  supported financially by an annual contribution from Roman Catholic
  dioceses throughout the world (known as Peter's Pence); by the sale
  of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for
  admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. Investments
  and real estate income also account for a sizable portion of
  revenue. The incomes and living standards of lay workers are
  comparable to those of counterparts who work in the city of Rome.

Honduras
  Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western
  Hemisphere with an extraordinarily unequal distribution of income
  and massive unemployment, is banking on expanded trade under the
  U.S.-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and on debt relief
  under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative. The
  country has met most of its macroeconomic targets, and began a
  three-year IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PGRF) program
  in February 2004. Growth remains dependent on the economy of the US,
  its largest trading partner, on commodity prices, particularly
  coffee, and on reduction of the high crime rate.

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong has a free market, entrepot economy, highly
  dependent on international trade. Natural resources are limited, and
  food and raw materials must be imported. Gross imports and exports
  (i.e., including reexports to and from third countries) each exceed
  GDP in dollar value. Even before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese
  administration on 1 July 1997, it had extensive trade and investment
  ties with China. Hong Kong has been further integrating its economy
  with China because China's growing openness to the world economy has
  made manufacturing in China much more cost effective. Hong Kong's
  reexport business to and from China is a major driver of growth. Per
  capita GDP is comparable to that of the four big economies of
  Western Europe. GDP growth averaged a strong 5% from 1989 to 1997,
  but Hong Kong suffered two recessions in the past six years because
  of the Asian financial crisis in 1998 and the global downturn in
  2001 and 2002. Although the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
  outbreak also battered Hong Kong's economy, a boom in tourism from
  the mainland because of China's easing of travel restrictions, a
  return of consumer confidence, and a solid rise in exports resulted
  in the resumption of strong growth in late 2003 and in 2004.

Howland Island
  no economic activity

Hungary
  Hungary has made the transition from a centrally planned to
  a market economy, with a per capita income one-half that of the Big
  Four European nations. Hungary continues to demonstrate strong
  economic growth and acceded to the European Union in May 2004. The
  private sector accounts for over 80% of GDP. Foreign ownership of
  and investment in Hungarian firms are widespread, with cumulative
  foreign direct investment totaling more than $23 billion since 1989.
  Hungarian sovereign debt was upgraded in 2000 and together with the
  Czech Republic holds the highest rating among the Central European
  transition economies; however, ratings agencies have expressed
  concerns over Hungary's unsustainable budget and current account
  deficits. Inflation has declined from 14% in 1998 to 7% in 2004.
  Unemployment has persisted around the 6% level, but Hungary's labor
  force participation rate of 57% is one of the lowest in the OECD.
  Germany is by far Hungary's largest economic partner. Policy
  challenges include cutting the public sector deficit to 3% of GDP by
  2008, from about 5% in 2004, and orchestrating an orderly interest
  rate reduction without sparking capital outflows.

Iceland
  Iceland's Scandinavian-type economy is basically
  capitalistic, yet with an extensive welfare system (including
  generous housing subsidies), low unemployment, and remarkably even
  distribution of income. In the absence of other natural resources
  (except for abundant geothermal power), the economy depends heavily
  on the fishing industry, which provides 70% of export earnings and
  employs 8% of the work force. The economy remains sensitive to
  declining fish stocks as well as to fluctuations in world prices for
  its main exports: fish and fish products, aluminum, and
  ferrosilicon. Government policies include reducing the budget and
  current account deficits, limiting foreign borrowing, containing
  inflation, revising agricultural and fishing policies, diversifying
  the economy, and privatizing state-owned industries. The government
  remains opposed to EU membership, primarily because of Icelanders'
  concern about losing control over their fishing resources. Iceland's
  economy has been diversifying into manufacturing and service
  industries in the last decade, and new developments in software
  production, biotechnology, and financial services are taking place.
  The tourism sector is also expanding, with the recent trends in
  ecotourism and whale watching. Growth had been remarkably steady in
  1996-2001 at 3%-5%, but could not be sustained in 2002 in an
  environment of global recession. Growth resumed in 2003, and
  estimates call for strong growth until 2007, slowly dropping until
  the end of the decade.

India
  India's diverse economy encompasses traditional village
  farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern
  industries, and a multitude of services. Services are the major
  source of economic growth, though two-thirds of the workforce is in
  agriculture. The UPA government has committed to furthering economic
  reforms and developing basic infrastructure to improve the lives of
  the rural poor and boost economic performance. Government controls
  on foreign trade and investment have been reduced in some areas, but
  high tariffs (averaging 20% in 2004) and limits on foreign direct
  investment are still in place. The government has indicated it will
  do more to liberalize investment in civil aviation, telecom, and
  insurance sectors in the near term. Privatization of
  government-owned industries has proceeded slowly, and continues to
  generate political debate; continued social, political, and economic
  rigidities hold back needed initiatives. The economy has posted an
  excellent average growth rate of 6.8% since 1994, reducing poverty
  by about 10 percentage points. India is capitalizing on its large
  numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to
  become a major exporter of software services and software workers.
  Despite strong growth, the World Bank and others worry about the
  combined state and federal budget deficit, running at approximately
  9% of GDP. The huge and growing population is the fundamental
  social, economic, and environmental problem. In late December 2004,
  a major tsunami took nearly 11,000 lives, left almost 6,000 missing,
  destroyed $1.2 billion worth of property, and severely damaged the
  fishing fleet.

Indian Ocean
  The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting
  the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas.
  It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum
  products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its
  fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries
  for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia,
  Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly
  for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped
  in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western
  Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production
  comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and
  offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering
  countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka,
  and Thailand.

Indonesia
  Indonesia, a vast polyglot nation, has restored financial
  stability and pursued sober fiscal policies since the Asian
  financial crisis, but many economic development problems remain,
  including high unemployment, a fragile banking sector, endemic
  corruption, inadequate infrastructure, a poor investment climate,
  and unequal resource distribution among regions. Indonesia became a
  net oil importer in 2004 due to declining production and lack of new
  exploration investment. As a result, Jakarta is not reaping the
  benefits of high world oil prices, and the cost of subsidizing
  domestic fuel prices has placed an increasing strain on the budget.
  Keys to future growth remain internal reform, building up the
  confidence of international and domestic investors, and strong
  global economic growth. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took
  nearly 127,000 lives, left more than 93,000 missing and nearly
  441,000 displaced, and destroyed $4.5 to $5.0 billion worth of
  property.

Iran
  Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state
  sector, over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that
  create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is
  controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically
  small-scale - workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI
  has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President
  RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in
  recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $30 billion in foreign
  exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as
  high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy
  devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a
  contentious issue with leading Western nations.

Iraq
  Iraq's economy is dominated by the oil sector, which has
  traditionally provided about 95% of foreign exchange earnings.
  Iraq's seizure of Kuwait in August 1990, subsequent international
  economic sanctions, and damage from military action by an
  international coalition beginning in January 1991 drastically
  reduced economic activity. Although government policies supporting
  large military and internal security forces and allocating resources
  to key supporters of the regime hurt the economy, implementation of
  the UN's oil-for-food program beginning in December 1996 helped
  improve conditions for the average Iraqi citizen. Iraq was allowed
  to export limited amounts of oil in exchange for food, medicine, and
  some infrastructure spare parts. In December 1999, the UN Security
  Council authorized Iraq to export under the program as much oil as
  required to meet humanitarian needs. The drop in GDP in 2001-02 was
  largely the result of the global economic slowdown and lower oil
  prices. Per capita food imports increased significantly, while
  medical supplies and health care services steadily improved. Per
  capita output and living standards were still well below the
  pre-1991 level, but any estimates have a wide range of error. The
  military victory of the US-led coalition in March-April 2003
  resulted in the shutdown of much of the central economic
  administrative structure. Although a comparatively small amount of
  capital plant was damaged during the hostilities, looting, insurgent
  attacks, and sabotage have undermined efforts to rebuild the
  economy. Despite continuing political uncertainty, the Iraqi Interim
  Government (IG) has founded the institutions needed to implement
  economic policy, and has successfully concluded a debt reduction
  agreement with the Paris Club. The high percentage gain estimated
  for GDP in 2004 is the result of starting from a low base.

Ireland
  Ireland is a small, modern, trade-dependent economy with
  growth averaging a robust 7% in 1995-2004. Agriculture, once the
  most important sector, is now dwarfed by industry and services.
  Industry accounts for 46% of GDP, about 80% of exports, and 29% of
  the labor force. Although exports remain the primary engine for
  Ireland's growth, the economy has also benefited from a rise in
  consumer spending, construction, and business investment. Per capita
  GDP is 10% above that of the four big European economies and the
  second highest in the EU behind Luxembourg. Over the past decade,
  the Irish Government has implemented a series of national economic
  programs designed to curb price and wage inflation, reduce
  government spending, increase labor force skills, and promote
  foreign investment. Ireland joined in circulating the euro on 1
  January 2002 along with 11 other EU nations.

Israel
  Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with
  substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude
  oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited
  natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural
  and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel imports
  substantial quantities of grain, but is largely self-sufficient in
  other agricultural products. Cut diamonds, high-technology
  equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the
  leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account
  deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad
  and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt
  is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and
  military aid. The bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict; difficulties
  in the high-technology, construction, and tourist sectors; and
  fiscal austerity in the face of growing inflation led to small
  declines in GDP in 2001 and 2002. The economy grew at 1% in 2003,
  with improvements in tourism and foreign direct investment. In 2004,
  rising business and consumer confidence - as well as higher demand
  for Israeli exports boosted GDP by 3.9%.

Italy
  Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the
  same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This
  capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial
  north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed,
  welfare-dependent agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most
  raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy
  requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a
  tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the
  Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest
  and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous
  short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term
  growth. Italy has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed
  structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and
  overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension
  system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from
  labor unions. But the leadership faces a severe economic constraint:
  the budget has breached the 3% EU deficit ceiling.

Jamaica
  The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which
  now account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of
  its foreign exchange from tourism, remittances, and bauxite/alumina.
  The global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist
  attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the
  economy rebounded moderately in 2003-04, with brisk tourist seasons.
  But the economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest
  rates; increased foreign competition; a pressured, sometimes
  sliding, exchange rate; a sizable merchandise trade deficit;
  large-scale unemployment; and a growing internal debt, the result of
  government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy. The ratio of
  debt to GDP is close to 150%. Inflation, previously a bright spot,
  is expected to remain in the double digits. Uncertain economic
  conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including gang
  violence fueled by the drug trade. In 2004, the government faced the
  difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order
  to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious
  and growing crime problem which is hampering economic growth.
  Attempts at deficit control were derailed by Hurricane Ivan in
  September 2004, which required substantial government spending to
  repair the damage. Despite the hurricane, tourism looks set to enjoy
  solid growth for the foreseeable future.

Jan Mayen
  Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural
  resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for
  employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the
  island.

Japan
  Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery
  of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1%
  of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank
  of second most technologically-powerful economy in the world after
  the US and third-largest economy after the US and China, measured on
  a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. (Using market exhange rates
  rather than PPP rates, Japan's economy is larger than China's.) One
  notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of
  manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups
  called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of
  lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor
  force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important
  sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw
  materials and fuels. The tiny agricultural sector is highly
  subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the
  world. Usually self sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50%
  of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains
  one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly
  15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic
  growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5%
  average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed
  markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the
  after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and
  contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative
  excesses from the stock and real estate markets. From 2000 to 2003,
  government efforts to revive economic growth met with little success
  and were further hampered by the slowing of the US, European, and
  Asian economies. In 2004, growth improved and the lingering fears of
  deflation in prices and economic activity lessened. Japan's huge
  government debt, which totals more than 160% of GDP, and the aging
  of the population are two major long-run problems. A rise in taxes
  could be viewed as endangering the revival of growth. Robotics
  constitutes a key long-term economic strength with Japan possessing
  410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots." Internal conflict
  over the proper way to reform the ailing banking system continues.

Jarvis Island
  no economic activity

Jersey
  The Channel Island economy is based on international
  financial services, agriculture, and tourism. In 1996 the finance
  sector accounted for about 60% of the island's output. Potatoes,
  cauliflower, tomatoes, and especially flowers are important export
  crops, shipped mostly to the UK. The Jersey breed of dairy cattle is
  known worldwide and represents an important export income earner.
  Milk products go to the UK and other EU countries. Tourism accounts
  for 24% of GDP. In recent years, the government has encouraged light
  industry to locate in Jersey, with the result that an electronics
  industry has developed alongside the traditional manufacturing of
  knitwear. All raw material and energy requirements are imported, as
  well as a large share of Jersey's food needs. Light taxes and death
  duties make the island a popular tax haven. Living standards come
  close to those of the UK.

Johnston Atoll
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to
  US military personnel and contractors located on the island. All
  food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Jordan
  Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of
  water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and
  unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH, since
  assuming the throne in 1999, has undertaken some broad economic
  reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in
  the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced
  careful monetary policy, and made substantial headway with
  privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime
  sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTO (2000), a free
  trade accord with the US (2001), and an association agreement with
  the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and
  have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. Jordan imported most
  of its oil from Iraq, but the US-led war in Iraq in 2003 made Jordan
  more dependent on oil from other Gulf nations forcing the Jordanian
  government to raise retail petroleum product prices and the sales
  tax base. Jordan's export market, which is heavily dependent on
  exports to Iraq, was also affected by the war but recovered quickly
  while contributing to the Iraq recovery effort. The main challenges
  facing Jordan are reducing dependence on foreign grants, reducing
  the budget deficit, and creating investment incentives to promote
  job creation.

Juan de Nova Island
  Up to 12,000 tons of guano are mined per year.

Kazakhstan
  Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics in
  territory, excluding Russia, possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves
  as well as plentiful supplies of other minerals and metals. It also
  has a large agricultural sector featuring livestock and grain.
  Kazakhstan's industrial sector rests on the extraction and
  processing of these natural resources and also on a growing
  machine-building sector specializing in construction equipment,
  tractors, agricultural machinery, and some defense items. The
  breakup of the USSR in December 1991 and the collapse in demand for
  Kazakhstan's traditional heavy industry products resulted in a
  short-term contraction of the economy, with the steepest annual
  decline occurring in 1994. In 1995-97, the pace of the government
  program of economic reform and privatization quickened, resulting in
  a substantial shifting of assets into the private sector. Kazakhstan
  enjoyed double-digit growth in 2000-01 - and a solid 9.5% in 2002 -
  thanks largely to its booming energy sector, but also to economic
  reform, good harvests, and foreign investment. Growth remained at
  the high 9% level in 2003 and 2004. The opening of the Caspian
  Consortium pipeline in 2001, from western Kazakhstan's Tengiz
  oilfield to the Black Sea, substantially raised export capacity. The
  country has embarked upon an industrial policy designed to diversify
  the economy away from overdependence on the oil sector, by
  developing light industry. Additionally, the policy aims to reduce
  the influence of foreign investment and foreign personnel; the
  government has engaged in several disputes with foreign oil
  companies over the terms of production agreements, and tensions
  continue.

Kenya
  The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya
  has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary
  goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended
  Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the
  government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A
  severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems,
  causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output.
  As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had
  resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again
  halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute
  several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains
  in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low
  investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at
  1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence,
  meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections.
  In the key 27 December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old
  reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable
  economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made in
  rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, with GDP
  growth edging up to 1.7%. GDP grew a moderate 2.2% in 2004.

Kingman Reef
  no economic activity

Kiribati
  A remote country of 33 scattered coral atolls, Kiribati has
  few natural resources. Commercially viable phosphate deposits were
  exhausted at the time of independence from the UK in 1979. Copra and
  fish now represent the bulk of production and exports. The economy
  has fluctuated widely in recent years. Economic development is
  constrained by a shortage of skilled workers, weak infrastructure,
  and remoteness from international markets. Tourism provides more
  than one-fifth of GDP. The financial sector is at an early stage of
  development as is the expansion of private sector initiatives.
  Foreign financial aid from UK, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and
  China equals 25%-50% of GDP. Remittances from workers abroad account
  for more than $5 million each year.

Korea, North
  North Korea, one of the world's most centrally planned
  and isolated economies, faces desperate economic conditions.
  Industrial capital stock is nearly beyond repair as a result of
  years of underinvestment and spare parts shortages. Industrial and
  power output have declined in parallel. The nation has suffered its
  eleventh year of food shortages because of a lack of arable land,
  collective farming, weather-related problems, and chronic shortages
  of fertilizer and fuel. Massive international food aid deliveries
  have allowed the regime to escape mass starvation since 1995, but
  the population remains the victim of prolonged malnutrition and
  deteriorating living conditions. Large-scale military spending eats
  up resources needed for investment and civilian consumption. In July
  2002, the government took limited steps toward a freer market
  economy. In 2004, heightened political tensions with key donor
  countries and general donor fatigue threatened the flow of
  desperately needed food aid and fuel aid. Black market prices have
  continued to rise following the increase in official prices and
  wages in the summer of 2002, leaving some vulnerable groups, such as
  the elderly and unemployed, less able to buy goods. In 2004, the
  regime allowed private markets to sell a wider range of goods and
  permitted private farming on an experimental basis in an effort to
  boost agricultural output. Firm political control remains the
  Communist government's overriding concern, which will constrain any
  further loosening of economic regulations.

Korea, South
  Since the early 1960s, South Korea has achieved an
  incredible record of growth and integration into the high-tech
  modern world economy. Four decades ago GDP per capita was comparable
  with levels in the poorer countries of Africa and Asia. In 2004, it
  joined the trillion dollar club of world economies. Today its GDP
  per capita is 14 times North Korea's and equal to the lesser
  economies of the European Union. This success through the late 1980s
  was achieved by a system of close government/business ties,
  including directed credit, import restrictions, sponsorship of
  specific industries, and a strong labor effort. The government
  promoted the import of raw materials and technology at the expense
  of consumer goods and encouraged savings and investment over
  consumption. The Asian financial crisis of 1997-99 exposed
  longstanding weaknesses in South Korea's development model,
  including high debt/equity ratios, massive foreign borrowing, and an
  undisciplined financial sector. Growth plunged to a negative 6.9% in
  1998, then strongly recovered to 9.5% in 1999 and 8.5% in 2000.
  Growth fell back to 3.3% in 2001 because of the slowing global
  economy, falling exports, and the perception that much-needed
  corporate and financial reforms had stalled. Led by consumer
  spending and exports, growth in 2002 was an impressive 7.0%, despite
  anemic global growth. Economic growth fell to 3.1% in 2003 because
  of a downturn in consumer spending and recovered to an estimated
  4.6% in 2004 on the strength of rapid export growth. The government
  plans to boost infrastructure spending in 2005. Moderate inflation,
  low unemployment, an export surplus, and fairly equal distribution
  of income characterize this solid economy.

Kuwait
  Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with proved
  crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world
  reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export
  revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits
  agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish,
  it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water
  must be distilled or imported. Kuwait continues its discussions with
  foreign oil companies to develop fields in the northern part of the
  country.

Kyrgyzstan
  Kyrgyzstan is a poor, mountainous country with a
  predominantly agricultural economy. Cotton, tobacco, wool, and meat
  are the main agricultural products, although only tobacco and cotton
  are exported in any quantity. Industrial exports include gold,
  mercury, uranium, and natural gas and electricity. Kyrgyzstan has
  been fairly progressive in carrying out market reforms, such as an
  improved regulatory system and land reform. Kyrgyzstan was the first
  CIS country to be accepted into the World Trade Organization. With
  fits and starts, inflation has been lowered to an estimated 7% in
  2001, 2.1% in 2002, 4% in 2003, and 3.2% in 2004. Much of the
  government's stock in enterprises has been sold. Drops in production
  had been severe after the breakup of the Soviet Union in December
  1991, but by mid-1995 production began to recover and exports began
  to increase. Kyrgyzstan has distinguished itself by adopting
  relatively liberal economic policies. The drop in output at the
  Kumtor gold mine sparked a 0.5% decline in GDP in 2002, but GDP
  growth bounced back to 6% in 2003 and 2004. The government has made
  steady strides in controlling its substantial fiscal deficit and
  aims to reduce the deficit to 3% of GDP in 2004. The government and
  the international financial institutions have been engaged in a
  comprehensive medium-term poverty reduction and economic growth
  strategy. Further restructuring of domestic industry and success in
  attracting foreign investment are keys to future growth.

Laos
  The government of Laos - one of the few remaining official
  Communist states - began decentralizing control and encouraging
  private enterprise in 1986. The results, starting from an extremely
  low base, were striking - growth averaged 6% in 1988-2004 except
  during the short-lived drop caused by the Asian financial crisis
  beginning in 1997. Despite this high growth rate, Laos remains a
  country with a primitive infrastructure; it has no railroads, a
  rudimentary road system, and limited external and internal
  telecommunications. The government has sponsored major improvements
  in the road system. Electricity is available in only a few urban
  areas. Subsistence agriculture accounts for half of GDP and provides
  80% of total employment. The economy will continue to benefit from
  aid from the IMF and other international sources and from new
  foreign investment in food processing and mining. In late 2004, Laos
  gained Normal Trade Relations status with the US, allowing
  Laos-based producers to face lower tariffs on their exports; this
  may help spur growth.

Latvia
  Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian
  financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency
  and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries,
  lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of
  companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the
  state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia
  officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU
  membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current
  account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but
  the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue
  collection may lessen the budget deficit. A growing perception that
  many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the
  country's vibrant financial sector.

Lebanon
  The 1975-91 civil war seriously damaged Lebanon's economic
  infrastructure, cut national output by half, and all but ended
  Lebanon's position as a Middle Eastern entrepot and banking hub. In
  the years since, Lebanon has rebuilt much of its war-torn physical
  and financial infrastructure by borrowing heavily - mostly from
  domestic banks. In an attempt to reduce the ballooning national
  debt, the HARIRI government began an austerity program, reining in
  government expenditures, increasing revenue collection, and
  privatizing state enterprises. In November 2002, the government met
  with international donors at the Paris II conference to seek
  bilateral assistance in restructuring its massive domestic debt at
  lower rates of interest. Substantial receipts from donor nations
  stabilized government finances in 2003, but did little to reduce the
  debt, which stood at nearly 180% of GDP. In 2004 the HARIRI
  government issued Eurobonds in an effort to manage maturing debt,
  and the KARAMI government has continued this practice. However,
  privatization of state-owned enterprises had not occurred by the end
  of 2004, as promised during the Paris II conference.

Lesotho
  Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on
  remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties
  from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of
  government revenue, but the government has strengthened its tax
  system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major
  hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to
  South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number
  of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a
  small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that
  support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries and a
  rapidly growing apparel-assembly sector. The garment industry has
  grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade
  benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The
  economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture,
  especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural
  activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income
  remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty
  Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF.

Liberia
  Civil war and government mismanagement have destroyed much
  of Liberia's economy, especially the infrastructure in and around
  Monrovia, while continued international sanctions on diamonds and
  timber exports will limit growth prospects for the foreseeable
  future. Many businessmen have fled the country, taking capital and
  expertise with them. Some have returned, but many will not. Richly
  endowed with water, mineral resources, forests, and a climate
  favorable to agriculture, Liberia had been a producer and exporter
  of basic products - primarily raw timber and rubber. Local
  manufacturing, mainly foreign owned, had been small in scope. The
  departure of the former president, Charles TAYLOR, to Nigeria in
  August 2003, the establishment of the all-inclusive Transitional
  Government, and the arrival of a UN mission are all necessary for
  the eventual end of the political crisis, but thus far have done
  little to encourage economic development. The reconstruction of
  infrastructure and the raising of incomes in this ravaged economy
  will largely depend on generous financial support and technical
  assistance from donor countries.

Libya
  The Libyan economy depends primarily upon revenues from the
  oil sector, which contribute practically all export earnings and
  about one-quarter of GDP. These oil revenues and a small population
  give Libya one of the highest per capita GDPs in Africa, but little
  of this income flows down to the lower orders of society. Libyan
  officials in the past four years have made progress on economic
  reforms as part of a broader campaign to reintegrate the country
  into the international fold. This effort picked up steam after UN
  sanctions were lifted in September 2003 and as Libya announced in
  December 2003 that it would abandon programs to build weapons of
  mass destruction. Almost all US unilateral sanctions against Libya
  were removed in April 2004. Libya faces a long road ahead in
  liberalizing the socialist-oriented economy, but initial steps -
  including applying for WTO membership, reducing some subsidies, and
  announcing plans for privatization - are laying the groundwork for a
  transition to a more market-based economy. The non-oil manufacturing
  and construction sectors, which account for about 20% of GDP, have
  expanded from processing mostly agricultural products to include the
  production of petrochemicals, iron, steel, and aluminum. Climatic
  conditions and poor soils severely limit agricultural output, and
  Libya imports about 75% of its food.

Liechtenstein
  Despite its small size and limited natural resources,
  Liechtenstein has developed into a prosperous, highly
  industrialized, free-enterprise economy with a vital financial
  service sector and living standards on a par with its large European
  neighbors. The Liechtenstein economy is widely diversified with a
  large number of small businesses. Low business taxes - the maximum
  tax rate is 20% - and easy incorporation rules have induced many
  holding or so-called letter box companies to establish nominal
  offices in Liechtenstein, providing 30% of state revenues. The
  country participates in a customs union with Switzerland and uses
  the Swiss franc as its national currency. It imports more than 90%
  of its energy requirements. Liechtenstein has been a member of the
  European Economic Area (an organization serving as a bridge between
  the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the EU) since May
  1995. The government is working to harmonize its economic policies
  with those of an integrated Europe.

Lithuania
  Lithuania, the Baltic state that has conducted the most
  trade with Russia, has slowly rebounded from the 1998 Russian
  financial crisis. Unemployment dropped from 11% in 2003 to 8% in
  2004. Growing domestic consumption and increased investment have
  furthered recovery. Trade has been increasingly oriented toward the
  West. Lithuania has gained membership in the World Trade
  Organization and joined the EU in May 2004. Privatization of the
  large, state-owned utilities, particularly in the energy sector, is
  nearing completion. Overall, more than 80% of enterprises have been
  privatized. Foreign government and business support have helped in
  the transition from the old command economy to a market economy.

Luxembourg
  This stable, high-income economy - in between France,
  Belgium, and Germany - features solid growth, low inflation, and low
  unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel,
  has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber,
  and other products. Growth in the financial sector, which now
  accounts for about 22% of GDP, has more than compensated for the
  decline in steel. Most banks are foreign-owned and have extensive
  foreign dealings. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms.
  The economy depends on foreign and cross-border workers for more
  than 30% of its labor force. Although Luxembourg, like all EU
  members, has suffered from the global economic slump, the country
  enjoys an extraordinarily high standard of living.

Macau
  Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open
  in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports
  and tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was
  hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn
  in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002 and 15.6% in 2003. During the
  first three quarters of 2004, Macau registered year-on-year GDP
  increases of more than 20 percent. A rapid rise in the number of
  mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on
  travel, increased public works expenditures, and significant
  investment inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's
  gaming industry drove the recovery. The budget also returned to
  surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a
  hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of
  government revenue. The three companies awarded gambling licenses
  have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory, which will
  boost GDP growth. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the
  mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory
  may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to
  generate growth. Two new casinos were opened by new foreign gambling
  licensees in 2004; development of new infrastructure and facilities
  in preparation for Macau's hosting of the 2005 East Asian Games will
  bolster the construction sector. The Closer Economic Partnership
  Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into
  effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free
  access to the mainland, and the range of products covered by CEPA
  was to be expanded on 1 January 2005.

Macedonia
  At independence in September 1991, Macedonia was the least
  developed of the Yugoslav republics, producing a mere 5% of the
  total federal output of goods and services. The collapse of
  Yugoslavia ended transfer payments from the center and eliminated
  advantages from inclusion in a de facto free trade area. An absence
  of infrastructure, UN sanctions on the down-sized Yugoslavia, one of
  its largest markets, and a Greek economic embargo over a dispute
  about the country's constitutional name and flag hindered economic
  growth until 1996. GDP subsequently rose each year through 2000.
  However, the leadership's commitment to economic reform, free trade,
  and regional integration was undermined by the ethnic Albanian
  insurgency of 2001. The economy shrank 4.5% because of decreased
  trade, intermittent border closures, increased deficit spending on
  security needs, and investor uncertainty. Growth barely recovered in
  2002 to 0.9%, then rose by a moderate 3.4% in 2003, and is estimated
  at 1.3% in 2004. Unemployment at one-third of the workforce remains
  a critical economic problem. Much of the extensive grey market
  activity falls outside official statistics.

Madagascar
  Having discarded past socialist economic policies,
  Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led
  policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed
  the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low
  level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of
  the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and
  employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in
  recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States.
  Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the
  primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA
  has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002
  political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year.
  Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces
  of economic policy for the next few years.

Malawi
  Landlocked Malawi ranks among the world's least developed
  countries. The economy is predominately agricultural, with about 90%
  of the population living in rural areas. Agriculture accounted for
  nearly 40% of GDP and 88% of export revenues in 2001. The
  performance of the tobacco sector is key to short-term growth as
  tobacco accounts for over 50% of exports. The economy depends on
  substantial inflows of economic assistance from the IMF, the World
  Bank, and individual donor nations. In late 2000, Malawi was
  approved for relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  program. The government faces strong challenges, including
  developing a market economy, improving educational facilities,
  facing up to environmental problems, dealing with the rapidly
  growing problem of HIV/AIDS, and satisfying foreign donors that
  fiscal discipline is being tightened. In 2005, the anticorruption
  campaign championed by President MUTHARIKA may help encourage
  investment and economic growth.

Malaysia
  Malaysia, a middle-income country, transformed itself from
  1971 through the late 1990's from a producer of raw materials into
  an emerging multi-sector economy. Growth was almost exclusively
  driven by exports - particularly of electronics. As a result,
  Malaysia was hard hit by the global economic downturn and the slump
  in the information technology (IT) sector in 2001 and 2002. GDP in
  2001 grew only 0.5% due to an estimated 11% contraction in exports,
  but a substantial fiscal stimulus package equal to US $1.9 billion
  mitigated the worst of the recession and the economy rebounded in
  2002 with a 4.1% increase. The economy grew 4.9% in 2003,
  notwithstanding a difficult first half, when external pressures from
  SARS and the Iraq War led to caution in the business community.
  Growth topped 7% in 2004. Healthy foreign exchange reserves, low
  inflation, and a small external debt are all strengths that make it
  unlikely that Malaysia will experience a financial crisis similar to
  the one in 1997. The economy remains dependent on continued growth
  in the US, China, and Japan, top export destinations and key sources
  of foreign investment.

Maldives
  Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of
  GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts.
  Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and
  tourism-related taxes. Fishing is a second leading sector. The
  Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989
  initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the
  private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to
  allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing
  continue to play a lesser role in the economy, constrained by the
  limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic
  labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists
  mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts,
  accounts for about 18% of GDP. Maldivian authorities worry about the
  impact of erosion and possible global warming on their low-lying
  country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level. In
  late December 2004, a major tsunami left more than 100 dead, 12,000
  displaced, and property damage exceeding $300 million.

Mali
  Mali is among the poorest countries in the world, with 65% of
  its land area desert or semidesert and with a highly unequal
  distribution of income. Economic activity is largely confined to the
  riverine area irrigated by the Niger. About 10% of the population is
  nomadic and some 80% of the labor force is engaged in farming and
  fishing. Industrial activity is concentrated on processing farm
  commodities. Mali is heavily dependent on foreign aid and vulnerable
  to fluctuations in world prices for cotton, its main export, along
  with gold. The government has continued its successful
  implementation of an IMF-recommended structural adjustment program
  that is helping the economy grow, diversify, and attract foreign
  investment. Mali's adherence to economic reform and the 50%
  devaluation of the African franc in January 1994 have pushed up
  economic growth to a sturdy 5% average in 1996-2004. Worker
  remittances and external trade routes have been jeopardized by
  continued unrest in neighboring Cote d'Ivoire.

Malta
  Major resources are limestone, a favorable geographic
  location, and a productive labor force. Malta produces only about
  20% of its food needs, has limited fresh water supplies, and has no
  domestic energy sources. The economy is dependent on foreign trade,
  manufacturing (especially electronics and textiles), and tourism.
  Continued sluggishness in the European economy is holding back
  exports, tourism, and overall growth.

Man, Isle of
  Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key
  sectors of the economy. The government's policy of offering
  incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions
  to locate on the island has paid off in expanding employment
  opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture
  and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in
  their shares of GDP. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man
  enjoys free access to EU markets.

Marshall Islands
  US Government assistance is the mainstay of this
  tiny island economy. Agricultural production, primarily subsistence,
  is concentrated on small farms; the most important commercial crops
  are coconuts and breadfruit. Small-scale industry is limited to
  handicrafts, tuna processing, and copra. The tourist industry, now a
  small source of foreign exchange employing less than 10% of the
  labor force, remains the best hope for future added income. The
  islands have few natural resources, and imports far exceed exports.
  Under the terms of the Amended Compact of Free Association, the US
  will provide millions of dollars per year to the Marshall Islands
  (RMI) through 2023, at which time a Trust Fund made up of US and RMI
  contributions will begin perpetual annual payouts. Government
  downsizing, drought, a drop in construction, the decline in tourism
  and foreign investment due to the Asian financial difficulties, and
  less income from the renewal of fishing vessel licenses have held
  GDP growth to an average of 1% over the past decade.

Martinique
  The economy is based on sugarcane, bananas, tourism, and
  light industry. Agriculture accounts for about 6% of GDP and the
  small industrial sector for 11%. Sugar production has declined, with
  most of the sugarcane now used for the production of rum. Banana
  exports are increasing, going mostly to France. The bulk of meat,
  vegetable, and grain requirements must be imported, contributing to
  a chronic trade deficit that requires large annual transfers of aid
  from France. Tourism, which employs more than 11,000 people, has
  become more important than agricultural exports as a source of
  foreign exchange.

Mauritania
  Half the population still depends on agriculture and
  livestock for a livelihood, even though many of the nomads and
  subsistence farmers were forced into the cities by recurrent
  droughts in the 1970s and 1980s. Mauritania has extensive deposits
  of iron ore, which account for nearly 40% of total exports. The
  decline in world demand for this ore, however, has led to cutbacks
  in production. The nation's coastal waters are among the richest
  fishing areas in the world, but overexploitation by foreigners
  threatens this key source of revenue. The country's first deepwater
  port opened near Nouakchott in 1986. In the past, drought and
  economic mismanagement resulted in a buildup of foreign debt. In
  February 2000, Mauritania qualified for debt relief under the
  Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative and in December
  2001 received strong support from donor and lending countries at a
  triennial Consultative Group review. In 2001, exploratory oil wells
  in tracts 80 km offshore indicated potential extraction at current
  world oil prices. A new investment code approved in December 2001
  improved the opportunities for direct foreign investment. Ongoing
  negotiations with the IMF involve problems of economic reforms and
  fiscal discipline. Substantial oil production and exports probably
  will not begin until 2006. Meantime the government emphasizes
  reduction of poverty, improvement of health and education, and
  promoting privatization of the economy.

Mauritius
  Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a
  low-income, agriculturally based economy to a middle-income
  diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist
  sectors. For most of the period, annual growth has been in the order
  of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more
  equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lowered
  infant mortality, and a much-improved infrastructure. Sugarcane is
  grown on about 90% of the cultivated land area and accounts for 25%
  of export earnings. The government's development strategy centers on
  expanding local financial institutions and building a domestic
  information telecommunications industry. Mauritius has attracted
  more than 9,000 offshore entities, many aimed at commerce in India
  and South Africa, and investment in the banking sector alone has
  reached over $1 billion. Mauritius, with its strong textile sector,
  has been well poised to take advantage of the Africa Growth and
  Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Mayotte
  Economic activity is based primarily on the agricultural
  sector, including fishing and livestock raising. Mayotte is not
  self-sufficient and must import a large portion of its food
  requirements, mainly from France. The economy and future development
  of the island are heavily dependent on French financial assistance,
  an important supplement to GDP. Mayotte's remote location is an
  obstacle to the development of tourism.

Mexico
  Mexico has a free market economy that recently entered the
  trillion dollar class. It contains a mixture of modern and outmoded
  industry and agriculture, increasingly dominated by the private
  sector. Recent administrations have expanded competition in
  seaports, railroads, telecommunications, electricity generation,
  natural gas distribution, and airports. Per capita income is
  one-fourth that of the US; income distribution remains highly
  unequal. Trade with the US and Canada has tripled since the
  implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexico has 12 free trade agreements
  with over 40 countries including, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador,
  the European Free Trade Area, and Japan, putting more than 90% of
  trade under free trade agreements. The government is cognizant of
  the need to upgrade infrastructure, modernize the tax system and
  labor laws, and provide incentives to invest in the energy sector,
  but progress is slow.

Micronesia, Federated States of Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

Midway Islands
  The economy is based on providing support services
  for the national wildlife refuge activities located on the islands.
  All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

Moldova
  Moldova remains one of the poorest countries in Europe
  despite recent progress from its small economic base. It enjoys a
  favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral
  deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture,
  featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import
  almost all of its energy supplies from Russia. Energy shortages
  contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the
  Soviet Union in December 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort
  after independence, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed
  prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises,
  backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed
  interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the
  World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The
  economy returned to positive growth of 2.1% in 2000, 6.1% in 2001,
  7.2% in 2002, 6.3% in 2003, and 6.8% in 2004. Further reforms will
  come slowly because of strong political forces backing government
  controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor
  agricultural weather, and the skepticism of foreign investors.

Monaco
  Monaco, bordering France on the Mediterranean coast, is a
  popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant
  climate. In 2001, a major construction project extended the pier
  used by cruise ships in the main harbor. The principality has
  successfully sought to diversify into services and small,
  high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income
  tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for
  individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies
  that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains
  monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone
  network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly
  comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco
  does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are
  extremely rough.

Mongolia
  Economic activity in Mongolia has traditionally been based
  on herding and agriculture. Mongolia has extensive mineral deposits;
  copper, coal, molybdenum, tin, tungsten and gold account for a large
  part of industrial production. Soviet assistance, at its height
  one-third of GDP, disappeared almost overnight in 1990 and 1991 at
  the time of the dismantlement of the USSR. The following decade saw
  Mongolia endure both deep recession due to political inaction and
  natural disasters, as well as economic growth due to reform
  embracing free-market economics and extensive privatization of the
  formerly state-run economy. Severe winters and summer droughts in
  2000, 2001, and 2002 resulted in massive livestock die-off and zero
  or negative GDP growth. This was compounded by falling prices for
  Mongolia's primary sector exports and widespread opposition to
  privatization. Growth improved from 2002 at 4% to 2003 at 5%, due
  largely to high copper prices and new gold production, with the
  government claiming a 10.6% growth rate for 2004 that is
  unconfirmed. Mongolia's economy continues to be heavily impacted by
  its neighbors. For example, Mongolia purchases 80% of its petroleum
  products and a substantial amount of electric power from Russia,
  leaving it vulnerable to price increases. China is Mongolia's chief
  export partner and a main source of the "shadow" or "grey" economy.
  The World Bank and other international financial institutions
  estimate the grey economy to be at least equal to that of the
  official economy. The actual size of this grey - largely cash -
  economy is difficult to calculate since the money does not pass
  through the hands of tax authorities or the banking sector.
  Remittances from Mongolians working abroad both legally and
  illegally constitute a sizeable portion. Money laundering is growing
  as an accompanying concern. Mongolia settled its $11 billion debt
  with Russia at the end of 2003 on very favorable terms. Mongolia,
  which joined the World Trade Organization in 1997, seeks to expand
  its participation and integration into Asian regional economic and
  trade regimes.

Montserrat
  Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has
  put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in
  June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic
  and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled
  the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing
  limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected
  by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of
  crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in
  relation to the volcano and on public sector construction activity.
  The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help
  reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain
  uninhabitable for another decade.

Morocco
  Morocco faces problems typical for developing countries:
  restraining government spending, reducing constraints on private
  activity and foreign trade, and achieving sustainable growth.
  Despite structural adjustment programs supported by the IMF, the
  World Bank, and the Paris Club, the dirham is only fully convertible
  for current account transactions. In 2004 Moroccan authorities
  instituted measures to boost foreign direct investment and trade by
  signing a free trade agreement with the US and selling government
  shares in the state telecommunications company and in the largest
  state-owned bank. Favorable rainfall over the past two years has
  boosted agricultural output and GDP growth passed 4% in 2004. In
  2005 the budget deficit is expected to rise sharply - from 1.9% of
  GDP in 2004 - because of substantial increases in wages and oil
  subsidies. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for
  freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and
  job prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards.

Mozambique
  At independence in 1975, Mozambique was one of the
  world's poorest countries. Socialist mismanagement and a brutal
  civil war from 1977-92 exacerbated the situation. In 1987, the
  government embarked on a series of macroeconomic reforms designed to
  stabilize the economy. These steps, combined with donor assistance
  and with political stability since the multi-party elections in
  1994, have led to dramatic improvements in the country's growth
  rate. Inflation was reduced to single digits during the late 1990s
  although it returned to double digits in 2000-03. Fiscal reforms,
  including the introduction of a value-added tax and reform of the
  customs service, have improved the government's revenue collection
  abilities. In spite of these gains, Mozambique remains dependent
  upon foreign assistance for much of its annual budget, and the
  majority of the population remains below the poverty line.
  Subsistence agriculture continues to employ the vast majority of the
  country's workforce. A substantial trade imbalance persists although
  the opening of the MOZAL aluminum smelter, the country's largest
  foreign investment project to date has increased export earnings.
  Additional investment projects in titanium extraction and processing
  and garment manufacturing should further close the import/export
  gap. Mozambique's once substantial foreign debt has been reduced
  through forgiveness and rescheduling under the IMF's Heavily
  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and Enhanced HIPC initiatives, and is
  now at a manageable level.

Namibia
  The economy is heavily dependent on the extraction and
  processing of minerals for export. Mining accounts for 20% of GDP.
  Rich alluvial diamond deposits make Namibia a primary source for
  gem-quality diamonds. Namibia is the fourth-largest exporter of
  nonfuel minerals in Africa, the world's fifth-largest producer of
  uranium, and the producer of large quantities of lead, zinc, tin,
  silver, and tungsten. The mining sector employs only about 3% of the
  population while about half of the population depends on subsistence
  agriculture for its livelihood. Namibia normally imports about 50%
  of its cereal requirements; in drought years food shortages are a
  major problem in rural areas. A high per capita GDP, relative to the
  region, hides the great inequality of income distribution; nearly
  one-third of Namibians had annual incomes of less than $1,400 in
  constant 1994 dollars, according to a 1993 study. The Namibian
  economy is closely linked to South Africa with the Namibian dollar
  pegged to the South African rand. Privatization of several
  enterprises in coming years may stimulate long-run foreign
  investment. Mining of zinc, copper, and silver and increased fish
  production led growth in 2003-04.

Nauru
  Revenues of this tiny island have traditionally come from
  exports of phosphates, but reserves are now depleted. Few other
  resources exist with most necessities being imported, mainly from
  Australia, its former occupier and later major source of support.
  The rehabilitation of mined land and the replacement of income from
  phosphates are serious long-term problems. In anticipation of the
  exhaustion of Nauru's phosphate deposits, substantial amounts of
  phosphate income have been invested in trust funds to help cushion
  the transition and provide for Nauru's economic future. As a result
  of heavy spending from the trust funds, the government faces virtual
  bankruptcy. To cut costs the government has called for a freeze on
  wages, a reduction of over-staffed public service departments,
  privatization of numerous government agencies, and closure of some
  overseas consulates. In recent years Nauru has encouraged the
  registration of offshore banks and corporations. In 2004 the
  deterioration in housing, hospitals, and other capital plant
  continued, and the cost to Australia of keeping the government and
  economy afloat has substantially mounted. Few comprehensive
  statistics on the Nauru economy exist, with estimates of Nauru's GDP
  varying widely.

Navassa Island
  subsistence fishing and commercial trawling
  activities within refuge waters

Nepal
  Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in
  the world with 40% of its population living below the poverty line.
  Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood
  for over 80% of the population and accounting for 40% of GDP.
  Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural
  produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Security
  concerns in the wake of the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease
  in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable
  scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas
  of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade
  or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of
  the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its
  remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, its civil strife,
  and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

Netherlands
  The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which
  depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable
  industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable
  current account surplus, and an important role as a European
  transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food
  processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery.
  A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of
  the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing
  industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU
  partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The
  country continues to be one of the leading European nations for
  attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed
  considerably in 2001-04, as part of the global economic slowdown,
  but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly
  4%, well above the EU average.

Netherlands Antilles
  Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore
  finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely
  tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown
  slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high
  per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with
  other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods
  are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor
  soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of
  agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and
  pension systems of an aging population.

New Caledonia
  New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known
  nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for
  cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition
  to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more
  than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the
  economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined
  with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic
  outlook for the next several years.

New Zealand
  Over the past 20 years the government has transformed
  New Zealand from an agrarian economy dependent on concessionary
  British market access to a more industrialized, free market economy
  that can compete globally. This dynamic growth has boosted real
  incomes (but left behind many at the bottom of the ladder),
  broadened and deepened the technological capabilities of the
  industrial sector, and contained inflationary pressures. Per capita
  income has risen for six consecutive years and is now more than
  $23,000 in purchasing power parity terms. New Zealand is heavily
  dependent on trade - particularly in agricultural products - to
  drive growth. Exports are equal to about 20% of GDP. Thus far the
  economy has been resilient, and the Labor Government promises that
  expenditures on health, education, and pensions will increase
  proportionately to output.

Nicaragua
  Nicaragua, one of the hemisphere's poorest countries,
  faces low per capita income, massive unemployment, and huge external
  debt. Distribution of income is one of the most unequal on the
  globe. While the country has made progress toward macroeconomic
  stability over the past few years, GDP annual growth has been far
  too low to meet the country's needs. As a result of successful
  performance under its International Monetary Fund policy program and
  other efforts, Nicaragua qualified in early 2004 for some $4 billion
  in foreign debt reduction under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
  (HIPC) initiative. Even after this reduction, however, the
  government continues to bear a significant foreign and domestic debt
  burden. If ratified, the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement
  (CAFTA) will provide an opportunity for Nicaragua to attract
  investment, create jobs, and deepen economic development. While
  President BOLANOS enjoys the support of the international financial
  bodies, his internal political base is meager.

Niger
  Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, a
  landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence
  crops, livestock, and some of the world's largest uranium deposits.
  Drought cycles, desertification, a 3.3% population growth rate, and
  the drop in world demand for uranium have undercut the economy.
  Niger shares a common currency, the CFA franc, and a common central
  bank, the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), with seven
  other members of the West African Monetary Union. In December 2000,
  Niger qualified for enhanced debt relief under the International
  Monetary Fund program for Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) and
  concluded an agreement with the Fund on a Poverty Reduction and
  Growth Facility (PRGF). Debt relief provided under the enhanced HIPC
  initiative significantly reduces Niger's annual debt service
  obligations, freeing funds for expenditures on basic health care,
  primary education, HIV/AIDS prevention, rural infrastructure, and
  other programs geared at poverty reduction. Nearly half of the
  government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future
  growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and
  other mineral resources.

Nigeria
  Oil-rich Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability,
  corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and poor macroeconomic
  management, is undertaking some reforms under the new civilian
  administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify
  the economy away from overdependence on the capital-intensive oil
  sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings,
  and about 65% of budgetary revenues. The largely subsistence
  agricultural sector has failed to keep up with rapid population
  growth - Nigeria is Africa's most populous country - and the
  country, once a large net exporter of food, now must import food.
  Following the signing of an IMF stand-by agreement in August 2000,
  Nigeria received a debt-restructuring deal from the Paris Club and a
  $1 billion credit from the IMF, both contingent on economic reforms.
  Nigeria pulled out of its IMF program in April 2002, after failing
  to meet spending and exchange rate targets, making it ineligible for
  additional debt forgiveness from the Paris Club. In the last year
  the government has begun showing the political will to implement the
  market-oriented reforms urged by the IMF, such as to modernize the
  banking system, to curb inflation by blocking excessive wage
  demands, and to resolve regional disputes over the distribution of
  earnings from the oil industry. During 2003 the government began
  deregulating fuel prices, announced the privatization of the
  country's four oil refineries, and instituted the National Economic
  Empowerment Development Strategy, a domestically designed and run
  program modeled on the IMF's Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
  for fiscal and monetary management. GDP rose strongly in 2004.

Niue
  The economy suffers from the typical Pacific island problems of
  geographic isolation, few resources, and a small population.
  Government expenditures regularly exceed revenues, and the shortfall
  is made up by critically needed grants from New Zealand that are
  used to pay wages to public employees. Niue has cut government
  expenditures by reducing the public service by almost half. The
  agricultural sector consists mainly of subsistence gardening,
  although some cash crops are grown for export. Industry consists
  primarily of small factories to process passion fruit, lime oil,
  honey, and coconut cream. The sale of postage stamps to foreign
  collectors is an important source of revenue. The island in recent
  years has suffered a serious loss of population because of migration
  of Niueans to New Zealand. Efforts to increase GDP include the
  promotion of tourism and a financial services industry, although
  former Premier LAKATANI announced in February 2002 that Niue will
  shut down the offshore banking industry. Economic aid from New
  Zealand in 2002 was about $2.6 million. Niue suffered a devastating
  hurricane in January 2004, which decimated nascent economic
  programs. While in the process of rebuilding, Niue has been
  dependent on foreign aid.

Norfolk Island
  Tourism, the primary economic activity, has steadily
  increased over the years and has brought a level of prosperity
  unusual among inhabitants of the Pacific islands. The agricultural
  sector has become self-sufficient in the production of beef,
  poultry, and eggs.

Northern Mariana Islands
  The economy benefits substantially from
  financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined
  as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist
  industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for
  roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual
  tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but
  financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown.
  The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms
  producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment
  production is by far the most important industry with employment of
  17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under
  duty and quota exemptions.

Norway
  The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare
  capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and
  government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as
  the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises).
  The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum,
  hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on
  its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas
  accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia
  export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU
  during a referendum in November 1994; nonetheless, it contributes
  sizably to the EU budget. The government has moved ahead with
  privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide,
  Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when
  the oil and gas will begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been
  saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum
  Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $150
  billion. After lackluster growth of 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003, GDP
  growth picked up to 3.3% in 2004.

Oman
  Oman is a middle-income economy in the Middle East with notable
  oil and gas resources, a substantial trade surplus, and low
  inflation. The government is privatizing its utilities and
  diversifying its economy to attract foreign investment. Oman
  continues to liberalize its markets and joined the World Trade
  Organization (WTO) in November 2000. To reduce unemployment and
  limit dependence on foreign countries, the government is encouraging
  the replacement of expatriate workers with local people, i.e.,
  Omanization. Training in information technology, business
  management, and English support this objective. Industrial
  development plans focus on gas resources, metal manufacturing,
  petrochemicals, and international transshipment ports.

Pacific Ocean
  The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world
  economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch.
  It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West,
  extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals,
  and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60%
  of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation
  of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role
  in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru.
  The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the
  wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to
  fluctuations in new drillings.

Pakistan
  Pakistan, an impoverished and underdeveloped country, has
  suffered from decades of internal political disputes, low levels of
  foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with
  neighboring India. However, IMF-approved government policies,
  bolstered by generous foreign assistance and renewed access to
  global markets since 2001, have generated solid macroeconomic
  recovery the last three years. The government has made substantial
  macroeconomic reforms since 2000, although progress on more
  politically sensitive reforms has slowed. For example, in the third
  and final year of its $1.3 billion IMF Poverty Reduction and Growth
  Facility, Islamabad has continued to require waivers for energy
  sector reforms. While long-term prospects remain uncertain, given
  Pakistan's low level of development, medium-term prospects for job
  creation and poverty reduction are the best in nearly a decade.
  Islamabad has raised development spending from about 2% of GDP in
  the 1990s to 4% in 2003, a necessary step towards reversing the
  broad underdevelopment of its social sector. GDP growth, spurred by
  double-digit gains in industrial production over the past year, has
  become less dependent on agriculture. Foreign exchange reserves
  continued to reach new levels in 2004, supported by robust export
  growth and steady worker remittances.

Palau
  The economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence
  agriculture, and fishing. The government is the major employer of
  the work force, relying heavily on financial assistance from the US.
  Business and tourist arrivals numbered 63,000 in 2003. The
  population enjoys a per capita income twice that of the Philippines
  and much of Micronesia. Long-run prospects for the key tourist
  sector have been greatly bolstered by the expansion of air travel in
  the Pacific, the rising prosperity of leading East Asian countries,
  and the willingness of foreigners to finance infrastructure
  development.

Palmyra Atoll
  no economic activity

Panama
  Panama's dollarised economy rests primarily on a
  well-developed services sector that accounts for four-fifths of GDP.
  Services include operating the Panama Canal, banking, the Colon Free
  Zone, insurance, container ports, flagship registry, and tourism. A
  slump in Colon Free Zone and agricultural exports, the global
  slowdown, and the withdrawal of US military forces held back
  economic growth in 2000-03; growth picked up in 2004 led by
  export-oriented services and a construction boom stimulated by tax
  incentives. The government has been backing tax reforms, reform of
  the social security program, new regional trade agreements, and
  development of tourism. Unemployment remains high.

Papua New Guinea
  Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural
  resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and
  the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a
  subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits,
  including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings.
  The economy has improved over the past two years, following a
  prolonged period of instability. Former Prime Minister Mekere
  MORAUTA had tried to restore integrity to state institutions, to
  stabilize the kina, restore stability to the national budget, to
  privatize public enterprises where appropriate, and to ensure
  ongoing peace on Bougainville. Australia annually supplies $240
  million in aid, which accounts for 20% of the national budget.
  Challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE, including gaining
  further investor confidence, continuing efforts to privatize
  government assets, maintaining the support of members of Parliament,
  and balancing relations with Australia, the former colonial ruler.

Paracel Islands
  China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands
  for tourism.

Paraguay
  Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy marked by a large
  informal sector. This sector features both reexport of imported
  consumer goods to neighboring countries as well as the activities of
  thousands of microenterprises and urban street vendors. Because of
  the importance of the informal sector, accurate economic measures
  are difficult to obtain. A large percentage of the population
  derives their living from agricultural activity, often on a
  subsistence basis. The formal economy grew by an average of about 3%
  annually in 1995-97, but averaged near-zero growth in 1998-2001 and
  contracted by 2.3 percent in 2002, in response to regional contagion
  and an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth desease. On a per capita basis,
  real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. Most observers attribute
  Paraguay's poor economic performance to political uncertainty,
  corruption, lack of progress on structural reform, substantial
  internal and external debt, and deficient infrastructure. Aided by a
  firmer exchange rate and perhaps a greater confidence in the
  economic policy of the Duarte FRUTOS administration, the economy
  rebounded in 2003 and 2004, posting modest growth each year.

Peru
  Peru's economy reflects its varied geography - an arid coastal
  region, the Andes further inland, and tropical lands bordering
  Colombia and Brazil. Abundant mineral resources are found in the
  mountainous areas, and Peru's coastal waters provide excellent
  fishing grounds. However, overdependence on minerals and metals
  subjects the economy to fluctuations in world prices, and a lack of
  infrastructure deters trade and investment. After several years of
  inconsistent economic performance, the Peruvian economy grew by an
  average 4 percent per year during the period 2002-2004, with a
  stable exchange rate and low inflation. Risk premiums on Peruvian
  bonds on secondary markets reached historically low levels in late
  2004, reflecting investor optimism regarding the government's
  prudent fiscal policies and openness to trade and investment.
  Despite the strong macroeconomic performance, the TOLEDO
  administration remained unpopular in 2004, and unemployment and
  poverty have stayed persistently high.

Philippines
  The Philippines was less severely affected by the Asian
  financial crisis of 1998 than its neighbors, aided in part by annual
  remittances of $7-8 billion from overseas workers and no sustained
  runup in asset prices or foreign borrowing prior to the crisis. From
  a 0.6% decline in 1998, GDP expanded by 2.4% in 1999, and 4.4% in
  2000, but slowed to 3.2% in 2001 in the context of a global economic
  slowdown, an export slump, and political and security concerns. GDP
  growth accelerated to 4.3% in 2002, 4.7% in 2003, and about 6% in
  2004, reflecting the continued resilience of the service sector, and
  improved exports and agricultural output. Nonetheless, it will take
  a higher, sustained growth path to make appreciable progress in
  poverty alleviation given the Philippines' high annual population
  growth rate and unequal distribution of income. The Philippines also
  faces higher oil prices, higher interest rates on its dollar
  borrowings, and higher inflation. Fiscal constraints limit Manila's
  ability to finance infrastructure and social spending. The
  Philippines' consistently large budget deficit has produced a high
  debt level and has forced Manila to spend a large portion of the
  national government budget on debt service. Large, unprofitable
  public enterprises, especially in the energy sector, contribute to
  the government's debt because of slow progress on privatization.
  Credit rating agencies are increasingly concerned about the
  Philippines' ability to sustain the debt; legislative progress on
  new revenue measures will weigh heavily on credit rating decisions.

Pitcairn Islands
  The inhabitants of this tiny isolated economy exist
  on fishing, subsistence farming, handicrafts, and postage stamps.
  The fertile soil of the valleys produces a wide variety of fruits
  and vegetables, including citrus, sugarcane, watermelons, bananas,
  yams, and beans. Bartering is an important part of the economy. The
  major sources of revenue are the sale of postage stamps to
  collectors and the sale of handicrafts to passing ships. In October
  2004, more than one-quarter of Pitcairn's labor force was arrested,
  putting the economy in a bind, since their services were required as
  lighter crew to load or unload passing ships.

Poland
  Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic
  liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a
  success story among transition economies. Even so, much remains to
  be done, especially in bringing down unemployment. The privatization
  of small and medium-sized state-owned companies and a liberal law on
  establishing new firms has encouraged the development of the private
  business sector, but legal and bureaucratic obstacles alongside
  persistent corruption are hampering its further development.
  Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor,
  inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Restructuring and
  privatization of "sensitive sectors" (e.g., coal, steel, railroads,
  and energy), while recently initiated, have stalled. Reforms in
  health care, education, the pension system, and state administration
  have resulted in larger-than-expected fiscal pressures. Further
  progress in public finance depends mainly on reducing losses in
  Polish state enterprises, restraining entitlements, and overhauling
  the tax code to incorporate the growing gray economy and farmers,
  most of whom pay no tax. The government has introduced a package of
  social and administrative spending cuts to reduce public spending by
  about $17 billion through 2007. Additional reductions are under
  discussion in the legislature but could be trumped by election-year
  politics in 2005. Poland joined the EU in May 2004, and surging
  exports to the EU contributed to Poland's strong growth in 2004,
  though its competitiveness could be threatened by the zloty's
  appreciation. GDP per capita roughly equals that of the three Baltic
  states. Poland stands to benefit from nearly $13.5 billion in EU
  funds, available through 2006. Farmers have already begun to reap
  the rewards of membership via higher food prices and EU agricultural
  subsidies.

Portugal
  Portugal has become a diversified and increasingly
  service-based economy since joining the European Community in 1986.
  Over the past decade, successive governments have privatized many
  state-controlled firms and liberalized key areas of the economy,
  including the financial and telecommunications sectors. The country
  qualified for the European Monetary Union (EMU) in 1998 and began
  circulating the euro on 1 January 2002 along with 11 other EU member
  economies. Economic growth had been above the EU average for much of
  the past decade, but fell back in 2001-04. GDP per capita stands at
  two-thirds that of the Big Four EU economies. A poor educational
  system, in particular, has been an obstacle to greater productivity
  and growth. Portugal has been increasingly overshadowed by
  lower-cost producers in Central Europe and Asia as a target for
  foreign direct investment. The government faces tough choices in its
  attempts to boost Portugal's economic competitiveness while keeping
  the budget deficit within the eurozone's 3%-of-GDP ceiling.

Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the
  Caribbean region. A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed
  agriculture as the primary locus of economic activity and income.
  Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and by tax incentives, US
  firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the 1950s. US
  minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy
  production and other livestock products as the main source of income
  in the agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an
  important source of income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5
  million tourists in 1999. Growth fell off in 2001-03, largely due to
  the slowdown in the US economy, and has recovered in 2004.

Qatar
  Oil and gas account for more than 55% of GDP, roughly 85% of
  export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have
  given Qatar a per capita GDP about 80% of that of the leading West
  European industrial countries. Proved oil reserves of 16 billion
  barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23
  years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 14 trillion
  cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in
  the world. Long-term goals feature the development of offshore
  natural gas reserves to offset the ultimate decline in oil
  production. In recent years, Qatar has consistently posted trade
  surpluses largely because of high oil prices and increased natural
  gas exports, becoming one of the world's fastest growing and highest
  per-capita income countries.

Reunion
  The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but
  services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more
  than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports.
  The government has been pushing the development of a tourist
  industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of
  the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the
  poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social
  tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better
  off than other segments of the population, often approaching
  European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and
  unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent.
  The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the
  seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of
  Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from
  France.

Romania
  Romania began the transition from Communism in 1989 with a
  largely obsolete industrial base and a pattern of output unsuited to
  the country's needs. The country emerged in 2000 from a punishing
  three-year recession thanks to strong demand in EU export markets.
  Despite the global slowdown in 2001-02, strong domestic activity in
  construction, agriculture, and consumption have kept growth above
  4%. An IMF standby agreement, signed in 2001, has been accompanied
  by slow but palpable gains in privatization, deficit reduction, and
  the curbing of inflation. The IMF Board approved Romania's
  completion of the standby agreement in October 2003, the first time
  Romania has successfully concluded an IMF agreement since the 1989
  revolution. In July 2004, the executive board of the IMF approved a
  24-month standby agreement for $367 million. The Romanian
  authorities do not intend to draw on this agreement, however,
  viewing it simply as a precaution. Meanwhile, recent macroeconomic
  gains have done little to address Romania's widespread poverty,
  while corruption and red tape continue to handicap the business
  environment.

Russia
  Russia ended 2004 with its sixth straight year of growth,
  averaging 6.5% annually since the financial crisis of 1998. Although
  high oil prices and a relatively cheap ruble are important drivers
  of this economic rebound, since 2000 investment and consumer-driven
  demand have played a noticeably increasing role. Real fixed capital
  investments have averaged gains greater than 10% over the last five
  years, and real personal incomes have realized average increases
  over 12%. Russia has also improved its international financial
  position since the 1998 financial crisis, with its foreign debt
  declining from 90% of GDP to around 28%. Strong oil export earnings
  have allowed Russia to increase its foreign reserves from only $12
  billion to some $120 billion at yearend 2004. These achievements,
  along with a renewed government effort to advance structural
  reforms, have raised business and investor confidence in Russia's
  economic prospects. Nevertheless, serious problems persist. Economic
  growth slowed down in the second half of 2004 and the Russian
  government forecasts growth of only 4.5% to 6.2% for 2005. Oil,
  natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of
  exports, leaving the country vulnerable to swings in world prices.
  Russia's manufacturing base is dilapidated and must be replaced or
  modernized if the country is to achieve broad-based economic growth.
  Other problems include a weak banking system, a poor business
  climate that discourages both domestic and foreign investors,
  corruption, and widespread lack of trust in institutions. In
  addition, a string of investigations launched against a major
  Russian oil company, culminating with the arrest of its CEO in the
  fall of 2003, have raised concerns by some observers that President
  PUTIN is granting more influence to forces within his government
  that desire to reassert state control over the economy.

Rwanda
  Rwanda is a poor rural country with about 90% of the
  population engaged in (mainly subsistence) agriculture. It is the
  most densely populated country in Africa; landlocked with few
  natural resources and minimal industry. Primary foreign exchange
  earners are coffee and tea. The 1994 genocide decimated Rwanda's
  fragile economic base, severely impoverished the population,
  particularly women, and eroded the country's ability to attract
  private and external investment. However, Rwanda has made
  substantial progress in stabilizing and rehabilitating its economy
  to pre-1994 levels, although poverty levels are higher now. GDP has
  rebounded and inflation has been curbed. Export earnings, however,
  have been hindered by low beverage prices, depriving the country of
  much needed hard currency. Despite Rwanda's fertile ecosystem, food
  production often does not keep pace with population growth,
  requiring food imports. Rwanda continues to receive substantial aid
  money and was approved for IMF-World Bank Heavily Indebted Poor
  Country (HIPC) initiative debt relief in late 2000. Kigali's high
  defense expenditures have caused tension between the government and
  international donors and lending agencies. An energy shortage and
  instability in neighboring states may slow growth in 2005, while the
  lack of adequate transportation linkages to other countries
  continues to handicap export growth.

Saint Helena
  The economy depends largely on financial assistance
  from the UK, which amounted to about $5 million in 1997 or almost
  one-half of annual budgetary revenues. The local population earns
  income from fishing, raising livestock, and sales of handicrafts.
  Because there are few jobs, 25% of the work force has left to seek
  employment on Ascension Island, on the Falklands, and in the UK.

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Sugar was the traditional mainstay of the
  Saint Kitts economy until the 1970s. Although the crop still
  dominates the agricultural sector, activities such as tourism,
  export-oriented manufacturing, and offshore banking have assumed
  larger roles in the economy. Tourism revenues are now the chief
  source of the islands' foreign exchange. The opening of a 470-room
  resort in February 2003 was expected to bring in much-needed revenue.

Saint Lucia
  Changes in the EU import preference regime and the
  increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic
  diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. The island
  nation has been able to attract foreign business and investment,
  especially in its offshore banking and tourism industries. The
  manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean
  area, and the government is trying to revitalize the banana
  industry. Economic fundamentals remain solid, even though
  unemployment needs to be cut.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  The inhabitants have traditionally earned
  their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets
  operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been
  declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing
  quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint
  Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an
  exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding
  territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of
  what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France
  to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an
  expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test
  drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy
  sector.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Economic growth in this
  lower-middle-income country hinges upon seasonal variations in the
  agricultural and tourism sectors. Tropical storms wiped out
  substantial portions of crops in 1994, 1995, and 2002, and tourism
  in the Eastern Caribbean has suffered low arrivals following 11
  September 2001. Saint Vincent is home to a small offshore banking
  sector and has moved to adopt international regulatory standards.
  Saint Vincent is also a large producer of marijuana and is being
  used as a transshipment point for illegal narcotics from South
  America.

Samoa
  The economy of Samoa has traditionally been dependent on
  development aid, family remittances from overseas, agriculture, and
  fishing. The country is vulnerable to devastating storms.
  Agriculture employs two-thirds of the labor force, and furnishes 90%
  of exports, featuring coconut cream, coconut oil, and copra. The
  manufacturing sector mainly processes agricultural products. The
  decline of fish stocks in the area is a continuing problem. Tourism
  is an expanding sector, accounting for 25% of GDP; about 88,000
  tourists visited the islands in 2001. One factory in the Foreign
  Trade Zone employs 3,000 people to make automobile electrical
  harnesses for an assembly plant in Australia. The Samoan Government
  has called for deregulation of the financial sector, encouragement
  of investment, and continued fiscal discipline, meantime protecting
  the environment. Observers point to the flexibility of the labor
  market as a basic strength for future economic advances. Foreign
  reserves are in a relatively healthy state, the external debt is
  stable, and inflation is low.

San Marino
  The tourist sector contributes over 50% of GDP. In 2000
  more than 3 million tourists visited San Marino. The key industries
  are banking, wearing apparel, electronics, and ceramics. Main
  agricultural products are wine and cheeses. The per capita level of
  output and standard of living are comparable to those of the most
  prosperous regions of Italy, which supplies much of its food.

Sao Tome and Principe
  This small poor island economy has become
  increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa
  production has substantially declined in recent years because of
  drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost
  export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most
  manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of
  food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external
  debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt
  rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in
  December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC)
  program, but lacking a formal poverty reduction program with the
  IMF, it has not benefited from subsequent HIPC debt reductions. Sao
  Tome's external debt stands at over $300 million. Considerable
  potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the
  government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The
  government also has attempted to reduce price controls and
  subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum
  resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea.
  The first production license was sold to a consortium led by
  US-based oil firms. Much of the 2005 budget is dependent upon the
  sale of additional production licenses.

Saudi Arabia
  This is an oil-based economy with strong government
  controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 25%
  of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest
  exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The
  petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of
  GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the
  private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play
  an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and
  service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin
  privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing
  privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is
  encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence
  on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi
  population. Priorities for government spending in the short term
  include additional funds for education and for the water and sewage
  systems. Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted
  political and social conservatism.

Senegal
  In January 1994, Senegal undertook a bold and ambitious
  economic reform program with the support of the international donor
  community. This reform began with a 50% devaluation of Senegal's
  currency, the CFA franc, which was linked at a fixed rate to the
  French franc. Government price controls and subsidies have been
  steadily dismantled. After seeing its economy contract by 2.1% in
  1993, Senegal made an important turnaround, thanks to the reform
  program, with real growth in GDP averaging 5% annually during
  1995-2003. Annual inflation had been pushed down to the low single
  digits. As a member of the West African Economic and Monetary Union
  (WAEMU), Senegal is working toward greater regional integration with
  a unified external tariff and a more stable monetary policy. Senegal
  still relies heavily upon outside donor assistance, however. Under
  the IMF's Highly Indebted Poor Countries debt relief program,
  Senegal will benefit from eradication of two-thirds of its
  bilateral, multilateral, and private sector debt.

Serbia and Montenegro
  MILOSEVIC-era mismanagement of the economy, an
  extended period of economic sanctions, and the damage to
  Yugoslavia's infrastructure and industry during the NATO airstrikes
  in 1999 left the economy only half the size it was in 1990. After
  the ousting of former Federal Yugoslav President MILOSEVIC in
  October 2000, the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) coalition
  government implemented stabilization measures and embarked on an
  aggressive market reform program. After renewing its membership in
  the IMF in December 2000, a down-sized Yugoslavia continued to
  reintegrate into the international community by rejoining the World
  Bank (IBRD) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  (EBRD). A World Bank-European Commission sponsored Donors'
  Conference held in June 2001 raised $1.3 billion for economic
  restructuring. An agreement rescheduling the country's $4.5 billion
  Paris Club government debts was concluded in November 2001 - it
  wrote off 66% of the debt - and the London Club of private creditors
  forgave $1.7 billion of debt, just over half the total owed, in July
  2004. The smaller republic of Montenegro severed its economy from
  federal control and from Serbia during the MILOSEVIC era and
  continues to maintain its own central bank, uses the euro instead of
  the Yugoslav dinar as official currency, collects customs tariffs,
  and manages its own budget. Kosovo's economy continues to transition
  to a market-based system, and is largely dependent on the
  international community and the diaspora for financial and technical
  assistance. The euro and the Yugoslav dinar are both accepted
  currencies in Kosovo. While maintaining ultimate oversight, UNMIK
  continues to work with the European Union and Kosovo's local
  provisional government to accelerate economic growth, lower
  unemployment, and attract foreign investment to help Kosovo
  integrate into regional economic structures. The complexity of
  Serbia and Montenegro political relationships, slow progress in
  privatization, legal uncertainty over property rights, scarcity of
  foreign-investment and a substantial foreign trade deficit are
  holding back the economy. Arrangements with the IMF, especially
  requirements for fiscal discipline, are an important element in
  policy formation. Severe unemployment remains a key political
  economic problem for this entire region.

Seychelles
  Since independence in 1976, per capita output in this
  Indian Ocean archipelago has expanded to roughly seven times the old
  near-subsistence level. Growth has been led by the tourist sector,
  which employs about 30% of the labor force and provides more than
  70% of hard currency earnings, and by tuna fishing. In recent years
  the government has encouraged foreign investment in order to upgrade
  hotels and other services. At the same time, the government has
  moved to reduce the dependence on tourism by promoting the
  development of farming, fishing, and small-scale manufacturing. A
  sharp drop illustrated the vulnerability of the tourist sector in
  1991-92 due largely to the Gulf war, and once again following the 11
  September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. Growth slowed in
  1998-2002, and fell in 2003, due to sluggish tourist and tuna
  sectors, but resumed in 2004, erasing a persistent budget deficit.
  Tight controls on exchange rates and the scarcity of foreign
  exchange have impaired short-term economic prospects. The black
  market value of the Seychelles rupee is half the official exchange
  rate; without a devaluation of the currency the tourist sector may
  remain sluggish as vacationers seek cheaper destinations such as
  Comoros, Mauritius, and Madagascar.

Sierra Leone
  Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with
  tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses
  substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its
  economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and
  serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development.
  About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in
  subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the
  processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the
  domestic market. Plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down
  during an 11 year civil war have not been implemented due to lack of
  foreign investment. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source
  of hard currency earnings. The fate of the economy depends upon the
  maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of
  substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe
  trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. International
  financial institutions contributed over $600 million in development
  aid and budgetary support in 2003.

Singapore
  Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market
  economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment,
  stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the Big 4 West
  European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,
  particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in
  2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology
  sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in
  2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The government
  hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to
  the external business cycle and will continue efforts to establish
  Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal
  stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal
  flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by
  8 percent, by far the economy's best performance since 2000.

Slovakia
  Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from
  a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
  government made excellent progress during 2001-04 in macroeconomic
  stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
  complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
  and the government has helped facilitate a foreign investment boom
  with business-friendly policies, such as labor market liberalization
  and a 19% flat tax. Slovakia's economic growth exceeded expectations
  in 2001-04, despite the general European slowdown. Unemployment, at
  an unacceptable 15% in 2003-04, remains the economy's Achilles heel.
  Slovakia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.

Slovenia
  Slovenia, with its historical ties to Western Europe,
  enjoys a GDP per capita substantially higher than that of the other
  transitioning economies of Central Europe. In March 2004, Slovenia
  became the first transition country to graduate from borrower status
  to donor partner at the World Bank. Privatization of the economy
  proceeded at an accelerated pace in 2002-04. Despite lackluster
  performance in Europe in 2001-04, Slovenia maintained moderate
  growth. Structural reforms to improve the business environment have
  allowed for greater foreign participation in Slovenia's economy and
  have helped to lower unemployment. Further measures to curb
  inflation are still needed. Corruption and the high degree of
  coordination between government, business, and central bank policy
  were issues of concern in the run-up to Slovenia's 1 May 2004
  accession to the European Union. In mid-2004 Slovenia agreed to
  adopt the euro by 2007 and, therefore, must keep its debt levels,
  budget deficits, interest rates, and inflation levels within the
  EU's Maastrict criteria.

Solomon Islands
  The bulk of the population depends on agriculture,
  fishing, and forestry for at least part of their livelihood. Most
  manufactured goods and petroleum products must be imported. The
  islands are rich in undeveloped mineral resources such as lead,
  zinc, nickel, and gold. Prior to the arrival of the Regional
  Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI), severe ethnic
  violence, the closing of key businesses, and an empty government
  treasury culminated in economic collapse. RAMSI has enabled a return
  to law and order, a new period of economic stability, and modest
  growth as the economy rebuilds.

Somalia
  Somalia's economic fortunes are driven by its deep political
  divisions. The northwestern area has declared its independence as
  the "Republic of Somaliland"; the northeastern region of Puntland is
  a semi-autonomous state; and the remaining southern portion is
  riddled with the struggles of rival factions. Economic life
  continues, in part because much activity is local and relatively
  easily protected. Agriculture is the most important sector, with
  livestock normally accounting for about 40% of GDP and about 65% of
  export earnings, but Saudi Arabia's recent ban on Somali livestock,
  because of Rift Valley Fever concerns, has severely hampered the
  sector. Nomads and semi-nomads, who are dependent upon livestock for
  their livelihood, make up a large portion of the population.
  Livestock, hides, fish, charcoal, and bananas are Somalia's
  principal exports, while sugar, sorghum, corn, qat, and machined
  goods are the principal imports. Somalia's small industrial sector,
  based on the processing of agricultural products, has largely been
  looted and sold as scrap metal. Despite the seeming anarchy,
  Somalia's service sector has managed to survive and grow.
  Telecommunication firms provide wireless services in most major
  cities and offer the lowest international call rates on the
  continent. In the absence of a formal banking sector, money exchange
  services have sprouted throughout the country, handling between $500
  million and $1 billion in remittances annually. Mogadishu's main
  market offers a variety of goods from food to the newest electronic
  gadgets. Hotels continue to operate, and militias provide security.
  The ongoing civil disturbances and clan rivalries, however, have
  interfered with any broad-based economic development and
  international aid arrangements. In 2004 Somalia's overdue financial
  obligations to the IMF continued to grow. Statistics on Somalia's
  GDP, growth, per capita income, and inflation should be viewed
  skeptically. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took an
  estimated 150 lives and caused destruction of properity in coastal
  areas.

South Africa
  South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with
  an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial,
  legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock
  exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern
  infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to
  major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not
  been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate;
  and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era,
  especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the
  disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally
  conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and
  liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household
  income.

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Some fishing takes
  place in adjacent waters. There is a potential source of income from
  harvesting finfish and krill. The islands receive income from
  postage stamps produced in the UK, sale of fishing licenses, and
  harbor and landing fees from tourist vessels. Tourism from
  specialized cruise ships is increasing rapidly.

Southern Ocean
  Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed
  112,934 metric tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian
  toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to
  reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the
  2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of
  Patagonian and antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer
  12,248 tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean
  and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.

Spain
  The Spanish economy boomed from 1986 to 1990, averaging five
  percent annual growth. After a European-wide recession in the early
  1990s, the Spanish economy resumed moderate growth starting in 1994.
  Spain's mixed capitalist economy supports a GDP that on a per capita
  basis is 80% that of the four leading West European economies. The
  center-right government of former President AZNAR successfully
  worked to gain admission to the first group of countries launching
  the European single currency (the euro) on 1 January 1999. The AZNAR
  administration continued to advocate liberalization, privatization,
  and deregulation of the economy and introduced some tax reforms to
  that end. Unemployment fell steadily under the AZNAR administration
  but remains high at 10.4%. Growth of 2.5% in 2003 and 2.6% in 2004
  was satisfactory given the background of a faltering European
  economy. The socialist president, RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO, has initiated
  economic and social reforms that are generally popular among the
  masses of people but that are anathema to religious and other
  conservative elements. Adjusting to the monetary and other economic
  policies of an integrated Europe, reducing unemployment, and
  absorbing widespread social changes will pose challenges to Spain
  over the next few years.

Spratly Islands
  Economic activity is limited to commercial fishing.
  The proximity to nearby oil- and gas-producing sedimentary basins
  suggests the potential for oil and gas deposits, but the region is
  largely unexplored; there are no reliable estimates of potential
  reserves; commercial exploitation has yet to be developed.

Sri Lanka
  In 1977, Colombo abandoned statist economic policies and
  its import substitution trade policy for market-oriented policies
  and export-oriented trade. Sri Lanka's most dynamic sectors now are
  food processing, textiles and apparel, food and beverages,
  telecommunications, and insurance and banking. In 2003, plantation
  crops made up only 15% of exports (compared with 93% in 1970), while
  textiles and garments accounted for 63%. GDP grew at an average
  annual rate of 5.5% in the early 1990s until a drought and a
  deteriorating security situation lowered growth to 3.8% in 1996. The
  economy rebounded in 1997-2000 with average growth of 5.3%, but 2001
  saw the first contraction in the country's history, -1.4%, due to a
  combination of power shortages, severe budgetary problems, the
  global slowdown, and continuing civil strife. Growth recovered to
  4.0% in 2002 and to 5.2% in both 2003 and 2004. About 800,000 Sri
  Lankans work abroad, 90% in the Middle East. They send home about $1
  billion a year. The struggle by the Tamil Tigers of the north and
  east for a largely independent homeland continues to cast a shadow
  over the economy. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took about
  31,000 lives, left more than 6,300 missing and 443,000 displaced,
  and destroyed an estimated $1.5 billion worth of property.

Sudan
  Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound
  economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces
  formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per
  capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF
  macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and
  in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,
  along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.
  Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded
  export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 6.4% in 2004.
  Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,
  employing 80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, and
  accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed
  and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including the
  long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the
  Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural
  prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below
  the poverty line for years.

Suriname
  The economy is dominated by the alumina industry, which
  accounts for more than 15% of GDP and 70% of export earnings.
  Suriname's economic prospects for the medium term will depend on
  continued commitment to responsible monetary and fiscal policies and
  to the introduction of structural reforms to liberalize markets and
  promote competition. The government of Ronald VENETIAAN has begun an
  austerity program, raised taxes, and attempted to control spending.
  While - in 2002 - President VENETIAAN agreed to a large pay raise
  for civil servants, threatening his earlier gains in stabilizing the
  economy, he has not repeated this promise in the run-up to the May
  2005 elections. The Dutch Government has agreed to restart the aid
  flow, which will allow Suriname to access international development
  financing, but plans to phase out funds over the next five years.
  The short-term economic outlook depends on the government's ability
  to control inflation and on the development of projects in the
  bauxite and gold mining sectors. Prospects for local onshore oil
  production are good, as a drilling program is underway. Offshore oil
  drilling was given a boost in 2004 when the State Oil Company
  (Staatsolie) signed exploration agreements with Repsol and Mearsk.

Svalbard
  Coal mining is the major economic activity on Svalbard. The
  treaty of 9 February 1920 gives the 41 signatories equal rights to
  exploit mineral deposits, subject to Norwegian regulation. Although
  US, UK, Dutch, and Swedish coal companies have mined in the past,
  the only companies still mining are Norwegian and Russian. The
  settlements on Svalbard are essentially company towns. The Norwegian
  state-owned coal company employs nearly 60% of the Norwegian
  population on the island, runs many of the local services, and
  provides most of the local infrastructure. There is also some
  hunting of seal, reindeer, and fox.

Swaziland
  In this small, landlocked economy, subsistence agriculture
  occupies more than 80% of the population. The manufacturing sector
  has diversified since the mid-1980s. Sugar and wood pulp remain
  important foreign exchange earners. Mining has declined in
  importance in recent years with only coal and quarry stone mines
  remaining active. Surrounded by South Africa, except for a short
  border with Mozambique, Swaziland is heavily dependent on South
  Africa from which it receives about nine-tenths of its imports and
  to which it sends nearly three-quarters of its exports. Customs
  duties from the Southern African Customs Union and worker
  remittances from South Africa substantially supplement domestically
  earned income. The government is trying to improve the atmosphere
  for foreign investment. Overgrazing, soil depletion, drought, and
  sometimes floods persist as problems for the future. More than
  one-fourth of the population needed emergency food aid in 2004
  because of drought, and more than one-third of the adult population
  was infected by HIV/AIDS.

Sweden
  Aided by peace and neutrality for the whole 20th century,
  Sweden has achieved an enviable standard of living under a mixed
  system of high-tech capitalism and extensive welfare benefits. It
  has a modern distribution system, excellent internal and external
  communications, and a skilled labor force. Timber, hydropower, and
  iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented
  toward foreign trade. Privately owned firms account for about 90% of
  industrial output, of which the engineering sector accounts for 50%
  of output and exports. Agriculture accounts for only 2% of GDP and
  2% of the jobs. The government's commitment to fiscal discipline
  resulted in a substantial budgetary surplus in 2001, which was cut
  by more than half in 2002, due to the global economic slowdown,
  declining revenue, and increased spending. The Swedish central bank
  (the Riksbank) focuses on price stability with its inflation target
  of 2%. Growth remained sluggish in 2003, but picked up in 2004.
  Presumably because of generous sicktime benefits, Swedish workers
  report in sick more often than other Europeans. On 14 September
  2003, Swedish voters turned down entry into the euro system,
  concerned about the impact on democracy and sovereignty.

Switzerland
  Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern
  market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force,
  and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European
  economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic
  practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their
  international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for
  investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and
  has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the
  anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to
  about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003, with a small rise
  to 1.8% in 2004. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than
  half the EU average.

Syria
  Real GDP growth rose to 2.3 percent in 2004, a slight increase
  from 2003 when the predominantly statist economy suffered from
  disruptions caused by the war in Iraq and other developments in the
  region. Annual real GDP growth has averaged 2.3 percent for the last
  seven years. The Government of Syria has implemented modest economic
  reforms in the last few years, including cutting interest rates,
  opening private banks, consolidating some of the multiple exchange
  rates, and raising prices on some subsidized foodstuffs.
  Nevertheless, the economy remains highly controlled by the
  government. Long run economic constraints include declining oil
  production and exports and pressure on water supplies caused by
  rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water
  pollution.

Taiwan
  Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually
  decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government
  authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned
  banks and industrial firms are being privatized. Exports have
  provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade
  surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third
  largest. Agriculture contributes less than 2% to GDP, down from 32%
  in 1952. Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia. China
  has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market.
  Because of its conservative financial approach and its
  entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many
  of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global
  economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by
  the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed
  Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth
  ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels. Output
  recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global
  slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans; and the
  essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in 2003-04. Growing
  economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor, e.g.,
  exports to China of parts and equipment for the assembly of goods
  for export to developed countries.

Tajikistan
  Tajikistan has one of the lowest per capita GDPs among
  the 15 former Soviet republics. Only 5% to 6% of the land area is
  arable. Cotton is the most important crop. Mineral resources, varied
  but limited in amount, include silver, gold, uranium, and tungsten.
  Industry consists only of a large aluminum plant, hydropower
  facilities, and small obsolete factories mostly in light industry
  and food processing. The civil war (1992-97) severely damaged the
  already weak economic infrastructure and caused a sharp decline in
  industrial and agricultural production. Even though 60% of its
  people continue to live in abject poverty, Tajikistan has
  experienced steady economic growth since 1997. Continued
  privatization of medium and large state-owned enterprises will
  further increase productivity. Tajikistan's economic situation,
  however, remains fragile due to uneven implementation of structural
  reforms, weak governance, widespread unemployment, and the external
  debt burden. A debt restructuring agreement was reached with Russia
  in December 2002, including an interest rate of 4%, a 3-year grace
  period, and a US $49.8 million credit to the Central Bank of
  Tajikistan.

Tanzania
  Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world. The
  economy depends heavily on agriculture, which accounts for almost
  half of GDP, provides 85% of exports, and employs 80% of the work
  force. Topography and climatic conditions, however, limit cultivated
  crops to only 4% of the land area. Industry traditionally featured
  the processing of agricultural products and light consumer goods.
  The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and bilateral
  donors have provided funds to rehabilitate Tanzania's out-of-date
  economic infrastructure and to alleviate poverty. Growth in
  1991-2002 featured a pickup in industrial production and a
  substantial increase in output of minerals, led by gold. Recent
  banking reforms have helped increase private sector growth and
  investment. Continued donor assistance and solid macroeconomic
  policies supported real GDP growth of nearly 6% in 2004.

Thailand
  Thailand has a well developed infrastructure, a
  free-enterprise economy, and welcomes foreign investment. Thailand
  has fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and was
  one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04. Increased consumption
  and investment spending and strong export growth pushed GDP growth
  up to 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global
  economy. The highly popular government's expansionist policy,
  including major support of village economic development, has raised
  concerns about fiscal discipline and the health of financial
  institutions. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with
  a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and maintain
  high growth, and in 2004 began negotiations on a Free Trade
  Agreement with the US. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took
  8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property
  in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket.

Togo
  This small sub-Saharan economy is heavily dependent on both
  commercial and subsistence agriculture, which provides employment
  for 65% of the labor force. Some basic foodstuffs must still be
  imported. Cocoa, coffee, and cotton generate about 40% of export
  earnings, with cotton being the most important cash crop. Togo is
  the world's fourth-largest producer of phosphate, but production
  fell an estimated 22% in 2002 due to power shortages and the cost of
  developing new deposits. The government's decade-long effort,
  supported by the World Bank and the IMF, to implement economic
  reform measures, encourage foreign investment, and bring revenues in
  line with expenditures has moved slowly. Progress depends on
  following through on privatization, increased openness in government
  financial operations, progress toward legislative elections, and
  continued support from foreign donors.

Tokelau
  Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack
  of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine
  agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid
  from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public
  services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The
  principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage
  stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to
  families from relatives in New Zealand.

Tonga
  Tonga, a small, open, South Pacific island economy, has a
  narrow export base in agricultural goods. Squash, coconuts, bananas,
  and vanilla beans are the main crops, and agricultural exports make
  up two-thirds of total exports. The country must import a high
  proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand. Tourism is the
  second largest source of hard currency earnings following
  remittances. The country remains dependent on external aid and
  remittances from Tongan communities overseas to offset its trade
  deficit. The government is emphasizing the development of the
  private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is
  committing increased funds for health and education. Tonga has a
  reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social
  services. High unemployment among the young, a continuing upturn in
  inflation, and rising civil service expenditures are major issues
  facing the government.

Trinidad and Tobago
  Trinidad and Tobago, the leading Caribbean
  producer of oil and gas, has earned a reputation as an excellent
  investment site for international businesses. Tourism is a growing
  sector, although not proportionately as important as in many other
  Caribbean islands. The economy benefits from low inflation and a
  growing trade surplus. Prospects for growth in 2004 are good as
  prices for oil, petrochemicals, and liquified natural gas are
  expected to remain high, and foreign direct investment continues to
  grow to support expanded capacity in the energy sector. The
  government is coping with a rise in violent crime.

Tromelin Island
  no economic activity

Tunisia
  Tunisia has a diverse economy, with important agricultural,
  mining, energy, tourism, and manufacturing sectors. Governmental
  control of economic affairs while still heavy has gradually lessened
  over the past decade with increasing privatization, simplification
  of the tax structure, and a prudent approach to debt. Progressive
  social policies also have helped raise living conditions in Tunisia
  relative to the region. Real growth slowed to a 15-year low of 1.9%
  in 2002 because of agricultural drought and lackluster tourism.
  Better rains in 2003 and 2004, however, helped push GDP growth above
  5% for these years. Tourism also recovered after the end of combat
  operations in Iraq. Tunisia is gradually removing barriers to trade
  with the European Union. Broader privatization, further
  liberalization of the investment code to increase foreign
  investment, improvements in government efficiency, and reduction of
  the trade deficit are among the challenges ahead.

Turkey
  Turkey's dynamic economy is a complex mix of modern industry
  and commerce along with a traditional agriculture sector that in
  2004 still accounted for more than 35% of employment. It has a
  strong and rapidly growing private sector, yet the state still plays
  a major role in basic industry, banking, transport, and
  communication. The largest industrial sector is textiles and
  clothing, which accounts for one-third of industrial employment; it
  faces stiff competition in international markets with the end of the
  global quota system. However, other sectors, notably the automotive
  and electronics industries, are rising in importance within Turkey's
  export mix. In recent years the economic situation has been marked
  by erratic economic growth and serious imbalances. Real GNP growth
  has exceeded 6% in many years, but this strong expansion has been
  interrupted by sharp declines in output in 1994, 1999, and 2001.
  Inflation, in recent years in the high double-digit range, fell to
  9.3% by 2004 - a 30-year low. Despite these strong economic gains in
  2002-04, which were largely due to renewed investor interest in
  emerging markets, IMF backing, and tighter fiscal policy, the
  economy is still plagued with high debt and deficits. The public
  sector fiscal deficit exceeds 6% of GDP - due in large part to the
  huge burden of interest payments, which accounted for more than 40%
  of central government spending in 2004, and to populist spending.
  Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Turkey remains low - averaging
  less than $1 billion annually, but further economic and judicial
  reforms and prospective EU membership are expected to boost FDI. A
  major political and economic issue over the next decade is whether
  or not Turkey will become a member of the EU.

Turkmenistan
  Turkmenistan is largely desert country with intensive
  agriculture in irrigated oases and large gas and oil resources.
  One-half of its irrigated land is planted in cotton; formerly it was
  the world's tenth-largest producer. Poor harvests in recent years
  have led to a nearly 46% decline in cotton exports. With an
  authoritarian ex-Communist regime in power and a tribally based
  social structure, Turkmenistan has taken a cautious approach to
  economic reform, hoping to use gas and cotton sales to sustain its
  inefficient economy. Privatization goals remain limited. In
  1998-2004, Turkmenistan suffered from the continued lack of adequate
  export routes for natural gas and from obligations on extensive
  short-term external debt. At the same time, however, total exports
  rose by perhaps 30% in 2003 and 19% in 2004, largely because of
  higher international oil and gas prices. Overall prospects in the
  near future are discouraging because of widespread internal poverty,
  the burden of foreign debt, the government's irrational use of oil
  and gas revenues, and its unwillingness to adopt market-oriented
  reforms. Turkmenistan's economic statistics are state secrets, and
  GDP and other figures are subject to wide margins of error. In
  particular, the rate of GDP growth is uncertain.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  The Turks and Caicos economy is based on
  tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital
  goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the
  leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the
  annual 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of
  government revenue also include fees from offshore financial
  activities and customs receipts.

Tuvalu
  Tuvalu consists of a densely populated, scattered group of
  nine coral atolls with poor soil. The country has no known mineral
  resources and few exports. Subsistence farming and fishing are the
  primary economic activities. Fewer than 1,000 tourists, on average,
  visit Tuvalu annually. Government revenues largely come from the
  sale of stamps and coins and worker remittances. About 1,000
  Tuvaluans work in Nauru in the phosphate mining industry. Nauru has
  begun repatriating Tuvaluans, however, as phosphate resources
  decline. Substantial income is received annually from an
  international trust fund established in 1987 by Australia, NZ, and
  the UK and supported also by Japan and South Korea. Thanks to wise
  investments and conservative withdrawals, this fund has grown from
  an initial $17 million to over $35 million in 1999. The US
  government is also a major revenue source for Tuvalu because of
  payments from a 1988 treaty on fisheries. In an effort to reduce its
  dependence on foreign aid, the government is pursuing public sector
  reforms, including privatization of some government functions and
  personnel cuts of up to 7%. In 1998, Tuvalu began deriving revenue
  from use of its area code for "900" lines and in 2000, from the
  lease of its ".tv" Internet domain name. Royalties from these new
  technology sources could increase substantially over the next
  decade. With merchandise exports only a fraction of merchandise
  imports, continued reliance must be placed on fishing and
  telecommunications license fees, remittances from overseas workers,
  official transfers, and income from overseas investments.

Uganda
  Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile
  soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and
  cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy,
  employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk
  of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of
  foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to
  rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency
  reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices
  of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages. The policy
  changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting
  production and export earnings. During 1990-2001, the economy turned
  in a solid performance based on continued investment in the
  rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production
  and exports, reduced inflation, gradually improved domestic
  security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.
  Corruption within the government and slippage in the government's
  determination to press reforms raise doubts about the continuation
  of strong growth. In 2000, Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly
  Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and
  Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined
  with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion.
  Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite continued decline in the price
  of coffee, Uganda's principal export. Solid growth in 2003-04
  reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.

Ukraine
  After Russia, the Ukrainian republic was far and away the
  most important economic component of the former Soviet Union,
  producing about four times the output of the next-ranking republic.
  Its fertile black soil generated more than one-fourth of Soviet
  agricultural output, and its farms provided substantial quantities
  of meat, milk, grain, and vegetables to other republics. Likewise,
  its diversified heavy industry supplied the unique equipment (for
  example, large diameter pipes) and raw materials to industrial and
  mining sites (vertical drilling apparatus) in other regions of the
  former USSR. Ukraine depends on imports of energy, especially
  natural gas, to meet some 85% of its annual energy requirements.
  Shortly after independence in December 1991, the Ukrainian
  Government liberalized most prices and erected a legal framework for
  privatization, but widespread resistance to reform within the
  government and the legislature soon stalled reform efforts and led
  to some backtracking. Output by 1999 had fallen to less than 40% of
  the 1991 level. Loose monetary policies pushed inflation to
  hyperinflationary levels in late 1993. Ukraine's dependence on
  Russia for energy supplies and the lack of significant structural
  reform have made the Ukrainian economy vulnerable to external
  shocks. Ukrainian government officials have taken some steps to
  reform the country's Byzantine tax code, such as the implementation
  of lower tax rates aimed at bringing more economic activity out of
  Ukraine's large shadow economy, but more improvements are needed,
  including closing tax loopholes and eliminating tax privileges and
  exemptions. Reforms in the more politically sensitive areas of
  structural reform and land privatization are still lagging. Outside
  institutions - particularly the IMF - have encouraged Ukraine to
  quicken the pace and scope of reforms. GDP in 2000 showed strong
  export-based growth of 6% - the first growth since independence -
  and industrial production grew 12.9%. The economy continued to
  expand in 2001 as real GDP rose 9% and industrial output grew by
  over 14%. Growth of 4.6% in 2002 was more moderate, in part a
  reflection of faltering growth in the developed world. In general,
  growth has been undergirded by strong domestic demand, low
  inflation, and solid consumer and investor confidence. Growth was a
  sturdy 9.3% in 2003 and a remarkable 12% in 2004, despite a loss of
  momentum in needed economic reforms.

United Arab Emirates
  The UAE has an open economy with a high per
  capita income and a sizable annual trade surplus. Its wealth is
  based on oil and gas output (about 30% of GDP), and the fortunes of
  the economy fluctuate with the prices of those commodities. Since
  the discovery of oil in the UAE more than 30 years ago, the UAE has
  undergone a profound transformation from an impoverished region of
  small desert principalities to a modern state with a high standard
  of living. At present levels of production, oil and gas reserves
  should last for more than 100 years. The government has increased
  spending on job creation and infrastructure expansion and is opening
  up its utilities to greater private sector involvement. In April
  2004, the UAE signed a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement
  (TIFA) with Washington and in November 2004 agreed to undertake
  negotiations toward a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US.

United Kingdom
  The UK, a leading trading power and financial center,
  is one of the quartet of trillion dollar economies of Western
  Europe. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced
  public ownership and contained the growth of social welfare
  programs. Agriculture is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient
  by European standards, producing about 60% of food needs with less
  than 2% of the labor force. The UK has large coal, natural gas, and
  oil reserves; primary energy production accounts for 10% of GDP, one
  of the highest shares of any industrial nation. Services,
  particularly banking, insurance, and business services, account by
  far for the largest proportion of GDP while industry continues to
  decline in importance. GDP growth slipped in 2001-03 as the global
  downturn, the high value of the pound, and the bursting of the "new
  economy" bubble hurt manufacturing and exports. Output recovered in
  2004, to 3.2% growth. The economy is one of the strongest in Europe;
  inflation, interest rates, and unemployment remain low. The
  relatively good economic performance has complicated the BLAIR
  government's efforts to make a case for Britain to join the European
  Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). Critics point out that the
  economy is doing well outside of EMU, and they cite public opinion
  polls that continue to show a majority of Britons opposed to the
  euro. Meantime, the government has been speeding up the improvement
  of education, transport, and health services, at a cost in higher
  taxes.

United States
  The US has the largest and most technologically
  powerful economy in the world, with a per capita GDP of $40,100. In
  this market-oriented economy, private individuals and business firms
  make most of the decisions, and the federal and state governments
  buy needed goods and services predominantly in the private
  marketplace. US business firms enjoy considerably greater
  flexibility than their counterparts in Western Europe and Japan in
  decisions to expand capital plant, to lay off surplus workers, and
  to develop new products. At the same time, they face higher barriers
  to entry in their rivals' home markets than the barriers to entry of
  foreign firms in US markets. US firms are at or near the forefront
  in technological advances, especially in computers and in medical,
  aerospace, and military equipment; their advantage has narrowed
  since the end of World War II. The onrush of technology largely
  explains the gradual development of a "two-tier labor market" in
  which those at the bottom lack the education and the
  professional/technical skills of those at the top and, more and
  more, fail to get comparable pay raises, health insurance coverage,
  and other benefits. Since 1975, practically all the gains in
  household income have gone to the top 20% of households. The
  response to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 showed the
  remarkable resilience of the economy. The war in March/April 2003
  between a US-led coalition and Iraq, and the subsequent occupation
  of Iraq, required major shifts in national resources to the
  military. The rise in GDP in 2004 was undergirded by substantial
  gains in labor productivity. The economy suffered from a sharp
  increase in energy prices in the second half of 2004. Long-term
  problems include inadequate investment in economic infrastructure,
  rapidly rising medical and pension costs of an aging population,
  sizable trade and budget deficits, and stagnation of family income
  in the lower economic groups.

Uruguay
  Uruguay's well-to-do economy is characterized by an
  export-oriented agricultural sector, a well-educated workforce, and
  high levels of social spending. After averaging growth of 5%
  annually during 1996-98, in 1999-2002 the economy suffered a major
  downturn, stemming largely from the spillover effects of the
  economic problems of its large neighbors, Argentina and Brazil. For
  instance, in 2001-02 massive withdrawals by Argentina of dollars
  deposited in Uruguayan banks led to a plunge in the Uruguyan peso
  and a massive rise in unemployment. Total GDP in these four years
  dropped by nearly 20%, with 2002 the worst year due to the serious
  banking crisis. Unemployment rose to nearly 20% in 2002, inflation
  surged, and the burden of external debt doubled. Cooperation with
  the IMF limited the damage. The debt swap with private creditors
  carried out in 2003, which extended the maturity dates on nearly
  half of Uruguay's $11.3 billion in public debt, substantially
  alleviated the country's amortization burden in the coming years and
  restored public confidence. The economy grew about 10% in 2004 as a
  result of high commodity prices for Uruguayan exports, the weakness
  of the dollar against the euro, growth in the region, low
  international interest rates, and greater export competitiveness.

Uzbekistan
  Uzbekistan is a dry, landlocked country of which 11%
  consists of intensely cultivated, irrigated river valleys. More than
  60% of its population lives in densely populated rural communities.
  Uzbekistan is now the world's second-largest cotton exporter, a
  large producer of gold and oil, and a regionally significant
  producer of chemicals and machinery. Following independence in
  December 1991, the government sought to prop up its Soviet-style
  command economy with subsidies and tight controls on production and
  prices. Uzbekistan responded to the negative external conditions
  generated by the Asian and Russian financial crises by emphasizing
  import substitute industrialization and by tightening export and
  currency controls within its already largely closed economy. The
  government, while aware of the need to improve the investment
  climate, sponsors measures that often increase, not decrease, the
  government's control over business decisions. A sharp increase in
  the inequality of income distribution has hurt the lower ranks of
  society since independence. In 2003, the government accepted the
  obligations of Article VIII under the International Monetary Fund
  (IMF), providing for full currency convertibility. However, strict
  currency controls and tightening of borders have lessened the
  effects of convertibility and have also led to some shortages that
  have further stifled economic activity.

Vanuatu
  This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on
  small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the
  population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with
  about 50,000 visitors in 2004, are other mainstays of the economy.
  Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum
  deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market.
  Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is
  hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports,
  vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main
  markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than
  3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the
  government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore
  financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to
  boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a
  second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main
  suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.

Venezuela
  Venezuela continues to be highly dependent on the
  petroleum sector, accounting for roughly one-third of GDP, around
  80% of export earnings, and over half of government operating
  revenues. A disastrous two-month national oil strike from December
  2002 to February 2003, temporarily halted economic activity. The
  economy remained in depression in 2003, declining by 9.2% after an
  8.9% fall in 2002. Despite continued domestic instability, output
  recovered strongly in 2004, aided by high oil prices. Both inflation
  and unemployment remain fundamental problems.

Vietnam
  Vietnam is a densely-populated, developing country that in
  the last 30 years has had to recover from the ravages of war, the
  loss of financial support from the old Soviet Bloc, and the
  rigidities of a centrally planned economy. Substantial progress was
  achieved from 1986 to 1997 in moving forward from an extremely low
  level of development and significantly reducing poverty. Growth
  averaged around 9% per year from 1993 to 1997. The 1997 Asian
  financial crisis highlighted the problems in the Vietnamese economy
  and temporarily allowed opponents of reform to slow progress towards
  a market oriented economy. GDP growth of 8.5% in 1997 fell to 6% in
  1998 and 5% in 1999. Growth then rose to 7% in 2000-04 even against
  the background of global recession. Since 2001, however, Vietnamese
  authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to economic
  liberalization and international integration. They have moved to
  implement the structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and
  to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. However,
  equitization of state-owned enterprises and reduction in the
  proportion of non-performing loans has fallen behind schedule.
  Vietnam's membership in the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and entry
  into force of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade in December 2001 have
  led to even more rapid changes in Vietnam's trade and economic
  regime. Vietnam's exports to the US doubled in 2002 and again in
  2003. Vietnam is working toward accession to the WTO in 2005. Among
  other benefits, accession will allow Vietnam to take advantage of
  the phase out of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing, which
  eliminated quotas on textiles and clothing for WTO partners on 1
  January 2005. Vietnam is working to promote job creation to keep up
  with the country's high population growth rate. However, in 2004,
  high levels of inflation prompted Vietnamese authorities to tighten
  monetary and fiscal policies.

Virgin Islands
  Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting
  for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands normally host 2 million
  visitors a year. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum
  refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch
  assembly. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being
  imported. International business and financial services are a small
  but growing component of the economy. One of the world's largest
  petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The islands are subject to
  substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve
  fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private
  sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to
  protect the environment.

Wake Island
  Economic activity is limited to providing services to
  contractors located on the island. All food and manufactured goods
  must be imported.

Wallis and Futuna
  The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
  agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture
  (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing.
  About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come
  from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
  Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate
  workers in New Caledonia.

West Bank
  The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the
  Palestine Authority - has experienced a general decline in economic
  growth and a degradation in economic conditions made worse since the
  second intifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been
  largely the result of the Israeli closure policies - the imposition
  of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel -
  which disrupted labor and commodity market relationships. In 2001,
  and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in
  Palestine Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much
  capital plant, the disruption of administrative structure, and
  widespread business closures. Including the Gaza Strip, the UN
  estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who
  used to work in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones,
  have lost their jobs. International aid of $2 billion to the West
  Bank and Gaza strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the
  economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial
  operations. Meanwhile, unemployment has continued at more than half
  the labor force. ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves open more political
  options that could affect the economy.

Western Sahara
  Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing,
  and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the
  population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable
  agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban
  population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities
  are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests
  in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western
  Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of
  living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level.

World
  Global output rose by 4.9% in 2004, led by China (9.1%),
  Russia (6.7%), and India (6.2%). The other 14 successor nations of
  the USSR and the other old Warsaw Pact nations again experienced
  widely divergent growth rates; the three Baltic nations continued as
  strong performers, in the 7% range of growth. Growth results posted
  by the major industrial countries varied from a small gain in Italy
  (1.3%) to a strong gain by the United States (4.4%). The developing
  nations also varied in their growth results, with many countries
  facing population increases that erode gains in output. Externally,
  the nation-state, as a bedrock economic-political institution, is
  steadily losing control over international flows of people, goods,
  funds, and technology. Internally, the central government often
  finds its control over resources slipping as separatist regional
  movements - typically based on ethnicity - gain momentum, e.g., in
  many of the successor states of the former Soviet Union, in the
  former Yugoslavia, in India, in Iraq, in Indonesia, and in Canada.
  Externally, the central government is losing decisionmaking powers
  to international bodies, notably the European Union. In Western
  Europe, governments face the difficult political problem of
  channeling resources away from welfare programs in order to increase
  investment and strengthen incentives to seek employment. The
  addition of 75 million people each year to an already overcrowded
  globe is exacerbating the problems of pollution, desertification,
  underemployment, epidemics, and famine. Because of their own
  internal problems and priorities, the industrialized countries
  devote insufficient resources to deal effectively with the poorer
  areas of the world, which, at least from an economic point of view,
  are becoming further marginalized. The introduction of the euro as
  the common currency of much of Western Europe in January 1999, while
  paving the way for an integrated economic powerhouse, poses economic
  risks because of varying levels of income and cultural and political
  differences among the participating nations. The terrorist attacks
  on the US on 11 September 2001 accentuate a further growing risk to
  global prosperity, illustrated, for example, by the reallocation of
  resources away from investment to anti-terrorist programs. The
  opening of war in March 2003 between a US-led coalition and Iraq
  added new uncertainties to global economic prospects. After the
  coalition victory, the complex political difficulties and the high
  economic cost of establishing domestic order in Iraq became major
  global problems that continued into 2005.

Yemen
  Yemen, one of the poorest countries in the Arab world, has
  reported strong growth since 2000, but its economic fortunes depend
  mostly on oil. Yemen has embarked on an IMF-supported structural
  adjustment program designed to modernize and streamline the economy,
  which has led to substantial foreign debt relief and restructuring.
  Yemen has worked to maintain tight control over spending and to
  implement additional components of the IMF program, but a high
  population growth rate and internal political dissension complicate
  the government's task. Plans include a diversification of the
  economy, encouragement of tourism, and more efficient use of scarce
  water resources.

Zambia
  Despite progress in privatization and budgetary reform,
  Zambia's economic growth remains somewhat below the 5% to 7% needed
  to reduce poverty significantly. Privatization of government-owned
  copper mines relieved the government from covering mammoth losses
  generated by the industry and greatly improved the chances for
  copper mining to return to profitability and spur economic growth.
  Copper output increased in 2004 and is expected to increase again in
  2005, due to higher copper prices and the opening of new mines. The
  maize harvest was again good in 2004, helping boost GDP and
  agricultural exports. Cooperation continues with international
  bodies on programs to reduce poverty, including a new lending
  arrangement with the IMF in the second quarter, 2004. A tighter
  monetary policy will help cut inflation, but Zambia still has a
  serious problem with fiscal discipline.

Zimbabwe
  The government of Zimbabwe faces a wide variety of
  difficult economic problems as it struggles with an unsustainable
  fiscal deficit, an overvalued exchange rate, soaring inflation, and
  bare shelves. Its 1998-2002 involvement in the war in the Democratic
  Republic of the Congo, for example, drained hundreds of millions of
  dollars from the economy. Badly needed support from the IMF has been
  suspended because of the country's failure to meet budgetary goals.
  Inflation rose from an annual rate of 32% in 1998 to 133% at the end
  of 2004, while the exchange rate fell from 24 Zimbabwean dollars per
  US dollar to 6,200 in the same time period. The government's land
  reform program, characterized by chaos and violence, has badly
  damaged the commercial farming sector, the traditional source of
  exports and foreign exchange and the provider of 400,000 jobs.

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2117 Pipelines (km)

Afghanistan
  gas 387 km (2004)

Albania
  gas 339 km; oil 207 km (2004)

Algeria
  condensate 1,344 km; gas 85,946 km; liquid petroleum gas
  2,213 km; oil 6,496 km (2004)

Angola
  gas 214 km; liquid natural gas 14 km; liquid petroleum gas 30
  km; oil 837 km; refined products 56 km (2004)

Argentina
  gas 27,166 km; liquid petroleum gas 41 km; oil 3,668 km;
  refined products 2,945 km; unknown (oil/water) 13 km (2004)

Armenia
  gas 1,871 km (2004)

Australia
  condensate/gas 492 km; gas 28,680 km; liquid petroleum gas
  240 km; oil 4,773 km; oil/gas/water 110 km (2004)

Austria
  gas 2,722 km; oil 663 km; refined products 149 km (2004)

Azerbaijan
  gas 4,451 km; oil 1,518 km (2004)

Bahrain
  gas 20 km; oil 53 km (2004)

Bangladesh
  gas 2,012 km (2004)

Belarus
  gas 5,223 km; oil 2,443 km; refined products 1,686 km (2004)

Belgium
  gas 1,485 km; oil 158 km; refined products 535 km (2004)

Bolivia
  gas 4,860 km; liquid petroleum gas 47 km; oil 2,457 km;
  refined products 1,589 km; unknown (oil/water) 247 km (2004)

Brazil
  condensate/gas 244 km; gas 10,739 km; liquid petroleum gas
  341 km; oil 5,212 km; refined products 4,755 km (2004)

Brunei
  gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

Bulgaria
  gas 2,425 km; oil 339 km; refined products 156 km (2004)

Burma
  gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2004)

Cameroon
  gas 90 km; liquid petroleum gas 9 km; oil 1,120 km (2004)

Canada
  crude and refined oil 23,564 km; liquid petroleum gas 74,980
  km (2003)

Chad
  oil 205 km (2004)

Chile
  gas 2,583 km; gas/lpg 42 km; liquid petroleum gas 539 km; oil
  1,003 km; refined products 757 km (2004)

China
  gas 15,890 km; oil 14,478 km; refined products 3,280 km (2004)

Colombia
  gas 4,360 km; oil 6,134 km; refined products 3,140 km (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  gas 54 km; oil 71 km (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  gas 53 km; oil 646 km (2004)

Costa Rica
  refined products 242 km (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  condensate 107 km; gas 223 km; oil 104 km (2004)

Croatia
  gas 1,340 km; oil 583 km (2004)

Cuba
  gas 49 km; oil 230 km (2004)

Czech Republic
  gas 7,020 km; oil 547 km; refined products 94 km
  (2004)

Denmark
  condensate 12 km; gas 3,892 km; oil 455 km; oil/gas/water 2
  km; unknown (oil/water) 64 km (2004)

Ecuador
  extra heavy crude 578 km; gas 71 km; oil 1,386 km; refined
  products 1,185 km (2004)

Egypt
  condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined
  products 246 km (2004)

Equatorial Guinea condensate 37 km; gas 39 km; liquid natural gas 4 km; oil 24 km (2004)

Estonia
  gas 859 km (2004)

Finland
  gas 694 km (2004)

France
  gas 14,232 km; oil 3,024 km; refined products 4,889 km (2004)

Gabon
  gas 210 km; oil 1,385 km (2004)

Georgia
  gas 1,697 km; oil 1,027 km; refined products 232 km (2004)

Germany
  condensate 325 km; gas 25,293 km; oil 3,540 km; refined
  products 3,827 km (2004)

Ghana
  refined products 74 km (2004)

Greece
  gas 1,166 km; oil 94 km (2004)

Guatemala
  oil 480 km (2004)

Hungary
  gas 4,397 km; oil 990 km; refined products 335 km (2004)

India
  gas 6,171 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,195 km; oil 5,613 km;
  refined products 5,567 km (2004)

Indonesia
  condensate 850 km; condensate/gas 128 km; gas 8,506 km;
  oil 7,472 km; oil/gas/water 66 km; refined products 1,329 km (2004)

Iran
  condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570
  km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004)

Iraq
  gas 1,739 km; oil 5,418 km; refined products 1,343 km (2004)

Ireland
  gas 1,795 km (2004)

Israel
  gas 140 km; oil 1,509 km (2004)

Italy
  gas 17,335 km; oil 1,136 km (2004)

Japan
  gas 2,719 km; oil 170 km; oil/gas/water 60 km (2004)

Jordan
  gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2004)

Kazakhstan
  condensate 18 km; gas 10,370 km; oil 10,158 km; refined
  products 1,187 km (2004)

Kenya
  refined products 752 km (2004)

Korea, North
  oil 154 km (2004)

Korea, South
  gas 1,433 km; refined products 827 km (2004)

Kuwait
  gas 169 km; oil 540 km; refined products 57 km (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  gas 367 km; oil 13 km (2004)

Laos
  refined products 540 km (2004)

Latvia
  gas 1,097 km; oil 409 km; refined products 415 km (2004)

Lebanon
  oil 209 km (2004)

Libya
  condensate 225 km; gas 3,611 km; oil 7,252 km (2004)

Liechtenstein
  gas 20 km (2004)

Lithuania
  gas 1,696 km; oil 331 km; refined products 109 km (2004)

Luxembourg
  gas 155 km (2004)

Macedonia
  gas 268 km; oil 120 km (2004)

Malaysia
  condensate 279 km; gas 5,047 km; oil 1,841 km; refined
  products 114 km (2004)

Mexico
  crude oil 28,200 km; petroleum products 10,150 km; natural
  gas 13,254 km; petrochemical 1,400 km (2003)

Moldova
  gas 606 km (2004)

Morocco
  gas 695 km; oil 285 km (2004)

Mozambique
  gas 649 km; refined products 292 km (2004)

Netherlands
  condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined
  products 716 km (2004)

New Zealand
  gas 2,213 km; liquid petroleum gas 79 km; oil 160 km;
  refined products 304 km (2004)

Nicaragua
  oil 54 km (2004)

Nigeria
  condensate 105 km; gas 1,896 km; oil 3,638 km; refined
  products 3,626 km (2004)

Norway
  condensate 411 km; gas 6,199 km; oil 2,213 km; oil/gas/water
  746 km; unknown (oil/water) 38 km (2004)

Oman
  gas 3,754 km; oil 3,212 km (2004)

Pakistan
  gas 9,945 km; oil 1,821 km (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  oil 264 km (2004)

Peru
  gas 388 km; oil 1,557 km; refined products 13 km (2004)

Philippines
  gas 565 km; oil 135 km; refined products 100 km (2004)

Poland
  gas 13,552 km; oil 1,772 km (2004)

Portugal
  gas 1,099 km; oil 8 km; refined products 174 km (2004)

Qatar
  condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 87 km; oil 702 km; oil/gas/water 41 km (2004)

Romania
  gas 3,508 km; oil 2,427 km (2004)

Russia
  condensate 122 km; gas 150,007 km; oil 75,539 km; refined
  products 13,771 km (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas
  1,191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004)

Senegal
  gas 564 km (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  gas 3,177 km; oil 393 km (2004)

Singapore
  gas 139 km (2004)

Slovakia
  gas 6,769 km; oil 449 km (2004)

Slovenia
  gas 2,526 km; oil 11 km (2004)

South Africa
  condensate 100 km; gas 1,052 km; oil 847 km; refined
  products 1,354 km (2004)

Spain
  gas 7,306 km; oil 730 km; refined products 3,512 km (2004)

Sudan
  gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)

Suriname
  oil 51 km (2004)

Sweden
  gas 798 km (2004)

Switzerland
  gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)

Syria
  gas 2,300 km; oil 2,183 km (2004)

Taiwan
  condensate 25 km; gas 435 km (2004)

Tajikistan
  gas 541 km; oil 38 km (2004)

Tanzania
  gas 29 km; oil 866 km (2004)

Thailand
  gas 3,112 km; refined products 265 km (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago condensate 253 km; gas 1,117 km; oil 478 km (2004)

Tunisia
  gas 3,059 km; oil 1,203 km; refined products 345 km (2004)

Turkey
  gas 3,177 km; oil 3,562 km (2004)

Turkmenistan
  gas 6,549 km; oil 1,395 km (2004)

Ukraine
  gas 20,069 km; oil 4,540 km; refined products 4,169 km (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  condensate 469 km; gas 2,655 km; liquid
  petroleum gas 300 km; oil 2,936 km; oil/gas/water 5 km (2004)

United Kingdom
  condensate 370 km; gas 21,446 km; liquid petroleum
  gas 59 km; oil 6,420 km; oil/gas/water 63 km; refined products 4,474
  km (2004)

United States
  petroleum products 244,620 km; natural gas 548,665 km
  (2003)

Uruguay
  gas 192 km (2004)

Uzbekistan
  gas 9,149 km; oil 869 km; refined products 33 km (2004)

Venezuela
  extra heavy crude 992 km; gas 5,262 km; oil 7,360 km;
  refined products 1,681 km; unknown (oil/water) 141 km (2004)

Vietnam
  condensate/gas 432 km; gas 210 km; oil 3 km; refined
  products 206 km (2004)

Yemen
  gas 88 km; oil 1,174 km (2004)

Zambia
  oil 771 km (2004)

Zimbabwe
  refined products 261 km (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2118 Political parties and leaders

Afghanistan
  note - includes only political parties approved by the
  Ministry of Justice: Afghan Millat [Anwarul Haq AHADI]; De
  Afghanistan De Solay Ghorzang Gond [Shahnawaz TANAI]; De Afghanistan
  De Solay Mili Islami Gond [Shah Mahmood Polal ZAI]; Harakat-e-Islami
  Afghanistan [Mohammad Asif MOHSINEE];
  Hezb-e-Aarman-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Iihaj Saraj-u-din ZAFAREE];
  Hezb-e-Aazadee Afghanistan [Abdul MALIK]; Hezb-e-Adalat-e-Islami
  Afghanistan [Mohammad Kabeer MARZBAN]; Hezb-e-Afghanistan-e-Wahid
  [Mohammad Wasil RAHEEMEE]; Hezb-e-Afghan Watan Islami Gond [leader
  NA]; Hezb-e-Congra-e-Mili Afghanistan [Latif PEDRAM];
  Hezb-e-Falah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad ZAREEF];
  Hezb-e-Libral-e-Aazadee Khwa-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ajmal SOHAIL];
  Hezb-e-Hambastagee Mili Jawanan-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Jamil
  KARZAI]; Hezb-e-Hamnbatagee-e-Afghanistan [Abdul Khaleq NEMAT];
  Hezb-e-Harakat-e-Mili Wahdat-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Nadir AATASH];
  Hezb-e-Harak-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ilhaj Said Hssain
  ANWARY]; Hezb-e-Ifazat Az Uqoq-e-Bashar Wa Inkishaf-e-Afghanistan
  [Baryalai NASRATEE]; Hezb-e-Istiqlal-e-Afghanistan [Dr. Gh. Farooq
  NIJZRABEE]; Hezb-e-Jamhoree Khwahan [Sibghatullah SANJAR];
  Hezb-e-Kar Wa Tawsiha-e-Afghanistan [Zulfiar OMID]; Hezb-e-Mili
  Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed AARYAN]; Hezb-e-Mili
  Wahdat-e-Aqwam-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Shah KHOGYANEE];
  Hezb-e-Nuhzhat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Ahmad Wali MASOUD];
  Hezb-e-Paiwand-e-Mili Afghanistan [Said Mansoor NADIRI];
  Hezb-e-Rastakhaiz-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Said ZAHIR];
  Hezb-e-Refah-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mia Gul WASEEQ];
  Hezb-e-Risalat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Noor Aqa ROEEN];
  Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Mohammad Zubair PAIROZ];
  Hezb-e-Sahadat-e-Mili Wa Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Usman
  SALIGZADA]; Hezb-e-Sulh-e-Mili Islami Aqwam-e-Afghanistan [Abdul
  Qahir SHARYATEE]; Hezb-e-Sulh Wa Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul
  Qadir IMAMEE]; Hezb-e-Tafahum-e-Wa Democracy Afghanistan [Ahamad
  SHAHEEN]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Afghanistan [Mohammad Karim
  KHALILI]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Islami Mardum-e-Afghanistan [Ustad
  Mohammad MOHAQQEQ]; Hezb-e-Wahdat-e-Mili Afghanistan [Abdul Rasheed
  Jalili]; Jamahat-ul-Dahwat ilal Qurhan-wa-Sunat-ul-Afghanistan
  [Mawlawee Samiullah NAJEEBEE]; Jombesh-e Milli [Abdul Rashid
  DOSTAM]; Mahaz-e-Mili Islami Afghanistan [Said Ahmad GAILANEE];
  Majmah-e-Mili Fahaleen-e-Sulh-e-Afghanistan [Shams ul Haq Noor
  SHAMS]; Nuhzat-e-Aazadee Wa democracy Afghanistan [Abdul Raqeeb
  Jawid KUHISTANEE]; Nuhzat-e-Hambastagee Mili Afghanistan [Peer Said
  Ishaq GAILANEE]; Sazman-e-Islami Afghanistan-e-Jawan [Siad Jawad
  HUSSAINEE]; Tahreek Wahdat-e-Mili [Sultan Mahmood DHAZI] (30 Sep
  2004)

Albania
  Agrarian Environmentalist Party or PAA [Lufter XHUVELI];
  Christian Democratic Party or PDK [Nikolle LESI]; Communist Party of
  Albania or PKSH [Hysni MILLOSHI]; Democratic Alliance Party or PAD
  [Neritan CEKA]; Democratic Party or PD [Sali BERISHA]; Legality
  Movement Party or PLL [Ekrem SPAHIU]; Liberal Union Party or PBL
  [Arjan STAROVA]; National Front Party (Balli Kombetar) or PBK
  [Adriatik ALIMADHI]; New Democratic Party or PDR [Genc POLLO]; Party
  of National Unity or PUK [Idajet BEQIRI]; Renewed Democratic Party
  or PDR [Dashamir SHEHI]; Republican Party or PR [Fatmir MEDIU];
  Social Democracy Party or PDS [Paskal MILO]; Social Democratic Party
  or PSD [Skender GJINUSHI]; Socialist Movement for Integration or LSI
  [Ilir META]; Socialist Party or PS (formerly the Albanian Party of
  Labor) [Fatos NANO]; Union for Human Rights Party or PBDNJ [Vangjel
  DULE]

Algeria
  Algerian National Front or FNA [Moussa TOUATI]; Democratic
  National Rally or RND [Ahmed OUYAHIA, chairman]; Islamic Salvation
  Front or FIS (outlawed April 1992) [Ali BELHADJ and Dr. Abassi
  MADANI, Rabeh KEBIR (self-exiled in Germany)]; National Entente
  Movement or MEN [Ali BOUKHAZNA]; National Liberation Front or FLN
  [Abdelaziz BELKHADEM, secretary general (also serves as Foreign
  Minister)]; National Reform Movement or Islah (formerly MRN)
  [Abdellah DJABALLAH]; National Renewal Party or PRA [Yacine
  TERKMANE]; Progressive Republican Party [Khadir DRISS]; Rally for
  Culture and Democracy or RCD [Said SAADI, secretary general];
  Renaissance Movement or EnNahda Movement [Fatah RABEI]; Socialist
  Forces Front or FFS [Hocine Ait AHMED, secretary general
  (self-exiled in Switzerland)]; Social Liberal Party or PSL [Ahmed
  KHELIL]; Society of Peace Movement or MSP [Boujerra SOLTANI];
  Workers Party or PT [Louisa HANOUN]
  note: a law banning political parties based on religion was enacted
  in March 1997

American Samoa
  Democratic Party [Oreta M. TOGAFAU]; Republican Party
  [Tautai A. F. FAALEVAO]

Andorra
  Andorran Democratic Center Party or CDA (formerly Democratic
  Party or PD) [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Andorra or PLA (formerly
  Liberal Union or UL) [Albert PINTAT]; Social Democratic Party or PS
  (formerly part of National Democratic Group or AND) [Mariona
  GONZALEZ REOLIT]

Angola
  Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Analia de Victoria PEREIRA];
  National Front for the Liberation of Angola or FNLA [disputed
  leadership: Lucas NGONDA, Holden ROBERTO]; National Union for the
  Total Independence of Angola or UNITA [Isaias SAMAKUVA], largest
  opposition party has engaged in years of armed resistance; Popular
  Movement for the Liberation of Angola or MPLA [Jose Eduardo DOS
  SANTOS], ruling party in power since 1975; Social Renewal Party or
  PRS [disputed leadership: Eduardo KUANGANA, Antonio MUACHICUNGO]
  note: about a dozen minor parties participated in the 1992 elections
  but only won a few seats and have little influence in the National
  Assembly

Anguilla
  Anguilla United Movement or AUM [Hubert HUGHES]; The
  Anguilla United Front or AUF [Osbourne FLEMING, Victor BANKS], a
  coalition of the Anguilla Democratic Party or ADP and the Anguilla
  National Alliance or ANA; Anguilla Progressive Party or APP [Roy
  ROGERS]; Anguilla Strategic Alternative or ANSA [Edison BAIRD]

Antigua and Barbuda
  Antigua Labor Party or ALP [Lester Bryant BIRD];
  Barbuda People's Movement or BPM [Thomas H. FRANK]; United
  Progressive Party or UPP [Baldwin SPENCER] (a coalition of three
  opposition parties - United National Democratic Party or UNDP,
  Antigua Caribbean Liberation Movement or ACLM, and Progressive Labor
  Movement or PLM)

Argentina
  Action for the Republic or AR [Domingo CAVALLO];
  Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Federal
  Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY]; Front for a
  Country in Solidarity or Frepaso (a four-party coalition) [Dario
  Pedro ALESSANDRO]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of
  approximately 12 parties including RECREAR) [leader NA];
  Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political organization)
  [leader NA]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Angel ROZAS]; Socialist
  Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH];
  several provincial parties

Armenia
  Agro-Industrial Party [Vladimir BADALIAN]; Armenia Party
  [Myasnik MALKHASYAN]; Armenian National Movement or ANM [Alex
  ARZUMANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party or HRAK
  [Harutyun MIRZAKHANYAN, chairman]; Armenian Revolutionary Federation
  ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Vahan HOVHANISSIAN]; Democratic Party
  [Aram SARKISYAN]; Justice Bloc (comprised of the Democratic Party,
  National Democratic Party, National Democratic Union, and the
  People's Party) [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; National Democratic Party
  [Shavarsh KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen
  MANUKIAN]; National Unity Party [Artashes GEGAMIAN, chairman];
  People's Party of Armenia [Stepan DEMIRCHYAN]; Republic Party
  [Albert BAZEYAN and Aram SARKISYAN, chairmen]; Republican Party or
  RPA [Andranik MARKARYAN]; Rule of Law Party [Artur BAGDASARIAN,
  chairman]; Union of Constitutional Rights [Hrant KHACHATURYAN];
  United Labor Party [Gurgen ARSENIAN]

Aruba
  Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban
  Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic
  Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA
  [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's
  Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy
  or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform
  or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

Australia
  Australian Democrats [Lyn ALLISON]; Australian Labor Party
  [Kim BEAZLEY]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES];
  Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD];
  The Nationals [Mark VAILE]; One Nation Party [Len HARRIS]; Family
  First Party [Steve FIELDING]

Austria
  Alliance for the Future of Austria or BZOe [Joerg HAIDER];
  Austrian People's Party or OeVP [Wolfgang SCHUESSEL]; Freedom Party
  of Austria or FPOe [Heinz Christian STRACHE]; Social Democratic
  Party of Austria or SPOe [Alfred GUSENBAUER]; The Greens [Alexander
  VAN DER BELLEN]

Azerbaijan
  Azerbaijan Popular Front or APF [Ali KARIMLI, leader of
  "Reform" faction; Mirmahmud MIRALI-OGLU, leader of "Classic"
  faction]; Civic Solidarity Party or CSP [Sabir RUSTAMKHANLY]; Civic
  Union Party [Ayaz MUTALIBOV]; Communist Party of Azerbaijan or CPA
  [Ramiz AHMADOV]; Compatriot Party [Mais SAFARLI]; Democratic Party
  for Azerbaijan or DPA [Rasul QULIYEV, chairman]; Justice Party
  [Ilyas ISMAILOV]; Liberal Party of Azerbaijan [Lala Shovkat
  HACIYEVA]; Musavat [Isa GAMBAR, chairman]; New Azerbaijan Party or
  NAP [vacant]; Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan or PNIA
  [Etibar MAMMADLI, chairman]; Social Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
  or SDP [Araz ALIZADE and Ayaz MUTALIBOV]
  note: opposition parties regularly factionalize and form new parties

Bahamas, The
  Free National Movement or FNM [Tommy TURNQUEST];
  Progressive Liberal Party or PLP [Perry CHRISTIE]

Bahrain
  political parties prohibited but politically oriented
  societies are allowed

Bangladesh
  Awami League or AL [Sheikh HASINA]; Bangladesh Communist
  Party or BCP [Saifuddin Ahmed MANIK]; Bangladesh Nationalist Party
  or BNP [Khaleda ZIA, chairperson]; Islami Oikya Jote or IOJ [Mufti
  Fazlul Haq AMINI]; Jamaat-e-Islami or JI [Motiur Rahman NIZAMI];
  Jatiya Party or JP (Ershad faction) [Hussain Mohammad ERSHAD];
  Jatiya Party (Manzur faction) [Naziur Rahman MANZUR]

Barbados
  Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor
  Party or DLP [Clyde Mascoll]

Belarus
  Pro-government parties: Agrarian Party or AP [leader NA];
  Belarusian Communist Party or KPB [leader NA]; Belarusian Patriotic
  Movement (Belarusian Patriotic Party) or BPR [Anatoliy BARANKEVICH,
  chairman]; Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus [Sergei GAYDUKEVICH];
  Social-Sports Party [leader NA]; Opposition parties: Belarusian
  Popular Front or BNF [Vintsuk VYACHORKA]; Belarusian Social-Democrat
  Party Narodnaya Gromada or BSDP NG [Nikolay STATKEVICH, chairman];
  Belarusian Social-Democratic Party Hromada [Stanislav SHUSHKEVICH,
  chairman]; United Civic Party or UCP [Anatol LEBEDKO]; Party of
  Communists Belarusian or PKB [Sergei KALYAKIN, chairman]; Women's
  Party "Nadezhda" [Valentina MATUSEVICH, chairperson]
  note: the opposition Belarusian Party of Labor [Aleksandr
  BUKHVOSTOV] was liquidated in August 2004, but remains active

Belgium
  Flemish parties: Christian Democrats and Flemish or CD & V
  [Jo VANDEURZEN]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Bart SOMERS];
  GROEN! (formerly AGALEV, Flemish Greens) [Vera DUA]; New Flemish
  Alliance or NVA [Bart DE WEVER]; Socialist Party.Alternative or SP.A
  [Caroline GENNEZ]; Spirit [Geert LAMBERT] (new party now associated
  with SP.A); Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest) or VB [Frank VANHECKE]
  Francophone parties: Ecolo (Francophone Greens) [Jean-Michel JAVAUX,
  Evelyne HUYTEBROECK, Claude BROUIR]; Humanist and Democratic Center
  of CDH [Joelle MILQUET]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET];
  Reformist Movement or MR [Didier REYNDERS]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Elio DI RUPO]; other minor parties

Belize
  People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic
  Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party
  chairman]

Benin
  African Congress for Renewal or DUNYA [Saka SALEY]; African
  Movement for Democracy and Progress or MADEP [Sefou FAGBOHOUN];
  Alliance of the Social Democratic Party or PSD [Bruno AMOUSSOU];
  Coalition of Democratic Forces [Gatien HOUNGBEDJI]; Democratic
  Renewal Party or PRD [Adrien HOUNGBEDJI]; Front for Renewal and
  Development or FARD-ALAFIA [Jerome Sakia KINA]; Impulse for Progress
  and Democracy or IPD [Bertin BORNA]; Key Force or FC [leader NA];
  Presidential Movement (UBF, MADEP, FC, IDP, and four small parties);
  Renaissance Party du Benin or PRB [Nicephore SOGLO]; The Star
  Alliance (Alliance E'toile) [Sacca LAFIA]; Union of Tomorrow's Benin
  or UBF [Bruno AMOUSSOU]
  note: approximately 20 additional minor parties

Bermuda
  Progressive Labor Party or PLP [William Alexander SCOTT];
  United Bermuda Party or UBP [Grant GIBBONS]

Bhutan
  no legal parties

Bolivia
  Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic
  Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or
  MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or
  VIMA [Freddy ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR
  [Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Evo MORALES];
  Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist
  Democratic Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez];
  Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [leader NA]; New
  Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous
  Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres
  JUSTINIANO]

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Alliance of Independent Social Democrats or
  SNSD [Milorad DODIK]; Bosnian Party or BOSS [Mirnes AJANOVIC]; Civic
  Democratic Party or GDS [Ibrahim SPAHIC]; Croatian Democratic Union
  of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HDZ-BH [Barisa COLAK]; Croat Christian
  Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina or HKDU [Mijo
  IVANIC-LONIC]; Croat Party of Rights or HSP [Zdravko HRISTIC]; Croat
  Peasants Party or HSS [Marko TADIC]; Democratic National Union or
  DNZ [Fikret ABDIC]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Rasim KADIC];
  New Croat Initiative or NHI [Kresimir ZUBAK]; Party for Bosnia and
  Herzegovina or SBiH [Safet HALILOVIC]; Party of Democratic Action or
  SDA [Sulejman TIHIC]; Party of Democratic Progress or PDP [Mladen
  IVANIC]; Serb Democratic Party or SDS [Dragan CAVIC - acting]; Serb
  Radical Party of the Republika Srpska or SRS-RS [Milanko MIHAJLICA];
  Serb Radical Party-Dr. Vojislav Seselj or SRS-VS [Radislav
  KANJERIC]; Social Democratic Party of BIH or SDP [Zlatko
  LAGUMDZIJA]; Social Democratic Union or SDU [Miro LAZOVIC];
  Socialist Party of Republika Srpska or SPRS [Petar DJOKIC]

Botswana
  Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus G. MOGAE];
  Botswana National Front or BNF [Otswoletse MOUPO]; Botswana Congress
  Party or BCP [Otlaadisa KOOSALETSE]; Botswana Alliance Movement or
  BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]
  note: a number of minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the
  BAM but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties
  are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]; the
  Independence Freedom Party or IFP [Motsamai MPHO]; and the Botswana
  Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]

Brazil
  Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Federal Deputy
  Michel TEMER]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Federal Deputy Roberto
  JEFFERSON]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Senator
  Eduardo AZAREDO]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Federal Deputy
  Miguel ARRAES]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO];
  Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Carlos LUPI]; Democratic Socialist
  Party or PSD [Pedro Miguel SANTANA LOPES]; Green Party or PV [Jose
  Luiz de Franca PENNA]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Senator Jorge
  BORNHAUSEN]; Liberal Party or PL [Federal Deputy Valdemar COSTA
  Neto]; National Order Reconstruction Party or PRONA [Federal Deputy
  Dr. Eneas CARNEIRO]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Federal Deputy
  Roberto FREIRE]; Progressive Party or PP [Federal Deputy Pedro
  CORREA]; Social Christian Party or PSC [Vitor Jorge ABDALA NOSSEIS];
  Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOINO]

British Virgin Islands
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn
  SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United
  Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T.
  O'NEAL]

Brunei
  National Development Party (NDP) [Yassin AFFENDI]; National
  Unity Party of Brunei (PPKB) [leader NA]; People's Awareness Party
  (PAKAR) [leader NA]
  note: parties are small and inactive (2005)

Bulgaria
  Attack National Union [Volen Siderov]; ATAKA (Attack
  Coalition) (coalition of parties headed by the Attack National
  Union); Bulgarian Agrarian National Union-People's Union or BANU
  [Anastasia MOZER]; Bulgarian People's Union or BPU (coalition of
  UFD, IMRO, and BANU); Bulgarian Socialist Party or BSP [Sergei
  STANISHEV]; Coalition for Bulgaria or CfB (coalition of parties
  dominated by BSP) [Sergei STANISHEV]; Democrats for a Strong
  Bulgaria or DSB [Ivan KOSTOV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization or IMRO [Krasimir KARAKACHANOV]; Movement for Rights
  and Freedoms or MRF [Ahmed DOGAN]; National Movement for Simeon II
  or NMS2 [Simeon SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA]; New Time [Emil KOSHLUKOV]; Union
  of Democratic Forces or UDF [Nadezhda MIKHAYLOVA]; Union of Free
  Democrats or UFD [Stefan SOFIYANSKI]; United Democratic Forces or
  UtDF (a coalition of center-right parties dominated by UDF)

Burkina Faso
  African Democratic Rally-Alliance for Democracy and
  Federation or RDA-ADF [Herman YAMEOGO]; Confederation for Federation
  and Democracy or CFD [Amadou Diemdioda DICKO]; Congress for
  Democracy and Progress or CDP [Roch Marc-Christian KABORE]; Movement
  for Tolerance and Progress or MTP [Nayabtigungou Congo KABORE];
  Party for African Independence or PAI [Philippe OUEDRAOGO]; Party
  for Democracy and Progress or PDP [Joseph KI-ZERBO]; Socialist Party
  or PS [leader NA]; Union of Greens for the Development of Burkina
  Faso or UVDB [Ram OVEDRAGO]

Burma
  National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman,
  AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP
  (pro-government) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy
  or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties

Burundi
  the three national, mainstream, governing parties are: Unity
  for National Progress or UPRONA [Jean-Baptiste MANWANGARI, secretary
  general]; Burundi Democratic Front or FRODEBU [Jean MINANI,
  president]; National Council for the Defense of Democracy, Front for
  the Defense of Democracy of CNDD-FDD [Pierre NKURUNZIZA, president]
  note: a multiparty system was introduced after 1998, included are:
  National Resistance Movement for the Rehabilitation of the Citizen
  or MRC-Rurenzangemero [Epitace BANYAGANAKANDI]; Party for National
  Redress or PARENA [Jean-Baptiste BAGAZA]

Cambodia
  Cambodian Pracheachon Party (Cambodian People's Party) or
  CPP [CHEA SIM]; National United Front for an Independent, Neutral,
  Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia or FUNCINPEC [Prince NORODOM
  Ranariddh]; Sam Rangsi Party or SRP [SAM RANGSI]

Cameroon
  Cameroonian Democratic Union or UDC [Adamou NDAM NJOYA];
  Democratic Rally of the Cameroon People or RDCP [Paul BIYA];
  Movement for the Defense of the Republic or MDR [Dakole DAISSALA];
  Movement for the Liberation and Development of Cameroon or MLDC
  [leader Marcel YONDO]; Movement for the Youth of Cameroon or MYC
  [Dieudonne TINA]; National Union for Democracy and Progress or UNDP
  [Maigari BELLO BOUBA]; Social Democratic Front or SDF [John FRU
  NDI]; Union of Cameroonian Populations or UPC [Augustin Frederic
  KODOCK]

Canada
  Bloc Quebecois [Gilles DUCEPPE]; Conservative Party of Canada
  (a merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative
  Party) [Stephen HARPER]; Green Party [Jim HARRIS]; Liberal Party
  [Paul MARTIN]; New Democratic Party [Jack LAYTON]

Cape Verde
  African Party for Independence of Cape Verde or PAICV
  [Jose Maria Pereira NEVES, chairman]; Democratic Alliance for Change
  or ADM [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO] (a coalition of PCD, PTS, and UCID);
  Democratic Christian Party or PDC [Manuel RODRIGUES, chairman];
  Democratic Renovation Party or PRD [Jacinto SANTOS, president];
  Movement for Democracy or MPD [Agostinho LOPES, president]; Party
  for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Dr. Eurico MONTEIRO, president];
  Party of Work and Solidarity or PTS [Isaias RODRIGUES, president];
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Joao ALEM, president]

Cayman Islands
  no national teams (loose groupings of political
  organizations) were formed for the 2000 elections; United Democratic
  Party or UDP [leader McKeeva BUSH]; People's Progressive Movement or
  PPM [leader Kurt TIBBETTS]

Central African Republic
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ADP
  [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC
  [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA];
  Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for
  Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the
  Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of
  deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress
  or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre
  Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE];
  Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]

Chad
  Federation Action for the Republic or FAR [Ngarlejy YORONGAR];
  National Rally for Development and Progress or RNDP [Mamadou BISSO];
  National Union for Democracy and Renewal or UNDR [Saleh KEBZABO];
  Patriotic Salvation Movement or MPS [Mahamat Saleh AHMAT, chairman];
  Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Lol Mahamat CHOUA]; Union
  for Renewal and Democracy or URD [Gen. Wadal Abdelkader KAMOUGUE];
  Viva Rally for Development and Progress or Viva RNDP [Delwa Kassire
  COUMAKOYE]

Chile
  Alliance for Chile ("Alianza") or APC (including National
  Renewal or RN [Sebastian PINERA] and Independent Democratic Union or
  UDI [Pablo LONGUEIRA]); Coalition of Parties for Democracy
  ("Concertacion") or CPD (including Christian Democratic Party or PDC
  [Adolfo ZALDIVAR], Socialist Party or PS [Gonzalo MARTNER], Party
  for Democracy or PPD [Victor BARRUETO], Radical Social Democratic
  Party or PRSD [Orlando CANTUARIAS]); Communist Party or PC [Gladys
  MARIN]

China
  Chinese Communist Party or CCP [HU Jintao, General Secretary
  of the Central Committee]; eight registered small parties controlled
  by CCP

Christmas Island
  none

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none

Colombia
  Colombian Communist Party or PCC [Jaime CAICEDO];
  Conservative Party or PSC [Carlos HOLGUIN Sardi]; Democratic Pole or
  PDI [Samuel MORENO Rojas]; Liberal Party or PL [Juan Fernando CRISTO]
  note: Colombia has about 60 formally recognized political parties,
  most of which do not have a presence in either house of Congress

Comoros
  Forces pour l'Action Republicaine or FAR [Col. Abdourazak
  ABDULHAMID]; Forum pour la Redressement National or FRN (alliance of
  12 parties); Front Democratique or FD [Moustoifa Said CHEIKH]; Front
  National pour la Justice or FNJ (Islamic party in opposition) [Ahmed
  RACHID]; Movement des Citoyens pour la Republique or MCR [Mahamoud
  MRADABI]; Mouvement Populaire Anjouanais or MPA (Anjouan separatist
  movement) [leader NA]; Mouvement pour la Democratie et le Progress
  or MDP-NGDC [Abbas DJOUSSOUF]; Movement pour le Socialisme et la
  Democratie or MSD (splinter group of FD) [Abdou SOEFOU]; Parti
  Comorien pour la Democratie et le Progress or PCDP [Ali MROUDJAE];
  Rassemblement National pour le Development or RND (party of the
  government) [Omar TAMOU, Abdoulhamid AFFRAITANE]

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Democratic Social Christian Party
  or PDSC [Andre BO-BOLIKO]; Forces for Renovation for Union and
  Solidarity or FONUS [Joseph OLENGHANKOY]; National Congolese
  Lumumbist Movement or MNC [Francois LUMUMBA]; Popular Movement of
  the Revolution or MPR (three factions: MPR-Fait Prive [Catherine
  NZUZI wa Mbombo]; MPR/Vunduawe [Felix VUNDUAWE]; MPR/Mananga
  [MANANGA Dintoka Mpholo]); Unified Lumumbast Party or PALU [Antoine
  GIZENGA]; Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS [Etienne
  TSHISEKEDI wa Mulumba]; Union of Federalists and Independent
  Republicans or UFERI (two factions: UFERI [Lokambo OMOKOKO];
  UFERI/OR [Adolph Kishwe MAYA])

Congo, Republic of the
  the most important of the many parties are
  the Democratic and Patriotic Forces or FDP (an alliance of
  Convention for Alternative Democracy, Congolese Labor Party or PCT,
  Liberal Republican Party, National Union for Democracy and Progress,
  Patriotic Union for the National Reconstruction, and Union for the
  National Renewal) [Denis SASSOU-NGUESSO, president]; Congolese
  Movement for Democracy and Integral Development or MCDDI [Michel
  MAMPOUYA]; Pan-African Union for Social Development or UPADS [Martin
  MBERI]; Rally for Democracy and Social Progress or RDPS [Jean-Pierre
  Thystere TCHICAYA, president]; Rally for Democracy and the Republic
  or RDR [Raymond Damasge NGOLLO]; Union for Democracy and Republic or
  UDR [leader NA]; Union of Democratic Forces or UFD [Sebastian EBAO]

Cook Islands
  Cook Islands People's Party or CIP [Geoffrey HENRY];
  Democratic Alliance Party or DAP [Terepai MAOATE]; New Alliance
  Party or NAP [Norman GEORGE]; Cook Islands National Party or CIN
  [Teariki HEATHER]; Demo Party Tumu [Robert WOONTON]

Costa Rica
  Authentic Member from Heredia [Jose SALAS]; Citizen
  Action Party or PAC [Otton SOLIS]; Costa Rican Renovation Party or
  PRC [Justo OROZCO]; Democratic Force Party or PFD [Juan Carlos
  CHAVES Mora]; Democratic National Alliance [Emilia RODRIGUEZ];
  General Union Party or PUGEN [Carlos Alberto FERNANDEZ Vega];
  Homeland First [Juan Jose VARGAS]; Independent Worker Party or PIO
  [Jose Alberto CUBERO Carmona]; Libertarian Movement Party or PML
  [Otto GUEVARA Guth]; National Christian Alliance Party or ANC
  [Victor GONZALEZ]; National Integration Party or PIN [Walter MUNOZ
  Cespedes]; National Liberation Party or PLN [Francisco Antonio
  PACHECO]; National Patriotic Party or PPN [Daniel Enrique REYNOLDS
  Vargas]; National Rescue Party or PRN [Carlos VARGAS Solano];
  Patriotic Union [Humberto ARCE]; Popular Vanguard [Trino BARRANTES
  Araya]; Social Christian Unity Party or PUSC [Lorena VASQUEZ Badilla]

Cote d'Ivoire
  Citizen's Democratic Union or UDCY [Eg Theodore MEL];
  Democratic Party of Cote d'Ivoire-African Democratic Rally or
  PDCI-RDA [Henri Konan BEDIE]; Ivorian Popular Front or FPI [Laurent
  GBAGBO]; Ivorian Worker's Party or PIT [Francis WODIE]; Rally of the
  Republicans or RDR [Alassane OUATTARA]; Union for Democracy and
  Peace or UDPCI [Paul Akoto YAO]; over 20 smaller parties

Croatia
  Croatian Bloc or HB [Ivic PASALIC]; Croatian Christian
  Democratic Union or HKDU [Anto KOVACEVIC]; Croatian Democratic Union
  or HDZ [Ivo SANADER]; Croatian Party of Rights or HSP [Anto DJAPIC];
  Croatian Peasant Party or HSS [Zlatko TOMCIC]; Croatian Pensioner
  Party or HSU [Vladimir JORDAN]; Croatian People's Party or HNS
  [Vesna PUSIC] (in 2005 party merged with Libra to become Croatian
  People's Party-Liberal Democrats or NS-LD [Vesna PUSIC]); Croatian
  Social Liberal Party or HSLS [Ivan CEHOK]; Croatian True Revival
  Party or HIP [Miroslav TUDJMAN]; Democratic Centre or DC [Vesna
  SKARE-OZBOLT]; Independent Democratic Serb Party or SDSS [Vojislav
  STANIMIROVIC]; Istrian Democratic Assembly or IDS [Ivan JAKOVCIC];
  Liberal Party or LS [Zlatko BENASIC]; Party of Liberal Democrats or
  Libra [Jozo RADOS] (in 2005 merged with HNS); Social Democratic
  Party of Croatia or SDP [Ivica RACAN]

Cuba
  only party - Cuban Communist Party or PCC [Fidel CASTRO Ruz,
  first secretary]

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: Democratic Party or DIKO [Tassos
  PAPADOPOULOS]; Democratic Rally or DISY [Nikos ANASTASIADHIS];
  Fighting Democratic Movement or ADIK [Dinos MIKHAILIDIS]; Green
  Party of Cyprus [George PERDIKIS]; New Horizons [Nikolaus KOUTSOU];
  Restorative Party of the Working People or AKEL (Communist Party)
  [Dimitrios CHRISTOFIAS]; Social Democrats Movement or KISOS
  (formerly United Democratic Union of Cyprus or EDEK) [Yiannakis
  OMIROU]; United Democrats Movement or EDE [George VASSILIOU]; north
  Cyprus: Democratic Party or DP [Serder DENKTASH]; National Birth
  Party or UDP [Enver EMIN]; National Unity Party or UBP [Dervis
  EROGLU]; Our Party or BP [Okyay SADIKOGLU]; Patriotic Unity Movement
  or YBH [Alpay DURDURAN]; Peace and Democratic Movement [Mustafa
  AKINCI]; Republican Turkish Party or CTP [Mehmet ALI TALAT]

Czech Republic
  Caucus SNK [Josef ZOSER]; Christian and Democratic
  Union-Czechoslovak People's Party or KDU-CSL [Miroslav KALOUSEK,
  chairman]; Civic Democratic Alliance or ODA [Jirina NOVAKOVA,
  chairman]; Civic Democratic Party or ODS [Mirek TOPOLANEK,
  chairman]; Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia or KSCM [Miroslav
  GREBENICEK, chairman]; Communist Party of Czechoslovakia or KSC
  [Miroslav STEPAN, chairman]; Czech National Social Party of CSNS
  [Jaroslav ROVNY, chairman]; Czech Social Democratic Party or CSSD
  [Stanislav GROSS, acting chairman]; European Democrats [Jan KASL];
  Freedom Union-Democratic Union or US-DEU [Hana Marvanova,
  chairwoman]; Open Democracy [Sona PAUKRTOVA, chairwoman]

Denmark
  Center Democratic Party [Mimi JAKOBSEN]; Christian Democrats
  (was Christian People's Party) [Marianne KARLSMOSE]; Conservative
  Party (sometimes known as Conservative People's Party) [Bendt
  BENDTSEN]; Danish People's Party [Pia KJAERSGAARD]; Liberal Party
  [Anders Fogh RASMUSSEN]; Social Democratic Party [Helle
  THORNING-SCHMIDT]; Social Liberal Party (sometimes called the
  Radical Left) [Marianne JELVED, leader; Soren BALD, chairman];
  Socialist People's Party [Villy SOEVNDAL]; Red-Green Unity List
  (bloc includes Left Socialist Party, Communist Party of Denmark,
  Socialist Workers' Party) [collective leadership]

Djibouti
  Democratic National Party or PND [ADEN Robleh Awaleh];
  Democratic Renewal Party or PRD [Abdillahi HAMARITEH]; Djibouti
  Development Party or PDD [Mohamed Daoud CHEHEM]; Front pour la
  Restauration de l'Unite Democratique or FRUD [Ali Mohamed DAOUD];
  People's Progress Assembly or RPP (governing party) [Ismail Omar
  GUELLEH]; Peoples Social Democratic Party or PPSD [Moumin Bahdon
  FARAH]; Republican Alliance for Democracy or ARD [Ahmed Dini AHMED];
  Union for Democracy and Justice or UDJ [leader NA]

Dominica
  Dominica Freedom Party or DFP [Charles SAVARIN]; Dominica
  Labor Party or DLP [Roosevelt SKERRIT]; United Workers Party or UWP
  [Edison JAMES]

Dominican Republic
  Dominican Liberation Party or PLD [Leonel
  FERNANDEZ Reyna]; Dominican Revolutionary Party or PRD [Vicente
  Sanchez BARET]; Social Christian Reformist Party or PRSC [Enrique
  ATUN]

East Timor
  Associacao Social-Democrata Timorense or ASDT [Francisco
  Xavier do AMARAL]; Christian Democratic Party of Timor or PDC
  [Antonio XIMENES]; Christian Democratic Union of Timor or UDC
  [Vicente da Silva GUTERRES]; Democratic Party or PD [Fernando de
  ARAUJO]; Liberal Party or PL [leader NA]; Maubere Democratic Party
  or PDM [leader NA]; People's Party of Timor or PPT [Jacob XAVIER];
  Revolutionary Front of Independent East Timor or FRETILIN [Lu OLO];
  Social Democrat Party of East Timor or PSD [Mario CARRASCALAO];
  Socialist Party of Timor or PST [leader Avelino COELHO]; Sons of the
  Mountain Warriors (also known as Association of Timorese Heroes) or
  KOTA [Clementino dos Reis AMARAL]; Timor Democratic Union or UDT
  [Joao CARRASCALAO]; Timor Labor Party or PTT [Paulo Freitas DA
  SILVA]; Timorese Nationalist Party or PNT [Abilio ARAUJO]; Timorese
  Popular Democratic Association or APODETI [Frederico Almeida-Santos
  DA COSTA]

Ecuador
  Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP [Averroes BUCARAM];
  Democratic Left or ID [Guillermo LANDAZURI]; National Action
  Institutional Renewal Party or PRIAN [Alvaro NOBOA]; Pachakutik
  Movement [Gilberto TALAHUA]; Patriotic Society Party or PSP [Lucio
  GUTIERREZ Borbua]; Popular Democracy or DP [Dr. Juan Manuel
  FUERTES]; Popular Democratic Movement or MPD [Gustavo TERAN Acosta];
  Radical Alfarista Front or FRA [Fabian ALARCON, director]; Roldosist
  Party or PRE [Abdala BUCARAM Ortiz, director]; Social Christian
  Party or PSC [Leon FEBRES CORDERO]; Socialist Party - Broad Front or
  PS-FA [Victor GRANDA]

Egypt
  Al-Ahrar Party [Helmi SALEM]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party
  or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)]; National Progressive
  Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP
  [No'man GOMAA]
  note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
  government

El Salvador
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER];
  Democratic Convergence or CD (formerly United Democratic Center or
  CDU) [Ruben ZAMORA, secretary general]; Democratic Party or PD
  [Jorge MELENDEZ]; Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN
  [Medardo GONZALEZ]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Kirio Waldo
  SALGADO, president]; National Action Party or PAN [Gustavo Rogelio
  SALINAS, secretary general]; National Conciliation Party or PCN
  [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA, president]; National Republican Alliance or ARENA
  [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez]; Social Christian Union or USC (formed
  by the merger of Christian Social Renewal Party or PRSC and Unity
  Movement or MU) [Abraham RODRIGUEZ, president]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Juan MEDRANO]

Equatorial Guinea
  Convergence Party for Social Democracy or CPDS
  [Placido MIKO Abogo]; Democratic Party for Equatorial Guinea or PDGE
  (ruling party) [Teodoro OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO]; Party for Progress
  of Equatorial Guinea or PPGE [Severo MOTO]; Popular Action of
  Equatorial Guinea or APGE [Miguel Esono EMAN]; Popular Union or UP
  [Andres Moises Bda ADA]; Progressive Democratic Alliance or ADP
  [Victorino Bolekia BONAY]; Union of Independent Democrats of UDI
  [Daniel OYONO]

Eritrea
  People's Front for Democracy and Justice or PFDJ, the only
  party recognized by the government [ISAIAS Afworki]; note - a
  National Assembly committee drafted a law on political parties in
  January 2001, but the full National Assembly has not yet debated or
  voted on it

Estonia
  Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR,
  chairman]; Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN,
  chairman]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP];
  Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG,
  chairman]; Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) [Tunne KELAM, chairman];
  Res Publica [Juhan PARTS, chairman]; Social Democratic Party
  (formerly People's Party Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR,
  chairman]; Social Liberals (group of 8 parliamentarians, former
  Center Party members) [Peeter Kreitzberg]

Ethiopia
  Afar National Democratic Party or ANDP [leader NA];
  Benishangul Gumuz People's Democratic Unity Front or BGPDUF
  [Mulualem BESSE]; Coalition for Unity and Democracy or CUD [HAILU
  Shawil]; Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front or EPRDF
  [MELES Zenawi] (an alliance of ANDM, OPDO, SEPDF, and TPLF); Gurage
  Nationalities' Democratic Movement or GNDM [leader NA]; United
  Ethopian Democratic Forces or UEDF [MERARA Gudina]; dozens of small
  parties

European Union
  Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for
  Europe or ALDE [Graham R. WATSON]; Independence/Democracy Group or
  IND/DEM [Jens-Peter BONDE and Nigel FARAGE]; Group of
  Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Monica FRASSONI and
  Daniel Marc COHN-BENDIT]; Socialist Group in the European Parliament
  or PES [Martin SCHULZ]; Confederal Group of the European United
  Left-Nordic Green Left or EUL/NGL [Francis WURTZ]; European People's
  Party-European Democrats or EPP-ED [Hans-Gert POETTERING]; Union for
  Europe of the Nations Group or UEN [Brian CROWLEY and Cristiana
  MUSCARDINI]

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none; all independents

Faroe Islands
  Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Independence Party [Kari
  P. HOJGAARD]; People's Party [Anfinn KALLSBERG]; Republican Party
  [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union
  Party [Kaj Oeo JOHANNESEN]

Fiji
  Bai Kei Viti Party or BKV [Ratu Tevita MOMOEDONU]; Conservative
  Alliance Party/Matanitu Vanua or MV [Ratu Rakuita VAKALALABURE];
  Dodonu Ni Taukei Party or DNT [Fereti S. DEWA]; Fiji Democratic
  Party or FDP [Felipe BOLE] (a merger of the Christian Democrat
  Alliance or VLV [Poesci Waqalevu BUNE], Fijian Association Party or
  FAP [Adi Kuini SPEED], Fijian Political Party or SVT (primarily
  Fijian) [Felipe BOLE], and New Labor Unity Party or NLUP [Tupeni
  BABA]); Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDRHRY]; General Voters
  Party or GVP [leader NA] (became part of United General Party);
  Girmit Heritage Party or GHP [leader NA]; Justice and Freedom Party
  or AIM [leader NA]; Lio 'On Famor Rotuma Party or LFR [leader NA];
  National Federation Party or NFP (primarily Indian) [Pramond RAE];
  Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party or NVTLP [Saula TELAWA]; Party of
  National Unity or PANU [Meli BOGILEKA]; Party of the Truth or POTT
  [leader NA]; United Fiji Party/Sogosogo Duavata ni Lewenivanua or
  SDL [Laisenia QARASE]; United General Party or UGP [Millis Mick
  BEDDOES]

Finland
  Center Party or Kesk [Matti VANHANEN]; Christian Democrats
  or KD [Paivi RASANEN]; Green League or VIHR [Tarja CRONBERG]; Left
  Alliance or VAS composed of People's Democratic League and
  Democratic Alternative [Suvi-Anne SIIMES]; National Coalition
  (conservative) Party or Kok [Jyrki KATAINEN]; Social Democratic
  Party or SDP [Eero HEINALUOMA]; Swedish People's Party or SFP
  [Jan-Erik ENESTAM]

France
  Citizen and Republican Movement or MCR [Jean Pierre
  CHEVENEMENT]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDSE (mainly
  Radical Republican and Socialist Parties, and PRG) [Jacques
  PELLETIER]; French Communist Party or PCF [Marie-George BUFFET];
  Left Radical Party or PRG (previously Radical Socialist Party or PRS
  and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) [Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Movement
  for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; National Front or NF
  [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Rally for France or RPF [Charles PASQUA];
  Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; Greens [Yann WEHRLING,
  national secretary]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Francois
  BAYROU]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (including RPR, DL, and
  a part of UDF) [Nicolas SARKOZY]

French Guiana
  Guyanese Democratic Action or ADG [Andre LECANTE];
  Guyanese Socialist Party or PSG [Marie-Claude VERDAN]; Guyana
  Democratic Forces or FDG [Georges OTHILY]; Popular National Guyanese
  Party or PNPG [Jose DORCY]; Socialist Party or PS [Paul DEBRIETTE];
  Union for a Popular Movement or UMP (includes RPR) [Muriel ICARE];
  Walwari Committee (aligned with the PRG in France) [Christine
  TAUBIRA-DELANON]

French Polynesia
  Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia
  (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api)
  [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or
  RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia
  Api) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa)
  [Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Gabon
  Circle of Liberal Reformers or CLR [General Jean Boniface
  ASSELE]; Congress for Democracy and Justice or CDJ [Jules Aristide
  Bourdes OGOULIGUENDE]; Democratic and Republican Alliance or ADERE
  [Divungui-di-Ndinge DIDJOB]; Gabonese Democratic Party or PDG,
  former sole party [Simplice Nguedet MANZELA]; Gabonese Party for
  Progress or PGP [Pierre-Louis AGONDJO-OKAWE]; National Rally of
  Woodcutters-Rally for Gabon or RNB-RPG (Bucherons) [Fr. Paul
  M'BA-ABESSOLE]; People's Unity Party or PUP [Louis Gaston MAYILA];
  Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Pierre EMBONI]; Social
  Democratic Party or PSD [Pierre Claver MAGANGA-MOUSSAVOU]; Union for
  Democracy and Social Integration or UDIS [leader NA]; Union of
  Gabonese People or UPG [Pierre MAMBOUNDOU]

Gambia, The
  Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction or
  APRC - the ruling party [Yahya A. J. J. JAMMEH]; Gambian People's
  Party-Progressive People's Party-United Democratic Party or
  GPP-PPP-UDP Coalition [Ousainou DARBOE]; National Convention Party
  or NCP [Sheriff DIBBA]; National Reconciliation Party or NRP [Hamat
  N. K. BAH]; People's Democratic Organization for Independence and
  Socialism or PDOIS [Sidia JATTA]
  note: in August 2001, an independent electoral commission allowed
  the reregistration of the GPP, NCP, and PPP, three parties banned
  since 1996

Georgia
  Burjanadze-Democrats [Nino BURJANADZE]; Georgian People's
  Front [Nodar NATADZE]; Georgian United Communist Party or UCPG
  [Panteleimon GIORGADZE]; Greens [Giorgi GACHECHILADZE]; Industry
  Will Save Georgia (Industrialists) or IWSG [Georgi TOPADZE]; Labor
  Party [Shalva NATELASHVILI]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Bachuki KARDAVA]; National Movement Democratic Front [Mikheil
  SAAKASHVILI] bloc composed of National Movement and
  Burjanadze-Democrats; National Movement [Mikheil SAAKASHVILI]; New
  Right [David GAMKRELIDZE]; Republican Party [David BERDZENISHVILI];
  Rightist Opposition [David GAMKRELIDZE] bloc composed of
  Industrialists and New Right Party; Socialist Party or SPG [Irakli
  MINDELI]; Traditionalists [Akaki ASATIANI]; Union of National
  Forces-Conservatives [Koba DAVITASHVILI and Zviad DZIDZIGURI]

Germany
  Alliance '90/Greens [Angelika BEER and Reinhard BUETIKOFER];
  Christian Democratic Union or CDU [Angela MERKEL]; Christian Social
  Union or CSU [Edmund STOIBER, chairman]; Free Democratic Party or
  FDP [Guido WESTERWELLE, chairman]; Left Party or PDS/WASG [Oskar
  LAFONTAINE and Gregor GYSI]; Party of Democratic Socialism or PDS
  [Lothar BISKY]; Social Democratic Party or SPD [Franz MUENTEFERING]

Ghana
  Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general
  secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA,
  chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY];
  National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National
  Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary];
  New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's
  Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman];
  People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE];
  People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party
  [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary]

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar Liberal Party [Joseph GARCIA]; Gibraltar Social
  Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or
  GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO]

Greece
  Coalition of the Left and Progress (Synaspismos) [Alekos
  ALAVANOS]; Communist Party of Greece or KKE [Aleka PAPARIGA]; New
  Democracy or ND (conservative) [Konstandinos KARAMANLIS];
  Panhellenic Socialist Movement or PASOK [Yiorgos PAPANDREOU];
  Popular Orthodox Rally [Yeoryios KARATZAFERIS]

Greenland
  Atassut Party (Solidarity, a conservative party favoring
  continuing close relations with Denmark) [Augusta SALLING];
  Demokratiit [Per BERTHELSEN]; Inuit Ataqatigiit or IA (Eskimo
  Brotherhood, a leftist party favoring complete independence from
  Denmark rather than home rule) [Josef MOTZFELDT]; Issituup (Polar
  Party) [Nicolai HEINRICH]; Kattusseqatigiit (Candidate List, an
  independent right-of-center party with no official platform [leader
  NA]; Siumut (Forward Party, a social democratic party advocating
  more distinct Greenlandic identity and greater autonomy from
  Denmark) [Hans ENOKSEN]

Grenada
  Grenada United Labor Party or GULP [Gloria Payne BANFIELD];
  National Democratic Congress or NDC [Tillman THOMAS]; New National
  Party or NNP [Keith MITCHELL]; People Labor Movement or PLM [Dr.
  Francis ALEXIS]

Guadeloupe
  Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS
  [Dominique LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT];
  Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party
  or PS [Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN]; Union for French
  Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Union for a Popular Movement or
  UMP (including RPR) [Robert JOYEUX]

Guam
  Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party
  (controls the legislature) [leader Philip J. FLORES]

Guatemala
  Authentic Integral Development or DIA [Eduardo SUGER];
  Democratic Union or UD [Rodolfo PAIZ Andrade]; Grand National
  Alliance or GANA [Oscar BERGER Perdomo]; Green Party or LOV [Rodolfo
  ROSALES Garcis-Salaz]; Guatemalan Christian Democracy or DCG
  [Vinicio CEREZO Arevalo]; Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity or
  URNG [Alba ESTELA Maldonado, secretary general]; Guatemalan
  Republican Front or FRG [Efrain RIOS Montt]; Movement for Guatemalan
  Unity or MGU [Jacobo ARBENZ Villanueva]; Movement for Principals and
  Values or MPV [Francisco BIANCHI]; National Advancement Party or PAN
  [Leonel LOPEZ Rodas, secretary general]; National Unity for Hope or
  UNE [Alvarado COLOM Caballeros]; New Nation Alliance or ANN (formed
  by an alliance of DIA, URNG, and several splinter groups most of
  whom subsequently defected) [led by three co-equal partners - Nineth
  Varenca MONTENEGRO Cottom, Rodolfo BAUER Paiz, and Jorge Antonio
  BALSELLS TUT]; Patriot Party or PP [retired General Otto PEREZ
  Molina]; Progressive Liberator Party or PLP [Acisclo VALLADARES
  Molina]; Reform Movement or MR [Alfredo SKINNER-KLEE, secretary
  general]; Unionista Party [leader NA]

Guernsey
  none; all independents

Guinea
  Democratic Party of Guinea-African Democratic Rally or
  PDG-RDA [El Hadj Ismael Mohamed Gassim GUSHEIN]; National Union for
  Progress or UPN [Mamadou Bhoye BARRY]; Party for Unity and Progress
  or PUP [Lansana CONTE] - the governing party; People's Party of
  Guinea or PPG [Pascal TOLNO]; Rally for the Guinean People or RPG
  [Alpha CONDE]; Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea or UFDG [Mamadou
  BA]; Union of Republican Forces or UFR [Sidya TOURE]; Union for
  Progress and Renewal or UPR [Siradiou DIALLO]; Union for Progress of
  Guinea or UPG [Jean-Marie DORE, secretary-general]

Guinea-Bissau
  African Party for the Independence of Guinea-Bissau
  and Cape Verde or PAIGC [Carlos GOMES Junior]; Front for the
  Liberation and Independence of Guinea or FLING [Francois MENDY];
  Guinea-Bissau Resistance-Ba Fata Movement or RGB-MB [Helder Vaz
  LOPES]; Guinean Civic Forum or FCG [Antonieta Rosa GOMES];
  International League for Ecological Protection or LIPE [Alhaje
  Bubacar DJALO, president]; National Union for Democracy and Progress
  or UNDP [Abubacer BALDE, secretary general]; Party for Democratic
  Convergence or PCD [Victor MANDINGA]; Social Renovation Party or PRS
  [Kumba YALA]; Union for Change or UM [Jorge MANDINGA, president, Dr.
  Anne SAAD, secretary general]; United Platform or UP [coalition
  formed by PCD, FDS, FLING, and RGB-MB]; United Social Democratic
  Party or PUSD [Francisco Jose FADUL]

Guyana
  Alliance for Guyana or AFG (includes Guyana Labor Party or
  GLP and Working People's Alliance or WPA) [Rupert ROOPNARAINE];
  Guyana Action Party or GAP [Paul HARDY]; Guyana Labor Party or GLP
  [leader NA]; People's National Congress or PNC [Robert Herman
  Orlando CORBIN]; People's Progressive Party/Civic or PPP/C [Bharrat
  JAGDEO]; Rise, Organize, and Rebuild or ROAR [Ravi DEV]; The United
  Force or TUF [Manzoor NADIR]; Working People's Alliance or WPA
  [Rupert ROOPNARAINE]

Haiti
  Alliance for the Liberation and Advancement of Haiti or ALAH
  [Reynold GEORGES]; Assembly of Progressive National Democrats or
  RDNP [Leslie MANIGAT]; Ayiti Kapab [Ernst VERDIEU]; Convention for
  Democratic Unity or KID [Evans PAUL]; National Congress of
  Democratic Movements or KONAKOM [Victor BENOIT]; Nationalist
  Progressive Revolutionary Party or PANPRA [Serge GILLES]; Democratic
  Movement for the Liberation of Haiti or MODELH [Francois LATORTUE];
  Grand Center Right Front coalition (composed of MDN, MRN, and PDCH)
  [Hubert de RONCERAY, Jean BUTEAU, Osner FEVRY and Marie-Denise
  CLAUDE]; Haitian Christian Democratic Party or PDCH [Osner FEVRY and
  Marie-Denise CLAUDE]; Haitian Democratic Party or PADEMH [Clark
  PARENT]; Haitian Democratic and Reform Movement or MODEREH [Dany
  TOUSSAINT and Pierre Soncon PRINCE]; Heads Together [Dr. Gerard
  BLOT]; Lavalas Family or FL [leader NA]; Liberal Party of Haiti or
  PLH [Michael MADSEN]; Mobilization for National Development or MDN
  [Hubert DE RONCERAY]; Movement for National Reconstruction or MRN
  [Jean Henold BUTEAU]; Movement for the Installation of Democracy in
  Haiti or MIDH [Marc BAZIN]; National Front for the Reconstruction of
  Haiti or FRON [Guy PHILIPPE]; National Progressive Democratic Party
  or PNDPH [Turneb DELPE]; New Christian Movement for a New Haiti or
  MOCHRENA [Luc MESADIEU]; Open the Gate Party (Parti Louvri Bayre) or
  PLB [leader NA]; Popular Party for the Renewal of Haiti, or
  Generation 2000 [Claude ROMAIN and Daniel SUPPLICE]; Struggling
  People's Organization or OPL [Edgard LEBLANC]; MNP28 [Dejean
  BELIZAIRE]; KOMBA [Evans LESCOUFLAIR]

Holy See (Vatican City)
  none

Honduras
  Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Juan Ramon VELAZQUEZ
  Nassar]; Democratic Unification Party or PUD [Matias FUNES]; Liberal
  Party or PL [Roberto MICHELETTI Bain]; National Innovation and Unity
  Party-Social Democratic Party or PINU-SD [Olban F. VALLADARES];
  National Party of Honduras or PN [Jose Celin DISCUA Elvir]; United
  Confederation of Honduran Workers or CUTH

Hong Kong
  Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood or ADPL
  [Frederick FUNG Kin-kee, chairman]; Citizens Party [Alex CHAN
  Kai-chung]; Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong or
  DAB [MA Lik, chairman]; Democratic Party [LEE Wing-tat, chairman];
  Frontier Party [Emily LAU Wai-hing, chairwoman]; Liberal Party
  [James TIEN Pei-chun, chairman]
  note: political blocs include: pro-democracy - Association for
  Democracy and People's Livelihood, Democratic Party, Frontier Party;
  pro-Beijing - Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong,
  Hong Kong Progressive Alliance, Liberal Party

Hungary
  Alliance of Free Democrats or SzDSz [Gabor KUNCZE];
  Hungarian Civic Alliance or Fidesz [Viktor ORBAN, chairman];
  Hungarian Democratic Forum or MDF [Ibolya DAVID]; Hungarian
  Democratic People's Party or MDNP [Erzsebet PUSZTAI, chairman];
  Hungarian Socialist Party or MSzP [Istvan HILLER, chairman];
  Hungarian Workers' Party or MMP [Gyula THURMER, chairman]

Iceland
  Independence Party or IP [David ODDSSON]; Left-Green
  Alliance or LGP [Steingrimur SIGFUSSON]; Liberal Party or LP [Gudjon
  KRISTJANSSON]; Progressive Party or PP [Halldor ASGRIMSSON]; Social
  Democratic Alliance (includes People's Alliance or PA, Social
  Democratic Party or SDP, Women's List) or SDA [Ingibjorg Solrun
  GISLADOTTIR]

India
  All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or AIADMK [C.
  Jayalalitha JAYARAM]; All India Forward Bloc or AIFB, [Debabrata
  BISWAS]; Asom Gana Parishad [Brindaban GOSWAMI]; Bahujan Samaj Party
  or BSP [MAYAWATI]; Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP [Lal Krishna
  ADVANI]; Biju Janata Dal or BJD [Naveen PATNAIK]; Communist Party of
  India or CPI [Ardhendu Bhushan BARDHAN]; Communist Party of India
  (Marxist) or CPI (M) Hakishan Singh SURJEET]; Congress (I) Party
  [Sonia GANDHI]; Dravida Munnetra Kazagham or DMK (a regional party
  in Tamil Nadu) [M. KARUNANIDHI]; Indian National Congress or INC
  [Sonia GANDHI]; Indian National League [Suliaman SAITH]; Janata Dal
  (Secular) [H. D. Deve GOWDA]; Janata Dal (United) or JDU [Sharad
  YADAV]; Jharkhand Mukti Morcha or JMM [leader NA]; Kerala Congress
  (Mani faction) [K. M. MANI]; Lok Jan Shakti Party or LJSP [leader
  NA]; Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam or MDMK [VAIKO]; Muslim
  League [G. M. BANATWALA]; Nationalist Congress Party or NCP [Sharad
  PAWAR]; Pattali Makkal Katchi or PMK [leader NA]; Rashtriya Janata
  Dal or RJD [Laloo Prasad YADAV]; Revolutionary Socialist Party or
  RSP [Abani ROY]; Samajwadi Party or SP [Mulayam Singh YADAV];
  Shiromani Akali Dal or SAD [G. S. TOHRA]; Shiv Sena or SS [Bal
  THACKERAY]; Tamil Maanila Congress [G. K. VASAN]; Telangana Rashtra
  Samithi or TRS [leader NA]; Telugu Desam Party or TDP [Chandrababu
  NAIDU]; Trinamool Congress [Mamata BANERJEE]

Indonesia
  Crescent Moon and Star Party or PBB [Yusril Ihza MAHENDRA,
  chairman]; Democratic Party or PD [Subur BUDHISANTOSO, chairman];
  Functional Groups Party or Golkar [Yusuf KALLA, chairman]; Indonesia
  Democratic Party-Struggle or PDI-P [MEGAWATI Sukarnoputri,
  chairperson]; National Awakening Party or PKB [Alwi SHIHAB,
  chairman]; National Mandate Party or PAN [Amien RAIS, chairman];
  Prosperous Justice Party or PKS [MAHFUD, acting chairman]; United
  Development Party or PPP [Hamzah HAZ, chairman]

Iran
  formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in
  Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political
  pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition
  called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as
  well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved
  considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000;
  groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front
  (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity
  Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari; Mojahedin of the Islamic
  Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society
  (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles
  elections in early 2004; a new apparently conservative group, the
  Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles
  after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004

Iraq
  Al-Sadr Movement [Muqtada Al-SADR]; Constitutional Monarchy
  Movement or CMM [Sharif Ali Bin al-HUSAYN]; Da'wa Party [Ibrahim
  al-JA'FARI]; Independent Iraqi Alliance or IIA [Falah al-NAQIB];
  Iraqi Hizballah [Karim Mahud al-MUHAMMADAWI]; Iraqi Independent
  Democrats or IID [Adnan PACHACHI, Mahdi al-HAFIZ]; Iraqi Islamic
  Party or IIP [Muhsin Abd al-HAMID, Hajim al-HASSANI]; Iraqi National
  Accord or INA [Ayad ALLAWI]; Iraqi National Congress or INC [Ahmad
  CHALABI]; Iraqi National Unity Movement or INUM [Ahmad al-KUBAYSI,
  chairman]; Jama'at al Fadilah or JAF [Ayatollah Muhammad ' Ali
  al-YAQUBI]; Kurdistan Democratic Party or KDP [Masud BARZANI];
  Muslim Ulama Council or MUC [Harith Sulayman al-DARI, secretary
  general]; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK [Jalal TALABANI]
  note: the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan, the Iraqi
  List, and the United Iraqi Alliance were only electoral slates
  consisting of the representatives from the various Iraqi political
  parties

Ireland
  Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green
  Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive
  Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party
  [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]

Israel
  Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) [Muhammad
  BARAKA]; Green Leaf Party (no longer active) [Boaz WACHTEL and
  Shlomi SANDAK]; Herut (no longer active) [Michael KLEINER]; Labor
  Party [Shimon PERES]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; Meretz (merged
  with YAHAD) [Zahava GALON]; National Democratic Assembly (Balad)
  [Azmi BISHARA]; National Religious Party [Ephraim "Efie" EITAM];
  National Union (Haichud Haleumi) [Avigdor LIBERMAN] (includes Tekuma
  Moledet and Yisra'el Beiteinu); One Nation [David TAL]; Shas
  [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Yosef "Tommy" LAPID]; United Arab List
  [Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Yaakov LITZMAN];
  YAHAD [Yossi BEILIN]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya or YBA (merged with Likud)
  [Natan SHARANSKY]

Italy
  Center-Left Olive Tree Coalition [Francesco RUTELLI] -
  Democrats of the Left, Daisy Alliance (including Italian Popular
  Party, Italian Renewal, Union of Democrats for Europe, The
  Democrats), Sunflower Alliance (including Green Federation, Italian
  Democratic Socialists), Italian Communist Party; Center-Right
  Freedom House Coalition [Silvio BERLUSCONI] (formerly House of
  Liberties and Freedom Alliance) - Forza Italia, National Alliance,
  The Whiteflower Alliance (includes Christian Democratic Center,
  United Christian Democrats), Northern League; Democrats of the Left
  or DS [Piero FASSINO]; Forza Italia or FI [Silvio BERLUSCONI]; Green
  Federation [Alfonso Pecoraro SCANIO]; Italian Communist Party or
  PdCI [Armando COSSUTTA]; Italian Renewal or RI [Lamberto DINI];
  merged with PPI and I Democratici to form La Margherita (or The
  Daisy Alliance); Italian Social Democrats or SDI [Enrico BOSELLI];
  Lega Padana [Roberto BERNARDELLI]; National Alliance or AN
  [Gianfranco FINI]; Northern League or NL [Umberto BOSSI]; Per le
  Autonomie [leader NA]; Socialist Movement-Tricolor Flame or
  MS-Fiamma [Luca ROMAGNOLI]; South Tyrol People's Party or SVP
  (German speakers) [Elmar Pichler ROLLE]; Sunflower Alliance
  (includes Green Federation, Italian Social Democrats); The Daisy
  Alliance (includes Italian Popular Party, Italian Renewal, Union of
  Democrats for Europe, The Democrats) [Francesco RUTELLI]; The
  Democrats [Arturo PARISI]; The Radicals (formerly Pannella Reformers
  and Autonomous List) [Marco PANNELLA]; Union of Democrats for Europe
  or UDEUR [Clemente MASTELLA]; Union of Christian and Center
  Democrats or UDC [Marco FOLLINI]

Jamaica
  Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National
  Democratic Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National
  Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]

Japan
  Democratic Party of Japan or DPJ [Seiji MAEHARA, leader; Yukio
  HATOYAMA, secretary general]; Japan Communist Party or JCP [Kazuo
  SHII, chairman; Tadayoshi ICHIDA, secretary general]; Komeito
  [Takenori KANZAKI, president; Tetsuzo FUYUSHIBA, secretary general];
  Liberal Democratic Party or LDP [Junichiro KOIZUMI, president;
  Tsutomu TAKEBE, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP
  [Mizuho FUKUSHIMA, chairperson; Seiji MATAICHI, secretary general]

Jersey
  none; all independents

Jordan
  Al-Ajyal [Muhammad KHALAYLEH, secretary general]; Al-Umma
  (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land
  Party [Dr. Ayishah Salih HIJAZAYN, secretary general]; Ba'th Arab
  Progressive Party [Fu'ad DABBUR, secretary general]; Communist Party
  [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional National Party
  [Ahmad al-SHUNNAQ, secretary general; Democratic Arab Islamic
  Movement [Yusuf ABU BAKR, president]; Green Party [Muhammad
  BATAYNEH, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR,
  secretary general]; Islamic al-Walsat Party [Marwan al-FAURI],
  secretary general; Jordanian Democratic Left Party [Musa MA'AYTEH,
  secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id
  Dhiyab Ali MUSTAFA, secretary general]; Jordanian People's
  Democratic (Hashd) Party [Ahmad YUSUF, secretary general]; Jordanian
  Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Labor Party
  [Dr. Mazin Sulayman Jiryis HANNA, secretary general]; Muslim
  Centrist Party [leader NA]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Tariq
  al-KAYYALI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul
  Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; National Movement for Direct
  Democracy [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab
  (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]; (Arab)
  Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysir al-HIMSI, secretary general]

Kazakhstan
  Agrarian Party [Romin MADINOV]; Ak Zhol Party "Bright
  Path" [Bulat ABILOV, Uraz ZHANDOSOV, Lyudmila ZHULANOVA, Alikhan
  BAYMENOV, Altynbek SARSENBAYEV, co-chairs]; ASAR "All Together"
  [Dariga NAZARBAYEVA, chairwoman]; AUL "Village" [Gani KALIYEV];
  Civic Party [Azat PERUASHEV, first secretary]; Communist Party or
  KPK [Serikbolsyn ABDILDIN, first secretary]; Communist People's
  Party of Kazakhstan [Vladislav KOSAREV]; Democratic Party of
  Kazakhstan [Maksut NARIKBAEV]; Otan "Fatherland" [Bakhytzhan
  ZHUMAGULOV, acting chairman]; Patriots' Party [Gani KASYMOV];
  Rukhaniyat [Altynshash JAGANOVA]

Kenya
  Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
  [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU
  [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] -
  the governing party

Kiribati
  Boutokaan Te Koaua Party or BTK [Taberannang TIMEON];
  Maneaban Te Mauri Party or MTM [Teburoro TITO]; Maurin Kiribati Pati
  or MKP [leader NA]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Dr. Harry
  TONG]
  note: there is no tradition of formally organized political parties
  in Kiribati; they more closely resemble factions or interest groups
  because they have no party headquarters, formal platforms, or party
  structures

Korea, North
  major party - Korean Workers' Party or KWP [KIM Jong
  Il, general secretary]; minor parties - Chondoist Chongu Party [RYU
  Mi Yong, chairwoman] (under KWP control); Social Democratic Party
  [KIM Yong Dae, chairman] (under KWP control)

Korea, South
  Democratic Labor Party or DLP [KIM Hye-kyung,
  chairwoman]; Democratic Party or DP [HAHN Hwa-kap, chairman]; Grand
  National Party or GNP [PARK Geun-hye, chairwoman]; United Liberal
  Democrats or ULD [KIM Hak-won, chairman]; Uri Party [MOON Hee-sang,
  chairman]

Kuwait
  none; formation of political parties is illegal

Kyrgyzstan
  Adilet (Justice) Party [Toychubek KASYMOV]; Agrarian
  Labor Party of Kyrgyzstan [Uson SYDYKOV]; Agrarian Party of
  Kyrgyzstan [Erkin ALIYEV]; Alga, Kyrgyzstan (Forward, Kyrgyzstan)
  [Bolot BEGALIYEV]; Ar-Namys (Dignity) Party [Emil ALIYEV]; Asaba
  (Banner National Revival Party) [Azimbek BEKNAZAROV]; Ata-Meken
  (Fatherland) [Omurbek TEKEBAYEV]; Communist Party of Kyrgyzstan
  [Klara ADZHIBEKOVA]; Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan or DDK [Jypar
  JEKSHEYEV]; Erkin Kyrgyzstan Progressive and Democratic Party
  [Bektur ASANOV]; Erkindik (Freedom) Party [Topchubek TURGUNALIYEV];
  Future of Kyrgyzstan [Balbak TULEBAYEV]; Jany Kyrgyzstan (New
  Kyrgyzstan) [Dosbol NUR UULU]; Kairan El [Dooronbek SADYKOV]; Kyrgyz
  National Party [Bakyt BESHIMOV]; Kyrgyzstan Kelechegi [Ruslan
  CHYNYBAYEV]; Manas El (Party of Spiritual Restoration) [Chingiz
  AITMATOV]; Moya Strana (My Country Party of Action) [Joomart
  OTORBAYEV]; Party of Communists of Kyrgyzstan or KCP [Bakytbek
  BEKBOYEV]; Party of Justice and Progress [Muratbek IMANALIEV]; Party
  of Peasants [Esengul ISAKOV]

Laos
  Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [KHAMTAI Siphadon,
  party president]; other parties proscribed

Latvia
  First Party of Latvia or LPP [Juris LUJANS]; For Human Rights
  in a United Latvia or PCTVL [Tatjana ZDANOKA, Jakovs PLINERS]; For
  the Fatherland and Freedom/Latvian National Independence Movement or
  TB/LNNK [Janis STRAUME]; Harmony Center or SC [Sergejs DOLGOPOLOVS];
  Latvian Green Party or LZP [Indulis EMSIS, Viesturs SILENIEKS,
  Raimonds VEJONIS]; Latvian Farmer's Union or LZS [Augusts
  BRIGMANIS]; Latvian Social Democratic Workers Party (Social
  Democrats) or LSDSP [Juris BOJARS]; Latvian Socialist Party or LSP
  [Alfreds RUBIKS]; Latvia's Way or LC [Ivars GODMANIS]; New Democrats
  or JD [Maris GULBIS]; New Era Party or JL [Einars REPSE]; People's
  Harmony Party or TSP [Aivars DATAVS]; People's Party or TP [Atis
  SLAKTERIS]; Social Democratic Union or SDS [Egils BALDZENS]

Lebanon
  Ba'th Party [leader NA]; Democratic Gathering [Walid
  JUNBLATT]; Democratic Left [leader NA]; Development and Resistance
  Bloc [Nabih BARRI, Amal leader/speaker]; Free Patriotic Movement
  [Michel AWN]; Future Movement Bloc [Sa'ad HARIRI]; Kataeb Party
  [leader NA]; Kataeb Reform Movement [leader NA]; Lebanese Forces
  [leader NA]; Loyalty to the Resistance [Mohammad RA'AD]; Nasserite
  Popular Movement [leader NA]; Popular Bloc [leader NA]; Qornet
  Shewan [leader NA]; Syrian National Socialist Party [leader NA];
  Tripoli Independent Bloc [leader NA]

Lesotho
  Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE];
  Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho
  National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Lesotho
  Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] - the governing
  party; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho
  Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or
  MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony
  MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe
  PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE];
  Sefate Democratic Party or SDP [Bofihla NKUEBE]

Liberia
  Alliance of Political Parties (a coalition of LAP and LUP)
  [leader NA]; All Liberia Coalition Party or ALCOP [Peter KERBAY];
  Liberian Action Party or LAP [C. Gyude BRYANT]; Liberian People's
  Party or LPP [Koffa NAGBE]; Liberia Unification Party or LUP [leader
  NA]; National Patriotic Party or NPP [Cyril ALLEN] - governing
  party; United People's Party or UPP [Wesley JOHNSON]; Unity Party or
  UP [Charles CLARKE]

Libya
  none

Liechtenstein
  Patriotic Union (was Fatherland Union) or VU [Heinz
  FROMMELT]; Progressive Citizens' Party or FBP [Johannes MATT]; The
  Free List or FL [Dr. Pepo FRICK, Elisabeth TELLENBACH-FRICK, Adolf
  RITTER]

Lithuania
  Electoral Action of Lithuanian Poles [Valdemar
  TOMASZEVSKI, chairman]; Homeland Union/Conservative Party or TS
  [Andrius KUBILIUS, chairman]; Labor Party [Viktor USPASKICH,
  chairman]; Liberal and Center Union [Arturas ZUOKAS, chairman];
  Liberal Democratic Party [Valentinas MAZURONIS, chairman];
  Lithuanian Christian Democrats or LKD [Valentinas STUNDYS,
  chairman]; Lithuanian People's Union for a Fair Lithuania;
  Lithuanian Social Democratic Coalition [Algirdas BRAZAUSKAS,
  chairman] consists of the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party or LDDP
  and the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party or LSDP; New Democracy
  and Farmer's Union or VNDPS [Kazimiera PRUNSKIENE, chairman]; Social
  Liberals (New Union) [Arturas PAULAUSKAS, chairman]; Social Union of
  Christian Conservatives [Gediminas VAGNORIUS, chairman]; Young
  Lithuania and New Nationalists

Luxembourg
  Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Gast
  GIBERYEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as
  Christian Social Party or PCS) [Francois BILTGEN]; Democratic Party
  or DP [Claude MEISCH]; Green Party [Francois BAUSCH]; Luxembourg
  Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Alex BODRY]; Marxist and Reformed
  Communist Party dei Lenk/la Gauche (the Left) [no formal
  leadership]; other minor parties

Macau
  Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development
  Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG
  On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New
  Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces
  [leader NA]

Macedonia
  Democratic Alliance [Pavle TRAJANOV]; Democratic
  Alternative or DA [Vasil TUPURKOVSKI, president]; Democratic League
  of the Bosniaks [Rafet MUMINOVIC]; Democratic Party of Albanians or
  PDSH/DPA [Arben XHAFERI, president]; Democratic Party of Serbs [Ivan
  STOILJKOVIC]; Democratic Party of Turks [Kenan HASIPI]; Democratic
  Republican Union of Macedonia or DRUM [Dosta DIMOVSKA]; Democratic
  Union of Vlachs for Macedonia [leader NA]; Democratic Union for
  Integration or BDI/DUI [Ali AHMETI]; Internal Macedonian
  Revolutionary Organization-Agrarian Party or VMRO-Agrarian Party
  [Marjan GJORCEV]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity or
  VMRO-DPMNE (including VMRO and LDT) [Nikola GRUEVSKI]; Internal
  Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-True Macedonian Option or
  VMRO-Vistinska [Boris ZMEJKOVSKI]; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary
  Organization-Macedonian [Boris STOJMENOV]; Internal Macedonian
  Revolutionary Organization-People's Party or VMRO-Narodna [Vesna
  JANEVSKA]; League for Democracy [Gjorgi MARJANOVIC]; Liberal
  Democratic Party or LDP [Risto PENOV]; Liberal Party [Stojan ANDOV];
  National Democratic Party or PDK [Basri HALITI]; National Farmers'
  Party [Vejljo TANTAROV]; Party for Democratic Prosperity or PPD/PDP
  [Abduljhadi VEJSELI]; Social Democratic Alliance of Macedonia or
  SDSM [Vlado BUCKOVSKI, president]; Socialist Party of Macedonia or
  SP [Ljubisav IVANOV, president]; Together for Macedonia coalition
  (including the SDSM and LDP) [Vlado BUCKOVSI]; United Party for
  Emancipation or OPE [Nezdet MUSTAFA]

Madagascar
  Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA
  [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for
  National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana
  Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc
  RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD
  [Evariste MARSON]

Malawi
  Alliance for Democracy or AFORD [Chakufwa CHIHANA]; Malawi
  Congress Party or MCP [John TEMBO]; Malawi Democratic Party or MDP
  [Kampelo KALUA]; Malawi Forum for Unity and Development or MAFUNDE
  [George MNESA]; Mgwirizano Coalition or MC (coalition of MAFUNDE,
  MDP, MGODE, NUP, PETRA, PPM, RP) [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; Movement
  for Genuine Democratic Change or MGODE [Sam Kandodo BANDA]; National
  Democratic Alliance or NDA [Brown MPINGANJIRA]; National Unity Party
  or NUP [Harry CHIUME]; New Congress for Democracy or NCD [Hetherwick
  NTABA]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Aleke BANDA]; People's
  Transformation Movement or PETRA [Kamuzu CHIBAMBO]; Republican Party
  or RP [Gwandaguluwe CHAKUAMBA]; United Democratic Front or UDF
  [Bingu wa MUTHARIKA] - governing party

Malaysia
  ruling-coalition National Front (Barisan Nasional) or BN,
  consisting of the following parties: Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia Party
  or PGRM [LIM Keng Yaik]; Liberal Democratic Party (Parti Liberal
  Demokratik - Sabah) or LDP [CHONG Kah Kiat]; Malaysian Chinese
  Association (Persatuan China Malaysia) or MCA [ONG Ka Ting];
  Malaysian Indian Congress (Kongresi India Malaysia) or MIC [S. Samy
  VELLU]; Parti Bersatu Pakyat Sabah or PBRS [Joseph KURUP]; Parti
  Bersatu Sabah or PBS [Joseph PAIRIN Kitingan]; Parti Pesaka
  Bumiputra Bersatu or PBB [Patinggi Haji Abdul TAIB Mahmud]; Parti
  Rakyat Sarawak or PRS [James MASING]; Sabah Progressive Party (Parti
  Progresif Sabah) or SAPP [YONG Teck Lee]; Sarawak United People's
  Party (Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sarawak) or SUPP [George CHAN Hong Nam];
  United Malays National Organization or UMNO [ABDULLAH bin Ahmad
  Badawi]; United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organization
  (Pertubuhan Pasko Momogun Kadazan Dusun Bersatu) or UPKO [Bernard
  DOMPOK]; People's Progressive Party (Parti Progresif Penduduk
  Malaysia) or PPP [M.Keyveas]; Sarawak Progressive Democratic Party
  or SPDP [William MAWANI]; opposition parties: Democratic Action
  Party (Parti Tindakan Demokratik) or DAP [KARPAL Singh]; Islamic
  Party of Malaysia (Parti Islam se Malaysia) or PAS [Abdul HADI
  Awang]; People's Justice Party (Parti Keadilan Rakyat) or PKR [WAN
  AZIZAH Wan Ismael]; Sarawak National Party or SNAP [Edwin DANDUNG];
  opposition coalition Alternative Front (Barisan Alternatif) or BA
  consists of PAS and PKR

Maldives
  although political parties are not banned, none exist

Mali
  Alliance for Democracy or ADEMA [Diounconda TRAORE, party
  chairman]; Block of Alternative for the Renewal of Africa or BARA
  [Yoro DIAKITE]; Democratic and Social Convention or CDS [Mamadou
  Bakary SANGARE, chairman]; Hope 2002 [leader NA]; Movement for the
  Independence, Renaissance and Integration of Africa or MIRIA
  [Mohamed Lamine TRAORE, Mouhamedou DICKO]; National Congress for
  Democratic Initiative or CNID [Mountaga TALL, chairman]; Party for
  Democracy and Progress or PDP [Me Idrissa TRAORE]; Party for
  National Renewal or PARENA [Yoro DIAKITE, chairman; Tiebile DRAME,
  secretary general]; Rally for Democracy and Labor or RDT [Ali
  GNANGADO]; Rally for Democracy and Progress or RDP [Almamy SYLLA,
  chairman]; Rally for Mali or RPM [Ibrahim Boubacar KEITA, chairman];
  Sudanese Union/African Democratic Rally or US/RDA [Mamadou Bamou
  TOURE, secretary general]; Union of Democratic Forces for Progress
  or UFDP [Youssouf TOURE, secretary general]; Union for Democracy and
  Development or UDD [Moussa Balla COULIBALY]; Union for Republic and
  Democracy or URD [Soumaila CISSE]

Malta
  Alternativa Demokratika/Alliance for Social Justice or AD
  [Harry VASSALLO]; Malta Labor Party or MLP [Alfred SANT];
  Nationalist Party or PN [Lawrence GONZI]

Man, Isle of
  Man Labor Party [leader NA]; Alliance for Progressive
  Government [leader NA]; Man Nationalist Party [leader NA]
  note: most members sit as independents

Marshall Islands
  traditionally there have been no formally organized
  political parties; what has existed more closely resembles factions
  or interest groups because they do not have party headquarters,
  formal platforms, or party structures; the following two "groupings"
  have competed in legislative balloting in recent years - Kabua Party
  [Imata KABUA] and United Democratic Party or UDP [Litokwa TOMEING]

Martinique
  Martinique Communist Party or PCM [Georges ERICHOT];
  Martinique Independence Movement or MIM [Alfred MARIE-JEANNE];
  Martinique Progressive Party or PPM [Pierre SUEDILE]; Martinique
  Socialist Party or PMS [Ernest WAN-AJOUHU]; Movement of Democrats
  and Ecologists for a Sovereign Martinique or Modemas [Garcin MALSA];
  Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michel CHARLONE]; Socialist
  Revolution Group or GRS [Philippe PIERRE-CHARLES]; Union for French
  Democracy or UDF [Jean MAREN]

Mauritania
  Action for Change or AC [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR];
  Alliance for Justice and Democracy or AJD [Kebe ABDOULAYE];
  Democratic and Social Republican Party or PRDS (ruling party)
  [President Maaouya Ould Sid Ahmed TAYA]; Mauritanian Party for
  Renewal and Concorde or PMRC [Molaye El Hassen Ould JIYID]; National
  Union for Democracy and Development or UNDD [Tidjane KOITA]; Party
  for Liberty, Equality and Justice or PLEJ [Daouda M'BAGNIGA];
  Popular Front or FP [Ch'bih Ould CHEIKH MALAININE]; Popular Progress
  Alliance or APP [Messoud Ould BOULKHEIR]; Popular Social and
  Democratic Union or UPSD [Mohamed Mahmoud Ould MAH]; Progress Force
  Union or UFP [Mohamed Ould MAOULOUD]; Rally of Democratic Forces or
  RFD [Ahmed Ould DADDAH]; Rally for Democracy and Unity or RDU [Ahmed
  Ould SIDI BABA]; Union for Democracy and Progress or UDP [Naha Mint
  MOUKNASS]
  note: the Action for Change party was banned in January 2002
  although its members were permitted to keep their seats in the
  National Assembly; parties legalized by constitution ratified 12
  July 1991, however, politics continue to be tribally based

Mauritius
  Hizbullah [Cehl Mohamed FAKEEMEEAH]; Mauritian Labor Party
  or MLP [Navinchandra RAMGOOLAM]; Mauritian Militant Movement or MMM
  [Paul BERENGER] - in coalition with MSM; Mauritian Social Democrat
  Party or PMSD [Charles Xavier-Luc DUVAL]; Militant Socialist
  Movement or MSM [Pravind JUGNAUTH] - governing party; Rodrigues
  Movement or MR [Joseph (Nicholas) Von MALLY]; Rodrigues Peoples
  Organization or OPR [Serge CLAIR]

Mayotte
  Democratic Front or FD [Youssouf MOUSSA]; Mahoran Popular
  Movement or MPM [Ahmed MADI]; FARC [leader NA]; Federation of
  Mahorans or RPR (UMP) [Mansour KAMARDINE]; Movement for Department
  Status Mayotte or MDM [Mouhoutar SALIM]; Renewed Communist Party of
  Mayotte or MRC [Omar SIMBA]; Socialist Party or PS (local branch of
  French Parti Socialiste) [Ibrahim ABUBACAR]; Union for French
  Democracy or UDF [Henri JEAN-BAPTISTE]

Mexico
  Convergence for Democracy or CD [Dante DELGADO Ranauro];
  Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI [Roberto MADRAZO Pintado];
  Mexican Green Ecological Party or PVEM [Jorge Emilio GONZALEZ
  Martinez]; National Action Party or PAN [Luis Felipe BRAVO Mena];
  Party of the Democratic Revolution or PRD [Leonel GODOY]; Workers
  Party or PT [Alberto ANAYA Gutierrez]

Micronesia, Federated States of
  no formal parties

Moldova
  Democratic Modova Bloc [Serafim URECHEANU] includes:
  Democratic Party [Dumitru DIACOV], Our Moldova Alliance [Dumitru
  BRAGHIS, Serafim URECHEANU], Social Liberal Party [Oleg SEREBRIAN];
  Communist Party of the Republic of Moldova or PCRM [Vladimir
  VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD
  [Iurie ROSCA]

Monaco
  National and Democratic Union or UND [Jean-Louis CAMPORA];
  Union for Monaco or UPM (including National Union for the Future of
  Monaco or UNAM) [leader NA]

Mongolia
  Citizens' Will Republican Party or CWRP (also called Civil
  Courage Republican Party or CCRP) [Sanjaasurengiin OYUN]; Democratic
  Party or DP [R. GONCHIKDORJ]; Motherland-Mongolian New Socialist
  Democratic Party or M-MNSDP [Badarchyn ERDENEBAT]; Mongolian
  People's Revolutionary Party or MPRP [Nambaryn ENKHBAYAR]; Mongolian
  Republican Party or MRP [Bazarsadyn JARGALSAIKHAN]
  note: DP and M-MNSDP formed Motherland-Democracy Coalition (MDC) in
  2003 and with CWRP contested June 2004 elections as single party;
  MDC's leadership dissolved coalition in December 2004

Montserrat
  National Progressive Party or NPP [Reuben T. MEADE]; New
  People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]

Morocco
  Action Party or PA [Muhammad EL IDRISSI]; Alliance of
  Liberties or ADL [Ali BELHAJ]; Annahj Addimocrati or Annahj
  [Abdellah EL HARIF]; Avant Garde Social Democratic Party or PADS
  [Ahmed BENJELLOUN]; Citizen Forces or FC [Abderrahman LAHJOUJI];
  Citizen's Initiatives for Development [Mohamed BENHAMOU];
  Constitutional Union or UC [Mohamed ABIED (interim)]; Democratic and
  Independence Party or PDI [Abdelwahed MAACH]; Democratic and Social
  Movement or MDS [Mahmoud ARCHANE]; Democratic Socialist Party or PSD
  [Aissa OUARDIGHI]; Democratic Union or UD [Bouazza IKKEN];
  Environment and Development Party or PED [Ahmed EL ALAMI]; Front of
  Democratic Forces or FFD [Thami EL KHYARI]; Istiqlal Party
  (Independence Party) or PI [Abbas El FASSI]; Justice and Development
  Party or PJD [Saad Eddine OTHMANI]; Moroccan Liberal Party or PML
  [Mohamed ZIANE]; National Democratic Party or PND [Abdallah KADIRI];
  National Ittihadi Congress Party or CNI [Abdelmajid BOUZOUBAA];
  National Popular Movement or MNP [Mahjoubi AHERDANE]; National Rally
  of Independents or RNI [Ahmed OSMAN]; National Union of Popular
  Forces or UNFP [Abdellah IBRAHIM]; Parti Al Ahd or Al Ahd [Najib EL
  OUAZZANI, chairman]; Party of Progress and Socialism or PPS [Ismail
  ALAOUI]; Party of Renewal and Equity or PRE [Chakir ACHABAR]; Party
  of the Unified Socialist Left or GSU [Mohamed Ben Said AIT IDDER];
  Popular Movement or MP [Mohamed LAENSER]; Reform and Development
  Party or PRD [Abderrahmane EL KOUHEN]; Social Center Party or PSC
  [Lahcen MADIH]; Socialist Union of Popular Forces or USFP [Mohammed
  El-YAZGHI]

Mozambique
  Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frente de
  Liberatacao de Mocambique) or FRELIMO [Armando Emilio GUEBUZA,
  president]; Mozambique National Resistance-Electoral Union
  (Resistencia Nacional Mocambicana-Uniao Eleitoral) or RENAMO-UE
  [Afonso DHLAKAMA, president]

Namibia
  Congress of Democrats or COD [Ben ULENGA]; Democratic
  Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia or DTA [Katuutire KAURA, president];
  Monitor Action Group or MAG [Kosie PRETORIUS]; South West Africa
  People's Organization or SWAPO [Sam Shafishuna NUJOMA]; United
  Democratic Front or UDF [Justus GAROEB]

Nauru
  loose multiparty system; Democratic Party [Kennan ADEANG];
  Nauru Party (informal) [leader NA]; Naoero Amo (Nauru First) Party
  [leader NA]

Nepal
  Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML
  [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party
  or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur
  THAPA, chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana Morcha)
  [Chitra BAHADUR, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur
  DEUBA, president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA,
  party president; Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Nepal
  Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting
  party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan
  Man BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]

Netherlands
  Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques
  Marcel VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats
  66 or D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party
  or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Gerard van AS]; People's
  Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Jozias VAN
  AARTSEN]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties

Netherlands Antilles
  Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne
  YS]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi
  ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ];
  Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY];
  Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
  WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or
  FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol
  COVA]; National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party
  or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN
  [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UP Bonaire
  [Ramonsito BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance
  JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao
  Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement
  [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius
  Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's
  Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny
  DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON];
  Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK,
  Editha WRIGHT]
  note: political parties are indigenous to each island

New Caledonia
  Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX];
  Caleonian Union or UC [leader NA]; Federation des Comites de
  Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front
  National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK
  [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS
  [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation
  Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for
  Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques
  LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale
  pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer
  exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
  Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
  [Victor TUTUGORO]

New Zealand
  ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette
  FITZSIMONS and Rod DONALD]; Maori Party [Whatarangi WINIATA];
  National Party or NP [Don BRASH]; New Zealand First Party or NZFP
  [Winston PETERS]; New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Helen CLARK];
  Progressive Party [James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter
  DUNNE]

Nicaragua
  Alliance for the Republic or APRE [Miguel LOPEZ Baldizon,
  Oscar WENDOLYN Vargas, Karla WHITE]; Central American Unionist Party
  or PUCA [leader NA]; Christian Alternative Party or AC [Orlando
  TARDENCILLA Espinoza]; Conservative Party of Nicaragua or PCN [Mario
  RAPPACCIOLI]; Independent Liberal Party or PLI [Anibal MARTINEZ
  Nunez, Pedro REYES Vallejos]; Independent Liberal Party for National
  Unity or PLIUN [leader NA]; Liberal Constitutional Party or PLC
  [Jorge CASTILLO Quant]; Liberal Salvation Movement or MSL [Eliseo
  NUNEZ Hernandez]; New Liberal Party or PALI [leader NA]; Nicaraguan
  Party of the Christian Path or PCCN [Guillermo OSORNO Molina];
  Nicaraguan Resistance Party or PRN [Salvador TALAVERA]; Sandinista
  National Liberation Front or FSLN [Daniel ORTEGA Saavedra];
  Sandinista Renovation Movement or MRS [leader NA]; Unity Alliance or
  AU [leader NA]

Niger
  Alliance for Democracy and Progress or ANDP [leader NA];
  Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID];
  Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane
  OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or
  MNSD-Nassara [TANDJA Mamadou, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for
  Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya
  [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and
  Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Party for
  Socialism and Democracy in Niger [leader NA]; Rally for Social
  Democracy or RSD [Cheiffou AMADOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and
  Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU,
  chairman]

Nigeria
  Alliance for Democracy or AD [Alhaji Adamu ABDULKADIR]; All
  Nigeria Peoples' Party or ANPP [Don ETIEBET]; All Progressives Grand
  Alliance or APGA [Chekwas OKORIE]; National Democratic Party or NDP
  [Aliyu Habu FARI]; Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Dr. Ahmadu ALI];
  Peoples Redemption Party or PRP [Abdulkadir Balarabe MUSA]; Peoples
  Salvation Party or PSP [Lawal MAITURARE]; United Nigeria Peoples
  Party or UNPP [Saleh JAMBO]

Niue
  Niue People's Action Party or NPP [Young VIVIAN]; Alliance of
  Independents or AI [leader NA]

Norfolk Island
  none

Northern Mariana Islands
  Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO];
  Republican Party [NA]; Covenant Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]

Norway
  Center Party [Aslaug Marie HAGA]; Christian People's Party
  [Dagfinn HOYBRATEN]; Coastal Party [Roy WAAGE]; Conservative Party
  [Erna SOLBERG]; Labor Party [Jens STOLTENBERG]; Liberal Party [Lars
  SPONHEIM]; Progress Party [Carl I. HAGEN]; Socialist Left Party
  [Kristin HALVORSEN]

Oman
  none

Pakistan
  Awami National Party or ANP [Wali KHAN]; Balochistan
  National Movement/Hayee Group or BNM/H [Dr. Hayee BALUCH]; Baluch
  National Party/Awami or BNP/Awami [Moheem Khan BALOCH]; Baluch
  National Party-Mengal or BNP/M [Sardar Ataullah MENGAL]; Jamhoori
  Watan Party or JWP [Akbar Khan BUGTI]; Jamiat-al-Hadith or JAH
  [Sajid MIR]; Jamiat-i-Islami or JI [Qazi Hussain AHMED]; Jamiat
  Ulema-i-Islam, Fazlur Rehman faction or JUI/F [Fazlur REHMAN];
  Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, Sami ul-HAQ faction or JUI/S [Sami ul-HAQ];
  Jamiat Ulema-i-Pakistan or JUP [Shah Faridul HAQ]; Millat Party or
  MP [Farooq LEGHARI]; Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal Pakistan or MMA [Qazi
  Hussain AHMED]; Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Altaf faction or MQM/A
  [Altaf HUSSAIN]; Muttahida Quami Movement, Haqiqi faction or MQM/H
  [Afaq AHMAD]; National People's Party or NPP [Ghulam Mustapha
  JATOI]; Pakhtun Khwa Milli Awami Party or PkMAP [Mahmood Khan
  ACHAKZAI]; Pakhtun Quami Party or PQP [Mohammed Afzal KHAN];
  Pakistan Awami Tehrik or PAT [Tahir ul QADRI]; Pakistan Democratic
  Party or PDP [Mehbooba Mufti SAYEED]; Pakistan Muslim League,
  Functional Group or PML/F [Pir PAGARO]; Pakistan Muslim League,
  Nawaz Sharif faction or PML/N [Nawaz SHARIF]; Pakistan Muslim League
  or PML [Chaudhry Shujaat HUSSAIN]; note - as of May 2004, the PML/Q
  changed its name to PML and absorbed the PML/J, PML/Z, and NA;
  Pakistan National Party or PNP [Hasil BIZENJO]; Pakistan People's
  Party or PPP [Aftab Ahmed Khan SHERPAO]; Pakistan People's Party
  Parliamentarians or PPPP [Benazir BHUTTO]; Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf
  or PTI [Imran KHAN]; Tehrik-i-Islami [Allama Sajid NAQVI]
  note: political alliances in Pakistan can shift frequently

Palau
  none

Panama
  Democratic Change or CD [Ricardo MARTINELLI]; Democratic
  Revolutionary Party or PRD [Martin TORRIJOS]; National Liberal Party
  or PLN [Anibal GALINDO]; Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement or
  MOLIRENA [Jesus ROSAS]; Panamenista Party or PA (formerly the
  Arnulfista Party) [Mireya Elisa MOSCOSO Rodriguez]; Popular Party or
  PP (formerly Christian Democratic Party or PDC) [Ruben AROSEMENA];
  Solidarity Party or PS [Jose Raul MULINO]

Papua New Guinea
  Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN, party
  leader]; Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL, party
  leader]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE, party
  leader; George MANOA, party president]; National Party [Melchior
  PEP, party leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris
  HAIVETA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking
  DORUBA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA,
  party leader]; Papua New Guinea Party (was People's Democratic
  Movement or PDM) [Sir Mekere MORAUTA, party leader]; People's Action
  Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA, party leader]; People's Labor Party or
  PLP [Ekis ROPENU, party leader]; People's National Congress or PNC
  [Peter O'NEILL, party leader]; People's Progressive Party or PPP
  [Andrew BAING, party leader]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE, party
  leader]; Rural People's Party [Peter NAMUS, party leader]; United
  Party [Bire KIMASOPA, party leader]; United Resources Party or URP
  [Tim NEVILLE, party leader] (2004)

Paraguay
  Asociacion Nacional Republicana - Colorado Party or ANR
  [Herminio CACERES, interim president]; Movimiento Union Nacional de
  Ciudadanos Eticos or UNACE [Enrique GONZALEZ Quintana, acting
  chairman]; Patria Querida (Beloved Fatherland Party) or PQ [Pedro
  Nicolas Maraa FADUL Niella]; Partido Encuentro Nacional or PEN [Luis
  TORALES Kenney]; Partido Liberal Radical Autentico or PLRA [Julio
  Cesar FRANCO]; Partido Pais Solidario or PPS [Carlos Alberto
  FILIZZOLA Pallares]
  note: Nicanor DUARTE Frutos on leave as party leader of the Colorado
  Party or ANR while serving as President of Paraguay; Lino Cesar
  OVIEDO Silva, leader of UNACE, is currently serving a ten-year
  prison term

Peru
  Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega];
  National Unity (Unidad Nacional) or UN [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru
  Posible or PP [David WAISMAN]; Peruvian Aprista Party or PAP (also
  referred to by its original name Alianza Popular Revolucionaria
  Americana or APRA) [Alan GARCIA]; Popular Action or AP [Javier DIAZ
  Orihuela]; Solucion Popular [Carlos BOLANA]; Somos Peru or SP
  [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [Roger GUERRA Garcia]

Philippines
  Laban Ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino
  Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA, president]; Lakas Ng Edsa
  (National Union of Christian Democrats) or Lakas [Jose DE VENECIA,
  president; Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, chairperson]; Liberal Party or
  LP [Franklin DRILON, president; Jose ATIENZA, JR., chairman];
  National People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUANGCO, chairman
  emeritus; Frisco SAN JUAN, president]; PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL,
  president]; Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Party of the Philippine
  Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA, president; Juan Ponce ENRILE,
  chairman]; Aksyon Demokratiko Party [Raul ROCO, president]; Reporma
  [Renato DE VILLA, chairman]; PROMDI [Emilio OSMENA, president];
  Nacionalista [Manuel VILLAR, president]; People's Reform Party
  [Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO, president}

Pitcairn Islands
  none

Poland
  Catholic-National Movement or RKN [Antoni MACIEREWICZ]; Civic
  Platform or PO [Donald TUSK]; Conservative Peasants Party or KL
  [Artur BALAZS]; Democratic Left Alliance or SLD [Jozef OLEKSY]; Dom
  Ojczysty (Fatherland Home); Freedom Union or UW [Wladyslaw
  FRASYNIUK]; German Minority of Lower Silesia or MNSO [Henryk KROLL];
  Law and Justice or PiS [Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI]; League of Polish
  Families or LPR [Marek KOTLINOWSKI]; Movement for the Reconstruction
  of Poland or ROP [Jan OLSZEWSKI]; Peasant-Democratic Party or PLD
  [Roman JAGIELINSKI]; Polish Accord or PP [Jan LOPUSZANSKI]; Polish
  Peasant Party or PSL [Waldemar PAWLAK]; Samoobrona or SO [Andrzej
  LEPPER]; Social Democratic Party of Poland or SDPL [Marek BOROWSKI];
  Social Movement or RS [Krzysztof PIESIEWICZ]; Union of Labor or UP
  [Izabela JARUGA-NOWACKA]

Portugal
  Green Ecologist Party or PEV [Heloisa APOLONIA]; Popular
  Party or PP [Jose Ribeiro e CASTRO]; Portuguese Communist Party or
  PCP [Jeronimo de SOUSA]; Portuguese Socialist Party or PS [Jose
  SOCRATES Carvalho Pinto de Sousa]; Social Democratic Party or PSD
  [Luis Marques MENDES]; The Left Bloc or BE [Franciso Anacleto
  LOUCA]; Unitarian Democratic Coalition or UDC [Jeronimo de SOUSA]

Puerto Rico
  National Democratic Party [Celeste BENITEZ]; National
  Republican Party of Puerto Rico [Dr. Tiody FERRE]; New Progressive
  Party or PNP (pro-US statehood) [Pedro ROSSELLO]; Popular Democratic
  Party or PPD (pro-commonwealth) [Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA]; Puerto Rican
  Independence Party or PIP (pro-independence) [Ruben BERRIOS Martinez]

Qatar
  none

Reunion
  Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for
  the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS
  [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert
  GERARD]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [leader NA]

Romania
  Conservative Party [Dan VOICULESCU], formerly Humanist Party
  or PUR; Democratic Party or PD [Emil BOC]; Democratic Union of
  Hungarians in Romania or UDMR [Bela MARKO]; National Liberal Party
  or PNL [Calin Popescu TARICEANU]; Romania Mare Party (Greater
  Romanian Party) or PRM [Corneliu Vadim TUDOR]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Mircea Dan GEOANA], formerly Party of Social Democracy
  in Romania or PDSR

Russia
  Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy
  Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR
  [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Dmitriy
  ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Right Forces or
  SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina
  Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris
  Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich
  YAVLINSKIY]

Rwanda
  Centrist Democratic Party or PDC [Alfred MUKEZAMFURA];
  Democratic Popular Union of Rwanda or UDPR [Adrien RANGIRA];
  Democratic Republican Movement or MDR (officially banned) [Celestin
  KABANDA]; Islamic Democratic Party or PDI [Andre BUMAYA]; Liberal
  Party or PL [Prosper HIGIRO]; Party for Democratic Renewal
  (officially banned) [Pasteur BIZIMUNGU and Charles NTAKARUTINKA];
  Rwandan Patriotic Front or RPF [Paul KAGAME]; Social Democratic
  Party or PSD [Vincent BIRUTA]

Saint Helena
  none

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Vance
  AMORY]; Nevis Reformation Party or NRP [Joseph PARRY]; People's
  Action Movement or PAM [Lindsey GRANT]; Saint Kitts and Nevis Labor
  Party or SKNLP [Dr. Denzil DOUGLAS]

Saint Lucia
  National Alliance or NA [George ODLUM]; Saint Lucia
  Freedom Party or SFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or
  SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; Sou Tout Apwe Fete Fini or STAFF [Christopher
  HUNTE]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH]

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Left Radical Party or PRG [leader NA];
  Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP) [leader NA];
  Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie
  Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  National Reform Party or NRP [Joel
  MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's
  Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or
  PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS];
  Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition
  of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National
  Unity or MNU)

Samoa
  Christian Democratic Party [leader NA]; Human Rights
  Protection Party or HRPP [Sailele Malielegaoi TUILA'EPA, chairman];
  Samoan Democratic United Party or SDUP [LE MAMEA Ropati, chairman]
  (opposition)

San Marino
  Communist Refoundation or RC [Ivan FOSHI]; Ideas in
  Movement or IM [Alessandro ROSSI]; National Alliance or AN [leader
  NA]; Party of Democrats or PD [Claudio FELICI]; San Marino Christian
  Democratic Party or PDCS [Giovanni LONFERNINI]; San Marino Popular
  Alliance of Democrats or APDS [Roberto GIORGETTI]; San Marino
  Socialist Party or PSS [Alberto CECCHETTI]; Socialists for Reform or
  SR [Renzo GIARDI]

Sao Tome and Principe
  Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA];
  Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent
  Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation
  of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD
  [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD
  [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small
  parties

Saudi Arabia
  none

Senegal
  African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also
  known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general]; African Party
  of Independence [Majhemout DIOP]; Alliance of Forces of Progress or
  AFP [Moustapha NIASSE]; Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP
  (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM]; Democratic
  League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY]; Front
  for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE]; Gainde
  Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS]; Independence and Labor Party
  or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO]; National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier
  DIOUF]; Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
  Socialist Party or PS [Ousmane Tanor DIENG]; SOPI Coalition (a
  coalition led by the PDS) [Abdoulaye WADE]; Union for Democratic
  Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA]; other small parties

Serbia and Montenegro
  Democratic Party or DS [Boris TADIC];
  Democratic Party of Serbia or DSS [Vojislav KOSTUNICA]; Democratic
  Party of Socialists of Montenegro or DPS [Milo DJUKANOVIC];
  Democratic Serbian Party of Montenegro or DSS [Bozidar BOJOVIC]; G17
  Plus [Miroljub LABUS]; New Serbia or NS [Velimir ILIC]; Liberal
  Party of Montenegro or LSCG [Miodrag ZIVKOVIC]; People's Party of
  Montenegro or NS [Dragan SOC]; Power of Serbia Movement or PSS
  [Bogoljub KARIC]; Serbian Radical Party or SRS [Tomislav NIKOLIC];
  Serbian Renewal Movement or SPO [Vuk DRASKOVIC]; Serbian Socialist
  Party or SPS (former Communist Party and party of Slobodan
  MILOSEVIC) [Ivica DACIC, president of Main Board]; Social Democratic
  Party of Montenegro or SDP [Ranko KRIVOKAPIC]; Socialist People's
  Party of Montenegro or SNP [Predrag BULATOVIC]
  note: the following political parties participate in elections and
  institutions only in Kosovo, which has been governed by the UN under
  UNSCR 1244 since 1999: Albanian Christian Democratic Party or PSHDK
  [Mark KRASNIQI]; Alliance for the Future of Kosovo or AAK [Ramush
  HARADINAJ]; Citizens' Initiative of Serbia or GIS [Slavisa
  PETKOVIC]; Democratic Ashkali Party of Kosovo or PDAK [Sabit
  RRAHMANI]; Democratic League of Kosovo or LDK [Ibrahim RUGOVA];
  Democratic Party of Kosovo or PDK [Hashim THACI]; Justice Party of
  PD [Sylejman CERKEZI]; Kosovo Democratic Turkish Party of KDTP
  [Mahir YAGCILAR]; Liberal Party of Kosovo or PLK [Gjergj DEDAJ]; Ora
  [Veton SURROI]; New Democratic Initiative of Kosovo or IRDK [Bislim
  HOTI]; Party of Democratic Action or SDA [Numan BALIC]; Popular
  Movement of Kosovo or LPK [Emrush XHEMAJLI]; Prizren-Dragas
  Initiative or PDI [Ismajl KARADOLAMI]; Serb List for Kosovo and
  Metohija or SLKM [Oliver IVANOVIC]; United Roma Party of Kosovo or
  PREBK [Haxhi Zylfi MERXHA]; Vakat [leader NA]

Seychelles
  Democratic Party or DP [James MANCHAM, Daniel BELLE];
  Mouvement Seychellois pour la Democratie [Jacques HODOUL];
  Seychelles National Party or SNP (formerly the United Opposition or
  UO) [Wavel RAMKALAWAN]; Seychelles People's Progressive Front or
  SPPF [France Albert RENE, James MICHEL] - the governing party

Sierra Leone
  All People's Congress or APC [Ben KANU]; Peace and
  Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman];
  Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Sama BANYA]; numerous others

Singapore
  governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien
  Loong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP
  [LING How Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA
  group); Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]
  (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP
  [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA
  group); Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL]
  (SDA group); Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA
  group); Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]

Slovakia
  Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY];
  Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO]; Free Forum [Zuzana MARTINAKOVA];
  Movement for Democracy or HZD [Jozef GRAPA]; Movement for a
  Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS [Vladimir MECIAR]; New
  Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party of the Hungarian
  Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; People's Union or LU [Gustav KRAJCI];
  Slovak Communist Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and
  Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or
  SNS [Peter SULOVSKY]

Slovenia
  Democratic Party of Retired (Persons) of Slovenia or DeSUS
  [Anton ROUS]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDS [Anton ROP]; New
  Slovenia or NSi [Andrej BAJUK]; Slovene Democratic Party or SDS
  [Janez JANSA]; Slovene National Party or SNS [Zmago JELINCIC];
  Slovene People's Party or SLS [Janez PODOBNIK]; Slovene Youth Party
  or SMS [Darko KRANJC]; United List of Social Democrats or ZLSD
  [Borut PAHOR]

Solomon Islands
  Association of Independents [Snyder RINI]; People's
  Alliance Party or PAP [Allan KEMAKEZA]; People's Progressive Party
  or PPP [Mannaseh Damukana SOGAVARE]; Solomon Islands Alliance for
  Change Coalition or SIACC [Bartholomew ULUFA'ALU]; Solomon Islands
  Labor Party or SILP [Joses TUHANUKU]
  note: in general, Solomon Islands politics is characterized by fluid
  coalitions

Somalia
  none

South Africa
  African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP [Kenneth
  MESHOE, president]; African National Congress or ANC [Thabo MBEKI,
  president]; Democratic Alliance or DA (formed from the merger of the
  Democratic Party or DP and the Freedom Alliance or FA) [Anthony
  LEON]; Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP [Mangosuthu BUTHELEZI,
  president]; Pan-Africanist Congress or PAC [Stanley MOGOBA,
  president]; United Democratic Movement or UDM [Bantu HOLOMISA]

Spain
  Basque Nationalist Party or PNV [Josu Jon IMAZ]; Canarian
  Coalition or CC (a coalition of five parties) [Paulino RIVERO
  Baute]; Convergence and Union or CiU [Artur MAS i Gavarro] (a
  coalition of the Democratic Convergence of Catalonia or CDC [Artur
  MAS i Gavarro] and the Democratic Union of Catalonia or UDC [Josep
  Antoni DURAN y LLEIDA]); Entesa Catalonia de Progress (a Senate
  coalition grouping four Catalan parties - PSC, ERC, ICV, EUA)
  [leader NA]; Galician Nationalist Bloc or BNG [Anxo Manuel
  QUINTANA]; Party of Independents from Lanzarote or PIL [Dimas MARTIN
  Martin]; Popular Party or PP [Mariano RAJOY]; Republican Left of
  Catalonia or ERC [Josep-Lluis CAROD-ROVIRA]; Spanish Socialist
  Workers Party or PSOE [Jose Luis RODRIGUEZ ZAPATERO]; United Left or
  IU (a coalition of parties including the PCE and other small
  parties) [Gaspar LLAMAZARES]

Sri Lanka
  All Ceylon Tamil Congress or ACTC [KUMARGURUPARAM]; Ceylon
  Workers Congress or CWC [Arumugam THONDAMAN]; Communist Party or CP
  [D. GUNASEKERA]; Democratic United National (Lalith) Front or DUNLF
  [Shrimani ATULATHMUDALI]; Eelam People's Democratic Party or EPDP
  [Douglas DEVANANDA]; Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
  or EPRLF [Suresh PREMACHANDRAN]; Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna or JVP
  [Tilvan SILVA]; National Heritage Party or JHU [Tilak KARUNARATNE];
  National Unity Alliance or NUA [Ferial ASHRAFF]; People's Liberation
  Organization of Tamil Eelam or PLOTE [leader NA]; Sihala Urumaya or
  SU [leader NA]; Sri Lanka Freedom Party or SLFP [Chandrika
  Bandaranaike KUMARATUNGA]; Sri Lanka Muslim Congress or SLMC [Rauff
  HAKEEM]; Sri Lanka Progressive Front or SLPF [P. Nelson PERERA];
  Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization or TELO [SABARATNAM]; Tamil
  National Alliance or TNA [R. SAMPANTHAN]; Tamil United Liberation
  Front or TULF [V. ANANDASANGAREE]; United National Party or UNP
  [Ranil WICKREMASINGHE]; Up-country People's Front or UPF [P.
  CHANDRASEKARAN]; several ethnic Tamil and Muslim parties,
  represented in either Parliament or provincial councils

Sudan
  the government allows political "associations" under a 1998
  law revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must
  accept the constitution and refrain from advocating or using
  violence against the regime; approved parties include the National
  Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National
  Congress or PNC [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor,
  pro-government parties

Suriname
  A-Combinatie (coalition of Brotherhood and Unity in
  Politics or BEP [Caprino ALENDY], General Interior Development Party
  or ABOP [Ronnie BRUNSWIJK], Progressive Laborers and Farmers Union
  or PALU [Jim HOK], Seeka [Paul ABENA]); Alternative-1 or A-1 (a
  coalition of Democratic Alternative 1991 or DA-91 [Winston
  JESSURUN], Democrats of the 21st Century or D-21 [Soewarto
  MOESTADJA], Nieuw Suriname or NS [Radjen Nanan PANDAY], Political
  Wing of the FAL or PVF [Jiwan SITAL], Trefpunt 2000 or T-2000 [Arti
  JESSURUN]); National Democratic Party or NDP [Desire BOUTERSE]; New
  Front for Democracy and Development or NF (a coalition includes
  National Party Suriname or NPS (Ronald VENETIAAN], United Reform
  Party or VHP [Ram SARDJOE], Pertjaja Luhur or PL [Salam Paul
  SOMOHARDJO], Surinamese Labor Party or SPA [Siegfried GILDS]); Party
  for Democracy and Development in Unity or DOE [Marten Schalkwijk];
  People's Alliance for Progress or VVV (a coalition of Democratic
  National Platform 2000 or DNP-2000 [Jules WIJDENBOSCH], Grassroots
  Party for Renewal and Democracy or BVD [Tjan GOBARDHAN], Party for
  National Unity and Solidarity of the Highest Order or KTPI [Willy
  SOEMITA], Party for Progression, Justice, and Perserverance or PPRS
  [Renee KAIMAN], Pendawalima or PL [Raymond SAPOEN]); Union of
  Progressive Surinamers or UPS [Sheoradj PANDAY]

Swaziland
  political parties are banned by the government - the
  following are considered political associations; Imbokodvo National
  Movement or INM [leader NA]; Ngwane National Liberatory Congress or
  NNLC [Obed DLAMINI, president]; People's United Democratic Movement
  or PUDEMO [Mario MASUKU, president]

Sweden
  Center Party [Maud OLOFSSON]; Christian Democratic Party
  [Goran HAGGLUND]; Green Party [no formal leader but party
  spokespersons are Maria WETTERSTRAND and Peter ERIKSSON]; Left Party
  or V (formerly Communist) [Lars OHLY]; Liberal People's Party [Lars
  LEIJONBORG]; Moderate Party (conservative) [Fredrik REINFELDT];
  Social Democratic Party [Goran PERSSON]

Switzerland
  Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti
  Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I
  Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER];
  Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische
  Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or
  PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
  Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD,
  president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische
  Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD,
  Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne
  KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party
  (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist
  Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida
  Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president];
  Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
  Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
  Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and
  other minor parties

Syria
  Arab Socialist Unionist Movement [Ahmed al-AHMED]; National
  Progressive Front or NPF (includes Arab Socialist Renaissance
  (Ba'th) Party; the governing party) [President Bashar al-ASAD,
  secretary general]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Fadlallal
  Nasr Al-DIN]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan QUDSI];
  Syrian Communist Party (two branches) [Wissal Farha BAKDASH, Yuusuf
  Rashid FAYSAL]; Syrian Social National Party [Jubran URAYJI];
  Unionist Socialist Party [Fayez ISMAIL]

Taiwan
  Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [SU Tseng-chang,
  chairman]; Kuomintang or KMT (Nationalist Party) [MA Ying-jeou,
  chairman]; People First Party or PFP [James SOONG (SOONG Chu-yu),
  chairman]; Taiwan Solidarity Union or TSU [SU Chin-chiang,
  chairman]; other minor parties including the Chinese New Party or CNP

Tajikistan
  Democratic Party or DPT [Mahmadruzi ISKANDAROV]; Islamic
  Revival Party [Said Abdullo NURI]; People's Democratic Party of
  Tajikistan or PDPT [Emomali RAHMONOV]; Social Democratic Party or
  SDPT [Rahmatullo ZOIROV]; Socialist Party or SPT [Mirhuseyn
  NAZRIYEV]; Tajik Communist Party or CPT [Shodi SHABDOLOV]

Tanzania
  Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo (Party of Democracy and
  Development) or CHADEMA [Bob MAKANI]; Chama Cha Mapinduzi or CCM
  (Revolutionary Party) [Benjamin William MKAPA]; Civic United Front
  or CUF [Ibrahim LIPUMBA]; Democratic Party (unregistered)
  [Christopher MTIKLA]; Tanzania Labor Party or TLP [Augustine
  Lyatonga MREME]; United Democratic Party or UDP [John CHEYO]

Thailand
  Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT
  Wetchachiwa]; People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK
  Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN
  SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

Togo
  Juvento [Monsilia DJATO]; Movement of the Believers of Peace
  and Equality or MOCEP [leader NA]; Rally for the Support for
  Development and Democracy or RSDD [Harry OLYMPIO]; Rally of the
  Togolese People or RPT [Faure GNASSINGBE]; Union for Democracy and
  Social Progress or UDPS [Gagou KOKOU]
  note: Rally of the Togolese People or RPT, led by President
  GNASSINGBE, was the only party until the formation of multiple
  parties was legalized 12 April 1991

Tokelau
  none

Tonga
  there are no political parties

Trinidad and Tobago
  National Alliance for Reconstruction or NAR
  [Lennox SANKERSINGH]; People's National Movement or PNM [Patrick
  MANNING]; Team Unity or TU [Ramesh MAHARAJ]; United National
  Congress or UNC [Basdeo PANDAY]; Democratic Action Committee or DAC
  [Hochoy CHARLES], note - only active in Tobago

Tunisia
  Al-Tajdid Movement [Ali HALOUANI]; Constitutional Democratic
  Rally Party (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Democratique) or RCD
  [President Zine El Abidine BEN ALI (official ruling party)]; Liberal
  Social Party or PSL [Mounir BEJI]; Movement of Socialist Democrats
  or MDS [Ismail BOULAHYA]; Popular Unity Party or PUP [Mohamed
  BOUCHIHA]; Progressive Democratic Party [Nejib CHEBBI]; Unionist
  Democratic Union or UDU [Abderrahmane TLILI]

Turkey
  Democratic Left Party or DSP [Mehmet Zeki SEZER]; Democratic
  People's Party or DEHAP [Tuncer BAKIRHAN]; Justice and Development
  Party or AKP [Recep Tayyip ERDOGAN]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
  [Emin SIRIN]; Motherland Party or ANAP [Ali Talip OZDEMIR];
  Nationalist Action Party or MHP [Devlet BAHCELI]; Republican
  People's Party or CHP (includes the New Turkey Party) [Deniz
  BAYKAL]; Felicity Party (sometimes translated as Contentment Party)
  or SP [Necmettin ERBEKAN]; Social Democratic People's Party or SHP
  [Murat KARAYALCIN]; True Path Party (sometimes translated as Correct
  Way Party) or DYP [Mehmet AGAR]
  note: the parties listed above are some of the more significant of
  the 49 parties that Turkey had on 1 December 2004

Turkmenistan
  Democratic Party of Turkmenistan or DPT [Saparmurat
  NIYAZOV]
  note: formal opposition parties are outlawed; unofficial, small
  opposition movements exist underground or in foreign countries; the
  two most prominent opposition groups-in-exile have been Gundogar and
  Erkin; Gundogar was led by former Foreign Minister Boris
  SHIKHMURADOV until his arrest and imprisonment in the wake of the 25
  November 2002 assassination attempt on President NIYAZOV; Erkin is
  led by former Foreign Minister Abdy KULIEV and is based out of
  Moscow; the Union of Democratic Forces, a coalition of
  opposition-in-exile groups, is based in Europe

Turks and Caicos Islands
  People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek
  H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]

Tuvalu
  there are no political parties but members of Parliament
  usually align themselves in informal groupings

Uganda
  only one political organization, the Movement (formerly the
  NRM) [President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to operate
  unfettered; note - the president maintains that the Movement is not
  a political party, but a mass organization, which claims the loyalty
  of all Ugandans
  note: the constitution requires the suspension of political parties
  while the Movement organization is in governance; of the political
  parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates,
  the most important are the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton
  OBOTE]; Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
  Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad Kibirige
  MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]

Ukraine
  Agrarian Party [Volodymyr LYTVYN]; Communist Party of
  Ukraine or CPU [Petro SYMONENKO]; Democratic Initiatives [Stepan
  HAVRYSH]; Industrialists and Entrepreneurs [Anatoliy KINAKH]; Our
  Ukraine bloc (comprised of several parties the most prominent of
  which are Rukh, the Ukrainian People's Party, Reforms and Order, and
  Solidarity) [Viktor YUSHCHENKO]; People's Democratic Party or PDP
  [Valeriy PUSTOVOYTENKO]; Regions of Ukraine [Viktor YANUKOVYCH];
  Socialist Party of Ukraine or SPU [Oleksandr MOROZ, chairman];
  United Social Democratic Party [Viktor MEDVEDCHUK]; Working Ukraine
  [Serhiy TYHYPKO]; Yuliya Tymoshenko Bloc [Yuliya TYMOSHENKO]
  note: as well as numerous smaller parties; United Ukraine and Center
  Group are not actual political parties, but rather deputy groups
  (factions not based on a party)

United Arab Emirates
  none

United Kingdom
  Conservative and Unionist Party [Michael HOWARD];
  Democratic Unionist Party (Northern Ireland) [Rev. Ian PAISLEY];
  Labor Party [Anthony (Tony) BLAIR]; Liberal Democrats [Charles
  KENNEDY]; Party of Wales (Plaid Cymru) [Dafydd IWAN]; Scottish
  National Party or SNP [Alex SALMOND]; Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland)
  [Gerry ADAMS]; Social Democratic and Labor Party or SDLP (Northern
  Ireland) [Mark DURKAN]; Ulster Unionist Party (Northern Ireland)
  [Sir Reg EMPEY]

United States
  Democratic Party [Howard DEAN]; Green Party [leader
  NA]; Libertarian Party [Steve DAMERELL]; Republican Party [Ken
  MEHLMAN]

Uruguay
  Colorado Party [Jorge BATLLE Ibanez]; National Party or
  Blanco [Luis Alberto LACALLE Herrera]; New Sector/Space Coalition
  (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael MICHELINI]; Progressive Encounter/Broad
  Front Coalition (Encuentro Progresista/Frente Amplio) or EP-FA
  [Tabare VAZQUEZ]; Independent Party (Partido Independiente) [leader
  NA]

Uzbekistan
  Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party [Dilorom
  TOSHMUHAMMADOVA, chairman]; Democratic National Rebirth Party (Milly
  Tiklanish) or MTP [Xurshid DOSTMUHAMMADOV, chief]; Liberal
  Democratic Party of Uzbekistan or LDPU [Adham SHODMONOV, chairman];
  People's Democratic Party or NDP (formerly Communist Party)
  [Asliddin RUSTAMOV, first secretary]; Self-Sacrificers Party or
  Fidokorlar National Democratic Party [Ahtam TURSUNOV, chief]; note -
  Fatherland Progress Party merged with Self-Sacrificers Party

Vanuatu
  Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive
  Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [leader NA];
  Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our
  Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP
  [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]

Venezuela
  Democratic Action or AD [Jesus MENDEZ Quijada]; Fifth
  Republic Movement or MVR [Hugo CHAVEZ]; Homeland for All or PPT
  [Jose ALBORNOZ]; Justice First [Julio BORGES]; Movement Toward
  Socialism or MAS [Hector MUJICA]; National Convergence or
  Convergencia [Juan Jose CALDERA]; Radical Cause or La Causa R
  [Andres VELASQUEZ]; Social Christian Party or COPEI [Eduardo
  FERNANDEZ]; Venezuela Project or PV [Henrique SALAS Romer]

Vietnam
  only party - Communist Party of Vietnam or CPV [Nong Duc
  MANH, general secretary]

Virgin Islands
  Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent
  Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary
  SPRAUVE]

Wallis and Futuna
  Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement
  des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or
  RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union
  Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie
  Francaise or UDF [leader NA]

Yemen
  there are more than 12 political parties active in Yemen, some
  of the more prominent are: General People's Congress or GPC
  [President Ali Abdallah SALIH]; Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah
  [Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn al-AHMAR]; Nasserite Unionist Party
  [Abdel Malik al-MAKHLAFI]; National Arab Socialist Ba'th Party [Dr.
  Qassim SALAAM]; Yemeni Socialist Party or YSP [Ali Salih MUQBIL]
  note: President SALIH's General People's Congress or GPC won a
  landslide victory in the April 1997 legislative election and no
  longer governs in coalition with Shaykh Abdallah bin Husayn
  al-AHMAR's Islamic Reform Grouping or Islah - the two parties had
  been in coalition since the end of the civil war in 1994; the YSP, a
  loyal opposition party, represents the remnants of the former South
  Yemeni leadership; leaders of the 1994 secessionist movement have
  been pardoned by President SALIH and some are now returning to Yemen
  from exile

Zambia
  Agenda for Zambia or AZ [Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA]; Forum
  for Democracy and Development or FDD [Christon TEMBO]; Heritage
  Party or HP [Godfrey MIYANDA]; Liberal Progressive Front or LPF
  [Roger CHONGWE, president]; Movement for Multiparty Democracy or MMD
  [Levy MWANAWASA, acting president]; National Leadership for
  Development or NLD [Yobert SHAMAPANDE]; National Party or NP [Dr.
  Sam CHIPUNGU]; Patriotic Front or PF [Michael SATA]; Zambian
  Republican Party or ZRP [Benjamin MWILA]; Social Democratic Party or
  SDP [Gwendoline KONIE]; United National Independence Party or UNIP
  [Francis NKHOMA, president]; United Party for National Development
  or UPND [Anderson MAZOKA]

Zimbabwe
  Movement for Democratic Change or MDC [Morgan TSVANGIRAI];
  National Alliance for Good Governance or NAGG [Shakespeare MAYA];
  United Parties [Abel MUZOREWA]; Zimbabwe African National
  Union-Ndonga or ZANU-Ndonga [Wilson KUMBULA]; Zimbabwe African
  National Union-Patriotic Front or ZANU-PF [Robert Gabriel MUGABE];
  Zimbabwe African Peoples Union or ZAPU [Agrippa MADLELA]

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2119 Population

Afghanistan
  29,928,987 (July 2005 est.)

Akrotiri
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there
  are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military
  personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus
  citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Albania
  3,563,112 (July 2005 est.)

Algeria
  32,531,853 (July 2005 est.)

American Samoa
  57,881 (July 2005 est.)

Andorra
  70,549 (July 2005 est.)

Angola
  11,190,786 (July 2005 est.)

Anguilla
  13,254 (July 2005 est.)

Antarctica
  no indigenous inhabitants, but there are both permanent
  and summer-only staffed research stations
  note: 26 nations, all signatory to the Antarctic Treaty, operate
  seasonal (summer) and year-round research stations on the continent
  and in its surrounding oceans; the population of persons doing and
  supporting science on the continent and its nearby islands south of
  60 degrees south latitude (the region covered by the Antarctic
  Treaty) varies from approximately 4,000 in summer to 1,000 in
  winter; in addition, approximately 1,000 personnel including ship's
  crew and scientists doing onboard research are present in the waters
  of the treaty region; summer (January) population - 3,687 total;
  Argentina 302, Australia 201, Belgium 13, Brazil 80, Bulgaria 16,
  Chile 352, China 70, Finland 11, France 100, Germany 51, India 60,
  Italy 106, Japan 136, South Korea 14, Netherlands 10, NZ 60, Norway
  40, Peru 28, Poland 70, Russia 254, South Africa 80, Spain 43,
  Sweden 20, UK 192, US 1,378 (1998-99); winter (July) population -
  964 total; Argentina 165, Australia 75, Brazil 12, Chile 129, China
  33, France 33, Germany 9, India 25, Japan 40, South Korea 14, NZ 10,
  Poland 20, Russia 102, South Africa 10, UK 39, US 248 (1998-99);
  research stations operated within the Antarctic Treaty area (south
  of 60 degrees south) by members of the Council of Managers of
  National Antarctic Programs (COMNAP): year-round stations - 38
  total; Argentina 6, Australia 3, Brazil 1, Chile 4, China 2, France
  1, Germany 1, India 1, Japan 1, South Korea 1, NZ 1, Poland 1,
  Russia 6, South Africa 1, Ukraine 1, UK 2, US 3, Uruguay 1, Italy
  and France jointly 1 (2005); summer-only stations - 34 total;
  Argentina 8, Australia 2, Bulgaria 1, Chile 5, Ecuador 1, Finland 1,
  Germany 2, Italy 1, Japan 3, Norway 2, Peru 1, Russia 2, South
  Africa 1, Spain 2, Sweden 1, UK 1 (2004-2005); in addition, during
  the austral summer some nations have numerous occupied locations
  such as tent camps, summer-long temporary facilities, and mobile
  traverses in support of research

Antigua and Barbuda
  68,722 (July 2005 est.)

Argentina
  39,537,943 (July 2005 est.)

Armenia
  2,982,904 (July 2005 est.)

Aruba
  71,566 (July 2005 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: Indonesian fishermen are allowed access to the lagoon and fresh water at Ashmore Reef's West Island (July 2005 est.)

Australia
  20,090,437 (July 2005 est.)

Austria
  8,184,691 (July 2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  7,911,974 (July 2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  301,790
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Bahrain
  688,345
  note: includes 235,108 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Baker Island
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
  remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the
  middle of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife
  Service (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  144,319,628 (July 2005 est.)

Barbados
  279,254 (July 2005 est.)

Bassas da India
  uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Belarus
  10,300,483 (July 2005 est.)

Belgium
  10,364,388 (July 2005 est.)

Belize
  279,457 (July 2005 est.)

Benin
  7,460,025
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Bermuda
  65,365 (July 2005 est.)

Bhutan 2,232,291 note: other estimates range as low as 810,000 (July 2005 est.)

Bolivia
  8,857,870 (July 2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  4,025,476 (July 2005 est.)

Botswana
  1,640,115
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Bouvet Island
  uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Brazil
  186,112,794
  note: Brazil took a count in August 2000, which reported a
  population of 169,799,170; that figure was about 3.3% lower than
  projections by the US Census Bureau, and is close to the implied
  underenumeration of 4.6% for the 1991 census; estimates for this
  country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality
  due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant
  mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and
  changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would
  otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in
  the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois,
  were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and
  1970s, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a
  British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in
  2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel
  and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia
  (July 2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  22,643 (July 2005 est.)

Brunei
  372,361 (July 2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  7,450,349 (July 2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  13,925,313
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Burma
  42,909,464
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Burundi
  6,370,609
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Cambodia
  13,607,069
  note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of
  excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life
  expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Cameroon
  16,380,005
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Canada
  32,805,041 (July 2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  418,224 (July 2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  44,270 (July 2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  3,799,897
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Chad
  9,826,419 (July 2005 est.)

Chile
  15,980,912 (July 2005 est.)

China
  1,306,313,812 (July 2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  361 (July 2005 est.)

Clipperton Island
  uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  628 (July 2005 est.)

Colombia
  42,954,279 (July 2005 est.)

Comoros
  671,247 (July 2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  60,085,804
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  3,039,126
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  21,388 (July 2005 est.)

Coral Sea Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological
  station (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  4,016,173 (July 2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  17,298,040
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Croatia
  4,495,904 (July 2005 est.)

Cuba
  11,346,670 (July 2005 est.)

Cyprus
  780,133 (July 2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  10,241,138 (July 2005 est.)

Denmark
  5,432,335 (July 2005 est.)

Dhekelia
  no indigenous personnel
  note: approximately 2,200 military personnel are on the base; there
  are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military
  personnel or civilian staff on both the bases of Akrotiri and
  Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

Djibouti
  476,703 (July 2005 est.)

Dominica
  69,029 (July 2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  8,950,034 (July 2005 est.)

East Timor 1,040,880 note: other estimates range as low as 800,000 (July 2005 est.)

Ecuador
  13,363,593 (July 2005 est.)

Egypt
  77,505,756 (July 2005 est.)

El Salvador
  6,704,932 (July 2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  535,881 (July 2005 est.)

Eritrea
  4,561,599 (July 2005 est.)

Estonia
  1,332,893 (July 2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  73,053,286
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Europa Island
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison and a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)

European Union
  456,953,258 (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2,967 (July 2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  46,962 (July 2005 est.)

Fiji
  893,354 (July 2005 est.)

Finland
  5,223,442 (July 2005 est.)

France
  60,656,178 (July 2005 est.)

French Guiana
  195,506 (July 2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  270,485 (July 2005 est.)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  no indigenous inhabitants (July
  2005 est.)
  note: in 2002, there were 145 researchers whose numbers vary from
  winter (July) to summer (January) (July 2005 est.)

Gabon
  1,389,201
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  1,593,256 (July 2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  1,376,289
  note: in addition, there are more than 5,000 Israeli settlers in the
  Gaza Strip (July 2005 est.)

Georgia
  4,677,401 (July 2005 est.)

Germany
  82,431,390 (July 2005 est.)

Ghana
  21,029,853
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  27,884 (July 2005 est.)

Glorioso Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few
  meteorologists; visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Greece
  10,668,354 (July 2005 est.)

Greenland
  56,375 (July 2005 est.)

Grenada
  89,502 (July 2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  448,713 (July 2005 est.)

Guam
  168,564 (July 2005 est.)

Guatemala
  14,655,189 (July 2005 est.)

Guernsey
  65,228 (July 2005 est.)

Guinea
  9,467,866 (July 2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,416,027 (July 2005 est.)

Guyana
  765,283
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Haiti
  8,121,622
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  921 (July 2005 est.)

Honduras
  6,975,204
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  6,898,686 (July 2005 est.)

Howland Island
  uninhabited
  note: American civilians evacuated in 1942 after Japanese air and
  naval attacks during World War II; occupied by US military during
  World War II, but abandoned after the war; public entry is by
  special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and
  generally restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually
  by US Fish and Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)

Hungary
  10,006,835 (July 2005 est.)

Iceland
  296,737 (July 2005 est.)

India
  1,080,264,388 (July 2005 est.)

Indonesia
  241,973,879 (July 2005 est.)

Iran
  68,017,860 (July 2005 est.)

Iraq
  26,074,906 (July 2005 est.)

Ireland
  4,015,676 (July 2005 est.)

Israel
  6,276,883
  note: includes about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank,
  about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, more than 5,000
  in the Gaza Strip, and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July
  2005 est.)

Italy
  58,103,033 (July 2005 est.)

Jamaica
  2,731,832 (July 2005 est.)

Jan Mayen
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and
  the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2005 est.)

Japan
  127,417,244 (July 2005 est.)

Jarvis Island
  uninhabited
  note: Millersville settlement on western side of island occasionally
  used as a weather station from 1935 until World War II, when it was
  abandoned; reoccupied in 1957 during the International Geophysical
  Year by scientists who left in 1958; public entry is by special-use
  permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only and generally
  restricted to scientists and educators; visited annually by US Fish
  and Wildlife Service (July 2005 est.)

Jersey
  90,812 (July 2005 est.)

Johnston Atoll
  361 no indigenous inhabitants
  note: in previous years, there was an average of 1,100 US military
  and civilian contractor personnel present; as of September 2001,
  population had decreased significantly when US Army Chemical
  Activity Pacific (USACAP) departed; as of January 2004 the island
  population was just above 200 personnel, including US Air Force, US
  Fish and Wildlife Service, and civilian contractor personnel (July
  2005 est.)

Jordan
  5,759,732 (July 2005 est.)

Juan de Nova Island no indigenous inhabitants note: there is a small French military garrison along with a few meteorologists; occasionally visited by scientists (July 2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  15,185,844 (July 2005 est.)

Kenya
  33,829,590
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Kingman Reef
  uninhabited (July 2005 est.)

Kiribati
  103,092 (July 2005 est.)

Korea, North
  22,912,177 (July 2005 est.)

Korea, South
  48,422,644 (July 2005 est.)

Kuwait 2,335,648 note: includes 1,291,354 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  5,146,281 (July 2005 est.)

Laos
  6,217,141 (July 2005 est.)

Latvia
  2,290,237 (July 2005 est.)

Lebanon
  3,826,018 (July 2005 est.)

Lesotho
  1,867,035
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Liberia
  3,482,211 (July 2005 est.)

Libya 5,765,563 note: includes 166,510 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  33,717 (July 2005 est.)

Lithuania
  3,596,617 (July 2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  468,571 (July 2005 est.)

Macau
  449,198 (July 2005 est.)

Macedonia
  2,045,262 (July 2005 est.)

Madagascar
  18,040,341 (July 2005 est.)

Malawi
  12,158,924
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Malaysia
  23,953,136 (July 2005 est.)

Maldives
  349,106 (July 2005 est.)

Mali
  12,291,529 (July 2005 est.)

Malta
  398,534 (July 2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  75,049 (July 2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  59,071 (July 2005 est.)

Martinique
  432,900 (July 2005 est.)

Mauritania
  3,086,859 (July 2005 est.)

Mauritius
  1,230,602 (July 2005 est.)

Mayotte
  193,633 (July 2005 est.)

Mexico
  106,202,903 (July 2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  108,105 (July 2005 est.)

Midway Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants; approximately 40 people
  make up the staff of US Fish and Wildlife Service and their services
  contractor living at the atoll (July 2005 est.)

Moldova
  4,455,421 (July 2005 est.)

Monaco
  32,409 (July 2005 est.)

Mongolia
  2,791,272 (July 2005 est.)

Montserrat
  9,341
  note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the
  resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned
  (July 2005 est.)

Morocco
  32,725,847 (July 2005 est.)

Mozambique
  19,406,703
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected; the 1997
  Mozambican census reported a population of 16,099,246 (July 2005
  est.)

Namibia
  2,030,692
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Nauru
  13,048 (July 2005 est.)

Navassa Island
  uninhabited
  note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
  (July 2005 est.)

Nepal
  27,676,547 (July 2005 est.)

Netherlands
  16,407,491 (July 2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  219,958 (July 2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  216,494 (July 2005 est.)

New Zealand
  4,035,461 (July 2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  5,465,100 (July 2005 est.)

Niger
  11,665,937 (July 2005 est.)

Nigeria
  128,771,988
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Niue
  2,166 (July 2005 est.)

Norfolk Island
  1,828 (July 2005 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  80,362 (July 2005 est.)

Norway
  4,593,041 (July 2005 est.)

Oman 3,001,583 note: includes 577,293 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Pakistan
  162,419,946 (July 2005 est.)

Palau
  20,303 (July 2005 est.)

Palmyra Atoll
  no indigenous inhabitants; 4 to 20 Nature Conservancy
  staff, US Fish and Wildlife staff (July 2005 est.)

Panama
  3,039,150 (July 2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  5,545,268 (July 2005 est.)

Paracel Islands no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons

Paraguay
  6,347,884 (July 2005 est.)

Peru
  27,925,628 (July 2005 est.)

Philippines
  87,857,473 (July 2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  46 (July 2005 est.)

Poland
  38,635,144 (July 2005 est.)

Portugal
  10,566,212 (July 2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  3,916,632 (July 2005 est.)

Qatar
  863,051 (July 2005 est.)

Reunion
  776,948 (July 2005 est.)

Romania
  22,329,977 (July 2005 est.)

Russia
  143,420,309 (July 2005 est.)

Rwanda
  8,440,820
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  7,460 (July 2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  38,958 (July 2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  166,312 (July 2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  7,012 (July 2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  117,534 (July 2005 est.)

Samoa
  177,287 (July 2005 est.)

San Marino
  28,880 (July 2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  187,410 (July 2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia 26,417,599 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2005 est.)

Senegal
  11,126,832 (July 2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  10,829,175 (July 2005 est.)

Seychelles
  81,188 (July 2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6,017,643 (July 2005 est.)

Singapore
  4,425,720 (July 2005 est.)

Slovakia
  5,431,363 (July 2005 est.)

Slovenia
  2,011,070 (July 2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  538,032 (July 2005 est.)

Somalia
  8,591,629
  note: this estimate was derived from an official census taken in
  1975 by the Somali Government; population counting in Somalia is
  complicated by the large number of nomads and by refugee movements
  in response to famine and clan warfare (July 2005 est.)

South Africa
  44,344,136
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  no indigenous
  inhabitants
  note: the small military garrison on South Georgia withdrew in March
  2001, to be replaced by a permanent group of scientists of the
  British Antarctic Survey, which also has a biological station on
  Bird Island; the South Sandwich Islands are uninhabited (July 2005
  est.)

Spain
  40,341,462 (July 2005 est.)

Spratly Islands
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: there are scattered garrisons occupied by personnel of several
  claimant states (2004)

Sri Lanka
  20,064,776
  note: since the outbreak of hostilities between the government and
  armed Tamil separatists in the mid-1980s, several hundred thousand
  Tamil civilians have fled the island and more than 200,000 Tamils
  have sought refuge in the West (July 2005 est.)

Sudan
  40,187,486 (July 2005 est.)

Suriname
  438,144 (July 2005 est.)

Svalbard
  2,701 (July 2005 est.)

Swaziland
  1,173,900
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Sweden
  9,001,774 (July 2005 est.)

Switzerland
  7,489,370 (July 2005 est.)

Syria
  18,448,752
  note: in addition, about 40,000 people live in the Israeli-occupied
  Golan Heights - 20,000 Arabs (18,000 Druze and 2,000 Alawites) and
  about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2005 est.)

Taiwan
  22,894,384 (July 2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  7,163,506 (July 2005 est.)

Tanzania
  36,766,356
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Thailand
  65,444,371
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Togo
  5,681,519
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Tokelau
  1,405 (July 2005 est.)

Tonga
  112,422 (July 2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1,088,644 (July 2005 est.)

Tromelin Island
  uninhabited, except for visits by scientists (July
  2005 est.)

Tunisia
  10,074,951 (July 2005 est.)

Turkey
  69,660,559 (July 2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  4,952,081 (July 2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  20,556 (July 2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  11,636 (July 2005 est.)

Uganda
  27,269,482
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Ukraine
  47,425,336 (July 2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2,563,212
  note: includes an estimated 1,606,079 non-nationals; the 17 December
  1995 census presents a total population figure of 2,377,453, and
  there are estimates of 3.44 million for 2002 (July 2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  60,441,457 (July 2005 est.)

United States
  295,734,134 (July 2005 est.)

Uruguay
  3,415,920 (July 2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  26,851,195 (July 2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  205,754 (July 2005 est.)

Venezuela
  25,375,281 (July 2005 est.)

Vietnam
  83,535,576 (July 2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  108,708 (July 2005 est.)

Wake Island
  no indigenous inhabitants
  note: US military personnel have left the island, but contractor
  personnel remain; as of October 2001, 200 contractor personnel were
  present (July 2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  16,025 (July 2005 est.)

West Bank
  2,385,615
  note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the
  West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  273,008 (July 2005 est.)

World
  6,446,131,400 (July 2005 est.)

Yemen
  20,727,063 (July 2005 est.)

Zambia
  11,261,795
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  12,746,990
  note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
  effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
  life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
  population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
  population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
  2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2120 Ports and harbors

Afghanistan
  Kheyrabad, Shir Khan

Albania
  Durres, Sarande, Shengjin, Vlore

Algeria
  Algiers, Annaba, Arzew, Bejaia, Djendjene, Jijel,
  Mostaganem, Oran, Skikda

American Samoa
  Pago Pago

Angola
  Cabinda, Luanda, Soyo

Anguilla
  Blowing Point, Road Bay

Antarctica
  there are no developed ports and harbors in Antarctica;
  most coastal stations have offshore anchorages, and supplies are
  transferred from ship to shore by small boats, barges, and
  helicopters; a few stations have a basic wharf facility; US coastal
  stations include McMurdo (77 51 S, 166 40 E), Palmer (64 43 S, 64 03
  W); government use only except by permit (see Permit Office under
  "Legal System"); all ships at port are subject to inspection in
  accordance with Article 7, Antarctic Treaty; offshore anchorage is
  sparse and intermittent; relevant legal instruments and
  authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the
  Antarctic Treaty regulating access to the Antarctic Treaty area, to
  all areas between 60 and 90 degrees of latitude South, have to be
  complied with (see "Legal System") (2004)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Saint John's

Arctic Ocean
  Churchill (Canada), Murmansk (Russia), Prudhoe Bay (US)

Argentina
  Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires, Concepcion del Uruguay, La
  Plata, Punta Colorada, Rosario, San Lorenzo-San Martin, San Nicolas

Aruba
  Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Atlantic Ocean
  Alexandria (Egypt), Algiers (Algeria), Antwerp
  (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Casablanca
  (Morocco), Colon (Panama), Copenhagen (Denmark), Dakar (Senegal),
  Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas
  (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal),
  London (UK), Marseille (France), Montevideo (Uruguay), Montreal
  (Canada), Naples (Italy), New Orleans (US), New York (US), Oran
  (Algeria), Oslo (Norway), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Rio de
  Janeiro (Brazil), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Saint Petersburg
  (Russia), Stockholm (Sweden)

Australia
  Brisbane, Dampier, Fremantle, Gladstone, Hay Point,
  Melbourne, Newcastle, Port Hedland, Port Kembla, Port Walcott, Sydney

Austria
  Enns, Krems, Linz, Vienna

Azerbaijan
  Baku (Baki)

Bahamas, The
  Freeport, Nassau, South Riding Point

Bahrain
  Mina' Salman, Sitrah

Baker Island
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
  small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Bangladesh
  Chittagong, Mongla Port

Barbados
  Bridgetown

Bassas da India
  none; offshore anchorage only

Belarus
  Mazyr

Belgium
  Antwerp, Brussels, Gent, Liege, Oostende, Zeebrugge

Belize
  Belize City

Benin
  Cotonou

Bermuda
  Hamilton, Saint George

Bolivia
  Puerto Aguirre (on the Paraguay/Parana waterway, at the
  Bolivia/Brazil border); also, Bolivia has free port privileges in
  maritime ports in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Paraguay

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Bosanska Gradiska, Bosanski Brod, Bosanski
  Samac, and Brcko (all inland waterway ports on the Sava), Orasje

Bouvet Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Brazil
  Gebig, Itaqui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, San Sebasttiao,
  Santos, Sepetiba Terminal, Tubarao, Vitoria

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Diego Garcia

British Virgin Islands
  Road Town

Brunei
  Lumut, Muara, Seria

Bulgaria
  Burgas, Varna

Burma
  Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe

Burundi
  Bujumbura

Cambodia
  Phnom Penh

Cameroon
  Douala, Limboh Terminal

Canada
  Fraser River Port, Goderich, Montreal, Port Cartier, Quebec,
  Saint John's (Newfoundland), Sept Isles, Vancouver

Cape Verde
  Mindelo, Praia, Tarrafal

Cayman Islands
  Cayman Brac, George Town

Central African Republic
  Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga

Chile
  Antofagasta, Arica, Huasco, Iquique, Lirquen, San Antonio, San
  Vicente, Valparaiso

China
  Dalian, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao,
  Shanghai

Christmas Island
  Flying Fish Cove

Clipperton Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Port Refuge

Colombia
  Barranquilla, Buenaventura, Cartagena, Muelles El Bosque,
  Puerto Bolivar, Santa Marta, Turbo

Comoros
  Mayotte, Moutsamoudou

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Banana, Boma, Bukavu, Bumba, Goma,
  Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Matadi, Mbandaka

Congo, Republic of the
  Brazzaville, Djeno, Impfondo, Ouesso, Oyo,
  Pointe-Noire

Cook Islands
  Avatiu

Coral Sea Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Costa Rica
  Caldera, Puerto Limon

Cote d'Ivoire
  Abidjan, Aboisso, Dabou, San-Pedro

Croatia
  Omisalj, Ploce, Rijeka, Sibenik, Vukovar (on Danube)

Cuba
  Cienfuegos, Havana, Matanzas

Cyprus
  Famagusta, Kyrenia, Larnaca, Limassol, Vasilikos

Czech Republic
  Decin, Prague, Usti nad Labem

Denmark
  Aalborg, Aarhus, Asnaesvaerkets, Copenhagen, Elsinore,
  Ensted, Esbjerg, Fredericia, Frederikshavn, Graasten, Kalundborg,
  Odense, Roenne

Djibouti
  Djibouti

Dominica
  Portsmouth, Roseau

Dominican Republic
  Boca Chica, Puerto Plata, Rio Haina, Santo Domingo

East Timor
  Dili

Ecuador
  Esmeraldas, Guayaquil, La Libertad, Manta, Puerto Bolivar

Egypt
  Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

El Salvador
  Acajutla, Puerto Cutuco

Equatorial Guinea
  Malabo

Eritrea
  Assab, Massawa

Estonia
  Kopli, Kuivastu, Muuga, Tallinn, Virtsu

Ethiopia
  Ethiopia is landlocked and has used ports of Assab and
  Massawa in Eritrea and port of Djibouti

Europa Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

European Union
  Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Bremen
  (Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany),
  Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre
  (France), Lisbon (Portugal), London (UK), Marseille (France), Naples
  (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam
  (Netherlands), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Stanley

Faroe Islands
  Torshavn

Fiji
  Lambasa, Lautoka, Suva

Finland
  Hamina, Hanko, Helsinki, Kotka, Naantali, Pori, Porvou,
  Raahe, Rauma, Turku

France
  Bordeaux, Calais, Dunkerque, La Pallice, Le Havre, Marseille,
  Nantes, Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg

French Guiana
  Degrad des Cannes

French Polynesia
  Papeete

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Gabon
  Gamba, Libreville, Lucinda, Owendo, Port-Gentil

Gambia, The
  Banjul

Gaza Strip
  Gaza

Georgia
  Bat'umi, P'ot'i

Germany
  Bremen, Bremerhaven, Brunsbuttel, Duisburg, Frankfurt,
  Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Mainz, Rostock, Wilhemshaven

Ghana
  Takoradi, Tema

Gibraltar
  Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Greece
  Agioitheodoroi, Aspropyrgos, Irakleion, Pachi, Peiraiefs,
  Thessaloniki

Greenland
  Sisimiut

Grenada
  Saint George's

Guadeloupe
  Basse-Terre, Gustavia, Pointe-a-Pitre

Guam
  Apra Harbor

Guatemala
  Puerto Quetzal, Santo Tomas de Castilla

Guernsey
  Saint Peter Port, Saint Sampson

Guinea
  Kamsar

Guinea-Bissau
  Bissau, Buba, Cacheu, Farim

Guyana
  Georgetown

Haiti
  Cap-Haitien

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Honduras
  Puerto Castilla, Puerto Cortes, San Lorenzo, Tela

Hong Kong
  Hong Kong

Howland Island
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
  small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast

Hungary
  Budapest, Dunaujvaros, Gyor-Gonyu, Csepel, Baja, Mohacs
  (2003)

Iceland
  Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Hornafjordhur, Reykjavik,
  Seydhisfjordhur

India
  Chennai, Haldia, Jawaharal Nehru, Kandla, Kolkata (Calcutta),
  Mumbai (Bombay), New Mangalore, Vishakhapatnam

Indian Ocean
  Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban
  (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India)
  Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South
  Africa)

Indonesia
  Banjarmasin, Belawan, Ciwandan, Krueg Geukueh, Palembang,
  Panjang, Sungai Pakning, Tanjung Perak, Tanjung Priok

Iran
  Assaluyeh, Bushehr

Iraq
  Al Basrah, Khawr az Zubayr, Umm Qasr

Ireland
  Cork, Dublin, New Ross, Shannon Foynes, Waterford

Israel
  Ashdod, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa

Italy
  Augusta, Genoa, Livorno, Melilli Oil Terminal, Ravenna,
  Taranto, Trieste, Venice

Jamaica
  Kingston, Port Esquivel, Port Kaiser, Port Rhoades, Rocky
  Point

Jan Mayen
  none; offshore anchorage only

Japan
  Chiba, Kawasaki, Kiire, Kisarazu, Kobe, Mizushima, Nagoya,
  Osaka, Tokyo, Yohohama

Jarvis Island
  none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
  small boat landing area in the middle of the west coast and another
  near the southwest corner of the island

Jersey
  Gorey, Saint Aubin, Saint Helier

Johnston Atoll
  Johnston Island

Jordan
  Al 'Aqabah

Juan de Nova Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Kazakhstan
  Aqtau (Shevchenko), Atyrau (Gur'yev), Oskemen
  (Ust-Kamenogorsk), Pavlodar, Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Kenya
  Mombasa

Kingman Reef
  none; offshore anchorage only

Kiribati
  Betio

Korea, North
  Ch'ongjin, Haeju, Hungnam (Hamhung), Kimch'aek, Kosong,
  Najin, Namp'o, Sinuiju, Songnim, Sonbong (formerly Unggi), Ungsang,
  Wonsan

Korea, South
  Inch'on, Masan, P'ohang, Pusan, Ulsan

Kuwait
  Ash Shu'aybah, Ash Shuwaykh, Mina' 'Abd Allah, Mina' al
  Ahmadi, Mina' Su'ud

Kyrgyzstan
  Balykchy (Ysyk-Kol or Rybach'ye)

Latvia
  Riga, Ventspils

Lebanon
  Beirut, Chekka, Jounie, Tripoli

Liberia
  Buchanan, Monrovia

Libya
  As Sidrah, Az Zuwaytinah, Marsa al Burayqah, Ra's Lanuf,
  Tripoli, Zawiyah

Liechtenstein
  none

Lithuania
  Klaipeda

Luxembourg
  Mertert

Macau
  Macau

Madagascar
  Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara

Malawi
  Chipoka, Monkey Bay, Nkhata Bay, Nkhotakota, Chilumba

Malaysia
  Bintulu, Johor, Labuan, Lahad Datu, Lumut, Miri, George
  Town (Penang), Port Kelang, Tanjung Pelepas

Maldives
  Male

Mali
  Koulikoro

Malta
  Marsaxlokk, Valletta

Man, Isle of
  Castletown, Douglas, Ramsey

Marshall Islands
  Majuro

Martinique
  Fort-de-France, La Trinite, Marin

Mauritania
  Nouadhibou, Nouakchott

Mauritius
  Port Louis

Mayotte
  Dzaoudzi

Mexico
  Altamira, Manzanillo, Morro Redondo, Salina Cruz, Tampico,
  Topolobampo, Veracruz

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Tomil Harbor

Midway Islands
  Sand Island

Monaco
  Monaco

Montserrat
  Plymouth

Morocco
  Agadir, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Nador, Safi, Tangier

Mozambique
  Beira, Maputo, Nacala

Namibia
  Luderitz, Walvis Bay

Nauru
  Nauru

Navassa Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Netherlands
  Amsterdam, Groningen, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen,
  Vlissingen, Zaanstad

Netherlands Antilles
  Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

New Caledonia
  Noumea

New Zealand
  Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Wellington, Whangarei

Nicaragua
  Bluefields, Corinto, El Bluff

Niger
  none

Nigeria
  Calabar, Lagos, Onne, Port Harcourt

Niue
  none; offshore anchorage only

Norfolk Island
  none; loading jetties at Kingston and Cascade

Northern Mariana Islands
  Saipan, Tinian

Norway
  Borg Havn, Bergen, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mongstad, Narvik, Oslo,
  Sture

Oman
  Mina' Qabus, Salalah

Pacific Ocean
  Bangkok (Thailand), Hong Kong (China), Kao-hsiung
  (Taiwan), Los Angeles (US), Manila (Philippines), Pusan (South
  Korea), San Francisco (US), Seattle (US), Shanghai (China),
  Singapore, Sydney (Australia), Vladivostok (Russia), Wellington
  (NZ), Yokohama (Japan)

Pakistan
  Karachi, Port Muhammad bin Qasim

Palau
  Koror

Palmyra Atoll
  West Lagoon

Panama
  Balboa, Colon, Cristobal

Papua New Guinea
  Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul

Paracel Islands
  small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and
  Duncan Island being expanded

Paraguay
  Asuncion, Villeta, San Antonio, Encarnacion

Peru
  Callao, Iquitos, Matarani, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
  note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are on the upper reaches of
  the Amazon and its tributaries

Philippines
  Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Manila,
  Surigao

Pitcairn Islands
  Adamstown (on Bounty Bay)

Poland
  Gdansk, Gdynia, Swinoujscie, Szczecin

Portugal
  Leixoes, Lisbon, Setubal, Sines

Puerto Rico
  Las Mareas, Mayaguez, San Juan

Qatar
  Doha

Reunion
  Le Port

Romania
  Braila, Constanta, Galati, Tulcea

Russia
  Anapa, Kaliningrad, Murmansk, Nakhodka, Novorossiysk,
  Rostov-na-Donu, Saint Petersburg, Taganrog, Vanino, Vostochnyy

Rwanda
  Cyangugu, Gisenyi, Kibuye

Saint Helena
  Georgetown (on Ascension), Jamestown

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Basseterre, Charlestown

Saint Lucia
  Castries, Cul-de-Sac, Vieux-Fort

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Saint-Pierre

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Kingstown

Samoa
  Apia

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome

Saudi Arabia
  Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jiddah, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Senegal
  Dakar

Serbia and Montenegro
  Bar

Seychelles
  Victoria

Sierra Leone
  Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Singapore
  Singapore

Slovakia
  Bratislava, Komarno

Slovenia
  Koper

Solomon Islands
  Honiara, Malloco Bay, Shortland Harbor, Viru Harbor,
  Yandina

Somalia
  Boosaaso, Berbera, Chisimayu (Kismaayo), Merca, Mogadishu

South Africa
  Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth,
  Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Grytviken

Southern Ocean
  McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica
  note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the
  Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short
  periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without
  icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government
  research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to
  commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60
  degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty
  observers (see Article 7)

Spain
  Algeciras, Barcelona, Cartagena, Gijon, Huelva, La Coruna,
  Tarragona, Valencia

Spratly Islands
  none; offshore anchorage only

Sri Lanka
  Colombo, Galle

Sudan
  Port Sudan

Suriname
  Paramaribo

Svalbard
  Barentsburg, Longyearbyen, Ny-Alesund, Pyramiden

Sweden
  Goteborg, Helsingborg, Karlshamn, Lulea, Malmo, Oxelosund,
  Stenungsund, Stockholm, Trelleborg

Switzerland
  Basel

Syria
  Baniyas, Latakia

Taiwan
  Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Tanzania
  Dar es Salaam, Mtwara, Zanzibar City

Thailand
  Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Togo
  Kpeme, Lome

Tokelau
  none; offshore anchorage only

Tonga
  Nuku'alofa

Trinidad and Tobago
  Pointe-a-Pierre, Point Lisas, Port-of-Spain

Tromelin Island
  none; offshore anchorage only

Tunisia
  Bizerte, Gabes, La Goulette, Skhira

Turkey
  Aliaga, Ambarli, Eregli, Haydarpasa, Istanbul, Kocaeli
  (Izmit), Skhira, Toros

Turkmenistan
  Turkmenbasy

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Grand Turk, Providenciales

Tuvalu
  Funafuti

Uganda
  Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Ukraine
  Feodosiya, Kerch, Kherson, Mariupol', Mykolayiv, Odesa,
  Reni, Yuzhnyy

United Arab Emirates
  Al Fujayrah, Khawr Fakkan, Mina' Jabal 'Ali,
  Mina' Rashid, Mina' Saqr, Mina' Zayid, Sharjan

United Kingdom
  Hound Point, Immingham, Milford Haven, Liverpool,
  London, Southampton, Sullom Voe, Teesport

United States
  Corpus Christi, Duluth, Hampton Roads, Houston, Long
  Beach, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Tampa,
  Texas City
  note: 13 ports north of New Orleans (South Louisiana Ports) on the
  Mississippi River handle 290,000,000 tons of cargo annually.

Uruguay
  Montevideo

Uzbekistan
  Termiz (Amu Darya)

Vanuatu
  Forari, Port-Vila, Santo (Espiritu Santo)

Venezuela
  Amuay, La Guaira, Maracaibo, Puerto Cabello, Punta Cardon

Vietnam
  Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City

Virgin Islands
  Charlotte Amalie, Limetree Bay

Wake Island
  none; two offshore anchorages for large ships

Wallis and Futuna
  Leava, Mata-Utu

Western Sahara
  Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)

Yemen
  Aden, Nishtun

Zambia
  Mpulungu

Zimbabwe
  Binga, Kariba

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2121 Railways (km)

Albania total: 447 km standard gauge: 447 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Algeria
  total: 3,973 km
  standard gauge: 2,888 km 1.435-m gauge (283 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,085 km 1.055-m gauge (2004)

Angola
  total: 2,761 km
  narrow gauge: 2,638 km 1.067-m gauge; 123 km 0.600-m gauge (2004)

Argentina
  total: 34,091 km (167 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 20,594 km 1.676-m gauge (141 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 2,885 km 1.435-m gauge (26 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 10,375 km 1.000-m gauge; 237 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)

Armenia
  total: 845 km
  broad gauge: 845 km 1.520-m gauge (828 km electrified)
  note: some lines are out of service (2004)

Australia
  total: 54,439 km (3859 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 5,434 km 1.600-m gauge
  standard gauge: 34,110 km 1.435-m gauge (1,397 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 14,895 km 1.067-m gauge (2,462 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 213 km dual gauge (2004)

Austria
  total: 6,021 km (3,552 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 5,565 km 1.435-m gauge (3,430 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 34 km 1.000-m gauge (28 km electrified); 422 km
  0.760-m gauge (94 km electrified) (2004)

Azerbaijan
  total: 2,957 km
  broad gauge: 2,957 km 1.520-m gauge (1,278 km electrified) (2004)

Bangladesh
  total: 2,706 km
  broad gauge: 884 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,822 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Belarus
  total: 5,512 km
  broad gauge: 5,497 km 1.520-m gauge (874 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 15 km 1.435-m (2004)

Belgium
  total: 3,521 km
  standard gauge: 3,521 km 1.435-m gauge (2,927 km electrified) (2004)

Benin
  total: 578 km
  narrow gauge: 578 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Bolivia
  total: 3,519 km
  narrow gauge: 3,519 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 1,021 km (795 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,021 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Botswana
  total: 888 km
  narrow gauge: 888 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Brazil
  total: 29,412 km (1,567 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 4,907 km 1.600-m gauge (908 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 23,915 km 1.000-m gauge (581 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 396 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (78 km
  electrified) (2004)

Bulgaria
  total: 4,294 km
  standard gauge: 4,049 km 1.435-m gauge (2,710 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Burkina Faso
  total: 622 km
  narrow gauge: 622 km 1.000-m gauge
  note:: another 660 km of this railway extends into Cote D'Ivoire
  (2004)

Burma
  total: 3,955 km
  narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Cambodia
  total: 602 km
  narrow gauge: 602 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Cameroon
  total: 1,008 km
  narrow gauge: 1,008 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Canada
  total: 48,683 km
  standard gauge: 48,683 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Chile
  total: 6,585 km
  broad gauge: 2,831 km 1.676-m gauge (1,317 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 3,754 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

China
  total: 71,898 km
  standard gauge: 71,898 km 1.435-m gauge (18,115 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 23,945 km (multiple track not included in total) (2002)

Colombia
  total: 3,304 km
  standard gauge: 150 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 3,154 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 5,138 km
  narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified); 125 km
  1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m gauge (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 894 km
  narrow gauge: 894 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Costa Rica
  total: 278 km
  narrow gauge: 278 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 660 km
  narrow gauge: 660 km 1.000-meter gauge
  note: an additional 622 km of this railroad extends into Burkina
  Faso (2004)

Croatia
  total: 2,726 km
  standard gauge: 2,726 km 1.435-m gauge (984 km electrified) (2004)

Cuba
  total: 4,226 km
  standard gauge: 4,226 km 1.435-m gauge (140 km electrified)
  note: an additional 7,742 km of track is used by sugar plantations;
  about 65% of this track is standard gauge; the rest is narrow gauge
  (2004)

Czech Republic
  total: 9,543 km
  standard gauge: 9,421 km 1.435-m gauge (2,893 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 122 km 0.760-m gauge (23 km electrified) (2004)

Denmark
  total: 2,628 km
  standard gauge: 2,628 km 1.435-m gauge (595 km electrified) (2004)

Djibouti
  total: 100 km (Djibouti segment of the Addis Ababa-Djibouti
  railway)
  narrow gauge: 100 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2004)

Dominican Republic
  total: 1,743 km
  standard gauge: 375 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 142 km 0.762-m gauge
  note: additional 1,226 km operated by sugar companies in 1.076-m,
  0.889-m, and 0.762-m gauges (2004)

Ecuador
  total: 966 km
  narrow gauge: 966 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Egypt
  total: 5,063 km
  standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2004)

El Salvador
  total: 283 km
  narrow gauge: 283 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: length of operational route reduced from 562 km to 283 km by
  disuse and lack of maintenance (2004)

Eritrea
  total: 306 km
  narrow gauge: 306 km 0.950-m gauge (2004)

Estonia
  total: 958 km
  broad gauge: 958 km 1.520-m/1.524-m gauge (132 km electrified) (2004)

Ethiopia
  total: 681 km (Ethiopian segment of the Addis
  Ababa-Djibouti railroad)
  narrow gauge: 681 km 1.000-m gauge
  note: railway under joint control of Djibouti and Ethiopia (2004)

European Union total: 222,293 km broad gauge: 28,438 km standard gauge: 186,405 km narrow gauge: 7,427 km other: 23 km (2003)

Fiji
  total: 597 km
  narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
  note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used
  to haul sugarcane during harvest season (May to December) (2003)

Finland
  total: 5,851 km
  broad gauge: 5,851 km 1.524-m gauge (2,400 km electrified) (2004)

France
  total: 29,519 km
  standard gauge: 29,352 km 1.435-m gauge (14,481 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 167 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Gabon
  total: 814 km
  standard gauge: 814 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Georgia
  total: 1,612 km (1,612 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 1,575 km 1.520-m gauge (1,575 electrified)
  narrow gauge: 37 km 0.912-m gauge (37 electrified) (2004)

Germany
  total: 46,142 km (20,100 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 45,928 km 1.435-m gauge (20,084 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 214 km 1.000-m gauge (16 km electrified); 24 km
  0.750-m gauge (2004)

Ghana
  total: 953 km
  narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Greece
  total: 2,571 km (764 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 1,565 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 961 km 1.000-m gauge; 22 km 0.750-m gauge
  dual gauge: 23 km combined 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rail
  system) (2004)

Guatemala
  total: 886 km
  narrow gauge: 886 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Guinea
  total: 837 km
  standard gauge: 175 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 662 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Guyana
  total: 187 km
  standard gauge: 139 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 48 km 0.914-m gauge
  note: all dedicated to ore transport (2001 est.)

Honduras
  total: 699 km
  narrow gauge: 279 km 1.067-m gauge; 420 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Hungary
  total: 7,937 km
  broad gauge: 36 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,682 km 1.435-m gauge (2,628 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 219 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

India
  total: 63,230 km (16,693 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 45,718 km 1.676-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 14,406 km 1.000-m gauge; 3,106 km 0.762-m gauge and
  0.610-m gauge (2004)

Indonesia
  total: 6,458 km
  narrow gauge: 5,961 km 1.067-m gauge (125 km electrified); 497 km
  0.750-m gauge (2004)

Iran
  total: 7,203 km
  broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge
  standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2004)

Iraq
  total: 2,200 km
  standard gauge: 2,200 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Ireland
  total: 3,312 km
  broad gauge: 1,947 km 1.600-m gauge (46 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,365 km 0.914-m gauge (operated by the Irish Peat
  Board to transport peat to power stations and briquetting plants)
  (2004)

Israel
  total: 640 km
  standard gauge: 640 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Italy
  total: 19,319 km (11,613 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 18,001 km 1.435-m gauge (11,333 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 123 km 1.000-m gauge (122 km electrified); 1,195 km
  0.950-m gauge (158 km electrified) (2004)

Jamaica
  total: 272 km
  standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation
  had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer
  operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and
  used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)

Japan
  total: 23,577 km (16,519 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 3,204 km 1.435-m gauge (3,204 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 77 km 1.372-m gauge (77 km electrified); 20,265 km
  1.067-m gauge (13,227 km electrified); 11 km 0.762-m gauge (11 km
  electrified) (2004)

Jordan
  total: 505 km
  narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)

Kazakhstan
  total: 13,700 km
  broad gauge: 13,700 km 1.520-m gauge (3,700 km electrified) (2004)

Kenya
  total: 2,778 km
  narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Korea, North
  total: 5,214 km
  standard gauge: 5,214 km 1.435-m gauge (3,500 km electrified) (2004)

Korea, South
  total: 3,472 km
  standard gauge: 3,472 km 1.435-m gauge (1,342 km electrified) (2004)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 470 km
  broad gauge: 470 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Latvia
  total: 2,303 km
  broad gauge: 2,270 km 1.520-m gauge (257 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 33 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)

Lebanon
  total: 401 km
  standard gauge: 319 km 1.435-m
  narrow gauge: 82 km 1.050-m
  note: rail system became unusable because of damage during the civil
  war in the 1980s; short sections are operable (2004)

Liberia
  total: 490 km
  standard gauge: 345 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 145 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: none of the railways are in operation because of the civil war
  (2004)

Libya
  0 km
  note: Libya is working on 7 lines totaling 2,757 km of 1.435-m gauge
  track; it hopes to have trains running by 2008 (2004)

Lithuania
  total: 1,998 km
  broad gauge: 1,807 km 1.524-m gauge (122 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 22 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 169 km 0.750-m gauge (2004)

Luxembourg
  total: 274 km
  standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified) (2004)

Macedonia
  total: 699 km
  standard gauge: 699 km 1.435-m gauge (233 km electrified) (2004)

Madagascar
  total: 732 km
  narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Malawi
  total: 797 km
  narrow gauge: 797 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Malaysia
  total: 1,890 km (207 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 57 km 1.435-m gauge (57 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,833 km 1.000-m gauge (150 km electrified) (2004)

Mali
  total: 729 km
  narrow gauge: 729 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Man, Isle of
  total: 61 km (35 km electrified) (2003)

Mauritania
  717 km
  standard gauge: 717 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Mexico
  total: 17,634 km
  standard gauge: 17,634 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Moldova
  total: 1,138 km
  broad gauge: 1,124 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 14 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Mongolia
  total: 1,810 km
  broad gauge: 1,810 km 1.524-m gauge (2004)

Morocco
  total: 1,907 km
  standard gauge: 1,907 km 1.435-m gauge (1,003 km electrified) (2004)

Mozambique
  total: 3,123 km
  narrow gauge: 2,983 km 1.067-m gauge; 140 km 0.762-m gauge (2004)

Namibia
  total: 2,382 km
  narrow gauge: 2,382 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Nepal
  total: 59 km
  narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2004)

Netherlands
  total: 2,808 km
  standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2004)

New Zealand
  total: 3,898 km
  narrow gauge: 3,898 km 1.067-m gauge (506 km electrified) (2004)

Nicaragua
  total: 6 km
  narrow gauge: 6 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Nigeria
  total: 3,557 km
  narrow gauge: 3,505 km 1.067-m gauge
  standard gauge: 52 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Norway
  total: 4,077 km
  standard gauge: 4,077 km 1.435-m gauge (2,518 km electrified) (2004)

Pakistan
  total: 8,163 km
  broad gauge: 7,718 km 1.676-m gauge (293 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 445 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Panama
  total: 355 km
  standard gauge: 76 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 279 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Paraguay
  total: 441 km
  standard gauge: 441 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Peru
  total: 3,462 km
  standard gauge: 2,962 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 500 km 0.914-m gauge (2004)

Philippines
  total: 897 km
  narrow gauge: 897 km 1.067-m gauge (492 km are in operation) (2004)

Poland
  total: 23,852 km
  broad gauge: 629 km 1.524-m gauge
  standard gauge: 23,223 km 1.435-m gauge (20,555 km operational)
  (11,962 km electrified) (2004)

Portugal
  total: 2,850 km
  broad gauge: 2,576 km 1.668-m gauge (623 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 274 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Puerto Rico
  total: 96 km
  narrow gauge: 96 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Romania
  total: 11,385 km (3,888 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 10,898 km 1.435-m gauge
  broad gauge: 60 km 1.524-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 427 km 0.760-m gauge (2004)

Russia
  total: 87,157 km
  broad gauge: 86,200 km 1.520-m gauge (40,300 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 957 km 1.067-m gauge (on Sakhalin Island)
  note: an additional 30,000 km of non-common carrier lines serve
  industries (2004)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 50 km
  narrow gauge: 50 km 0.762-m gauge on Saint Kitts to serve sugarcane
  plantations during harvest season (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 1,392 km
  standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and
  sidings) (2004)

Senegal
  total: 906 km
  narrow gauge: 906 km 1.000-meter gauge (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 4,380 km
  standard gauge: 4,380 km 1.435-m gauge (1,364 km electrified) (2004)

Slovakia
  total: 3,662 km
  broad gauge: 100 km 1.520-m gauge
  standard gauge: 3,512 km 1.435-m gauge (1,588 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 50 km (1.000-m or 0.750-m gauge) (2004)

Slovenia
  total: 1,201 km
  standard gauge: 1,201 km 1.435-m gauge (499 km electrified) (2004)

South Africa
  total: 20,872 km
  narrow gauge: 20,436 km 1.065-m gauge (10,436 km electrified); 436
  km 0.610-m gauge
  note: includes a 1,210 km commuter rail system (2004)

Spain
  total: 14,781 km (7,718 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 11,829 km 1.668-m gauge (6,950 km electrified)
  standard gauge: 998 km 1.435-m gauge (998 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,926 km 1.000-m gauge (815 km electrified); 28 km
  0.914-m gauge (28 km electrified) (2004)

Sri Lanka
  total: 1,449 km
  broad gauge: 1,449 km 1.676-m gauge (2004)

Sudan
  total: 5,995 km
  narrow gauge: 4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for
  cotton plantations (2004)

Swaziland
  total: 301 km
  narrow gauge: 301 km 1.067-m gauge (2004)

Sweden
  total: 11,481 km
  standard gauge: 11,481 km 1.435-m gauge (9,400 km electrified) (2004)

Switzerland
  total: 4,527 km
  standard gauge: 3,232 km 1.435-m gauge (3,211 km electrified)
  narrow gauge: 1,285 km 1.000-m gauge (1,273 km electrified); 10 km
  0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2004)

Syria
  total: 2,711 km
  standard gauge: 2,460 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 251 km 1.050-m gauge (2004)

Taiwan
  total: 2,497 km
  narrow gauge: 1,097 km 1.067-m gauge (685 km electrified)
  note: 1,400 km .762-m gauge (belonging to the Taiwan Sugar
  Corporation and to the Taiwan Forestry Bureau used to haul products
  and limited numbers of passengers (2004)

Tajikistan
  total: 482 km
  broad gauge: 482 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Tanzania
  total: 3,690 km
  narrow gauge: 969 km 1.067-m gauge; 2,721 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Thailand
  total: 4,071 km
  narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Togo
  total: 568 km
  narrow gauge: 568 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Tunisia
  total: 2,152 km
  standard gauge: 468 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 1,674 km 1.000-m gauge (65 km electrified)
  dual gauge: 10 km 1.435-m and 1.000-m gauges (three rails) (2004)

Turkey
  total: 8,697 km
  standard gauge: 8,697 km 1.435-m gauge (2,122 km electrified) (2004)

Turkmenistan
  total: 2,440 km
  broad gauge: 2,440 km 1.520-m gauge (2004)

Uganda
  total: 1,241 km
  narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)

Ukraine
  total: 22,473 km
  broad gauge: 22,473 km 1.524-m gauge (9,250 km electrified) (2004)

United Kingdom
  total: 17,274 km
  standard gauge: 16,814 km 1.435-m gauge (5,296 km electrified)
  broad gauge: 460 km 1.600-m gauge (in Northern Ireland) (2004)

United States
  total: 227,736 km
  standard gauge: 227,736 km 1.435-m gauge (2003)

Uruguay
  total: 2,073 km
  standard gauge: 2,073 km 1.435-m gauge
  note: 461 km have been taken out of service and 460 km are in
  partial use (2004)

Uzbekistan
  total: 3,950 km
  broad gauge: 3,950 km 1.520-m gauge (620 km electrified) (2004)

Venezuela
  total: 682 km
  standard gauge: 682 km 1.435-m gauge (2004)

Vietnam
  total: 2,600 km
  standard gauge: 178 km 1.435-m gauge
  narrow gauge: 2,169 km 1.000-m gauge
  dual gauge: 253 km three-rail track combining 1.435-m and 1.000-m
  gauges (2004)

World
  total: 1,115,205 km
  broad gauge: 257,481 km
  standard gauge: 671,413 km
  narrow gauge: 186,311 km (2003)

Zambia
  total: 2,173 km
  narrow gauge: 2,173 km 1.067-m gauge
  note: includes 891 km of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority
  (TAZARA) (2004)

Zimbabwe total: 3,077 km narrow gauge: 3,077 km 1.067-m gauge (313 km electrified) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2122 Religions (%)

Afghanistan
  Sunni Muslim 80%, Shi'a Muslim 19%, other 1%

Albania
  Muslim 70%, Albanian Orthodox 20%, Roman Catholic 10%
  note: percentages are estimates; there are no available current
  statistics on religious affiliation; all mosques and churches were
  closed in 1967 and religious observances prohibited; in November
  1990, Albania began allowing private religious practice

Algeria
  Sunni Muslim (state religion) 99%, Christian and Jewish 1%

American Samoa
  Christian Congregationalist 50%, Roman Catholic 20%,
  Protestant and other 30%

Andorra
  Roman Catholic (predominant)

Angola
  indigenous beliefs 47%, Roman Catholic 38%, Protestant 15%
  (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  Anglican 29%, Methodist 23.9%, other Protestant 30.2%,
  Roman Catholic 5.7%, other Christian 1.7%, other 5.2%, none or
  unspecified 4.3% (2001 Census)

Antigua and Barbuda
  Christian, (predominantly Anglican with other
  Protestant, and some Roman Catholic)

Argentina
  nominally Roman Catholic 92% (less than 20% practicing),
  Protestant 2%, Jewish 2%, other 4%

Armenia
  Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi
  (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Aruba
  Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
  Jewish

Australia
  Catholic 26.4%, Anglican 20.5%, other Christian 20.5%,
  Buddhist 1.9%, Muslim 1.5%, other 1.2%, unspecified 12.7%, none
  15.3% (2001 Census)

Austria
  Roman Catholic 73.6%, Protestant 4.7%, Muslim 4.2%, other
  3.5%, unspecified 2%, none 12% (2001 census)

Azerbaijan
  Muslim 93.4%, Russian Orthodox 2.5%, Armenian Orthodox
  2.3%, other 1.8% (1995 est.)
  note: religious affiliation is still nominal in Azerbaijan;
  percentages for actual practicing adherents are much lower

Bahamas, The
  Baptist 35.4%, Anglican 15.1%, Roman Catholic 13.5%,
  Pentecostal 8.1%, Church of God 4.8%, Methodist 4.2%, other
  Christian 15.2%, none or unspecified 2.9%, other 0.8% (2000 census)

Bahrain
  Muslim (Shi'a and Sunni) 81.2%, Christian 9%, other 9.8%
  (2001 census)

Bangladesh
  Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, other 1% (1998)

Barbados
  Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%,
  other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%

Belarus
  Eastern Orthodox 80%, other (including Roman Catholic,
  Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim) 20% (1997 est.)

Belgium
  Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25%

Belize
  Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Pentecostal 7.4%,
  Anglican 5.3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Mennonite 4.1%, Methodist
  3.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), other 14%, none 9.4% (2000)

Benin
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 30%, Muslim 20%

Bermuda
  Anglican 23%, Roman Catholic 15%, African Methodist
  Episcopal 11%, other Protestant 18%, other 12%, unaffiliated 6%,
  unspecified 1%, none 14% (2000 census)

Bhutan
  Lamaistic Buddhist 75%, Indian- and Nepalese-influenced
  Hinduism 25%

Bolivia
  Roman Catholic 95%, Protestant (Evangelical Methodist) 5%

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Muslim 40%, Orthodox 31%, Roman Catholic 15%,
  other 14%

Botswana
  Christian 71.6%, Badimo 6%, other 1.4%, unspecified 0.4%,
  none 20.6% (2001 census)

Brazil
  Roman Catholic (nominal) 73.6%, Protestant 15.4%,
  Spriritualist 1.3%, Bantu/voodoo 0.3%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.2%,
  none 7.4% (2000 census)

British Virgin Islands
  Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%,
  Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 2%, other 15%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2%
  (1991)

Brunei
  Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%,
  indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Bulgaria
  Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian
  1.2%, other 4% (2001 census)

Burkina Faso
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Muslim 50%, Christian (mainly
  Roman Catholic) 10%

Burma
  Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%),
  Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Burundi
  Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%),
  indigenous beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%

Cambodia
  Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

Cameroon
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Canada
  Roman Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3% (including United
  Church 9.5%, Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%, Lutheran 2%), other
  Christian 4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and unspecified 11.8%, none 16%
  (2001 census)

Cape Verde
  Roman Catholic (infused with indigenous beliefs);
  Protestant (mostly Church of the Nazarene)

Cayman Islands
  United Church (Presbyterian and Congregational),
  Anglican, Baptist, Church of God, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Central African Republic
  indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%,
  Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15%
  note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the
  Christian majority

Chad
  Muslim 51%, Christian 35%, animist 7%, other 7%

Chile
  Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 11%, Jewish NEGL%

China
  Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Muslim 1%-2%, Christian 3%-4%
  note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Christmas Island
  Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21%
  (1997)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Sunni Muslim 80%, other 20% (2002 est.)

Colombia
  Roman Catholic 90%, other 10%

Comoros
  Sunni Muslim 98%, Roman Catholic 2%

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant
  20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic sects and
  indigenous beliefs 10%

Congo, Republic of the
  Christian 50%, animist 48%, Muslim 2%

Cook Islands
  Cook Islands Christian Church 55.9%, Roman Catholic
  16.8%, Seventh Day Saint 7.9%, Church of Latter Day Saints 3.8%,
  other Protestant 5.8%, other 4.2%, unspecified 2.6%, none 3% (2001
  census)

Costa Rica
  Roman Catholic 76.3%, Evangelical 13.7%, Jehovah's
  Witnesses 1.3%, other Protestant 0.7%, other 4.8%, none 3.2%

Cote d'Ivoire
  Christian 20-30%, Muslim 35-40%, indigenous 25-40%
  (2001)
  note: the majority of foreigners (migratory workers) are Muslim
  (70%) and Christian (20%)

Croatia
  Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, other Christian 0.4%,
  Muslim 1.3%, other and unspecified 0.9%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Cuba
  nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to CASTRO assuming power;
  Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also
  represented

Cyprus
  Greek Orthodox 78%, Muslim 18%, Maronite, Armenian Apostolic,
  and other 4%

Czech Republic
  Roman Catholic 26.8%, Protestant 2.1%, other 3.3%,
  unspecified 8.8%, unaffiliated 59% (2001 census)

Denmark
  Evangelical Lutheran 95%, other Protestant and Roman
  Catholic 3%, Muslim 2%

Djibouti
  Muslim 94%, Christian 6%

Dominica
  Roman Catholic 77%, Protestant 15% (Methodist 5%,
  Pentecostal 3%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3%, Baptist 2%, other 2%),
  other 6%, none 2%

Dominican Republic
  Roman Catholic 95%

East Timor
  Roman Catholic 90%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 3%, Hindu 0.5%,
  Buddhist, Animist (1992 est.)

Ecuador
  Roman Catholic 95%, other 5%

Egypt
  Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

El Salvador
  Roman Catholic 83%, other 17%
  note: there is extensive activity by Protestant groups throughout
  the country; by the end of 1992, there were an estimated 1 million
  Protestant evangelicals in El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  nominally Christian and predominantly Roman
  Catholic, pagan practices

Eritrea
  Muslim, Coptic Christian, Roman Catholic, Protestant

Estonia
  Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian
  (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic,
  Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%,
  none 6.1% (2000 census)

Ethiopia
  Muslim 45%-50%, Ethiopian Orthodox 35%-40%, animist 12%,
  other 3%-8%

European Union
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  primarily Anglican, Roman
  Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's
  Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist

Faroe Islands
  Evangelical Lutheran

Fiji
  Christian 52% (Methodist 37%, Roman Catholic 9%), Hindu 38%,
  Muslim 8%, other 2%
  note: Fijians are mainly Christian, Indians are Hindu, and there is
  a Muslim minority (1986)

Finland
  Lutheran National Church 84.2%, Greek Orthodox in Finland
  1.1%, other Christian 1.1%, other 0.1%, none 13.5% (2003)

France
  Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
  5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%

French Guiana
  Roman Catholic

French Polynesia
  Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no
  religion 6%

Gabon
  Christian 55%-75%, animist, Muslim less than 1%

Gambia, The
  Muslim 90%, Christian 9%, indigenous beliefs 1%

Gaza Strip
  Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 98.7%, Christian 0.7%,
  Jewish 0.6%

Georgia
  Orthodox Christian 83.9%, Armenian-Gregorian 3.9%, Catholic
  0.8%, Muslim 9.9%, other 0.8%, none 0.7% (2002 census)

Germany
  Protestant 34%, Roman Catholic 34%, Muslim 3.7%,
  unaffiliated or other 28.3%

Ghana
  Christian 63%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 21%

Gibraltar
  Roman Catholic 78.1%, Church of England 7%, other
  Christian 3.2%, Muslim 4%, Jewish 2.1%, Hindu 1.8%, other or
  unspecified 0.9%, none 2.9% (2001 census)

Greece
  Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%

Greenland
  Evangelical Lutheran

Grenada
  Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%

Guadeloupe
  Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%,
  Protestant 1%

Guam
  Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.)

Guatemala
  Roman Catholic, Protestant, indigenous Mayan beliefs

Guernsey
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist,
  Congregational, Methodist

Guinea
  Muslim 85%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs 7%

Guinea-Bissau
  indigenous beliefs 50%, Muslim 45%, Christian 5%

Guyana
  Christian 50%, Hindu 35%, Muslim 10%, other 5%

Haiti
  Roman Catholic 80%, Protestant 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal
  4%, Adventist 1%, other 1%), none 1%, other 3% (1982)
  note: roughly half of the population practices Voodoo

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Roman Catholic

Honduras
  Roman Catholic 97%, Protestant 3%

Hong Kong
  eclectic mixture of local religions 90%, Christian 10%

Hungary
  Roman Catholic 51.9%, Calvinist 15.9%, Lutheran 3%, Greek
  Catholic 2.6%, other Christian 1%, other or unspecified 11.1%,
  unaffiliated 14.5% (2001 census)

Iceland
  Lutheran Church of Iceland 85.5%, Reykjavik Free Church
  2.1%, Roman Catholic Church 2%, Hafnarfjorour Free Church 1.5%,
  other Christian 2.7%, other or unspecified 3.8%, unaffiliated 2.4%
  (2004)

India
  Hindu 80.5%, Muslim 13.4%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other
  1.8%, unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

Indonesia
  Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%,
  Buddhist 1%, other 1% (1998)

Iran
  Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish,
  Christian, and Baha'i 2%

Iraq
  Muslim 97% (Shi'a 60%-65%, Sunni 32%-37%), Christian or other 3%

Ireland
  Roman Catholic 88.4%, Church of Ireland 3%, other Christian
  1.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2%, none 3.5% (2002 census)

Israel
  Jewish 76.5%, Muslim 15.9%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other
  Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2003)

Italy
  predominately Roman Catholic with mature Protestant and Jewish
  communities and a growing Muslim immigrant community

Jamaica
  Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Baptist 8.8%,
  Anglican 5.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Methodist
  2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Brethren 1.1%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%,
  Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual
  cults 34.7%

Japan
  observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including
  Christian 0.7%)

Jersey
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Congregational New Church,
  Methodist, Presbyterian

Jordan
  Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but
  some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox,
  Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several
  small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Kenya
  Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%,
  Muslim 10%, other 2%
  note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for
  the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous
  beliefs vary widely

Kiribati
  Roman Catholic 52%, Protestant (Congregational) 40%, some
  Seventh-Day Adventist, Muslim, Baha'i, Latter-day Saints, and Church
  of God (1999)

Korea, North
  traditionally Buddhist and Confucianist, some Christian
  and syncretic Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way)
  note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent;
  government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of
  religious freedom

Korea, South
  no affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%,
  Confucianist 1%, other 1%

Kuwait
  Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), Christian, Hindu, Parsi,
  and other 15%

Kyrgyzstan
  Muslim 75%, Russian Orthodox 20%, other 5%

Laos
  Buddhist 60%, animist and other 40% (including various
  Christian denominations 1.5%)

Latvia
  Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Lebanon
  Muslim 59.7% (Shi'a, Sunni, Druze, Isma'ilite, Alawite or
  Nusayri), Christian 39% (Maronite Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Melkite
  Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, Armenian Catholic,
  Syrian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Chaldean, Assyrian, Copt,
  Protestant), other 1.3%
  note: seventeen religious sects recognized

Lesotho
  Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20%

Liberia
  indigenous beliefs 40%, Christian 40%, Muslim 20%

Libya
  Sunni Muslim 97%

Liechtenstein
  Roman Catholic 76.2%, Protestant 7%, unknown 10.6%,
  other 6.2% (June 2002)

Lithuania
  Roman Catholic 79%, Russian Orthodox 4.1%, Protestant
  (including Lutheran and Evangelical Christian Baptist) 1.9%, other
  or unspecified 5.5%, none 9.5% (2001 census)

Luxembourg
  87% Roman Catholic, 13% Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
  (2000)

Macau
  Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997
  est.)

Macedonia
  Macedonian Orthodox 32.4%, other Christian 0.2%, Muslim
  16.9%, other and unspecified 50.5% (2002 census)

Madagascar
  indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 7%

Malawi
  Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998
  census)

Malaysia
  Muslim, Buddhist, Daoist, Hindu, Christian, Sikh; note - in
  addition, Shamanism is practiced in East Malaysia

Maldives
  Sunni Muslim

Mali
  Muslim 90%, indigenous beliefs 9%, Christian 1%

Malta
  Roman Catholic 98%

Man, Isle of
  Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist,
  Presbyterian, Society of Friends

Marshall Islands
  Protestant 54.8%, Assembly of God 25.8%, Roman
  Catholic 8.4%, Bukot nan Jesus 2.8%, Mormon 2.1%, other Christian
  3.6%, other 1%, none 1.5% (1999 census)

Martinique
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 10.5%, Muslim 0.5%, Hindu
  0.5%, other 3.5% (1997)

Mauritania
  Muslim 100%

Mauritius
  Hindu 48%, Roman Catholic 23.6%, other Christian 8.6%,
  Muslim 16.6%, other 2.5%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.4% (2000 census)

Mayotte
  Muslim 97%, Christian (mostly Roman Catholic)

Mexico
  nominally Roman Catholic 89%, Protestant 6%, other 5%

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

Moldova
  Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5%
  (2000)

Monaco
  Roman Catholic 90%

Mongolia
  Buddhist Lamaist 50%, none 40%, Shamanist and Christian 6%,
  Muslim 4% (2004)

Montserrat
  Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal,
  Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations

Morocco
  Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Mozambique
  Catholic 23.8%, Zionist Christian 17.5%, Muslim 17.8%,
  other 17.8%, none 23.1% (1997 census)

Namibia
  Christian 80% to 90% (Lutheran 50% at least), indigenous
  beliefs 10% to 20%

Nauru
  Christian (two-thirds Protestant, one-third Roman Catholic)

Nepal
  Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other
  0.9% (2001 census)
  note: only official Hindu state in the world

Netherlands
  Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%,
  Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%,
  Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%,
  Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other
  or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

New Caledonia
  Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

New Zealand
  Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian
  10.9%, Methodist 2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other
  Christian 9.4%, other 3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)

Nicaragua
  Roman Catholic 72.9%, Evangelical 15.1%, Moravian 1.5%,
  Episcopal 0.1%, other 1.9%, none 8.5% (1995 census)

Niger
  Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Nigeria
  Muslim 50%, Christian 40%, indigenous beliefs 10%

Niue
  Ekalesia Niue (Niuean Church - a Protestant church closely
  related to the London Missionary Society) 61.1%, Latter-Day Saints
  8.8%, Roman Catholic 7.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2.4%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 1.4%, other 8.4%, unspecified 8.7%, none 1.9% (2001 census)

Norfolk Island
  Anglican 34.9%, Roman Catholic 11.7%, Uniting Church
  in Australia 11.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.8%, Australian Christian
  2.4%, Jehovah's Witness 0.9%, other 2.7%, unspecified 15.3%, none
  18.1% (2001 census)

Northern Mariana Islands
  Christian (Roman Catholic majority,
  although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)

Norway
  Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%,
  other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

Oman
  Ibadhi Muslim 75%, Sunni Muslim, Shi'a Muslim, Hindu

Pakistan
  Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and
  other 3%

Palau
  Roman Catholic 41.6%, Protestant 23.3%, Modekngei 8.8%
  (indigenous to Palau), Seventh-Day Adventist 5.3%, Jehovah's Witness
  0.9%, Latter-Day Saints 0.6%, other religion 3.1%, unspecified or
  none 16.4% (2000 census)

Panama
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant 15%

Papua New Guinea
  Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%,
  Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%,
  Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant
  10%, indigenous beliefs 34%

Paraguay
  Roman Catholic 90%, Mennonite and other Protestant 10%

Peru
  Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian
  0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)

Philippines
  Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni
  Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other
  1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Pitcairn Islands
  Seventh-Day Adventist 100%

Poland
  Roman Catholic 89.8% (about 75% practicing), Eastern Orthodox
  1.3%, Protestant 0.3%, other 0.3%, unspecified 8.3% (2002)

Portugal
  Roman Catholic 94%, Protestant (1995)

Puerto Rico
  Roman Catholic 85%, Protestant and other 15%

Qatar
  Muslim 95%

Reunion
  Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995)

Romania
  Eastern Orthodox (including all sub-denominations) 86.8%,
  Protestant (various denominations including Reformate and
  Pentecostal) 7.5%, Roman Catholic 4.7%, other (mostly Muslim) and
  unspecified 0.9%, none 0.1% (2002 census)

Russia
  Russian Orthodox, Muslim, other

Rwanda
  Roman Catholic 56.5%, Protestant 26%, Adventist 11.1%, Muslim
  4.6%, indigenous beliefs 0.1%, none 1.7% (2001)

Saint Helena
  Anglican (majority), Baptist, Seventh-Day Adventist,
  Roman Catholic

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Anglican, other Protestant, Roman Catholic

Saint Lucia
  Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 8.5%,
  Pentecostal 5.7%, Anglican 2%, Evangelical 2%, other Christian 5.1%,
  Rastafarian 2.1%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.5%, none 4.5% (2001
  census)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Roman Catholic 99%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman
  Catholic 13%, Hindu, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Protestant

Samoa
  Congregationalist 34.8%, Roman Catholic 19.6%, Methodist 15%,
  Latter-Day Saints 12.7%, Assembly of God 6.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist
  3.5%, other Christian 4.5%, Worship Centre 1.3%, other 1.7%,
  unspecified 0.1% (2001 census)

San Marino
  Roman Catholic

Sao Tome and Principe
  Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New
  Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)

Saudi Arabia
  Muslim 100%

Senegal
  Muslim 94%, indigenous beliefs 1%, Christian 5% (mostly
  Roman Catholic)

Serbia and Montenegro
  Orthodox 65%, Muslim 19%, Roman Catholic 4%,
  Protestant 1%, other 11%

Seychelles
  Roman Catholic 82.3%, Anglican 6.4%, Seventh Day
  Adventist 1.1%, other Christian 3.4%, Hindu 2.1%, Muslim 1.1%, other
  non-Christian 1.5%, unspecified 1.5%, none 0.6% (2002 census)

Sierra Leone
  Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

Singapore
  Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%,
  Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000
  census)

Slovakia
  Roman Catholic 68.9%, Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic
  4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13% (2001 census)

Slovenia
  Catholic 57.8%, Orthodox 2.3%, other Christian 0.9%, Muslim
  2.4%, unaffiliated 3.5%, other or unspecified 23%, none 10.1% (2002
  census)

Solomon Islands
  Church of Melanesia 32.8%, Roman Catholic 19%, South
  Seas Evangelical 17%, Seventh-Day Adventist 11.2%, United Church
  10.3%, Christian Fellowship Church 2.4%, other Christian 4.4%, other
  2.4%, unspecified 0.3%, none 0.2% (1999 census)

Somalia
  Sunni Muslim

South Africa
  Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%,
  Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%,
  other Christian 36%, Islam 1.5%, other 2.3%, unspecified 1.4%, none
  15.1% (2001 census)

Spain
  Roman Catholic 94%, other 6%

Sri Lanka
  Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%,
  unspecified 10% (2001 census provisional data)

Sudan
  Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian
  5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Suriname
  Hindu 27.4%, Protestant 25.2% (predominantly Moravian),
  Roman Catholic 22.8%, Muslim 19.6%, indigenous beliefs 5%

Swaziland
  Zionist (a blend of Christianity and indigenous ancestral
  worship) 40%, Roman Catholic 20%, Muslim 10%, Anglican, Bahai,
  Methodist, Mormon, Jewish and other 30%

Sweden
  Lutheran 87%, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim,
  Jewish, Buddhist

Switzerland
  Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%,
  other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none
  11.1% (2000 census)

Syria
  Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%,
  Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus,
  Al Qamishli, and Aleppo)

Taiwan
  mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist 93%, Christian
  4.5%, other 2.5%

Tajikistan
  Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'a Muslim 5%, other 10% (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  mainland - Christian 30%, Muslim 35%, indigenous beliefs
  35%; Zanzibar - more than 99% Muslim

Thailand
  Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1%
  (2000 census)

Togo
  indigenous beliefs 51%, Christian 29%, Muslim 20%

Tokelau
  Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%,
  other 2%
  note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on
  Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with
  the Congregational Christian Church predominant

Tonga
  Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)

Trinidad and Tobago
  Roman Catholic 26%, Hindu 22.5%, Anglican 7.8%,
  Baptist 7.2%, Pentecostal 6.8%, Seventh Day Adventist 4%, other
  Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.8%, other 10.8%, unspecified 1.4%, none
  1.9% (2000 census)

Tunisia
  Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%

Turkey
  Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians
  and Jews)

Turkmenistan
  Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%,
  Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990)

Tuvalu
  Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%

Uganda
  Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous
  beliefs 18%

Ukraine
  Ukrainian Orthodox - Kiev Patriarchate 19%, Orthodox (no
  particular jurisdiction) 16%, Ukrainian Orthodox - Moscow
  Patriarchate 9%, Ukrainian Greek Catholic 6%, Ukrainian
  Autocephalous Orthodox 1.7%, Protestant, Jewish, none 38% (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  Muslim 96% (Shi'a 16%), Christian, Hindu, and
  other 4%

United Kingdom
  Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian,
  Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or
  none 23.1% (2001 census)

United States
  Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish
  1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10% (2002 est.)

Uruguay
  Roman Catholic 66% (less than half of the adult population
  attends church regularly), Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, nonprofessing
  or other 31%

Uzbekistan
  Muslim 88% (mostly Sunnis), Eastern Orthodox 9%, other 3%

Vanuatu
  Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%,
  Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous
  beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%,
  unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)

Venezuela
  nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%

Vietnam
  Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%,
  Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8% (1999 census)

Virgin Islands
  Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%,
  other 7%

Wallis and Futuna
  Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

West Bank
  Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian
  and other 8%

Western Sahara
  Muslim

World
  Christians 32.84% (of which Roman Catholics 17.34%,
  Protestants 5.78%, Orthodox 3.44%, Anglicans 1.27%), Muslims 19.9%,
  Hindus 13.29%, Buddhists 5.92%, Sikhs 0.39%, Jews 0.23%, other
  religions 12.63%, non-religious 12.44%, atheists 2.36% (2003 est.)

Yemen
  Muslim including Shaf'i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi'a), small
  numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu

Zambia
  Christian 50%-75%, Muslim and Hindu 24%-49%, indigenous
  beliefs 1%

Zimbabwe
  syncretic (part Christian, part indigenous beliefs) 50%,
  Christian 25%, indigenous beliefs 24%, Muslim and other 1%

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2123 Suffrage

Afghanistan
  18 years of age; universal

Albania
  18 years of age; universal

Algeria
  18 years of age; universal

American Samoa
  18 years of age; universal

Andorra
  18 years of age; universal

Angola
  18 years of age; universal

Anguilla
  18 years of age; universal

Antigua and Barbuda
  18 years of age; universal

Argentina
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Armenia
  18 years of age; universal

Aruba
  18 years of age; universal

Australia
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Austria
  18 years of age; universal; compulsory for presidential
  elections

Azerbaijan
  18 years of age; universal

Bahamas, The
  18 years of age; universal

Bahrain
  18 years of age; universal

Bangladesh
  18 years of age; universal

Barbados
  18 years of age; universal

Belarus
  18 years of age; universal

Belgium
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Belize
  18 years of age; universal

Benin
  18 years of age; universal

Bermuda
  18 years of age; universal

Bhutan
  each family has one vote in village-level elections; note -
  in late 2003 Bhutan's legislature passed a new election law

Bolivia
  18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21
  years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  18 years of age, universal

Botswana
  18 years of age; universal

Brazil
  voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70;
  compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age; note - military
  conscripts do not vote

British Virgin Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Brunei
  none

Bulgaria
  18 years of age; universal

Burkina Faso
  universal

Burma
  18 years of age; universal

Burundi
  NA years of age; universal adult

Cambodia
  18 years of age; universal

Cameroon
  20 years of age; universal

Canada
  18 years of age; universal

Cape Verde
  18 years of age; universal

Cayman Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Central African Republic
  21 years of age; universal

Chad
  18 years of age; universal

Chile
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

China
  18 years of age; universal

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  18 years of age; universal

Comoros
  18 years of age; universal

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Congo, Republic of the
  18 years of age; universal

Cook Islands
  NA years of age; universal adult

Costa Rica
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Cote d'Ivoire
  18 years of age; universal

Croatia
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Cuba
  16 years of age; universal

Cyprus
  18 years of age; universal

Czech Republic
  18 years of age; universal

Denmark
  18 years of age; universal

Djibouti
  18 years of age; universal adult

Dominica
  18 years of age; universal

Dominican Republic 18 years of age, universal and compulsory; married persons regardless of age note: members of the armed forces and national police cannot vote

East Timor
  17 years of age; universal

Ecuador
  18 years of age; universal, compulsory for literate persons
  ages 18-65, optional for other eligible voters

Egypt
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

El Salvador
  18 years of age; universal

Equatorial Guinea
  18 years of age; universal adult

Eritrea
  18 years of age; universal

Estonia
  18 years of age; universal for all Estonian citizens

Ethiopia
  18 years of age; universal

European Union
  18 years of age; universal

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  18 years of age; universal

Faroe Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Fiji
  21 years of age; universal

Finland
  18 years of age; universal

France
  18 years of age; universal

French Guiana
  18 years of age; universal

French Polynesia
  18 years of age; universal

Gabon
  21 years of age; universal

Gambia, The
  18 years of age; universal

Georgia
  18 years of age; universal

Germany
  18 years of age; universal

Ghana
  18 years of age; universal

Gibraltar
  18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who
  have been residents six months or more

Greece
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Greenland
  18 years of age; universal

Grenada
  18 years of age; universal

Guadeloupe
  18 years of age; universal

Guam
  18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US
  presidential elections

Guatemala
  18 years of age; universal (active duty members of the
  armed forces may not vote and are restricted to their barracks on
  election day)

Guernsey
  18 years of age; universal

Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Guinea-Bissau
  18 years of age; universal

Guyana
  18 years of age; universal

Haiti
  18 years of age; universal

Holy See (Vatican City)
  limited to cardinals less than 80 years old

Honduras
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Hong Kong
  direct election 18 years of age; universal for permanent
  residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past seven
  years; indirect election limited to about 200,000 members of
  functional constituencies and an 800-member election committee drawn
  from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central
  government bodies

Hungary
  18 years of age; universal

Iceland
  18 years of age; universal

India
  18 years of age; universal

Indonesia
  17 years of age; universal and married persons regardless
  of age

Iran
  15 years of age; universal

Iraq
  formerly 18 years of age; universal

Ireland
  18 years of age; universal

Israel
  18 years of age; universal

Italy
  18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections,
  where minimum age is 25)

Jamaica
  18 years of age; universal

Japan
  20 years of age; universal

Jersey
  NA years of age; universal adult

Jordan
  18 years of age; universal

Kazakhstan
  18 years of age; universal

Kenya
  18 years of age; universal

Kiribati
  18 years of age; universal

Korea, North
  17 years of age; universal

Korea, South
  20 years of age; universal

Kuwait
  adult males who have been naturalized for 30 years or more or
  have resided in Kuwait since before 1920 and their male descendants
  at age 21
  note: only 10% of all citizens are eligible to vote; in 1996,
  naturalized citizens who do not meet the pre-1920 qualification but
  have been naturalized for 30 years were eligible to vote for the
  first time

Kyrgyzstan
  18 years of age; universal

Laos
  18 years of age; universal

Latvia
  18 years of age; universal for Latvian citizens

Lebanon
  21 years of age; compulsory for all males; authorized for
  women at age 21 with elementary education

Lesotho
  18 years of age; universal

Liberia
  18 years of age; universal

Libya
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Liechtenstein
  18 years of age; universal

Lithuania
  18 years of age; universal

Luxembourg
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Macau
  direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent
  residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect
  election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters"
  (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee
  drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and
  central government bodies

Macedonia
  18 years of age; universal

Madagascar
  18 years of age; universal

Malawi
  18 years of age; universal

Malaysia
  21 years of age; universal

Maldives
  21 years of age; universal

Mali
  18 years of age; universal

Malta
  18 years of age; universal

Man, Isle of
  18 years of age; universal

Marshall Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Martinique
  18 years of age; universal

Mauritania
  18 years of age; universal

Mauritius
  18 years of age; universal

Mayotte
  18 years of age; universal

Mexico
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory (but not enforced)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  18 years of age; universal

Moldova
  18 years of age; universal

Monaco
  21 years of age; universal

Mongolia
  18 years of age; universal

Montserrat
  18 years of age; universal

Morocco
  18 years of age; universal (as of January 2003)

Mozambique
  18 years of age; universal

Namibia
  18 years of age; universal

Nauru
  20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Nepal
  18 years of age; universal

Netherlands
  18 years of age; universal

Netherlands Antilles
  18 years of age; universal

New Caledonia
  18 years of age; universal

New Zealand
  18 years of age; universal

Nicaragua
  16 years of age; universal

Niger
  18 years of age; universal

Nigeria
  18 years of age; universal

Niue
  18 years of age; universal

Norfolk Island
  18 years of age; universal

Northern Mariana Islands 18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Norway
  18 years of age; universal

Oman
  in Oman's most recent Majlis al-Shura elections in 2003,
  suffrage was universal for all Omanis over age 21 except for members
  of the military and security forces; the next Majlis al-Shura
  elections are scheduled for 2007

Pakistan
  18 years of age; universal; joint electorates and reserved
  parliamentary seats for women and non-Muslims

Palau
  18 years of age; universal

Panama
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Papua New Guinea
  18 years of age; universal

Paraguay
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory up to age 75

Peru
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory until the age of 70;
  note - members of the military and national police may not vote

Philippines
  18 years of age; universal

Pitcairn Islands 18 years of age; universal with three years residency

Poland
  18 years of age; universal

Portugal
  18 years of age; universal

Puerto Rico
  18 years of age; universal; island residents are US
  citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Qatar
  18 years of age; universal

Reunion
  18 years of age; universal

Romania
  18 years of age; universal

Russia
  18 years of age; universal

Rwanda
  18 years of age; universal adult

Saint Helena
  NA years of age

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Lucia
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  18 years of age; universal

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  18 years of age; universal

Samoa
  21 years of age; universal

San Marino
  18 years of age; universal

Sao Tome and Principe
  18 years of age; universal

Saudi Arabia
  adult male citizens age 21 or older
  note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial
  municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February
  through April 2005

Senegal
  18 years of age; universal

Serbia and Montenegro 16 years of age, if employed; 18 years of age, universal

Seychelles
  17 years of age; universal

Sierra Leone
  18 years of age; universal

Singapore
  21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Slovakia
  18 years of age; universal

Slovenia
  18 years of age; universal (16 years of age, if employed)

Solomon Islands
  21 years of age; universal

Somalia
  18 years of age; universal

South Africa
  18 years of age; universal

Spain
  18 years of age; universal

Sri Lanka
  18 years of age; universal

Sudan
  17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory

Suriname
  18 years of age; universal

Swaziland
  18 years of age

Sweden
  18 years of age; universal

Switzerland
  18 years of age; universal

Syria
  18 years of age; universal

Taiwan
  20 years of age; universal

Tajikistan
  18 years of age; universal

Tanzania
  18 years of age; universal

Thailand
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Togo
  NA years of age; universal adult

Tokelau
  21 years of age; universal

Tonga
  21 years of age; universal

Trinidad and Tobago
  18 years of age; universal

Tunisia
  20 years of age; universal

Turkey
  18 years of age; universal

Turkmenistan
  18 years of age; universal

Turks and Caicos Islands
  18 years of age; universal

Tuvalu
  18 years of age; universal

Uganda
  18 years of age; universal

Ukraine
  18 years of age; universal

United Arab Emirates
  none

United Kingdom
  18 years of age; universal

United States
  18 years of age; universal

Uruguay
  18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Uzbekistan
  18 years of age; universal

Vanuatu
  18 years of age; universal

Venezuela
  18 years of age; universal

Vietnam
  18 years of age; universal

Virgin Islands
  18 years of age; universal; note - island residents
  are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Wallis and Futuna
  18 years of age; universal

Western Sahara
  none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign
  not yet completed

Yemen
  18 years of age; universal

Zambia
  18 years of age; universal

Zimbabwe
  18 years of age; universal

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2124 Telephone system

Afghanistan
  general assessment: very limited telephone and telegraph
  service
  domestic: telephone service improving with the establishment of two
  mobile phone operators by 2003; telephone main lines remain weak
  with only 0.1 line per 10 people
  international: country code - 93; five VSAT's installed in Kabul,
  Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Kandahar, and Jalalabad provide international
  and domestic voice and data connectivity

Albania
  general assessment: despite new investment in fixed lines,
  the density of main lines remains the lowest in Europe with roughly
  8 lines per 100 people; however, cellular telephone use is
  widespread and generally effective
  domestic: offsetting the shortage of fixed line capacity, mobile
  phone service has been available since 1996; by 2003 two companies
  were providing mobile services at a greater density than some of
  Albania's Balkan neighbors
  international: country code - 355; inadequate fixed main lines;
  adequate cellular connections; international traffic carried by
  microwave radio relay from the Tirana exchange to Italy and Greece
  (2003)

Algeria
  general assessment: telephone density in Algeria is very
  low, not exceeding five telephones per 100 persons; the number of
  fixed main lines increased in the last few years to a little more
  than 2,000,000, but only about two-thirds of these have subscribers;
  much of the infrastructure is outdated and inefficient
  domestic: good service in north but sparse in south; domestic
  satellite system with 12 earth stations (20 additional domestic
  earth stations are planned)
  international: country code - 213; 5 submarine cables; microwave
  radio relay to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia; coaxial
  cable to Morocco and Tunisia; participant in Medarabtel; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1
  Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat (1998)

American Samoa
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good telex, telegraph, facsimile and cellular telephone
  services; domestic satellite system with 1 Comsat earth station
  international: country code - 1-684; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Andorra
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern system with microwave radio relay connections
  between exchanges
  international: country code - 376; landline circuits to France and
  Spain

Angola
  general assessment: telephone service limited mostly to
  government and business use; HF radiotelephone used extensively for
  military links
  domestic: limited system of wire, microwave radio relay, and
  tropospheric scatter
  international: country code - 244; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Anguilla
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: modern internal telephone system
  international: country code - 1-264; microwave radio relay to island
  of Saint Martin (Guadeloupe and Netherlands Antilles)

Antarctica
  general assessment: local systems at some research
  stations
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 672; via satellite (mobile Inmarsat
  and Iridium system) from some research stations

Antigua and Barbuda
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: good automatic telephone system
  international: country code - 1-268; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric
  scatter to Saba (Netherlands Antilles) and Guadeloupe

Argentina
  general assessment: by opening the telecommunications
  market to competition and foreign investment with the
  "Telecommunications Liberalization Plan of 1998," Argentina
  encouraged the growth of modern telecommunication technology;
  fiber-optic cable trunk lines are being installed between all major
  cities; the major networks are entirely digital and the availability
  of telephone service is being improved; however, telephone density
  is presently minimal, and making telephone service universally
  available will take time
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber-optic cable, and a domestic
  satellite system with 40 earth stations serve the trunk network;
  more than 110,000 pay telephones are installed and mobile telephone
  use is rapidly expanding
  international: country code - 54; satellite earth stations - 8
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Atlantis II and Unisur submarine cables;
  two international gateways near Buenos Aires (1999)

Armenia
  general assessment: system inadequate; now 90% privately
  owned and undergoing modernization and expansion
  domestic: the majority of subscribers and the most modern equipment
  are in Yerevan (this includes paging and mobile cellular service)
  international: country code - 374; Yerevan is connected to the
  Trans-Asia-Europe fiber-optic cable through Iran; additional
  international service is available by microwave radio relay and
  landline connections to the other countries of the Commonwealth of
  Independent States and through the Moscow international switch and
  by satellite to the rest of the world; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (2000)

Aruba
  general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications
  system
  domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless
  service providers are now licensed
  international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten
  (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay
  links

Australia
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  service
  domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in
  areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular
  telephones
  international: country code - 61; submarine cables to New Zealand,
  Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10
  Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian
  and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998)

Austria
  general assessment: highly developed and efficient
  domestic: there are 48 main lines for every 100 persons; the fiber
  optic net is very extensive; all telephone applications and Internet
  services are available
  international: country code - 43; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat; in
  addition, there are about 600 VSAT (very small aperture terminals)
  (2002)

Azerbaijan
  general assessment: inadequate; requires considerable
  expansion and modernization; teledensity of 10 main lines per 100
  persons is low (2002)
  domestic: the majority of telephones are in Baku and other
  industrial centers - about 700 villages still without public
  telephone service; satellite service connects Baku to a modern
  switch in its exclave of Naxcivan
  international: country code - 994; the old Soviet system of cable
  and microwave is still serviceable; a satellite connection to Turkey
  enables Baku to reach about 200 additional countries, some of which
  are directly connected to Baku by satellite providers other than
  Turkey (1997)

Bahamas, The
  general assessment: modern facilities
  domestic: totally automatic system; highly developed
  international: country code - 1-242; tropospheric scatter and
  submarine cable to Florida; 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (1997)

Bahrain
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: modern fiber-optic integrated services; digital network
  with rapidly growing use of mobile cellular telephones
  international: country code - 973; tropospheric scatter to Qatar and
  UAE; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; submarine cable to
  Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (1997)

Bangladesh
  general assessment: totally inadequate for a modern
  country
  domestic: modernizing; introducing digital systems; trunk systems
  include VHF and UHF microwave radio relay links, and some
  fiber-optic cable in cities
  international: country code - 880; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean); international radiotelephone communications
  and landline service to neighboring countries (2000)

Barbados
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system
  international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and
  Saint Lucia

Belarus
  general assessment: the Ministry of Telecommunications
  controls all telecommunications through its carrier (a joint stock
  company) Beltelcom which is a monopoly
  domestic: local - Minsk has a digital metropolitan network and a
  cellular NMT-450 network; waiting lists for telephones are long;
  local service outside Minsk is neglected and poor; intercity -
  Belarus has a partly developed fiber-optic backbone system presently
  serving at least 13 major cities (1998); Belarus' fiber optics form
  synchronous digital hierarchy rings through other countries'
  systems; an inadequate analog system remains operational
  international: country code - 375; Belarus is a member of the
  Trans-European Line (TEL), Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line,
  and has access to the Trans-Siberia Line (TSL); three fiber-optic
  segments provide connectivity to Latvia, Poland, Russia, and
  Ukraine; worldwide service is available to Belarus through this
  infrastructure; additional analog lines to Russia; Intelsat,
  Eutelsat, and Intersputnik earth stations

Belgium
  general assessment: highly developed, technologically
  advanced, and completely automated domestic and international
  telephone and telegraph facilities
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable
  network; limited microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 32; 5 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat

Belize
  general assessment: above-average system
  domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Benin
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair system of open-wire, microwave radio relay, and
  cellular connections
  international: country code - 229; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Bermuda
  general assessment: good
  domestic: fully automatic digital telephone system; fiber optic
  trunk lines
  international: country code - 1-441; 3 fiber optic submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bhutan
  general assessment: telecommunications facilities are poor
  domestic: very low tele-density; domestic service is very poor
  especially in rural areas; wireless service available since 2003
  international: country code - 975; international telephone and
  telegraph service via landline and microwave relay through India;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2005)

Bolivia
  general assessment: new subscribers face bureaucratic
  difficulties; most telephones are concentrated in La Paz and other
  cities; mobile cellular telephone use expanding rapidly
  domestic: primary trunk system, which is being expanded, employs
  digital microwave radio relay; some areas are served by fiber-optic
  cable; mobile cellular systems are being expanded
  international: country code - 591; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  general assessment: telephone and telegraph
  network needs modernization and expansion; many urban areas are
  below average as contrasted with services in other former Yugoslav
  republics
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 387; no satellite earth stations

Botswana
  general assessment: the system is expanding with the growth
  of mobile cellular service and participation in regional development
  domestic: small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations; mobile
  cellular service is growing fast
  international: country code - 267; two international exchanges;
  digital microwave radio relay links to Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,
  and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Brazil
  general assessment: good working system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 64 earth stations
  international: country code - 55; 3 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat
  (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to
  Mercosur Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

British Indian Ocean Territory general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

British Virgin Islands
  general assessment: worldwide telephone
  service
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-284; submarine cable to Bermuda

Brunei
  general assessment: service throughout the country is
  excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and
  the US
  domestic: every service available
  international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine
  cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Bulgaria
  general assessment: extensive but antiquated
  domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential;
  telephone service is available in most villages; a fairly modern
  digital cable trunk line now connects switching centers in most of
  the regions, the others are connected by digital microwave radio
  relay
  international: country code - 359; direct dialing to 58 countries;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions)

Burkina Faso
  general assessment: all services only fair
  domestic: microwave radio relay, open-wire, and radiotelephone
  communication stations
  international: country code - 226; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Burma
  general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for
  local and intercity service for business and government;
  international service is fair
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2,
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat

Burundi
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: sparse system of open-wire, radiotelephone communications,
  and low-capacity microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 257; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Cambodia
  general assessment: adequate landline and/or cellular
  service in Phnom Penh and other provincial cities; mobile phone
  coverage is rapidly expanding in rural areas
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 855; adequate but expensive landline
  and cellular service available to all countries from Phnom Penh and
  major provincial cities; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region)

Cameroon
  general assessment: available only to business and
  government
  domestic: cable, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter
  international: country code - 237; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Canada
  general assessment: excellent service provided by modern
  technology
  domestic: domestic satellite system with about 300 earth stations
  international: country code - 1-xxx; 5 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (4 Atlantic Ocean and 1
  Pacific Ocean) and 2 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cape Verde
  general assessment: effective system, extensive
  modernization from 1996-2000 following partial privatization in 1995
  domestic: major service provider is Cabo Verde Telecom (CVT); fiber
  optic ring, completed in 2001, links all islands providing Internet
  access and ISDN services; cellular service introduced in 1998
  international: country code - 238; 2 coaxial submarine cables; HF
  radiotelephone to Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station
  - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cayman Islands
  general assessment: reasonably good system
  domestic: liberalization of telecom market in 2003 reflected in
  falling prices and improving services
  international: country code - 1-345; 2 submarine fiber optic cables
  (Maya-1, Cayman-Jamaica); satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Central African Republic
  general assessment: fair system
  domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and
  low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication
  international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chad
  general assessment: primitive system
  domestic: fair system of radiotelephone communication stations
  international: country code - 235; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Chile
  general assessment: modern system based on extensive microwave
  radio relay facilities
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay links; domestic satellite
  system with 3 earth stations
  international: country code - 56; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

China
  general assessment: domestic and international services are
  increasingly available for private use; unevenly distributed
  domestic system serves principal cities, industrial centers, and
  many towns
  domestic: interprovincial fiber-optic trunk lines and cellular
  telephone systems have been installed; a domestic satellite system
  with 55 earth stations is in place
  international: country code - 86; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region) and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
  regions); several international fiber-optic links to Japan, South
  Korea, Hong Kong, Russia, and Germany (2000)

Christmas Island
  general assessment: service provided by the
  Australian network
  domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system
  in February 2005
  international: country code - 61-891; satellite earth stations - one
  Intelsat earth station provides telephone and telex service (2000)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  general assessment: connected within
  Australia's telecommunication system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 61-891; telephone, telex, and
  facsimile communications with Australia and elsewhere via satellite;
  1 satellite earth station of NA type (2002)

Colombia
  general assessment: modern system in many respects
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system; domestic
  satellite system with 41 earth stations; fiber-optic network linking
  50 cities
  international: country code - 57; satellite earth stations - 6
  Intelsat, 1 Inmarsat; 3 fully digitalized international switching
  centers; 8 submarine cables

Comoros
  general assessment: sparse system of microwave radio relay
  and HF radiotelephone communication stations
  domestic: HF radiotelephone communications and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 269; HF radiotelephone communications
  to Madagascar and Reunion

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  general assessment: poor
  domestic: barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
  and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: country code - 243; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Congo, Republic of the
  general assessment: services barely adequate
  for government use; key exchanges are in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire,
  and Loubomo; intercity lines frequently out of order
  domestic: primary network consists of microwave radio relay and
  coaxial cable
  international: country code - 242; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Cook Islands
  general assessment: Telecom Cook Islands offers
  international direct dialing, Internet, email, fax, and Telex
  domestic: the individual islands are connected by a combination of
  satellite earth stations, microwave systems, and VHF and HF
  radiotelephone; within the islands, service is provided by small
  exchanges connected to subscribers by open-wire, cable, and
  fiber-optic cable
  international: country code - 682; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Costa Rica
  general assessment: good domestic telephone service in
  terms of breadth of coverage; restricted cellular telephone service
  domestic: point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave,
  fiber-optic, and coaxial cable link rural areas; Internet service is
  available
  international: country code - 506; connected to Central American
  Microwave System; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean); two submarine cables (1999)

Cote d'Ivoire
  general assessment: well developed by African
  standards but operating well below capacity
  domestic: open-wire lines and microwave radio relay; 90% digitalized
  international: country code - 225; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); 2 submarine cables
  (June 1999)

Croatia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: reconstruction plan calls for replacement of all analog
  circuits with digital and enlarging the network; a backup will be
  included in the plan for the main trunk
  international: country code - 385; digital international service is
  provided through the main switch in Zagreb; Croatia participates in
  the Trans-Asia-Europe (TEL) fiber-optic project, which consists of
  two fiber-optic trunk connections with Slovenia and a fiber-optic
  trunk line from Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik; Croatia is also
  investing in ADRIA 1, a joint fiber-optic project with Germany,
  Albania, and Greece (2000)

Cuba
  general assessment: greater investment beginning in 1994 and
  the establishment of a new Ministry of Information Technology and
  Communications in 2000 has resulted in improvements in the system;
  wireless service is expensive and remains restricted to foreigners
  and regime elites, many Cubans procure wireless service illegally
  with the help of foreigners
  domestic: national fiber-optic system under development; 85% of
  switches digitized by end of 2004; telephone line density remains
  low, at 10 per 100 inhabitants; domestic cellular service expanding
  international: country code - 53; fiber-optic cable laid to but not
  linked to US network; satellite earth station - 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region)

Cyprus
  general assessment: excellent in both Republic of Cyprus and
  north Cyprus areas
  domestic: open-wire, fiber-optic cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 357; tropospheric scatter; 3 coaxial
  and 5 fiber-optic submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 2 Eutelsat, 2
  Intersputnik, and 1 Arabsat

Czech Republic
  general assessment: privatization and modernization
  of the Czech telecommunication system got a late start but is
  advancing steadily; growth in the use of mobile cellular telephones
  is particularly vigorous
  domestic: 86% of exchanges now digital; existing copper subscriber
  systems now being enhanced with Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line
  (ADSL) equipment to accommodate Internet and other digital signals;
  trunk systems include fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 420; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intersputnik (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Intelsat, 1
  Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat, 1 Globalstar

Denmark
  general assessment: excellent telephone and telegraph
  services
  domestic: buried and submarine cables and microwave radio relay form
  trunk network, 4 cellular mobile communications systems
  international: country code - 45; 18 submarine fiber-optic cables
  linking Denmark with Canada, Faroe Islands, Germany, Iceland,
  Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and UK; satellite earth
  stations - 6 Intelsat, 10 Eutelsat, 1 Orion, 1 Inmarsat
  (Blaavand-Atlantic-East); note - the Nordic countries (Denmark,
  Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) share the Danish earth station
  and the Eik, Norway, station for worldwide Inmarsat access (1997)

Djibouti
  general assessment: telephone facilities in the city of
  Djibouti are adequate as are the microwave radio relay connections
  to outlying areas of the country
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 253; submarine cable to Jiddah, Suez,
  Sicily, Marseilles, Colombo, and Singapore; satellite earth stations
  - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; Medarabtel regional
  microwave radio relay telephone network

Dominica
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fully automatic network
  international: country code - 1-767; microwave radio relay and SHF
  radiotelephone links to Martinique and Guadeloupe; VHF and UHF
  radiotelephone links to Saint Lucia

Dominican Republic
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: relatively efficient system based on island-wide microwave
  radio relay network
  international: country code - 1-809; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  general assessment: generally elementary but being expanded
  domestic: facilities generally inadequate and unreliable
  international: country code - 593; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Egypt
  general assessment: large system; underwent extensive
  upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and
  cellular service are available
  domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
  Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
  microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 20; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
  Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan;
  microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

El Salvador
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system
  international: country code - 503; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
  System

Equatorial Guinea
  general assessment: poor system with adequate
  government services
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 240; international communications from
  Bata and Malabo to African and European countries; satellite earth
  station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Eritrea
  general assessment: inadequate
  domestic: very inadequate; most telephones are in Asmara; government
  is seeking international tenders to improve the system (2002)
  international: country code - 291; note - international connections
  exist

Estonia
  general assessment: foreign investment in the form of joint
  business ventures greatly improved telephone service; substantial
  fiber-optic cable systems carry telephone, TV, and radio traffic in
  the digital mode; Internet services are available throughout most of
  the country - only about 11,000 subscriber requests were unfilled by
  September 2000
  domestic: a wide range of high quality voice, data, and Internet
  services is available throughout the country
  international: country code - 372; fiber-optic cables to Finland,
  Sweden, Latvia, and Russia provide worldwide packet-switched
  service; two international switches are located in Tallinn (2001)

Ethiopia
  general assessment: adequate for government use
  domestic: open-wire; microwave radio relay; radio communication in
  the HF, VHF, and UHF frequencies; two domestic satellites provide
  the national trunk service
  international: country code - 251; open-wire to Sudan and Djibouti;
  microwave radio relay to Kenya and Djibouti; satellite earth
  stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean)

European Union
  note - see individual country entries of member states

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB
  radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all
  points on both islands
  international: country code - 500; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other
  countries

Faroe Islands
  general assessment: good international communications;
  good domestic facilities
  domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog)
  and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed
  international: country code - 298; satellite earth stations - 1
  Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands,
  linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic
  submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable

Fiji
  general assessment: modern local, interisland, and
  international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose
  telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio
  communications center
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 679; access to important cable links
  between US and Canada as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Finland
  general assessment: modern system with excellent service
  domestic: digital fiber-optic fixed-line network and an extensive
  cellular network provide domestic needs
  international: country code - 358; 1 submarine cable (Finland
  Estonia Connection); satellite earth stations - access to Intelsat
  transmission service via a Swedish satellite earth station, 1
  Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Finland shares
  the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries (Denmark,
  Iceland, Norway, and Sweden)

France
  general assessment: highly developed
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay; extensive
  introduction of fiber-optic cable; domestic satellite system
  international: country code - 33; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (with total of 5 antennas - 2 for Indian Ocean and 3 for
  Atlantic Ocean), NA Eutelsat, 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region); HF
  radiotelephone communications with more than 20 countries

French Guiana
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: fair open-wire and microwave radio relay system
  international: country code - 594; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

French Polynesia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Gabon
  general assessment: adequate service by African standards and
  improving with the help of the growing mobile cell system
  domestic: adequate system of cable, microwave radio relay,
  tropospheric scatter, radiotelephone communication stations, and a
  domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 241; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); fiber optic submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC)
  provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gambia, The
  general assessment: adequate; a packet switched data
  network is available
  domestic: adequate network of microwave radio relay and open-wire
  international: country code - 220; microwave radio relay links to
  Senegal and Guinea-Bissau; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Atlantic Ocean)

Gaza Strip
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: rudimentary telephone services provided by an open-wire
  system
  international: NA

Georgia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: local - T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi have cellular telephone
  networks; urban telephone density is about 20 per 100 people; rural
  telephone density is about 4 per 100 people; intercity facilities
  include a fiber-optic line between T'bilisi and K'ut'aisi;
  nationwide pager service is available
  international: country code - 995; Georgia and Russia are working on
  a fiber-optic line between P'ot'i and Sochi (Russia); present
  international service is available by microwave, landline, and
  satellite through the Moscow switch; international electronic mail
  and telex service are available

Germany
  general assessment: Germany has one of the world's most
  technologically advanced telecommunications systems; as a result of
  intensive capital expenditures since reunification, the formerly
  backward system of the eastern part of the country, dating back to
  World War II, has been modernized and integrated with that of the
  western part
  domestic: Germany is served by an extensive system of automatic
  telephone exchanges connected by modern networks of fiber-optic
  cable, coaxial cable, microwave radio relay, and a domestic
  satellite system; cellular telephone service is widely available,
  expanding rapidly, and includes roaming service to many foreign
  countries
  international: country code - 49; Germany's international service is
  excellent worldwide, consisting of extensive land and undersea cable
  facilities as well as earth stations in the Inmarsat, Intelsat,
  Eutelsat, and Intersputnik satellite systems (2001)

Ghana
  general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible;
  many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is
  underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has
  been installed
  international: country code - 233; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel
  system connects Ghana to its neighbors; fiber optic submarine cable
  (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Gibraltar
  general assessment: adequate, automatic domestic system
  and adequate international facilities
  domestic: automatic exchange facilities
  international: country code - 350; radiotelephone; microwave radio
  relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Greece
  general assessment: adequate, modern networks reach all
  areas; good mobile telephone and international service
  domestic: microwave radio relay trunk system; extensive open-wire
  connections; submarine cable to offshore islands
  international: country code - 30; tropospheric scatter; 8 submarine
  cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and
  1 Indian Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Greenland
  general assessment: adequate domestic and international
  service provided by satellite, cables and microwave radio relay;
  totally digitalized in 1995
  domestic: microwave radio relay and satellite
  international: country code - 299; satellite earth stations - 12
  Intelsat, 1 Eutelsat, 2 Americom GE-2 (all Atlantic Ocean)

Grenada
  general assessment: automatic, islandwide telephone system
  domestic: interisland VHF and UHF radiotelephone links
  international: country code - 1-473; new SHF radiotelephone links to
  Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Vincent; VHF and UHF radio links to
  Trinidad

Guadeloupe
  general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and
  Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique

Guam
  general assessment: modern system, integrated with US
  facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
  domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service
  and local access to the Internet
  international: country code - 1-671; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to US and Japan (Guam is
  a trans-Pacific communications hub for MCI, Sprint, AT&T, IT&E, and
  GTE, linking the US and Asia)

Guatemala
  general assessment: fairly modern network centered in the
  city of Guatemala
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 502; connected to Central American
  Microwave System; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean)

Guernsey
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 1 submarine cable

Guinea
  general assessment: poor to fair system of open-wire lines,
  small radiotelephone communication stations, and new microwave radio
  relay system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication
  international: country code - 224; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Guinea-Bissau
  general assessment: small system
  domestic: combination of microwave radio relay, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone, and cellular communications
  international: country code - 245

Guyana
  general assessment: fair system for long-distance service
  domestic: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
  international: country code - 592; tropospheric scatter to Trinidad;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Haiti
  general assessment: domestic facilities barely adequate;
  international facilities slightly better
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay trunk service
  international: country code - 509; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  general assessment: automatic exchange
  domestic: tied into Italian system
  international: country code - 39; uses Italian system

Honduras
  general assessment: inadequate system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 504; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to Central American Microwave
  System

Hong Kong
  general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent
  domestic and international services
  domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic
  network
  international: country code - 852; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to
  Guangzhou, China; access to 5 international submarine cables
  providing connections to ASEAN member nations, Japan, Taiwan,
  Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe

Hungary
  general assessment: the telephone system has been modernized
  and is capable of satisfying all requests for telecommunication
  service
  domestic: the system is digitalized and highly automated; trunk
  services are carried by fiber-optic cable and digital microwave
  radio relay; a program for fiber-optic subscriber connections was
  initiated in 1996; heavy use is made of mobile cellular telephones
  international: country code - 36; Hungary has fiber-optic cable
  connections with all neighboring countries; the international switch
  is in Budapest; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic
  Ocean and Indian Ocean regions), 1 Inmarsat, 1 very small aperture
  terminal (VSAT) system of ground terminals

Iceland
  general assessment: extensive domestic service
  domestic: the trunk network consists of coaxial and fiber-optic
  cables and microwave radio relay links
  international: country code - 354; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Iceland shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden)

India
  general assessment: recent deregulation and liberalization of
  telecommunications laws and policies have prompted rapid change;
  local and long distance service provided throughout all regions of
  the country, with services primarily concentrated in the urban
  areas; steady improvement is taking place with the recent admission
  of private and private-public investors, but telephone density
  remains low at about seven for each 100 persons nationwide but only
  one per 100 persons in rural areas and a national waiting list of
  over 1.7 million; fastest growth is in cellular service with modest
  growth in fixed lines
  domestic: expansion of domestic service, although still weak in
  rural areas, resulted from increased competition and dramatic
  reductions in price led in large part by wireless service; mobile
  cellular service (both CDMA and GSM) introduced in 1994 and
  organized nationwide into four metropolitan cities and 19 telecom
  circles each with about three private service providers and one
  state-owned service provider; in recent years significant trunk
  capacity added in the form of fiber-optic cable and one of the
  world's largest domestic satellite systems, the Indian National
  Satellite system (INSAT), with five satellites supporting 33,000
  very small aperture terminals (VSAT)
  international: country code - 91; satellite earth stations - 8
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region); nine
  gateway exchanges operating from Mumbai (Bombay), New Delhi, Kolkata
  (Calcutta), Chennai (Madras), Jalandhar, Kanpur, Gandhinagar,
  Hyderabad, and Ernakulam; 5 submarine cables, including Sea-Me-We-3
  with landing sites at Cochin and Mumbai (Bombay), Fiber-Optic Link
  Around the Globe (FLAG) with landing site at Mumbai (Bombay), South
  Africa - Far East (SAFE) with landing site at Cochin, i2icn linking
  to Singapore with landing sites at Mumbai (Bombay) and Chennai
  (Madras), and Tata Indicom linking Singapore and Chennai (Madras),
  provide a significant increase in the bandwidth available for both
  voice and data traffic (2004)

Indonesia
  general assessment: domestic service fair, international
  service good
  domestic: interisland microwave system and HF radio police net;
  domestic satellite communications system
  international: country code - 62; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Iran
  general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized
  and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and
  increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing
  telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently
  connected
  domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system
  since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave
  radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been
  brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems
  has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular
  subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the
  system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital
  switches
  international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay
  to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria,
  Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to
  UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG);
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan
  through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion
  to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and
  4 Inmarsat

Iraq
  general assessment: the 2003 war severely disrupted
  telecommunications throughout Iraq including international
  connections; USAID is overseeing the repair of switching capability
  and the construction of mobile and satellite communication facilities
  domestic: repairs to switches and lines destroyed in the recent
  fighting continue, but sabotage remains a problem; cellular service
  is expected to be in place within two years
  international: country code - 964; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Arabsat (inoperative); coaxial cable
  and microwave radio relay to Jordan, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey;
  Kuwait line is probably nonoperational

Ireland
  general assessment: modern digital system using cable and
  microwave radio relay
  domestic: microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 353; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Israel
  general assessment: most highly developed system in the
  Middle East although not the largest
  domestic: good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay;
  all systems are digital
  international: country code - 972; 3 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Italy
  general assessment: modern, well developed, fast; fully
  automated telephone, telex, and data services
  domestic: high-capacity cable and microwave radio relay trunks
  international: country code - 39; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (with a total of 5 antennas - 3 for Atlantic Ocean and 2
  for Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and NA
  Eutelsat; 21 submarine cables

Jamaica
  general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone
  network
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables

Japan
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  service
  domestic: high level of modern technology and excellent service of
  every kind
  international: country code - 81; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (4 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Indian Ocean region), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific and Indian Ocean
  regions); submarine cables to China, Philippines, Russia, and US
  (via Guam) (1999)

Jersey
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: 3 submarine cables

Johnston Atoll
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: 512 KB satellite link to Hawaii teleport; 20 (POTS) voice
  and data lines
  international: NA (2002)

Jordan
  general assessment: service has improved recently with
  increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to
  the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access
  to pay telephones is needed by the urban public
  domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and
  fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of
  mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available
  international: country code - 962; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals;
  fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link
  with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable
  FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL;
  international links total about 4,000

Kazakhstan
  general assessment: service is poor; equipment antiquated
  domestic: intercity by landline and microwave radio relay; mobile
  cellular systems are available in most of Kazakhstan
  international: country code - 7; international traffic with other
  former Soviet republics and China carried by landline and microwave
  radio relay and with other countries by satellite and by the
  Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic cable; satellite earth stations
  - 2 Intelsat

Kenya
  general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize
  except for service to business
  domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data
  commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
  international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat

Kiribati
  general assessment: generally good quality national and
  international service
  domestic: wire line service available on Tarawa and Kiritimati;
  connections to outer islands by HF/VHF radiotelephone; wireless
  service available in Tarawa since 1999
  international: country code - 686; Kiribati is being linked to the
  Pacific Ocean Cooperative Telecommunications Network, which should
  improve telephone service; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Pacific Ocean)

Korea, North
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 850; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Russian (Indian Ocean region); other
  international connections through Moscow and Beijing

Korea, South
  general assessment: excellent domestic and
  international services
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 82; fiber-optic submarine cable to
  China; the Russia-Korea-Japan submarine cable; satellite earth
  stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1
  Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Kuwait
  general assessment: the quality of service is excellent
  domestic: new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new
  subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay,
  coaxial cable, and open-wire and fiber-optic cable; a cellular
  telephone system operates throughout Kuwait, and the country is well
  supplied with pay telephones
  international: country code - 965; coaxial cable and microwave radio
  relay to Saudi Arabia; linked to Bahrain, Qatar, UAE via the
  Fiber-Optic Gulf (FOG) cable; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat
  (1 Atlantic Ocean, 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean), and
  2 Arabsat

Kyrgyzstan
  general assessment: poorly developed; about 100,000
  unsatisfied applications for household telephones
  domestic: principally microwave radio relay; one cellular provider,
  probably limited to Bishkek region
  international: country code - 996; connections with other CIS
  countries by landline or microwave radio relay and with other
  countries by leased connections with Moscow international gateway
  switch and by satellite; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik
  and 1 Intelsat; connected internationally by the Trans-Asia-Europe
  (TAE) fiber-optic line

Laos
  general assessment: service to general public is poor but
  improving with over 20,000 telephones currently in service and an
  additional 48,000 expected by 2001; the government relies on a
  radiotelephone network to communicate with remote areas
  domestic: radiotelephone communications
  international: country code - 856; satellite earth station - 1
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Latvia
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
  provide an international capability independent of the Moscow
  international switch; more facilities are being installed for
  individual use
  domestic: expansion underway in intercity trunk line connections,
  rural exchanges, and mobile systems; still many unsatisfied
  subscriber applications
  international: country code - 371; international connections are now
  available via cable and a satellite earth station at Riga, enabling
  direct connections for most calls (1998)

Lebanon
  general assessment: telecommunications system severely
  damaged by civil war; rebuilding well underway
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay and cable
  international: country code - 961; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean) (erratic operations);
  coaxial cable to Syria; microwave radio relay to Syria but
  inoperable beyond Syria to Jordan; 3 submarine coaxial cables

Lesotho
  general assessment: rudimentary system
  domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a
  small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone
  communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing
  international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Liberia
  general assessment: the limited services available are found
  almost exclusively in the capital Monrovia
  domestic: fully automatic system with very low density of .21 fixed
  mainlines per 100 persons; limited wireless service available
  international: country code - 231; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Libya
  general assessment: telecommunications system is being
  modernized; mobile cellular telephone system became operational in
  1996
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, cellular,
  tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth
  stations
  international: country code - 218; satellite earth stations - 4
  Intelsat, NA Arabsat, and NA Intersputnik; submarine cables to
  France and Italy; microwave radio relay to Tunisia and Egypt;
  tropospheric scatter to Greece; participant in Medarabtel (1999)

Liechtenstein
  general assessment: automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 423; linked to Swiss networks by cable
  and microwave radio relay

Lithuania
  general assessment: inadequate, but is being modernized to
  provide an improved international capability and better residential
  access
  domestic: a national, fiber-optic cable, interurban, trunk system is
  nearing completion; rural exchanges are being improved and expanded;
  mobile cellular systems are being installed; access to the Internet
  is available; still many unsatisfied telephone subscriber
  applications
  international: country code - 370; landline connections to Latvia
  and Poland; major international connections to Denmark, Sweden, and
  Norway by submarine cable for further transmission by satellite

Luxembourg
  general assessment: highly developed, completely
  automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables
  domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable
  international: country code - 352; 3 channels leased on TAT-6
  coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America)

Macau
  general assessment: fairly modern communication facilities
  maintained for domestic and international services
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication
  facility; access to international communications carriers provided
  via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean)

Macedonia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 389

Madagascar
  general assessment: system is above average for the region
  domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay,
  and tropospheric scatter links connect regions
  international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Malawi
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: system employs open-wire lines, microwave radio relay
  links, and radiotelephone communications stations
  international: country code - 265; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Malaysia
  general assessment: modern system; international service
  excellent
  domestic: good intercity service provided on Peninsular Malaysia
  mainly by microwave radio relay; adequate intercity microwave radio
  relay network between Sabah and Sarawak via Brunei; domestic
  satellite system with 2 earth stations
  international: country code - 60; submarine cables to India, Hong
  Kong, and Singapore; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian
  Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2001)

Maldives
  general assessment: minimal domestic and international
  facilities
  domestic: interatoll communication through microwave links; all
  inhabited islands are connected with telephone and fax service
  international: country code - 960; satellite earth station - 3
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Mali
  general assessment: domestic system unreliable but improving;
  provides only minimal service
  domestic: network consists of microwave radio relay, open-wire, and
  radiotelephone communications stations; expansion of microwave radio
  relay in progress
  international: country code - 223; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Malta
  general assessment: automatic system satisfies normal
  requirements
  domestic: submarine cable and microwave radio relay between islands
  international: country code - 356; 2 submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Man, Isle of
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system
  international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite
  earth station, submarine cable

Marshall Islands
  general assessment: digital switching equipment;
  modern services include telex, cellular, internet, international
  calling, caller ID, and leased data circuits
  domestic: Majuro Atoll and Ebeye and Kwajalein islands have regular,
  seven-digit, direct-dial telephones; other islands interconnected by
  shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes)
  international: country code - 692; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); US Government satellite communications
  system on Kwajalein (2001)

Martinique
  general assessment: domestic facilities are adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 596; microwave radio relay to
  Guadeloupe, Dominica, and Saint Lucia; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Mauritania
  general assessment: limited system of cable and open-wire
  lines, minor microwave radio relay links, and radiotelephone
  communications stations (improvements being made)
  domestic: mostly cable and open-wire lines; a recently completed
  domestic satellite telecommunications system links Nouakchott with
  regional capitals
  international: country code - 222; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 2 Arabsat

Mauritius
  general assessment: small system with good service
  domestic: primarily microwave radio relay trunk system
  international: country code - 230; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean); new microwave link to Reunion; HF
  radiotelephone links to several countries; fiber optic submarine
  cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Mayotte
  general assessment: small system administered by French
  Department of Posts and Telecommunications
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 269; microwave radio relay and HF
  radiotelephone communications to Comoros (2001)

Mexico
  general assessment: low telephone density with about 15.2
  main lines per 100 persons; privatized in December 1990; the opening
  to competition in January 1997 improved prospects for development,
  but Telmex remains dominant
  domestic: adequate telephone service for business and government,
  but the population is poorly served; mobile subscribers far
  outnumber fixed-line subscribers; domestic satellite system with 120
  earth stations; extensive microwave radio relay network;
  considerable use of fiber-optic cable and coaxial cable
  international: country code - 52; satellite earth stations - 32
  Intelsat, 2 Solidaridad (giving Mexico improved access to South
  America, Central America, and much of the US as well as enhancing
  domestic communications), numerous Inmarsat mobile earth stations;
  linked to Central American Microwave System of trunk connections;
  high capacity Columbus-2 fiber-optic submarine cable with access to
  the US, Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Morocco, Spain, and Italy
  (1997)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used
  mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground
  stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service
  available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap
  international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

Moldova
  general assessment: inadequate, outmoded, poor service
  outside Chisinau; some effort to modernize is under way
  domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile
  cellular telephone service being introduced
  international: country code - 373; service through Romania and
  Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat,
  and Intersputnik

Monaco
  general assessment: modern automatic telephone system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 377; no satellite earth stations;
  connected by cable into the French communications system

Mongolia
  general assessment: network is improving with international
  direct dialing available in many areas
  domestic: very low density of about 6.5 telephones for each thousand
  persons; two wireless providers cover all but two provinces
  international: country code - 976; satellite earth station - 1
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean Region)

Montserrat
  general assessment: modern and fully digitalized
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-664

Morocco
  general assessment: modern system with all important
  capabilities; however, density is low with only 4.6 main lines
  available for each 100 persons
  domestic: good system composed of open-wire lines, cables, and
  microwave radio relay links; Internet available but expensive;
  principal switching centers are Casablanca and Rabat; national
  network nearly 100% digital using fiber-optic links; improved rural
  service employs microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 212; 7 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
  microwave radio relay to Gibraltar, Spain, and Western Sahara;
  coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria; participant in
  Medarabtel; fiber-optic cable link from Agadir to Algeria and
  Tunisia (1998)

Mozambique
  general assessment: fair system but not available
  generally (telephone density is only 16 telephones for each 1,000
  persons)
  domestic: the system consists of open-wire lines and trunk
  connection by microwave radio relay and tropospheric scatter
  international: country code - 258; satellite earth stations - 5
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 3 Indian Ocean)

Namibia
  general assessment: good system; about 6 telephones for each
  100 persons
  domestic: good urban services; fair rural service; microwave radio
  relay links major towns; connections to other populated places are
  by open wire; 100% digital
  international: country code - 264; fiber-optic cable to South
  Africa, microwave radio relay link to Botswana, direct links to
  other neighboring countries; connected to Africa ONE and South
  African Far East (SAFE) submarine cables through South Africa;
  satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2002)

Nauru
  general assessment: adequate local and international
  radiotelephone communication provided via Australian facilities
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 674; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nepal
  general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
  radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
  network
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
  microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
  (Indian Ocean)

Netherlands
  general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
  domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
  telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
  network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
  System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
  international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
  Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  general assessment: generally adequate
  facilities
  domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
  international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite
  earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

New Caledonia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

New Zealand
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  systems
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 64; submarine cables to Australia and
  Fiji; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Nicaragua
  general assessment: inadequate system being upgraded by
  foreign investment
  domestic: low-capacity microwave radio relay and wire system being
  expanded; connected to Central American Microwave System
  international: country code - 505; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region) and 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Niger
  general assessment: small system of wire, radio telephone
  communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the
  southwestern area of Niger
  domestic: wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio
  relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned
  international: country code - 227; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)

Nigeria
  general assessment: an inadequate system, further limited by
  poor maintenance; major expansion is required and a start has been
  made
  domestic: intercity traffic is carried by coaxial cable, microwave
  radio relay, a domestic communications satellite system with 19
  earth stations, and a coastal submarine cable; mobile cellular
  facilities and the Internet are available
  international: country code - 234; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); fiber optic
  submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC) provides connectivity to Europe and Asia

Niue
  domestic: single-line telephone system connects all villages on
  island
  international: country code - 683

Norfolk Island
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: free local calls
  international: country code - 672; undersea coaxial cable links with
  Australia, New Zealand, and Canada; satellite earth station

Northern Mariana Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-670; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Norway
  general assessment: modern in all respects; one of the most
  advanced telecommunications networks in Europe
  domestic: Norway has a domestic satellite system; moreover, the
  prevalence of rural areas encourages the wide use of cellular mobile
  systems instead of fixed-wire systems
  international: country code - 47; 2 buried coaxial cable systems; 4
  coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - NA Eutelsat, NA
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions); note - Norway shares the Inmarsat earth station with the
  other Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Sweden) (1999)

Oman
  general assessment: modern system consisting of open-wire,
  microwave, and radiotelephone communication stations; limited
  coaxial cable
  domestic: open-wire, microwave, radiotelephone communications, and a
  domestic satellite system with 8 earth stations
  international: country code - 968; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Pakistan
  general assessment: the domestic system is mediocre, but
  improving; service is adequate for government and business use, in
  part because major businesses have established their own private
  systems; since 1988, the government has promoted investment in the
  national telecommunications system on a priority basis,
  significantly increasing network capacity; despite major
  improvements in trunk and urban systems, telecommunication services
  are still not readily available to the majority of the rural
  population
  domestic: microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable,
  cellular, and satellite networks
  international: country code - 92; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); 3 operational
  international gateway exchanges (1 at Karachi and 2 at Islamabad);
  microwave radio relay to neighboring countries (1999)

Palau
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 680; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Panama
  general assessment: domestic and international facilities
  well developed
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 507; 1 coaxial submarine cable;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); connected to
  the Central American Microwave System

Papua New Guinea
  general assessment: services are adequate;
  facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio,
  aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
  domestic: mostly radiotelephone
  international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and
  Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean);
  international radio communication service

Paraguay
  general assessment: meager telephone service; principal
  switching center is Asuncion
  domestic: fair microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 595; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Peru
  general assessment: adequate for most requirements
  domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic
  satellite system with 12 earth stations
  international: country code - 51; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable

Philippines
  general assessment: good international radiotelephone
  and submarine cable services; domestic and inter-island service
  adequate
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations
  international: country code - 63; 9 international gateways;
  satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific
  Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and
  Japan

Pitcairn Islands
  general assessment: satellite phone services
  domestic: domestic communication via radio (CB)
  international: country code - 872; satellite earth station (Inmarsat)

Poland
  general assessment: underdeveloped and outmoded system in the
  process of being overhauled; partial privatization of the
  state-owned telephone monopoly is underway; the long waiting list
  for main line telephone service has resulted in a boom in mobile
  cellular telephone use
  domestic: cable, open-wire, and microwave radio relay; 3 cellular
  networks; local exchanges 56.6% digital
  international: country code - 48; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat, NA Eutelsat, 2 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean
  regions), and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)

Portugal
  general assessment: Portugal's telephone system has
  achieved a state-of-the-art network with broadband, high-speed
  capabilities and a main line telephone density of 53%
  domestic: integrated network of coaxial cables, open-wire, microwave
  radio relay, and domestic satellite earth stations
  international: country code - 351; 6 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean),
  NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to Azores; note - an earth station
  for Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region) is planned

Puerto Rico
  general assessment: modern system integrated with that
  of the US by high-capacity submarine cable and Intelsat with
  high-speed data capability
  domestic: digital telephone system; cellular telephone service
  international: country code - 1-787, 939; satellite earth station -
  1 Intelsat; submarine cable to US

Qatar
  general assessment: modern system centered in Doha
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain;
  microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to
  Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic
  Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Reunion
  general assessment: adequate system; principal center is
  Saint-Denis
  domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 262; radiotelephone communication to
  Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius;
  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean); fiber optic
  submarine cable (SAT-3/WASC/SAFE) provides connectivity to Europe
  and Asia

Romania
  general assessment: poor domestic service, but improving
  domestic: 90% of telephone network is automatic; trunk network is
  mostly microwave radio relay, with some fiber-optic cable; about
  one-third of exchange capacity is digital; roughly 3,300 villages
  have no service
  international: country code - 40; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat; new digital, international, direct-dial exchanges operate
  in Bucharest; note - Romania is an active participant in several
  international telecommunication network projects (1999)

Russia
  general assessment: the telephone system underwent
  significant changes in the 1990s; there are more than 1,000
  companies licensed to offer communication services; access to
  digital lines has improved, particularly in urban centers; Internet
  and e-mail services are improving; Russia has made progress toward
  building the telecommunications infrastructure necessary for a
  market economy; however, a large demand for main line service
  remains unsatisfied
  domestic: cross-country digital trunk lines run from Saint
  Petersburg to Khabarovsk, and from Moscow to Novorossiysk; the
  telephone systems in 60 regional capitals have modern digital
  infrastructures; cellular services, both analog and digital, are
  available in many areas; in rural areas, the telephone services are
  still outdated, inadequate, and low density
  international: country code - 7; Russia is connected internationally
  by three undersea fiber-optic cables; digital switches in several
  cities provide more than 50,000 lines for international calls;
  satellite earth stations provide access to Intelsat, Intersputnik,
  Eutelsat, Inmarsat, and Orbita systems

Rwanda
  general assessment: telephone system primarily serves
  business and government
  domestic: the capital, Kigali, is connected to the centers of the
  provinces by microwave radio relay and, recently, by cellular
  telephone service; much of the network depends on wire and HF
  radiotelephone
  international: country code - 250; international connections employ
  microwave radio relay to neighboring countries and satellite
  communications to more distant countries; satellite earth stations -
  1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) in Kigali (includes telex and telefax
  service)

Saint Helena
  general assessment: can communicate worldwide
  domestic: automatic network
  international: country code - 290; HF radiotelephone from Saint
  Helena to Ascension Island, which is a major coaxial submarine cable
  relay point between South Africa, Portugal, and UK; satellite earth
  stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  general assessment: good interisland and
  international connections
  domestic: inter-island links via Eastern Caribbean Fiber Optic
  cable; construction of enhanced wireless infrastructure launched in
  November 2004
  international: country code - 1-869; international calls are carried
  by submarine cable or Intelsat

Saint Lucia
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: system is automatically switched
  international: country code - 1-758; direct microwave radio relay
  link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines;
  tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these
  countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 508; radiotelephone communication with
  most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic
  satellite system

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  general assessment: adequate system
  domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF
  radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the
  Grenadines
  international: country code - 1-784; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from
  Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to
  Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through
  Saint Lucia

Samoa
  general assessment: adequate
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 685; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

San Marino
  general assessment: adequate connections
  domestic: automatic telephone system completely integrated into
  Italian system
  international: country code - 378; connected to Italian
  international network

Sao Tome and Principe
  general assessment: adequate facilities
  domestic: minimal system
  international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Saudi Arabia
  general assessment: modern system
  domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and
  fiber-optic cable systems
  international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain,
  Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to
  Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain;
  satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian
  Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)

Senegal
  general assessment: good system
  domestic: above-average urban system; microwave radio relay, coaxial
  cable and fiber-optic cable in trunk system
  international: country code - 221; 4 submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Serbia and Montenegro
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 381; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Seychelles
  general assessment: effective system
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands in the
  archipelago
  international: country code - 248; direct radiotelephone
  communications with adjacent island countries and African coastal
  countries; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Sierra Leone
  general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph
  service
  domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects
  Freetown to Bo and Kenema
  international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Singapore
  general assessment: excellent service
  domestic: excellent domestic facilities
  international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia
  (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
  Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Slovakia
  general assessment: a modernization and privatization
  program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing
  the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving
  service quality
  domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving
  digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable,
  especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been
  added
  international: country code - 421; three international exchanges
  (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available;
  Slovakia is participating in several international
  telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of
  external services

Slovenia
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: 100% digital (2000)
  international: country code - 386

Solomon Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 677; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Somalia
  general assessment: the public telecommunications system was
  almost completely destroyed or dismantled by the civil war factions;
  private wireless companies offer service in most major cities and
  charge the lowest international rates on the continent
  domestic: local cellular telephone systems have been established in
  Mogadishu and in several other population centers
  international: country code - 252; international connections are
  available from Mogadishu by satellite

South Africa
  general assessment: the system is the best developed
  and most modern in Africa
  domestic: consists of carrier-equipped open-wire lines, coaxial
  cables, microwave radio relay links, fiber-optic cable,
  radiotelephone communication stations, and wireless local loops; key
  centers are Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, Port
  Elizabeth, and Pretoria
  international: country code - 27; 2 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: coastal radiotelephone station at Grytviken

Spain
  general assessment: generally adequate, modern facilities;
  teledensity is 44 main lines for each 100 persons
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 34; 22 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian
  Ocean), NA Eutelsat; tropospheric scatter to adjacent countries

Sri Lanka
  general assessment: very inadequate domestic service,
  particularly in rural areas; likely improvement with privatization
  of national telephone company and encouragement to private
  investment; good international service (1999)
  domestic: national trunk network consists mostly of digital
  microwave radio relay; fiber-optic links now in use in Colombo area
  and two fixed wireless local loops have been installed; competition
  is strong in mobile cellular systems; telephone density remains low
  at 2.6 main lines per 100 persons (1999)
  international: country code - 94; submarine cables to Indonesia and
  Djibouti; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (1999)

Sudan
  general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
  standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in
  1996 and have expanded substantially
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone
  communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite
  system with 14 earth stations
  international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000)

Suriname
  general assessment: international facilities are good
  domestic: microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 597; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Svalbard
  general assessment: probably adequate
  domestic: local telephone service
  international: country code - 47-790; satellite earth station - 1 of
  unknown type (for communication with Norwegian mainland only)

Swaziland
  general assessment: a somewhat modern but not an advanced
  system
  domestic: system consists of carrier-equipped, open-wire lines and
  low-capacity, microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 268; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Sweden
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  facilities; automatic system
  domestic: coaxial and multiconductor cables carry most of the voice
  traffic; parallel microwave radio relay systems carry some
  additional telephone channels
  international: country code - 46; 5 submarine coaxial cables;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat,
  and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions); note - Sweden
  shares the Inmarsat earth station with the other Nordic countries
  (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway)

Switzerland
  general assessment: excellent domestic and international
  services
  domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
  international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Syria
  general assessment: fair system currently undergoing
  significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic
  technology
  domestic: coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 963; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region);
  1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq,
  Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel

Taiwan
  general assessment: provides telecommunications service for
  every business and private need
  domestic: thoroughly modern; completely digitalized
  international: country code - 886; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean); submarine cables to
  Japan (Okinawa), Philippines, Guam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia,
  Australia, Middle East, and Western Europe (1999)

Tajikistan
  general assessment: poorly developed and not well
  maintained; many towns are not linked to the national network
  domestic: cable and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 992; linked by cable and microwave
  radio relay to other CIS republics and by leased connections to the
  Moscow international gateway switch; Dushanbe linked by Intelsat to
  international gateway switch in Ankara (Turkey); satellite earth
  stations - 1 Orbita and 2 Intelsat

Tanzania
  general assessment: fair system operating below capacity
  and being modernized for better service; VSAT (very small aperture
  terminal) system under construction
  domestic: trunk service provided by open-wire, microwave radio
  relay, tropospheric scatter, and fiber-optic cable; some links being
  made digital
  international: country code - 255; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Thailand
  general assessment: high quality system, especially in
  urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of
  telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006
  domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned and
  commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and
  outpacing fixed lines
  international: country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for
  APCN submarine cable

Togo
  general assessment: fair system based on a network of microwave
  radio relay routes supplemented by open-wire lines and a mobile
  cellular system
  domestic: microwave radio relay and open-wire lines for conventional
  system; cellular system has capacity of 10,000 telephones
  international: country code - 228; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Symphonie

Tokelau
  general assessment: modern satellite-based communications
  system;
  domestic: radiotelephone service between islands
  international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa;
  government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite
  earth stations, established in 1997

Tonga
  general assessment: competition between Tonga
  Telecommunications Corporation (TCC) and Shoreline Communications
  Tonga (SCT) is accelerating expansion of telecommunications; SCT
  recently granted authority to develop high-speed digital service for
  telephone, Internet, and television
  domestic: fully automatic switched network
  international: country code - 676; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  general assessment: excellent international
  service; good local service
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 1-868; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Barbados and
  Guyana

Tunisia
  general assessment: above the African average and continuing
  to be upgraded; key centers are Sfax, Sousse, Bizerte, and Tunis;
  Internet access available
  domestic: trunk facilities consist of open-wire lines, coaxial
  cable, and microwave radio relay
  international: country code - 216; 5 submarine cables; satellite
  earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat; coaxial
  cable and microwave radio relay to Algeria and Libya; participant in
  Medarabtel; two international gateway digital switches

Turkey
  general assessment: undergoing rapid modernization and
  expansion, especially with cellular telephones
  domestic: additional digital exchanges are permitting a rapid
  increase in subscribers; the construction of a network of
  technologically advanced intercity trunk lines, using both
  fiber-optic cable and digital microwave radio relay is facilitating
  communication between urban centers; remote areas are reached by a
  domestic satellite system; the number of subscribers to mobile
  cellular telephone service is growing rapidly
  international: country code - 90; international service is provided
  by three submarine fiber-optic cables in the Mediterranean and Black
  Seas, linking Turkey with Italy, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria, Romania,
  and Russia; also by 12 Intelsat earth stations, and by 328 mobile
  satellite terminals in the Inmarsat and Eutelsat systems (2002)

Turkmenistan
  general assessment: poorly developed
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 993; linked by cable and microwave
  radio relay to other CIS republics and to other countries by leased
  connections to the Moscow international gateway switch; a new
  telephone link from Ashgabat to Iran has been established; a new
  exchange in Ashgabat switches international traffic through Turkey
  via Intelsat; satellite earth stations - 1 Orbita and 1 Intelsat

Turks and Caicos Islands
  general assessment: fully digital system
  with international direct dialing
  domestic: full range of services available
  international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite
  earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Tuvalu
  general assessment: serves particular needs for internal
  communications
  domestic: radiotelephone communications between islands
  international: country code - 688; international calls can be made
  by satellite

Uganda
  general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular
  systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of
  main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
  domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular
  systems for short-range traffic
  international: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
  Tanzania

Ukraine
  general assessment: Ukraine's telecommunication development
  plan, running through 2005, emphasizes improving domestic trunk
  lines, international connections, and the mobile cellular system
  domestic: at independence in December 1991, Ukraine inherited a
  telephone system that was antiquated, inefficient, and in disrepair;
  more than 3.5 million applications for telephones could not be
  satisfied; telephone density is now rising slowly and the domestic
  trunk system is being improved; the mobile cellular telephone system
  is expanding at a high rate
  international: country code - 380; two new domestic trunk lines are
  a part of the fiber-optic Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) system and three
  Ukrainian links have been installed in the fiber-optic
  Trans-European Lines (TEL) project that connects 18 countries;
  additional international service is provided by the
  Italy-Turkey-Ukraine-Russia (ITUR) fiber-optic submarine cable and
  by earth stations in the Intelsat, Inmarsat, and Intersputnik
  satellite systems

United Arab Emirates
  general assessment: modern fiber-optic
  integrated services; digital network with rapidly growing use of
  mobile cellular telephones; key centers are Abu Dhabi and Dubai
  domestic: microwave radio relay, fiber optic and coaxial cable
  international: country code - 971; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat;
  submarine cables to Qatar, Bahrain, India, and Pakistan;
  tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi
  Arabia

United Kingdom
  general assessment: technologically advanced domestic
  and international system
  domestic: equal mix of buried cables, microwave radio relay, and
  fiber-optic systems
  international: country code - 44; 40 coaxial submarine cables;
  satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (7 Atlantic Ocean and 3
  Indian Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region), and 1 Eutelsat;
  at least 8 large international switching centers

United States
  general assessment: a large, technologically advanced,
  multipurpose communications system
  domestic: a large system of fiber-optic cable, microwave radio
  relay, coaxial cable, and domestic satellites carries every form of
  telephone traffic; a rapidly growing cellular system carries mobile
  telephone traffic throughout the country
  international: country code - 1; 24 ocean cable systems in use;
  satellite earth stations - 61 Intelsat (45 Atlantic Ocean and 16
  Pacific Ocean), 5 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region), and 4
  Inmarsat (Pacific and Atlantic Ocean regions) (2000)

Uruguay
  general assessment: fully digitalized
  domestic: most modern facilities concentrated in Montevideo; new
  nationwide microwave radio relay network
  international: country code - 598; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2002)

Uzbekistan
  general assessment: antiquated and inadequate; in serious
  need of modernization
  domestic: the domestic telephone system is being expanded and
  technologically improved, particularly in Tashkent (Toshkent) and
  Samarqand, under contracts with prominent companies in
  industrialized countries; moreover, by 1998, six cellular networks
  had been placed in operation - four of the GSM type (Global System
  for Mobile Communication), one D-AMPS type (Digital Advanced Mobile
  Phone System), and one AMPS type (Advanced Mobile Phone System)
  international: country code - 998; linked by landline or microwave
  radio relay with CIS member states and to other countries by leased
  connection via the Moscow international gateway switch; after the
  completion of the Uzbek link to the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE)
  fiber-optic cable, Uzbekistan will be independent of Russian
  facilities for international communications; Inmarsat also provides
  an international connection, albeit an expensive one; satellite
  earth stations - NA (1998)

Vanuatu
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1
  Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Venezuela
  general assessment: modern and expanding
  domestic: domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations; recent
  substantial improvement in telephone service in rural areas;
  substantial increase in digitalization of exchanges and trunk lines;
  installation of a national interurban fiber-optic network capable of
  digital multimedia services
  international: country code - 58; 3 submarine coaxial cables;
  satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1
  PanAmSat; participating with Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia in
  the construction of an international fiber-optic network

Vietnam
  general assessment: Vietnam is putting considerable effort
  into modernization and expansion of its telecommunication system,
  but its performance continues to lag behind that of its more modern
  neighbors
  domestic: all provincial exchanges are digitalized and connected to
  Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City by fiber-optic cable or
  microwave radio relay networks; main lines have been substantially
  increased, and the use of mobile telephones is growing rapidly
  international: country code - 84; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intersputnik (Indian Ocean region)

Virgin Islands
  general assessment: modern system with total digital
  switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay
  domestic: full range of services available
  international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections
  (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA

Wake Island
  general assessment: satellite communications; 1 DSN
  circuit off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS)
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Wallis and Futuna
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 681

West Bank
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA
  note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are
  responsible for communication services in the West Bank

Western Sahara
  general assessment: sparse and limited system
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by
  microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite;
  satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to
  Rabat, Morocco

World
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: NA

Yemen
  general assessment: since unification in 1990, efforts have
  been made to create a national telecommunications network
  domestic: the national network consists of microwave radio relay,
  cable, tropospheric scatter, and GSM cellular mobile telephone
  systems
  international: country code - 967; satellite earth stations - 3
  Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Intersputnik
  (Atlantic Ocean region), and 2 Arabsat; microwave radio relay to
  Saudi Arabia and Djibouti

Zambia
  general assessment: facilities are aging but still among the
  best in Sub-Saharan Africa
  domestic: high-capacity microwave radio relay connects most larger
  towns and cities; several cellular telephone services in operation;
  Internet service is widely available; very small aperture terminal
  (VSAT) networks are operated by private firms
  international: country code - 260; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Atlantic Ocean)

Zimbabwe
  general assessment: system was once one of the best in
  Africa, but now suffers from poor maintenance; more than 100,000
  outstanding requests for connection despite an equally large number
  of installed but unused main lines
  domestic: consists of microwave radio relay links, open-wire lines,
  radiotelephone communication stations, fixed wireless local loop
  installations, and a substantial mobile cellular network; Internet
  connection is available in Harare and planned for all major towns
  and for some of the smaller ones
  international: country code - 263; satellite earth stations - 2
  Intelsat; two international digital gateway exchanges (in Harare and
  Gweru)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2125 Terrain

Afghanistan
  mostly rugged mountains; plains in north and southwest

Albania
  mostly mountains and hills; small plains along coast

Algeria
  mostly high plateau and desert; some mountains; narrow,
  discontinuous coastal plain

American Samoa
  five volcanic islands with rugged peaks and limited
  coastal plains, two coral atolls (Rose Island, Swains Island)

Andorra
  rugged mountains dissected by narrow valleys

Angola
  narrow coastal plain rises abruptly to vast interior plateau

Anguilla
  flat and low-lying island of coral and limestone

Antarctica
  about 98% thick continental ice sheet and 2% barren rock,
  with average elevations between 2,000 and 4,000 meters; mountain
  ranges up to nearly 5,000 meters; ice-free coastal areas include
  parts of southern Victoria Land, Wilkes Land, the Antarctic
  Peninsula area, and parts of Ross Island on McMurdo Sound; glaciers
  form ice shelves along about half of the coastline, and floating ice
  shelves constitute 11% of the area of the continent

Antigua and Barbuda
  mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands,
  with some higher volcanic areas

Arctic Ocean
  central surface covered by a perennial drifting polar
  icepack that, on average, is about 3 meters thick, although pressure
  ridges may be three times that thickness; clockwise drift pattern in
  the Beaufort Gyral Stream, but nearly straight-line movement from
  the New Siberian Islands (Russia) to Denmark Strait (between
  Greenland and Iceland); the icepack is surrounded by open seas
  during the summer, but more than doubles in size during the winter
  and extends to the encircling landmasses; the ocean floor is about
  50% continental shelf (highest percentage of any ocean) with the
  remainder a central basin interrupted by three submarine ridges
  (Alpha Cordillera, Nansen Cordillera, and Lomonosov Ridge)

Argentina
  rich plains of the Pampas in northern half, flat to
  rolling plateau of Patagonia in south, rugged Andes along western
  border

Armenia
  Armenian Highland with mountains; little forest land; fast
  flowing rivers; good soil in Aras River valley

Aruba
  flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  low with sand and coral

Atlantic Ocean
  surface usually covered with sea ice in Labrador Sea,
  Denmark Strait, and coastal portions of the Baltic Sea from October
  to June; clockwise warm-water gyre (broad, circular system of
  currents) in the northern Atlantic, counterclockwise warm-water gyre
  in the southern Atlantic; the ocean floor is dominated by the
  Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a rugged north-south centerline for the entire
  Atlantic basin

Australia
  mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast

Austria
  in the west and south mostly mountains (Alps); along the
  eastern and northern margins mostly flat or gently sloping

Azerbaijan
  large, flat Kur-Araz Ovaligi (Kura-Araks Lowland) (much
  of it below sea level) with Great Caucasus Mountains to the north,
  Qarabag Yaylasi (Karabakh Upland) in west; Baku lies on Abseron
  Yasaqligi (Apsheron Peninsula) that juts into Caspian Sea

Bahamas, The
  long, flat coral formations with some low rounded hills

Bahrain
  mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central
  escarpment

Baker Island
  low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow
  fringing reef

Bangladesh
  mostly flat alluvial plain; hilly in southeast

Barbados
  relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region

Bassas da India
  volcanic rock

Belarus
  generally flat and contains much marshland

Belgium
  flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills,
  rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast

Belize
  flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south

Benin
  mostly flat to undulating plain; some hills and low mountains

Bermuda
  low hills separated by fertile depressions

Bhutan
  mostly mountainous with some fertile valleys and savanna

Bolivia
  rugged Andes Mountains with a highland plateau (Altiplano),
  hills, lowland plains of the Amazon Basin

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  mountains and valleys

Botswana
  predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari
  Desert in southwest

Bouvet Island
  volcanic; coast is mostly inaccessible

Brazil
  mostly flat to rolling lowlands in north; some plains, hills,
  mountains, and narrow coastal belt

British Indian Ocean Territory
  flat and low (most areas do not
  exceed four meters in elevation)

British Virgin Islands
  coral islands relatively flat; volcanic
  islands steep, hilly

Brunei
  flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland
  in west

Bulgaria
  mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

Burkina Faso
  mostly flat to dissected, undulating plains; hills in
  west and southeast

Burma
  central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Burundi
  hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some
  plains

Cambodia
  mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north

Cameroon
  diverse, with coastal plain in southwest, dissected plateau
  in center, mountains in west, plains in north

Canada
  mostly plains with mountains in west and lowlands in southeast

Cape Verde
  steep, rugged, rocky, volcanic

Cayman Islands
  low-lying limestone base surrounded by coral reefs

Central African Republic
  vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau;
  scattered hills in northeast and southwest

Chad
  broad, arid plains in center, desert in north, mountains in
  northwest, lowlands in south

Chile
  low coastal mountains; fertile central valley; rugged Andes in
  east

China
  mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains,
  deltas, and hills in east

Christmas Island
  steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central
  plateau

Clipperton Island
  coral atoll

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  flat, low-lying coral atolls

Colombia
  flat coastal lowlands, central highlands, high Andes
  Mountains, eastern lowland plains

Comoros
  volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low
  hills

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  vast central basin is a low-lying
  plateau; mountains in east

Congo, Republic of the
  coastal plain, southern basin, central
  plateau, northern basin

Cook Islands
  low coral atolls in north; volcanic, hilly islands in
  south

Coral Sea Islands
  sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays)

Costa Rica
  coastal plains separated by rugged mountains including
  over 100 volcanic cones, of which several are major volcanoes

Cote d'Ivoire
  mostly flat to undulating plains; mountains in
  northwest

Croatia
  geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border,
  low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands

Cuba
  mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains
  in the southeast

Cyprus
  central plain with mountains to north and south; scattered
  but significant plains along southern coast

Czech Republic
  Bohemia in the west consists of rolling plains,
  hills, and plateaus surrounded by low mountains; Moravia in the east
  consists of very hilly country

Denmark
  low and flat to gently rolling plains

Djibouti
  coastal plain and plateau separated by central mountains

Dominica
  rugged mountains of volcanic origin

Dominican Republic rugged highlands and mountains with fertile valleys interspersed

East Timor
  mountainous

Ecuador
  coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands
  (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente)

Egypt
  vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

El Salvador
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central
  plateau

Equatorial Guinea
  coastal plains rise to interior hills; islands are
  volcanic

Eritrea
  dominated by extension of Ethiopian north-south trending
  highlands, descending on the east to a coastal desert plain, on the
  northwest to hilly terrain and on the southwest to flat-to-rolling
  plains

Estonia
  marshy, lowlands; flat in the north, hilly in the south

Ethiopia
  high plateau with central mountain range divided by Great
  Rift Valley

Europa Island
  low and flat

European Union
  fairly flat along the Baltic and Atlantic coast;
  mountainous in the central and southern areas

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  rocky, hilly, mountainous with
  some boggy, undulating plains

Faroe Islands
  rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of
  coast

Fiji
  mostly mountains of volcanic origin

Finland
  mostly low, flat to rolling plains interspersed with lakes
  and low hills

France
  mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
  remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east

French Guiana
  low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small
  mountains

French Polynesia
  mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with
  reefs

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  volcanic

Gabon
  narrow coastal plain; hilly interior; savanna in east and south

Gambia, The
  flood plain of the Gambia River flanked by some low hills

Gaza Strip
  flat to rolling, sand- and dune-covered coastal plain

Georgia
  largely mountainous with Great Caucasus Mountains in the
  north and Lesser Caucasus Mountains in the south; Kolkhet'is Dablobi
  (Kolkhida Lowland) opens to the Black Sea in the west; Mtkvari River
  Basin in the east; good soils in river valley flood plains,
  foothills of Kolkhida Lowland

Germany
  lowlands in north, uplands in center, Bavarian Alps in south

Ghana
  mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area

Gibraltar
  a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands
  low and flat

Greece
  mostly mountains with ranges extending into the sea as
  peninsulas or chains of islands

Greenland
  flat to gradually sloping icecap covers all but a narrow,
  mountainous, barren, rocky coast

Grenada
  volcanic in origin with central mountains

Guadeloupe
  Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior
  mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the
  seven other islands are volcanic in origin

Guam
  volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat
  coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep
  coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in
  center, mountains in south

Guatemala
  mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling
  limestone plateau (Peten)

Guernsey
  mostly level with low hills in southwest

Guinea
  generally flat coastal plain, hilly to mountainous interior

Guinea-Bissau
  mostly low coastal plain rising to savanna in east

Guyana
  mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Haiti
  mostly rough and mountainous

Heard Island and McDonald Islands Heard Island - 80% ice-covered, bleak and mountainous, dominated by a large massif (Big Ben) and an active volcano (Mawson Peak); McDonald Islands - small and rocky

Holy See (Vatican City)
  low hill

Honduras
  mostly mountains in interior, narrow coastal plains

Hong Kong
  hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

Howland Island
  low-lying, nearly level, sandy, coral island
  surrounded by a narrow fringing reef; depressed central area

Hungary
  mostly flat to rolling plains; hills and low mountains on
  the Slovakian border

Iceland
  mostly plateau interspersed with mountain peaks, icefields;
  coast deeply indented by bays and fiords

India
  upland plain (Deccan Plateau) in south, flat to rolling plain
  along the Ganges, deserts in west, Himalayas in north

Indian Ocean
  surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad,
  circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique
  reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low
  atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer
  air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast
  winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from
  cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and
  northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated
  by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian
  Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge

Indonesia
  mostly coastal lowlands; larger islands have interior
  mountains

Iran
  rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts,
  mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts

Iraq
  mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in
  south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran
  and Turkey

Ireland
  mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged
  hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast

Israel
  Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central
  mountains; Jordan Rift Valley

Italy
  mostly rugged and mountainous; some plains, coastal lowlands

Jamaica
  mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain

Jan Mayen
  volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers

Japan
  mostly rugged and mountainous

Jarvis Island
  sandy, coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing
  reef

Jersey
  gently rolling plain with low, rugged hills along north coast

Johnston Atoll
  mostly flat

Jordan
  mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great
  Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River

Juan de Nova Island
  low and flat

Kazakhstan
  extends from the Volga to the Altai Mountains and from
  the plains in western Siberia to oases and desert in Central Asia

Kenya
  low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
  Valley; fertile plateau in west

Kingman Reef
  low and nearly level

Kiribati
  mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Korea, North
  mostly hills and mountains separated by deep, narrow
  valleys; coastal plains wide in west, discontinuous in east

Korea, South
  mostly hills and mountains; wide coastal plains in west
  and south

Kuwait
  flat to slightly undulating desert plain

Kyrgyzstan
  peaks of Tien Shan and associated valleys and basins
  encompass entire nation

Laos
  mostly rugged mountains; some plains and plateaus

Latvia
  low plain

Lebanon
  narrow coastal plain; El Beqaa (Bekaa Valley) separates
  Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon Mountains

Lesotho
  mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains

Liberia
  mostly flat to rolling coastal plains rising to rolling
  plateau and low mountains in northeast

Libya
  mostly barren, flat to undulating plains, plateaus, depressions

Liechtenstein
  mostly mountainous (Alps) with Rhine Valley in western
  third

Lithuania
  lowland, many scattered small lakes, fertile soil

Luxembourg
  mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow
  valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope
  down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast

Macau
  generally flat

Macedonia
  mountainous territory covered with deep basins and
  valleys; three large lakes, each divided by a frontier line; country
  bisected by the Vardar River

Madagascar
  narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center

Malawi
  narrow elongated plateau with rolling plains, rounded hills,
  some mountains

Malaysia
  coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Maldives
  flat, with white sandy beaches

Mali
  mostly flat to rolling northern plains covered by sand; savanna
  in south, rugged hills in northeast

Malta
  mostly low, rocky, flat to dissected plains; many coastal
  cliffs

Man, Isle of
  hills in north and south bisected by central valley

Marshall Islands
  low coral limestone and sand islands

Martinique
  mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano

Mauritania
  mostly barren, flat plains of the Sahara; some central
  hills

Mauritius
  small coastal plain rising to discontinuous mountains
  encircling central plateau

Mayotte
  generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic
  peaks

Mexico
  high, rugged mountains; low coastal plains; high plateaus;
  desert

Micronesia, Federated States of islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

Midway Islands
  low, nearly level

Moldova
  rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea

Monaco
  hilly, rugged, rocky

Mongolia
  vast semidesert and desert plains, grassy steppe, mountains
  in west and southwest; Gobi Desert in south-central

Montserrat
  volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal
  lowland

Morocco
  northern coast and interior are mountainous with large areas
  of bordering plateaus, intermontane valleys, and rich coastal plains

Mozambique
  mostly coastal lowlands, uplands in center, high plateaus
  in northwest, mountains in west

Namibia
  mostly high plateau; Namib Desert along coast; Kalahari
  Desert in east

Nauru
  sandy beach rises to fertile ring around raised coral reefs
  with phosphate plateau in center

Navassa Island
  raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to
  undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Nepal
  Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
  region, rugged Himalayas in north

Netherlands
  mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
  some hills in southeast

Netherlands Antilles
  generally hilly, volcanic interiors

New Caledonia
  coastal plains with interior mountains

New Zealand
  predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains

Nicaragua
  extensive Atlantic coastal plains rising to central
  interior mountains; narrow Pacific coastal plain interrupted by
  volcanoes

Niger
  predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling
  plains in south; hills in north

Nigeria
  southern lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus;
  mountains in southeast, plains in north

Niue
  steep limestone cliffs along coast, central plateau

Norfolk Island
  volcanic formation with mostly rolling plains

Northern Mariana Islands
  southern islands are limestone with level
  terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic

Norway
  glaciated; mostly high plateaus and rugged mountains broken
  by fertile valleys; small, scattered plains; coastline deeply
  indented by fjords; arctic tundra in north

Oman
  central desert plain, rugged mountains in north and south

Pacific Ocean
  surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated
  by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents)
  and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre;
  in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of
  Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica
  reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the
  eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the
  western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana
  Trench, which is the world's deepest

Pakistan
  flat Indus plain in east; mountains in north and northwest;
  Balochistan plateau in west

Palau
  varying geologically from the high, mountainous main island of
  Babelthuap to low, coral islands usually fringed by large barrier
  reefs

Palmyra Atoll
  very low

Panama
  interior mostly steep, rugged mountains and dissected, upland
  plains; coastal areas largely plains and rolling hills

Papua New Guinea
  mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling
  foothills

Paracel Islands
  mostly low and flat

Paraguay
  grassy plains and wooded hills east of Rio Paraguay; Gran
  Chaco region west of Rio Paraguay mostly low, marshy plain near the
  river, and dry forest and thorny scrub elsewhere

Peru
  western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center
  (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva)

Philippines
  mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal
  lowlands

Pitcairn Islands
  rugged volcanic formation; rocky coastline with
  cliffs

Poland
  mostly flat plain; mountains along southern border

Portugal
  mountainous north of the Tagus River, rolling plains in
  south

Puerto Rico
  mostly mountains with coastal plain belt in north;
  mountains precipitous to sea on west coast; sandy beaches along most
  coastal areas

Qatar
  mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and
  gravel

Reunion
  mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast

Romania
  central Transylvanian Basin is separated from the Plain of
  Moldavia on the east by the Carpathian Mountains and separated from
  the Walachian Plain on the south by the Transylvanian Alps

Russia
  broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous
  forest and tundra in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern
  border regions

Rwanda
  mostly grassy uplands and hills; relief is mountainous with
  altitude declining from west to east

Saint Helena
  Saint Helena - rugged, volcanic; small scattered
  plateaus and plains
  note: the other islands of the group have a volcanic origin

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  volcanic with mountainous interiors

Saint Lucia
  volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  mostly barren rock

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  volcanic, mountainous

Samoa
  two main islands (Savaii, Upolu) and several smaller islands
  and uninhabited islets; narrow coastal plain with volcanic, rocky,
  rugged mountains in interior

San Marino
  rugged mountains

Sao Tome and Principe
  volcanic, mountainous

Saudi Arabia
  mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Senegal
  generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in
  southeast

Serbia and Montenegro
  extremely varied; to the north, rich fertile
  plains; to the east, limestone ranges and basins; to the southeast,
  ancient mountains and hills; to the southwest, extremely high
  shoreline with no islands off the coast

Seychelles
  Mahe Group is granitic, narrow coastal strip, rocky,
  hilly; others are coral, flat, elevated reefs

Sierra Leone
  coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country,
  upland plateau, mountains in east

Singapore
  lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
  catchment area and nature preserve

Slovakia
  rugged mountains in the central and northern part and
  lowlands in the south

Slovenia
  a short coastal strip on the Adriatic, an alpine mountain
  region adjacent to Italy and Austria, mixed mountains and valleys
  with numerous rivers to the east

Solomon Islands
  mostly rugged mountains with some low coral atolls

Somalia
  mostly flat to undulating plateau rising to hills in north

South Africa
  vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow
  coastal plain

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  most of the islands,
  rising steeply from the sea, are rugged and mountainous; South
  Georgia is largely barren and has steep, glacier-covered mountains;
  the South Sandwich Islands are of volcanic origin with some active
  volcanoes

Southern Ocean
  the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters
  over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water;
  the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually
  deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean
  is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum
  of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million
  square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in
  area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves
  perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current,
  transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100
  times the flow of all the world's rivers

Spain
  large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills;
  Pyrenees in north

Spratly Islands
  flat

Sri Lanka
  mostly low, flat to rolling plain; mountains in
  south-central interior

Sudan
  generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south,
  northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Suriname
  mostly rolling hills; narrow coastal plain with swamps

Svalbard
  wild, rugged mountains; much of high land ice covered; west
  coast clear of ice about one-half of the year; fjords along west and
  north coasts

Swaziland
  mostly mountains and hills; some moderately sloping plains

Sweden
  mostly flat or gently rolling lowlands; mountains in west

Switzerland
  mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with
  a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Syria
  primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain;
  mountains in west

Taiwan
  eastern two-thirds mostly rugged mountains; flat to gently
  rolling plains in west

Tajikistan
  Pamir and Alay Mountains dominate landscape; western
  Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest

Tanzania
  plains along coast; central plateau; highlands in north,
  south

Thailand
  central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains
  elsewhere

Togo
  gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern
  plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes

Tokelau
  low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons

Tonga
  most islands have limestone base formed from uplifted coral
  formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic base

Trinidad and Tobago
  mostly plains with some hills and low mountains

Tromelin Island
  low, flat, and sandy; likely volcanic

Tunisia
  mountains in north; hot, dry central plain; semiarid south
  merges into the Sahara

Turkey
  high central plateau (Anatolia); narrow coastal plain;
  several mountain ranges

Turkmenistan
  flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes rising to
  mountains in the south; low mountains along border with Iran;
  borders Caspian Sea in west

Turks and Caicos Islands low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps

Tuvalu
  very low-lying and narrow coral atolls

Uganda
  mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Ukraine
  most of Ukraine consists of fertile plains (steppes) and
  plateaus, mountains being found only in the west (the Carpathians),
  and in the Crimean Peninsula in the extreme south

United Arab Emirates
  flat, barren coastal plain merging into rolling
  sand dunes of vast desert wasteland; mountains in east

United Kingdom
  mostly rugged hills and low mountains; level to
  rolling plains in east and southeast

United States
  vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low
  mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in
  Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Uruguay
  mostly rolling plains and low hills; fertile coastal lowland

Uzbekistan
  mostly flat-to-rolling sandy desert with dunes; broad,
  flat intensely irrigated river valleys along course of Amu Darya,
  Syr Darya (Sirdaryo), and Zarafshon; Fergana Valley in east
  surrounded by mountainous Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan; shrinking Aral
  Sea in west

Vanuatu
  mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow
  coastal plains

Venezuela
  Andes Mountains and Maracaibo Lowlands in northwest;
  central plains (llanos); Guiana Highlands in southeast

Vietnam
  low, flat delta in south and north; central highlands;
  hilly, mountainous in far north and northwest

Virgin Islands
  mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little
  level land

Wake Island
  atoll of three coral islands built up on an underwater
  volcano; central lagoon is former crater, islands are part of the rim

Wallis and Futuna
  volcanic origin; low hills

West Bank
  mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west,
  but barren in east

Western Sahara
  mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or
  sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast

World
  the greatest ocean depth is the Mariana Trench at 10,924 m in
  the Pacific Ocean

Yemen
  narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
  mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope into the
  desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula

Zambia
  mostly high plateau with some hills and mountains

Zimbabwe
  mostly high plateau with higher central plateau (high
  veld); mountains in east

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2127 Total fertility rate (children born/woman)

Afghanistan
  6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Albania
  2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Algeria
  1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Andorra
  1.29 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Angola
  6.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Argentina
  2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Armenia
  1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Aruba
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Australia
  1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Austria
  1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  2.63 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  3.13 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Barbados
  1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Belarus
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Belgium
  1.64 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Belize
  3.68 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Benin
  5.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  4.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Botswana
  2.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Brazil
  1.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Brunei
  2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  6.23 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Burma
  2.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Burundi
  5.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  3.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  4.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Canada
  1.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  3.48 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  1.9 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Chad
  6.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Chile
  2.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

China
  1.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Comoros
  5.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA children born/woman (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  2.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  4.58 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Croatia
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cuba
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  1.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  1.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Denmark
  1.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  5.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Dominica
  1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  2.86 children born/woman (2005 est.)

East Timor
  3.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  2.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Egypt
  2.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  4.62 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  5.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Estonia
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  5.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

European Union
  1.47 children born/woman (July 2005 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA children born/woman (2005 est.)

Faroe Islands
  2.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Fiji
  2.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Finland
  1.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

France
  1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  2.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gabon
  4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  5.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  5.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Georgia
  1.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Germany
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ghana
  3.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Greece
  1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Greenland
  2.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Grenada
  2.37 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guam
  2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  4.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  1.38 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guinea
  5.83 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  4.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Guyana
  2.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Haiti
  5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Honduras
  3.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  0.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Hungary
  1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Iceland
  1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

India
  2.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Iran
  1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Iraq
  4.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ireland
  1.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Israel
  2.44 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Italy
  1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  1.95 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Japan
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Jersey
  1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Jordan
  2.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  1.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kenya
  4.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  4.2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  2.15 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  2.97 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Laos
  4.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Latvia
  1.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  1.92 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  3.35 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Liberia
  6.09 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Libya
  3.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  1.51 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  1.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Macau
  0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Malawi
  5.98 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  3.07 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Maldives
  5.02 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mali
  6.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Malta
  1.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  1.65 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Martinique
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  5.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  1.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  5.89 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mexico
  2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Moldova
  1.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Monaco
  1.76 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Morocco
  2.73 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  4.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Namibia
  3.18 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nauru
  3.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nepal
  4.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  2 children born/woman (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  2.31 children born/woman (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  2.81 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Niger
  6.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  5.53 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Norway
  1.78 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Oman
  5.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  4.14 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Palau
  2.46 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Panama
  2.45 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  3.96 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  3.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Peru
  2.56 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Philippines
  3.16 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  1.39 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Portugal
  1.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Qatar
  2.87 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Reunion
  2.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Romania
  1.36 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Russia
  1.27 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  5.49 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  1.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  2.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  2.21 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  2.03 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Samoa
  3.01 children born/woman (2005 est.)

San Marino
  1.33 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Senegal
  4.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  1.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Singapore
  1.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  1.32 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  1.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  4.04 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Somalia
  6.84 children born/woman (2005 est.)

South Africa
  2.24 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Spain
  1.28 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  1.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sudan
  4.85 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Suriname
  2.34 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Svalbard
  NA children born/woman

Swaziland
  3.7 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Sweden
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  1.42 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Syria
  3.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  1.57 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  4.05 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  5.06 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Thailand
  1.88 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Togo
  4.61 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  1.75 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Turkey
  1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  3.41 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  3.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Uganda
  6.74 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  1.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)

United States
  2.08 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  1.91 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  2.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  2.77 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  2.26 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  1.94 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  2.19 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA children born/woman

West Bank
  4.4 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA children born/woman

World
  2.6 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Yemen
  6.67 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Zambia
  5.47 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  3.54 children born/woman (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2128 Government type

Afghanistan
  Islamic republic

Albania
  emerging democracy

Algeria
  republic

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  parliamentary democracy (since March 1993) that retains as
  its chiefs of state a coprincipality; the two princes are the
  president of France and bishop of Seo de Urgel, Spain, who are
  represented locally by coprinces' representatives

Angola
  republic, nominally a multiparty democracy with a strong
  presidential system

Anguilla
  NA

Antarctica Antarctic Treaty Summary - the Antarctic Treaty, signed on 1 December 1959 and entered into force on 23 June 1961, establishes the legal framework for the management of Antarctica; the 27th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting was held in Cape Town, South Africa in May-June 2004; at these periodic meetings, decisions are made by consensus (not by vote) of all consultative member nations; at the end of 2003, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 17 non-consultative; consultative (decision-making) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory (some claims overlap) and 21 non-claimant nations; the US and Russia have reserved the right to make claims; the US does not recognize the claims of others; Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; the year in parentheses indicates when an acceding nation was accepted as a consultative member, while no date indicates the country was an original 1959 treaty signatory; claimant nations are - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. Nonclaimant consultative nations are - Belgium, Brazil (1983), Bulgaria (1998) China (1985), Ecuador (1990), Finland (1989), Germany (1981), India (1983), Italy (1987), Japan, South Korea (1989), Netherlands (1990), Peru (1989), Poland (1977), Russia, South Africa, Spain (1988), Sweden (1988), Ukraine (1992), Uruguay (1985), and the US; non-consultative members, with year of accession in parentheses, are - Austria (1987), Canada (1988), Colombia (1989), Cuba (1984), Czech Republic (1993), Denmark (1965), Estonia (2001), Greece (1987), Guatemala (1991), Hungary (1984), North Korea (1987), Papua New Guinea (1981), Romania (1971), Slovakia (1993), Switzerland (1990), Turkey (1995), and Venezuela (1999); Article 1 - area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited, but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel, cooperation with the UN and other international agencies; Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 - prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 - includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south and reserves high seas rights; Article 7 - treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all expeditions and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 - allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 - treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 - disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14 - deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments include - Agreed Measures for Fauna and Flora (1964) which were later incorporated into the Environmental Protocol; Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but remains unratified; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January 1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic environment through five specific annexes: 1) environmental impact assessment, 2) conservation of Antarctic fauna and flora, 3) waste disposal and waste management, 4) prevention of marine pollution, and 5) area protection and management; it prohibits all activities relating to mineral resources except scientific research; a permanent Antarctic Treaty Secretariat was established in 2004 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Antigua and Barbuda
  constitutional monarchy with UK-style parliament

Argentina
  republic

Armenia
  republic

Aruba
  parliamentary democracy

Australia
  democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British
  monarch as sovereign

Austria
  federal republic

Azerbaijan
  republic

Bahamas, The
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Bahrain
  constitutional hereditary monarchy

Bangladesh
  parliamentary democracy

Barbados
  parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within
  the Commonwealth

Belarus
  republic in name, although in fact a dictatorship

Belgium
  federal parliamentary democracy under a constitutional
  monarch

Belize
  parliamentary democracy

Benin
  republic under multiparty democratic rule; dropped
  Marxism-Leninism December 1989

Bermuda
  parliamentary British overseas territory with internal
  self-government

Bhutan
  monarchy; special treaty relationship with India

Bolivia
  republic

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  emerging federal democratic republic

Botswana
  parliamentary republic

Brazil
  federative republic

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  constitutional sultanate

Bulgaria
  parliamentary democracy

Burkina Faso
  parliamentary republic

Burma
  military junta

Burundi
  republic

Cambodia
  multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
  established in September 1993

Cameroon
  unitary republic; multiparty presidential regime
  (opposition parties legalized in 1990)
  note: preponderance of power remains with the president

Canada
  a constitutional monarchy that is also a parliamentary
  democracy and a federation

Cape Verde
  republic

Cayman Islands
  British crown colony

Central African Republic
  republic

Chad
  republic

Chile
  republic

China
  Communist state

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  republic; executive branch dominates government structure

Comoros
  independent republic

Congo, Democratic Republic of the dictatorship; presumably undergoing a transition to representative government

Congo, Republic of the
  republic

Cook Islands
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Costa Rica
  democratic republic

Cote d'Ivoire
  republic; multiparty presidential regime established
  1960

Croatia
  presidential/parliamentary democracy

Cuba
  Communist state

Cyprus
  republic
  note: a separation of the two ethnic communities inhabiting the
  island began following the outbreak of communal strife in 1963; this
  separation was further solidified after the Turkish intervention in
  July 1974 that followed a Greek junta-supported coup attempt gave
  the Turkish Cypriots de facto control in the north; Greek Cypriots
  control the only internationally recognized government; on 15
  November 1983 Turkish Cypriot "President" Rauf DENKTASH declared
  independence and the formation of a "Turkish Republic of Northern
  Cyprus" (TRNC), recognized only by Turkey

Czech Republic
  parliamentary democracy

Denmark
  constitutional monarchy

Djibouti
  republic

Dominica
  parliamentary democracy; republic within the Commonwealth

Dominican Republic
  representative democracy

East Timor
  Republic

Ecuador
  republic

Egypt
  republic

El Salvador
  republic

Equatorial Guinea
  republic

Eritrea
  transitional government
  note: following a successful referendum on independence for the
  Autonomous Region of Eritrea on 23-25 April 1993, a National
  Assembly, composed entirely of the People's Front for Democracy and
  Justice or PFDJ, was established as a transitional legislature; a
  Constitutional Commission was also established to draft a
  constitution; ISAIAS Afworki was elected president by the
  transitional legislature; the constitution, ratified in May 1997,
  did not enter into effect, pending parliamentary and presidential
  elections; parliamentary elections had been scheduled in December
  2001, but were postponed indefinitely; currently the sole legal
  party is the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ)

Estonia
  parliamentary republic

Ethiopia
  federal republic

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  republic
  note: military coup leader Maj. Gen. Sitiveni RABUKA formally
  declared Fiji a republic on 6 October 1987

Finland
  republic

France
  republic

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  republic; multiparty presidential regime (opposition parties
  legalized in 1990)

Gambia, The
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Georgia
  republic

Germany
  federal republic

Ghana
  constitutional democracy

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  parliamentary republic; monarchy rejected by referendum 8
  December 1974

Greenland
  parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy

Grenada
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style parliament

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  constitutional democratic republic

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  republic

Guinea-Bissau
  republic, multiparty since mid-1991

Guyana
  republic within the Commonwealth

Haiti
  elected government

Holy See (Vatican City)
  ecclesiastical

Honduras
  democratic constitutional republic

Hong Kong
  limited democracy

Hungary
  parliamentary democracy

Iceland
  constitutional republic

India
  federal republic

Indonesia
  republic

Iran
  theocratic republic

Iraq
  none; note - the Iraqi Interim Government (IG) was appointed on
  1 June 2004

Ireland
  republic

Israel
  parliamentary democracy

Italy
  republic

Jamaica
  constitutional parliamentary democracy

Japan
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  constitutional monarchy

Kazakhstan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Kenya
  republic

Kiribati
  republic

Korea, North
  Communist state one-man dictatorship

Korea, South
  republic

Kuwait
  nominal constitutional monarchy

Kyrgyzstan
  republic

Laos
  Communist state

Latvia
  parliamentary democracy

Lebanon
  republic

Lesotho
  parliamentary constitutional monarchy

Liberia
  republic

Libya
  Jamahiriya (a state of the masses) in theory, governed by the
  populace through local councils; in fact, a military dictatorship

Liechtenstein
  hereditary constitutional monarchy on a democratic and
  parliamentary basis

Lithuania
  parliamentary democracy

Luxembourg
  constitutional monarchy

Macau
  limited democracy

Macedonia
  parliamentary democracy

Madagascar
  republic

Malawi
  multiparty democracy

Malaysia
  constitutional monarchy
  note: nominally headed by paramount ruler and a bicameral Parliament
  consisting of a nonelected upper house and an elected lower house;
  all Peninsular Malaysian states have hereditary rulers except Melaka
  and Pulau Pinang (Penang); those two states along with Sabah and
  Sarawak in East Malaysia have governors appointed by government;
  powers of state governments are limited by federal constitution;
  under terms of federation, Sabah and Sarawak retain certain
  constitutional prerogatives (e.g., right to maintain their own
  immigration controls); Sabah - holds 20 seats in House of
  Representatives and will hold 25 seats after the next election;
  Sarawak holds 28 seats in House of Representatives

Maldives
  republic

Mali
  republic

Malta
  republic

Man, Isle of
  parliamentary democracy

Marshall Islands
  constitutional government in free association with
  the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 21
  October 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force in May 2004

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  republic

Mauritius
  parliamentary democracy

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  federal republic

Micronesia, Federated States of constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

Moldova
  republic

Monaco
  constitutional monarchy

Mongolia
  mixed parliamentary/presidential

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  constitutional monarchy

Mozambique
  republic

Namibia
  republic

Nauru
  republic

Nepal
  parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

Netherlands
  constitutional monarchy

Netherlands Antilles
  parliamentary

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  parliamentary democracy

Nicaragua
  republic

Niger
  republic

Nigeria
  federal republic

Niue
  self-governing parliamentary democracy

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands commonwealth; self-governing with locally elected governor, lieutenant governor, and legislature

Norway
  constitutional monarchy

Oman
  monarchy

Pakistan
  federal republic

Palau
  constitutional government in free association with the US; the
  Compact of Free Association entered into force 1 October 1994

Panama
  constitutional democracy

Papua New Guinea
  constitutional monarchy with parliamentary democracy

Paraguay
  constitutional republic

Peru
  constitutional republic

Philippines
  republic

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  republic

Portugal
  parliamentary democracy

Puerto Rico
  commonwealth

Qatar
  traditional monarchy

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  republic

Russia
  federation

Rwanda
  republic; presidential, multiparty system

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  constitutional monarchy with Westminster-style
  parliament

Saint Lucia
  Westminster-style parliamentary democracy

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines parliamentary democracy; independent sovereign state within the Commonwealth

Samoa
  mix of parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy

San Marino
  independent republic

Sao Tome and Principe
  republic

Saudi Arabia
  monarchy

Senegal
  republic under multiparty democratic rule

Serbia and Montenegro
  republic

Seychelles
  republic

Sierra Leone
  constitutional democracy

Singapore
  parliamentary republic

Slovakia
  parliamentary democracy

Slovenia
  parliamentary democratic republic

Solomon Islands
  parliamentary democracy

Somalia
  no permanent national government; transitional,
  parliamentary federal government

South Africa
  republic

Spain
  parliamentary monarchy

Sri Lanka
  republic

Sudan
  authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in
  1989; government is run by an alliance of the military and the
  National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front
  (NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

Suriname
  constitutional democracy

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  monarchy; independent member of Commonwealth

Sweden
  constitutional monarchy

Switzerland
  formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a
  federal republic

Syria
  republic under military regime since March 1963

Taiwan
  multiparty democratic regime headed by popularly-elected
  president and unicameral legislature

Tajikistan
  republic

Tanzania
  republic

Thailand
  constitutional monarchy

Togo
  republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  hereditary constitutional monarchy

Trinidad and Tobago
  parliamentary democracy

Tunisia
  republic

Turkey
  republican parliamentary democracy

Turkmenistan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy; began
  debating republic status in 1992

Uganda
  republic

Ukraine
  republic

United Arab Emirates
  federation with specified powers delegated to
  the UAE federal government and other powers reserved to member
  emirates

United Kingdom
  constitutional monarchy

United States
  Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic
  tradition

Uruguay
  constitutional republic

Uzbekistan
  republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little
  power outside the executive branch

Vanuatu
  parliamentary republic

Venezuela
  federal republic

Vietnam
  Communist state

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

Western Sahara
  legal status of territory and issue of sovereignty
  unresolved; territory contested by Morocco and Polisario Front
  (Popular Front for the Liberation of the Saguia el Hamra and Rio de
  Oro), which in February 1976 formally proclaimed a
  government-in-exile of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR),
  led by President Mohamed ABDELAZIZ; territory partitioned between
  Morocco and Mauritania in April 1976, with Morocco acquiring
  northern two-thirds; Mauritania, under pressure from Polisario
  guerrillas, abandoned all claims to its portion in August 1979;
  Morocco moved to occupy that sector shortly thereafter and has since
  asserted administrative control; the Polisario's government-in-exile
  was seated as an OAU member in 1984; guerrilla activities continued
  sporadically, until a UN-monitored cease-fire was implemented 6
  September 1991

Yemen
  republic

Zambia
  republic

Zimbabwe
  parliamentary democracy

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2129 Unemployment rate (%)

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  14.8% officially; may be as high as 30% (2001 est.)

Algeria
  25.4% (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  6% (2000)

Andorra
  0% (1996 est.)

Angola
  extensive unemployment and underemployment affecting more
  than half the population (2001 est.)

Anguilla
  8% (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  11% (2001 est.)

Argentina
  14.8% (2004 est.)

Armenia
  30% (2003 est.)

Aruba
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Australia
  5.1% (December 2004 est.)

Austria
  4.4% (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  1.2% (official rate) (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  10.2% (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  15% (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
  40% (includes underemployment) (2004 est.)

Barbados
  10.7% (2003 est.)

Belarus
  2% officially registered unemployed; large number of
  underemployed workers (2004)

Belgium
  12% (first half, 2004)

Belize
  12.9% (2003)

Benin
  NA

Bermuda
  5% (2002 est.)

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  9.2% in urban areas
  note: widespread underemployment (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  44% officially; however, grey economy may
  reduce actual unemployment to near 20% (2004 est.)

Botswana
  23.8% (2004 est.)

Brazil
  11.5% (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  3% (1995)

Brunei
  3.2% (2002 est.)

Bulgaria
  12.7% (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  NA%

Burma
  5.2% (2004 est.)

Burundi
  NA

Cambodia
  2.5% (2000 est.)

Cameroon
  30% (2001 est.)

Canada
  7% (2004)

Cape Verde
  21% (2000 est.)

Cayman Islands
  4.1% (1997)

Central African Republic
  8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)

Chad
  NA

Chile
  8.5% (2004 est.)

China
  9.8% in urban areas; substantial unemployment and
  underemployment in rural areas; an official Chinese journal
  estimated overall unemployment (including rural areas) for 2003 at
  20% (2004 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  60% (2000 est.)

Colombia
  13.6% (2004 est.)

Comoros
  20% (1996 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  NA (2003)

Cook Islands
  13% (1996)

Costa Rica
  6.6% (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  13% in urban areas (1998)

Croatia
  13.8% (2004 est.)

Cuba
  2.5% (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 3.2%; north Cyprus: 5.6% (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  10.6% (2004 est.)

Denmark
  6.2% (2004 est.)

Djibouti
  50% (2004 est.)

Dominica
  23% (2000 est.)

Dominican Republic
  17% (2004 est.)

East Timor
  50% (including underemployment) (1992 est.)

Ecuador
  11.1%; note - underemployment of 47% (2004 est.)

Egypt
  10.9% (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  6.3% - but the economy has much underemployment (2004
  est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  30% (1998 est.)

Eritrea
  NA (2003 est.)

Estonia
  9.6% (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  NA (2002)

European Union
  9.5% (2004 est.)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) full employment; labor shortage (2001)

Faroe Islands
  1% (October 2000)

Fiji
  7.6% (1999)

Finland
  8.9% (2004 est.)

France
  10.1% (2004 est.)

French Guiana
  22% (2001)

French Polynesia
  11.8% (1994)

Gabon
  21% (1997 est.)

Gambia, The
  NA (2002 est.)

Gaza Strip
  50% (includes West Bank) (2003 est.)

Georgia
  17% (2001 est.)

Germany
  10.6% (2004 est.)

Ghana
  20% (1997 est.)

Gibraltar
  2% (2001 est.)

Greece
  10% (2004 est.)

Greenland
  10% (2000 est.)

Grenada
  12.5% (2000)

Guadeloupe
  27.8% (1998)

Guam
  15% (2000 est.)

Guatemala
  7.5% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  0.5% (1999 est.)

Guinea
  NA (2002 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  NA (1998)

Guyana
  9.1% (understated) (2000)

Haiti
  widespread unemployment and underemployment; more than
  two-thirds of the labor force do not have formal jobs (2002 est.)

Honduras
  28.5% (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  6.7% (2004 est.)

Hungary
  5.9% (2004 est.)

Iceland
  3.1% (2004 est.)

India
  9.2% (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  9.2% (2004 est.)

Iran
  11.2% (2004 est.)

Iraq
  25% to 30% (2004 est.)

Ireland
  4.3% (2004 est.)

Israel
  10.7% (2004 est.)

Italy
  8.6% (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  15% (2004 est.)

Japan
  4.7% (2004 est.)

Jersey
  0.9% (2004 est.)

Jordan
  15% official rate; unofficial rate is approximately 30% (2004
  est.)

Kazakhstan
  8% (2004 est.)

Kenya
  40% (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  2%; underemployment 70% (1992 est.)

Korea, North
  NA (2003)

Korea, South
  3.6% (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  2.2% (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  18% (2004 est.)

Laos
  5.7% (1997 est.)

Latvia
  8.8% (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  18% (1997 est.)

Lesotho
  45% (2002)

Liberia
  85% (2003 est.)

Libya
  30% (2004)

Liechtenstein
  1.3% (September 2002)

Lithuania
  8% (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  4.5% (December, 2004 est.)

Macau
  4.7% (3rd Quarter, 2004)

Macedonia
  37.7% (3rd quarter, 2004 est.)

Malawi
  NA (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  3% (2004 est.)

Maldives
  NEGL% (2003 est.)

Mali
  14.6% urban areas; 5.3% rural areas (2001 est.)

Malta
  7% (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0.6% (2004 est.)

Marshall Islands
  30.9% (1999 est.)

Martinique
  27.2% (1998)

Mauritania
  20% (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  10.8% (2004 est.)

Mayotte
  38% (1999)

Mexico
  3.2% plus underemployment of perhaps 25% (2004 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  16% (1999 est.)

Moldova
  8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed
  abroad) (2002 est.)

Monaco
  22% (1999)

Mongolia
  6.7% (2003)

Montserrat
  6% (1998 est.)

Morocco
  12.1% (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  21% (1997 est.)

Namibia
  35% (1998)

Nauru
  90% (2004 est.)

Nepal
  47% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  6% (2004 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  15.6% (2002 est.)

New Caledonia
  19% (1996)

New Zealand
  4.2% (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  7.8% plus underemployment of 46.5% (2003 est.)

Niger
  NA (2002 est.)

Nigeria
  NA

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  0%

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  4.3% (2004 est.)

Oman
  15% (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  8.3% plus substantial underemployment (2004 est.)

Palau
  2.3% (2000 est.)

Panama
  12.6% (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  15.1% (2004 est.)

Peru
  9.6% in metropolitan Lima; widespread underemployment (2004
  est.)

Philippines
  11.7% (2004 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  19.5% (2004 est.)

Portugal
  6.5% (2004 est.)

Puerto Rico
  12% (2002)

Qatar
  2.7% (2001)

Reunion
  36% (1999 est.)

Romania
  6.3% (2004 est.)

Russia
  8.3% plus considerable underemployment (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  NA

Saint Helena
  14% (1998 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  4.5% (1997)

Saint Lucia
  20% (2003 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  9.8% (1997)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  15% (2001 est.)

Samoa
  NA; note - substantial underemployment

San Marino
  2.6% (2001)

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  25% (unofficial estimate) (2004 est.)

Senegal
  48% (urban youth 40%) (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  30%
  note: unemployment is approximately 50% in Kosovo (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  NA

Singapore
  3.4% (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  13.1% (31 December 2004 est.)

Slovenia
  6.4% (2004 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA%

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  26.2% (2004 est.)

Spain
  10.4% (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  7.8% (2004 est.)

Sudan
  18.7% (2002 est.)

Suriname
  17% (2000)

Swaziland
  34% (2000 est.)

Sweden
  5.6% (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  3.4% (2004 est.)

Syria
  20% (2002 est.)

Taiwan
  4.5% (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  40% (2002 est.)

Tanzania
  NA

Thailand
  1.5% (November 2004 est.)

Togo
  NA (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA%

Tonga
  13.3% (1996 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  10.4% (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  13.8% (2004 est.)

Turkey
  9.3% (plus underemployment of 4.0%) (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  60% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  10% (1997 est.)

Tuvalu
  NA%

Uganda
  NA (2002 est.)

Ukraine
  3.5% officially registered; large number of unregistered or
  underemployed workers; the International Labor Organization
  calculates that Ukraine's real unemployment level is around 9-10
  percent (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.4% (2001)

United Kingdom
  4.8% (2004 est.)

United States
  5.5% (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  13% (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0.6% officially, plus another 20% underemployed (2004
  est.)

Vanuatu
  NA%

Venezuela
  17.1% (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  1.9% (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  9.3% (2003 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  27.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  30% combined unemployment and underemployment in many
  non-industrialized countries; developed countries typically 4%-12%
  unemployment

Yemen
  35% (2003 est.)

Zambia
  50% (2000 est.)

Zimbabwe
  70% (2002 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2137 Military - note

Akrotiri
  Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British
  Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

American Samoa
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Andorra
  defense is the responsibility of France and Spain

Anguilla
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Antarctica
  the Antarctic Treaty prohibits any measures of a military
  nature, such as the establishment of military bases and
  fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, or the
  testing of any type of weapon; it permits the use of military
  personnel or equipment for scientific research or for any other
  peaceful purposes

Argentina
  the Argentine military is a well-organized force
  constrained by the country's prolonged economic hardship; the
  country has recently experienced a strong recovery, and the military
  is now implementing "Plan 2000," aimed at making the ground forces
  lighter and more responsive (2005)

Aruba
  defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  defense is the responsibility of
  Australia; periodic visits by the Royal Australian Navy and Royal
  Australian Air Force

Baker Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
  annually by the US Coast Guard

Barbados
  the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based
  Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land
  element is to defend the island against external aggression; the
  Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small
  regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it
  increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to
  prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)

Bassas da India
  defense is the responsibility of France

Bermuda
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Bouvet Island
  defense is the responsibility of Norway

British Indian Ocean Territory
  defense is the responsibility of the
  UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Virgin Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Cayman Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Christmas Island
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Clipperton Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Australia;
  the territory does have a five-person police force

Cook Islands
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand, in
  consultation with the Cook Islands and at its request

Coral Sea Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Australia;
  visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has
  control over the activities of visitors

Cuba
  Moscow, for decades the key military supporter and supplier of
  Cuba, cut off almost all military aid by 1993

Dhekelia
  includes Dheklia Garrison and Ayios Nikolaos Station
  connected by a roadway

Europa Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

European Union
  In November 2004, the European Union heads of
  government signed a "Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe"
  that offers possibilities - with some limits - for increased defense
  and security cooperation. If ratified, in a process that may take
  some two years, this treaty will in effect make operational the
  European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP) approved in the 2000
  Nice Treaty. Despite limits of cooperation for some EU members,
  development of a European military planning unit is likely to
  continue. So is creation of a rapid-reaction military force and a
  humanitarian aid system, which the planning unit will support.
  France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy
  continue to press for wider coordination. The five-nation Eurocorps
  - created in 1992 by France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and Luxembourg
  - has already deployed troops and police on peacekeeping missions to
  Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, and the Democratic Republic of
  Congo and assumed command of the International Security Assistance
  Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in August 2004. Eurocorps directly
  commands the 5,000-man Franco-German Brigade, the Multinational
  Command Support Brigade, and EUFOR, which took over from SFOR in
  Bosnia in December 2004. Other troop contributions are under
  national command - committments to provide 67,100 troops were made
  at the Helsinki EU session in 2000. Some 56,000 EU troops were
  actually deployed in 2003. In August 2004, the new European Defense
  Agency, tasked with promoting cooperative European defense
  capabilities, began operations. In November 2004, the EU Council of
  Ministers formally committed to creating thirteen 1,500-man "battle
  groups" by the end of 2007, to respond to international crises on a
  rotating basis. Twenty-two of the EU's 25 nations have agreed to
  supply troops. France, Italy, and the UK are to form the first three
  battle groups in 2005, with Spain to follow. In May 2005, Norway,
  Sweden, and Finland agreed to establish one of the battle groups,
  possibly to include Estonian forces. The remaining groups are to be
  formed by 2007. (2005)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) defense is the responsibility of the UK

Faroe Islands
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

French Guiana
  defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia
  defense is the responsibility of France

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  defense is the responsibility of
  France

Georgia
  a CIS peacekeeping force of Russian troops is deployed in
  the Abkhazia region of Georgia together with a UN military observer
  group; a Russian peacekeeping battalion is deployed in South Ossetia

Gibraltar
  defense is the responsibility of the UK; the last British
  regular infantry forces left Gibraltar in 1992, replaced by the
  Royal Gibraltar Regiment

Glorioso Islands
  defense is the responsibility of France

Greenland
  defense is the responsibility of Denmark

Guadeloupe
  defense is the responsibility of France

Guam
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Guernsey
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  defense is the responsibility of
  Australia; Australia conducts fisheries patrols

Holy See (Vatican City) defense is the responsibility of Italy; ceremonial and limited security duties performed by Pontifical Swiss Guard

Hong Kong
  defense is the responsibility of China

Howland Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
  annually by the US Coast Guard

Iceland
  defense is provided by the US-manned Icelandic Defense Force
  (IDF) headquartered at Keflavik

Jan Mayen
  defense is the responsibility of Norway

Jarvis Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
  annually by the US Coast Guard

Jersey
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Johnston Atoll
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Juan de Nova Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Kingman Reef
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Kiribati
  Kiribati does not have military forces; defense assistance
  is provided by Australia and NZ

Laos
  Laos is one of the world's least developed countries; the Lao
  People's Armed Forces are small, poorly funded, and ineffectively
  resourced; there is little political will to allocate sparse funding
  to the military, and the armed forces' gradual degradation is likely
  to continue; the massive drug production and trafficking industry
  centered in the Golden Triangle makes Laos an important narcotics
  transit country, and armed Wa and Chinese smugglers are active on
  the Lao-Burma border (2005)

Lesotho
  the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the
  future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially
  considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening
  in political affairs

Liechtenstein
  defense is the responsibility of Switzerland

Man, Isle of
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Marshall Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Martinique
  defense is the responsibility of France

Mayotte
  defense is the responsibility of France; small contingent of
  French forces stationed on the island

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Federated States of Micronesia (FSM)
  is a sovereign, self-governing state in free association with the
  US; FSM is totally dependent on the US for its defense

Midway Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Monaco
  defense is the responsibility of France; the Palace Guard
  performs ceremonial duties (2003)

Montserrat
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Nauru
  Nauru maintains no defense forces; under an informal
  agreement, defense is the responsibility of Australia

Navassa Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Netherlands Antilles defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

New Caledonia
  defense is the responsibility of France

Niue
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Norfolk Island
  defense is the responsibility of Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Palau
  defense is the responsibility of the US; under a Compact of
  Free Association between Palau and the US, the US military is
  granted access to the islands for 50 years

Palmyra Atoll
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Panama
  on 10 February 1990, the government of then President ENDARA
  abolished Panama's military and reformed the security apparatus by
  creating the Panamanian Public Forces; in October 1994, Panama's
  Legislative Assembly approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting
  the creation of a standing military force, but allowing the
  temporary establishment of special police units to counter acts of
  "external aggression"

Paracel Islands
  occupied by China

Pitcairn Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Puerto Rico
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Reunion
  defense is the responsibility of France

Saint Helena
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  defense is the responsibility of France

Samoa
  Samoa has no formal defense structure or regular armed forces;
  informal defense ties exist with NZ, which is required to consider
  any Samoan request for assistance under the 1962 Treaty of Friendship

San Marino
  defense is the responsibility of Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force
  with almost no resouces at its disposal and would be wholly
  ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered
  simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or
  replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and
  conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism
  in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003
  coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as
  intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on
  realistic security concerns; command is excersized from the
  president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the
  Armed Forces staff (2005)

South Africa
  with the end of apartheid and the establishment of
  majority rule, former military, black homelands forces, and
  ex-opposition forces were integrated into the South African National
  Defense Force (SANDF); as of 2003 the integration process was
  considered complete

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  defense is the
  responsibility of the UK

Spratly Islands
  Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
  islands or reefs, of which about 45 are claimed and occupied by
  China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam

Svalbard
  demilitarized by treaty on 9 February 1920

Tokelau
  defense is the responsibility of New Zealand

Tromelin Island
  defense is the responsibility of France

Turkey
  in the early 1990s, the Turkish Land Force was a large but
  badly equipped infantry force; there were 14 infantry divisions, but
  only one was mechanized, and out of 16 infantry brigades, only six
  were mechanized; the overhaul that has taken place since has
  produced highly moblie forces with greatly enhanced firepower in
  accordance with NATO's new strategic concept (2005)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the UK

Virgin Islands
  defense is the responsibility of the US

Wake Island
  defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support
  facility is part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test
  Site (RTS) administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command
  (SMDC)

Wallis and Futuna
  defense is the responsibility of France

Yemen
  a Coast Guard was established in 2002

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2138 Communications - note

Afghanistan
  in March 2003 'af' was established as Afghanistan's
  domain name; Internet access is growing through Internet cafes as
  well as public "telekiosks" in Kabul that are part of a nationwide
  network proposed by the Transitional Authority for Internet access
  (2002)

Bouvet Island
  automatic meteorological station

Coral Sea Islands there are automatic weather stations on many of the isles and reefs relaying data to the mainland

Europa Island
  1 meteorological station

Glorioso Islands
  1 meteorological station

Juan de Nova Island
  1 meteorological station

Saint Helena
  Gough Island has a meteorological station

Tromelin Island
  important meteorological station

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2140 Government - note

Malawi
  the executive exerts considerable influence over the
  legislature

Solomon Islands
  June 2003 Prime Minister Sir Allan KEMAKEZA sought
  the intervention of Australia to aid in restoring order; parliament
  approved the request for intervention in July 2003; troops from
  Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Tonga arrived 24
  July 2003. By the end of 2004 the Regional Assistance Mission to the
  Solomon Islands (RAMSI) had been scaled back to 302 police officers
  and 120 military in addition to civilian technical advisors.

Somalia
  although an interim government was created in 2004 other
  governing bodies continue to exist and control various cities and
  regions of the country, including the self-declared Republic of
  Somaliland, and traditional clan and faction strongholds

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2142 Country name

Afghanistan
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
  conventional short form: Afghanistan
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Afghanestan
  local short form: Afghanestan
  former: Republic of Afghanistan

Akrotiri
  conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area
  conventional short form: Akrotiri

Albania
  conventional long form: Republic of Albania
  conventional short form: Albania
  local long form: Republika e Shqiperise
  local short form: Shqiperia
  former: People's Socialist Republic of Albania

Algeria
  conventional long form: People's Democratic Republic of
  Algeria
  conventional short form: Algeria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Jaza'iriyah ad Dimuqratiyah ash
  Sha'biyah
  local short form: Al Jaza'ir

American Samoa
  conventional long form: Territory of American Samoa
  conventional short form: American Samoa
  abbreviation: AS

Andorra
  conventional long form: Principality of Andorra
  conventional short form: Andorra
  local long form: Principat d'Andorra
  local short form: Andorra

Angola
  conventional long form: Republic of Angola
  conventional short form: Angola
  local long form: Republica de Angola
  local short form: Angola
  former: People's Republic of Angola

Anguilla
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Anguilla

Antarctica
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Antarctica

Antigua and Barbuda
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina
  conventional long form: Argentine Republic
  conventional short form: Argentina
  local long form: Republica Argentina
  local short form: Argentina

Armenia
  conventional long form: Republic of Armenia
  conventional short form: Armenia
  local long form: Hayastani Hanrapetut'yun
  local short form: Hayastan
  former: Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic; Armenian Republic

Aruba
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Aruba

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional long form: Territory of
  Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  conventional short form: Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Australia
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
  conventional short form: Australia

Austria
  conventional long form: Republic of Austria
  conventional short form: Austria
  local long form: Republik Oesterreich
  local short form: Oesterreich

Azerbaijan
  conventional long form: Republic of Azerbaijan
  conventional short form: Azerbaijan
  local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
  local short form: none
  former: Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Bahamas, The
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of The Bahamas
  conventional short form: The Bahamas

Bahrain
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bahrain
  conventional short form: Bahrain
  local long form: Mamlakat al Bahrayn
  local short form: Al Bahrayn
  former: Dilmun

Baker Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Baker Island

Bangladesh
  conventional long form: People's Republic of Bangladesh
  conventional short form: Bangladesh
  former: East Pakistan

Barbados
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Barbados

Bassas da India
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bassas da India

Belarus
  conventional long form: Republic of Belarus
  conventional short form: Belarus
  local long form: Respublika Byelarus'
  local short form: none
  former: Belorussian (Byelorussian) Soviet Socialist Republic

Belgium
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Belgium
  conventional short form: Belgium
  local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie
  local short form: Belgique/Belgie

Belize
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Belize
  former: British Honduras

Benin
  conventional long form: Republic of Benin
  conventional short form: Benin
  local long form: Republique du Benin
  local short form: Benin
  former: Dahomey

Bermuda
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bermuda
  former: Somers Islands

Bhutan
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Bhutan
  conventional short form: Bhutan

Bolivia
  conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
  conventional short form: Bolivia
  local long form: Republica de Bolivia
  local short form: Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina conventional long form: none conventional short form: Bosnia and Herzegovina local long form: none local short form: Bosna i Hercegovina former: People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana
  conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
  conventional short form: Botswana
  former: Bechuanaland

Bouvet Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Bouvet Island

Brazil
  conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
  conventional short form: Brazil
  local long form: Republica Federativa do Brasil
  local short form: Brasil

British Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional long form: British
  Indian Ocean Territory
  conventional short form: none
  abbreviation: BIOT

British Virgin Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: British Virgin Islands
  abbreviation: BVI

Brunei
  conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
  conventional short form: Brunei

Bulgaria
  conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria
  conventional short form: Bulgaria

Burkina Faso
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Burkina Faso
  former: Upper Volta, Republic of Upper Volta

Burma
  conventional long form: Union of Burma
  conventional short form: Burma
  local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the
  US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of
  Myanmar)
  local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
  former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
  note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the
  name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision
  was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US
  Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the
  Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Burundi
  conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
  conventional short form: Burundi
  local long form: Republika y'u Burundi
  local short form: Burundi
  former: Urundi

Cambodia
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Cambodia
  conventional short form: Cambodia
  local long form: Preahreacheanacha Kampuchea (phonetic pronunciation)
  local short form: Kampuchea
  former: Kingdom of Cambodia, Khmer Republic, Democratic Kampuchea,
  People's Republic of Kampuchea, State of Cambodia

Cameroon
  conventional long form: Republic of Cameroon
  conventional short form: Cameroon
  former: French Cameroon

Canada
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Canada

Cape Verde
  conventional long form: Republic of Cape Verde
  conventional short form: Cape Verde
  local long form: Republica de Cabo Verde
  local short form: Cabo Verde

Cayman Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Central African Republic
  conventional long form: Central African
  Republic
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Republique Centrafricaine
  local short form: none
  former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire
  abbreviation: CAR

Chad
  conventional long form: Republic of Chad
  conventional short form: Chad
  local long form: Republique du Tchad
  local short form: Tchad

Chile
  conventional long form: Republic of Chile
  conventional short form: Chile
  local long form: Republica de Chile
  local short form: Chile

China
  conventional long form: People's Republic of China
  conventional short form: China
  local long form: Zhonghua Renmin Gongheguo
  local short form: Zhong Guo
  abbreviation: PRC

Christmas Island
  conventional long form: Territory of Christmas
  Island
  conventional short form: Christmas Island

Clipperton Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Clipperton Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Clipperton former: sometimes called Ile de la Passion

Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional long form: Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands conventional short form: Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Colombia
  conventional long form: Republic of Colombia
  conventional short form: Colombia
  local long form: Republica de Colombia
  local short form: Colombia

Comoros
  conventional long form: Union of the Comoros
  conventional short form: Comoros
  local long form: Union des Comores
  local short form: Comores

Congo, Democratic Republic of the conventional long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Democratique du Congo local short form: none former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire abbreviation: DROC

Congo, Republic of the conventional long form: Republic of the Congo conventional short form: Congo (Brazzaville) local long form: Republique du Congo local short form: none former: Middle Congo, Congo/Brazzaville, Congo

Cook Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Cook Islands
  former: Harvey Islands

Coral Sea Islands
  conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
  conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands

Costa Rica
  conventional long form: Republic of Costa Rica
  conventional short form: Costa Rica
  local long form: Republica de Costa Rica
  local short form: Costa Rica

Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional long form: Republic of Cote d'Ivoire
  conventional short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  local long form: Republique de Cote d'Ivoire
  local short form: Cote d'Ivoire
  former: Ivory Coast

Croatia
  conventional long form: Republic of Croatia
  conventional short form: Croatia
  local long form: Republika Hrvatska
  local short form: Hrvatska
  former: People's Republic of Croatia, Socialist Republic of Croatia

Cuba
  conventional long form: Republic of Cuba
  conventional short form: Cuba
  local long form: Republica de Cuba
  local short form: Cuba

Cyprus
  conventional long form: Republic of Cyprus
  conventional short form: Cyprus
  note: the Turkish Cypriot community (north Cyprus) refers to itself
  as the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" (TRNC)

Czech Republic
  conventional long form: Czech Republic
  conventional short form: Czech Republic
  local long form: Ceska Republika
  local short form: Ceska Republika

Denmark
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Denmark
  conventional short form: Denmark
  local long form: Kongeriget Danmark
  local short form: Danmark

Dhekelia
  conventional long form: Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area
  conventional short form: Dhekelia

Djibouti
  conventional long form: Republic of Djibouti
  conventional short form: Djibouti
  former: French Territory of the Afars and Issas, French Somaliland

Dominica
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Dominica
  conventional short form: Dominica

Dominican Republic conventional long form: Dominican Republic conventional short form: The Dominican local long form: Republica Dominicana local short form: La Dominicana

East Timor
  conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste
  conventional short form: East Timor
  local long form: Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum];
  Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  local short form: Timor Lorosa'e [Tetum]; Timor-Leste [Portuguese]
  former: Portuguese Timor

Ecuador
  conventional long form: Republic of Ecuador
  conventional short form: Ecuador
  local long form: Republica del Ecuador
  local short form: Ecuador

Egypt
  conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
  conventional short form: Egypt
  local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
  local short form: Misr
  former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

El Salvador
  conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
  conventional short form: El Salvador
  local long form: Republica de El Salvador
  local short form: El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea
  conventional long form: Republic of Equatorial
  Guinea
  conventional short form: Equatorial Guinea
  local long form: Republica de Guinea Ecuatorial
  local short form: Guinea Ecuatorial
  former: Spanish Guinea

Eritrea
  conventional long form: State of Eritrea
  conventional short form: Eritrea
  local long form: Hagere Ertra
  local short form: Ertra
  former: Eritrea Autonomous Region in Ethiopia

Estonia
  conventional long form: Republic of Estonia
  conventional short form: Estonia
  local long form: Eesti Vabariik
  local short form: Eesti
  former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic

Ethiopia
  conventional long form: Federal Democratic Republic of
  Ethiopia
  conventional short form: Ethiopia
  local long form: Ityop'iya Federalawi Demokrasiyawi Ripeblik
  local short form: Ityop'iya
  former: Abyssinia, Italian East Africa
  abbreviation: FDRE

Europa Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Europa Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Europa

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Faroe Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Faroe Islands
  local long form: none
  local short form: Foroyar

Fiji
  conventional long form: Republic of the Fiji Islands
  conventional short form: Fiji

Finland
  conventional long form: Republic of Finland
  conventional short form: Finland
  local long form: Suomen Tasavalta
  local short form: Suomi

France
  conventional long form: French Republic
  conventional short form: France
  local long form: Republique Francaise
  local short form: France

French Guiana
  conventional long form: Department of Guiana
  conventional short form: French Guiana
  local long form: none
  local short form: Guyane

French Polynesia
  conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French
  Polynesia
  conventional short form: French Polynesia
  local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
  local short form: Polynesie Francaise
  former: French Colony of Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  conventional long form:
  Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  conventional short form: French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  local long form: Territoire des Terres Australes et Antarctiques
  Francaises
  local short form: Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises

Gabon
  conventional long form: Gabonese Republic
  conventional short form: Gabon
  local long form: Republique Gabonaise
  local short form: Gabon

Gambia, The
  conventional long form: Republic of The Gambia
  conventional short form: The Gambia

Gaza Strip
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gaza Strip
  local long form: none
  local short form: Qita Ghazzah

Georgia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Georgia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Sak'art'velo
  former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Germany
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Germany
  conventional short form: Germany
  local long form: Bundesrepublik Deutschland
  local short form: Deutschland
  former: German Empire, German Republic, German Reich

Ghana
  conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
  conventional short form: Ghana
  former: Gold Coast

Gibraltar
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Gibraltar

Glorioso Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Glorioso Islands local long form: none local short form: Iles Glorieuses

Greece
  conventional long form: Hellenic Republic
  conventional short form: Greece
  local long form: Elliniki Dhimokratia
  local short form: Ellas or Ellada
  former: Kingdom of Greece

Greenland
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Greenland
  local long form: none
  local short form: Kalaallit Nunaat

Grenada
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Grenada

Guadeloupe
  conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
  conventional short form: Guadeloupe
  local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe
  local short form: Guadeloupe

Guam
  conventional long form: Territory of Guam
  conventional short form: Guam
  local long form: Guahan

Guatemala
  conventional long form: Republic of Guatemala
  conventional short form: Guatemala
  local long form: Republica de Guatemala
  local short form: Guatemala

Guernsey
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Guernsey
  conventional short form: Guernsey

Guinea
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea
  conventional short form: Guinea
  local long form: Republique de Guinee
  local short form: Guinee
  former: French Guinea

Guinea-Bissau
  conventional long form: Republic of Guinea-Bissau
  conventional short form: Guinea-Bissau
  local long form: Republica da Guine-Bissau
  local short form: Guine-Bissau
  former: Portuguese Guinea

Guyana
  conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
  conventional short form: Guyana
  former: British Guiana

Haiti
  conventional long form: Republic of Haiti
  conventional short form: Haiti
  local long form: Republique d'Haiti
  local short form: Haiti

Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional long form: Territory of Heard Island and McDonald Islands conventional short form: Heard Island and McDonald Islands

Holy See (Vatican City) conventional long form: The Holy See (State of the Vatican City) conventional short form: Holy See (Vatican City) local long form: Santa Sede (Stato della Citta del Vaticano) local short form: Santa Sede (Citta del Vaticano)

Honduras
  conventional long form: Republic of Honduras
  conventional short form: Honduras
  local long form: Republica de Honduras
  local short form: Honduras

Hong Kong
  conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative
  Region
  conventional short form: Hong Kong
  local long form: Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu
  local short form: Xianggang
  abbreviation: HK

Howland Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Howland Island

Hungary
  conventional long form: Republic of Hungary
  conventional short form: Hungary
  local long form: Magyar Koztarsasag
  local short form: Magyarorszag

Iceland
  conventional long form: Republic of Iceland
  conventional short form: Iceland
  local long form: Lydhveldidh Island
  local short form: Island

India
  conventional long form: Republic of India
  conventional short form: India

Indonesia
  conventional long form: Republic of Indonesia
  conventional short form: Indonesia
  local long form: Republik Indonesia
  local short form: Indonesia
  former: Netherlands East Indies; Dutch East Indies

Iran
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran
  conventional short form: Iran
  local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran
  local short form: Iran
  former: Persia

Iraq
  conventional long form: Republic of Iraq
  conventional short form: Iraq
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Iraqiyah
  local short form: Al Iraq

Ireland
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ireland
  local long form: none
  local short form: Eire

Israel
  conventional long form: State of Israel
  conventional short form: Israel
  local long form: Medinat Yisra'el
  local short form: Yisra'el

Italy
  conventional long form: Italian Republic
  conventional short form: Italy
  local long form: Repubblica Italiana
  local short form: Italia
  former: Kingdom of Italy

Jamaica
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jamaica

Jan Mayen
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jan Mayen

Japan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Japan

Jarvis Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Jarvis Island

Jersey
  conventional long form: Bailiwick of Jersey
  conventional short form: Jersey

Johnston Atoll
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Johnston Atoll

Jordan
  conventional long form: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
  conventional short form: Jordan
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah
  local short form: Al Urdun
  former: Transjordan

Juan de Nova Island conventional long form: none conventional short form: Juan de Nova Island local long form: none local short form: Ile Juan de Nova

Kazakhstan
  conventional long form: Republic of Kazakhstan
  conventional short form: Kazakhstan
  local long form: Qazaqstan Respublikasy
  local short form: none
  former: Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic

Kenya
  conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
  conventional short form: Kenya
  former: British East Africa

Kingman Reef
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Kingman Reef

Kiribati
  conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati
  conventional short form: Kiribati
  note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss
  former: Gilbert Islands

Korea, North
  conventional long form: Democratic People's Republic of
  Korea
  conventional short form: North Korea
  local long form: Choson-minjujuui-inmin-konghwaguk
  local short form: none
  note: the North Koreans generally use the term "Choson" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: DPRK

Korea, South
  conventional long form: Republic of Korea
  conventional short form: South Korea
  local long form: Taehan-min'guk
  local short form: none
  note: the South Koreans generally use the term "Han'guk" to refer to
  their country
  abbreviation: ROK

Kuwait
  conventional long form: State of Kuwait
  conventional short form: Kuwait
  local long form: Dawlat al Kuwayt
  local short form: Al Kuwayt

Kyrgyzstan
  conventional long form: Kyrgyz Republic
  conventional short form: Kyrgyzstan
  local long form: Kyrgyz Respublikasy
  local short form: none
  former: Kirghiz Soviet Socialist Republic

Laos
  conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic
  conventional short form: Laos
  local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao
  local short form: none

Latvia
  conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
  conventional short form: Latvia
  local long form: Latvijas Republika
  local short form: Latvija
  former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic

Lebanon
  conventional long form: Lebanese Republic
  conventional short form: Lebanon
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Lubnaniyah
  local short form: Lubnan

Lesotho
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho
  conventional short form: Lesotho
  former: Basutoland

Liberia
  conventional long form: Republic of Liberia
  conventional short form: Liberia

Libya
  conventional long form: Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab
  Jamahiriya
  conventional short form: Libya
  local long form: Al Jumahiriyah al Arabiyah al Libiyah ash Shabiyah
  al Ishtirakiyah al Uzma
  local short form: none

Liechtenstein
  conventional long form: Principality of Liechtenstein
  conventional short form: Liechtenstein
  local long form: Fuerstentum Liechtenstein
  local short form: Liechtenstein

Lithuania
  conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
  conventional short form: Lithuania
  local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
  local short form: Lietuva
  former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Luxembourg
  conventional long form: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
  conventional short form: Luxembourg
  local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg
  local short form: Luxembourg

Macau
  conventional long form: Macau Special Administrative Region
  conventional short form: Macau
  local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao
  Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)
  local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)

Macedonia
  conventional long form: Republic of Macedonia
  conventional short form: Macedonia; note - the provisional
  designation used by the UN, EU, and NATO is Former Yugoslav Republic
  of Macedonia (FYROM)
  local long form: Republika Makedonija
  local short form: Makedonija
  former: People's Republic of Macedonia, Socialist Republic of
  Macedonia

Madagascar
  conventional long form: Republic of Madagascar
  conventional short form: Madagascar
  local long form: Republique de Madagascar
  local short form: Madagascar
  former: Malagasy Republic

Malawi
  conventional long form: Republic of Malawi
  conventional short form: Malawi
  former: British Central African Protectorate, Nyasaland
  Protectorate, Nyasaland

Malaysia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Malaysia
  former: Federation of Malaysia

Maldives
  conventional long form: Republic of Maldives
  conventional short form: Maldives
  local long form: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa
  local short form: Dhivehi Raajje

Mali
  conventional long form: Republic of Mali
  conventional short form: Mali
  local long form: Republique de Mali
  local short form: Mali
  former: French Sudan and Sudanese Republic

Malta
  conventional long form: Republic of Malta
  conventional short form: Malta
  local long form: Repubblika ta' Malta
  local short form: Malta

Man, Isle of
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Isle of Man

Marshall Islands
  conventional long form: Republic of the Marshall
  Islands
  conventional short form: Marshall Islands
  former: Marshall Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Martinique
  conventional long form: Department of Martinique
  conventional short form: Martinique
  local long form: Departement de la Martinique
  local short form: Martinique

Mauritania
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Mauritania
  conventional short form: Mauritania
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Islamiyah al Muritaniyah
  local short form: Muritaniyah

Mauritius
  conventional long form: Republic of Mauritius
  conventional short form: Mauritius

Mayotte
  conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Mayotte
  conventional short form: Mayotte

Mexico
  conventional long form: United Mexican States
  conventional short form: Mexico
  local long form: Estados Unidos Mexicanos
  local short form: Mexico

Micronesia, Federated States of conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia conventional short form: none former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) abbreviation: FSM

Midway Islands conventional long form: none conventional short form: Midway Islands

Moldova
  conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
  conventional short form: Moldova
  local long form: Republica Moldova
  local short form: none
  former: Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic; Moldovan Soviet
  Socialist Republic

Monaco
  conventional long form: Principality of Monaco
  conventional short form: Monaco
  local long form: Principaute de Monaco
  local short form: Monaco

Mongolia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Mongolia
  local long form: none
  local short form: Mongol Uls
  former: Outer Mongolia

Montserrat
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Montserrat

Morocco
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Morocco
  conventional short form: Morocco
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Maghribiyah
  local short form: Al Maghrib

Mozambique
  conventional long form: Republic of Mozambique
  conventional short form: Mozambique
  local long form: Republica de Mocambique
  local short form: Mocambique
  former: Portuguese East Africa

Namibia
  conventional long form: Republic of Namibia
  conventional short form: Namibia
  former: German Southwest Africa, South-West Africa

Nauru
  conventional long form: Republic of Nauru
  conventional short form: Nauru
  former: Pleasant Island

Navassa Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Navassa Island

Nepal
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal
  conventional short form: Nepal

Netherlands
  conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
  conventional short form: Netherlands
  local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
  local short form: Nederland

Netherlands Antilles
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
  local long form: none
  local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
  former: Curacao and Dependencies

New Caledonia
  conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and
  Dependencies
  conventional short form: New Caledonia
  local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
  local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

New Zealand
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: New Zealand
  abbreviation: NZ

Nicaragua
  conventional long form: Republic of Nicaragua
  conventional short form: Nicaragua
  local long form: Republica de Nicaragua
  local short form: Nicaragua

Niger
  conventional long form: Republic of Niger
  conventional short form: Niger
  local long form: Republique du Niger
  local short form: Niger

Nigeria
  conventional long form: Federal Republic of Nigeria
  conventional short form: Nigeria

Niue
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Niue
  former: Savage Island

Norfolk Island
  conventional long form: Territory of Norfolk Island
  conventional short form: Norfolk Island

Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of the
  Northern Mariana Islands
  conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands
  former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific
  Islands)

Norway
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Norway
  conventional short form: Norway
  local long form: Kongeriket Norge
  local short form: Norge

Oman
  conventional long form: Sultanate of Oman
  conventional short form: Oman
  local long form: Saltanat Uman
  local short form: Uman
  former: Muscat and Oman

Pakistan
  conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Pakistan
  conventional short form: Pakistan
  former: West Pakistan

Palau
  conventional long form: Republic of Palau
  conventional short form: Palau
  local long form: Beluu er a Belau
  local short form: Belau
  former: Palau District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)

Palmyra Atoll
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Palmyra Atoll

Panama
  conventional long form: Republic of Panama
  conventional short form: Panama
  local long form: Republica de Panama
  local short form: Panama

Papua New Guinea
  conventional long form: Independent State of Papua
  New Guinea
  conventional short form: Papua New Guinea
  former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea
  abbreviation: PNG

Paracel Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Paracel Islands

Paraguay
  conventional long form: Republic of Paraguay
  conventional short form: Paraguay
  local long form: Republica del Paraguay
  local short form: Paraguay

Peru
  conventional long form: Republic of Peru
  conventional short form: Peru
  local long form: Republica del Peru
  local short form: Peru

Philippines
  conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
  conventional short form: Philippines
  local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
  local short form: Pilipinas

Pitcairn Islands
  conventional long form: Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie,
  and Oeno Islands
  conventional short form: Pitcairn Islands

Poland
  conventional long form: Republic of Poland
  conventional short form: Poland
  local long form: Rzeczpospolita Polska
  local short form: Polska

Portugal
  conventional long form: Portuguese Republic
  conventional short form: Portugal
  local long form: Republica Portuguesa
  local short form: Portugal

Puerto Rico
  conventional long form: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
  conventional short form: Puerto Rico

Qatar
  conventional long form: State of Qatar
  conventional short form: Qatar
  local long form: Dawlat Qatar
  local short form: Qatar
  note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls
  between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Reunion
  conventional long form: Department of Reunion
  conventional short form: Reunion
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile de la Reunion
  former: Bourbon Island

Romania
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Romania
  local long form: none
  local short form: Romania

Russia
  conventional long form: Russian Federation
  conventional short form: Russia
  local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya
  local short form: Rossiya
  former: Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

Rwanda
  conventional long form: Republic of Rwanda
  conventional short form: Rwanda
  local long form: Republika y'u Rwanda
  local short form: Rwanda
  former: Ruanda

Saint Helena conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Helena

Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional long form: Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis conventional short form: Saint Kitts and Nevis former: Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis

Saint Lucia conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Lucia

Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines conventional long form: none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa
  conventional long form: Independent State of Samoa
  conventional short form: Samoa
  former: Western Samoa

San Marino
  conventional long form: Republic of San Marino
  conventional short form: San Marino
  local long form: Repubblica di San Marino
  local short form: San Marino

Sao Tome and Principe conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe

Saudi Arabia
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
  conventional short form: Saudi Arabia
  local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
  local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

Senegal
  conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
  conventional short form: Senegal
  local long form: Republique du Senegal
  local short form: Senegal

Serbia and Montenegro conventional long form: Serbia and Montenegro conventional short form: none local long form: Srbija i Crna Gora local short form: none former: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia abbreviation: SCG

Seychelles
  conventional long form: Republic of Seychelles
  conventional short form: Seychelles

Sierra Leone
  conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
  conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Singapore
  conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
  conventional short form: Singapore

Slovakia
  conventional long form: Slovak Republic
  conventional short form: Slovakia
  local long form: Slovenska Republika
  local short form: Slovensko

Slovenia
  conventional long form: Republic of Slovenia
  conventional short form: Slovenia
  local long form: Republika Slovenija
  local short form: Slovenija
  former: People's Republic of Slovenia, Socialist Republic of Slovenia

Solomon Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Solomon Islands
  former: British Solomon Islands

Somalia
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Somalia
  former: Somali Republic, Somali Democratic Republic

South Africa
  conventional long form: Republic of South Africa
  conventional short form: South Africa
  former: Union of South Africa
  abbreviation: RSA

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional long form:
  South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  conventional short form: none

Spain
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Spain
  conventional short form: Spain
  local short form: Espana

Spratly Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Spratly Islands

Sri Lanka
  conventional long form: Democratic Socialist Republic of
  Sri Lanka
  conventional short form: Sri Lanka
  former: Serendib, Ceylon

Sudan
  conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
  conventional short form: Sudan
  local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
  local short form: As-Sudan
  former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

Suriname
  conventional long form: Republic of Suriname
  conventional short form: Suriname
  local long form: Republiek Suriname
  local short form: Suriname
  former: Netherlands Guiana, Dutch Guiana

Svalbard
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Svalbard (sometimes referred to as
  Spitzbergen)

Swaziland
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Swaziland
  conventional short form: Swaziland

Sweden
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Sweden
  conventional short form: Sweden
  local long form: Konungariket Sverige
  local short form: Sverige

Switzerland
  conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
  conventional short form: Switzerland
  local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
  Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
  local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
  (Italian)

Syria
  conventional long form: Syrian Arab Republic
  conventional short form: Syria
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah
  local short form: Suriyah
  former: United Arab Republic (with Egypt)

Taiwan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Taiwan
  local long form: none
  local short form: T'ai-wan
  former: Formosa

Tajikistan
  conventional long form: Republic of Tajikistan
  conventional short form: Tajikistan
  local long form: Jumhurii Tojikiston
  local short form: Tojikiston
  former: Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic

Tanzania
  conventional long form: United Republic of Tanzania
  conventional short form: Tanzania
  former: United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar

Thailand
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
  conventional short form: Thailand
  former: Siam

Togo
  conventional long form: Togolese Republic
  conventional short form: Togo
  local long form: Republique Togolaise
  local short form: none
  former: French Togoland

Tokelau
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tokelau

Tonga
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Tonga
  conventional short form: Tonga
  former: Friendly Islands

Trinidad and Tobago
  conventional long form: Republic of Trinidad and
  Tobago
  conventional short form: Trinidad and Tobago

Tromelin Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tromelin Island
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ile Tromelin

Tunisia
  conventional long form: Tunisian Republic
  conventional short form: Tunisia
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah at Tunisiyah
  local short form: Tunis

Turkey
  conventional long form: Republic of Turkey
  conventional short form: Turkey
  local long form: Turkiye Cumhuriyeti
  local short form: Turkiye

Turkmenistan
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turkmenistan
  local long form: none
  local short form: Turkmenistan
  former: Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic

Turks and Caicos Islands
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Turks and Caicos Islands

Tuvalu
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Tuvalu
  former: Ellice Islands
  note: "Tuvalu" means "group of eight," referring to the country's
  eight traditionally inhabited islands

Uganda
  conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
  conventional short form: Uganda

Ukraine
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Ukraine
  local long form: none
  local short form: Ukrayina
  former: Ukrainian National Republic, Ukrainian State, Ukrainian
  Soviet Socialist Republic

United Arab Emirates
  conventional long form: United Arab Emirates
  conventional short form: none
  local long form: Al Imarat al Arabiyah al Muttahidah
  local short form: none
  former: Trucial Oman, Trucial States
  abbreviation: UAE

United Kingdom
  conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great
  Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England,
  Scotland, and Wales
  conventional short form: United Kingdom
  abbreviation: UK

United States
  conventional long form: United States of America
  conventional short form: United States
  abbreviation: US or USA

Uruguay
  conventional long form: Oriental Republic of Uruguay
  conventional short form: Uruguay
  local long form: Republica Oriental del Uruguay
  local short form: Uruguay
  former: Banda Oriental, Cisplatine Province

Uzbekistan
  conventional long form: Republic of Uzbekistan
  conventional short form: Uzbekistan
  local long form: Ozbekiston Respublikasi
  local short form: Ozbekiston
  former: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic

Vanuatu
  conventional long form: Republic of Vanuatu
  conventional short form: Vanuatu
  former: New Hebrides

Venezuela
  conventional long form: Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
  conventional short form: Venezuela
  local long form: Republica Bolivariana de Venezuela
  local short form: Venezuela

Vietnam
  conventional long form: Socialist Republic of Vietnam
  conventional short form: Vietnam
  local long form: Cong Hoa Xa Hoi Chu Nghia Viet Nam
  local short form: Viet Nam
  abbreviation: SRV

Virgin Islands
  conventional long form: United States Virgin Islands
  conventional short form: Virgin Islands
  former: Danish West Indies

Wake Island
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Wake Island

Wallis and Futuna
  conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis
  and Futuna Islands
  conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
  local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
  local short form: Wallis et Futuna

West Bank
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: West Bank

Western Sahara
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Western Sahara
  former: Spanish Sahara

Yemen
  conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
  conventional short form: Yemen
  local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
  local short form: Al Yaman
  former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen] and
  People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]

Zambia
  conventional long form: Republic of Zambia
  conventional short form: Zambia
  former: Northern Rhodesia

Zimbabwe
  conventional long form: Republic of Zimbabwe
  conventional short form: Zimbabwe
  former: Southern Rhodesia, Rhodesia

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2144 Location

Afghanistan
  Southern Asia, north and west of Pakistan, east of Iran

Akrotiri
  peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Albania
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea and Ionian
  Sea, between Greece and Serbia and Montenegro

Algeria
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Morocco and Tunisia

American Samoa
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about half way between Hawaii and New Zealand

Andorra
  Southwestern Europe, between France and Spain

Angola
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Namibia and Democratic Republic of the Congo

Anguilla
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Antarctica
  continent mostly south of the Antarctic Circle

Antigua and Barbuda
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico

Arctic Ocean
  body of water between Europe, Asia, and North America,
  mostly north of the Arctic Circle

Argentina
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic
  Ocean, between Chile and Uruguay

Armenia
  Southwestern Asia, east of Turkey

Aruba
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Southeastern Asia, islands in the Indian
  Ocean, midway between northwestern Australia and Timor island

Atlantic Ocean
  body of water between Africa, Europe, the Southern
  Ocean, and the Western Hemisphere

Australia
  Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South
  Pacific Ocean

Austria
  Central Europe, north of Italy and Slovenia

Azerbaijan
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between
  Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus
  range

Bahamas, The
  Caribbean, chain of islands in the North Atlantic
  Ocean, southeast of Florida, northeast of Cuba

Bahrain
  Middle East, archipelago in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi
  Arabia

Baker Island
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and Australia

Bangladesh
  Southern Asia, bordering the Bay of Bengal, between Burma
  and India

Barbados
  Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of
  Venezuela

Bassas da India
  Southern Africa, islands in the southern Mozambique
  Channel, about one-half of the way from Madagascar to Mozambique

Belarus
  Eastern Europe, east of Poland

Belgium
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and
  the Netherlands

Belize
  Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
  Guatemala and Mexico

Benin
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Nigeria
  and Togo

Bermuda
  North America, group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of South Carolina (US)

Bhutan
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Bolivia
  Central South America, southwest of Brazil

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
  Sea and Croatia

Botswana
  Southern Africa, north of South Africa

Bouvet Island
  island in the South Atlantic Ocean, southwest of the
  Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)

Brazil
  Eastern South America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean

British Indian Ocean Territory
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean,
  south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

British Virgin Islands
  Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Brunei
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Bulgaria
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
  Romania and Turkey

Burkina Faso
  Western Africa, north of Ghana

Burma
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of
  Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Burundi
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cambodia
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between
  Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

Cameroon
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra, between
  Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria

Canada
  Northern North America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean on
  the east, North Pacific Ocean on the west, and the Arctic Ocean on
  the north, north of the conterminous US

Cape Verde
  Western Africa, group of islands in the North Atlantic
  Ocean, west of Senegal

Cayman Islands
  Caribbean, island group in Caribbean Sea, nearly
  one-half of the way from Cuba to Honduras

Central African Republic
  Central Africa, north of Democratic
  Republic of the Congo

Chad
  Central Africa, south of Libya

Chile
  Southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
  between Argentina and Peru

China
  Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow
  Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam

Christmas Island
  Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean,
  south of Indonesia

Clipperton Island
  Middle America, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean,
  1,120 km southwest of Mexico

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of islands in the
  Indian Ocean, southwest of Indonesia, about halfway from Australia
  to Sri Lanka

Colombia
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea,
  between Panama and Venezuela, and bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Ecuador and Panama

Comoros
  Southern Africa, group of islands at the northern mouth of
  the Mozambique Channel, about two-thirds of the way between northern
  Madagascar and northern Mozambique

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Central Africa, northeast of Angola

Congo, Republic of the
  Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic
  Ocean, between Angola and Gabon

Cook Islands
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Coral Sea Islands
  Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of
  Australia

Costa Rica
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Nicaragua and Panama

Cote d'Ivoire
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Ghana and Liberia

Croatia
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic Sea, between
  Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia

Cuba
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida

Cyprus
  Middle East, island in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Turkey

Czech Republic
  Central Europe, southeast of Germany

Denmark
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
  on a peninsula north of Germany (Jutland); also includes two major
  islands (Sjaelland and Fyn)

Dhekelia
  on the southeast coast of Cyprus near Famagusta

Djibouti
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea,
  between Eritrea and Somalia

Dominica
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Puerto Rico to
  Trinidad and Tobago

Dominican Republic
  Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of
  Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean,
  east of Haiti

East Timor
  Southeastern Asia, northwest of Australia in the Lesser
  Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago; note
  - East Timor includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the
  Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of
  Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco

Ecuador
  Western South America, bordering the Pacific Ocean at the
  Equator, between Colombia and Peru

Egypt
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and
  includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

El Salvador
  Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between Guatemala and Honduras

Equatorial Guinea
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Biafra,
  between Cameroon and Gabon

Eritrea
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Djibouti and
  Sudan

Estonia
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of
  Finland, between Latvia and Russia

Ethiopia
  Eastern Africa, west of Somalia

Europa Island
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel,
  about half way between southern Madagascar and southern Mozambique

European Union
  Europe between Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, southeastern
  Europe, and the North Atlantic Ocean

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  Southern South America, islands in
  the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina

Faroe Islands
  Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian
  Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from
  Iceland to Norway

Fiji
  Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Finland
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  and Gulf of Finland, between Sweden and Russia

France
  Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
  Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering
  the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain

French Guiana
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic
  Ocean, between Brazil and Suriname

French Polynesia
  Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  southeast of Africa, islands in
  the southern Indian Ocean, about equidistant between Africa,
  Antarctica, and Australia; note - French Southern and Antarctic
  Lands include Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet, and Iles
  Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, along with the
  French-claimed sector of Antarctica, "Adelie Land"; the US does not
  recognize the French claim to "Adelie Land"

Gabon
  Western Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean at the Equator,
  between Republic of the Congo and Equatorial Guinea

Gambia, The
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and
  Senegal

Gaza Strip
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Egypt and Israel

Georgia
  Southwestern Asia, bordering the Black Sea, between Turkey
  and Russia

Germany
  Central Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea,
  between the Netherlands and Poland, south of Denmark

Ghana
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote
  d'Ivoire and Togo

Gibraltar
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar,
  which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on
  the southern coast of Spain

Glorioso Islands
  Southern Africa, group of islands in the Indian
  Ocean, northwest of Madagascar

Greece
  Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and
  the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey

Greenland
  Northern North America, island between the Arctic Ocean
  and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Canada

Grenada
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic
  Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Guadeloupe
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico

Guam
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Guatemala
  Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean,
  between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Gulf of Honduras
  (Caribbean Sea) between Honduras and Belize

Guernsey
  Western Europe, islands in the English Channel, northwest
  of France

Guinea
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone

Guinea-Bissau
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Guinea and Senegal

Guyana
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Suriname and Venezuela

Haiti
  Caribbean, western one-third of the island of Hispaniola,
  between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the
  Dominican Republic

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  islands in the Indian Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Madagascar to Antarctica

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Southern Europe, an enclave of Rome (Italy)

Honduras
  Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between
  Guatemala and Nicaragua and bordering the Gulf of Fonseca (North
  Pacific Ocean), between El Salvador and Nicaragua

Hong Kong
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Howland Island
  Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  half way between Hawaii and Australia

Hungary
  Central Europe, northwest of Romania

Iceland
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the UK

India
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
  Bengal, between Burma and Pakistan

Indian Ocean
  body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia,
  and Australia

Indonesia
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean
  and the Pacific Ocean

Iran
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and
  the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan

Iraq
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait

Ireland
  Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of
  Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain

Israel
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt
  and Lebanon

Italy
  Southern Europe, a peninsula extending into the central
  Mediterranean Sea, northeast of Tunisia

Jamaica
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba

Jan Mayen
  Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the
  Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland

Japan
  Eastern Asia, island chain between the North Pacific Ocean and
  the Sea of Japan, east of the Korean Peninsula

Jarvis Island
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and the Cook Islands

Jersey
  Western Europe, island in the English Channel, northwest of
  France

Johnston Atoll
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean 717 nm
  (1328 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, about one-third of the way
  from Hawaii to the Marshall Islands

Jordan
  Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia

Juan de Nova Island
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique
  Channel, about one-third of the way between Madagascar and Mozambique

Kazakhstan
  Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of
  the Ural River in eastern-most Europe

Kenya
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia
  and Tanzania

Kingman Reef
  Oceania, reef in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Kiribati
  Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean,
  straddling the equator; the capital Tarawa is about one-half of the
  way from Hawaii to Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati
  proclaimed that all of its territory lies in the same time zone as
  its Gilbert Islands group (GMT +12) even though the Phoenix Islands
  and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction lie on the other side of
  the International Date Line

Korea, North
  Eastern Asia, northern half of the Korean Peninsula
  bordering the Korea Bay and the Sea of Japan, between China and
  South Korea

Korea, South
  Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula
  bordering the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea

Kuwait
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iraq and
  Saudi Arabia

Kyrgyzstan
  Central Asia, west of China

Laos
  Southeastern Asia, northeast of Thailand, west of Vietnam

Latvia
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Estonia and
  Lithuania

Lebanon
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Israel
  and Syria

Lesotho
  Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa

Liberia
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone

Libya
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Egypt and Tunisia

Liechtenstein
  Central Europe, between Austria and Switzerland

Lithuania
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, between Latvia
  and Russia

Luxembourg
  Western Europe, between France and Germany

Macau
  Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

Macedonia
  Southeastern Europe, north of Greece

Madagascar
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Mozambique

Malawi
  Southern Africa, east of Zambia

Malaysia
  Southeastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and
  northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia,
  Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Maldives
  Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean,
  south-southwest of India

Mali
  Western Africa, southwest of Algeria

Malta
  Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of
  Sicily (Italy)

Man, Isle of
  Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great
  Britain and Ireland

Marshall Islands
  Oceania, group of atolls and reefs in the North
  Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Martinique
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Mauritania
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Senegal and Western Sahara

Mauritius
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Mayotte
  Southern Africa, island in the Mozambique Channel, about
  one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique

Mexico
  Middle America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of
  Mexico, between Belize and the US and bordering the North Pacific
  Ocean, between Guatemala and the US

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Oceania, island group in the North
  Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to
  Indonesia

Midway Islands
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  one-third of the way from Honolulu to Tokyo

Moldova
  Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania

Monaco
  Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the
  southern coast of France, near the border with Italy

Mongolia
  Northern Asia, between China and Russia

Montserrat
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of
  Puerto Rico

Morocco
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and the
  Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Western Sahara

Mozambique
  South-eastern Africa, bordering the Mozambique Channel,
  between South Africa and Tanzania

Namibia
  Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between
  Angola and South Africa

Nauru
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, south of the
  Marshall Islands

Navassa Island
  Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, 35 miles west
  of Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti

Nepal
  Southern Asia, between China and India

Netherlands
  Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium
  and Germany

Netherlands Antilles
  Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean
  Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the
  coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie
  east of the US Virgin Islands

New Caledonia
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
  Australia

New Zealand
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast
  of Australia

Nicaragua
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Costa Rica and Honduras

Niger
  Western Africa, southeast of Algeria

Nigeria
  Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Benin
  and Cameroon

Niue
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Tonga

Norfolk Island
  Oceania, island in the South Pacific Ocean, east of
  Australia

Northern Mariana Islands
  Oceania, islands in the North Pacific
  Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines

Norway
  Northern Europe, bordering the North Sea and the North
  Atlantic Ocean, west of Sweden

Oman
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and
  Persian Gulf, between Yemen and UAE

Pacific Ocean
  body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia,
  Australia, and the Western Hemisphere

Pakistan
  Southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea, between India on
  the east and Iran and Afghanistan on the west and China in the north

Palau
  Oceania, group of islands in the North Pacific Ocean,
  southeast of the Philippines

Palmyra Atoll
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half
  way between Hawaii and American Samoa

Panama
  Central America, bordering both the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Pacific Ocean, between Colombia and Costa Rica

Papua New Guinea
  Oceania, group of islands including the eastern
  half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South
  Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia

Paracel Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs
  in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central
  Vietnam to the northern Philippines

Paraguay
  Central South America, northeast of Argentina

Peru
  Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean,
  between Chile and Ecuador

Philippines
  Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine
  Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Pitcairn Islands
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  midway between Peru and New Zealand

Poland
  Central Europe, east of Germany

Portugal
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  west of Spain

Puerto Rico
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic

Qatar
  Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi
  Arabia

Reunion
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Romania
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between
  Bulgaria and Ukraine

Russia
  Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is included with
  Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North
  Pacific Ocean

Rwanda
  Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Saint Helena
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, about midway
  between South America and Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, about
  one-third of the way from Puerto Rico to Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Lucia
  Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North
  Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  Northern North America, islands in the
  North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Caribbean, islands between the
  Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago

Samoa
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

San Marino
  Southern Europe, an enclave in central Italy

Sao Tome and Principe
  Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea,
  straddling the Equator, west of Gabon

Saudi Arabia
  Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red
  Sea, north of Yemen

Senegal
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between
  Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania

Serbia and Montenegro
  Southeastern Europe, bordering the Adriatic
  Sea, between Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina

Seychelles
  archipelago in the Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar

Sierra Leone
  Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Guinea and Liberia

Singapore
  Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Slovakia
  Central Europe, south of Poland

Slovenia
  Central Europe, eastern Alps bordering the Adriatic Sea,
  between Austria and Croatia

Solomon Islands
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific
  Ocean, east of Papua New Guinea

Somalia
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Gulf of Aden and the Indian
  Ocean, east of Ethiopia

South Africa
  Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent
  of Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Southern South America,
  islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of the tip of South America

Southern Ocean
  body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and
  Antarctica

Spain
  Southwestern Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay,
  Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and Pyrenees Mountains,
  southwest of France

Spratly Islands
  Southeastern Asia, group of reefs and islands in the
  South China Sea, about two-thirds of the way from southern Vietnam
  to the southern Philippines

Sri Lanka
  Southern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of India

Sudan
  Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and
  Eritrea

Suriname
  Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between French Guiana and Guyana

Svalbard
  Northern Europe, islands between the Arctic Ocean, Barents
  Sea, Greenland Sea, and Norwegian Sea, north of Norway

Swaziland
  Southern Africa, between Mozambique and South Africa

Sweden
  Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia,
  Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway

Switzerland
  Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Syria
  Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon
  and Turkey

Taiwan
  Eastern Asia, islands bordering the East China Sea,
  Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, north of the
  Philippines, off the southeastern coast of China

Tajikistan
  Central Asia, west of China

Tanzania
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya
  and Mozambique

Thailand
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf
  of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Togo
  Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and
  Ghana

Tokelau
  Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean,
  about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Tonga
  Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Trinidad and Tobago
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela

Tromelin Island
  Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of
  Madagascar

Tunisia
  Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between
  Algeria and Libya

Turkey
  southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia (that portion of
  Turkey west of the Bosporus is geographically part of Europe),
  bordering the Black Sea, between Bulgaria and Georgia, and bordering
  the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, between Greece and Syria

Turkmenistan
  Central Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran
  and Kazakhstan

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Caribbean, two island groups in the North
  Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti

Tuvalu
  Oceania, island group consisting of nine coral atolls in the
  South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to
  Australia

Uganda
  Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Ukraine
  Eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland,
  Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east

United Arab Emirates
  Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the
  Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

United Kingdom
  Western Europe, islands including the northern
  one-sixth of the island of Ireland between the North Atlantic Ocean
  and the North Sea, northwest of France

United States
  North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean
  and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Uruguay
  Southern South America, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean,
  between Argentina and Brazil

Uzbekistan
  Central Asia, north of Afghanistan

Vanuatu
  Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia

Venezuela
  Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and
  the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana

Vietnam
  Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of
  Tonkin, and South China Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia

Virgin Islands
  Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the
  North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Wake Island
  Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to the Northern Mariana Islands

Wallis and Futuna
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
  two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

West Bank
  Middle East, west of Jordan

Western Sahara
  Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean,
  between Mauritania and Morocco

Yemen
  Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red
  Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia

Zambia
  Southern Africa, east of Angola

Zimbabwe
  Southern Africa, between South Africa and Zambia

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2145 Map references

Afghanistan
  Asia

Akrotiri
  Middle East

Albania
  Europe

Algeria
  Africa

American Samoa
  Oceania

Andorra
  Europe

Angola
  Africa

Anguilla
  Central America and the Caribbean

Antarctica
  Antarctic Region

Antigua and Barbuda
  Central America and the Caribbean

Arctic Ocean
  Arctic Region

Argentina
  South America

Armenia
  Asia

Aruba
  Central America and the Caribbean

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  Southeast Asia

Atlantic Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Australia
  Oceania

Austria
  Europe

Azerbaijan
  Asia

Bahamas, The
  Central America and the Caribbean

Bahrain
  Middle East

Baker Island
  Oceania

Bangladesh
  Asia

Barbados
  Central America and the Caribbean

Bassas da India
  Africa

Belarus
  Europe

Belgium
  Europe

Belize
  Central America and the Caribbean

Benin
  Africa

Bermuda
  North America

Bhutan
  Asia

Bolivia
  South America

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Europe

Botswana
  Africa

Bouvet Island
  Antarctic Region

Brazil
  South America

British Indian Ocean Territory
  Political Map of the World

British Virgin Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Brunei
  Southeast Asia

Bulgaria
  Europe

Burkina Faso
  Africa

Burma
  Southeast Asia

Burundi
  Africa

Cambodia
  Southeast Asia

Cameroon
  Africa

Canada
  North America

Cape Verde
  Political Map of the World

Cayman Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Central African Republic
  Africa

Chad
  Africa

Chile
  South America

China
  Asia

Christmas Island
  Southeast Asia

Clipperton Island
  Political Map of the World

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  Southeast Asia

Colombia
  South America

Comoros
  Africa

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  Africa

Congo, Republic of the
  Africa

Cook Islands
  Oceania

Coral Sea Islands
  Oceania

Costa Rica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Cote d'Ivoire
  Africa

Croatia
  Europe

Cuba
  Central America and the Caribbean

Cyprus
  Middle East

Czech Republic
  Europe

Denmark
  Europe

Dhekelia
  Middle East

Djibouti
  Africa

Dominica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Dominican Republic
  Central America and the Caribbean

East Timor
  Southeast Asia

Ecuador
  South America

Egypt
  Africa

El Salvador
  Central America and the Caribbean

Equatorial Guinea
  Africa

Eritrea
  Africa

Estonia
  Europe

Ethiopia
  Africa

Europa Island
  Africa

European Union
  Europe

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  South America

Faroe Islands
  Europe

Fiji
  Oceania

Finland
  Europe

France
  Europe

French Guiana
  South America

French Polynesia
  Oceania

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  Antarctic Region

Gabon
  Africa

Gambia, The
  Africa

Gaza Strip
  Middle East

Georgia
  Asia

Germany
  Europe

Ghana
  Africa

Gibraltar
  Europe

Glorioso Islands
  Africa

Greece
  Europe

Greenland
  Arctic Region

Grenada
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guadeloupe
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guam
  Oceania

Guatemala
  Central America and the Caribbean

Guernsey
  Europe

Guinea
  Africa

Guinea-Bissau
  Africa

Guyana
  South America

Haiti
  Central America and the Caribbean

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  Antarctic Region

Holy See (Vatican City)
  Europe

Honduras
  Central America and the Caribbean

Hong Kong
  Southeast Asia

Howland Island
  Oceania

Hungary
  Europe

Iceland
  Arctic Region

India
  Asia

Indian Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Indonesia
  Southeast Asia

Iran
  Middle East

Iraq
  Middle East

Ireland
  Europe

Israel
  Middle East

Italy
  Europe

Jamaica
  Central America and the Caribbean

Jan Mayen
  Arctic Region

Japan
  Asia

Jarvis Island
  Oceania

Jersey
  Europe

Johnston Atoll
  Oceania

Jordan
  Middle East

Juan de Nova Island
  Africa

Kazakhstan
  Asia

Kenya
  Africa

Kingman Reef
  Oceania

Kiribati
  Oceania

Korea, North
  Asia

Korea, South
  Asia

Kuwait
  Middle East

Kyrgyzstan
  Asia

Laos
  Southeast Asia

Latvia
  Europe

Lebanon
  Middle East

Lesotho
  Africa

Liberia
  Africa

Libya
  Africa

Liechtenstein
  Europe

Lithuania
  Europe

Luxembourg
  Europe

Macau
  Southeast Asia

Macedonia
  Europe

Madagascar
  Africa

Malawi
  Africa

Malaysia
  Southeast Asia

Maldives
  Asia

Mali
  Africa

Malta
  Europe

Man, Isle of
  Europe

Marshall Islands
  Oceania

Martinique
  Central America and the Caribbean

Mauritania
  Africa

Mauritius
  Political Map of the World

Mayotte
  Africa

Mexico
  North America

Micronesia, Federated States of
  Oceania

Midway Islands
  Oceania

Moldova
  Europe

Monaco
  Europe

Mongolia
  Asia

Montserrat
  Central America and the Caribbean

Morocco
  Africa

Mozambique
  Africa

Namibia
  Africa

Nauru
  Oceania

Navassa Island
  Central America and the Caribbean

Nepal
  Asia

Netherlands
  Europe

Netherlands Antilles
  Central America and the Caribbean

New Caledonia
  Oceania

New Zealand
  Oceania

Nicaragua
  Central America and the Caribbean

Niger
  Africa

Nigeria
  Africa

Niue
  Oceania

Norfolk Island
  Oceania

Northern Mariana Islands
  Oceania

Norway
  Europe

Oman
  Middle East

Pacific Ocean
  Political Map of the World

Pakistan
  Asia

Palau
  Oceania

Palmyra Atoll
  Oceania

Panama
  Central America and the Caribbean

Papua New Guinea
  Oceania

Paracel Islands
  Southeast Asia

Paraguay
  South America

Peru
  South America

Philippines
  Southeast Asia

Pitcairn Islands
  Oceania

Poland
  Europe

Portugal
  Europe

Puerto Rico
  Central America and the Caribbean

Qatar
  Middle East

Reunion
  World

Romania
  Europe

Russia
  Asia

Rwanda
  Africa

Saint Helena
  Africa

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Lucia
  Central America and the Caribbean

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  North America

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  Central America and the Caribbean

Samoa
  Oceania

San Marino
  Europe

Sao Tome and Principe
  Africa

Saudi Arabia
  Middle East

Senegal
  Africa

Serbia and Montenegro
  Europe

Seychelles
  Africa

Sierra Leone
  Africa

Singapore
  Southeast Asia

Slovakia
  Europe

Slovenia
  Europe

Solomon Islands
  Oceania

Somalia
  Africa

South Africa
  Africa

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  Antarctic Region

Southern Ocean
  Antarctic Region

Spain
  Europe

Spratly Islands
  Southeast Asia

Sri Lanka
  Asia

Sudan
  Africa

Suriname
  South America

Svalbard
  Arctic Region

Swaziland
  Africa

Sweden
  Europe

Switzerland
  Europe

Syria
  Middle East

Taiwan
  Southeast Asia

Tajikistan
  Asia

Tanzania
  Africa

Thailand
  Southeast Asia

Togo
  Africa

Tokelau
  Oceania

Tonga
  Oceania

Trinidad and Tobago
  Central America and the Caribbean

Tromelin Island
  Africa

Tunisia
  Africa

Turkey
  Middle East

Turkmenistan
  Asia

Turks and Caicos Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Tuvalu
  Oceania

Uganda
  Africa

Ukraine
  Asia, Europe

United Arab Emirates
  Middle East

United Kingdom
  Europe

United States
  North America

Uruguay
  South America

Uzbekistan
  Asia

Vanuatu
  Oceania

Venezuela
  South America

Vietnam
  Southeast Asia

Virgin Islands
  Central America and the Caribbean

Wake Island
  Oceania

Wallis and Futuna
  Oceania

West Bank
  Middle East

Western Sahara
  Africa

World
  Physical Map of the World, Political Map of the World,
  Standard Time Zones of the World

Yemen
  Middle East

Zambia
  Africa

Zimbabwe
  Africa

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2146 Irrigated land (sq km)

Afghanistan
  23,860 sq km (1998 est.)

Albania
  3,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Algeria
  5,600 sq km (1998 est.)

American Samoa
  NA sq km

Andorra
  NA sq km

Angola
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antarctica
  0 sq km

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  15,610 sq km (1998 est.)

Armenia
  2,870 sq km (1998 est.)

Aruba
  0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Australia
  24,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Austria
  457 sq km (2000 est.)

Azerbaijan
  14,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  50 sq km (1998 est.)

Baker Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Bangladesh
  38,440 sq km (1998 est.)

Barbados
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bassas da India
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Belarus
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Belgium
  40 sq km (includes Luxembourg) (1998 est.)

Belize
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Benin
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Bolivia
  1,280 sq km (1998 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Botswana
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bouvet Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Brazil
  26,560 sq km (1998 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Bulgaria
  8,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Burkina Faso
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Burma
  15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

Burundi
  740 sq km (1998 est.)

Cambodia
  2,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Cameroon
  330 sq km (1998 est.)

Canada
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Cape Verde
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Cayman Islands
  NA sq km

Central African Republic
  NA sq km

Chad
  200 sq km (1998 est.)

Chile
  18,000 sq km (1998 est.)

China
  525,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA sq km

Clipperton Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA sq km

Colombia
  8,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Comoros
  NA sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Coral Sea Islands
  0 sq km

Costa Rica
  1,260 sq km (1998 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  730 sq km (1998 est.)

Croatia
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Cuba
  870 sq km (1998 est.)

Cyprus
  382 sq km (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  240 sq km (1998 est.)

Denmark
  4,760 sq km (1998 est.)

Djibouti
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Dominica
  NA sq km

Dominican Republic
  2,590 sq km (1998 est.)

East Timor
  1,065 sq km (est.)

Ecuador
  8,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Egypt
  33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

El Salvador
  360 sq km (1998 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  NA sq km

Eritrea
  220 sq km (1998 est.)

Estonia
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Ethiopia
  1,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Europa Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

European Union
  115,807 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA sq km

Faroe Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Fiji
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Finland
  640 sq km (1998 est.)

France
  20,000 sq km (1998 est.)

French Guiana
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

French Polynesia
  NA sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Gabon
  150 sq km (1998 est.)

Gambia, The
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Gaza Strip
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Georgia
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Germany
  4,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Ghana
  110 sq km (1998 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA sq km

Glorioso Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Greece
  14,220 sq km (1998 est.)

Greenland
  NA sq km

Grenada
  NA sq km

Guadeloupe
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  1,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Guernsey
  NA sq km

Guinea
  950 sq km (1998 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  170 sq km (1998 est.)

Guyana
  1,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Haiti
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Honduras
  760 sq km (1998 est.)

Hong Kong
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Howland Island
  0 sq km

Hungary
  2,100 sq km (1998 est.)

Iceland
  NA sq km

India
  590,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Indonesia
  48,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Iran
  75,620 sq km (1998 est.)

Iraq
  35,250 sq km (1998 est.)

Ireland
  NA sq km

Israel
  1,990 sq km (1998 est.)

Italy
  26,980 sq km (1998 est.)

Jamaica
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Jan Mayen
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Japan
  26,790 sq km (1998 est.)

Jarvis Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Jersey
  NA sq km

Johnston Atoll
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Jordan
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Juan de Nova Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Kazakhstan
  23,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Kenya
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Kingman Reef
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  14,600 sq km (1998 est.)

Korea, South
  11,590 sq km (1998 est.)

Kuwait
  60 sq km (1998 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  10,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Laos
  1,640 sq km
  note: rainy season irrigation - 2,169 sq km; dry season irrigation -
  750 sq km (1998 est.)

Latvia
  200 sq km
  note: land in Latvia is often too wet, and in need of drainage, not
  irrigation; approximately 16,000 sq km or 85% of agricultural land
  has been improved by drainage (1998 est.)

Lebanon
  1,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Lesotho
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Liberia
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Libya
  4,700 sq km (1998 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA sq km

Lithuania
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Luxembourg
  40 sq km (includes Belgium) (1998 est.)

Macau
  NA sq km

Macedonia
  550 sq km (1998 est.)

Madagascar
  10,900 sq km (2000 est.)

Malawi
  280 sq km (1998 est.)

Malaysia
  3,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Maldives
  NA sq km

Mali
  1,380 sq km (1998 est.)

Malta
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Man, Isle of
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Marshall Islands
  0 sq km

Martinique
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Mauritania
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Mauritius
  200 sq km (2000 est.)

Mayotte
  NA sq km

Mexico
  65,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Midway Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Moldova
  3,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Monaco
  NA sq km

Mongolia
  840 sq km (1998 est.)

Montserrat
  NA sq km

Morocco
  12,910 sq km (1998 est.)

Mozambique
  1,070 sq km (1998 est.)

Namibia
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Navassa Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Nepal
  11,350 sq km (1998 est.)

Netherlands
  5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA sq km

New Caledonia
  160 sq km (1991)

New Zealand
  2,850 sq km (1998 est.)

Nicaragua
  880 sq km (1998 est.)

Niger
  660 sq km (1998 est.)

Nigeria
  2,330 sq km (1998 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  1,270 sq km (1998 est.)

Oman
  620 sq km (1998 est.)

Pakistan
  180,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Palau
  NA

Palmyra Atoll
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Panama
  320 sq km (1998 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  NA sq km

Paracel Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Paraguay
  670 sq km (1998 est.)

Peru
  11,950 sq km (1998 est.)

Philippines
  15,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  1,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Portugal
  6,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Puerto Rico
  400 sq km (1998 est.)

Qatar
  130 sq km (1998 est.)

Reunion
  120 sq km (1998 est.)

Romania
  28,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Russia
  46,630 sq km (1998 est.)

Rwanda
  40 sq km (1998 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA sq km

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA sq km

Saint Lucia
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA sq km

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  10 sq km (1998 est.)

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
  100 sq km (1998 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Senegal
  710 sq km (1998 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  570 sq km

Seychelles
  NA sq km

Sierra Leone
  290 sq km (1998 est.)

Singapore
  NA sq km

Slovakia
  1,740 sq km (1998 est.)

Slovenia
  20 sq km (1998 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  2,000 sq km (1998 est.)

South Africa
  13,500 sq km (1998 est.)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Spain
  36,400 sq km (1998 est.)

Spratly Islands
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Sri Lanka
  6,510 sq km (1998 est.)

Sudan
  19,500 sq km (1998 est.)

Suriname
  490 sq km (1998 est.)

Svalbard
  NA sq km

Swaziland
  690 sq km (1998 est.)

Sweden
  1,150 sq km (1998 est.)

Switzerland
  250 sq km (1998 est.)

Syria
  12,130 sq km (1998 est.)

Taiwan
  NA sq km

Tajikistan
  7,200 sq km (1998 est.)

Tanzania
  1,550 sq km (1998 est.)

Thailand
  47,490 sq km (1998 est.)

Togo
  70 sq km (1998 est.)

Tokelau
  NA sq km

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  30 sq km (1998 est.)

Tromelin Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Tunisia
  3,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Turkey
  42,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Turkmenistan
  17,500 sq km (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA sq km

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  90 sq km (1998 est.)

Ukraine
  24,540 sq km (1998 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  720 sq km (1998 est.)

United Kingdom
  1,080 sq km (1998 est.)

United States
  214,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Uruguay
  1,800 sq km (1998 est.)

Uzbekistan
  42,810 sq km (1998 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  540 sq km (1998 est.)

Vietnam
  30,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wake Island
  0 sq km (1998 est.)

Wallis and Futuna
  NA sq km

West Bank
  NA sq km

Western Sahara
  NA sq km

World
  2,714,320 sq km (1998 est.)

Yemen
  4,900 sq km (1998 est.)

Zambia
  460 sq km (1998 est.)

Zimbabwe
  1,170 sq km (1998 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2147 Area (sq km)

Afghanistan total: 647,500 sq km land: 647,500 sq km water: 0 sq km

Akrotiri total: 123 sq km note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

Albania
  total: 28,748 sq km
  land: 27,398 sq km
  water: 1,350 sq km

Algeria
  total: 2,381,740 sq km
  land: 2,381,740 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

American Samoa total: 199 sq km land: 199 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Rose Island and Swains Island

Andorra
  total: 468 sq km
  land: 468 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Angola
  total: 1,246,700 sq km
  land: 1,246,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Anguilla
  total: 102 sq km
  land: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Antarctica
  total: 14 million sq km
  land: 14 million sq km (280,000 sq km ice-free, 13.72 million sq km
  ice-covered) (est.)
  note: fifth-largest continent, following Asia, Africa, North
  America, and South America, but larger than Australia and the
  subcontinent of Europe

Antigua and Barbuda total: 442.6 sq km (Antigua 280 sq km; Barbuda 161 sq km) land: 442.6 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Redonda, 1.6 sq km

Arctic Ocean
  total: 14.056 million sq km
  note: includes Baffin Bay, Barents Sea, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea,
  East Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, Hudson Bay, Hudson Strait, Kara
  Sea, Laptev Sea, Northwest Passage, and other tributary water bodies

Argentina
  total: 2,766,890 sq km
  land: 2,736,690 sq km
  water: 30,200 sq km

Armenia
  total: 29,800 sq km
  land: 28,400 sq km
  water: 1,400 sq km

Aruba
  total: 193 sq km
  land: 193 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  total: 5 sq km
  land: 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ashmore Reef (West, Middle, and East Islets) and
  Cartier Island

Atlantic Ocean
  total: 76.762 million sq km
  note: includes Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Caribbean Sea, Davis Strait,
  Denmark Strait, part of the Drake Passage, Gulf of Mexico, Labrador
  Sea, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, Norwegian Sea, almost all of the
  Scotia Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Australia
  total: 7,686,850 sq km
  land: 7,617,930 sq km
  water: 68,920 sq km
  note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island

Austria
  total: 83,870 sq km
  land: 82,444 sq km
  water: 1,426 sq km

Azerbaijan
  total: 86,600 sq km
  land: 86,100 sq km
  water: 500 sq km
  note: includes the exclave of Naxcivan Autonomous Republic and the
  Nagorno-Karabakh region; the region's autonomy was abolished by
  Azerbaijani Supreme Soviet on 26 November 1991

Bahamas, The
  total: 13,940 sq km
  land: 10,070 sq km
  water: 3,870 sq km

Bahrain
  total: 665 sq km
  land: 665 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Baker Island
  total: 1.4 sq km
  land: 1.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bangladesh
  total: 144,000 sq km
  land: 133,910 sq km
  water: 10,090 sq km

Barbados
  total: 431 sq km
  land: 431 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bassas da India
  total: 0.2 sq km
  land: 0.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Belarus
  total: 207,600 sq km
  land: 207,600 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Belgium
  total: 30,528 sq km
  land: 30,278 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Belize
  total: 22,966 sq km
  land: 22,806 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Benin
  total: 112,620 sq km
  land: 110,620 sq km
  water: 2,000 sq km

Bermuda
  total: 53.3 sq km
  land: 53.3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bhutan
  total: 47,000 sq km
  land: 47,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Bolivia
  total: 1,098,580 sq km
  land: 1,084,390 sq km
  water: 14,190 sq km

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 51,129 sq km
  land: 51,129 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Botswana
  total: 600,370 sq km
  land: 585,370 sq km
  water: 15,000 sq km

Bouvet Island
  total: 58.5 sq km
  land: 58.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Brazil
  total: 8,511,965 sq km
  land: 8,456,510 sq km
  water: 55,455 sq km
  note: includes Arquipelago de Fernando de Noronha, Atol das Rocas,
  Ilha da Trindade, Ilhas Martin Vaz, and Penedos de Sao Pedro e Sao
  Paulo

British Indian Ocean Territory total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago

British Virgin Islands total: 153 sq km land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada

Brunei
  total: 5,770 sq km
  land: 5,270 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Bulgaria
  total: 110,910 sq km
  land: 110,550 sq km
  water: 360 sq km

Burkina Faso
  total: 274,200 sq km
  land: 273,800 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Burma
  total: 678,500 sq km
  land: 657,740 sq km
  water: 20,760 sq km

Burundi
  total: 27,830 sq km
  land: 25,650 sq km
  water: 2,180 sq km

Cambodia
  total: 181,040 sq km
  land: 176,520 sq km
  water: 4,520 sq km

Cameroon
  total: 475,440 sq km
  land: 469,440 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Canada
  total: 9,984,670 sq km
  land: 9,093,507 sq km
  water: 891,163 sq km

Cape Verde
  total: 4,033 sq km
  land: 4,033 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cayman Islands
  total: 262 sq km
  land: 262 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Central African Republic
  total: 622,984 sq km
  land: 622,984 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Chad
  total: 1.284 million sq km
  land: 1,259,200 sq km
  water: 24,800 sq km

Chile
  total: 756,950 sq km
  land: 748,800 sq km
  water: 8,150 sq km
  note: includes Easter Island (Isla de Pascua) and Isla Sala y Gomez

China
  total: 9,596,960 sq km
  land: 9,326,410 sq km
  water: 270,550 sq km

Christmas Island
  total: 135 sq km
  land: 135 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Clipperton Island
  total: 6 sq km
  land: 6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cocos (Keeling) Islands total: 14 sq km land: 14 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of West Island and Home Island

Colombia
  total: 1,138,910 sq km
  land: 1,038,700 sq km
  water: 100,210 sq km
  note: includes Isla de Malpelo, Roncador Cay, Serrana Bank, and
  Serranilla Bank

Comoros
  total: 2,170 sq km
  land: 2,170 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 2,345,410 sq km
  land: 2,267,600 sq km
  water: 77,810 sq km

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 342,000 sq km
  land: 341,500 sq km
  water: 500 sq km

Cook Islands
  total: 240 sq km
  land: 240 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Coral Sea Islands
  total: less than 3 sq km
  land: less than 3 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea
  area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most
  important

Costa Rica total: 51,100 sq km land: 50,660 sq km water: 440 sq km note: includes Isla del Coco

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 322,460 sq km
  land: 318,000 sq km
  water: 4,460 sq km

Croatia
  total: 56,542 sq km
  land: 56,414 sq km
  water: 128 sq km

Cuba
  total: 110,860 sq km
  land: 110,860 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Cyprus
  total: 9,250 sq km (of which 3,355 sq km are in north Cyprus)
  land: 9,240 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Czech Republic
  total: 78,866 sq km
  land: 77,276 sq km
  water: 1,590 sq km

Denmark
  total: 43,094 sq km
  land: 42,394 sq km
  water: 700 sq km
  note: includes the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea and the rest
  of metropolitan Denmark (the Jutland Peninsula, and the major
  islands of Sjaelland and Fyn), but excludes the Faroe Islands and
  Greenland

Dhekelia
  total: 130.8 sq km
  note: area surrounds three Cypriot enclaves

Djibouti
  total: 23,000 sq km
  land: 22,980 sq km
  water: 20 sq km

Dominica
  total: 754 sq km
  land: 754 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Dominican Republic
  total: 48,730 sq km
  land: 48,380 sq km
  water: 350 sq km

East Timor
  total: 15,007 sq km
  land: NA
  water: NA

Ecuador
  total: 283,560 sq km
  land: 276,840 sq km
  water: 6,720 sq km
  note: includes Galapagos Islands

Egypt
  total: 1,001,450 sq km
  land: 995,450 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

El Salvador
  total: 21,040 sq km
  land: 20,720 sq km
  water: 320 sq km

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 28,051 sq km
  land: 28,051 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Eritrea
  total: 121,320 sq km
  land: 121,320 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Estonia
  total: 45,226 sq km
  land: 43,211 sq km
  water: 2,015 sq km
  note: includes 1,520 islands in the Baltic Sea

Ethiopia
  total: 1,127,127 sq km
  land: 1,119,683 sq km
  water: 7,444 sq km

Europa Island
  total: 28 sq km
  land: 28 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

European Union
  total: 3,976,372 sq km

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands

Faroe Islands
  total: 1,399 sq km
  land: 1,399 sq km
  water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams)

Fiji
  total: 18,270 sq km
  land: 18,270 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Finland
  total: 338,145 sq km
  land: 304,473 sq km
  water: 33,672 sq km

France
  total: 547,030 sq km
  land: 545,630 sq km
  water: 1,400 sq km
  note: includes only metropolitan France; excludes the overseas
  administrative divisions

French Guiana
  total: 91,000 sq km
  land: 89,150 sq km
  water: 1,850 sq km

French Polynesia
  total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
  land: 3,660 sq km
  water: 507 sq km

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  total: 7,829 sq km
  land: 7,829 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Ile Amsterdam, Ile Saint-Paul, Iles Crozet and Iles
  Kerguelen; excludes "Adelie Land" claim of about 500,000 sq km in
  Antarctica that is not recognized by the US

Gabon
  total: 267,667 sq km
  land: 257,667 sq km
  water: 10,000 sq km

Gambia, The
  total: 11,300 sq km
  land: 10,000 sq km
  water: 1,300 sq km

Gaza Strip
  total: 360 sq km
  land: 360 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Georgia
  total: 69,700 sq km
  land: 69,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Germany
  total: 357,021 sq km
  land: 349,223 sq km
  water: 7,798 sq km

Ghana
  total: 239,460 sq km
  land: 230,940 sq km
  water: 8,520 sq km

Gibraltar
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Glorioso Islands total: 5 sq km land: 5 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Glorieuse, Ile du Lys, Verte Rocks, Wreck Rock, and South Rock

Greece
  total: 131,940 sq km
  land: 130,800 sq km
  water: 1,140 sq km

Greenland
  total: 2,166,086 sq km
  land: 2,166,086 sq km (410,449 sq km ice-free, 1,755,637 sq km
  ice-covered) (2000 est.)

Grenada
  total: 344 sq km
  land: 344 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guadeloupe
  total: 1,780 sq km
  land: 1,706 sq km
  water: 74 sq km
  note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands,
  including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade,
  Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and
  Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin)

Guam
  total: 549 sq km
  land: 549 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guatemala
  total: 108,890 sq km
  land: 108,430 sq km
  water: 460 sq km

Guernsey
  total: 78 sq km
  land: 78 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Alderney, Guernsey, Herm, Sark, and some other
  smaller islands

Guinea
  total: 245,857 sq km
  land: 245,857 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 36,120 sq km
  land: 28,000 sq km
  water: 8,120 sq km

Guyana
  total: 214,970 sq km
  land: 196,850 sq km
  water: 18,120 sq km

Haiti
  total: 27,750 sq km
  land: 27,560 sq km
  water: 190 sq km

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  total: 412 sq km
  land: 412 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Holy See (Vatican City)
  total: 0.44 sq km
  land: 0.44 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Honduras
  total: 112,090 sq km
  land: 111,890 sq km
  water: 200 sq km

Hong Kong
  total: 1,092 sq km
  land: 1,042 sq km
  water: 50 sq km

Howland Island
  total: 1.6 sq km
  land: 1.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Hungary
  total: 93,030 sq km
  land: 92,340 sq km
  water: 690 sq km

Iceland
  total: 103,000 sq km
  land: 100,250 sq km
  water: 2,750 sq km

India
  total: 3,287,590 sq km
  land: 2,973,190 sq km
  water: 314,400 sq km

Indian Ocean
  total: 68.556 million sq km
  note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Flores Sea,
  Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Java Sea,
  Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Savu Sea, Strait of
  Malacca, Timor Sea, and other tributary water bodies

Indonesia
  total: 1,919,440 sq km
  land: 1,826,440 sq km
  water: 93,000 sq km

Iran
  total: 1.648 million sq km
  land: 1.636 million sq km
  water: 12,000 sq km

Iraq
  total: 437,072 sq km
  land: 432,162 sq km
  water: 4,910 sq km

Ireland
  total: 70,280 sq km
  land: 68,890 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Israel
  total: 20,770 sq km
  land: 20,330 sq km
  water: 440 sq km

Italy
  total: 301,230 sq km
  land: 294,020 sq km
  water: 7,210 sq km
  note: includes Sardinia and Sicily

Jamaica
  total: 10,991 sq km
  land: 10,831 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Jan Mayen
  total: 373 sq km
  land: 373 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Japan
  total: 377,835 sq km
  land: 374,744 sq km
  water: 3,091 sq km
  note: includes Bonin Islands (Ogasawara-gunto), Daito-shoto,
  Minami-jima, Okino-tori-shima, Ryukyu Islands (Nansei-shoto), and
  Volcano Islands (Kazan-retto)

Jarvis Island
  total: 4.5 sq km
  land: 4.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Jersey
  total: 116 sq km
  land: 116 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Johnston Atoll
  total: 2.8 sq km
  land: 2.8 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Jordan
  total: 92,300 sq km
  land: 91,971 sq km
  water: 329 sq km

Juan de Nova Island
  total: 4.4 sq km
  land: 4.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kazakhstan
  total: 2,717,300 sq km
  land: 2,669,800 sq km
  water: 47,500 sq km

Kenya
  total: 582,650 sq km
  land: 569,250 sq km
  water: 13,400 sq km

Kingman Reef
  total: 1 sq km
  land: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kiribati
  total: 811 sq km
  land: 811 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands,
  Phoenix Islands

Korea, North
  total: 120,540 sq km
  land: 120,410 sq km
  water: 130 sq km

Korea, South
  total: 98,480 sq km
  land: 98,190 sq km
  water: 290 sq km

Kuwait
  total: 17,820 sq km
  land: 17,820 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 198,500 sq km
  land: 191,300 sq km
  water: 7,200 sq km

Laos
  total: 236,800 sq km
  land: 230,800 sq km
  water: 6,000 sq km

Latvia
  total: 64,589 sq km
  land: 63,589 sq km
  water: 1,000 sq km

Lebanon
  total: 10,400 sq km
  land: 10,230 sq km
  water: 170 sq km

Lesotho
  total: 30,355 sq km
  land: 30,355 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Liberia
  total: 111,370 sq km
  land: 96,320 sq km
  water: 15,050 sq km

Libya
  total: 1,759,540 sq km
  land: 1,759,540 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Liechtenstein
  total: 160 sq km
  land: 160 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Lithuania
  total: 65,200 sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: NA sq km

Luxembourg
  total: 2,586 sq km
  land: 2,586 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Macau
  total: 25.4 sq km
  land: 25.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Macedonia
  total: 25,333 sq km
  land: 24,856 sq km
  water: 477 sq km

Madagascar
  total: 587,040 sq km
  land: 581,540 sq km
  water: 5,500 sq km

Malawi
  total: 118,480 sq km
  land: 94,080 sq km
  water: 24,400 sq km

Malaysia
  total: 329,750 sq km
  land: 328,550 sq km
  water: 1,200 sq km

Maldives
  total: 300 sq km
  land: 300 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mali
  total: 1.24 million sq km
  land: 1.22 million sq km
  water: 20,000 sq km

Malta
  total: 316 sq km
  land: 316 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Man, Isle of
  total: 572 sq km
  land: 572 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Marshall Islands total: 181.3 sq km land: 181.3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the atolls of Bikini, Enewetak, Kwajalein, Majuro, Rongelap, and Utirik

Martinique
  total: 1,100 sq km
  land: 1,060 sq km
  water: 40 sq km

Mauritania
  total: 1,030,700 sq km
  land: 1,030,400 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Mauritius
  total: 2,040 sq km
  land: 2,030 sq km
  water: 10 sq km
  note: includes Agalega Islands, Cargados Carajos Shoals (Saint
  Brandon), and Rodrigues

Mayotte
  total: 374 sq km
  land: 374 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mexico
  total: 1,972,550 sq km
  land: 1,923,040 sq km
  water: 49,510 sq km

Micronesia, Federated States of total: 702 sq km land: 702 sq km water: 0 sq km (fresh water only) note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

Midway Islands total: 6.2 sq km land: 6.2 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Eastern Island, Sand Island, and Spit Island

Moldova
  total: 33,843 sq km
  land: 33,371 sq km
  water: 472 sq km

Monaco
  total: 1.95 sq km
  land: 1.95 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Mongolia
  total: 1,564,116 sq km

Montserrat
  total: 102 sq km
  land: 102 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Morocco
  total: 446,550 sq km
  land: 446,300 sq km
  water: 250 sq km

Mozambique
  total: 801,590 sq km
  land: 784,090 sq km
  water: 17,500 sq km

Namibia
  total: 825,418 sq km
  land: 825,418 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Nauru
  total: 21 sq km
  land: 21 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Navassa Island
  total: 5.4 sq km
  land: 5.4 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Nepal
  total: 140,800 sq km
  land: 136,800 sq km
  water: 4,000 sq km

Netherlands
  total: 41,526 sq km
  land: 33,883 sq km
  water: 7,643 sq km

Netherlands Antilles total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

New Caledonia total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

New Zealand
  total: 268,680 sq km
  land: 268,021 sq km
  water: NA
  note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
  Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands

Nicaragua
  total: 129,494 sq km
  land: 120,254 sq km
  water: 9,240 sq km

Niger
  total: 1.267 million sq km
  land: 1,266,700 sq km
  water: 300 sq km

Nigeria
  total: 923,768 sq km
  land: 910,768 sq km
  water: 13,000 sq km

Niue
  total: 260 sq km
  land: 260 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Norfolk Island
  total: 34.6 sq km
  land: 34.6 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Northern Mariana Islands total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian

Norway
  total: 324,220 sq km
  land: 307,860 sq km
  water: 16,360 sq km

Oman
  total: 212,460 sq km
  land: 212,460 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Pacific Ocean
  total: 155.557 million sq km
  note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East
  China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of
  Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other
  tributary water bodies

Pakistan
  total: 803,940 sq km
  land: 778,720 sq km
  water: 25,220 sq km

Palau
  total: 458 sq km
  land: 458 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Palmyra Atoll
  total: 11.9 sq km
  land: 11.9 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Panama
  total: 78,200 sq km
  land: 75,990 sq km
  water: 2,210 sq km

Papua New Guinea
  total: 462,840 sq km
  land: 452,860 sq km
  water: 9,980 sq km

Paracel Islands
  total: NA sq km
  land: NA sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Paraguay
  total: 406,750 sq km
  land: 397,300 sq km
  water: 9,450 sq km

Peru
  total: 1,285,220 sq km
  land: 1.28 million sq km
  water: 5,220 sq km

Philippines
  total: 300,000 sq km
  land: 298,170 sq km
  water: 1,830 sq km

Pitcairn Islands
  total: 47 sq km
  land: 47 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Poland
  total: 312,685 sq km
  land: 304,465 sq km
  water: 8,220 sq km

Portugal
  total: 92,391 sq km
  land: 91,951 sq km
  water: 440 sq km
  note: includes Azores and Madeira Islands

Puerto Rico
  total: 9,104 sq km
  land: 8,959 sq km
  water: 145 sq km

Qatar
  total: 11,437 sq km
  land: 11,437 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Reunion
  total: 2,517 sq km
  land: 2,507 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Romania
  total: 237,500 sq km
  land: 230,340 sq km
  water: 7,160 sq km

Russia
  total: 17,075,200 sq km
  land: 16,995,800 sq km
  water: 79,400 sq km

Rwanda
  total: 26,338 sq km
  land: 24,948 sq km
  water: 1,390 sq km

Saint Helena
  total: 410 sq km
  land: 410 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Saint Helena Island, Ascension, and the island group
  of Tristan da Cunha, which consists of Tristan da Cunha Island,
  Gough Island, Inaccessible Island, and the three Nightingale Islands

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 261 sq km (Saint Kitts 168 sq km; Nevis
  93 sq km)
  land: 261 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saint Lucia total: 616 sq km land: 606 sq km water: 10 sq km

Saint Pierre and Miquelon total: 242 sq km land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344
  sq km)
  land: 389 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Samoa
  total: 2,944 sq km
  land: 2,934 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

San Marino
  total: 61.2 sq km
  land: 61.2 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 1,001 sq km
  land: 1,001 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Saudi Arabia
  total: 1,960,582 sq km
  land: 1,960,582 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Senegal
  total: 196,190 sq km
  land: 192,000 sq km
  water: 4,190 sq km

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 102,350 sq km
  land: 102,136 sq km
  water: 214 sq km

Seychelles
  total: 455 sq km
  land: 455 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Sierra Leone
  total: 71,740 sq km
  land: 71,620 sq km
  water: 120 sq km

Singapore
  total: 692.7 sq km
  land: 682.7 sq km
  water: 10 sq km

Slovakia
  total: 48,845 sq km
  land: 48,800 sq km
  water: 45 sq km

Slovenia
  total: 20,273 sq km
  land: 20,151 sq km
  water: 122 sq km

Solomon Islands
  total: 28,450 sq km
  land: 27,540 sq km
  water: 910 sq km

Somalia
  total: 637,657 sq km
  land: 627,337 sq km
  water: 10,320 sq km

South Africa
  total: 1,219,912 sq km
  land: 1,219,912 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince
  Edward Island)

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  total: 3,903 sq km
  land: 3,903 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Shag Rocks, Black Rock, Clerke Rocks, South Georgia
  Island, Bird Island, and the South Sandwich Islands, which consist
  of some nine islands

Southern Ocean
  total: 20.327 million sq km
  note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake
  Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and
  other tributary water bodies

Spain
  total: 504,782 sq km
  land: 499,542 sq km
  water: 5,240 sq km
  note: there are 19 autonomous communities including Balearic Islands
  and Canary Islands, and three small Spanish possessions off the
  coast of Morocco - Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon
  de Velez de la Gomera

Spratly Islands
  total: less than 5 sq km
  land: less than 5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes 100 or so islets, coral reefs, and sea mounts
  scattered over an area of nearly 410,000 sq km of the central South
  China Sea

Sri Lanka
  total: 65,610 sq km
  land: 64,740 sq km
  water: 870 sq km

Sudan
  total: 2,505,810 sq km
  land: 2.376 million sq km
  water: 129,810 sq km

Suriname
  total: 163,270 sq km
  land: 161,470 sq km
  water: 1,800 sq km

Svalbard
  total: 62,049 sq km
  land: 62,049 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Spitsbergen and Bjornoya (Bear Island)

Swaziland
  total: 17,363 sq km
  land: 17,203 sq km
  water: 160 sq km

Sweden
  total: 449,964 sq km
  land: 410,934 sq km
  water: 39,030 sq km

Switzerland
  total: 41,290 sq km
  land: 39,770 sq km
  water: 1,520 sq km

Syria
  total: 185,180 sq km
  land: 184,050 sq km
  water: 1,130 sq km
  note: includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory

Taiwan
  total: 35,980 sq km
  land: 32,260 sq km
  water: 3,720 sq km
  note: includes the Pescadores, Matsu, and Quemoy

Tajikistan
  total: 143,100 sq km
  land: 142,700 sq km
  water: 400 sq km

Tanzania
  total: 945,087 sq km
  land: 886,037 sq km
  water: 59,050 sq km
  note: includes the islands of Mafia, Pemba, and Zanzibar

Thailand
  total: 514,000 sq km
  land: 511,770 sq km
  water: 2,230 sq km

Togo
  total: 56,785 sq km
  land: 54,385 sq km
  water: 2,400 sq km

Tokelau
  total: 10 sq km
  land: 10 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tonga
  total: 748 sq km
  land: 718 sq km
  water: 30 sq km

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 5,128 sq km
  land: 5,128 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tromelin Island
  total: 1 sq km
  land: 1 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tunisia
  total: 163,610 sq km
  land: 155,360 sq km
  water: 8,250 sq km

Turkey
  total: 780,580 sq km
  land: 770,760 sq km
  water: 9,820 sq km

Turkmenistan
  total: 488,100 sq km
  land: 488,100 sq km
  water: negl.

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 430 sq km
  land: 430 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Tuvalu
  total: 26 sq km
  land: 26 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Uganda
  total: 236,040 sq km
  land: 199,710 sq km
  water: 36,330 sq km

Ukraine
  total: 603,700 sq km
  land: 603,700 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

United Arab Emirates
  total: 82,880 sq km
  land: 82,880 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

United Kingdom
  total: 244,820 sq km
  land: 241,590 sq km
  water: 3,230 sq km
  note: includes Rockall and Shetland Islands

United States
  total: 9,631,418 sq km
  land: 9,161,923 sq km
  water: 469,495 sq km
  note: includes only the 50 states and District of Columbia

Uruguay
  total: 176,220 sq km
  land: 173,620 sq km
  water: 2,600 sq km

Uzbekistan
  total: 447,400 sq km
  land: 425,400 sq km
  water: 22,000 sq km

Vanuatu
  total: 12,200 sq km
  land: 12,200 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited

Venezuela
  total: 912,050 sq km
  land: 882,050 sq km
  water: 30,000 sq km

Vietnam
  total: 329,560 sq km
  land: 325,360 sq km
  water: 4,200 sq km

Virgin Islands
  total: 352 sq km
  land: 349 sq km
  water: 3 sq km

Wake Island
  total: 6.5 sq km
  land: 6.5 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

Wallis and Futuna total: 274 sq km land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

West Bank
  total: 5,860 sq km
  land: 5,640 sq km
  water: 220 sq km
  note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter
  of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and
  Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of
  depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967

Western Sahara
  total: 266,000 sq km
  land: 266,000 sq km
  water: 0 sq km

World
  total: 510.072 million sq km
  land: 148.94 million sq km
  water: 361.132 million sq km
  note: 70.8% of the world's surface is water, 29.2% is land

Yemen
  total: 527,970 sq km
  land: 527,970 sq km
  water: 0 sq km
  note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen Arab Republic (YAR
  or North Yemen), and the former People's Democratic Republic of
  Yemen (PDRY or South Yemen)

Zambia
  total: 752,614 sq km
  land: 740,724 sq km
  water: 11,890 sq km

Zimbabwe
  total: 390,580 sq km
  land: 386,670 sq km
  water: 3,910 sq km

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2149 Diplomatic representation in the US

Afghanistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Said Tayeb JAWAD
  chancery: 2118 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] 202-483-6410
  FAX: [1] 202-483-6488
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Akrotiri
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Albania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Agim NESHO
  chancery: 2100 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-4942
  FAX: [1] (202) 628-7342

Algeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Amine KHERBI
  chancery: 2137 Wyoming Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-2800
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2174

American Samoa
  none (territory of the US)

Andorra
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Jelena V. PIA-COMELLA
  chancery: 2 United Nations Plaza, 25th Floor, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 750-8064
  FAX: [1] (212) 750-6630

Angola
  chief of mission: Ambassador Josefina Perpetua Pitra DIAKIDI
  chancery: 2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1156
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1258
  consulate(s) general: Houston and New York

Anguilla
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Antigua and Barbuda chief of mission: Ambassador Lionel A. HURST chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 362-5122 FAX: [1] (202) 362-5225 consulate(s) general: Miami

Argentina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON
  chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York

Armenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tatoul MARKARIAN
  chancery: 2225 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1976
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2982
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Aruba
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note -
  Mr. Henry Baarh, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy
  of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ashmore and Cartier Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Australia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
  chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco

Austria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eva NOWOTNY
  chancery: 3524 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008-3035
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 895-6750
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Azerbaijan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hafiz PASHAYEV
  chancery: 2741 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-3500
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-5911

Bahamas, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joshua SEARS
  chancery: 2220 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-2660
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2668
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Bahrain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir al-BALUSHI
  chancery: 3502 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-1111
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-2192
  consulate(s) general: New York

Bangladesh
  chief of mission: Ambassador Shamsher Mobin CHOWDHURY
  chancery: 3510 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-0183
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5366
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Barbados
  chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING
  chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Belarus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mikhail KHVOSTOV
  chancery: 1619 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-1604
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-1805
  consulate(s) general: New York

Belgium
  chief of mission: Ambassador Franciskus VAN DAELE
  chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York

Belize
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lisa M. SHOMAN
  chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Benin
  chief of mission: Ambassador Cyrille Segbe OGUIN
  chancery: 2124 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6656
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1996

Bermuda
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Bhutan
  none; note - Bhutan has a Permanent Mission to the UN;
  address: 2 United Nations Plaza, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10017;
  telephone [1] (212) 826-1919; FAX [1] (212) 826-2998; the Bhutanese
  mission to the UN has consular jurisdiction in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Bolivia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero
  chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
  consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bisera TURKOVIC
  chancery: 2109 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-1500
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-1502
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York

Botswana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lapologang Caesar LEKOA
  chancery: 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-4990
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4164

Brazil
  chief of mission: Ambassador Roberto ABDENUR
  chancery: 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-2700
  FAX: [1] (202) 238-2827
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York, and San Francisco

British Indian Ocean Territory
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

British Virgin Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Brunei
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
  chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
  FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Bulgaria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Elena B. POPTODOROVA
  chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-0174
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Burkina Faso
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tertius ZONGO
  chancery: 2340 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-5577
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1882

Burma
  chief of mission: vacant
  chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-9044
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9046
  consulate(s) general: New York

Burundi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Antoine NTAMOBWA
  chancery: Suite 212, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2574
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-2578

Cambodia
  chief of mission: Ambassador EK SEREYWATH
  chancery: 4530 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7742
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-8381

Cameroon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jerome MENDOUGA
  chancery: 2349 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-8790
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-3826

Canada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Francis Joseph MCKENNA
  chancery: 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
  telephone: [1] (202) 682-1740
  FAX: [1] (202) 682-7726
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Phoenix,
  San Diego, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Anchorage, Houston, Philadelphia, Princeton, Raleigh,
  San Francisco, and San Jose

Cape Verde
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose BRITO
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-6820
  FAX: [1] (202) 965-1207
  consulate(s) general: Boston

Cayman Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Central African Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel
  TOUABOY
  chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893

Chad
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahamat Adam BECHIR
  chancery: 2002 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-4009
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1937

Chile
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andres BIANCHI
  chancery: 1732 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1746
  FAX: [1] (202) 887-5579
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

China
  chief of mission: Ambassador YANG Jiechi
  chancery: 2300 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-2500
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2582
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco
  consulate(s): Los Angeles

Christmas Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Colombia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Luis Alberto MORENO Mejia
  chancery: 2118 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-8338
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-8643
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Boston, Chicago,
  Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan
  (Puerto Rico), and Washington, DC

Comoros
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mahmoud M. ABOUD (ambassador to
  the US and Canada and permanent representative to the UN)
  chancery: (temporary) care of the Permanent Mission of the Union of
  the Comoros to the United Nations, 420 East 50th Street, New York,
  NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-8010 and 223-2711
  FAX: [1] (212) 983-4712 and 715-0699

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Faida
  MITIFU
  chancery: 1800 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009: note -
  Consular Office at 1726 M Street, NW, Wasington, DC, 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7690, 7691
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-2609

Congo, Republic of the
  chief of mission: Ambassador Serge MOMBOULI
  chancery: 4891 Colorado Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-5500
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1860

Cook Islands
  none (self-governing in free association with New
  Zealand)

Coral Sea Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Costa Rica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tomas DUENAS
  chancery: 2114 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-2945
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4795
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), and
  Tampa
  consulate(s): Austin

Cote d'Ivoire
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daouda DIABATE
  chancery: 3421 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-0300
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-9444

Croatia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Neven JURICA
  chancery: 2343 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-5899
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-8936
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

Cuba
  none; note - Cuba has an Interests Section in the Swiss
  Embassy, headed by Principal Officer Dagoberto RODRIGUEZ Barrera;
  address: Cuban Interests Section, Swiss Embassy, 2630 16th Street
  NW, Washington, DC 20009; telephone: [1] (202) 797-8518

Cyprus
  chief of mission: Ambassador Euripides L. EVRIVIADES
  chancery: 2211 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-5772
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-6710
  consulate(s) general: New York
  note: representative of the Turkish Cypriot community in the US is
  Osman ERTUG; office at 1667 K Street NW, Washington, DC; telephone
  [1] (202) 887-6198

Czech Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador Martin PALOUS
  chancery: 3900 Spring of Freedom Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-9100
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8540
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Denmark
  chief of mission: Ambassador Friis PETERSEN
  chancery: 3200 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4300
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-1470
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Dhekelia
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Djibouti
  chief of mission: Ambassador ROBLE Olhaye
  chancery: Suite 515, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-0302

Dominica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Swinburne LESTRADE
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6781
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6791
  consulate(s) general: New York

Dominican Republic
  chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Flavio
  Dario Espinal JACOBO
  chancery: 1715 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6280
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-8057
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Mayaguez (Puerto Rico),
  Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, and San Juan (Puerto
  Rico)

East Timor
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Luis GUTERRES
  chancery: 3415 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: 202 965-1515
  FAX: 202 965-1517
  consulate(s) general: New York (the ambassador resides in New York)
  (2004)

Ecuador
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: 2535 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-7200
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-3482
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Jersey City (New Jersey),
  Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

Egypt
  chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
  chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

El Salvador
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rene Antonio LEON Rodriguez
  chancery: 2308 California Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9671
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-3834
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York (2), San Francisco, and Washington, DC
  consulate(s): Boston

Equatorial Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Teodoro Biyogo NSUE
  chancery: 2020 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 518-5700
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-5252

Eritrea
  chief of mission: Ambassador GIRMA Asmerom
  chancery: 1708 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 319-1991
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-1304
  consulate(s) general: Oakland (California)

Estonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Juri LUIK
  chancery: 2131 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-0101
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0108
  consulate(s) general: New York

Ethiopia
  chief of mission: Ambassador KASSAHUN Ayele
  chancery: 3506 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-1200
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-9551
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

European Union
  chief of mission: Ambassador John BRUTON
  chancery: 2300 M Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-9500
  FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  none (overseas territory of the
  UK; also claimed by Argentina)

Faroe Islands
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division
  of Denmark)

Fiji
  chief of mission: Mr. Paula NAVUNISARAVI (Charge D'Affaires ad
  Interim)
  chancery: 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 240, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-8320
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-1996

Finland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jukka Robert VALTASAARI
  chancery: 3301 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5800
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-6030
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

France
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jean-David LEVITTE
  chancery: 4101 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-6166
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco

French Guiana
  none (overseas department of France)

French Polynesia
  none (overseas lands of France)

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  none (overseas territory of
  France)

Gabon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jules Marius OGOUEBANDJA
  chancery: Suite 200, 2034 20th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-1000
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0668
  consulate(s): New York

Gambia, The
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: Suite 905, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 785-1379
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-1430

Georgia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Levan MIKELADZE
  chancery: Suite 602, 1101 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-4537
  FAX: [1] (202) 393-4537

Germany
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wolfgang Friedrich ISCHINGER
  chancery: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-8140
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-4249
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco

Ghana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
  chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527
  consulate(s) general: New York

Gibraltar
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Glorioso Islands
  none (possession of France)

Greece
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yeoryios SAVVAIDIS
  chancery: 2221 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-1300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-1324
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco, and Tampa
  consulate(s): Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans

Greenland
  none (self-governing overseas administrative division of
  Denmark)

Grenada
  chief of mission: Ambassador Denis G. ANTOINE
  chancery: 1701 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-2561
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-2468
  consulate(s) general: New York

Guadeloupe
  none (overseas department of France)

Guam
  none (territory of the US)

Guatemala
  chief of mission: Ambassador Guillermo CASTILLO
  chancery: 2220 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-4952
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-1908
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New York, and San Francisco

Guernsey
  none (British crown dependency)

Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rafiou Alpha Oumar BARRY
  chancery: 2112 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-4300
  FAX: [1] (202) 478-3010

Guinea-Bissau
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
  d'Affaires Henrique Adriano DA SILVA
  chancery: 1511 K Street NW, Suite 519, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 347-3950
  FAX: [1] (202) 347-3954

Guyana
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bayney KARRAN
  chancery: 2490 Tracy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6900
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-1297
  consulate(s) general: New York

Haiti
  chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Raymond JOSEPH (as of
  November 2004)
  chancery: 2311 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4090
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-7215
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, and San Juan
  (Puerto Rico)

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  none (territory of Australia)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  chief of mission: Apostolic Nuncio
  Archbishop Gabriel MONTALVO
  chancery: 3339 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7121
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-4036

Honduras
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
  chancery: Suite 4-M, 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-7702
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-9751
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco
  honorary consulate(s): Boston, Detroit, Jacksonville

Hong Kong
  none (special administrative region of China)

Hungary
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andras SIMONYI
  chancery: 3910 Shoemaker Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 362-6730
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-8135
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Iceland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Helgi AGUSTSSON
  chancery: Suite 1200, 1156 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1704
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-6653
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-6656
  consulate(s) general: New York

India
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ranendra SEN
  chancery: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008; note -
  Consular Wing located at 2536 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington,
  DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-7000
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-4351
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Indonesia
  chief of mission: Ambassador SOEMADI Brotodiningrat
  chancery: 2020 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 775-5200
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-5365
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
  San Francisco

Iran
  none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani
  Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209
  Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202)
  965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073

Iraq
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Rend
  Rahim FRANCKE
  chancery: 1801 P Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-7500
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-5066

Ireland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY
  chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Israel
  chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel AYALON
  chancery: 3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-5578
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-5560
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco

Italy
  chief of mission: Ambassador Giovanni CASTELLANETA
  chancery: 3000 Whitehaven Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 518-2151
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New York, Los
  Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Detroit and San Francisco

Jamaica
  chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY
  chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Japan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ryozo KATO
  chancery: 2520 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 238-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-2187
  consulate(s) general: Anchorage, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver,
  Detroit, Agana (Guam), Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)

Jersey
  none (British crown dependency)

Jordan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Karim Tawfiq KAWAR
  chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110

Juan de Nova Island
  none (possession of France)

Kazakhstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kanat B. SAUDABAYEV
  chancery: 1401 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5488
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-5845
  consulate(s): New York

Kenya
  chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHE
  chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Kiribati
  Kiribati does not have an embassy in the US; there is an
  honorary consulate in Honolulu

Korea, North
  none; North Korea has a Permanent Mission to the UN in
  New York

Korea, South
  chief of mission: Ambassador Lee Tae-sik (designated)
  chancery: 2450 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-5600
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-0205
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston,
  Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
  consulate(s): Agana (Guam) and New York

Kuwait
  chief of mission: Ambassador SALIM Abdallah al-Jabir al-Sabah
  chancery: 2940 Tilden Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 966-0702
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-2868

Kyrgyzstan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zamira SYDYKOVA
  chancery: 1732 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-5141
  FAX: [1] (202) 338-5139
  consulate(s): New York

Laos
  chief of mission: Ambassador PHANTHONG Phommahaxay
  chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-6416
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923

Latvia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Maris RIEKSTINS
  chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

Lebanon
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Farid ABBOUD
  chancery: 2560 28th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6300
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6324
  consulate(s) general: Detroit, New York, and Los Angeles

Lesotho
  chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI
  chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815

Liberia
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires
  Aaron B. KOLLIE
  chancery: 5201 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 723-0437
  FAX: [1] (202) 723-0436
  consulate(s) general: New York

Libya
  Libya does not have an embassy in the US but maintains an
  interest section under the protective power of the United Arab
  Emirates Embassy in the US

Liechtenstein
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claudia FRITSCHE
  chancery: 1300 Eye Street NW, Suite 550W, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 216-0460
  FAX: [1] (202) 216-0459

Lithuania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Vygaudas USACKAS
  chancery: 2622 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5860
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-0466
  consulate(s) general: Chicago and New York

Luxembourg
  chief of mission: Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS-PACCOURD
  chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270
  consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco

Macau
  none (special administrative region of China)

Macedonia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nikola DIMITROV
  chancery: Suite 302, 1101 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 337-3063
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-3093
  consulate(s) general: Southfield (Michigan)

Madagascar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA
  chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603
  consulate(s) general: New York

Malawi
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard Herbert SANDE
  chancery: 1156 15th Street, NW, Suite 320, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 721-0270
  FAX: [1] (202) 721-0288

Malaysia
  chief of mission: Ambassador GHAZZALI bin Sheikh Abdul
  Khalid
  chancery: 3516 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 572-9700
  FAX: [1] (202) 572-9882
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Maldives
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Mohamed LATHEEF
  chancery: 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400E, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6195

Mali
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdoulaye DIOP
  chancery: 2130 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-2249, 939-8950
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6603

Malta
  chief of mission: Ambassador John LOWELL
  chancery: 2017 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-3611, 3612
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-5470
  consulate(s): New York

Man, Isle of
  none (British crown dependency)

Marshall Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Banny DE BRUM
  chancery: 2433 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5414
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-3236
  consulate(s) general: Honolulu

Martinique
  none (overseas department of France)

Mauritania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Tijani Ould KERIM
  chancery: 2129 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-5700, 5701
  FAX: [1] (202) 319-2623

Mauritius
  chief of mission: Ambassador Usha JEETAH
  chancery: 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 441, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-1491, 1492
  FAX: [1] (202) 966-0983

Mayotte
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Mexico
  chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Carlos Alberto de
  ICAZA Gonzalez
  chancery: 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 728-1600
  FAX: [1] (202) 728-1698
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas,
  Denver, El Paso, Houston, Laredo (Texas), Los Angeles, Miami, New
  Orleans, New York, Nogales (Arizona), Phoenix, Sacramento, San
  Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, San Juan (Puerto Rico)
  consulate(s): Albuquerque, Brownsville (Texas), Calexico
  (California), Corpus Christi (Texas), Del Rio (Texas), Detroit,
  Douglas (Arizona), Eagle Pass (Texas), Fresno (California),
  Indianapolis (Indiana), Kansas City (Missouri), Las Vegas, McAllen
  (Texas), Midland (Texas), Omaha, Orlando, Oxnard (California),
  Philadelphia, Portland (Oregon), Presidio (Texas), Raleigh, Salt
  Lake City, San Bernardino, Santa Ana (California), Seattle, Tucson,
  Yuma (Arizona)

Micronesia, Federated States of chief of mission: Ambassador Jesse Bibiano MAREHALAU chancery: 1725 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 223-4383 FAX: [1] (202) 223-4391 consulate(s) general: Honolulu and Tamuning (Guam)

Moldova
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mihail MANOLI
  chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204

Monaco
  Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
  consulate(s) general: New York

Mongolia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ravdangiyn BOLD
  chancery: 2833 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-7117
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-9227
  consulate(s) general: New York

Montserrat
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Morocco
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aziz MEKOUAR
  chancery: 1601 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 462-7979 through 7982
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-0161
  consulate(s) general: New York

Mozambique
  chief of mission: Ambassador Armando PANGUENE
  chancery: 1990 M Street NW, Suite 570, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-7146
  FAX: [1] (202) 835-0245

Namibia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard Nangolo IIPUMBU
  chancery: 1605 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 986-0443

Nauru
  Nauru does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a UN
  office at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400 D, New York, New York 10017;
  telephone: (212) 937-0074
  consulate(s): Agana (Guam)

Nepal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Kedar Bhakta SHRESTHA
  chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
  consulate(s) general: New York

Netherlands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
  chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
  FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
  consulate(s): Boston

Netherlands Antilles
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the
  Netherlands)

New Caledonia
  none (overseas territory of France)

New Zealand
  chief of mission: Ambassador L. John WOOD
  chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Nicaragua
  chief of mission: Ambassador Salvador STADTHAGEN (since 5
  December 2003)
  chancery: 1627 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6570, [1] (202) 939-6573
  FAX: [1] (202) 939-6545
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San
  Francisco

Niger
  chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph DIATTA
  chancery: 2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
  FAX: [1] (202)483-3169

Nigeria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Professor George A. OBIOZOR
  chancery: 3519 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 986-8400
  FAX: [1] (202) 775-1385
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta and New York

Niue
  none (self-governing territory in free association with New
  Zealand)

Norfolk Island
  none (territory of Australia)

Norway
  chief of mission: Ambassador Knut VOLLEBAEK
  chancery: 2720 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 333-6000
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-0870
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Minneapolis, New York, and San
  Francisco

Oman
  chief of mission: Ambassador Muhammad bin Ali bin Thani
  al-KHUSSAIBY
  chancery: 2535 Belmont Road, NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 387-1980 through 1981, 1988
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-4933

Pakistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jehangir KARAMAT
  chancery: 3517 International Court, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-3277
  FAX: [1] (202) 686-1534
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York, Sunnyvale (California)
  consulate(s): Chicago, Houston

Palau
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hersey KYOTA
  chancery: 1800 K Street NW, Suite 714, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-6814
  FAX: [1] (202) 452-6281
  consulate(s): Tamuning (Guam)

Panama
  chief of mission: Ambassador Federico HUMBERT Arias
  chancery: 2862 McGill Terrace NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-1407
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-8416
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, New
  York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan (Puerto Rico), Tampa

Papua New Guinea
  chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
  chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC
  20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680
  FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679

Paraguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador James SPALDING Hellmers
  chancery: 2400 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-6960 through 6962
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-4508
  consulate(s) general: Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Peru
  chief of mission: Ambassador Eduardo FERRERO Costa
  chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869
  FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Denver, Hartford, Houston,
  Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco,
  Washington, DC

Philippines
  chief of mission: Ambassador Albert DEL ROSARIO
  chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San
  Francisco, San Jose (Northern Mariana Islands), Tamuning (Guam)

Pitcairn Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Poland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Przemyslaw GRUDZINSKI
  chancery: 2640 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-3800 through 3802
  FAX: [1] (202) 328-6270
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Portugal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pedro Manuel Dos Reis Alves
  CATARINO
  chancery: 2125 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 328-8610
  FAX: [1] (202) 462-3726
  consulate(s) general: Boston, New York, Newark (New Jersey), and San
  Francisco
  consulate(s): New Bedford (Massachusetts), Providence (Rhode Island)

Puerto Rico
  none (commonwealth associated with the US)

Qatar
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nasir bin Hamad bin Mubarak
  al-KHALIFA
  chancery: 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061
  consulate(s) general: Houston

Reunion
  none (overseas department of France)

Romania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sorin Dumitru DUCARU
  chancery: 1607 23rd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-4846, 4848, 4851
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4748
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Russia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV
  chancery: 2650 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 298-5700, 5701, 5704, 5708
  FAX: [1] (202) 298-5735
  consulate(s) general: Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle

Rwanda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Zac NSENGA
  chancery: 1714 New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-2882
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-4544

Saint Helena
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Saint Kitts and Nevis chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Izben Cordinal WILLIAMS chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 686-2636 FAX: [1] (202) 686-5740 consulate(s) general: New York

Saint Lucia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY
  chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
  telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795
  FAX: [1] (202) 364-6723
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  none (territorial collectivity of France)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines chief of mission: Ambassador Ellsworth I. A. JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 consulate(s) general: New York

Samoa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Aliioaiga Feturi ELISAIA
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6196, 6197
  FAX: [1] (212) 599-0797

San Marino
  San Marino does not have an embassy in the US
  honorary consulate(s) general: Washington, DC and New York
  honorary consulate(s): Detroit and Honolulu

Sao Tome and Principe
  Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy
  in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by
  First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park
  Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580

Saudi Arabia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Turki al-Faysal bin Abd
  al-Aziz Al Saud
  chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Senegal
  chief of mission: Ambassador Amadou Lamine BA
  chancery: 2112 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-0540
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-6315
  consulate(s) general: New York

Serbia and Montenegro
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ivan VUJACIC
  chancery: 2134 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-0333
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-3933
  consulate(s) general: Chicago

Seychelles
  chief of mission: Ambassador Claude Sylvestre MOREL
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400C, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 972-1785
  FAX: [1] (212) 972-1786

Sierra Leone
  chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
  chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Singapore
  chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
  chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
  FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco
  consulate(s): New York

Slovakia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER
  chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
  FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Slovenia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel ZBOGAR
  chancery: 1525 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 667-5363
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-4563
  consulate(s) general: New York and Cleveland

Solomon Islands
  chief of mission: Ambassador Collin David BECK
  chancery: 800 Second Avenue, Suite 400L, New York, NY 10017
  telephone: [1] (212) 599-6192, 6193
  FAX: [1] (212) 661-8925

Somalia
  Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased
  operations on 8 May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have
  representatives in Washington and at the United Nations

South Africa
  chief of mission: Ambassador Barbara Joyce Mosima
  MASEKELA
  chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400
  FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  none (overseas
  territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina)

Spain
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos WESTENDORP
  chancery: 2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 452-0100, 728-2340
  FAX: [1] (202) 833-5670
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami,
  New Orleans, New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Sri Lanka
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernard GOONETILLEKE
  chancery: 2148 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 483-4025 (through 4028)
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-7181
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
  consulate(s): New York

Sudan
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad
  Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
  chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
  FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406

Suriname
  chief of mission: Ambassador Henry Lothar ILLES
  chancery: Suite 460, 4301 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 244-7488
  FAX: [1] (202) 244-5878
  consulate(s) general: Miami

Swaziland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Madzandza KANYA
  chancery: 1712 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-5002
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-8254

Sweden
  chief of mission: Ambassador Jan ELIASSON
  chancery: 1501 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20005-1702
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-2600
  FAX: [1] (202) 467-2699
  consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York

Switzerland
  chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
  chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
  FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New
  York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Boston

Syria
  chief of mission: Ambassador Imad MUSTAFA
  chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
  FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548

Taiwan
  none; unofficial commercial and cultural relations with the
  people of the US are maintained through an unofficial
  instrumentality, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative
  Office (TECRO) in the US with headquarters in Taipei and field
  offices in Washington and 12 other US cities

Tajikistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Hamrohon ZARIPOV
  chancery: 1725 K Street NW, Suite 409, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 223-6090
  FAX: [1] (202) 223-6091

Tanzania
  chief of mission: Ambassador Andrew Mhando DARAJA
  chancery: 2139 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 939-6125
  FAX: [1] (202) 797-7408

Thailand
  chief of mission: KASIT Piromya
  chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC
  20007-3681
  telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
  FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Togo
  chief of mission: Ambassador Akoussoulelou BODJONA
  chancery: 2208 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 234-4212
  FAX: [1] (202) 232-3190

Tokelau
  none (territory of New Zealand)

Tonga
  chief of mission: Ambassador Fekitamoeloa 'UTOIKAMANU
  chancery: 250 East 51st Street, New York, NY 10022
  telephone: [1] (917) 369-1025
  FAX: [1] (917) 369-1024
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Trinidad and Tobago
  chief of mission: Ambassador Marina Annette
  VALERE
  chancery: 1708 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 467-6490
  FAX: [1] (202) 785-3130
  consulate(s) general: Miami and New York

Tunisia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Nejib HACHANA
  chancery: 1515 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005
  telephone: [1] (202) 862-1850
  FAX: [1] (202) 862-1858

Turkey
  chief of mission: Ambassador Dr. Osman Faruk LOGOGLU
  chancery: 2525 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 612-6700
  FAX: [1] (202) 612-6744
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Turkmenistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mered Bairamovich ORAZOV
  chancery: 2207 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-1500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-0697

Turks and Caicos Islands
  none (overseas territory of the UK)

Tuvalu
  Tuvalu does not have an embassy in the US - the country's
  only diplomatic post is in Fiji - Tuvalu does, however, have a UN
  office located at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400D, New York, New York
  10017, telephone: [1] (212) 490-0534

Uganda
  chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA
  chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
  telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
  FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727

Ukraine
  chief of mission: Ambassador Mykhailo B. REZNIK
  chancery: 3350 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 349-2920
  FAX: [1] (202) 333-0817
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, New York, San Francisco

United Arab Emirates
  chief of mission: Ambassador Asri Said Ahmad
  al-DHAHIRI
  chancery: 3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 243-2400
  FAX: [1] (202) 243-2432
  note: consulates in New York and Houston

United Kingdom
  chief of mission: Ambassador David G. MANNING
  chancery: 3100 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 588-6500
  FAX: [1] (202) 588-7870
  consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los
  Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
  consulate(s): Dallas, Denver, Miami, and Seattle

Uruguay
  chief of mission: Ambassador Carlos GIANELLI Derois
  chancery: 1913 I Street NW, Washington, DC 20006
  telephone: [1] (202) 331-1313 through 1316
  FAX: [1] (202) 331-8142
  consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York
  consulate(s): San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Uzbekistan
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abdulaziz KAMILOV
  chancery: 1746 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 293-6803
  FAX: [1] (202) 293-6804
  consulate(s) general: New York

Vanuatu
  Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does,
  however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN

Venezuela
  chief of mission: Ambassador Bernardo ALVAREZ Herrera
  chancery: 1099 30th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-2214
  FAX: [1] (202) 342-6820
  consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans,
  New York, San Francisco, and San Juan (Puerto Rico)

Vietnam
  chief of mission: Ambassador Nguyen Tam CHIEN
  chancery: 1233 20th Street NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036
  telephone: [1] (202) 861-0737
  FAX: [1] (202) 861-0917
  consulate(s) general: San Francisco

Virgin Islands
  none (territory of the US)

Wallis and Futuna
  none (overseas territory of France)

Western Sahara
  none

Yemen
  chief of mission: Ambassador Abd al-Wahab Abdallah al-HAJRI
  chancery: Suite 705, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
  telephone: [1] (202) 965-4760
  FAX: [1] (202) 337-2017

Zambia
  chief of mission: Ambassador Inonge MBIKUSITA-LEWANIKA
  chancery: 2419 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 265-9717 through 9719
  FAX: [1] (202) 332-0826

Zimbabwe
  chief of mission: Ambassador Simbi Veke MUBAKO
  chancery: 1608 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009
  telephone: [1] (202) 332-7100
  FAX: [1] (202) 483-9326

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2150 Telephones - main lines in use

Afghanistan
  33,100 (2002)

Albania
  255,000 (2003)

Algeria
  2,199,600 (2003)

American Samoa
  15,000 (2001)

Andorra
  35,000 (2001)

Angola
  96,300 (2003)

Anguilla
  6,200 (2002)

Antarctica
  0
  note: information for US bases only (2001)

Antigua and Barbuda
  38,000 (2002)

Argentina
  8,009,400 (2002)

Armenia
  562,600 (2003)

Aruba
  37,100 (2002)

Australia
  10.815 million (2003)

Austria
  3.881 million (2003)

Azerbaijan
  923,800 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  131,700 (2003)

Bahrain
  185,800 (2003)

Bangladesh
  740,000 (2003)

Barbados
  134,000 (2003)

Belarus
  3,071,300 (2003)

Belgium
  5,120,400 (2002)

Belize
  33,300 (2003)

Benin
  66,500 (2003)

Bermuda
  56,000 (2002)

Bhutan
  25,200 (2003)

Bolivia
  600,100 (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  938,000 (2003)

Botswana
  142,400 (2002)

Brazil
  38.81 million (2002)

British Indian Ocean Territory
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  11,700 (2002)

Brunei
  90,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
  2,868,200 (2002)

Burkina Faso
  65,400 (2003)

Burma
  357,300 (2003)

Burundi
  23,900 (2003)

Cambodia
  35,400 (2002)

Cameroon
  110,900 (2002)

Canada
  19,950,900 (2003)

Cape Verde
  71,700 (2003)

Cayman Islands
  38,000 (2002)

Central African Republic
  9,000 (2002)

Chad
  11,800 (2002)

Chile
  3.467 million (2002)

China
  263 million (2003)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  287 (1992)

Colombia
  8,768,100 (2003)

Comoros
  13,200 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  10,000 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  7,000 (2003)

Cook Islands
  6,200 (2002)

Costa Rica
  1.132 million (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  328,000 (2003)

Croatia
  1.825 million (2002)

Cuba
  574,400 (2002)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 427,400 (2002); north Cyprus: 86,228
  (2002)

Czech Republic
  3.626 million (2003)

Denmark
  3,610,100 (2003)

Djibouti
  9,500 (2003)

Dominica
  23,700 (2002)

Dominican Republic
  901,800 (2003)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  1.549 million (2003)

Egypt
  9.6 million (2005)

El Salvador
  752,600 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  9,600 (2003)

Eritrea
  38,100 (2003)

Estonia
  475,000 (2002)

Ethiopia
  435,000 (2003)

European Union
  238,763,162 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  2,400 (2002)

Faroe Islands
  23,000 (2002)

Fiji
  102,000 (2003)

Finland
  2.548 million (2003)

France
  33,905,400 (2003)

French Guiana
  51,000 (2001)

French Polynesia
  52,500 (2002)

Gabon
  38,400 (2003)

Gambia, The
  38,400 (2002)

Gaza Strip
  95,729 (total for Gaza Strip and West Bank) (1997)

Georgia
  650,500 (2003)

Germany
  54.35 million (2003)

Ghana
  302,300 (2003)

Gibraltar
  24,512 (2002)

Greece
  5,205,100 (2003)

Greenland
  26,000 (2001)

Grenada
  33,500 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  210,000 (2001)

Guam
  84,134 (2001)

Guatemala
  846,000 (2002)

Guernsey
  55,000 (2001)

Guinea
  26,200 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
  10,600 (2003)

Guyana
  80,400 (2002)

Haiti
  130,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  322,500 (2002)

Hong Kong
  3,801,300 (2003)

Hungary
  3,666,400 (2002)

Iceland
  190,700 (2003)

India
  48.917 million (2003)

Indonesia
  7.75 million (2002)

Iran
  14,571,100 (2003)

Iraq
  675,000; note - an unknown number of telephone lines were
  damaged or destroyed during the March-April 2003 war (2003)

Ireland
  1.955 million (2003)

Israel
  3.006 million (2002)

Italy
  26.596 million (2003)

Jamaica
  444,400 (2002)

Japan
  71.149 million (2002)

Jersey
  73,900 (2001)

Jordan
  622,600 (2003)

Kazakhstan
  2,081,900 (2002)

Kenya
  328,400 (2003)

Kiribati
  4,500 (2002)

Korea, North
  1.1 million (2001)

Korea, South
  22.877 million (2003)

Kuwait
  486,900 (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
  394,800 (2002)

Laos
  61,900 (2002)

Latvia
  653,900 (2003)

Lebanon
  678,800 (2002)

Lesotho
  28,600 (2002)

Liberia
  7,000 (2001)

Libya
  750,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein
  19,900 (2002)

Lithuania
  824,200 (2003)

Luxembourg
  355,400 (2002)

Macau
  174,600 (2003)

Macedonia
  560,000 (2002)

Madagascar
  59,600 (2003)

Malawi
  85,000 (2003)

Malaysia
  4,571,600 (2003)

Maldives
  28,700 (2002)

Mali
  56,600 (2002)

Malta
  208,300 (2003)

Man, Isle of
  51,000 (1999)

Marshall Islands
  4,500 (2003)

Martinique
  172,000 est (2001)

Mauritania
  31,500 (2002)

Mauritius
  348,200 (2003)

Mayotte
  10,000 (2001)

Mexico
  15,958,700 (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  10,100 (2001)

Moldova
  706,900 (2002)

Monaco
  33,700 (2002)

Mongolia
  142,300 (2004)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  1,219,200 (2003)

Mozambique
  83,700 (2002)

Namibia
  127,400 (2003)

Nauru
  1,900 (2002)

Nepal
  371,800 (2003)

Netherlands
  10.004 million (2002)

Netherlands Antilles
  81,000 (2001)

New Caledonia
  52,000 (2002)

New Zealand
  1.765 million (2002)

Nicaragua
  171,600 (2002)

Niger
  22,400 (2002)

Nigeria
  853,100 (2003)

Niue
  1,100 est (2002)

Norfolk Island
  2,532; note - a mix of analog (2500) and digital (32)
  circuits (2004)

Northern Mariana Islands
  21,000 (2000)

Norway
  3.343 million (2002)

Oman
  233,900 (2002)

Pakistan
  3,982,800 (2003)

Palau
  6,700 (2002)

Panama
  386,900 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  62,000 (2002)

Paraguay
  273,200 (2002)

Peru
  1,839,200 (2003)

Philippines
  3,310,900 (2002)

Pitcairn Islands 1 (there are 17 telephones on one party line); (2004)

Poland
  12.3 million (2003)

Portugal
  4,278,800 (2003)

Puerto Rico
  1,329,500 (2002)

Qatar
  184,500 (2003)

Reunion
  300,000 est (2001)

Romania
  4.3 million (2003)

Russia
  35.5 million (2002)

Rwanda
  23,200 (2002)

Saint Helena
  2,200 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  23,500 (2002)

Saint Lucia
  51,100 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  4,800 (2002)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  27,300 (2002)

Samoa
  11,800 (2002)

San Marino
  20,600 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  7,000 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  3,502,600 (2003)

Senegal
  228,800 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
  2,611,700 (2003)

Seychelles
  21,700 (2002)

Sierra Leone
  24,000 (2002)

Singapore
  1,896,100 (2004)

Slovakia
  1,294,700 (2003)

Slovenia
  812,300 (2003)

Solomon Islands
  6,600 (2002)

Somalia
  100,000 (2002 est.)

South Africa
  4.844 million (2002)

Spain
  17,567,500 (2003)

Sri Lanka
  881,400 (2002)

Sudan
  900,000 (2003)

Suriname
  79,800 (2003)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  46,200 (2003)

Sweden
  6,579,200 (2002)

Switzerland
  5.419 million (2002)

Syria
  2,099,300 (2002)

Taiwan
  13.355 million (2003)

Tajikistan
  242,100 (2003)

Tanzania
  149,100 (2003)

Thailand
  6,617,400 (2003)

Togo
  60,600 (2003)

Tokelau
  300 (2002)

Tonga
  11,200 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  325,100 (2002)

Tunisia
  1,163,800 (2003)

Turkey
  18,916,700 (2003)

Turkmenistan
  374,000 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  5,700 (2002)

Tuvalu
  700 (2002)

Uganda
  61,000 (2003)

Ukraine
  10,833,300 (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  1,135,800 (2003)

United Kingdom
  34.898 million (2002)

United States
  181,599,900 (2003)

Uruguay
  946,500 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  1,717,100 (2003)

Vanuatu
  6,500 (2003)

Venezuela
  2,841,800 (2002)

Vietnam
  4.402 million (2003)

Virgin Islands
  69,400 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  1,900 (2002)

West Bank
  301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002)

Western Sahara
  about 2,000 (1999 est.)

World
  843,923,500 (2003)

Yemen
  542,200 (2002)

Zambia
  88,400 (2003)

Zimbabwe
  300,900 (2003)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2151 Telephones - mobile cellular

Afghanistan
  15,000 (2002)

Albania
  1.1 million (2003)

Algeria
  1,447,310 (2003)

American Samoa
  2,377 (1999)

Andorra
  23,500 (2001)

Angola
  130,000 (2002)

Anguilla
  1,800 (2002)

Antarctica
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  38,200 (2002)

Argentina
  6.5 million (2002)

Armenia
  114,400 (2003)

Aruba
  53,000 (2001)

Australia
  14.347 million (2003)

Austria
  7,094,500 (2003)

Azerbaijan
  870,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  121,800 (2002)

Bahrain
  443,100 (2003)

Bangladesh
  1.365 million (2003)

Barbados
  140,000 (2003)

Belarus
  1.118 million (2003)

Belgium
  8,135,500 (2002)

Belize
  60,400 (2003)

Benin
  236,200 (2003)

Bermuda
  37,873 (2003)

Bhutan
  22,000 (2005)

Bolivia
  1,401,500 (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  1.05 million (2003)

Botswana
  435,000 (2002)

Brazil
  46,373,300 (2003)

British Virgin Islands
  8,000 (2002)

Brunei
  137,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
  2,597,500 (2002)

Burkina Faso
  227,000 (2003)

Burma
  66,500 (2003)

Burundi
  64,000 (2003)

Cambodia
  380,000 (2002)

Cameroon
  1.077 million (2003)

Canada
  13,221,800 (2003)

Cape Verde
  53,300 (2003)

Cayman Islands
  17,000 (2002)

Central African Republic
  13,000 (2003)

Chad
  65,000 (2003)

Chile
  6,445,700 (2002)

China
  269 million (2003)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  note - analog cellular service available

Colombia
  6,186,200 (2003)

Comoros
  2,000 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1 million (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
  330,000 (2003)

Cook Islands
  1,500 (2002)

Costa Rica
  528,047 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.236 million (2003)

Croatia
  2.553 million (2003)

Cuba
  17,900 (2002)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 417,900 (2002); north Cyprus: 143,178
  (2002)

Czech Republic
  9,708,700 (2003)

Denmark
  4,785,300 (2003)

Djibouti
  23,000 (2003)

Dominica
  9,400 (2002)

Dominican Republic
  2,120,400 (2003)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  2,394,400 (2003)

Egypt
  8,583,940 (2005)

El Salvador
  1,149,800 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  41,500 (2003)

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  881,000 (2002)

Ethiopia
  97,800 (2003)

European Union
  314,644,700 (2002)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 (2001)

Faroe Islands
  30,700 (2002)

Fiji
  109,900 (2003)

Finland
  4.7 million (2003)

France
  41,683,100 (2003)

French Guiana
  138,200 (2002)

French Polynesia
  90,000 (2002)

Gabon
  300,000 (2003)

Gambia, The
  100,000 (2002)

Gaza Strip
  320,000 (cellular subscribers in both Gaza Strip and West
  Bank) (2002)

Georgia
  522,300 (2003)

Germany
  64.8 million (2003)

Ghana
  799,900 (2003)

Gibraltar
  9,797 (2002)

Greece
  8,936,200 (2003)

Greenland
  16,747 (2001)

Grenada
  7,600 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  323,500 (2002)

Guam
  32,600 (2001)

Guatemala
  1,577,100 (2002)

Guernsey
  31,500 (2001)

Guinea
  111,500 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,300 (2003)

Guyana
  87,300 (2002)

Haiti
  140,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  326,500 (2002)

Hong Kong
  7,241,400 (2003)

Hungary
  6,862,800 (2002)

Iceland
  279,100 (2003)

India
  26,154,400 (2003)

Indonesia
  11.7 million (2002)

Iran
  3,376,500 (2003)

Iraq
  20,000 (2002)

Ireland
  3.4 million (2003)

Israel
  6.334 million (2002)

Italy
  55.918 million (2003)

Jamaica
  1.4 million (2002)

Japan
  86,658,600 (2003)

Jersey
  61,400 (2001)

Jordan
  1,325,300 (2003)

Kazakhstan
  1.027 million (2002)

Kenya
  1,590,800 (2003)

Kiribati
  500 (2002)

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  33,591,800 (2003)

Kuwait
  1.42 million (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
  53,100 (2002)

Laos
  55,200 (2002)

Latvia
  1,219,600 (2003)

Lebanon
  775,100 (2002)

Lesotho
  92,000 (2002)

Liberia
  2,000 (2001)

Libya
  100,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein
  11,400 (2002)

Lithuania
  2,169,900 (2003)

Luxembourg
  473,000 (2002)

Macau
  364,000 (2003)

Macedonia
  830,000 (2005)

Madagascar
  279,500 (2003)

Malawi
  135,100 (2003)

Malaysia
  11,124,100 (2003)

Maldives
  41,900 (2002)

Mali
  250,000 (2003)

Malta
  290,000 (2003)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  600 (2002)

Martinique
  319,900 (2002)

Mauritania
  300,000 (2003)

Mauritius
  462,400 (2003)

Mayotte
  21,700 (2002)

Mexico
  28.125 million (2003)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  1,800 (2002)

Moldova
  338,200 (2002)

Monaco
  19,300 (2002)

Mongolia
  404,400 (2004)

Montserrat
  70 (1994)

Morocco
  7,332,800 (2003)

Mozambique
  428,900 (2003)

Namibia
  223,700 (2003)

Nauru
  1,500 (2002)

Nepal
  50,400 (2003)

Netherlands
  12.5 million (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
  81,000 (2001)

New Caledonia
  80,000 (2002)

New Zealand
  2.599 million (2003)

Nicaragua
  202,800 (2002)

Niger
  24,000 (2003)

Nigeria
  3,149,500 (2003)

Niue
  400 (2002)

Norfolk Island
  0 (proposed cellular service disallowed in August
  2002 island referendum) (2002)

Northern Mariana Islands
  3,000 (2000)

Norway
  4,163,400 (2003)

Oman
  464,900 (2002)

Pakistan
  2,624,800 (2003)

Palau
  1,000 (2002)

Panama
  834,000 (2003)

Papua New Guinea
  15,000 (2002)

Paraguay
  1,770,300 (2003)

Peru
  2,908,800 (2003)

Philippines
  15.201 million (2002)

Poland
  17.401 million (2003)

Portugal
  9,341,400 (2003)

Puerto Rico
  1,211,111 (2001)

Qatar
  376,500 (2003)

Reunion
  489,800 (2002)

Romania
  6.9 million (2003)

Russia
  17,608,800 (2002)

Rwanda
  134,000
  note: Rwanda has mobile cellular service between Kigali and several
  provincial capitals (2003)

Saint Helena
  0 (1997)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  5,000 (2002)

Saint Lucia
  14,300 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 (1994)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  10,000 (2002)

Samoa
  2,700 (2002)

San Marino
  16,800 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  4,800 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  7,238,200 (2003)

Senegal
  575,900 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
  3,634,600 (2003)

Seychelles
  54,500 (2003)

Sierra Leone
  67,000 (2002)

Singapore
  3,521,800 (2004)

Slovakia
  3,678,800 (2003)

Slovenia
  1,739,100 (2003)

Solomon Islands
  1,000 (2002)

Somalia
  35,000 (2002)

South Africa
  16.86 million (2003)

Spain
  37,506,700 (2003)

Sri Lanka
  931,600 (2002)

Sudan
  650,000 (2003)

Suriname
  168,100 (2003)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  88,000 (2003)

Sweden
  7.949 million (2002)

Switzerland
  6.172 million (2003)

Syria
  400,000 (2002)

Taiwan
  25,089,600 (2003)

Tajikistan
  47,600 (2003)

Tanzania
  891,200 (2003)

Thailand
  26.5 million (2005)

Togo
  220,000 (2003)

Tokelau
  0 (2001)

Tonga
  9,000 (2004)

Trinidad and Tobago
  361,900 (2002)

Tunisia
  1,899,900 (2003)

Turkey
  27,887,500 (2003)

Turkmenistan
  52,000 (2004)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  1,700 (1999)

Tuvalu
  0 (2004)

Uganda
  776,200 (2003)

Ukraine
  4.2 million (2002)

United Arab Emirates
  2,972,300 (2003)

United Kingdom
  49.677 million (2002)

United States
  158.722 million (2003)

Uruguay
  652,000 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  320,800 (2003)

Vanuatu
  7,800 (2003)

Venezuela
  6,463,600 (2002)

Vietnam
  2.742 million (2003)

Virgin Islands
  41,000 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  0 (1994)

West Bank
  480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza
  Strip) (2003)

Western Sahara
  0 (1999)

World
  NA

Yemen
  411,100 (2002)

Zambia
  241,000 (2003)

Zimbabwe
  379,100 (2003)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2153 Internet users

Afghanistan
  1,000 (2002)

Albania
  30,000 (2003)

Algeria
  500,000 (2002)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  24,500 (2001)

Angola
  41,000 (2002)

Anguilla
  3,000 (2002)

Antigua and Barbuda
  10,000 (2002)

Argentina
  4.1 million (2002)

Armenia
  150,000 (2003)

Aruba
  24,000 (2002)

Australia
  9.472 million (2002)

Austria
  3.73 million (2003)

Azerbaijan
  300,000 (2002)

Bahamas, The
  84,000 (2003)

Bahrain
  195,700 (2003)

Bangladesh
  243,000 (2003)

Barbados
  100,000 (2003)

Belarus
  1,391,900 (2003)

Belgium
  3.4 million (2002)

Belize
  30,000 (2002)

Benin
  70,000 (2003)

Bermuda
  34,500 (2003)

Bhutan
  15,000 (2003)

Bolivia
  270,000 (2002)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  100,000 (2002)

Botswana
  60,000 (2002)

Brazil
  14.3 million (2002)

British Virgin Islands
  4,000 (2002)

Brunei
  35,000 (2002)

Bulgaria
  630,000 (2002)

Burkina Faso
  48,000 (2003)

Burma
  28,000 (2003)

Burundi
  14,000 (2003)

Cambodia
  30,000 (2002)

Cameroon 60,000 (2002) note: Cameroon also had more than 100 cyber-cafes in 2001

Canada
  16.11 million (2002)

Cape Verde
  20,400 (2003)

Cayman Islands
  9,909 (2003)

Central African Republic
  5,000 (2002)

Chad
  15,000 (2002)

Chile
  3.575 million (2002)

China
  94 million (2004)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  2,732,200 (2003)

Comoros
  5,000 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  50,000 (2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  15,000 (2003)

Cook Islands
  3,600 (2002)

Costa Rica
  800,000 (2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  90,000 (2002)

Croatia
  1.014 million (2003)

Cuba
  120,000
  note: private citizens are prohibited from buying computers or
  accessing the Internet without special authorization; foreigners may
  access the Internet in large hotels, but are subject to firewalls;
  some Cubans buy illegal passwords on the black market, or take
  advantage of public outlets to access limited email and the
  government-controlled "intranet" (2004)

Cyprus
  210,000 (2002)

Czech Republic
  2.7 million (2003)

Denmark
  2.756 million (2002)

Djibouti
  6,500 (2003)

Dominica
  12,500 (2002)

Dominican Republic
  500,000 (2003)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  569,700 (2003)

Egypt
  4.2 million (2005)

El Salvador
  550,000 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  1,800 (2002)

Eritrea
  9,500 (2003)

Estonia
  444,000 (2002)

Ethiopia
  75,000 (2003)

European Union
  206,032,067 (September 2004)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA; however one-half of all
  households are reported to have internet access (2002)

Faroe Islands
  25,000 (2002)

Fiji
  55,000 (2003)

Finland
  2.65 million (2002)

France
  21.9 million (2003)

French Guiana
  3,200 (2002)

French Polynesia
  35,000 (2002)

Gabon
  35,000 (2003)

Gambia, The
  25,000 (2002)

Gaza Strip
  60,000 (includes West Bank) (2001)

Georgia
  150,500 (2003)

Germany
  39 million (2003)

Ghana
  170,000 (2002)

Gibraltar
  6,200 (2002)

Greece
  1,718,400 (2003)

Greenland
  20,000 (2002)

Grenada
  15,000 (2002)

Guadeloupe
  20,000 (2002)

Guam
  50,000 (2002)

Guatemala
  400,000 (2002)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  40,000 (2003)

Guinea-Bissau
  19,000 (2003)

Guyana
  125,000 (2002)

Haiti
  80,000 (2002)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  168,600 (2002)

Hong Kong
  3,212,800 (2003)

Hungary
  1.6 million (2002)

Iceland
  195,000 (2003)

India
  18.481 million (2003)

Indonesia
  8 million (2002)

Iran
  4.3 million (2003)

Iraq
  25,000 (2002)

Ireland
  1.26 million (2003)

Israel
  2 million (2002)

Italy
  18.5 million (2003)

Jamaica
  600,000 (2002)

Japan
  57.2 million (2002)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  457,000 (2003)

Kazakhstan
  250,000 (2002)

Kenya
  400,000 (2002)

Kiribati
  2,000 (2002)

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  29.22 million (2003)

Kuwait
  567,000 (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
  152,000 (2002)

Laos
  15,000 (2002)

Latvia
  936,000 (2003)

Lebanon
  400,000 (2002)

Lesotho
  21,000 (2002)

Liberia
  1,000 (2002)

Libya
  160,000 (2003)

Liechtenstein
  20,000 (2002)

Lithuania
  695,700 (2003)

Luxembourg
  165,000 (2002)

Macau
  120,000 (2003)

Macedonia
  100,000 (2002)

Madagascar
  70,500 (2003)

Malawi
  36,000 (2003)

Malaysia
  8,692,100 (2003)

Maldives
  15,000 (2002)

Mali
  25,000 (2002)

Malta
  120,000 (2002)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  1,400 (2003)

Martinique
  40,000 (2002)

Mauritania
  10,000 (2002)

Mauritius
  150,000 (2003)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  10.033 million (2002)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  6,000 (2002)

Moldova
  150,000 (2002)

Monaco
  16,000 (2002)

Mongolia
  220,000 (2004)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  800,000 (2003)

Mozambique
  50,000 (2002)

Namibia
  65,000 (2003)

Nauru
  300 (2002)

Nepal
  80,000 (2002)

Netherlands
  8.5 million (2003)

Netherlands Antilles
  2,000 (2000)

New Caledonia
  60,000 (2003)

New Zealand
  2.11 million (2003)

Nicaragua
  90,000 (2002)

Niger
  15,000 (2002)

Nigeria
  750,000 (2003)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  700

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  2.288 million (2002)

Oman
  180,000 (2002)

Pakistan
  1.5 million (2002)

Panama
  120,000 (2002)

Papua New Guinea
  75,000 (2002)

Paraguay
  120,000 (2003)

Peru
  2.85 million (2003)

Philippines
  3.5 million (2002)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  8.97 million (2003)

Portugal
  3.6 million (2002)

Puerto Rico
  600,000 (2002)

Qatar
  126,000 (2003)

Reunion
  150,000 (2002)

Romania
  4 million (2003)

Russia
  6 million (2002)

Rwanda
  25,000 (2002)

Saint Helena
  500 (2002)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  10,000 (2002)

Saint Lucia
  13,000 (2002)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  7,000 (2002)

Samoa
  4,000 (2002)

San Marino
  14,300 (2002)

Sao Tome and Principe
  15,000 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  1.5 million (2003)

Senegal
  225,000 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
  847,000 (2003)

Seychelles
  11,700 (2002)

Sierra Leone
  8,000 (2002)

Singapore
  2.31 million (2002)

Slovakia
  1,375,800 (2003)

Slovenia
  750,000 (2002)

Solomon Islands
  2,200 (2002)

Somalia
  89,000 (2002)

South Africa
  3.1 million (2002)

Spain
  9.789 million (2003)

Sri Lanka
  200,000 (2002)

Sudan
  300,000 (2003)

Suriname
  20,000 (2002)

Svalbard
  NA

Swaziland
  27,000 (2003)

Sweden
  5.125 million (2002)

Switzerland
  2.556 million (2002)

Syria
  220,000 (2002)

Taiwan
  13.8 million (2005)

Tajikistan
  4,100 (2003)

Tanzania
  250,000 (2003)

Thailand
  6,971,500 (2003)

Togo
  210,000 (2003)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  2,900 (2002)

Trinidad and Tobago
  138,000 (2002)

Tunisia
  630,000 (2003)

Turkey
  5.5 million (2003)

Turkmenistan
  8,000 (2002)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  1,300 (2002)

Uganda
  125,000 (2003)

Ukraine
  3.8 million (2003)

United Arab Emirates
  1,110,200 (2003)

United Kingdom
  25 million (2002)

United States
  159 million (2002)

Uruguay
  400,000 (2002)

Uzbekistan
  492,000 (2003)

Vanuatu
  7,500 (2003)

Venezuela
  1,274,400 (2002)

Vietnam
  3.5 million (2003)

Virgin Islands
  30,000 (2002)

Wallis and Futuna
  900 (2002)

West Bank
  145,000 (includes Gaza Strip) (2003)

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  604,111,719 (2002 est.)

Yemen
  100,000 (2002)

Zambia
  68,200 (2003)

Zimbabwe
  500,000 (2002)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2154 Internet country code

Afghanistan
  .af

Albania
  .al

Algeria
  .dz

American Samoa
  .as

Andorra
  .ad

Angola
  .ao

Anguilla
  .ai

Antarctica
  .aq

Antigua and Barbuda
  .ag

Argentina
  .ar

Armenia
  .am

Aruba
  .aw

Australia
  .au

Austria
  .at

Azerbaijan
  .az

Bahamas, The
  .bs

Bahrain
  .bh

Bangladesh
  .bd

Barbados
  .bb

Belarus
  .by

Belgium
  .be

Belize
  .bz

Benin
  .bj

Bermuda
  .bm

Bhutan
  .bt

Bolivia
  .bo

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  .ba

Botswana
  .bw

Bouvet Island
  .bv

Brazil
  .br

British Indian Ocean Territory
  .io

British Virgin Islands
  .vg

Brunei
  .bn

Bulgaria
  .bg

Burkina Faso
  .bf

Burma
  .mm

Burundi
  .bi

Cambodia
  .kh

Cameroon
  .cm

Canada
  .ca

Cape Verde
  .cv

Cayman Islands
  .ky

Central African Republic
  .cf

Chad
  .td

Chile
  .cl

China
  .cn

Christmas Island
  .cx

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  .cc

Colombia
  .co

Comoros
  .km

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  .cd

Congo, Republic of the
  .cg

Cook Islands
  .ck

Costa Rica
  .cr

Cote d'Ivoire
  .ci

Croatia
  .hr

Cuba
  .cu

Cyprus
  .cy

Czech Republic
  .cz

Denmark
  .dk

Djibouti
  .dj

Dominica
  .dm

Dominican Republic
  .do

East Timor
  .tl; note - ICANN approved the change from .tp in January
  2005

Ecuador
  .ec

Egypt
  .eg

El Salvador
  .sv

Equatorial Guinea
  .gq

Eritrea
  .er

Estonia
  .ee

Ethiopia
  .et

European Union
  .eu (effective 2005); note - see country entries of
  member states for individual country codes

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  .fk

Faroe Islands
  .fo

Fiji
  .fj

Finland
  .fi

France
  .fr

French Guiana
  .gf

French Polynesia
  .pf

French Southern and Antarctic Lands
  .tf

Gabon
  .ga

Gambia, The
  .gm

Gaza Strip
  .ps

Georgia
  .ge

Germany
  .de

Ghana
  .gh

Gibraltar
  .gi

Greece
  .gr

Greenland
  .gl

Grenada
  .gd

Guadeloupe
  .gp

Guam
  .gu

Guatemala
  .gt

Guernsey
  .gg

Guinea
  .gn

Guinea-Bissau
  .gw

Guyana
  .gy

Haiti
  .ht

Heard Island and McDonald Islands
  .hm

Holy See (Vatican City)
  .va

Honduras
  .hn

Hong Kong
  .hk

Hungary
  .hu

Iceland
  .is

India
  .in

Indonesia
  .id

Iran
  .ir

Iraq
  .iq

Ireland
  .ie

Israel
  .il

Italy
  .it

Jamaica
  .jm

Japan
  .jp

Jersey
  .je

Jordan
  .jo

Kazakhstan
  .kz

Kenya
  .ke

Kiribati
  .ki

Korea, North
  .kp

Korea, South
  .kr

Kuwait
  .kw

Kyrgyzstan
  .kg

Laos
  .la

Latvia
  .lv

Lebanon
  .lb

Lesotho
  .ls

Liberia
  .lr

Libya
  .ly

Liechtenstein
  .li

Lithuania
  .lt

Luxembourg
  .lu

Macau
  .mo

Macedonia
  .mk

Madagascar
  .mg

Malawi
  .mw

Malaysia
  .my

Maldives
  .mv

Mali
  .ml

Malta
  .mt

Man, Isle of
  .im

Marshall Islands
  .mh

Martinique
  .mq

Mauritania
  .mr

Mauritius
  .mu

Mayotte
  .yt

Mexico
  .mx

Micronesia, Federated States of
  .fm

Moldova
  .md

Monaco
  .mc

Mongolia
  .mn

Montserrat
  .ms

Morocco
  .ma

Mozambique
  .mz

Namibia
  .na

Nauru
  .nr

Nepal
  .np

Netherlands
  .nl

Netherlands Antilles
  .an

New Caledonia
  .nc

New Zealand
  .nz

Nicaragua
  .ni

Niger
  .ne

Nigeria
  .ng

Niue
  .nu

Norfolk Island
  .nf

Northern Mariana Islands
  .mp

Norway
  .no

Oman
  .om

Pakistan
  .pk

Palau
  .pw

Panama
  .pa

Papua New Guinea
  .pg

Paraguay
  .py

Peru
  .pe

Philippines
  .ph

Pitcairn Islands
  .pn

Poland
  .pl

Portugal
  .pt

Puerto Rico
  .pr

Qatar
  .qa

Reunion
  .re

Romania
  .ro

Russia
  .ru; Russia also has responsibility for a legacy domain ".su"
  that was allocated to the Soviet Union, and whose legal status and
  ownership are contested by the Russian Government, ICANN, and
  several Russian commercial entities

Rwanda
  .rw

Saint Helena
  .sh

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  .kn

Saint Lucia
  .lc

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  .pm

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  .vc

Samoa
  .ws

San Marino
  .sm

Sao Tome and Principe
  .st

Saudi Arabia
  .sa

Senegal
  .sn

Serbia and Montenegro
  .cs

Seychelles
  .sc

Sierra Leone
  .sl

Singapore
  .sg

Slovakia
  .sk

Slovenia
  .si

Solomon Islands
  .sb

Somalia
  .so

South Africa
  .za

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  .gs

Spain
  .es

Sri Lanka
  .lk

Sudan
  .sd

Suriname
  .sr

Svalbard
  .sj

Swaziland
  .sz

Sweden
  .se

Switzerland
  .ch

Syria
  .sy

Taiwan
  .tw

Tajikistan
  .tj

Tanzania
  .tz

Thailand
  .th

Togo
  .tg

Tokelau
  .tk

Tonga
  .to

Trinidad and Tobago
  .tt

Tunisia
  .tn

Turkey
  .tr

Turkmenistan
  .tm

Turks and Caicos Islands
  .tc

Tuvalu
  .tv

Uganda
  .ug

Ukraine
  .ua

United Arab Emirates
  .ae

United Kingdom
  .uk

United States
  .us

Uruguay
  .uy

Uzbekistan
  .uz

Vanuatu
  .vu

Venezuela
  .ve

Vietnam
  .vn

Virgin Islands
  .vi

Wallis and Futuna
  .wf

West Bank
  .ps

Western Sahara
  .eh

Yemen
  .ye

Zambia
  .zm

Zimbabwe
  .zw

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2155 HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)

Afghanistan
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Albania
  NA%

Algeria
  0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA%

Angola
  3.9% (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  0.7% (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Austria
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  3% (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Bangladesh
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Barbados
  1.5% (2003 est.)

Belarus
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Belgium
  0.2% (2003 est.)

Belize
  2.4% (2003 est.)

Benin
  1.9% (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Botswana
  37.3% (2003 est.)

Brazil
  0.7% (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided
  (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  4.2% (2003 est.)

Burma
  1.2% (2003 est.)

Burundi
  6% (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  2.6% (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  6.9% (2003 est.)

Canada
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  0.035% (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  13.5% (2003 est.)

Chad
  4.8% (2003 est.)

Chile
  0.3% (2003 est.)

China
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  0.7% (2003 est.)

Comoros
  0.12% (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  4.2% (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  4.9% (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  7% (2003 est.)

Croatia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Cuba
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Czech Republic
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Denmark
  0.2% (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  2.9% (2003 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  1.7% (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Egypt
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  0.7% (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  3.4% (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  2.7% (2003 est.)

Estonia
  1.1% (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  4.4% (2003 est.)

European Union
  NA%

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA%

Fiji
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Finland
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

France
  0.4% (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  NA%

French Polynesia
  NA%

Gabon
  8.1% (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  1.2% (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Germany
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Ghana
  3.1% (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA%

Greece
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Greenland
  NA%

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA%

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  1.1% (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  NA%

Guinea
  3.2% (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  10% (2003 est.)

Guyana
  2.5% (2003 est.)

Haiti
  5.6% (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA%

Honduras
  1.8% (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Hungary
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Iceland
  0.2% (2001 est.)

India
  0.9% (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Iran
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Iraq
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Ireland
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Israel
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Italy
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  1.2% (2003 est.)

Japan
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Jersey
  NA%

Jordan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Kenya
  6.7% (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  0.12% (2001 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Laos
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Latvia
  0.6% (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  28.9% (2003 est.)

Liberia
  5.9% (2003 est.)

Libya
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA%

Lithuania
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Madagascar
  1.7% (2003 est.)

Malawi
  14.2% (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  0.4% (2003 est.)

Maldives
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mali
  1.9% (2003 est.)

Malta
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Man, Isle of
  NA%

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA%

Mauritania
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA%

Mexico
  0.3% (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA%

Mongolia
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  12.2% (2003 est.)

Namibia
  21.3% (2003 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  0.5% (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA%

New Zealand
  0.1% (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  0.2% (2003 est.)

Niger
  1.2% (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  5.4% (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Oman
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  0.9% (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  0.5% (2003 est.)

Peru
  0.5% (2003 est.)

Philippines
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  0.1% ; note - no country specific models provided (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  0.09% (2001 est.)

Reunion
  NA%

Romania
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Russia
  1.1% (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  5.1% (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA%

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

San Marino
  NA%

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  0.01% (2001 est.)

Senegal
  0.8% (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0.2% (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  7% (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0.2% (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  1% (2001 est.)

South Africa
  21.5% (2003 est.)

Spain
  0.7% (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Sudan
  2.3% (2001 est.)

Suriname
  1.7% (2001 est.)

Svalbard
  0% (2001)

Swaziland
  38.8% (2003 est.)

Sweden
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0.4% (2001 est.)

Syria
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  8.8% (2003 est.)

Thailand
  1.5% (2003 est.)

Togo
  4.1% (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  3.2% (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  less than 0.1% (2005 est.)

Turkey
  less than 0.1% - note - no country specific models provided
  (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  less than 0.1% (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  4.1% (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  1.4% (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0.18% (2001 est.)

United Kingdom
  0.2% (2001 est.)

United States
  0.6% (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  0.3% (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  0.7% - note - no country specific models provided (2001
  est.)

Vietnam
  0.4% (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA%

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA%

Yemen
  0.1% (2001 est.)

Zambia
  16.5% (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  24.6% (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2156 HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  9,100 (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  240,000 (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  130,000 (2001 est.)

Armenia
  2,600 (2003 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  14,000 (2003 est.)

Austria
  10,000 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  1,400 (2003 est.)

Bahamas, The
  5,600 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  less than 600 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  13,000 (2001 est.)

Barbados
  2,500 (2003 est.)

Belarus
  15,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium
  10,000 (2003 est.)

Belize
  3,600 (2003 est.)

Benin
  68,000 (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  less than 100 (1999 est.)

Bolivia
  4,900 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  900 (2003 est.)

Botswana
  350,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil
  660,000 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  346 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  300,000 (2003 est.)

Burma
  330,000 (2003 est.)

Burundi
  250,000 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  170,000 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  560,000 (2003 est.)

Canada
  56,000 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  775 (2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  260,000 (2003 est.)

Chad
  200,000 (2003 est.)

Chile
  26,000 (2003 est.)

China
  840,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  190,000 (2003 est.)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.1 million (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  90,000 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  12,000 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  570,000 (2003 est.)

Croatia
  200 (2001 est.)

Cuba
  3,300 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  less than 1,000 (1999 est.)

Czech Republic
  2,500 (2001 est.)

Denmark
  5,000 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  9,100 (2003 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  88,000 (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  21,000 (2003 est.)

Egypt
  12,000 (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  29,000 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  5,900 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  60,000 (2003 est.)

Estonia
  7,800 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  1.5 million (2003 est.)

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  600 (2003 est.)

Finland
  1,500 (2003 est.)

France
  120,000 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  48,000 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  6,800 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  3,000 (2003 est.)

Germany
  43,000 (2001 est.)

Ghana
  350,000 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  9,100 (2001 est.)

Greenland
  100 (1999)

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  78,000 (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  140,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  17,000 (2001 est.)

Guyana
  11,000 (2003 est.)

Haiti
  280,000 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  63,000 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  2,600 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  2,800 (2001 est.)

Iceland
  220 (2001 est.)

India
  5.1 million (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  110,000 (2003 est.)

Iran
  31,000 (2001 est.)

Iraq
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Ireland
  2,800 (2001 est.)

Israel
  3,000 (1999 est.)

Italy
  140,000 (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  22,000 (2003 est.)

Japan
  12,000 (2003 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  600 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  16,500 (2001 est.)

Kenya
  1.2 million (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  8,300 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  3,900 (2003 est.)

Laos
  1,700 (2003 est.)

Latvia
  7,600 (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  2,800 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  320,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia
  100,000 (2003 est.)

Libya
  10,000 (2001 est.)

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  1,300 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  140,000 (2003 est.)

Malawi
  900,000 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  52,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mali
  140,000 (2003 est.)

Malta
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  9,500 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  700 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  160,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  5,500 (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  less than 500 (2003 est)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  15,000 (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  1.3 million (2003 est.)

Namibia
  210,000 (2001 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  61,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  19,000 (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  1,400 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  6,400 (2003 est.)

Niger
  70,000 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  3.6 million (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  2,100 (2001 est.)

Oman
  1,300 (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  74,000 (2001 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  16,000 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  16,000 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  15,000 (1999 est.)

Peru
  82,000 (2003 est.)

Philippines
  9,000 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  14,000 (2003 est.)

Portugal
  22,000 (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  7,397 (1997)

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  6,500 (2001 est.)

Russia
  860,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  250,000 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  12

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  44,000 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  10,000 (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  170,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore
  4,100 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  280 (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  43,000 (2001 est.)

South Africa
  5.3 million (2003 est.)

Spain
  140,000 (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  3,500 (2001 est.)

Sudan
  400,000 (2001 est.)

Suriname
  5,200 (2001 est.)

Svalbard
  0 (2001)

Swaziland
  220,000 (2003 est.)

Sweden
  3,600 (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  13,000 (2001 est.)

Syria
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Tanzania
  1.6 million (2003 est.)

Thailand
  570,000 (2003 est.)

Togo
  110,000 (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  29,000 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  1,000 (2003 est.)

Turkey
  NA

Turkmenistan
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  530,000 (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  360,000 (2001 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  51,000 (2001 est.)

United States
  950,000 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  6,000 (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  11,000 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  110,000 (1999 est.)

Vietnam
  220,000 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  12,000 (2001 est.)

Zambia
  920,000 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  1.8 million (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2157 HIV/AIDS - deaths

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  NA

Algeria
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

American Samoa
  NA

Andorra
  NA

Angola
  21,000 (2003 est.)

Anguilla
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  1,500 (2003 est.)

Armenia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Austria
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Azerbaijan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bahrain
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  650 (2001 est.)

Barbados
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Belarus
  1,000 (2001 est.)

Belgium
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Belize
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Benin
  5,800 (2003 est.)

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  100 (2001 est.)

Botswana
  33,000 (2003 est.)

Brazil
  15,000 (2003 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  100 (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  29,000 (2003 est.)

Burma
  20,000 (2003 est.)

Burundi
  25,000 (2003 est.)

Cambodia
  15,000 (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  49,000 (2003 est.)

Canada
  1,500 (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  225 (as of 2001)

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  23,000 (2003 est.)

Chad
  18,000 (2003 est.)

Chile
  1,400 (2003 est.)

China
  44,000 (2003 est.)

Christmas Island
  NA

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  NA

Colombia
  3,600 (2003 est.)

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  100,000 (2003 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  9,700 (2003 est.)

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  900 (2003 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  47,000 (2003 est.)

Croatia
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Cuba
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Cyprus
  NA

Czech Republic
  less than 10 (2001 est.)

Denmark
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Djibouti
  690 (2003 est.)

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  7,900 (2003 est.)

East Timor
  NA

Ecuador
  1,700 (2003 est.)

Egypt
  700 (2003 est.)

El Salvador
  2,200 (2003 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  370 (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  6,300 (2003 est.)

Estonia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Ethiopia
  120,000 (2003 est.)

European Union
  NA

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Finland
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

France
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  3,000 (2003 est.)

Gambia, The
  600 (2003 est.)

Gaza Strip
  NA

Georgia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Germany
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Ghana
  30,000 (2003 est.)

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  5,800 (2003 est.)

Guernsey
  NA

Guinea
  9,000 (2003 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  1,200 (2001 est.)

Guyana
  1,100 (2003 est.)

Haiti
  24,000 (2003 est.)

Holy See (Vatican City)
  NA

Honduras
  4,100 (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Hungary
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Iceland
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

India
  310,000 (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  2,400 (2003 est.)

Iran
  800 (2003 est.)

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Israel
  100 (2001 est.)

Italy
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Jamaica
  900 (2003 est.)

Japan
  500 (2003 est.)

Jersey
  NA

Jordan
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Kazakhstan
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Kenya
  150,000 (2003 est.)

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Laos
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Latvia
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Lebanon
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Lesotho
  29,000 (2003 est.)

Liberia
  7,200 (2003 est.)

Libya
  NA

Liechtenstein
  NA

Lithuania
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Luxembourg
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  7,500 (2003 est.)

Malawi
  84,000 (2003 est.)

Malaysia
  2,000 (2003 est.)

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  12,000 (2003 est.)

Malta
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Man, Isle of
  NA

Marshall Islands
  NA

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Mauritius
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Mayotte
  NA

Mexico
  5,000 (2003 est.)

Micronesia, Federated States of
  NA

Moldova
  less than 300 (2001 est.)

Monaco
  NA

Mongolia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  NA

Mozambique
  110,000 (2003 est.)

Namibia
  16,000 (2003 est.)

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  3,100 (2003 est.)

Netherlands
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Nicaragua
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Niger
  4,800 (2003 est.)

Nigeria
  310,000 (2003 est.)

Niue
  NA

Norfolk Island
  NA

Northern Mariana Islands
  NA

Norway
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Oman
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  4,900 (2003 est.)

Palau
  NA

Panama
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  600 (2003 est.)

Paraguay
  600 (2003 est.)

Peru
  4,200 (2003 est.)

Philippines
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Pitcairn Islands
  NA

Poland
  100 (2001 est.)

Portugal
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  350 (2001 est.)

Russia
  9,000 (2001 est.)

Rwanda
  22,000 (2003 est.)

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  3

San Marino
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  NA

Senegal
  3,500 (2003 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  11,000 (2001 est.)

Singapore
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Slovakia
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  370,000 (2003 est.)

Spain
  less than 1,000 (2003 est.)

Sri Lanka
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Sudan
  23,000 (2003 est.)

Suriname
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Svalbard
  0 (2001)

Swaziland
  17,000 (2003 est.)

Sweden
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Switzerland
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

Syria
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  less than 100 (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  160,000 (2003 est.)

Thailand
  58,000 (2003 est.)

Togo
  10,000 (2003 est.)

Tokelau
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  1,900 (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

Turkey
  NA

Turkmenistan
  less than 100 (2004 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Tuvalu
  NA

Uganda
  78,000 (2003 est.)

Ukraine
  20,000 (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  NA

United Kingdom
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

United States
  14,000 (2003 est.)

Uruguay
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  less than 500 (2003 est.)

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  4,100 (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  9,000 (2003 est.)

Virgin Islands
  NA

Wallis and Futuna
  NA

West Bank
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

World
  NA

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  89,000 (2003 est.)

Zimbabwe
  170,000 (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2158 Currency code

Afghanistan
  AFA

Albania
  ALL

Algeria
  DZD

American Samoa
  USD

Andorra
  EUR

Angola
  AOA

Anguilla
  XCD

Antigua and Barbuda
  XCD

Argentina
  ARS

Armenia
  AMD

Aruba
  AWG

Australia
  AUD

Austria
  EUR

Azerbaijan
  AZM

Bahamas, The
  BSD

Bahrain
  BHD

Bangladesh
  BDT

Barbados
  BBD

Belarus
  BYB/BYR

Belgium
  EUR

Belize
  BZD

Benin
  XOF

Bermuda
  BMD

Bhutan
  BTN; INR

Bolivia
  BOB

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  BAM

Botswana
  BWP

Brazil
  BRL

British Virgin Islands
  USD

Brunei
  BND

Bulgaria
  BGN

Burkina Faso
  XOF

Burma
  MMK

Burundi
  BIF

Cambodia
  KHR

Cameroon
  XAF

Canada
  CAD

Cape Verde
  CVE

Cayman Islands
  KYD

Central African Republic
  XAF

Chad
  XAF

Chile
  CLP

China
  CNY

Christmas Island
  AUD

Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  AUD

Colombia
  COP

Comoros
  KMF

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  CDF

Congo, Republic of the
  XAF

Cook Islands
  NZD

Costa Rica
  CRC

Cote d'Ivoire
  XOF

Croatia
  HRK

Cuba
  CUP (nonconvertible Cuban peso) and CUC (convertible Cuban peso)

Cyprus
  CYP; TRL

Czech Republic
  CZK

Denmark
  DKK

Djibouti
  DJF

Dominica
  XCD

Dominican Republic
  DOP

East Timor
  USD

Ecuador
  USD

Egypt
  EGP

El Salvador
  USD

Equatorial Guinea
  XAF

Eritrea
  ERN

Estonia
  EEK

Ethiopia
  ETB

European Union
  EUR

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  FKP

Faroe Islands
  DKK

Fiji
  FJD

Finland
  EUR

France
  EUR

French Guiana
  EUR

French Polynesia
  XPF

Gabon
  XAF

Gambia, The
  GMD

Gaza Strip
  ILS

Georgia
  GEL

Germany
  EUR

Ghana
  GHC

Gibraltar
  GIP

Greece
  EUR

Greenland
  DKK

Grenada
  XCD

Guadeloupe
  EUR

Guam
  USD

Guatemala
  GTQ; USD

Guernsey
  GBP

Guinea
  GNF

Guinea-Bissau
  XOF; GWP

Guyana
  GYD

Haiti
  HTG

Holy See (Vatican City)
  EUR

Honduras
  HNL

Hong Kong
  HKD

Hungary
  HUF

Iceland
  ISK

India
  INR

Indonesia
  IDR

Iran
  IRR

Iraq
  NID, IQD prior to 22 January 2004

Ireland
  EUR

Israel
  ILS

Italy
  EUR

Jamaica
  JMD

Japan
  JPY

Jersey
  GBP

Jordan
  JOD

Kazakhstan
  KZT

Kenya
  KES

Kiribati
  AUD

Korea, North
  KPW

Korea, South
  KRW

Kuwait
  KWD

Kyrgyzstan
  KGS

Laos
  LAK

Latvia
  LVL

Lebanon
  LBP

Lesotho
  LSL; ZAR

Liberia
  LRD

Libya
  LYD

Liechtenstein
  CHF

Lithuania
  LTL

Luxembourg
  EUR

Macau
  MOP

Macedonia
  MKD

Madagascar
  MGF

Malawi
  MWK

Malaysia
  MYR

Maldives
  MVR

Mali
  XOF

Malta
  MTL

Man, Isle of
  GBP

Marshall Islands
  USD

Martinique
  EUR

Mauritania
  MRO

Mauritius
  MUR

Mayotte
  EUR

Mexico
  MXN

Micronesia, Federated States of
  USD

Moldova
  MDL

Monaco
  EUR

Mongolia
  MNT

Montserrat
  XCD

Morocco
  MAD

Mozambique
  MZM

Namibia
  NAD; ZAR

Nauru
  AUD

Nepal
  NPR

Netherlands
  EUR

Netherlands Antilles
  ANG

New Caledonia
  XPF

New Zealand
  NZD

Nicaragua
  NIO

Niger
  XOF

Nigeria
  NGN

Niue
  NZD

Norfolk Island
  AUD

Northern Mariana Islands
  USD

Norway
  NOK

Oman
  OMR

Pakistan
  PKR

Palau
  USD

Panama
  PAB; USD

Papua New Guinea
  PGK

Paraguay
  PYG

Peru
  PEN

Philippines
  PHP

Pitcairn Islands
  NZD

Poland
  PLN

Portugal
  EUR

Puerto Rico
  USD

Qatar
  QAR

Reunion
  EUR

Romania
  ROL

Russia
  RUR

Rwanda
  RWF

Saint Helena
  SHP

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  XCD

Saint Lucia
  XCD

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  EUR

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  XCD

Samoa
  SAT (former WST code is still in wide use)

San Marino
  EUR

Sao Tome and Principe
  STD

Saudi Arabia
  SAR

Senegal
  XOF

Serbia and Montenegro
  CSD, EUR

Seychelles
  SCR

Sierra Leone
  SLL

Singapore
  SGD

Slovakia
  SKK

Slovenia
  SIT

Solomon Islands
  SBD

Somalia
  SOS

South Africa
  ZAR

Spain
  EUR

Sri Lanka
  LKR

Sudan
  SDD

Suriname
  SRG

Svalbard
  NOK

Swaziland
  SZL

Sweden
  SEK

Switzerland
  CHF

Syria
  SYP

Taiwan
  TWD

Tajikistan
  TJS

Tanzania
  TZS

Thailand
  THB

Togo
  XOF

Tokelau
  NZD

Tonga
  TOP

Trinidad and Tobago
  TTD

Tunisia
  TND

Turkey
  TRL, YTL

Turkmenistan
  TMM

Turks and Caicos Islands
  USD

Tuvalu
  AUD

Uganda
  UGX

Ukraine
  UAH

United Arab Emirates
  AED

United Kingdom
  GBP

United States
  USD

Uruguay
  UYU

Uzbekistan
  UZS

Vanuatu
  VUV

Venezuela
  VEB

Vietnam
  VND

Virgin Islands
  USD

Wallis and Futuna
  XPF

West Bank
  ILS; JOD

Western Sahara
  MAD

Yemen
  YER

Zambia
  ZMK

Zimbabwe
  ZWD

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2172 Distribution of family income - Gini index

Algeria
  35.3 (1995)

Armenia
  44.4 (1996)

Australia
  35.2 (1994)

Austria
  31 (1995)

Azerbaijan
  36 (1995)

Bangladesh
  33.6 (FY95/96)

Belarus
  21.7 (1998)

Belgium
  28.7 (1996)

Bolivia
  44.7 (1999)

Brazil
  60.7 (1998)

Bulgaria
  26.4 (2001)

Burkina Faso
  48.2 (1994)

Burundi
  42.5 (1998)

Cambodia
  40 (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  47.7 (1996)

Canada
  31.5 (1994)

Central African Republic
  61.3 (1993)

Chile
  57.1 (2000)

China
  44 (2002)

Colombia
  57.1 (1996)

Costa Rica
  45.9 (1997)

Cote d'Ivoire
  36.7 (1995)

Croatia
  29 (1998)

Czech Republic
  25.4 (1996)

Denmark
  24.7 (1992)

Dominican Republic
  47.4 (1998)

East Timor
  38 (2002 est.)

Ecuador 42 note: data are for urban households (2003)

Egypt
  34.4 (2001)

El Salvador
  52.5 (2001)

Estonia
  37 (1999)

Ethiopia
  40 (1995)

European Union
  31.2 (2003 est.)

Finland
  25.6 (1991)

France
  32.7 (1995)

Georgia
  37.1 (1996)

Germany
  30 (1994)

Ghana
  40.7 (1999)

Greece
  35.4 (1998)

Guatemala
  55.8 (1998)

Guinea
  40.3 (1994)

Honduras
  56.3 (1998)

Hungary
  24.4 (1998)

India
  37.8 (1997)

Indonesia
  37 (2001)

Ireland
  35.9 (1987)

Israel
  35.5 (2001)

Italy
  27.3 (1995)

Jamaica
  37.9 (2000)

Japan
  24.9 (1993)

Jordan
  36.4 (1997)

Kazakhstan
  31.5 (2003)

Kenya
  44.9 (1997)

Korea, South
  35.8 (2000)

Kyrgyzstan
  29 (2001)

Laos
  37 (1997)

Latvia
  32 (1999)

Lesotho
  56 (1986-87)

Lithuania
  34 (1999)

Madagascar
  38.1 (1999)

Malaysia
  49.2 (1997)

Mali
  50.5 (1994)

Mauritania
  37.3 (1995)

Mauritius
  37 (1987 est.)

Mexico
  53.1 (1998)

Moldova
  40.6 (1997)

Mongolia
  44 (1998)

Morocco
  39.5 (1998-99)

Mozambique
  39.6 (1996-97)

Namibia
  70 (2003)

Nepal
  36.7 (FY95/96)

Netherlands
  32.6 (1994)

Nicaragua
  55.1 (2001)

Niger
  50.5 (1995)

Nigeria
  50.6 (1996-97)

Norway
  25.8 (1995)

Pakistan
  41 (FY98/99)

Panama
  48.5 (1997)

Papua New Guinea
  50.9 (1996)

Paraguay
  57.7 (1998)

Peru
  49.8 (2000)

Philippines
  46.6 (2003)

Poland
  31.6 (1998)

Portugal
  35.6 (1994-95)

Romania
  28.8 (2003)

Russia
  39.9 (2001)

Rwanda
  28.9 (1985)

Senegal
  41.3 (1995)

Sierra Leone
  62.9 (1989)

Slovakia
  26.3 (1996)

Slovenia
  28.4 (1998)

South Africa
  59.3 (1993-94)

Spain
  32.5 (1990)

Sri Lanka
  34.4 (1995)

Sweden
  25 (1992)

Switzerland
  33.1 (1992)

Tajikistan
  34.7 (1998)

Tanzania
  38.2 (1993)

Thailand
  51.1 (2002)

Tunisia
  41.7 (1995)

Turkey
  42 (2003)

Turkmenistan
  40.8 (1998)

Uganda
  37.4 (1996)

Ukraine
  29 (1999)

United Kingdom
  36.8 (1999)

United States
  45 (2004)

Uruguay
  44.8 (1999)

Uzbekistan
  44.7 (1998)

Venezuela
  49.5 (1998)

Vietnam
  36.1 (1998)

Yemen
  33.4 (1998)

Zambia
  52.6 (1998)

Zimbabwe
  50.1 (1995)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2173 Oil - production (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Albania
  2,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Algeria
  1.2 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

American Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Angola
  980,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Argentina
  755,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Armenia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Aruba
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Australia
  537,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Austria
  20,670 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  312,800 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bahamas, The
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  44,000 bbl/day (2003)

Bangladesh
  3,581 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Barbados
  1,271 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belarus
  36,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belgium
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belize
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Benin
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bhutan
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  39,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Botswana
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brazil
  1.788 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brunei
  204,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Bulgaria
  603 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burma
  17,550 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Burundi
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cameroon
  94,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Canada
  3.11 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Central African Republic
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chad
  200,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Chile
  18,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

China
  3.392 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Colombia
  531,100 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Comoros
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  227,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cook Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  29,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Croatia
  21,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cuba
  77,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  7,419 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Denmark
  346,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominica
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  523,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Egypt
  740,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  350,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Estonia
  5,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

European Union
  2.648 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Faroe Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Fiji
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Finland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

France
  34,920 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gabon
  264,900 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Georgia
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Germany
  74,100 bbl/day (2003)

Ghana
  7,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greece
  5,992 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greenland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Grenada
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guam
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  25,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Guinea
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guyana
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Haiti
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Honduras
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Hungary
  41,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iceland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

India
  780,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  971,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Iran
  3.962 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iraq
  2.25 million bbl/day (2004 est.); note - prewar production (in
  2002) was 2.03 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ireland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Israel
  80 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Italy
  79,460 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Japan
  17,330 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jordan
  40 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  1.2 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kenya
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kiribati
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  2.319 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Laos
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Liberia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Libya
  1.518 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  4,594 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macau
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macedonia
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malawi
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  785,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Maldives
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mali
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malta
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Martinique
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mexico
  3.46 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Moldova
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mongolia
  542 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Morocco
  1,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Namibia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nauru
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nepal
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Caledonia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  42,160 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Niger
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  2.356 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Niue
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Norway
  3.31 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oman
  775,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  61,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Panama
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  46,200 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Peru
  95,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Philippines
  26,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Poland
  17,180 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Qatar
  790,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Reunion
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Romania
  128,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Russia
  8.42 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Samoa
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  9.021 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Senegal
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Somalia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

South Africa
  196,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Spain
  7,099 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sudan
  345,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Suriname
  12,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Syria
  525,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Thailand
  225,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Togo
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tonga
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  140,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  72,580 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkey
  48,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  162,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day

Uganda
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  72,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  2.335 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.957 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

United States
  7.8 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  143,300 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vanuatu
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  2.6 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  359,400 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Virgin Islands
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

World
  76.01 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Yemen
  417,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Zambia
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2174 Oil - consumption (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Albania
  7,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Algeria
  209,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

American Samoa
  3,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Angola
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  3,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Argentina
  486,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Armenia
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Aruba
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Australia
  796,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Austria
  262,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  140,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahamas, The
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  40,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Bangladesh
  71,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Barbados
  10,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belarus
  285,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Belgium
  595,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Belize
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Benin
  11,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bermuda
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bhutan
  1,020 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Botswana
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brazil
  2.199 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  420 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Brunei
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  94,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burkina Faso
  8,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Burma
  60,950 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Burundi
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cambodia
  7,200 bbl/day (2002 est.)

Cameroon
  22,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Canada
  2.2 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Cape Verde
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cayman Islands
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Central African Republic
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chad
  1,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Chile
  240,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

China
  4.956 million bbl/day (2002 est.)

Colombia
  252,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Comoros
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  14,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cook Islands
  450 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Costa Rica
  37,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  32,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Croatia
  89,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cuba
  163,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 49,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  175,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Denmark
  218,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Djibouti
  11,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominica
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Dominican Republic
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  129,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Egypt
  562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

El Salvador
  39,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  2,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Eritrea
  6,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Estonia
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ethiopia
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

European Union
  14.54 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Faroe Islands
  4,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Fiji
  5,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Finland
  211,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

France
  2.026 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Guiana
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

French Polynesia
  4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gabon
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gambia, The
  1,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Georgia
  31,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Germany
  2.891 million bbl/day (2003)

Ghana
  38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Gibraltar
  42,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greece
  405,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Greenland
  3,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Grenada
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guadeloupe
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guam
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guatemala
  61,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea
  8,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  2,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Guyana
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Haiti
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Honduras
  29,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  257,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Hungary
  140,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Iceland
  16,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

India
  2.13 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  1.183 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Iran
  1.4 million bbl/day (2002 est.)

Iraq
  383,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ireland
  174,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Israel
  260,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Italy
  1.866 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jamaica
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Japan
  5.29 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Jordan
  103,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  189,400 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Kenya
  57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Kiribati
  190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, North
  85,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  2.07 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  293,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Laos
  2,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Latvia
  44,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lebanon
  107,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lesotho
  1,500 bbl/day (2001)

Liberia
  3,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Libya
  216,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  50,650 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macau
  11,190 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Macedonia
  22,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Madagascar
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malawi
  5,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  460,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Maldives
  3,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mali
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Malta
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Martinique
  13,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritania
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mauritius
  21,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mexico
  1.752 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Moldova
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mongolia
  11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Morocco
  167,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  8,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Namibia
  13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nauru
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nepal
  16,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Caledonia
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  132,700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nicaragua
  25,770 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Niger
  5,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  275,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Niue
  20 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Norway
  171,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oman
  54,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  365,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Panama
  40,520 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  15,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Paraguay
  25,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Peru
  161,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Philippines
  338,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Poland
  424,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Portugal
  339,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  190,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Qatar
  30,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Reunion
  18,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Romania
  253,800 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Russia
  2.31 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  5,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Helena
  200 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  710 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Lucia
  2,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Samoa
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  700 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  1.55 million bbl/day (2003)

Senegal
  31,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  64,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Seychelles
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sierra Leone
  6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Singapore
  700,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  82,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Slovenia
  53,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Solomon Islands
  1,250 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Somalia
  4,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

South Africa
  460,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Spain
  1.497 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sri Lanka
  75,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sudan
  70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Suriname
  14,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  3,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Sweden
  328,600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Syria
  240,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  988,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  20,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tanzania
  17,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Thailand
  785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Togo
  10,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tonga
  1,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  24,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  87,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkey
  619,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  63,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  0 bbl/day

Uganda
  8,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  303,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  310,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.692 million bbl/day (2003 est.)

United States
  19.65 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  41,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Uzbekistan
  142,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Vanuatu
  600 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  500,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  185,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Virgin Islands
  66,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Western Sahara
  1,800 bbl/day (2001 est.)

World
  77.04 million bbl/day (2001 est.)

Yemen
  78,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Zambia
  11,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Zimbabwe
  23,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2175 Oil - imports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  5,500 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Algeria
  NA

American Samoa
  NA

Angola
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  NA

Armenia
  NA

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  530,800 bbl/day (2001)

Austria
  262,000 bbl/day (2001)

Azerbaijan
  NA

Bahamas, The
  NA

Bahrain
  NA

Bangladesh
  NA

Barbados
  NA

Belarus
  360,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Belgium
  1.042 million bbl/day (2001)

Belize
  NA

Benin
  NA

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  NA

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  NA

Brazil
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  NA

Bulgaria
  NA

Burkina Faso
  NA

Burma
  49,230 bbl/day (2003)

Burundi
  NA

Cambodia
  NA

Cameroon
  NA

Canada
  987,000 bbl/day (2004)

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  NA

Chad
  NA

Chile
  221,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

China
  2.414 million bbl/day (2002)

Colombia
  NA

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  NA

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA

Croatia
  NA

Cuba
  NA

Cyprus
  NA

Czech Republic
  192,300 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark
  195,000 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti
  NA

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  129,900 bbl/day (2003)

Ecuador
  NA

Egypt
  NA

El Salvador
  NA

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  NA

Ethiopia
  NA

European Union
  15.69 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  318,300 bbl/day (2001)

France
  2.281 million bbl/day (2001)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  NA

Georgia
  NA

Germany
  2.135 million bbl/day (2003)

Ghana
  NA

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  468,300 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  NA

Guinea
  NA

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  NA

Haiti
  NA

Honduras
  NA

Hong Kong
  NA

Hungary
  136,600 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland
  15,470 bbl/day (2001)

India
  NA

Indonesia
  370,500 bbl/day (2003)

Iran
  NA

Iraq
  NA

Ireland
  178,600 bbl/day (2001)

Israel
  NA

Italy
  2.158 million bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica
  NA

Japan
  5.449 million bbl/day (2001)

Jordan
  100,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  47,000 bbl/day (2003)

Kenya
  NA

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  11,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  2.263 million bbl/day (2003)

Kuwait
  NA

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  NA

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  NA

Liberia
  NA

Libya
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  50,700 bbl/day (2001)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  NA

Madagascar
  NA

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  NA

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  NA

Malta
  NA

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  NA

Mauritius
  NA

Mexico
  205,000 bbl/day (2004)

Moldova
  NA

Mongolia
  11,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  NA

Mozambique
  NA

Namibia
  NA

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  NA

Netherlands
  2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  119,700 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua
  27,950 bbl/day (2003)

Niger
  NA

Nigeria
  NA

Niue
  NA

Norway
  88,870 bbl/day (2001)

Oman
  NA

Pakistan
  NA

Panama
  NA

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  NA

Peru
  NA

Philippines
  312,000 bbl/day (2003)

Poland
  413,700 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal
  357,300 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  NA

Russia
  NA

Rwanda
  NA

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  0 bbl/day (2003)

Senegal
  NA

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  NA

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  NA

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  NA

Spain
  1.582 million bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka
  NA

Sudan
  0 bbl/day (2004)

Suriname
  1,644 bbl/day (2003)

Swaziland
  NA

Sweden
  553,100 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland
  289,500 bbl/day (2001)

Syria
  NA

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  NA

Tanzania
  NA

Thailand
  NA

Togo
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  NA

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  616,500 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Uganda
  NA

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  0 bbl/day (2004)

United Kingdom
  1.084 million bbl/day (2003)

United States
  NA

Uruguay
  NA

Uzbekistan
  NA

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  NA

Vietnam
  NA

Virgin Islands
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

Yemen
  NA

Zambia
  NA

Zimbabwe
  NA

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2176 Oil - exports (bbl/day)

Afghanistan
  NA

Albania
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Algeria
  NA

American Samoa
  NA

Angola
  NA

Antigua and Barbuda
  NA

Argentina
  NA

Armenia
  NA

Aruba
  NA

Australia
  523,400 bbl/day (2001)

Austria
  35,470 bbl/day (2001)

Azerbaijan
  NA

Bahamas, The
  transhipments of 29,000 bbl/day (2003)

Bahrain
  NA

Bangladesh
  NA

Barbados
  NA

Belarus
  14,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Belgium
  450,000 bbl/day (2001)

Belize
  NA

Benin
  NA

Bermuda
  NA

Bhutan
  NA

Bolivia
  NA

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  NA

Botswana
  NA

Brazil
  NA

British Virgin Islands
  NA

Brunei
  199,000 bbl/day (2003)

Bulgaria
  NA

Burkina Faso
  NA

Burma
  3,356 bbl/day (2003)

Burundi
  NA

Cambodia
  NA

Cameroon
  NA

Canada
  1.37 million bbl/day (2004)

Cape Verde
  NA

Cayman Islands
  NA

Central African Republic
  NA

Chad
  NA

Chile
  0 bbl/day (2003)

China
  427,800 bbl/day (2002)

Colombia
  NA

Comoros
  NA

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  NA

Congo, Republic of the
  NA

Cook Islands
  NA

Costa Rica
  NA

Cote d'Ivoire
  NA

Croatia
  NA

Cuba
  NA

Cyprus
  NA

Czech Republic
  26,670 bbl/day (2001)

Denmark
  332,100 bbl/day (2001)

Djibouti
  NA

Dominica
  NA

Dominican Republic
  NA

Ecuador
  387,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Egypt
  NA

El Salvador
  NA

Equatorial Guinea
  NA

Eritrea
  NA

Estonia
  NA

Ethiopia
  NA

European Union
  5.322 million bbl/day (2001)

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
  NA

Faroe Islands
  NA

Fiji
  NA

Finland
  101,000 bbl/day (2001)

France
  409,600 bbl/day (2001)

French Guiana
  NA

French Polynesia
  NA

Gabon
  NA

Gambia, The
  NA

Georgia
  NA

Germany
  12,990 bbl/day (2003)

Ghana
  NA

Gibraltar
  NA

Greece
  84,720 bbl/day (2001)

Greenland
  NA

Grenada
  NA

Guadeloupe
  NA

Guam
  NA

Guatemala
  3,104 bbl/day (2003)

Guinea
  NA

Guinea-Bissau
  NA

Guyana
  NA

Haiti
  NA

Honduras
  NA

Hong Kong
  NA

Hungary
  47,180 bbl/day (2001)

Iceland
  0 bbl/day (2001)

India
  NA

Indonesia
  518,100 bbl/day (2003)

Iran
  2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Iraq
  1.49 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Ireland
  27,450 bbl/day (2001)

Israel
  NA

Italy
  456,600 bbl/day (2001)

Jamaica
  NA

Japan
  93,360 bbl/day (2001)

Jordan
  0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  890,000 bbl/day (2003)

Kenya
  NA

Kiribati
  NA

Korea, North
  NA

Korea, South
  630,100 bbl/day (2003)

Kuwait
  1.97 million bbl/day (2003)

Kyrgyzstan
  NA

Laos
  NA

Latvia
  NA

Lebanon
  NA

Lesotho
  NA

Libya
  NA

Lithuania
  NA

Luxembourg
  634 bbl/day (2001)

Macau
  NA

Macedonia
  NA

Madagascar
  NA

Malawi
  NA

Malaysia
  230,200 bbl/day (2003)

Maldives
  NA

Mali
  NA

Malta
  NA

Martinique
  NA

Mauritania
  NA

Mauritius
  NA

Mexico
  1.863 million bbl/day (2004)

Moldova
  NA

Mongolia
  497 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Montserrat
  NA

Morocco
  NA

Mozambique
  NA

Namibia
  NA

Nauru
  NA

Nepal
  NA

Netherlands
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Netherlands Antilles
  NA

New Caledonia
  NA

New Zealand
  30,220 bbl/day (2001)

Nicaragua
  738 bbl/day (2003)

Niger
  NA

Nigeria
  NA

Niue
  NA

Norway
  3.466 million bbl/day (2001)

Oman
  721,000 bbl/day (2004)

Pakistan
  NA

Panama
  NA

Papua New Guinea
  NA

Paraguay
  NA

Peru
  49,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Philippines
  0 bbl/day (2001)

Poland
  53,000 bbl/day (2001)

Portugal
  28,830 bbl/day (2001)

Puerto Rico
  NA

Qatar
  NA

Reunion
  NA

Romania
  NA

Russia
  6.11 million bbl/day (2003)

Rwanda
  NA

Saint Helena
  NA

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  NA

Saint Lucia
  NA

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  NA

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  NA

Samoa
  NA

Sao Tome and Principe
  NA

Saudi Arabia
  7.92 million bbl/day (2003)

Senegal
  NA

Serbia and Montenegro
  NA

Seychelles
  NA

Sierra Leone
  NA

Singapore
  NA

Slovakia
  NA

Slovenia
  NA

Solomon Islands
  NA

Somalia
  NA

South Africa
  NA

Spain
  135,100 bbl/day (2001)

Sri Lanka
  NA

Sudan
  275,000 bbl/day (2004)

Suriname
  1,370 bbl/day (2003)

Swaziland
  NA

Sweden
  203,700 bbl/day (2001)

Switzerland
  10,420 bbl/day (2001)

Syria
  285,000 bbl/day (2004)

Taiwan
  NA

Tajikistan
  NA

Tanzania
  NA

Thailand
  NA

Togo
  NA

Tonga
  NA

Trinidad and Tobago
  NA

Tunisia
  NA

Turkey
  46,110 bbl/day (2001)

Turkmenistan
  NA

Turks and Caicos Islands
  NA

Uganda
  NA

Ukraine
  NA

United Arab Emirates
  2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  1.498 million bbl/day (2001)

United States
  NA

Uruguay
  NA

Uzbekistan
  NA

Vanuatu
  NA

Venezuela
  2.1 million bbl/day (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  NA

Virgin Islands
  NA

Western Sahara
  NA

Yemen
  370,300 bbl/day (2003)

Zambia
  NA

Zimbabwe
  NA

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2177 Median age (years)

Afghanistan
  total: 17.56 years
  male: 17.55 years
  female: 17.57 years (2005 est.)

Albania
  total: 28.52 years
  male: 27.95 years
  female: 29.1 years (2005 est.)

Algeria
  total: 24.36 years
  male: 24.18 years
  female: 24.53 years (2005 est.)

American Samoa
  total: 22.76 years
  male: 22.5 years
  female: 23.05 years (2005 est.)

Andorra
  total: 40.34 years
  male: 40.63 years
  female: 40.02 years (2005 est.)

Angola
  total: 18.12 years
  male: 18.12 years
  female: 18.11 years (2005 est.)

Anguilla
  total: 30.76 years
  male: 30.81 years
  female: 30.7 years (2005 est.)

Antigua and Barbuda
  total: 29.67 years
  male: 29.19 years
  female: 30.15 years (2005 est.)

Argentina
  total: 29.42 years
  male: 28.52 years
  female: 30.4 years (2005 est.)

Armenia
  total: 30.07 years
  male: 27.45 years
  female: 32.84 years (2005 est.)

Aruba
  total: 38 years
  male: 36.07 years
  female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Australia
  total: 36.56 years
  male: 35.74 years
  female: 37.4 years (2005 est.)

Austria
  total: 40.44 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 41.61 years (2005 est.)

Azerbaijan
  total: 27.53 years
  male: 26.09 years
  female: 29 years (2005 est.)

Bahamas, The
  total: 27.55 years
  male: 26.78 years
  female: 28.34 years (2005 est.)

Bahrain
  total: 29.19 years
  male: 32.16 years
  female: 25.54 years (2005 est.)

Bangladesh
  total: 21.87 years
  male: 21.88 years
  female: 21.85 years (2005 est.)

Barbados
  total: 34.15 years
  male: 32.99 years
  female: 35.28 years (2005 est.)

Belarus
  total: 37.03 years
  male: 34.32 years
  female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Belgium
  total: 40.55 years
  male: 39.29 years
  female: 41.81 years (2005 est.)

Belize
  total: 19.35 years
  male: 19.21 years
  female: 19.49 years (2005 est.)

Benin
  total: 16.56 years
  male: 16.12 years
  female: 17.01 years (2005 est.)

Bermuda
  total: 39.76 years
  male: 38.78 years
  female: 40.58 years (2005 est.)

Bhutan
  total: 20.27 years
  male: 20.11 years
  female: 20.44 years (2005 est.)

Bolivia
  total: 21.47 years
  male: 20.79 years
  female: 22.17 years (2005 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  total: 36.21 years
  male: 35.81 years
  female: 36.63 years (2005 est.)

Botswana
  total: 19.29 years
  male: 18.64 years
  female: 19.93 years (2005 est.)

Brazil
  total: 27.81 years
  male: 27.06 years
  female: 28.57 years (2005 est.)

British Virgin Islands
  total: 30.9 years
  male: 31.1 years
  female: 30.7 years (2005 est.)

Brunei
  total: 27.04 years
  male: 27.63 years
  female: 26.4 years (2005 est.)

Bulgaria
  total: 40.66 years
  male: 38.59 years
  female: 42.66 years (2005 est.)

Burkina Faso
  total: 16.82 years
  male: 16.43 years
  female: 17.22 years (2005 est.)

Burma
  total: 26.14 years
  male: 25.57 years
  female: 26.72 years (2005 est.)

Burundi
  total: 16.6 years
  male: 16.27 years
  female: 16.95 years (2005 est.)

Cambodia
  total: 19.91 years
  male: 19.16 years
  female: 20.79 years (2005 est.)

Cameroon
  total: 18.6 years
  male: 18.45 years
  female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)

Canada
  total: 38.54 years
  male: 37.54 years
  female: 39.56 years (2005 est.)

Cape Verde
  total: 19.4 years
  male: 18.62 years
  female: 20.25 years (2005 est.)

Cayman Islands
  total: 36.83 years
  male: 36.48 years
  female: 37.18 years (2005 est.)

Central African Republic
  total: 18.12 years
  male: 17.75 years
  female: 18.5 years (2005 est.)

Chad
  total: 16.02 years
  male: 15.32 years
  female: 16.71 years (2005 est.)

Chile
  total: 30.07 years
  male: 29.17 years
  female: 31.05 years (2005 est.)

China
  total: 32.26 years
  male: 31.87 years
  female: 32.67 years (2005 est.)

Colombia
  total: 26.04 years
  male: 25.14 years
  female: 26.93 years (2005 est.)

Comoros
  total: 18.61 years
  male: 18.35 years
  female: 18.87 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  total: 15.8 years
  male: 15.4 years
  female: 16.2 years (2005 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  total: 20.7 years
  male: 20.2 years
  female: 21.1 years (2005 est.)

Costa Rica
  total: 26.03 years
  male: 25.59 years
  female: 26.5 years (2005 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  total: 19.05 years
  male: 19.36 years
  female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)

Croatia
  total: 39.97 years
  male: 38.01 years
  female: 41.76 years (2005 est.)

Cuba
  total: 35.36 years
  male: 34.73 years
  female: 35.98 years (2005 est.)

Cyprus
  total: 34.68 years
  male: 33.64 years
  female: 35.7 years (2005 est.)

Czech Republic
  total: 38.97 years
  male: 37.2 years
  female: 40.82 years (2005 est.)

Denmark
  total: 39.47 years
  male: 38.55 years
  female: 40.4 years (2005 est.)

Djibouti
  total: 18.23 years
  male: 18.77 years
  female: 17.69 years (2005 est.)

Dominica
  total: 29.59 years
  male: 29.26 years
  female: 29.95 years (2005 est.)

Dominican Republic
  total: 23.88 years
  male: 23.68 years
  female: 24.09 years (2005 est.)

East Timor
  total: 20.41 years
  male: 20.46 years
  female: 20.35 years (2005 est.)

Ecuador
  total: 23.27 years
  male: 22.82 years
  female: 23.74 years (2005 est.)

Egypt
  total: 23.68 years
  male: 23.31 years
  female: 24.05 years (2005 est.)

El Salvador
  total: 21.57 years
  male: 20.44 years
  female: 22.69 years (2005 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  total: 18.83 years
  male: 18.2 years
  female: 19.46 years (2005 est.)

Eritrea
  total: 17.54 years
  male: 17.35 years
  female: 17.73 years (2005 est.)

Estonia
  total: 39.06 years
  male: 35.52 years
  female: 42.35 years (2005 est.)

Ethiopia
  total: 17.75 years
  male: 17.64 years
  female: 17.85 years (2005 est.)

European Union
  NA

Faroe Islands
  total: 35.11 years
  male: 34.64 years
  female: 35.68 years (2005 est.)

Fiji
  total: 24.28 years
  male: 23.84 years
  female: 24.74 years (2005 est.)

Finland
  total: 40.97 years
  male: 39.43 years
  female: 42.52 years (2005 est.)

France
  total: 38.85 years
  male: 37.3 years
  female: 40.39 years (2005 est.)

French Guiana
  total: 28.45 years
  male: 29.49 years
  female: 27.31 years (2005 est.)

French Polynesia
  total: 27.48 years
  male: 27.84 years
  female: 27.1 years (2005 est.)

Gabon
  total: 18.57 years
  male: 18.34 years
  female: 18.8 years (2005 est.)

Gambia, The
  total: 17.59 years
  male: 17.45 years
  female: 17.74 years (2005 est.)

Gaza Strip
  total: 15.65 years
  male: 15.5 years
  female: 15.81 years (2005 est.)

Georgia
  total: 37.36 years
  male: 34.93 years
  female: 39.7 years (2005 est.)

Germany
  total: 42.16 years
  male: 40.88 years
  female: 43.53 years (2005 est.)

Ghana
  total: 20.45 years
  male: 20.2 years
  female: 20.7 years (2005 est.)

Gibraltar
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 39.12 years
  female: 39.63 years (2005 est.)

Greece
  total: 40.5 years
  male: 39.39 years
  female: 41.65 years (2005 est.)

Greenland
  total: 33.83 years
  male: 35.15 years
  female: 32.14 years (2005 est.)

Grenada
  total: 21.26 years
  male: 21.73 years
  female: 20.76 years (2005 est.)

Guadeloupe
  total: 31.81 years
  male: 30.91 years
  female: 32.73 years (2005 est.)

Guam
  total: 28.38 years
  male: 28.16 years
  female: 28.61 years (2005 est.)

Guatemala
  total: 18.47 years
  male: 18.25 years
  female: 18.71 years (2005 est.)

Guernsey
  total: 40.99 years
  male: 40.03 years
  female: 41.91 years (2005 est.)

Guinea
  total: 17.67 years
  male: 17.42 years
  female: 17.93 years (2005 est.)

Guinea-Bissau
  total: 18.97 years
  male: 18.37 years
  female: 19.57 years (2005 est.)

Guyana
  total: 26.91 years
  male: 26.44 years
  female: 27.4 years (2005 est.)

Haiti
  total: 18.03 years
  male: 17.63 years
  female: 18.44 years (2005 est.)

Honduras
  total: 19.15 years
  male: 18.75 years
  female: 19.56 years (2005 est.)

Hong Kong
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 39.3 years
  female: 39.6 years (2005 est.)

Hungary
  total: 38.57 years
  male: 36.1 years
  female: 41.24 years (2005 est.)

Iceland
  total: 34 years
  male: 33.53 years
  female: 34.49 years (2005 est.)

India
  total: 24.66 years
  male: 24.64 years
  female: 24.67 years (2005 est.)

Indonesia
  total: 26.48 years
  male: 26.03 years
  female: 26.93 years (2005 est.)

Iran
  total: 24.23 years
  male: 24.03 years
  female: 24.44 years (2005 est.)

Iraq
  total: 19.43 years
  male: 19.35 years
  female: 19.51 years (2005 est.)

Ireland
  total: 33.7 years
  male: 32.9 years
  female: 34.49 years (2005 est.)

Israel
  total: 29.39 years
  male: 28.58 years
  female: 30.27 years (2005 est.)

Italy
  total: 41.77 years
  male: 40.24 years
  female: 43.35 years (2005 est.)

Jamaica
  total: 27.25 years
  male: 26.55 years
  female: 27.97 years (2005 est.)

Japan
  total: 42.64 years
  male: 40.87 years
  female: 44.44 years (2005 est.)

Jersey
  total: 40.89 years
  male: 40.13 years
  female: 41.63 years (2005 est.)

Jordan
  total: 22.62 years
  male: 23.25 years
  female: 21.94 years (2005 est.)

Kazakhstan
  total: 28.52 years
  male: 26.92 years
  female: 30.25 years (2005 est.)

Kenya
  total: 18.19 years
  male: 18.08 years
  female: 18.3 years (2005 est.)

Kiribati
  total: 20.05 years
  male: 19.61 years
  female: 20.58 years (2005 est.)

Korea, North
  total: 31.74 years
  male: 30.47 years
  female: 33 years (2005 est.)

Korea, South
  total: 34.51 years
  male: 33.53 years
  female: 35.53 years (2005 est.)

Kuwait
  total: 25.86 years
  male: 28.05 years
  female: 22.12 years (2005 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  total: 23.39 years
  male: 22.52 years
  female: 24.27 years (2005 est.)

Laos
  total: 18.74 years
  male: 18.42 years
  female: 19.08 years (2005 est.)

Latvia
  total: 39.12 years
  male: 35.95 years
  female: 42.15 years (2005 est.)

Lebanon
  total: 27.34 years
  male: 26.28 years
  female: 28.43 years (2005 est.)

Lesotho
  total: 20.19 years
  male: 19.68 years
  female: 20.74 years (2005 est.)

Liberia
  total: 18.06 years
  male: 17.69 years
  female: 18.42 years (2005 est.)

Libya
  total: 22.68 years
  male: 22.8 years
  female: 22.56 years (2005 est.)

Liechtenstein
  total: 39.22 years
  male: 38.74 years
  female: 39.68 years (2005 est.)

Lithuania
  total: 37.83 years
  male: 35.25 years
  female: 40.46 years (2005 est.)

Luxembourg
  total: 38.51 years
  male: 37.56 years
  female: 39.48 years (2005 est.)

Macau
  total: 35.2 years
  male: 34.9 years
  female: 35.4 years (2005 est.)

Macedonia
  total: 32.8 years
  male: 31.7 years
  female: 33.9 years (2005 est.)

Madagascar
  total: 17.46 years
  male: 17.24 years
  female: 17.67 years (2005 est.)

Malawi
  total: 16.34 years
  male: 16.04 years
  female: 16.65 years (2005 est.)

Malaysia
  total: 23.92 years
  male: 23.32 years
  female: 24.54 years (2005 est.)

Maldives
  total: 17.69 years
  male: 17.58 years
  female: 17.8 years (2005 est.)

Mali
  total: 16.35 years
  male: 15.79 years
  female: 16.92 years (2005 est.)

Malta
  total: 38.36 years
  male: 36.91 years
  female: 39.84 years (2005 est.)

Man, Isle of
  total: 39.48 years
  male: 38.16 years
  female: 40.89 years (2005 est.)

Marshall Islands
  total: 19.95 years
  male: 19.98 years
  female: 19.92 years (2005 est.)

Martinique
  total: 33.61 years
  male: 32.95 years
  female: 34.28 years (2005 est.)

Mauritania
  total: 16.98 years
  male: 16.71 years
  female: 17.24 years (2005 est.)

Mauritius
  total: 30.5 years
  male: 29.65 years
  female: 31.46 years (2005 est.)

Mayotte
  total: 16.96 years
  male: 18.04 years
  female: 15.87 years (2005 est.)

Mexico
  total: 24.93 years
  male: 24.04 years
  female: 25.85 years (2005 est.)

Moldova
  total: 32.22 years
  male: 30.14 years
  female: 34.27 years (2005 est.)

Monaco
  total: 45.25 years
  male: 43.27 years
  female: 47.19 years (2005 est.)

Mongolia
  total: 24.28 years
  male: 23.93 years
  female: 24.64 years (2005 est.)

Montserrat
  total: 28.56 years
  male: 28.29 years
  female: 28.79 years (2005 est.)

Morocco
  total: 23.61 years
  male: 23.11 years
  female: 24.13 years (2005 est.)

Mozambique
  total: 18.29 years
  male: 17.74 years
  female: 18.83 years (2005 est.)

Namibia
  total: 19.79 years
  male: 19.63 years
  female: 19.94 years (2005 est.)

Nauru
  total: 20.24 years
  male: 19.76 years
  female: 20.78 years (2005 est.)

Nepal
  total: 20.07 years
  male: 19.91 years
  female: 20.24 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands
  total: 39.04 years
  male: 38.22 years
  female: 39.9 years (2005 est.)

Netherlands Antilles
  total: 32.46 years
  male: 30.86 years
  female: 34.01 years (2005 est.)

New Caledonia
  total: 27.5 years
  male: 27.16 years
  female: 27.84 years (2005 est.)

New Zealand
  total: 33.65 years
  male: 32.92 years
  female: 34.4 years (2005 est.)

Nicaragua
  total: 20.56 years
  male: 20.15 years
  female: 20.98 years (2005 est.)

Niger
  total: 16.25 years
  male: 15.8 years
  female: 16.72 years (2005 est.)

Nigeria
  total: 18.63 years
  male: 18.71 years
  female: 18.55 years (2005 est.)

Northern Mariana Islands
  total: 29.33 years
  male: 31.54 years
  female: 28.33 years (2005 est.)

Norway
  total: 38.17 years
  male: 37.29 years
  female: 39.07 years (2005 est.)

Oman
  total: 19.13 years
  male: 21.88 years
  female: 16.45 years (2005 est.)

Pakistan
  total: 19.58 years
  male: 19.44 years
  female: 19.74 years (2005 est.)

Palau
  total: 31.43 years
  male: 32.4 years
  female: 30.36 years (2005 est.)

Panama
  total: 26.18 years
  male: 25.89 years
  female: 26.48 years (2005 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  total: 21.09 years
  male: 21.25 years
  female: 20.93 years (2005 est.)

Paraguay
  total: 21.2 years
  male: 20.94 years
  female: 21.46 years (2005 est.)

Peru
  total: 24.95 years
  male: 24.69 years
  female: 25.21 years (2005 est.)

Philippines
  total: 22.27 years
  male: 21.77 years
  female: 22.8 years (2005 est.)

Poland
  total: 36.43 years
  male: 34.52 years
  female: 38.49 years (2005 est.)

Portugal
  total: 38.2 years
  male: 36.06 years
  female: 40.33 years (2005 est.)

Puerto Rico
  total: 34.23 years
  male: 32.5 years
  female: 35.87 years (2005 est.)

Qatar
  total: 31.57 years
  male: 36.87 years
  female: 22.33 years (2005 est.)

Reunion
  total: 26.72 years
  male: 25.53 years
  female: 27.92 years (2005 est.)

Romania
  total: 36.39 years
  male: 35.04 years
  female: 37.77 years (2005 est.)

Russia
  total: 38.15 years
  male: 34.99 years
  female: 41.03 years (2005 est.)

Rwanda
  total: 18.48 years
  male: 18.26 years
  female: 18.7 years (2005 est.)

Saint Helena
  total: 35.4 years
  male: 35.61 years
  female: 35.21 years (2005 est.)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  total: 27.6 years
  male: 26.78 years
  female: 28.38 years (2005 est.)

Saint Lucia
  total: 24.81 years
  male: 24.03 years
  female: 25.66 years (2005 est.)

Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  total: 33.7 years
  male: 33.39 years
  female: 33.96 years (2005 est.)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  total: 26.36 years
  male: 26.21 years
  female: 26.53 years (2005 est.)

Samoa
  total: 24.59 years
  male: 27.42 years
  female: 21.42 years (2005 est.)

San Marino
  total: 40.29 years
  male: 39.91 years
  female: 40.65 years (2005 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  total: 16.12 years
  male: 15.53 years
  female: 16.71 years (2005 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  total: 21.28 years
  male: 22.84 years
  female: 19.28 years (2005 est.)

Senegal
  total: 18.15 years
  male: 17.6 years
  female: 18.7 years (2005 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  total: 36.79 years
  male: 35.3 years
  female: 38.29 years (2005 est.)

Seychelles
  total: 27.7 years
  male: 26.62 years
  female: 28.76 years (2005 est.)

Sierra Leone
  total: 17.53 years
  male: 17.2 years
  female: 17.84 years (2005 est.)

Singapore
  total: 36.76 years
  male: 36.4 years
  female: 37.07 years (2005 est.)

Slovakia
  total: 35.43 years
  male: 33.85 years
  female: 37.25 years (2005 est.)

Slovenia
  total: 40.23 years
  male: 38.65 years
  female: 41.75 years (2005 est.)

Solomon Islands
  total: 18.63 years
  male: 18.5 years
  female: 18.76 years (2005 est.)

Somalia
  total: 17.59 years
  male: 17.53 years
  female: 17.65 years (2005 est.)

South Africa
  total: 23.98 years
  male: 23.12 years
  female: 24.86 years (2005 est.)

Spain
  total: 39.51 years
  male: 38.18 years
  female: 40.93 years (2005 est.)

Sri Lanka
  total: 29.44 years
  male: 28.38 years
  female: 30.51 years (2005 est.)

Sudan
  total: 18.07 years
  male: 17.86 years
  female: 18.29 years (2005 est.)

Suriname
  total: 26.13 years
  male: 25.72 years
  female: 26.58 years (2005 est.)

Swaziland
  total: 18.72 years
  male: 18.53 years
  female: 18.92 years (2005 est.)

Sweden
  total: 40.6 years
  male: 39.49 years
  female: 41.75 years (2005 est.)

Switzerland
  total: 39.77 years
  male: 38.75 years
  female: 40.81 years (2005 est.)

Syria
  total: 20.37 years
  male: 20.24 years
  female: 20.51 years (2005 est.)

Taiwan
  total: 34.14 years
  male: 33.71 years
  female: 34.57 years (2005 est.)

Tajikistan
  total: 19.73 years
  male: 19.45 years
  female: 20.02 years (2005 est.)

Tanzania
  total: 17.62 years
  male: 17.36 years
  female: 17.89 years (2005 est.)

Thailand
  total: 30.88 years
  male: 30.11 years
  female: 31.66 years (2005 est.)

Togo
  total: 17.78 years
  male: 17.42 years
  female: 18.14 years (2005 est.)

Tonga
  total: 20.46 years
  male: 19.93 years
  female: 21.02 years (2005 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  total: 30.91 years
  male: 30.46 years
  female: 31.44 years (2005 est.)

Tunisia
  total: 27.29 years
  male: 26.78 years
  female: 27.82 years (2005 est.)

Turkey
  total: 27.7 years
  male: 27.52 years
  female: 27.89 years (2005 est.)

Turkmenistan
  total: 21.56 years
  male: 20.68 years
  female: 22.44 years (2005 est.)

Turks and Caicos Islands
  total: 27.35 years
  male: 28.08 years
  female: 26.62 years (2005 est.)

Tuvalu
  total: 24.45 years
  male: 23.36 years
  female: 25.85 years (2005 est.)

Uganda
  total: 14.97 years
  male: 14.87 years
  female: 15.08 years (2005 est.)

Ukraine
  total: 38.22 years
  male: 34.91 years
  female: 41.21 years (2005 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  total: 27.9 years
  male: 35.2 years
  female: 22.9 years (2005 est.)

United Kingdom
  total: 38.99 years
  male: 37.89 years
  female: 40.13 years (2005 est.)

United States
  total: 36.27 years
  male: 34.94 years
  female: 37.6 years (2005 est.)

Uruguay
  total: 32.46 years
  male: 31.02 years
  female: 33.95 years (2005 est.)

Uzbekistan
  total: 22.36 years
  male: 21.74 years
  female: 23 years (2005 est.)

Vanuatu
  total: 22.64 years
  male: 22.68 years
  female: 22.59 years (2005 est.)

Venezuela
  total: 25.6 years
  male: 24.98 years
  female: 26.24 years (2005 est.)

Vietnam
  total: 25.51 years
  male: 24.47 years
  female: 26.68 years (2005 est.)

Virgin Islands
  total: 36.52 years
  male: 35.6 years
  female: 37.33 years (2005 est.)

West Bank
  total: 18.14 years
  male: 17.99 years
  female: 18.3 years (2005 est.)

World
  total: 27.6 years
  male: 27 years
  female: 28.2 years (2005 est.)

Yemen
  total: 16.54 years
  male: 16.53 years
  female: 16.56 years (2005 est.)

Zambia
  total: 16.46 years
  male: 16.26 years
  female: 16.67 years (2005 est.)

Zimbabwe
  total: 19.26 years
  male: 19.28 years
  female: 19.24 years (2005 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2178 Oil - proved reserves (bbl)

Afghanistan
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Albania
  185.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Algeria
  11.87 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Angola
  22.88 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Argentina
  2.9 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Australia
  3.664 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Austria
  85.69 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Azerbaijan
  589 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Bahrain
  126 million bbl (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  28.45 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Barbados
  1.254 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Benin
  4.105 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Bolivia
  458.8 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Brazil
  13.9 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Brunei
  1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Bulgaria
  8.1 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Burma
  3.2 billion bbl (2003)

Cameroon
  80 million bbl (2004 est.)

Canada
  178.9 billion bbl including shale oil (2004 est.)

Chile
  150 million bbl (1 January 2004)

China
  17.74 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Colombia
  1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  1.538 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  93.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  220 million bbl (2004 est.)

Croatia
  93.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Cuba
  532 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Czech Republic
  17.25 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Denmark
  1.23 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Ecuador
  4.408 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Egypt
  2.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  563.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ethiopia
  214,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

European Union
  28.21 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

France
  144.3 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Gabon
  2.022 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Germany
  395.8 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Ghana
  8.255 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Greece
  4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Guatemala
  263 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Hungary
  110.7 million bbl (1 January 2002)

India
  5.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  4.9 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Iran
  130.8 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Iraq
  112.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Ireland
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Israel
  1.92 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Italy
  586.6 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Japan
  29.29 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Jordan
  445,000 bbl (1 January 2002)

Kazakhstan
  26 billion bbl (1 January 2004)

Kuwait
  96.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Libya
  38 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Malaysia
  3.2 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Mexico
  18 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Morocco
  300 million bbl (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Namibia
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Netherlands
  88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

New Zealand
  89.62 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Nigeria
  34 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Norway
  9.859 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Oman
  5.5 billion bbl (2003 est.)

Pakistan
  325.5 million bbl (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  170 million bbl (2004 est.)

Peru
  408.8 million bbl (2004 est.)

Philippines
  152 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Poland
  116.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Qatar
  16 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Romania
  1.055 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Russia
  69 billion bbl (2003 est.)

Rwanda
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Saudi Arabia
  261.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  38.75 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Slovakia
  4.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Somalia
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

South Africa
  7.84 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Spain
  10.5 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Sudan
  1.6 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Suriname
  99 million bbl (2004)

Syria
  2.5 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  2.9 million bbl (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  0 bbl (1 January 2002)

Thailand
  600 million bbl (1 January 2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
  990 million bbl (1 January 2004)

Tunisia
  1.7 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Turkey
  288.4 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Turkmenistan
  273 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Ukraine
  395 million bbl (9 November 2004)

United Arab Emirates
  97.8 billion bbl (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  25.41 billion bbl (2003)

United States
  22.45 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Uzbekistan
  297 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Venezuela
  78 billion bbl (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  650 million bbl (2004 est.)

World
  1.025 trillion bbl (1 January 2002 est.)

Yemen
  4 billion bbl (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2179 Natural gas - proved reserves (cu m)

Afghanistan
  49.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Albania
  3.316 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Algeria
  4.739 trillion cu m (2004)

Angola
  79.57 billion cu m (2004)

Argentina
  768 billion cu m (2004)

Australia
  2.407 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Austria
  24.9 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Azerbaijan
  62.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Bahrain
  46 billion cu m (2004)

Bangladesh
  150.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Barbados
  70.79 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Benin
  608.8 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Bolivia
  727.2 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Brazil
  221.7 billion cu m (2004)

Brunei
  315 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Bulgaria
  3.724 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Burma
  2.46 trillion cu m (2003)

Cameroon
  55.22 billion cu m (2004)

Canada
  1.691 trillion cu m (2004)

Chile
  99.05 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

China
  2.23 trillion cu m (2004)

Colombia
  132 billion cu m (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  104.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Congo, Republic of the
  495.5 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Cote d'Ivoire
  14.87 billion cu m (2004)

Croatia
  34.36 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Cuba
  42.62 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Czech Republic
  3.057 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Denmark
  81.98 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ecuador
  106.5 billion cu m (2004)

Egypt
  1.264 trillion cu m (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  68.53 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ethiopia
  12.46 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

European Union
  3.256 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

France
  12.86 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Gabon
  66.47 billion cu m (2004)

Germany
  293 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Ghana
  11.89 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Greece
  254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Guatemala
  1.543 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Hungary
  50.45 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

India
  542.4 billion cu m (2004)

Indonesia
  2.549 trillion cu m (2004)

Iran
  26.7 trillion cu m (2004)

Iraq
  3.149 trillion cu m (2004)

Ireland
  9.911 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Israel
  20.81 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Italy
  209.7 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Japan
  20.02 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Jordan
  3.256 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Kazakhstan
  1.8 trillion cu m (1 January 2004)

Kuwait
  1.548 trillion cu m (2004)

Libya
  1.321 trillion cu m (2004)

Madagascar
  0 cu m (1 January 2002)

Malaysia
  2.23 trillion cu m (2004)

Mexico
  420 billion cu m (2004)

Morocco
  665.4 million cu m (2004)

Mozambique
  63.71 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Namibia
  31.15 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Netherlands
  1.693 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

New Zealand
  58.94 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Nigeria
  4.007 trillion cu m (2004)

Norway
  1.716 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oman
  829.7 billion cu m (2003)

Pakistan
  695.6 billion cu m (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  385.5 billion cu m (2004)

Peru
  245.1 billion cu m (2004)

Philippines
  107.6 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Poland
  154.4 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Qatar
  14.41 trillion cu m (2004)

Romania
  111.1 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Russia
  47 trillion cu m (2003)

Rwanda
  28.32 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Saudi Arabia
  6.339 trillion cu m (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  24.07 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Slovakia
  7.504 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Somalia
  2.832 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

South Africa
  14.16 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Spain
  254.9 million cu m (1 January 2002)

Sudan
  99.11 billion cu m (2004)

Suriname
  0 cu m (2004)

Syria
  240.7 billion cu m (2004)

Taiwan
  38.23 billion cu m (2004)

Tanzania
  11.33 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Thailand
  368.2 billion cu m (1 January 2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
  589 billion cu m (1 January 2004)

Tunisia
  77.16 billion cu m (2004)

Turkey
  8.685 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Turkmenistan
  1.43 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Ukraine
  560.7 billion cu m (9 November 2004)

United Arab Emirates
  6.06 trillion cu m (2004)

United Kingdom
  714.9 billion cu m (2003)

United States
  5.195 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Uzbekistan
  937.3 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Venezuela
  4.19 trillion cu m (2004)

Vietnam
  192.6 billion cu m (2004)

World
  161.2 trillion cu m (1 January 2002)

Yemen
  480 billion cu m (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2180 Natural gas - production (cu m)

Afghanistan
  220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  80.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  37.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  33.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  1.731 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  5.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  32.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  250 million cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  8.44 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  5.95 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  9.98 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  165.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Chile
  1.18 billion cu m (2002 est.)

China
  35 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Colombia
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  1.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  8.38 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
  242.6 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

France
  1.898 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  21 billion cu m (2003)

Greece
  35 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  NA

Hungary
  3.231 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  77.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iran
  79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iraq
  2.35 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Ireland
  815 million cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  15.49 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  2.519 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  11.6 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  16 million cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  6.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  53.66 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  47.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  15.68 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  54.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  13.77 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  910 million cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines
  2.5 million cu m (2004 est.)

Poland
  5.471 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  32.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  12.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Russia
  578.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  56.4 billion cu m (2002)

Senegal
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  190 million cu m (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  516 million cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  750 million cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  18.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  25 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  2.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  312 million cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  58.57 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  19.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  44.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  105.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  548.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  63.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

World
  2.637 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2181 Natural gas - consumption (cu m)

Afghanistan
  220 million cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  30 million cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  22.32 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  530 million cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  31.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  23.33 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  7.81 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  6.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  32.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  9.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  29.17 million cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  18.8 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium
  15.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  1.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  9.59 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.804 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  1.569 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  55.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Chile
  6.517 billion cu m (2002 est.)

China
  29.18 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Colombia
  5.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  2.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  600 million cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.892 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  5.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  160 million cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  20 million cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
  467.7 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
  4.557 billion cu m (2001 est.)

France
  42.01 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  80 million cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  1.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  99.55 billion cu m (2003)

Greece
  2.021 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  13.37 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
  22.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  55.3 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iran
  72.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iraq
  2.35 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Ireland
  4.199 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  10 million cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  71.18 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  80.42 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  290 million cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  14.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Korea, South
  20.92 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  8.7 billion cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2.016 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  5.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  865 million cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  31.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  55.1 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  60 million cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  6.504 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  7.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  4.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  6.34 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  23.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  110 million cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  910 million cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines
  25 million cu m (2004 est.)

Poland
  13.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  2.542 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  15.86 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  18.5 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Russia
  405.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  56.4 billion cu m (2002)

Senegal
  50 million cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  602 million cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  2.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  6.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  1.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  17.96 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  949 million cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  5.84 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  6.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  23.93 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  13.76 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  3.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  15.94 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  9.6 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  79.86 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  33.7 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  92.85 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  640.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  64.5 million cu m (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  45.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  29.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Vietnam
  1.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

World
  2.599 trillion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2182 Natural gas - imports (cu m)

Afghanistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  1.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  6.033 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  18.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium
  15.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  300 million cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  3.64 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  5.8 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  8.73 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Chile
  5.337 billion cu m (2002 est.)

China
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Colombia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  1.08 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  9.521 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  1.27 billion cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
  297.8 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
  4.567 billion cu m (2001 est.)

France
  40.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  1.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  85.02 billion cu m (2003)

Greece
  2.018 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  680.9 million cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  9.587 billion cu m (2001 est.)

India
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Iran
  4.92 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iraq
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ireland
  3.384 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  54.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  77.73 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  8.696 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  21.11 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  1.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  2.76 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  867 million cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  7.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova
  2.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Poland
  8.782 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  2.553 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  630 million cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Romania
  5.4 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
  32.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0 cu m (2002)

Senegal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore 2.5 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  6.6 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  1.04 billion cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  17.26 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  968 million cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  6.3 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  1.25 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Tunisia
  1.58 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Ukraine
  60.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  2.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  114.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  65 million cu m (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

World
  718.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2183 Natural gas - exports (cu m)

Afghanistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Albania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Algeria
  57.98 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Angola
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Argentina
  6.05 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Armenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Australia
  9.744 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Austria
  403 million cu m (2001 est.)

Azerbaijan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bahrain
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Bangladesh
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Barbados
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Belarus
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Belgium
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Bolivia
  2.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brazil
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Brunei
  9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Bulgaria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Burma
  8.424 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Cameroon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Canada
  91.52 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Chile
  0 cu m (2002)

China
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Colombia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Croatia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Cuba
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Czech Republic
  1 million cu m (2001 est.)

Denmark
  3.1 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Ecuador
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Egypt
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Estonia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

European Union
  78.1 billion cu m (2001)

Finland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

France
  1.725 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Gabon
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Georgia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Germany
  7.731 billion cu m (2003)

Greece
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hong Kong
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Hungary
  4 million cu m (2001 est.)

India
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Indonesia
  39.7 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iran
  3.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Iraq
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Ireland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Israel
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Italy
  61 million cu m (2001 est.)

Japan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Jordan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Kazakhstan
  11.01 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Korea, South
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Kuwait
  0 cu m (2002 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Latvia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Libya
  770 million cu m (2001 est.)

Lithuania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Luxembourg
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Malaysia
  22.41 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Mexico
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Moldova
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Morocco
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Mozambique
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Netherlands
  49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)

New Zealand
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Nigeria
  7.83 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Norway
  50.5 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Oman
  7.43 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Pakistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Peru
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Philippines
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Poland
  41 million cu m (2001 est.)

Portugal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Puerto Rico
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Qatar
  18.2 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Romania
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Russia
  171 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  0 cu m (2002)

Senegal
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Singapore
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Slovakia
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Slovenia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

South Africa
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Spain
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Sweden
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Switzerland
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Syria
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Taiwan
  410 million cu m (2001 est.)

Tajikistan
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Thailand
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  11.79 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Tunisia
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Turkey
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

Turkmenistan
  43.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  5.8 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  7.19 billion cu m (2003 est.)

United Kingdom
  15.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)

United States
  11.16 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Uruguay
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

Uzbekistan
  17.9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Venezuela
  0 cu m (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  0 cu m (2001 est.)

World
  693.7 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Yemen
  0 cu m (2003 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2184 Internet hosts

Albania
  455 (2004)

Algeria
  897 (2004)

Andorra
  4,144 (2004)

Angola
  17 (2003)

Antigua and Barbuda
  1,665 (2003)

Argentina
  742,358 (2003)

Armenia
  2,206 (2004)

Aruba
  923 (2001)

Australia
  2,847,763 (2003)

Austria
  387,006 (2004)

Azerbaijan
  586 (2004)

Bahamas, The
  302 (2003)

Bahrain
  1,334 (2003)

Bangladesh
  1 (2003)

Barbados
  204 (2003)

Belarus
  5,308 (2004)

Belgium
  166,799 (2004)

Belize
  2,613 (2003)

Benin
  879 (2004)

Bermuda
  5,161 (2001)

Bhutan
  985 (2003)

Bolivia
  7,080 (2003)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  6,994 (2004)

Botswana
  1,920 (2003)

Brazil
  3,163,349 (2003)

Brunei
  6,409 (2003)

Bulgaria
  53,421 (2004)

Burkina Faso
  442 (2003)

Burma
  3 (2003)

Burundi
  22 (2003)

Cambodia
  818 (2003)

Cameroon
  479 (2004)

Canada
  3,210,081 (2003)

Cape Verde
  118 (2004)

Central African Republic
  6 (2002)

Chad
  8 (2004)

Chile
  202,429 (2003)

China
  160,421 (2003)

Colombia
  115,158 (2003)

Comoros
  11 (2003)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  153 (2003)

Congo, Republic of the
  46 (2003)

Costa Rica
  10,826 (2003)

Cote d'Ivoire
  3,795 (2004)

Croatia
  29,644 (2004)

Cuba
  1,529 (2003)

Cyprus
  5,901 (2004)

Czech Republic
  295,677 (2004)

Denmark
  1,219,925 (2004)

Djibouti
  702 (2004)

Dominica
  681 (2003)

Dominican Republic
  64,197 (2003)

Ecuador
  3,188 (2003)

Egypt
  3,401 (2004)

El Salvador
  4,084 (2003)

Equatorial Guinea
  3 (2004)

Eritrea
  1,047 (2004)

Estonia
  82,142 (2004)

Ethiopia
  9 (2003)

European Union
  22,000,414 (2004); note - sum of individual country
  Internet hosts

Fiji
  493 (2003)

Finland
  1,219,173 (2004)

France
  2,396,761 (2004)

French Polynesia
  5,123 (2003)

Gabon
  93 (2004)

Gambia, The
  568 (2004)

Georgia
  5,160 (2004)

Germany
  2,686,119 (2004)

Ghana
  407 (2004)

Greece
  208,977 (2004)

Greenland
  2,642 (2004)

Grenada
  18 (2003)

Guatemala
  20,360 (2003)

Guinea
  380 (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  2 (2004)

Guyana
  613 (2003)

Haiti
  NA

Holy See (Vatican City)
  9 (2004)

Honduras
  1,944 (2003)

Hong Kong
  591,993 (2003)

Hungary
  383,071 (2004)

Iceland
  122,175 (2004)

India
  86,871 (2003)

Indonesia
  62,036 (2003)

Iran
  5,269 (2004)

Ireland
  162,228 (2004)

Israel
  437,516 (2004)

Italy
  1,437,511 (2004)

Jamaica
  1,480 (2003)

Japan
  12,962,065 (2003)

Jordan
  3,160 (2004)

Kazakhstan
  21,984 (2004)

Kenya
  8,325 (2003)

Korea, South
  694,206 (2001)

Kuwait
  3,437 (2001)

Kyrgyzstan
  12,299 (2004)

Laos
  937 (2003)

Latvia
  51,758 (2004)

Lebanon
  6,998 (2004)

Lesotho
  119 (2003)

Liberia
  14 (2004)

Libya
  67 (2003)

Liechtenstein
  3,727 (2004)

Lithuania
  67,769 (2004)

Luxembourg
  28,214 (2003)

Macau
  89 (2003)

Macedonia
  3,738 (2004)

Madagascar
  773 (2003)

Malawi
  18 (2003)

Malaysia
  107,971 (2003)

Maldives
  532 (2003)

Mali
  187 (2003)

Malta
  7,156 (2004)

Marshall Islands
  6 (2003)

Mauritania
  25 (2003)

Mauritius
  3,985 (2003)

Mexico
  1,333,406 (2003)

Moldova
  11,984 (2003)

Monaco
  533 (2004)

Mongolia
  1,000 (2004)

Morocco
  3,627 (2004)

Mozambique
  3,249 (2003)

Namibia
  3,164 (2003)

Nepal
  917 (2003)

Netherlands
  4,518,226 (2004)

Netherlands Antilles
  119 (2001)

New Caledonia
  4,449 (2003)

New Zealand
  474,395 (2003)

Nicaragua
  7,094 (2003)

Niger
  134 (2003)

Nigeria
  1,142 (2004)

Norway
  593,850 (2004)

Oman
  726 (2003)

Pakistan
  15,124 (2003)

Panama
  7,129 (2003)

Papua New Guinea
  389 (2003)

Paraguay
  9,243 (2003)

Peru
  65,868 (2003)

Philippines
  38,440 (2002)

Poland
  804,915 (2004)

Portugal
  346,078 (2004)

Qatar
  221 (2004)

Romania
  50,807 (2004)

Russia
  560,874 (2004)

Rwanda
  1,495 (2003)

Saint Kitts and Nevis
  51 (2003)

Saint Lucia
  41 (2003)

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  4 (2003)

Samoa
  8,225 (2003)

San Marino
  1,763 (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  1,069 (2003)

Saudi Arabia
  15,931 (2004)

Senegal
  672 (2003)

Serbia and Montenegro
  20,207 (2004)

Seychelles
  264 (2003)

Sierra Leone
  277 (2004)

Singapore
  484,825 (2003)

Slovakia
  89,592 (2004)

Slovenia
  45,491 (2004)

Solomon Islands
  398 (2003)

Somalia
  4 (2004)

South Africa
  288,633 (2003)

Spain
  1,056,950 (2004)

Sri Lanka
  1,882 (2003)

Sudan
  NA

Suriname
  18 (2003)

Swaziland
  1,401 (2003)

Sweden
  945,221 (2004)

Switzerland
  667,275 (2004)

Syria
  11 (2004)

Taiwan
  2,777,085 (2003)

Tajikistan
  69 (2004)

Tanzania
  5,534 (2003)

Thailand
  103,700 (2003)

Togo
  82 (2003)

Tonga
  18,906 (2003)

Trinidad and Tobago
  8,003 (2003)

Tunisia
  281 (2004)

Turkey
  355,215 (2004)

Turkmenistan
  524 (2004)

Uganda
  2,692 (2004)

Ukraine
  94,345 (2004)

United Arab Emirates
  56,283 (2004)

United Kingdom
  3,398,708 (2004)

United States
  115,311,958 (2002)

Uruguay
  87,630 (2003)

Uzbekistan
  1,040 (2003)

Vanuatu
  512 (2003)

Venezuela
  35,301 (2003)

Vietnam
  340 (2003)

Yemen
  138 (2004)

Zambia
  1,880 (2003)

Zimbabwe
  4,501 (2003)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2185 Investment (gross fixed) (% of GDP)

Albania
  18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Algeria
  26.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Angola
  34.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Argentina
  18.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Armenia
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Australia
  25.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Austria
  22.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  65.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Belarus
  21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Belgium
  19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Belize
  33.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Benin
  19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  10.4% of GDP (2003 est.)

Botswana
  25.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Brazil
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  18.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  29.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Burma
  10.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Burundi
  10.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  20.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  16.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Canada
  19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Chad
  24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Chile
  23.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

China
  46% of GDP (2004 est.)

Colombia
  15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  25.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
  19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  11.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Croatia
  28.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cuba
  11.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 17.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  29% of GDP (2004 est.)

Denmark
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  20.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Egypt
  15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  16.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  50.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  26.3% of GDP (2002)

Estonia
  28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  17.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

European Union
  percent of GDP - 19.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Finland
  18.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

France
  19.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Gabon
  21.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  25.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Georgia
  18.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Germany
  17.6% of GDP (2004)

Ghana
  19.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Greece
  27% of GDP (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  14.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Guinea
  21% of GDP (2004 est.)

Guyana
  34.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Honduras
  24.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  22.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Hungary
  22.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Iceland
  23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

India
  23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  16.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Iran
  31.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ireland
  23.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Israel
  17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Italy
  19.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Japan
  24% of GDP (2004 est.)

Jordan
  11.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  23.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kenya
  14.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  28.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  17% of GDP (2004 est.)

Latvia
  26.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  26% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  39.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Libya
  9.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  21.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Luxembourg
  19.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Macedonia
  17.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  14.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malawi
  10.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  21.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malta
  26.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  22.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mexico
  19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Moldova
  17.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Morocco
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  47% of GDP (2004 est.)

Namibia
  19.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  19.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

New Zealand
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  28% of GDP (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  18% of GDP (2004 est.)

Norway
  17.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Oman
  13.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  16.4% of GDP (FY03/04 est.)

Panama
  25% of GDP (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  13.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  18.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Peru
  17.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Philippines
  17% of GDP (2004 est.)

Poland
  18.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Portugal
  22.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Qatar
  22.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Romania
  23.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Russia
  19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  17.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Senegal
  20.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  14.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  39.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Singapore
  27.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  24% of GDP (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  24.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

South Africa
  16.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Spain
  25.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sudan
  16% of GDP (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sweden
  15.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  20.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Syria
  16.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  18% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  22% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  16.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Thailand
  22.5% of GDP (Jan - Sep 2004 est.)

Togo
  19.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  19.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  24.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Turkey
  17.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  29% of GDP (2004 est.)

Uganda
  22.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  18.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  20.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  16.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

United States
  15.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  9.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  12.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  36.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Yemen
  16.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Zambia
  41.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  9.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2186 Public debt (% of GDP)

Algeria
  37.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Argentina
  118% of GDP (June 2004 est.)

Australia
  17.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Austria
  64.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  18.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  63.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  43% of GDP (2004 est.)

Belgium
  96.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Botswana
  8.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Brazil
  52% of GDP (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  41.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  69.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Canada
  NA (2004 est.)

Chile
  12.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

China
  31.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Colombia
  51.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
  58% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  74.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Croatia
  41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: 74.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  33.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Denmark
  42.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  61.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  49.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Egypt
  102.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  41.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Estonia
  5.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Finland
  46.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

France
  67.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Gabon
  29.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Germany
  65.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Greece
  112% of GDP (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Honduras
  74.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  2.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Hungary
  58.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Iceland
  35.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

India
  59.7% of GDP (federal debt only; state debt not included)
  (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  56.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Iran
  27% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ireland
  31.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Israel
  104.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Italy
  105.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  146.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Japan
  164.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Jordan
  85.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  13.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kenya
  74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  21.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  29.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Latvia
  11.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  177.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Libya
  8.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  25.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Macedonia
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malawi
  228.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  45.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  29.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Mexico
  23.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Moldova
  63.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Morocco
  70.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Namibia
  38.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

New Zealand
  22.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  69.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  20% of GDP (2004 est.)

Norway
  33.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Oman
  10.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  71.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Panama
  69.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  59.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  39.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Peru
  44.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Philippines
  74.2% of GDP (September 2004 est.)

Poland
  49.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Portugal
  61.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Qatar
  NA

Romania
  23.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Russia
  28.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  75% of GDP (2004 est.)

Senegal
  55.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  80% of GDP (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  122.8% of GDP (2004 est.)

Singapore
  102.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  46.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  31.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

South Africa
  45.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Spain
  53.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  104.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sudan
  79.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

Sweden
  51.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  57.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Syria
  32% of GDP (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  32.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Thailand
  47.6% of GDP (November 2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  54.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  59.2% of GDP (2004 est.)

Turkey
  74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Uganda
  73.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  24.7% of GDP (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  17.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  39.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

United States
  65% of GDP (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  41.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  43.1% of GDP (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  65.9% of GDP (2004 est.)

Yemen
  46.4% of GDP (2004 est.)

Zambia
  127.5% of GDP (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  52.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2187 Current account balance

Albania
  $-504 million (2004 est.)

Algeria
  $11.9 billion (2004 est.)

Angola
  $-37.88 million (2004 est.)

Argentina
  $5.473 billion (2004 est.)

Armenia
  $-240.4 million (2004 est.)

Australia
  $-38.3 billion (2004 est.)

Austria
  $-3.283 billion (2004 est.)

Azerbaijan
  $-2.899 billion (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  $586.1 million (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  $216.6 million (2004 est.)

Belarus
  $-1.119 billion (2004 est.)

Belgium
  $11.4 billion (2004 est.)

Belize
  $-115 million (2004 est.)

Benin
  $-159.9 million (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  $273 million (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $-2.1 billion (2004 est.)

Botswana
  $337 million (2004 est.)

Brazil
  $8 billion (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  $682.9 million (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $-471.7 million (2004 est.)

Burma
  $-185 million (2004 est.)

Burundi
  $-59.5 million (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  $-316.2 million (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  $-149.1 million (2004 est.)

Canada
  $28.2 billion (2004 est.)

Cape Verde
  $-93.76 million (2004 est.)

Chad
  $330.2 million (2004 est.)

Chile
  $2.185 billion (2004 est.)

China
  $30.32 billion (2004 est.)

Colombia
  $-1.706 billion (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $266 million (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
  $-980.3 million (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $-421.5 million (2004 est.)

Croatia
  $-1.925 billion (2004 est.)

Cuba
  $-185.1 million (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  $-619.9 million (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  $-5.73 billion (2004 est.)

Denmark
  $6.529 billion (2004 est.)

Dominican Republic
  $762.2 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  $261.1 million (2004 est.)

Egypt
  $2.113 billion (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  $-880.5 million (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $-578.6 million (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  $-144.9 million (2004 est.)

Estonia
  $-1.169 billion (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  $-464.4 million (2004 est.)

European Union
  $NA

Finland
  $11.39 billion (2004 est.)

France
  $-305 million (2004 est.)

Gabon
  $196.8 million (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  $-16.4 million (2004 est.)

Georgia
  $-632.9 million (2004 est.)

Germany
  $73.59 billion (2004 est.)

Ghana
  $83.87 million (2004 est.)

Greece
  $-8 billion (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  $-1.381 billion (2004 est.)

Guinea
  $-308.3 million (2004 est.)

Guyana
  $-129.4 million (2004 est.)

Haiti
  $-27.63 million (2004 est.)

Honduras
  $258.3 million (2003 est.)

Hong Kong
  $14.85 billion (2004 est.)

Hungary
  $-7.941 billion (2004 est.)

Iceland
  $-570 million (2004 est.)

India
  $4.897 billion (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  $7.338 billion (2004 est.)

Iran
  $2.1 billion (2004 est.)

Iraq
  $-560 million (2003 est.)

Ireland
  $-2.881 billion (2004 est.)

Israel
  $211.9 million (2004 est.)

Italy
  $-21.1 billion (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  $-830.7 million (2004 est.)

Japan
  $170.2 billion (2004 est.)

Jordan
  $203.2 million (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $-39.02 million (2004 est.)

Kenya
  $-459.2 million (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  $26.78 billion (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  $12.04 billion (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $-87.92 million (2004 est.)

Laos
  $-80.76 million (2004 est.)

Latvia
  $-1.251 billion (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  $-2.389 billion (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  $-108.3 million (2004 est.)

Libya
  $9.895 billion (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  $-1.6 billion (2004 est.)

Macedonia
  $-311 million (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  $-281.9 million (2004 est.)

Malawi
  $-55.5 million (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  $11.81 billion (2004 est.)

Malta
  $-241 million (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  $284.1 million (2004 est.)

Mexico
  $-4.113 billion (2004 est.)

Moldova
  $-148.4 million (2004 est.)

Morocco
  $765.4 million (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  $-101.2 million (2004 est.)

Namibia
  $234.3 million (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  $19.9 billion (2004 est.)

New Zealand
  $-3.647 billion (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  $-843.1 million (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  $5.228 billion (2004 est.)

Norway
  $30.52 billion (2004 est.)

Oman
  $2.674 billion (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Panama
  $-469.6 million (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $29.15 million (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  $-36.11 million (2004 est.)

Peru
  $-30 million (2004 est.)

Philippines
  $3.6 billion (2004 est.)

Poland
  $-3.831 billion (2004 est.)

Portugal
  $-8.12 billion (2004 est.)

Qatar
  $5.187 billion (2004 est.)

Romania
  $-3.631 billion (2004 est.)

Russia
  $46.04 billion (2004 est.)

Rwanda
  $-212.5 million (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $-31.5 million (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $51.5 billion (2004 est.)

Senegal
  $-518.8 million (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $-3.008 billion (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  $-98.42 million (2004 est.)

Singapore
  $8.8 billion (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  $-1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  $-51.64 million (2004 est.)

South Africa
  $-2.48 billion (2004 est.)

Spain
  $-30.89 billion (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $-587.3 million (2004 est.)

Sudan
  $-763.6 million (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  $-82.4 million (2004 est.)

Sweden
  $24.08 billion (2004 est.)

Switzerland
  $40.95 billion (2004 est.)

Syria
  $1.1 billion (2003)

Taiwan
  $21.16 billion (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  $-52 million (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  $-327.4 million (2004 est.)

Thailand
  $6.736 billion (2004 est.)

Togo
  $-125.6 million (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $1.548 billion (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  $71.85 million (2004 est.)

Turkey
  $-15.3 billion (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $114 million (2004 est.)

Uganda
  $-590.8 million (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  $4.584 billion (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $6.3 billion (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  $-33.46 billion (2004 est.)

United States
  $-646.5 billion (2004 est.)

Uruguay
  $181.8 million (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $461.9 million (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  $14.59 billion (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  $-2.061 billion (2004 est.)

Yemen
  $369.9 million (2004 est.)

Zambia
  $-181.4 million (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $-230.3 million (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2188 Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Albania
  $1.206 billion (2004 est.)

Algeria
  $43.55 billion (2004 est.)

Angola
  $800 million (2004 est.)

Argentina
  $19.47 billion (2004 est.)

Armenia
  $555 million (2004 est.)

Australia
  $35.14 billion (2004 est.)

Austria
  $12.73 billion (2003)

Azerbaijan
  $875 million (2004 est.)

Bahrain
  $2.141 billion (2004 est.)

Bangladesh
  $3 billion (2004 est.)

Belarus
  $770.2 million (2004 est.)

Belgium
  $14.45 billion (2003)

Belize
  $111.1 million (2004 est.)

Benin
  $839.3 million (2004 est.)

Bolivia
  $1.214 billion (2004 est.)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  $2 billion (2004 est.)

Botswana
  $5.7 billion (2004 est.)

Brazil
  $52.94 billion (2004 est.)

Bulgaria
  $7.526 billion (2004 est.)

Burkina Faso
  $474.9 million (2004 est.)

Burma
  $590 million (2004 est.)

Burundi
  $76.89 million (2004 est.)

Cambodia
  $997.5 million (2004 est.)

Cameroon
  $687.5 million (2004 est.)

Canada
  $36.27 billion (2003)

Cape Verde
  $112.7 million (2004 est.)

Chad
  $652.7 million (2004 est.)

Chile
  $16.02 billion (2004)

China
  $609.9 billion (2004 est.)

Colombia
  $11.94 billion (2004 est.)

Congo, Republic of the
  $40.42 million (2004 est.)

Costa Rica
  $1.736 billion (2004 est.)

Cote d'Ivoire
  $1.95 billion (2004 est.)

Croatia
  $8.563 billion (2004 est.)

Cuba
  $738.6 million (2004 est.)

Cyprus
  Republic of Cyprus: $3.385 billion
  north Cyprus: $941.6 million (2004 est.)

Czech Republic
  $32.78 billion (2004 est.)

Denmark
  $37.98 billion (2003)

Dominican Republic
  $426 million (2004 est.)

Ecuador
  $1.436 billion (December 2004 est.)

Egypt
  $14.03 billion (2004 est.)

El Salvador
  $1.888 billion (2004 est.)

Equatorial Guinea
  $235.2 million (2004 est.)

Eritrea
  $30.87 million (2004 est.)

Estonia
  $1.503 billion (2004 est.)

Ethiopia
  $923.1 million (2004 est.)

European Union
  $NA

Finland
  $11.17 billion (2003)

France
  $70.76 billion (2003)

Gabon
  $268.6 million (2004 est.)

Gambia, The
  $113.1 million (2004 est.)

Georgia
  $231.4 million (2004 est.)

Germany
  $96.84 billion (2003)

Ghana
  $1.267 billion (2004 est.)

Greece
  $7.3 billion (2004 est.)

Guatemala
  $3.084 billion (2004 est.)

Guinea
  $201.7 million (2004 est.)

Guyana
  $280.6 million (2004 est.)

Haiti
  $80.64 million (2004 est.)

Honduras
  $1.464 billion (2004 est.)

Hong Kong
  $123.6 billion (31 December 2004 est.)

Hungary
  $14.8 billion (2004 est.)

Iceland
  $935 million (2004)

India
  $126 billion (2004 est.)

Indonesia
  $35.82 billion (2004 est.)

Iran
  $29.87 billion (2004 est.)

Ireland
  $4.152 billion (2003)

Israel
  $28.48 billion (2004 est.)

Italy
  $61.5 billion (2004 est.)

Jamaica
  $1.4 billion (2004 est.)

Japan
  $664.6 billion (2003)

Jordan
  $5.457 billion (2004 est.)

Kazakhstan
  $14.35 billion (2004 est.)

Kenya
  $1.5 billion (2004 est.)

Korea, South
  $199.1 billion (2004 est.)

Kuwait
  $7.333 billion (2004 est.)

Kyrgyzstan
  $498.7 million (2004 est.)

Laos
  $193.1 million (2004 est.)

Latvia
  $1.65 billion (2004 est.)

Lebanon
  $16.3 billion (2004 est.)

Lesotho
  $402.2 million (2004 est.)

Libya
  $24.18 billion (2004 est.)

Lithuania
  $4.61 billion (2004 est.)

Macedonia
  $928 million (2004 est.)

Madagascar
  $500.3 million (2004 est.)

Malawi
  $160.5 million (2004 est.)

Malaysia
  $55.27 billion (2004 est.)

Malta
  $2.865 billion (2004 est.)

Mauritius
  $1.676 billion (2004 est.)

Mexico
  $60.67 billion (2004 est.)

Moldova
  $390 million (2004 est.)

Morocco
  $15.14 billion (2004 est.)

Mozambique
  $1.206 billion (2004 est.)

Namibia
  $360 million (2004 est.)

Netherlands
  $21.44 billion (2003)

New Zealand
  $4.805 billion (2004 est.)

Nicaragua
  $670 million (2004 est.)

Nigeria
  $14.71 billion (2004 est.)

Oman
  $4.144 billion (2004 est.)

Pakistan
  $12.58 billion (2004 est.)

Panama
  $1.076 billion (2004 est.)

Papua New Guinea
  $635.8 million (2004 est.)

Paraguay
  $1.164 billion (2004 est.)

Peru
  $12.7 billion (2004 est.)

Philippines
  $16.05 billion (2004)

Poland
  $41.88 billion (2004 est.)

Portugal
  $12.3 billion (2004 est.)

Qatar
  $3.351 billion (2004 est.)

Romania
  $16.21 billion (2004)

Russia
  $124.5 billion (3 December 2004 e)

Rwanda
  $210.9 million (2004 est.)

Sao Tome and Principe
  $29.78 million (2004 est.)

Saudi Arabia
  $23.62 billion (2004 est.)

Senegal
  $820 million (2004 est.)

Serbia and Montenegro
  $3.55 billion (2004 est.)

Seychelles
  $70.94 million (2004 est.)

Singapore
  $112.8 billion (2004 est.)

Slovakia
  $14.91 billion (2004 est.)

Slovenia
  $8.493 billion (2004 est.)

South Africa
  $11.68 billion (2004 est.)

Spain
  $19.7 billion (2004 est.)

Sri Lanka
  $2.475 billion (2004 est.)

Sudan
  $1.652 billion (2004 est.)

Swaziland
  $320.5 million (2004 est.)

Sweden
  $19.99 billion (2003)

Switzerland
  $69.58 billion (2003)

Syria
  $5 billion (2004 est.)

Taiwan
  $246.5 billion (2004 est.)

Tajikistan
  $145.3 million (2004 est.)

Tanzania
  $2.175 billion (2004 est.)

Thailand
  $48.3 billion (2004)

Togo
  $267.4 million (2004 est.)

Trinidad and Tobago
  $2.927 billion (2004 est.)

Tunisia
  $3.509 billion (2004 est.)

Turkey
  $37.1 billion (2004 est.)

Turkmenistan
  $3.034 billion (2004 est.)

Uganda
  $1.2 billion (2004 est.)

Ukraine
  $11.33 billion (2004 est.)

United Arab Emirates
  $18.64 billion (2004 est.)

United Kingdom
  $48.73 billion (2004)

United States
  $85.94 billion (2003)

Uruguay
  $2.362 billion (2004 est.)

Uzbekistan
  $1.603 billion (2004 est.)

Venezuela
  $25.75 billion (2004 est.)

Vietnam
  $6.51 billion (2004 est.)

Yemen
  $5.3 billion (2004 est.)

Zambia
  $345 million (2004 est.)

Zimbabwe
  $57 million (2004 est.)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2193 Major infectious diseases

Afghanistan
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk countrywide below 2,000
  meters from March through November
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Algeria
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis is a high risk in some
  locations (2004)

Angola
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
  sickness) are high risks in some locations
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Bangladesh
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: leptospirosis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Benin
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high
  risks in some locations
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Botswana
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Burkina Faso
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Burma
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations (2004)

Burundi
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Cambodia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese
  encephalitis are high risks in some locations (2004)

Cameroon
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Central African Republic
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Chad
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis
  (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, yellow fever, and others are high
  risks in some locations
  water contact: schistosomiasis (2004)

Djibouti
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Equatorial Guinea
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Eritrea
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations (2004)

Ethiopia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, typhoid fever, and hepatitis E
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis are high
  risks in some locations
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Gabon
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Gambia, The
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Crimean-Congo
  hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever are high risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Ghana
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Guinea
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)

Guinea-Bissau
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

India
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and Japanese
  encephalitis are high risks in some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Indonesia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and chikungunya are
  high risks in some locations (2004)

Kenya
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Liberia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)

Libya
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations
  during the transmission season (typically April through October)
  (2004)

Madagascar
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Malawi
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Malaysia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations (2004)

Mali
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Mauritania
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and Rift Valley fever are high risks
  in some locations
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Morocco
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A
  vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations
  during the transmission season (typically April through November)
  (2004)

Mozambique
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Namibia
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Niger
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria is a high risk in some locations
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Nigeria
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: one of the most highly
  endemic areas for Lassa fever (2004)

Pakistan
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E,
  and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, and cutaneous
  leishmaniasis are high risks depending on location
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Papua New Guinea
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations (2004)

Philippines
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in
  some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Rwanda
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Sao Tome and Principe
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne disease: malaria (2004)

Senegal
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever,
  Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Rift Valley fever are high
  risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Sierra Leone
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2004)

Somalia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  animal contact disease: rabies (2004)

Sudan
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis
  (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Tanzania
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria, Rift Valley fever and plague are high
  risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Thailand
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
  and plague are high risks in some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2004)

Togo
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in
  some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis
  respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis (2004)

Tunisia
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, and hepatitis A
  vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations
  during the transmission season (typically April through November)
  (2004)

Uganda
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
  sickness) are high risks in some locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Vietnam
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis,
  and plague are high risks in some locations
  animal contact disease: rabies
  water contact disease: leptospirosis (2004)

Western Sahara
  degree of risk: intermediate
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
  hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: may be a significant risk in some locations
  during the transmission season (typically April through November)
  (2004)

Zambia
  degree of risk: very high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid fever
  vectorborne diseases: malaria and plague are high risks in some
  locations
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

Zimbabwe
  degree of risk: high
  food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
  typhoid
  vectorborne disease: malaria
  water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

@2194 Refugees and internally displaced persons

Afghanistan
  IDPs: 167,000 - 200,000 (mostly Pashtuns and Kuchis
  displaced in south and west due to drought and instability) (2004)

Algeria
  refugees (country of origin): 165,000 (Western Saharan
  Sahrawi, mostly living in Algerian-sponsored camps in the
  southwestern Algerian town of Tindouf)
  IDPs: 100,000 - 200,000 (conflict between government forces, Islamic
  insurgents) (2004)

Angola
  IDPs: 40,000-60,000 (27-year civil war ending in 2002; 4
  million IDPs already have returned) (2004)

Armenia
  refugees (country of origin): 236,306 (Azerbaijan)
  IDPs: 50,000 (conflict with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Azerbaijan
  IDPs: 571,000 (conflict with Armenia over
  Nagorno-Karabakh) (2004)

Bangladesh
  IDPs: 61,000 (land conflicts, religious persecution)
  (2004)

Bosnia and Herzegovina
  IDPs: 327,200 (Bosnian Croats, Serbs, and
  Muslims displaced in 1992-95 war) (2004)

Burma
  IDPs: 600,000 - 1,000,000 (government offensives against
  ethnic insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen,
  Karenni, Shan, and Mon) (2004)

Burundi
  refugees (country of origin): 60,288 (Democratic Republic of
  the Congo)
  IDPs: 140,000 (armed conflict between government and rebels; most
  IDPs in northern and western Burundi) (2004)

Cameroon
  refugees (country of origin): 39,261 (Chad) 16,983
  (Nigeria) 9,634 (Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

Central African Republic
  refugees (country of origin): 36,479
  (Sudan) 1,864 (Chad) 6,484 (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
  IDPs: 200,000 (unrest following coup in 2003) (2004)

Chad
  refugees (country of origin): 200,000 (Sudan) 30,000 (Central
  African Republic) (2004)

China
  refugees (country of origin): 299,287 (Vietnam) estimated
  30,000-50,000 (North Korea) (2004)

Colombia
  IDPs: 2,730,000 - 3,100,000 (conflict between government
  and FARC; drug wars) (2004)

Congo, Democratic Republic of the refugees (country of origin): 45,060 (Sudan) 100,000 (Angola) 19,552 (Burundi) 6,626 (Republic of Congo) 19,743 (Rwanda) 18,953 (Uganda) IDPs: 2.33 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; most IDPs are in eastern provinces) (2004)

Congo, Republic of the
  IDPs: 60,000 (multiple civil wars since 1992;
  most IDPs are ethnic Lari) (2004)

Cote d'Ivoire
  refugees (country of origin): 71,711 (Liberia)
  IDPs: 500,000 (2002 coup; most IDPs are in western regions) (2004)

Croatia
  IDPs: 12,600 (Croats and Serbs displaced in 1992-1995 war)
  (2004)

Cyprus
  IDPs: 265,000 (both Turkish and Greek Cypriots; many
  displaced for over 30 years) (2004)

Djibouti
  refugees (country of origin): 25,474 (Somalia) (2004)

Egypt
  refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian Territories)
  (2004)

Eritrea
  IDPs: 59,000 (border war with Ethiopia from 1998-2000; most
  IDPs are near the central border region) (2004)

Ethiopia
  refugees (country of origin): 93,032 (Sudan) 23,578
  (Somalia)
  IDPs: 132,000 (border war with Eritrea from 1998-2000 and ethnic
  clashes in Gambela; most IDPs are in Tigray and Gambela Provinces)
  (2004)

Gaza Strip
  refugees (country of origin): 922,674 (Palestinian
  Refugees (UNRWA)) (2004)

Georgia
  IDPs: 260,000 (displaced from Abkhazia and South Ossetia)
  (2004)

Ghana
  refugees (country of origin): 42,466 (Liberia) (2004)

Guatemala
  IDPs: 250,000 (government's scorched-earth offensive in
  1980s against indigenous people) (2004)

Guinea
  refugees (country of origin): 133,175 (Liberia) 13,633
  (Sierra Leone) 7,064 (Cote d'Ivoire)
  IDPs: 100,000 (cross-border incursions from Liberia, Sierra Leone,
  Cote d'Ivoire) (2004)

India
  refugees (country of origin): 92,394 (Tibet/China) 60,922 (Sri
  Lanka)
  IDPs: 650,000 (Jammu and Kashmir conflicts; most IDPs are Kashmiri
  Hindus); 113,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami) (2004)

Indonesia
  IDPs: 535,000 (government offensives against rebels in
  Aceh; most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Maluku, and Central
  Sulawesi Provinces); 441,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004
  tsunmai) (2004)

Iran
  refugees (country of origin): 1,223,823 (Afghanistan) 124,014
  (Iraq) (2004)

Iraq
  refugees (country of origin): 150,000 (Palestinian Territories)
  IDPs: 1,340,280 (ongoing US-led war and Kurds' subsequent return)
  (2004)

Israel
  IDPs: 276,000 (Arab villagers displaced from homes in
  northern Israel) (2004)

Jordan
  refugees (country of origin): 1,740,170 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 800,000 (1967 Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Kenya
  refugees (country of origin): 154,272 (Somalia) 11,139
  (Ethiopia) 63,197 (Sudan)
  IDPs: 350,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s)
  (2004)

Korea, North
  IDPs: 50,000-250,000 (government repression and famine)
  (2004)

Lebanon
  refugees (country of origin): 394,532 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 300,000 (1975-90 civil war, Israeli invasions) (2004)

Liberia
  refugees (country of origin): 13,941 (Sierra Leone) 38,325
  (Cote d'Ivoire)
  IDPs: 500,000 (civil war from 1990-2004; IDP resettlement began in
  November 2004) (2004)

Macedonia
  IDPs: 2,678 (ethnic conflict in 2001; most IDPs have
  returned) (2004)

Maldives
  IDPs: 12,000 (26 December 2004 tsunami victims) (2005)

Mexico
  IDPs: 12,000 (government's quashing of Zapatista uprising in
  1994 in eastern Chiapas Region) (2004)

Moldova
  IDPs: 1,000 (internal secessionist uprising in
  Transdniestrian region in 1991) (2004)

Nepal
  refugees (country of origin): 104,235 (Bhutan)
  IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces
  and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2004)

Nigeria
  IDPs: 250,000 (communal violence between Christians and
  Muslims since President OBASANJO's election in 1999) (2004)

Pakistan
  refugees (country of origin): 1,064,230 (Afghanistan)
  IDPs: undetermined (government strikes on Islamic militants in South
  Waziristan) (2004)

Peru
  IDPs: 60,000 (civil war from 1980-2000; most IDPs are
  indigenous peasants in Andean and Amazonian regions) (2004)

Philippines
  IDPs: 150,000 (fighting between government troops and
  MILF and Abu Sayyaf groups) (2004)

Russia
  IDPs: 368,000 (displacement from Chechnya and North Ossetia)
  (2004)

Rwanda
  refugees (country of origin): 37,691 (Democratic Republic of
  the Congo)
  IDPs: 4,158 (incursions by Hutu rebels from Democratic Republic of
  the Congo, 1997-99; most IDPs in northwest) (2004)

Saudi Arabia
  refugees (country of origin): 240,000 (Palestinian
  Territories) (2004)

Senegal
  IDPs: 17,000 (clashes between government troops and
  separatists in Casamance region) (2004)

Serbia and Montenegro
  refugees (country of origin): 99,170 (Bosnia)
  188,656 (Croatia)
  IDPs: 225,000 (mostly ethnic Serbs and Roma who fled Kosovo in 1999)
  (2004)

Sierra Leone
  refugees (country of origin): 67,000 (Liberia) (2004)

Somalia
  IDPs: 375,000 (civil war since 1988, clan-based competition
  for resources) (2004)

Sri Lanka
  IDPs: 362,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to
  Tamil conflict); 555,000 (resulting from 26 December 2004 tsunami)
  (2004)

Sudan
  refugees (country of origin): 108,251 (Eritrea) 5,023 (Chad)
  7,983 (Uganda)
  IDPs: 4.367 million (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing
  genocide) (2004)

Syria
  refugees (country of origin): 413,827 (Palestinian Refugees
  (UNRWA))
  IDPs: 170,000 (most displaced from Golan Heights during 1967
  Arab-Israeli War) (2004)

Tanzania
  refugees (country of origin): 447,877 (Burundi) 153,155
  (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 3,036 (Somalia) (2004)

Thailand
  refugees (country of origin): 118,407 (Burma) (2004)

Turkey
  IDPs: 350,000-1,000,000 (fighting from 1984-99 between
  Kurdish PKK and Turkish military; most IDPs in southeastern
  provinces) (2004)

Uganda
  refugees (country of origin): 184,731 (Sudan) 18,000 (Rwanda)
  IDPs: 1.4 million note - ongoing Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
  rebellion, mainly in the north; LRA frequently attacks IDP camps
  (2004)

United States
  refugees (country of origin): the United States
  admitted 52,868 refugees during FY03/04 including: 13,331 (Somalia),
  6,000 (Laos), 3,482 (Ukraine), 2,959 (Cuba), 1,787 (Iran); note -
  27,239 refugees have been admitted as of 31 May 2005

Uzbekistan
  IDPs: 3,000 (forced population transfers by government
  from villages near Tajikistan border) (2004)

West Bank
  refugees (country of origin): 665,246 (Palestinian
  Refugees (UNRWA)) (2004)

World
  the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
  estimated that in December 2003 there was a global population of 9.7
  million refugees and as many as 25 million IDPs

Yemen
  refugees (country of origin): 60,901 (Somalia) (2004)

Zambia
  refugees (country of origin): 158,894 (Angola) 58,405
  (Democratic Republic of the Congo) 5,767 (Rwanda) (2004)

Zimbabwe
  IDPs: 100,000-150,000 (MUGABE-led political violence, human
  rights violations, land reform, and economic collapse) (2004)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2001

Rank Country GDP (purchasing power parity) Date of Information

1 World $ 55,500,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United States $ 11,750,000,000,000 2004 est. 3 European Union $ 11,650,000,000,000 2004 est. 4 China $ 7,262,000,000,000 2004 est. 5 Japan $ 3,745,000,000,000 2004 est. 6 India $ 3,319,000,000,000 2004 est. 7 Germany $ 2,362,000,000,000 2004 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 1,782,000,000,000 2004 est. 9 France $ 1,737,000,000,000 2004 est. 10 Italy $ 1,609,000,000,000 2004 est. 11 Brazil $ 1,492,000,000,000 2004 est. 12 Russia $ 1,408,000,000,000 2004 est. 13 Canada $ 1,023,000,000,000 2004 est. 14 Mexico $ 1,006,000,000,000 2004 est. 15 Spain $ 937,600,000,000 2004 est. 16 Korea, South $ 925,100,000,000 2004 est. 17 Indonesia $ 827,400,000,000 2004 est. 18 Australia $ 611,700,000,000 2004 est. 19 Taiwan $ 576,200,000,000 2004 est. 20 Thailand $ 524,800,000,000 2004 est. 21 Iran $ 516,700,000,000 2004 est. 22 Turkey $ 508,700,000,000 2004 est. 23 South Africa $ 491,400,000,000 2004 est. 24 Argentina $ 483,500,000,000 2004 est. 25 Netherlands $ 481,100,000,000 2004 est. 26 Poland $ 463,000,000,000 2004 est. 27 Philippines $ 430,600,000,000 2004 est. 28 Pakistan $ 347,300,000,000 2004 est. 29 Egypt $ 316,300,000,000 2004 est. 30 Belgium $ 316,200,000,000 2004 est. 31 Saudi Arabia $ 310,200,000,000 2004 est. 32 Ukraine $ 299,100,000,000 2004 est. 33 Colombia $ 281,100,000,000 2004 est. 34 Bangladesh $ 275,700,000,000 2004 est. 35 Austria $ 255,900,000,000 2004 est. 36 Sweden $ 255,400,000,000 2004 est. 37 Switzerland $ 251,900,000,000 2004 est. 38 Hong Kong $ 234,500,000,000 2004 est. 39 Malaysia $ 229,300,000,000 2004 est. 40 Vietnam $ 227,200,000,000 2004 est. 41 Greece $ 226,400,000,000 2004 est. 42 Algeria $ 212,300,000,000 2004 est. 43 Portugal $ 188,700,000,000 2004 est. 44 Norway $ 183,000,000,000 2004 est. 45 Denmark $ 174,400,000,000 2004 est. 46 Czech Republic $ 172,200,000,000 2004 est. 47 Romania $ 171,500,000,000 2004 est. 48 Chile $ 169,100,000,000 2004 est. 49 Peru $ 155,300,000,000 2004 est. 50 Finland $ 151,200,000,000 2004 est. 51 Hungary $ 149,300,000,000 2004 est. 52 Venezuela $ 145,200,000,000 2004 est. 53 Morocco $ 134,600,000,000 2004 est. 54 Israel $ 129,000,000,000 2004 est. 55 Ireland $ 126,400,000,000 2004 est. 56 Nigeria $ 125,700,000,000 2004 est. 57 Singapore $ 120,900,000,000 2004 est. 58 Kazakhstan $ 118,400,000,000 2004 est. 59 New Zealand $ 92,510,000,000 2004 est. 60 Sri Lanka $ 80,580,000,000 2004 est. 61 Slovakia $ 78,890,000,000 2004 est. 62 Sudan $ 76,190,000,000 2004 est. 63 Burma $ 74,300,000,000 2004 est. 64 Tunisia $ 70,880,000,000 2004 est. 65 Belarus $ 70,500,000,000 2004 est. 66 Puerto Rico $ 68,950,000,000 2004 est. 67 United Arab Emirates $ 63,670,000,000 2004 est. 68 Bulgaria $ 61,630,000,000 2004 est. 69 Syria $ 60,440,000,000 2004 est. 70 Guatemala $ 59,470,000,000 2004 est. 71 Dominican Republic $ 55,680,000,000 2004 est. 72 Ethiopia $ 54,890,000,000 2004 est. 73 Iraq $ 54,400,000,000 2004 est. 74 Croatia $ 50,330,000,000 2004 est. 75 Ecuador $ 49,510,000,000 2004 est. 76 Uruguay $ 49,270,000,000 2004 est. 77 Ghana $ 48,270,000,000 2004 est. 78 Kuwait $ 48,000,000,000 2004 est. 79 Uzbekistan $ 47,590,000,000 2004 est. 80 Lithuania $ 45,230,000,000 2004 est. 81 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 42,740,000,000 2004 est. 82 Korea, North $ 40,000,000,000 2004 est. 83 Nepal $ 39,530,000,000 2004 est. 84 Slovenia $ 39,410,000,000 2004 est. 85 Uganda $ 39,390,000,000 2004 est. 86 Oman $ 38,090,000,000 2004 est. 87 Costa Rica $ 37,970,000,000 2004 est. 88 Libya $ 37,480,000,000 2004 est. 89 Kenya $ 34,680,000,000 2004 est. 90 Cuba $ 33,920,000,000 2004 est. 91 El Salvador $ 32,350,000,000 2004 est. 92 Cameroon $ 30,170,000,000 2004 est. 93 Azerbaijan $ 30,010,000,000 2004 est. 94 Paraguay $ 29,930,000,000 2004 est. 95 Turkmenistan $ 27,600,000,000 2004 est. 96 Luxembourg $ 27,270,000,000 2004 est. 97 Cambodia $ 26,990,000,000 2004 est. 98 Latvia $ 26,530,000,000 2004 est. 99 Serbia and Montenegro $ 26,270,000,000 2004 est. 100 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 26,210,000,000 2004 est. 101 Jordan $ 25,500,000,000 2004 est. 102 Cote d'Ivoire $ 24,780,000,000 2004 est. 103 Zimbabwe $ 24,370,000,000 2004 est. 104 Tanzania $ 23,710,000,000 2004 est. 105 Mozambique $ 23,380,000,000 2004 est. 106 Angola $ 23,170,000,000 2004 est. 107 Bolivia $ 22,330,000,000 2004 est. 108 Afghanistan $ 21,500,000,000 2003 est. 109 Panama $ 20,570,000,000 2004 est. 110 Guinea $ 19,500,000,000 2004 est. 111 Qatar $ 19,490,000,000 2004 est. 112 Estonia $ 19,230,000,000 2004 est. 113 Lebanon $ 18,830,000,000 2004 est. 114 Honduras $ 18,790,000,000 2004 est. 115 Senegal $ 18,360,000,000 2004 est. 116 Albania $ 17,460,000,000 2004 est. 117 Yemen $ 16,250,000,000 2004 est. 118 Burkina Faso $ 15,740,000,000 2004 est. 119 Cyprus $ 15,710,000,000 2004 est. 120 Mauritius $ 15,680,000,000 2004 est. 121 Chad $ 15,660,000,000 2004 est. 122 Botswana $ 15,050,000,000 2004 est. 123 Namibia $ 14,760,000,000 2004 est. 124 Madagascar $ 14,560,000,000 2004 est. 125 Georgia $ 14,450,000,000 2004 est. 126 Macedonia $ 14,400,000,000 2004 est. 127 Armenia $ 13,650,000,000 2004 est. 128 Bahrain $ 13,010,000,000 2004 est. 129 Nicaragua $ 12,340,000,000 2004 est. 130 Haiti $ 12,050,000,000 2004 est. 131 Papua New Guinea $ 11,990,000,000 2004 est. 132 Trinidad and Tobago $ 11,480,000,000 2004 est. 133 Laos $ 11,280,000,000 2004 est. 134 Jamaica $ 11,130,000,000 2004 est. 135 Mali $ 11,000,000,000 2004 est. 136 Rwanda $ 10,430,000,000 2004 est. 137 Niger $ 9,716,000,000 2004 est. 138 Zambia $ 9,409,000,000 2004 est. 139 Iceland $ 9,373,000,000 2004 est. 140 Macau $ 9,100,000,000 2003 141 Togo $ 8,684,000,000 2004 est. 142 Moldova $ 8,581,000,000 2004 est. 143 Kyrgyzstan $ 8,495,000,000 2004 est. 144 Benin $ 8,338,000,000 2004 est. 145 Gabon $ 7,966,000,000 2004 est. 146 Tajikistan $ 7,950,000,000 2004 est. 147 Malawi $ 7,410,000,000 2004 est. 148 Malta $ 7,223,000,000 2004 est. 149 Brunei $ 6,842,000,000 2003 est. 150 Martinique $ 6,117,000,000 2003 est. 151 Swaziland $ 6,018,000,000 2004 est. 152 Lesotho $ 5,892,000,000 2004 est. 153 Mauritania $ 5,534,000,000 2004 est. 154 Mongolia $ 5,332,000,000 2004 est. 155 Bahamas, The $ 5,295,000,000 2004 est. 156 Fiji $ 5,173,000,000 2004 est. 157 Somalia $ 4,597,000,000 2004 est. 158 French Polynesia $ 4,580,000,000 2003 est. 159 Reunion $ 4,570,000,000 2004 est. 160 Barbados $ 4,569,000,000 2004 est. 161 Cyprus $ 4,540,000,000 2004 est. 162 Central African Republic $ 4,248,000,000 2004 est. 163 Eritrea $ 4,154,000,000 2004 est. 164 Burundi $ 4,001,000,000 2004 est. 165 Jersey $ 3,600,000,000 2003 est. 166 Guadeloupe $ 3,513,000,000 2003 est. 167 Sierra Leone $ 3,335,000,000 2004 est. 168 Guam $ 3,200,000,000 2000 est. 169 New Caledonia $ 3,158,000,000 2003 est. 170 Liberia $ 2,903,000,000 2004 est. 171 Bhutan $ 2,900,000,000 2003 est. 172 Guyana $ 2,899,000,000 2004 est. 173 Gambia, The $ 2,799,000,000 2004 est. 174 Guernsey $ 2,590,000,000 2003 est. 175 Virgin Islands $ 2,500,000,000 2002 est. 176 British Virgin Islands $ 2,498,000,000 2004 est. 177 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,450,000,000 2003 est. 178 Bermuda $ 2,330,000,000 2003 est. 179 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,324,000,000 2004 est. 180 Man, Isle of $ 2,113,000,000 2003 est. 181 Aruba $ 1,940,000,000 2002 est. 182 Andorra $ 1,900,000,000 2003 est. 183 Suriname $ 1,885,000,000 2004 est. 184 West Bank $ 1,800,000,000 2003 est. 185 Belize $ 1,778,000,000 2004 est. 186 French Guiana $ 1,551,000,000 2003 est. 187 Cayman Islands $ 1,391,000,000 2004 est. 188 Equatorial Guinea $ 1,270,000,000 2002 est. 189 Maldives $ 1,250,000,000 2002 est. 190 Greenland $ 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 191 Guinea-Bissau $ 1,008,000,000 2004 est. 192 Faroe Islands $ 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 193 Samoa $ 1,000,000,000 2002 est. 194 San Marino $ 940,000,000 2001 est. 195 Northern Mariana Islands $ 900,000,000 2000 est. 196 Monaco $ 870,000,000 2000 est. 197 Saint Lucia $ 866,000,000 2002 est. 198 Liechtenstein $ 825,000,000 1999 est. 199 Solomon Islands $ 800,000,000 2002 est. 200 Gibraltar $ 769,000,000 2000 est. 201 Gaza Strip $ 768,000,000 2003 est. 202 Antigua and Barbuda $ 750,000,000 2002 est. 203 Seychelles $ 626,000,000 2002 est. 204 Djibouti $ 619,000,000 2002 est. 205 Cape Verde $ 600,000,000 2002 est. 206 Vanuatu $ 580,000,000 2003 est. 207 American Samoa $ 500,000,000 2000 est. 208 Mayotte $ 466,800,000 2003 est. 209 Comoros $ 441,000,000 2002 est. 210 Grenada $ 440,000,000 2002 est. 211 Dominica $ 384,000,000 2003 est. 212 East Timor $ 370,000,000 2004 est. 213 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 342,000,000 2002 est. 214 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 339,000,000 2002 est. 215 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 277,000,000 2002 est. 216 Tonga $ 244,000,000 2002 est. 217 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 216,000,000 2002 est. 218 Sao Tome and Principe $ 214,000,000 2003 est. 219 Palau $ 174,000,000 2001 est. 220 Marshall Islands $ 115,000,000 2001 est. 221 Anguilla $ 112,000,000 2002 est. 222 Cook Islands $ 105,000,000 2001 est. 223 Kiribati $ 79,000,000 2001 est. 224 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 75,000,000 2002 est. 225 Nauru $ 60,000,000 2001 est. 226 Wallis and Futuna $ 60,000,000 2004 est. 227 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 48,300,000 2003 est. 228 Montserrat $ 29,000,000 2002 est. 229 Saint Helena $ 18,000,000 1998 est. 230 Tuvalu $ 12,200,000 2000 est. 231 Niue $ 7,600,000 2000 est. 232 Tokelau $ 1,500,000 1993 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2003

Rank Country GDP - real growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Iraq 52.30 2004 est. 2 Chad 38.00 2004 est. 3 Liberia 21.80 2004 est. 4 Equatorial Guinea 20.00 2002 est. 5 Venezuela 16.80 2004 est. 6 Macau 15.60 2003 7 Ukraine 12.00 2004 est. 8 Angola 11.70 2004 est. 9 Ethiopia 11.60 2004 est. 10 Liechtenstein 11.00 1999 est. 11 Mongolia 10.60 2004 est. 12 Tajikistan 10.50 2004 est. 13 Uruguay 10.20 2004 est. 14 Faroe Islands 10.00 2001 est. 15 Azerbaijan 9.80 2004 est. 16 Georgia 9.50 2004 est. 17 China 9.10 2004 est. 18 Kazakhstan 9.10 2004 est. 19 Armenia 9.00 2004 est. 20 Qatar 8.70 2004 est. 21 Argentina 8.30 2004 est. 22 Mozambique 8.20 2004 est. 23 Turkey 8.20 2004 est. 24 Romania 8.10 2004 est. 25 Singapore 8.10 2004 est. 26 Hong Kong 7.90 2004 est. 27 Vietnam 7.70 2004 est. 28 Latvia 7.60 2004 est. 29 Afghanistan 7.50 2004 est. 30 Turkmenistan 7.50 2004 est. 31 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 7.50 2004 est. 32 San Marino 7.50 2001 est. 33 Cook Islands 7.10 2001 est. 34 Malaysia 7.10 2004 est. 35 Kuwait 6.80 2004 est. 36 Moldova 6.80 2004 est. 37 Russia 6.70 2004 est. 38 Lithuania 6.60 2004 est. 39 Serbia and Montenegro 6.50 2004 est. 40 Belarus 6.40 2004 est. 41 Sudan 6.40 2004 est. 42 Iran 6.30 2004 est. 43 India 6.20 2004 est. 44 Nigeria 6.20 2004 est. 45 Algeria 6.10 2004 est. 46 Thailand 6.10 2004 est. 47 Pakistan 6.10 2004 est. 48 Estonia 6.00 2004 est. 49 Gambia, The 6.00 2004 est. 50 West Bank 6.00 2003 est. 51 Taiwan 6.00 2004 est. 52 Sao Tome and Principe 6.00 2004 est. 53 Sierra Leone 6.00 2004 est. 54 Panama 6.00 2004 est. 55 Laos 6.00 2004 est. 56 Kyrgyzstan 6.00 2004 est. 57 Philippines 5.90 2004 est. 58 Solomon Islands 5.80 2003 est. 59 Ecuador 5.80 2004 est. 60 Tanzania 5.80 2004 est. 61 Chile 5.80 2004 est. 62 United Arab Emirates 5.70 2004 est. 63 Trinidad and Tobago 5.70 2004 est. 64 Albania 5.60 2004 est. 65 Bahrain 5.60 2004 est. 66 Poland 5.60 2004 est. 67 Madagascar 5.50 2004 est. 68 Cambodia 5.40 2004 est. 69 Ghana 5.40 2004 est. 70 Bhutan 5.30 2003 est. 71 Slovakia 5.30 2004 est. 72 Bulgaria 5.30 2004 est. 73 Sri Lanka 5.20 2004 est. 74 Brazil 5.10 2004 est. 75 Ireland 5.10 2004 est. 76 Tunisia 5.10 2004 est. 77 Jordan 5.10 2004 est. 78 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.00 2004 est. 79 Samoa 5.00 2002 est. 80 Cape Verde 5.00 2004 est. 81 Saudi Arabia 5.00 2004 est. 82 Uganda 5.00 2004 est. 83 Benin 5.00 2004 est. 84 Bangladesh 4.90 2004 est. 85 World 4.90 2004 est. 86 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.90 2000 est. 87 Libya 4.90 2004 est. 88 Indonesia 4.90 2004 est. 89 Cameroon 4.90 2004 est. 90 New Zealand 4.80 2004 est. 91 Burkina Faso 4.80 2004 est. 92 Namibia 4.80 2004 est. 93 Mauritius 4.70 2004 est. 94 Korea, South 4.60 2004 est. 95 Zambia 4.60 2004 est. 96 Egypt 4.50 2004 est. 97 Peru 4.50 2004 est. 98 Gaza Strip 4.50 2003 est. 99 Morocco 4.40 2004 est. 100 Uzbekistan 4.40 2004 est. 101 United States 4.40 2004 est. 102 Honduras 4.20 2004 est. 103 Suriname 4.20 2004 est. 104 Mexico 4.10 2004 est. 105 Lebanon 4.00 2004 est. 106 Nicaragua 4.00 2004 est. 107 Mali 4.00 2004 est. 108 Malawi 4.00 2004 est. 109 Costa Rica 3.90 2004 est. 110 Hungary 3.90 2004 est. 111 Slovenia 3.90 2004 est. 112 Israel 3.90 2004 est. 113 Bolivia 3.70 2004 est. 114 Greece 3.70 2004 est. 115 Congo, Republic of the 3.70 2004 est. 116 Croatia 3.70 2004 est. 117 Czech Republic 3.70 2004 est. 118 Colombia 3.60 2004 est. 119 Fiji 3.60 2004 est. 120 Sweden 3.60 2004 est. 121 Australia 3.50 2004 est. 122 Djibouti 3.50 2002 est. 123 Botswana 3.50 2004 est. 124 Belize 3.50 2004 est. 125 Niger 3.50 2004 est. 126 South Africa 3.50 2004 est. 127 Lesotho 3.30 2004 est. 128 Norway 3.30 2004 est. 129 Saint Lucia 3.30 2002 est. 130 Brunei 3.20 2003 est. 131 United Kingdom 3.20 2004 est. 132 Senegal 3.20 2004 est. 133 Cyprus 3.20 2004 est. 134 Antigua and Barbuda 3.00 2002 est. 135 Bahamas, The 3.00 2004 est. 136 Tuvalu 3.00 2000 est. 137 Togo 3.00 2004 est. 138 Nepal 3.00 2004 est. 139 Mauritania 3.00 2004 est. 140 Guernsey 3.00 2003 est. 141 Finland 3.00 2004 est. 142 Cuba 3.00 2004 est. 143 Burundi 3.00 2004 est. 144 Japan 2.90 2004 est. 145 Anguilla 2.80 2001 est. 146 Somalia 2.80 2004 est. 147 Paraguay 2.80 2004 est. 148 Puerto Rico 2.70 2004 est. 149 Belgium 2.60 2004 est. 150 Cyprus 2.60 2004 est. 151 Guatemala 2.60 2004 est. 152 Spain 2.60 2004 est. 153 Guinea-Bissau 2.60 2004 est. 154 Eritrea 2.50 2004 est. 155 Swaziland 2.50 2004 est. 156 Grenada 2.50 2002 est. 157 Reunion 2.50 2004 est. 158 Canada 2.40 2004 est. 159 European Union 2.40 2004 est. 160 Barbados 2.30 2004 est. 161 Maldives 2.30 2002 est. 162 Syria 2.30 2004 est. 163 Luxembourg 2.30 2004 est. 164 Kenya 2.20 2004 est. 165 Denmark 2.10 2004 est. 166 France 2.10 2004 est. 167 Andorra 2.00 2003 est. 168 Virgin Islands 2.00 2002 est. 169 Comoros 2.00 2002 est. 170 Bermuda 2.00 2003 est. 171 Austria 1.90 2004 est. 172 Gabon 1.90 2004 est. 173 Guyana 1.90 2004 est. 174 Yemen 1.90 2004 est. 175 Jamaica 1.90 2004 est. 176 El Salvador 1.80 2004 est. 177 Greenland 1.80 2001 est. 178 Switzerland 1.80 2004 est. 179 Iceland 1.80 2004 est. 180 Cayman Islands 1.70 2002 est. 181 Germany 1.70 2004 est. 182 Dominican Republic 1.70 2004 est. 183 Kiribati 1.50 2001 est. 184 Tonga 1.50 2002 est. 185 Seychelles 1.50 2004 est. 186 Italy 1.30 2004 est. 187 Macedonia 1.30 2004 est. 188 Oman 1.20 2004 est. 189 Netherlands 1.20 2004 est. 190 Vanuatu 1.10 2003 est. 191 Portugal 1.10 2004 est. 192 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2002 est. 193 Guinea 1.00 2004 est. 194 Palau 1.00 2001 est. 195 British Virgin Islands 1.00 2002 est. 196 East Timor 1.00 2004 est. 197 Marshall Islands 1.00 2001 est. 198 Malta 1.00 2004 est. 199 Korea, North 1.00 2004 est. 200 Monaco 0.90 2000 est. 201 Rwanda 0.90 2004 est. 202 Papua New Guinea 0.90 2004 est. 203 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.70 2002 est. 204 Central African Republic 0.50 2004 est. 205 Netherlands Antilles 0.50 2003 est. 206 Niue -0.30 2000 est. 207 Dominica -1.00 2003 est. 208 Montserrat -1.00 2002 est. 209 Cote d'Ivoire -1.00 2004 est. 210 Burma -1.30 2004 est. 211 Aruba -1.50 2002 est. 212 Saint Kitts and Nevis -1.90 2002 est. 213 Haiti -3.50 2004 est. 214 Zimbabwe -8.20 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2004

Rank Country GDP - per capita Date of Information

1 Luxembourg $ 58,900 2004 est. 2 United States $ 40,100 2004 est. 3 Guernsey $ 40,000 2003 est. 4 Norway $ 40,000 2004 est. 5 Jersey $ 40,000 2003 est. 6 British Virgin Islands $ 38,500 2004 est. 7 Bermuda $ 36,000 2003 est. 8 San Marino $ 34,600 2001 est. 9 Hong Kong $ 34,200 2004 est. 10 Switzerland $ 33,800 2004 est. 11 Cayman Islands $ 32,300 2004 est. 12 Denmark $ 32,200 2004 est. 13 Ireland $ 31,900 2004 est. 14 Iceland $ 31,900 2004 est. 15 Canada $ 31,500 2004 est. 16 Austria $ 31,300 2004 est. 17 Australia $ 30,700 2004 est. 18 Belgium $ 30,600 2004 est. 19 United Kingdom $ 29,600 2004 est. 20 Netherlands $ 29,500 2004 est. 21 Japan $ 29,400 2004 est. 22 Finland $ 29,000 2004 est. 23 France $ 28,700 2004 est. 24 Germany $ 28,700 2004 est. 25 Man, Isle of $ 28,500 2003 est. 26 Sweden $ 28,400 2004 est. 27 Aruba $ 28,000 2002 est. 28 Gibraltar $ 27,900 2000 est. 29 Singapore $ 27,800 2004 est. 30 Italy $ 27,700 2004 est. 31 Monaco $ 27,000 2000 est. 32 European Union $ 26,900 2004 est. 33 Andorra $ 26,800 2003 est. 34 Taiwan $ 25,300 2004 est. 35 United Arab Emirates $ 25,200 2004 est. 36 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 25,000 2002 est. 37 Liechtenstein $ 25,000 1999 est. 38 Brunei $ 23,600 2003 est. 39 Spain $ 23,300 2004 est. 40 New Zealand $ 23,200 2004 est. 41 Qatar $ 23,200 2004 est. 42 Faroe Islands $ 22,000 2001 est. 43 Greece $ 21,300 2004 est. 44 Kuwait $ 21,300 2004 est. 45 Guam $ 21,000 2000 est. 46 Israel $ 20,800 2004 est. 47 Cyprus $ 20,300 2004 est. 48 Greenland $ 20,000 2001 est. 49 Slovenia $ 19,600 2004 est. 50 Macau $ 19,400 2003 51 Bahrain $ 19,200 2004 est. 52 Korea, South $ 19,200 2004 est. 53 Malta $ 18,200 2004 est. 54 Portugal $ 17,900 2004 est. 55 Bahamas, The $ 17,700 2004 est. 56 Puerto Rico $ 17,700 2004 est. 57 French Polynesia $ 17,500 2003 est. 58 Virgin Islands $ 17,200 2002 est. 59 Czech Republic $ 16,800 2004 est. 60 Barbados $ 16,400 2004 est. 61 New Caledonia $ 15,000 2003 est. 62 Hungary $ 14,900 2004 est. 63 Slovakia $ 14,500 2004 est. 64 Uruguay $ 14,500 2004 est. 65 Martinique $ 14,400 2003 est. 66 Estonia $ 14,300 2004 est. 67 Oman $ 13,100 2004 est. 68 Mauritius $ 12,800 2004 est. 69 Northern Mariana Islands $ 12,500 2000 est. 70 Lithuania $ 12,500 2004 est. 71 Argentina $ 12,400 2004 est. 72 Poland $ 12,000 2004 est. 73 Saudi Arabia $ 12,000 2004 est. 74 Latvia $ 11,500 2004 est. 75 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 11,500 2002 est. 76 Netherlands Antilles $ 11,400 2003 est. 77 Croatia $ 11,200 2004 est. 78 South Africa $ 11,100 2004 est. 79 Antigua and Barbuda $ 11,000 2002 est. 80 Chile $ 10,700 2004 est. 81 Trinidad and Tobago $ 10,500 2004 est. 82 Russia $ 9,800 2004 est. 83 Malaysia $ 9,700 2004 est. 84 Costa Rica $ 9,600 2004 est. 85 Mexico $ 9,600 2004 est. 86 Botswana $ 9,200 2004 est. 87 Palau $ 9,000 2001 est. 88 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 8,800 2002 est. 89 World $ 8,800 2004 est. 90 French Guiana $ 8,300 2003 est. 91 Bulgaria $ 8,200 2004 est. 92 Brazil $ 8,100 2004 est. 93 Thailand $ 8,100 2004 est. 94 American Samoa $ 8,000 2000 est. 95 Guadeloupe $ 7,900 2003 est. 96 Kazakhstan $ 7,800 2004 est. 97 Seychelles $ 7,800 2002 est. 98 Iran $ 7,700 2004 est. 99 Romania $ 7,700 2004 est. 100 Anguilla $ 7,500 2002 est. 101 Turkey $ 7,400 2004 est. 102 Namibia $ 7,300 2004 est. 103 Cyprus $ 7,135 2004 est. 104 Macedonia $ 7,100 2004 est. 105 Tunisia $ 7,100 2004 est. 106 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 7,000 2001 est. 107 Panama $ 6,900 2004 est. 108 Belarus $ 6,800 2004 est. 109 Libya $ 6,700 2004 est. 110 Algeria $ 6,600 2004 est. 111 Colombia $ 6,600 2004 est. 112 Belize $ 6,500 2004 est. 113 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 6,500 2004 est. 114 Dominican Republic $ 6,300 2004 est. 115 Ukraine $ 6,300 2004 est. 116 Reunion $ 6,000 2004 est. 117 Fiji $ 5,900 2004 est. 118 Gabon $ 5,900 2004 est. 119 Venezuela $ 5,800 2004 est. 120 Turkmenistan $ 5,700 2004 est. 121 China $ 5,600 2004 est. 122 Peru $ 5,600 2004 est. 123 Samoa $ 5,600 2002 est. 124 Dominica $ 5,500 2003 est. 125 Saint Lucia $ 5,400 2002 est. 126 Swaziland $ 5,100 2004 est. 127 Cook Islands $ 5,000 2001 est. 128 Lebanon $ 5,000 2004 est. 129 Philippines $ 5,000 2004 est. 130 Nauru $ 5,000 2001 est. 131 Grenada $ 5,000 2002 est. 132 Albania $ 4,900 2004 est. 133 El Salvador $ 4,900 2004 est. 134 Paraguay $ 4,800 2004 est. 135 Armenia $ 4,600 2004 est. 136 Jordan $ 4,500 2004 est. 137 Suriname $ 4,300 2004 est. 138 Egypt $ 4,200 2004 est. 139 Morocco $ 4,200 2004 est. 140 Guatemala $ 4,200 2004 est. 141 Jamaica $ 4,100 2004 est. 142 Sri Lanka $ 4,000 2004 est. 143 Maldives $ 3,900 2002 est. 144 Azerbaijan $ 3,800 2004 est. 145 Wallis and Futuna $ 3,800 2004 est. 146 Guyana $ 3,800 2004 est. 147 Ecuador $ 3,700 2004 est. 148 Niue $ 3,600 2000 est. 149 Indonesia $ 3,500 2004 est. 150 Montserrat $ 3,400 2002 est. 151 Syria $ 3,400 2004 est. 152 Lesotho $ 3,200 2004 est. 153 Georgia $ 3,100 2004 est. 154 India $ 3,100 2004 est. 155 Cuba $ 3,000 2004 est. 156 Vanuatu $ 2,900 2003 est. 157 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 2,900 2002 est. 158 Honduras $ 2,800 2004 est. 159 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,700 2002 est. 160 Vietnam $ 2,700 2004 est. 161 Bolivia $ 2,600 2004 est. 162 Mayotte $ 2,600 2003 est. 163 Saint Helena $ 2,500 1998 est. 164 Serbia and Montenegro $ 2,400 2004 est. 165 Ghana $ 2,300 2004 est. 166 Tonga $ 2,300 2002 est. 167 Nicaragua $ 2,300 2004 est. 168 Pakistan $ 2,200 2004 est. 169 Papua New Guinea $ 2,200 2004 est. 170 Angola $ 2,100 2004 est. 171 Guinea $ 2,100 2004 est. 172 Iraq $ 2,100 2004 est. 173 Bangladesh $ 2,000 2004 est. 174 Cambodia $ 2,000 2004 est. 175 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 2,000 2002 est. 176 Cameroon $ 1,900 2004 est. 177 Laos $ 1,900 2004 est. 178 Mongolia $ 1,900 2004 est. 179 Moldova $ 1,900 2004 est. 180 Zimbabwe $ 1,900 2004 est. 181 Sudan $ 1,900 2004 est. 182 Gambia, The $ 1,800 2004 est. 183 Uzbekistan $ 1,800 2004 est. 184 Mauritania $ 1,800 2004 est. 185 Burma $ 1,700 2004 est. 186 Senegal $ 1,700 2004 est. 187 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,700 2004 est. 188 Korea, North $ 1,700 2004 est. 189 Solomon Islands $ 1,700 2002 est. 190 Chad $ 1,600 2004 est. 191 Togo $ 1,600 2004 est. 192 Marshall Islands $ 1,600 2001 est. 193 Haiti $ 1,500 2004 est. 194 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,500 2004 est. 195 Uganda $ 1,500 2004 est. 196 Nepal $ 1,500 2004 est. 197 Bhutan $ 1,400 2003 est. 198 Cape Verde $ 1,400 2002 est. 199 Djibouti $ 1,300 2002 est. 200 Rwanda $ 1,300 2004 est. 201 Benin $ 1,200 2004 est. 202 Mozambique $ 1,200 2004 est. 203 Burkina Faso $ 1,200 2004 est. 204 Sao Tome and Principe $ 1,200 2003 est. 205 Central African Republic $ 1,100 2004 est. 206 Tuvalu $ 1,100 2000 est. 207 Tajikistan $ 1,100 2004 est. 208 Kenya $ 1,100 2004 est. 209 Nigeria $ 1,000 2004 est. 210 Tokelau $ 1,000 1993 est. 211 Eritrea $ 900 2004 est. 212 Zambia $ 900 2004 est. 213 Niger $ 900 2004 est. 214 Mali $ 900 2004 est. 215 Liberia $ 900 2004 est. 216 Afghanistan $ 800 2003 est. 217 Congo, Republic of the $ 800 2004 est. 218 Kiribati $ 800 2001 est. 219 Ethiopia $ 800 2004 est. 220 Madagascar $ 800 2004 est. 221 Yemen $ 800 2004 est. 222 West Bank $ 800 2003 est. 223 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 700 2004 est. 224 Guinea-Bissau $ 700 2004 est. 225 Tanzania $ 700 2004 est. 226 Comoros $ 700 2002 est. 227 Burundi $ 600 2004 est. 228 Somalia $ 600 2004 est. 229 Gaza Strip $ 600 2003 est. 230 Sierra Leone $ 600 2004 est. 231 Malawi $ 600 2004 est. 232 East Timor $ 400 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2034

Rank Country Military expenditures - percent of GDP(%) Date of Information

1 Jordan 14.60 2004 2 Eritrea 13.40 2004 3 Oman 11.40 2003 4 Angola 10.60 2004 5 Qatar 10.00 6 Saudi Arabia 10.00 2002 7 Israel 8.70 FY02 8 Yemen 7.80 2003 9 Armenia 6.50 FY01 10 Bahrain 6.30 2004 11 Burundi 6.00 2004 12 Macedonia 6.00 13 Syria 5.90 14 Maldives 5.50 2004 15 Kuwait 5.30 2004 16 Turkey 5.30 2003 17 Brunei 5.10 2004 18 Morocco 5.00 2004 19 Pakistan 4.90 2004 20 Singapore 4.90 21 Ethiopia 4.60 2004 22 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4.50 23 Djibouti 4.40 2004 24 China 4.30 2004 25 Greece 4.30 2003 26 Zimbabwe 4.30 2004 27 Botswana 3.90 2004 28 Libya 3.90 29 Tajikistan 3.90 FY01 30 Chile 3.80 2004 31 Cyprus 3.80 32 Colombia 3.40 FY01 33 Turkmenistan 3.40 34 Egypt 3.40 2004 35 Iran 3.30 2003 est. 36 United States 3.30 February 2004 37 Algeria 3.20 2004 38 Rwanda 3.20 2004 39 United Arab Emirates 3.10 40 Namibia 3.10 2004 41 Guinea-Bissau 3.10 2004 42 Lebanon 3.10 2004 43 Cambodia 3.00 44 Sudan 3.00 2004 45 Comoros 3.00 2004 46 Indonesia 3.00 2004 47 India 2.93 2005/06 48 Congo, Republic of the 2.80 2004 49 Korea, South 2.80 2004 50 Australia 2.70 2004 51 Afghanistan 2.60 2004 52 Azerbaijan 2.60 53 Taiwan 2.60 2004 54 France 2.60 2003 55 Sri Lanka 2.60 2004 56 Bulgaria 2.60 2003 57 Equatorial Guinea 2.50 2004 58 Vietnam 2.50 59 Romania 2.47 2002 60 Benin 2.40 2004 61 United Kingdom 2.40 2003 62 Croatia 2.39 2002 est. 63 Lesotho 2.30 2004 64 Portugal 2.30 2003 65 Ecuador 2.20 2004 66 Fiji 2.20 FY02 67 Mozambique 2.20 2004 68 Mongolia 2.20 FY02 69 Uganda 2.20 2004 70 Burma 2.10 71 Chad 2.10 2004 72 Malaysia 2.03 73 Czech Republic 2.02 2004 74 Belize 2.00 2003 75 Finland 2.00 FY98/99 76 Gabon 2.00 2004 77 Estonia 2.00 2002 est. 78 Uruguay 2.00 2004 79 World 2.00 80 Uzbekistan 2.00 81 Lithuania 1.90 FY01 82 Norway 1.90 2003 83 Togo 1.90 2004 84 Slovakia 1.89 2002 85 Bangladesh 1.80 2004 86 Zambia 1.80 2004 87 Thailand 1.80 2003 88 Seychelles 1.80 2004 89 Italy 1.80 2004 90 Brazil 1.80 2004 91 Cuba 1.80 2003 92 Bhutan 1.80 2004 93 Hungary 1.75 2002 est. 94 Poland 1.71 2002 95 Guinea 1.70 2004 96 Sierra Leone 1.70 2004 97 Sweden 1.70 2004 98 Slovenia 1.70 FY00 99 Mauritania 1.70 2004 100 Bolivia 1.60 2004 101 Netherlands 1.60 2004 102 Cameroon 1.60 2004 103 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.50 2004 104 Cape Verde 1.50 2004 105 Denmark 1.50 2004 106 Germany 1.50 2003 107 Nepal 1.50 2004 108 South Africa 1.50 2004 109 Venezuela 1.50 2004 110 Tunisia 1.50 111 Senegal 1.50 2004 112 Albania 1.49 FY02 113 Belarus 1.40 FY02 114 Honduras 1.40 2004 115 Swaziland 1.40 2004 116 Ukraine 1.40 FY02 117 Peru 1.40 2004 118 Papua New Guinea 1.40 FY02 119 Kyrgyzstan 1.40 FY01 120 Argentina 1.30 FY00 121 Belgium 1.30 2003 122 Burkina Faso 1.30 2004 123 Kenya 1.30 2004 124 Cote d'Ivoire 1.20 2004 125 Madagascar 1.20 2004 126 Latvia 1.20 FY01 127 Spain 1.20 2003 128 Canada 1.10 2003 129 Dominican Republic 1.10 1998 130 Niger 1.10 2004 131 Panama 1.10 2004 132 El Salvador 1.10 2003 133 Central African Republic 1.00 2004 134 Japan 1.00 2004 135 Philippines 1.00 2004 136 Switzerland 1.00 FY01 137 New Zealand 1.00 FY02 138 Austria 0.90 2004 139 Ireland 0.90 FY00/01 140 Guyana 0.90 2004 141 Somalia 0.90 2003 142 Paraguay 0.90 2003 143 Mexico 0.90 2004 144 Luxembourg 0.90 2003 145 Kazakhstan 0.90 FY02 146 Haiti 0.90 2003 147 Guatemala 0.80 2003 148 Nigeria 0.80 2004 149 Sao Tome and Principe 0.80 2004 150 Malawi 0.70 2004 151 Malta 0.70 2004 152 Suriname 0.70 2003 153 Nicaragua 0.70 2004 154 Ghana 0.60 2004 155 Trinidad and Tobago 0.60 2003 156 Georgia 0.59 157 Laos 0.50 2004 158 Costa Rica 0.40 2003 159 Moldova 0.40 FY02 160 Jamaica 0.40 2003 161 Mali 0.40 2004 162 Gambia, The 0.30 2004 163 Liberia 0.20 2004 164 Mauritius 0.20 2004 165 Tanzania 0.20 2004 166 Bermuda 0.11

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2038

Rank Country Electricity - production(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 15,290,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States 3,839,000,000,000 2002 3 European Union 2,888,000,000,000 2002 est. 4 China 1,910,000,000,000 2003 5 Japan 1,044,000,000,000 2002 6 Russia 915,000,000,000 2003 7 Germany 560,000,000,000 2003 8 Canada 548,900,000,000 2002 9 India 547,200,000,000 2002 10 France 528,600,000,000 2002 11 United Kingdom 395,900,000,000 2003 12 Brazil 339,000,000,000 2002 13 Korea, South 322,500,000,000 2003 14 Italy 261,600,000,000 2002 15 Spain 229,000,000,000 2002 16 Australia 210,300,000,000 2002 17 Mexico 203,600,000,000 2002 18 South Africa 202,600,000,000 2002 19 Ukraine 180,000,000,000 2003 20 Taiwan 158,500,000,000 2002 21 Sweden 142,800,000,000 2002 22 Turkey 139,700,000,000 2003 23 Saudi Arabia 138,200,000,000 2002 24 Poland 133,800,000,000 2002 25 Iran 129,000,000,000 2002 26 Norway 125,900,000,000 2002 27 Thailand 118,900,000,000 2003 28 Indonesia 110,200,000,000 2003 29 Netherlands 90,610,000,000 2002 30 Venezuela 89,700,000,000 2003 31 Argentina 81,390,000,000 2002 32 Egypt 81,270,000,000 2002 33 Belgium 76,580,000,000 2002 34 Malaysia 75,330,000,000 2002 35 Pakistan 75,270,000,000 2003 36 Czech Republic 71,750,000,000 2002 37 Finland 71,590,000,000 2002 38 Kazakhstan 66,820,000,000 2003 39 Switzerland 63,470,000,000 2002 40 Austria 58,490,000,000 2002 41 Romania 56,530,000,000 2003 42 Philippines 52,860,000,000 2003 43 Chile 48,600,000,000 2004 44 Paraguay 48,360,000,000 2002 45 Uzbekistan 47,700,000,000 2002 46 Greece 47,220,000,000 2002 47 United Arab Emirates 45,120,000,000 2004 48 Colombia 44,870,000,000 2002 49 Portugal 43,280,000,000 2002 50 Bulgaria 43,070,000,000 2002 51 Israel 42,670,000,000 2002 52 New Zealand 38,390,000,000 2002 53 Denmark 36,380,000,000 2002 54 Hong Kong 35,510,000,000 2003 55 Singapore 35,330,000,000 2003 56 Vietnam 34,480,000,000 2002 57 Hungary 34,070,000,000 2002 58 Korea, North 33,620,000,000 2002 59 Iraq 32,600,000,000 2004 60 Kuwait 32,430,000,000 2002 61 Serbia and Montenegro 31,640,000,000 2002 62 Slovakia 31,150,000,000 2003 63 Belarus 30,000,000,000 2004 64 Syria 26,150,000,000 2002 65 Algeria 25,760,000,000 2002 66 Ireland 22,880,000,000 2002 67 Peru 22,880,000,000 2004 est. 68 Puerto Rico 22,090,000,000 2002 69 Libya 20,890,000,000 2002 70 Nigeria 19,850,000,000 2002 71 Lithuania 17,930,000,000 2002 72 Azerbaijan 17,550,000,000 2002 73 Bangladesh 16,450,000,000 2002 74 Tajikistan 15,080,000,000 2002 75 Cuba 14,410,000,000 2002 76 Morocco 13,910,000,000 2002 77 Croatia 12,510,000,000 2002 78 Slovenia 12,490,000,000 2003 79 Kyrgyzstan 11,720,000,000 2002 80 Ecuador 11,540,000,000 2002 81 Turkmenistan 11,410,000,000 2004 est. 82 Tunisia 10,720,000,000 2002 83 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10,040,000,000 2002 84 Oman 9,896,000,000 2003 85 Qatar 9,727,000,000 2002 86 Dominican Republic 9,583,000,000 2002 87 Mozambique 8,859,000,000 2002 88 Zimbabwe 8,839,000,000 2002 89 Uruguay 8,536,000,000 2003 90 Estonia 8,301,000,000 2002 91 Iceland 8,271,000,000 2002 92 Zambia 8,167,000,000 2002 93 Lebanon 8,066,000,000 2002 94 Jordan 7,307,000,000 2002 95 Ghana 6,922,000,000 2002 96 Bahrain 6,860,000,000 2002 97 Georgia 6,732,000,000 2002 98 Sri Lanka 6,697,000,000 2002 99 Costa Rica 6,614,000,000 2002 100 Guatemala 6,608,000,000 2002 101 Armenia 6,492,000,000 2002 102 Jamaica 6,289,000,000 2002 103 Macedonia 6,273,000,000 2003 104 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6,086,000,000 2002 105 Trinidad and Tobago 5,743,000,000 2002 106 Albania 5,680,000,000 2004 107 Burma 5,068,000,000 2003 108 Panama 4,873,000,000 2002 109 Cote d'Ivoire 4,759,000,000 2002 110 Latvia 4,547,000,000 2002 111 Kenya 4,475,000,000 2002 112 El Salvador 4,158,000,000 2004 113 Bolivia 4,132,000,000 2002 114 Cyprus 4,000,000,000 2003 115 Moldova 3,876,000,000 2002 116 Honduras 3,626,000,000 2002 117 Cameroon 3,571,000,000 2002 118 Laos 3,560,000,000 2002 119 Yemen 3,040,000,000 2002 est. 120 Tanzania 2,727,000,000 2002 121 Mongolia 2,692,000,000 2004 est. 122 Sudan 2,581,000,000 2002 123 Nicaragua 2,553,000,000 2002 124 Luxembourg 2,511,000,000 2002 125 Brunei 2,458,000,000 2002 126 Malta 2,150,000,000 2002 127 Ethiopia 2,149,000,000 2002 128 Nepal 2,054,000,000 2002 129 Bhutan 2,001,000,000 2002 130 Suriname 1,984,000,000 2002 131 Mauritius 1,836,000,000 2002 132 Uganda 1,775,000,000 2002 133 Senegal 1,737,000,000 2002 134 Macau 1,719,000,000 2003 135 Bahamas, The 1,716,000,000 2002 136 Angola 1,707,000,000 2002 137 Papua New Guinea 1,679,000,000 2002 138 New Caledonia 1,581,000,000 2002 139 Martinique 1,178,000,000 2002 140 Namibia 1,167,000,000 2002 141 Reunion 1,166,000,000 2002 142 Gabon 1,161,000,000 2002 143 Guadeloupe 1,160,000,000 2002 144 Malawi 1,088,000,000 2002 145 Virgin Islands 1,035,000,000 2002 146 Netherlands Antilles 1,005,000,000 2002 147 Botswana 930,000,000 2002 148 Guinea 855,000,000 2002 149 Madagascar 840,200,000 2002 150 Guam 835,000,000 2002 151 Guyana 808,000,000 2002 152 Aruba 807,700,000 2002 153 Barbados 800,000,000 2002 154 Fiji 750,000,000 2002 155 Mali 700,000,000 2002 156 Bermuda 643,000,000 2002 157 Haiti 618,000,000 2002 158 Afghanistan 540,000,000 2002 159 Liberia 488,800,000 2002 160 French Guiana 460,100,000 2002 161 Cayman Islands 410,800,000 2002 162 Swaziland 402,000,000 2002 163 French Polynesia 380,000,000 2002 164 Burkina Faso 361,000,000 2002 165 Congo, Republic of the 348,000,000 2002 166 Lesotho 314,000,000 2002 167 Benin 285,200,000 2002 168 Saint Lucia 270,300,000 2002 169 Niger 266,200,000 2002 170 Sierra Leone 255,300,000 2002 171 Eritrea 246,600,000 2002 172 Greenland 245,000,000 2002 173 Somalia 240,300,000 2002 174 Faroe Islands 220,000,000 2002 175 Seychelles 218,000,000 2002 176 Micronesia, Federated States of 192,000,000 2002 177 Mauritania 190,200,000 2002 178 Djibouti 180,000,000 2002 179 Rwanda 166,700,000 2002 180 Grenada 149,000,000 2002 181 Burundi 132,000,000 2002 182 American Samoa 130,000,000 2002 183 Maldives 124,400,000 2002 184 Cambodia 122,000,000 2003 185 Samoa 122,000,000 2002 186 Belize 117,000,000 2002 187 Antigua and Barbuda 110,800,000 2002 188 Togo 108,800,000 2002 189 Central African Republic 106,000,000 2002 190 Saint Kitts and Nevis 105,800,000 2002 191 Gibraltar 104,000,000 2002 192 Chad 96,130,000 2002 193 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 91,200,000 2002 194 Gambia, The 90,310,000 2002 195 Western Sahara 90,000,000 2002 196 Dominica 68,410,000 2002 197 Guinea-Bissau 55,000,000 2002 198 Vanuatu 48,420,000 2002 199 Cape Verde 43,080,000 2002 200 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 43,080,000 2002 201 British Virgin Islands 36,280,000 2002 202 Solomon Islands 32,000,000 2002 203 Nauru 30,000,000 2002 204 Cook Islands 27,000,000 2002 205 Equatorial Guinea 26,690,000 2002 206 Tonga 24,790,000 2002 207 Comoros 23,840,000 2002 208 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 19,060,000 2002 209 Sao Tome and Principe 17,000,000 2002 210 Kiribati 7,000,000 2002 211 Saint Helena 5,000,000 2002 212 Turks and Caicos Islands 5,000,000 2002 213 Niue 3,000,000 2002 214 Montserrat 1,800,000 2002

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2042

Rank Country Electricity - consumption(kWh) Date of Information

1 World 14,280,000,000,000 2002 est. 2 United States 3,660,000,000,000 2002 3 European Union 2,661,000,000,000 2002 est. 4 China 1,630,000,000,000 2003 5 Japan 971,000,000,000 2002 6 Russia 894,300,000,000 2003 7 Germany 519,500,000,000 2003 8 India 510,100,000,000 2002 9 Canada 487,300,000,000 2002 10 France 414,700,000,000 2002 11 Brazil 351,900,000,000 2002 12 United Kingdom 337,400,000,000 2003 13 Italy 293,900,000,000 2002 14 Korea, South 293,600,000,000 2003 15 Spain 218,400,000,000 2002 16 Australia 195,600,000,000 2002 17 Mexico 189,700,000,000 2002 18 South Africa 189,400,000,000 2002 19 Taiwan 147,400,000,000 2002 20 Sweden 138,100,000,000 2002 21 Ukraine 132,000,000,000 2003 22 Saudi Arabia 128,500,000,000 2002 23 Iran 119,900,000,000 2002 24 Turkey 117,900,000,000 2002 25 Poland 117,400,000,000 2002 26 Norway 107,400,000,000 2002 27 Thailand 106,100,000,000 2003 28 Netherlands 100,700,000,000 2002 29 Indonesia 92,350,000,000 2003 30 Venezuela 89,300,000,000 2003 31 Argentina 81,650,000,000 2002 32 Belgium 78,820,000,000 2002 33 Finland 78,580,000,000 2002 34 Egypt 75,580,000,000 2002 35 Malaysia 68,400,000,000 2002 36 Kazakhstan 62,210,000,000 203 37 Romania 57,500,000,000 2003 38 Czech Republic 55,330,000,000 2002 39 Austria 55,090,000,000 2002 40 Switzerland 54,530,000,000 2002 41 Pakistan 52,660,000,000 2003 42 Greece 47,420,000,000 2002 43 Uzbekistan 46,660,000,000 2002 44 Philippines 46,050,000,000 2003 45 Portugal 42,150,000,000 2002 46 Chile 41,800,000,000 2002 47 Colombia 41,140,000,000 2002 48 Hong Kong 38,450,000,000 2003 49 Israel 38,300,000,000 2002 50 United Arab Emirates 36,510,000,000 2002 51 Hungary 35,990,000,000 2002 52 New Zealand 35,710,000,000 2002 53 Belarus 34,300,000,000 2004 54 Iraq 33,700,000,000 2004 55 Bulgaria 32,710,000,000 2002 56 Serbia and Montenegro 32,330,000,000 2002 57 Vietnam 32,060,000,000 2002 58 Singapore 32,000,000,000 2003 59 Denmark 31,630,000,000 2002 60 Korea, North 31,260,000,000 2002 61 Kuwait 30,160,000,000 2002 62 Slovakia 28,890,000,000 2003 63 Syria 24,320,000,000 2002 64 Algeria 23,610,000,000 2002 65 Ireland 21,780,000,000 2002 66 Puerto Rico 20,540,000,000 2002 67 Peru 20,220,000,000 2002 68 Libya 19,430,000,000 2002 69 Nigeria 18,430,000,000 2002 70 Azerbaijan 17,370,000,000 2002 71 Bangladesh 15,300,000,000 2002 72 Croatia 15,200,000,000 2002 73 Tajikistan 14,410,000,000 2002 74 Morocco 14,240,000,000 2002 75 Cuba 13,400,000,000 2002 76 Slovenia 11,800,000,000 2003 77 Zimbabwe 11,220,000,000 2002 78 Ecuador 10,790,000,000 2002 79 Kyrgyzstan 10,210,000,000 2002 80 Lithuania 10,170,000,000 2002 81 Tunisia 10,050,000,000 2002 82 Oman 9,792,000,000 2003 83 Qatar 9,046,000,000 2002 84 Dominican Republic 8,912,000,000 2002 85 Turkmenistan 8,908,000,000 2002 86 Lebanon 8,591,000,000 2002 87 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8,318,000,000 2002 88 Iceland 7,692,000,000 2002 89 Macedonia 7,216,000,000 2003 90 Jordan 7,094,000,000 2002 91 Georgia 6,811,000,000 2002 92 Albania 6,760,000,000 2004 93 Bahrain 6,379,000,000 2002 94 Estonia 6,358,000,000 2002 95 Sri Lanka 6,228,000,000 2002 96 Ghana 6,137,000,000 2002 97 Uruguay 5,878,000,000 2003 98 Jamaica 5,849,000,000 2002 99 Latvia 5,829,000,000 2002 100 Armenia 5,797,000,000 2002 101 Guatemala 5,760,000,000 2002 102 Luxembourg 5,735,000,000 2002 103 Costa Rica 5,733,000,000 2002 104 Zambia 5,345,000,000 2002 105 Trinidad and Tobago 5,341,000,000 2002 106 Mozambique 5,046,000,000 2002 107 Moldova 4,605,000,000 2002 108 Panama 4,473,000,000 2002 109 El Salvador 4,450,000,000 2004 110 Kenya 4,337,000,000 2002 111 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4,168,000,000 2002 112 Bolivia 3,848,000,000 2002 113 Honduras 3,771,000,000 2002 114 Cyprus 3,663,000,000 2003 115 Burma 3,484,000,000 2003 116 Cameroon 3,321,000,000 2002 117 Laos 3,036,000,000 2002 118 Cote d'Ivoire 2,976,000,000 2002 119 Yemen 2,827,000,000 2002 est. 120 Tanzania 2,566,000,000 2002 121 Paraguay 2,469,000,000 2002 122 Sudan 2,400,000,000 2002 123 Nicaragua 2,318,000,000 2002 124 Brunei 2,286,000,000 2002 125 Mongolia 2,209,000,000 2004 est. 126 Nepal 2,005,000,000 2002 127 Malta 2,000,000,000 2002 128 Ethiopia 1,998,000,000 2002 129 Namibia 1,920,000,000 2002 130 Botswana 1,890,000,000 2002 131 Suriname 1,845,000,000 2002 132 Macau 1,772,000,000 2003 133 Mauritius 1,707,000,000 2002 134 Senegal 1,615,000,000 2002 135 Bahamas, The 1,596,000,000 2002 136 Angola 1,587,000,000 2002 137 Papua New Guinea 1,561,000,000 2002 138 New Caledonia 1,471,000,000 2002 139 Uganda 1,401,000,000 2002 140 Swaziland 1,173,000,000 2002 141 Martinique 1,095,000,000 2002 142 Reunion 1,084,000,000 2002 143 Gabon 1,080,000,000 2002 144 Guadeloupe 1,079,000,000 2002 145 Malawi 1,012,000,000 2002 146 Virgin Islands 962,600,000 2002 147 Netherlands Antilles 934,300,000 2002 148 Guinea 795,200,000 2002 149 Madagascar 781,400,000 2002 150 Guam 776,600,000 2002 151 Guyana 751,400,000 2002 152 Aruba 751,200,000 2002 153 Barbados 744,000,000 2002 154 Fiji 697,500,000 2002 155 Afghanistan 652,200,000 2002 156 Mali 651,000,000 2002 157 Jersey 630,100,000 2004 est. 158 Cyprus 602,000,000 2003 159 Bermuda 598,000,000 2002 160 Haiti 574,700,000 2002 161 Congo, Republic of the 573,600,000 2002 162 Benin 565,200,000 2002 163 Liberia 454,600,000 2002 164 Togo 451,200,000 2002 165 French Guiana 427,900,000 2002 166 Cayman Islands 382,100,000 2002 167 French Polynesia 353,400,000 2002 168 Burkina Faso 335,700,000 2002 169 Niger 327,600,000 2002 170 Bhutan 312,900,000 2002 171 Lesotho 308,000,000 2002 172 Saint Lucia 251,300,000 2002 173 Sierra Leone 237,400,000 2002 174 Eritrea 229,400,000 2002 175 Greenland 227,900,000 2002 176 Somalia 223,500,000 2002 177 Faroe Islands 204,600,000 2002 178 Seychelles 202,800,000 2002 179 Rwanda 195,000,000 2002 180 Micronesia, Federated States of 178,600,000 2002 181 Mauritania 176,900,000 2002 182 Djibouti 167,400,000 2002 183 Grenada 138,600,000 2002 184 Burundi 137,800,000 2002 185 American Samoa 120,900,000 2002 186 Maldives 115,700,000 2002 187 Samoa 113,500,000 2002 188 Belize 108,800,000 2002 189 Antigua and Barbuda 103,000,000 2002 190 Cambodia 100,600,000 2002 191 Central African Republic 98,580,000 2002 192 Saint Kitts and Nevis 98,440,000 2002 193 Gibraltar 96,760,000 2002 194 Chad 89,400,000 2002 195 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 84,820,000 2002 196 Gambia, The 83,990,000 2002 197 Western Sahara 83,700,000 2002 198 Dominica 63,620,000 2002 199 Guinea-Bissau 51,150,000 2002 200 Vanuatu 45,030,000 2002 201 Anguilla 42,600,000 202 Cape Verde 40,060,000 2002 203 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 40,060,000 2002 204 British Virgin Islands 33,740,000 2002 205 Solomon Islands 29,760,000 2002 206 Nauru 27,900,000 2002 207 Cook Islands 25,110,000 2002 208 Equatorial Guinea 24,820,000 2002 209 Tonga 23,060,000 2002 210 Comoros 22,170,000 2002 211 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 17,720,000 2002 212 Sao Tome and Principe 15,810,000 2002 213 Kiribati 6,510,000 2002 214 Saint Helena 4,650,000 2002 215 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,650,000 2002 216 Niue 2,790,000 2002 217 Montserrat 1,674,000 2002

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2053

Rank Country Airports Date of Information

1 World 49,973 2004 2 United States 14,857 2004 est. 3 Brazil 4,136 2004 est. 4 European Union 3,130 2004 est. 5 Russia 2,586 2004 est. 6 Mexico 1,833 2004 est. 7 Argentina 1,334 2004 est. 8 Canada 1,326 2004 est. 9 Bolivia 1,065 2004 est. 10 Colombia 980 2004 est. 11 Paraguay 878 2004 est. 12 South Africa 728 2004 est. 13 Indonesia 667 2004 est. 14 Ukraine 656 2004 est. 15 Papua New Guinea 571 2004 est. 16 Germany 550 2004 est. 17 France 478 2004 est. 18 China 472 2004 est. 19 United Kingdom 471 2004 est. 20 Guatemala 452 2004 est. 21 Australia 448 2004 est. 22 Zimbabwe 404 2004 est. 23 Venezuela 369 2004 est. 24 Chile 364 2004 est. 25 India 333 2004 est. 26 Kazakhstan 314 2004 est. 27 Iran 305 2004 est. 28 Philippines 255 2004 est. 29 Sweden 254 2004 est. 30 Angola 243 2004 est. 31 Peru 234 2004 est. 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 230 2004 est. 33 Uzbekistan 226 2004 est. 34 Kenya 221 2004 est. 35 Bulgaria 213 2004 est. 36 Ecuador 205 2004 est. 37 Saudi Arabia 201 2004 est. 38 Korea, South 179 2004 est. 39 Nicaragua 176 2004 est. 40 Japan 174 2004 est. 41 Cuba 170 2004 est. 42 Mozambique 158 2004 est. 43 Spain 156 2004 est. 44 Costa Rica 149 2004 est. 45 Finland 148 2004 est. 46 Libya 139 2004 est. 47 Algeria 137 2004 est. 48 Oman 136 2004 est. 49 Namibia 136 2004 est. 50 Italy 134 2004 est. 51 Belarus 133 2004 est. 52 Pakistan 131 2004 est. 53 Poland 123 2004 est. 54 Tanzania 123 2004 est. 55 Czech Republic 120 2004 est. 56 Turkey 119 2004 est. 57 Malaysia 117 2004 est. 58 Madagascar 116 2004 est. 59 New Zealand 116 2004 est. 60 Honduras 115 2004 est. 61 Iraq 111 2004 est. 62 Thailand 109 2004 est. 63 Zambia 109 2004 est. 64 Panama 105 2004 est. 65 Lithuania 102 2004 est. 66 Norway 101 2004 est. 67 Iceland 98 2004 est. 68 Denmark 97 2004 est. 69 Syria 92 2004 est. 70 Egypt 87 2004 est. 71 Botswana 85 2004 est. 72 Ethiopia 83 2004 est. 73 Greece 80 2004 est. 74 Burma 78 2004 est. 75 Korea, North 78 2004 est. 76 Sudan 75 2004 est. 77 El Salvador 73 2004 est. 78 Nigeria 70 2004 est. 79 Croatia 68 2004 est. 80 Portugal 65 2004 est. 81 Switzerland 65 2004 est. 82 Uruguay 64 2004 est. 83 Bahamas, The 63 2004 est. 84 Morocco 63 2004 est. 85 Romania 61 2004 est. 86 Somalia 60 2004 est. 87 Gabon 56 2004 est. 88 Austria 55 2004 est. 89 Tajikistan 55 2004 est. 90 Liberia 53 2004 est. 91 Turkmenistan 53 2004 est. 92 Kyrgyzstan 52 2004 est. 93 Israel 51 2004 est. 94 Azerbaijan 50 2004 est. 95 Chad 50 2004 est. 96 Central African Republic 50 2004 est. 97 Latvia 50 2004 est. 98 French Polynesia 50 2004 est. 99 Guyana 49 2004 est. 100 Afghanistan 47 2004 est. 101 Cameroon 47 2004 est. 102 Mongolia 46 2004 est. 103 Suriname 46 2004 est. 104 Nepal 46 2004 est. 105 Hungary 44 2004 est. 106 Serbia and Montenegro 44 2004 est. 107 Yemen 44 2004 est. 108 Laos 44 2004 est. 109 Belgium 43 2004 est. 110 Belize 43 2004 est. 111 Malawi 42 2004 est. 112 Taiwan 40 2004 est. 113 Cote d'Ivoire 37 2004 est. 114 Ireland 36 2004 est. 115 United Arab Emirates 35 2004 est. 116 Jamaica 35 2004 est. 117 Slovakia 34 2004 est. 118 Solomon Islands 33 2004 est. 119 Burkina Faso 33 2004 est. 120 Congo, Republic of the 32 2004 est. 121 Dominican Republic 31 2004 est. 122 Georgia 30 2004 est. 123 Tunisia 30 2004 est. 124 Puerto Rico 30 2004 est. 125 Vanuatu 30 2004 est. 126 Estonia 29 2004 est. 127 Uganda 29 2004 est. 128 Fiji 28 2004 est. 129 Lesotho 28 2004 est. 130 Mali 28 2004 est. 131 Guinea-Bissau 28 2004 est. 132 Bosnia and Herzegovina 27 2004 est. 133 Niger 27 2004 est. 134 Netherlands 27 2004 est. 135 New Caledonia 25 2004 est. 136 Mauritania 24 2004 est. 137 Vietnam 24 2004 est. 138 Moldova 23 2004 est. 139 Cambodia 20 2004 est. 140 Senegal 20 2004 est. 141 Kiribati 20 2004 est. 142 Swaziland 18 2004 est. 143 Cyprus 17 2004 est. 144 Macedonia 17 2004 est. 145 Jordan 17 2004 est. 146 Eritrea 17 2004 est. 147 Armenia 16 2004 est. 148 Guinea 16 2004 est. 149 Bangladesh 16 2004 est. 150 Marshall Islands 15 2004 est. 151 Seychelles 15 2004 est. 152 Sri Lanka 14 2004 est. 153 Greenland 14 2004 est. 154 Slovenia 14 2004 est. 155 Djibouti 13 2004 est. 156 Haiti 13 2004 est. 157 Ghana 12 2004 est. 158 Albania 11 2004 est. 159 Western Sahara 11 2004 est. 160 French Guiana 11 2004 est. 161 Sierra Leone 10 2004 est. 162 Singapore 10 2004 est. 163 Cook Islands 9 2004 est. 164 Togo 9 2004 est. 165 Rwanda 9 2004 est. 166 Guadeloupe 9 2004 est. 167 Burundi 8 2004 est. 168 East Timor 8 2004 est. 169 Turks and Caicos Islands 8 2004 est. 170 Lebanon 8 2004 est. 171 Cape Verde 7 2004 est. 172 Kuwait 7 2004 est. 173 Micronesia, Federated States of 6 2004 est. 174 Trinidad and Tobago 6 2004 est. 175 Mauritius 6 2004 est. 176 Tonga 6 2004 est. 177 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6 2004 est. 178 Benin 5 2004 est. 179 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 5 2004 est. 180 Northern Mariana Islands 5 2004 est. 181 Maldives 5 2004 est. 182 Netherlands Antilles 5 2004 est. 183 Guam 5 2004 est. 184 Bahrain 4 2004 est. 185 Equatorial Guinea 4 2004 est. 186 Qatar 4 2004 est. 187 Samoa 4 2004 est. 188 Svalbard 4 2004 est. 189 Comoros 4 2004 est. 190 Hong Kong 4 2004 est. 191 Antigua and Barbuda 3 2004 est. 192 Cayman Islands 3 2004 est. 193 West Bank 3 2004 est. 194 British Virgin Islands 3 2004 est. 195 Palau 3 2004 est. 196 Spratly Islands 3 2004 est. 197 Midway Islands 3 2004 est. 198 Grenada 3 2004 est. 199 Anguilla 3 2004 est. 200 American Samoa 3 2004 est. 201 Bhutan 2 2004 est. 202 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2 2004 est. 203 Wallis and Futuna 2 2004 est. 204 Virgin Islands 2 2004 est. 205 Sao Tome and Principe 2 2004 est. 206 Saint Lucia 2 2004 est. 207 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 2004 est. 208 Reunion 2 2004 est. 209 Luxembourg 2 2004 est. 210 Martinique 2 2004 est. 211 Gaza Strip 2 2004 est. 212 Brunei 2 2004 est. 213 Guernsey 2 2004 est. 214 Dominica 2 2004 est. 215 Aruba 1 2004 est. 216 Wake Island 1 2004 est. 217 Tuvalu 1 2004 est. 218 Tromelin Island 1 2004 est. 219 Saint Helena 1 2004 est. 220 Paracel Islands 1 2004 est. 221 Palmyra Atoll 1 2004 est. 222 Christmas Island 1 2004 est. 223 Juan de Nova Island 1 2004 est. 224 Johnston Atoll 1 2004 est. 225 Jan Mayen 1 2004 est. 226 Jersey 1 2004 est. 227 British Indian Ocean Territory 1 2004 est. 228 Man, Isle of 1 2004 est. 229 Glorioso Islands 1 2004 est. 230 Nauru 1 2004 est. 231 Norfolk Island 1 2004 est. 232 Niue 1 2004 est. 233 Malta 1 2004 est. 234 Montserrat 1 2004 est. 235 Mayotte 1 2004 est. 236 Macau 1 2004 est. 237 Gibraltar 1 2004 est. 238 Gambia, The 1 2004 est. 239 Bermuda 1 2004 est. 240 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 1 2004 est. 241 Faroe Islands 1 2004 est. 242 Europa Island 1 2004 est. 243 Barbados 1 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2054

Rank Country Birth rate(births/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Niger 51.33 2005 est. 2 Mali 49.99 2005 est. 3 Uganda 47.39 2005 est. 4 Afghanistan 47.02 2005 est. 5 Chad 46.17 2005 est. 6 Sierra Leone 46.13 2005 est. 7 Burkina Faso 45.96 2005 est. 8 Angola 45.63 2005 est. 9 Somalia 45.62 2005 est. 10 Liberia 45.61 2005 est. 11 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 44.07 2005 est. 12 Malawi 43.49 2005 est. 13 Yemen 43.07 2005 est. 14 Congo, Republic of the 43.01 2005 est. 15 Burundi 42.46 2005 est. 16 Guinea 42.01 2005 est. 17 Madagascar 41.66 2005 est. 18 Mayotte 41.58 2005 est. 19 Mauritania 41.43 2005 est. 20 Zambia 41.38 2005 est. 21 Sao Tome and Principe 40.80 2005 est. 22 Nigeria 40.65 2005 est. 23 Rwanda 40.60 2005 est. 24 Kenya 40.13 2005 est. 25 Gaza Strip 40.03 2005 est. 26 Djibouti 39.98 2005 est. 27 Gambia, The 39.89 2005 est. 28 Benin 39.58 2005 est. 29 Ethiopia 38.61 2005 est. 30 Tanzania 38.16 2005 est. 31 Guinea-Bissau 37.62 2005 est. 32 Comoros 37.52 2005 est. 33 Togo 37.17 2005 est. 34 Oman 36.73 2005 est. 35 Haiti 36.59 2005 est. 36 Gabon 36.34 2005 est. 37 Equatorial Guinea 36.01 2005 est. 38 Laos 35.99 2005 est. 39 Mozambique 35.79 2005 est. 40 Cote d'Ivoire 35.51 2005 est. 41 Maldives 35.43 2005 est. 42 Sudan 35.17 2005 est. 43 Eritrea 34.78 2005 est. 44 Central African Republic 34.32 2005 est. 45 Cameroon 34.30 2005 est. 46 Bhutan 34.03 2005 est. 47 Marshall Islands 33.52 2005 est. 48 Senegal 33.42 2005 est. 49 Tajikistan 32.58 2005 est. 50 Iraq 32.50 2005 est. 51 West Bank 32.37 2005 est. 52 Nepal 31.45 2005 est. 53 Ghana 31.12 2005 est. 54 Kiribati 30.86 2005 est. 55 Solomon Islands 30.74 2005 est. 56 Guatemala 30.56 2005 est. 57 Pakistan 30.42 2005 est. 58 Bangladesh 30.01 2005 est. 59 Papua New Guinea 29.95 2005 est. 60 Saudi Arabia 29.56 2005 est. 61 Paraguay 29.43 2005 est. 62 Belize 29.32 2005 est. 63 Honduras 28.87 2005 est. 64 Syria 28.29 2005 est. 65 Zimbabwe 28.22 2005 est. 66 Swaziland 27.92 2005 est. 67 Turkmenistan 27.68 2005 est. 68 East Timor 27.19 2005 est. 69 El Salvador 27.04 2005 est. 70 Cambodia 26.93 2005 est. 71 Libya 26.82 2005 est. 72 Uzbekistan 26.22 2005 est. 73 Cape Verde 25.33 2005 est. 74 Philippines 25.31 2005 est. 75 Tonga 25.18 2005 est. 76 Namibia 25.16 2005 est. 77 Nauru 25.14 2005 est. 78 Lesotho 25.12 2005 est. 79 Micronesia, Federated States of 25.11 2005 est. 80 Nicaragua 24.88 2005 est. 81 Bolivia 23.76 2005 est. 82 Dominican Republic 23.51 2005 est. 83 Botswana 23.33 2005 est. 84 Egypt 23.32 2005 est. 85 American Samoa 23.13 2005 est. 86 Malaysia 23.07 2005 est. 87 Vanuatu 23.06 2005 est. 88 Fiji 22.73 2005 est. 89 Ecuador 22.67 2005 est. 90 Kyrgyzstan 22.48 2005 est. 91 India 22.32 2005 est. 92 Grenada 22.30 2005 est. 93 Morocco 22.29 2005 est. 94 Turks and Caicos Islands 22.23 2005 est. 95 Panama 22.00 2005 est. 96 Tuvalu 21.91 2005 est. 97 Kuwait 21.88 2005 est. 98 Jordan 21.76 2005 est. 99 Mongolia 21.52 2005 est. 100 Jamaica 21.25 2005 est. 101 Mexico 21.01 2005 est. 102 Peru 20.87 2005 est. 103 Colombia 20.82 2005 est. 104 Indonesia 20.71 2005 est. 105 French Guiana 20.70 2005 est. 106 Azerbaijan 20.40 2005 est. 107 World 20.15 2005 est. 108 Saint Lucia 20.05 2005 est. 109 Northern Mariana Islands 19.51 2005 est. 110 Reunion 19.26 2005 est. 111 Guam 19.03 2005 est. 112 Brunei 19.01 2005 est. 113 Venezuela 18.91 2005 est. 114 Lebanon 18.88 2005 est. 115 United Arab Emirates 18.78 2005 est. 116 Costa Rica 18.60 2005 est. 117 New Caledonia 18.49 2005 est. 118 South Africa 18.48 2005 est. 119 Guyana 18.45 2005 est. 120 Suriname 18.39 2005 est. 121 Palau 18.37 2005 est. 122 Israel 18.21 2005 est. 123 Burma 18.12 2005 est. 124 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18.12 2005 est. 125 Bahrain 18.10 2005 est. 126 Bahamas, The 17.87 2005 est. 127 Montserrat 17.56 2005 est. 128 Antigua and Barbuda 17.26 2005 est. 129 Algeria 17.13 2005 est. 130 Vietnam 17.07 2005 est. 131 French Polynesia 16.93 2005 est. 132 Argentina 16.90 2005 est. 133 Brazil 16.83 2005 est. 134 Turkey 16.83 2005 est. 135 Iran 16.83 2005 est. 136 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 16.34 2005 est. 137 Seychelles 16.22 2005 est. 138 Korea, North 16.09 2005 est. 139 Samoa 15.95 2005 est. 140 Greenland 15.93 2005 est. 141 Kazakhstan 15.78 2005 est. 142 Dominica 15.73 2005 est. 143 Sri Lanka 15.63 2005 est. 144 Mauritius 15.62 2005 est. 145 Qatar 15.54 2005 est. 146 Tunisia 15.50 2005 est. 147 Chile 15.44 2005 est. 148 Guadeloupe 15.42 2005 est. 149 Moldova 15.27 2005 est. 150 Albania 15.08 2005 est. 151 Netherlands Antilles 15.00 2005 est. 152 British Virgin Islands 14.88 2005 est. 153 Ireland 14.47 2005 est. 154 Anguilla 14.26 2005 est. 155 Virgin Islands 14.20 2005 est. 156 Martinique 14.14 2005 est. 157 United States 14.14 2005 est. 158 Uruguay 14.09 2005 est. 159 Thailand 14.00 2005 est. 160 Faroe Islands 13.97 2005 est. 161 New Zealand 13.90 2005 est. 162 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 13.83 2005 est. 163 Iceland 13.73 2005 est. 164 China 13.14 2005 est. 165 Cayman Islands 12.92 2005 est. 166 Puerto Rico 12.88 2005 est. 167 Barbados 12.81 2005 est. 168 Trinidad and Tobago 12.72 2005 est. 169 Taiwan 12.64 2005 est. 170 Cyprus 12.57 2005 est. 171 Saint Helena 12.33 2005 est. 172 Australia 12.26 2005 est. 173 France 12.15 2005 est. 174 Serbia and Montenegro 12.12 2005 est. 175 Luxembourg 12.06 2005 est. 176 Cuba 12.03 2005 est. 177 Macedonia 12.00 2005 est. 178 Armenia 11.76 2005 est. 179 Norway 11.67 2005 est. 180 Bermuda 11.60 2005 est. 181 Denmark 11.36 2005 est. 182 Aruba 11.26 2005 est. 183 Man, Isle of 11.18 2005 est. 184 Netherlands 11.14 2005 est. 185 Gibraltar 10.87 2005 est. 186 Canada 10.84 2005 est. 187 Belarus 10.83 2005 est. 188 Portugal 10.82 2005 est. 189 United Kingdom 10.78 2005 est. 190 Romania 10.70 2005 est. 191 Slovakia 10.62 2005 est. 192 Finland 10.50 2005 est. 193 Belgium 10.48 2005 est. 194 Liechtenstein 10.41 2005 est. 195 Sweden 10.36 2005 est. 196 Georgia 10.25 2005 est. 197 San Marino 10.18 2005 est. 198 Malta 10.17 2005 est. 199 Spain 10.10 2005 est. 200 Korea, South 10.04 2005 est. 201 European Union 10.00 July 2005 est. 202 Estonia 9.91 2005 est. 203 Russia 9.80 2005 est. 204 Switzerland 9.77 2005 est. 205 Hungary 9.76 2005 est. 206 Greece 9.72 2005 est. 207 Poland 9.72 2005 est. 208 Bulgaria 9.66 2005 est. 209 Jersey 9.66 2005 est. 210 Croatia 9.57 2005 est. 211 Singapore 9.49 2005 est. 212 Japan 9.47 2005 est. 213 Monaco 9.26 2005 est. 214 Czech Republic 9.07 2005 est. 215 Latvia 9.04 2005 est. 216 Guernsey 9.01 2005 est. 217 Andorra 9.00 2005 est. 218 Slovenia 8.95 2005 est. 219 Italy 8.89 2005 est. 220 Austria 8.81 2005 est. 221 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.75 2005 est. 222 Ukraine 8.67 2005 est. 223 Lithuania 8.62 2005 est. 224 Macau 8.47 2005 est. 225 Germany 8.33 2005 est. 226 Hong Kong 7.26 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2066

Rank Country Death rate(deaths/1,000 population) Date of Information

1 Botswana 29.36 2005 est. 2 Swaziland 28.82 2005 est. 3 Lesotho 28.67 2005 est. 4 Angola 24.50 2005 est. 5 Liberia 23.93 2005 est. 6 Sierra Leone 23.43 2005 est. 7 Zimbabwe 21.92 2005 est. 8 South Africa 21.32 2005 est. 9 Niger 21.19 2005 est. 10 Mozambique 20.99 2005 est. 11 Afghanistan 20.75 2005 est. 12 Zambia 20.23 2005 est. 13 Malawi 19.63 2005 est. 14 Djibouti 19.39 2005 est. 15 Central African Republic 18.81 2005 est. 16 Namibia 18.36 2005 est. 17 Mali 17.23 2005 est. 18 Nigeria 17.18 2005 est. 19 Somalia 16.97 2005 est. 20 Guinea-Bissau 16.73 2005 est. 21 Chad 16.71 2005 est. 22 Tanzania 16.71 2005 est. 23 Rwanda 16.32 2005 est. 24 Burkina Faso 15.92 2005 est. 25 Guinea 15.63 2005 est. 26 Ethiopia 15.06 2005 est. 27 Equatorial Guinea 15.04 2005 est. 28 Cote d'Ivoire 14.94 2005 est. 29 Kenya 14.65 2005 est. 30 Russia 14.52 2005 est. 31 Ukraine 14.43 2005 est. 32 Bulgaria 14.26 2005 est. 33 Belarus 14.15 2005 est. 34 Burundi 13.79 2005 est. 35 Latvia 13.70 2005 est. 36 Cameroon 13.63 2005 est. 37 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 13.54 2005 est. 38 Congo, Republic of the 13.30 2005 est. 39 Estonia 13.21 2005 est. 40 Hungary 13.19 2005 est. 41 Bhutan 12.94 2005 est. 42 Uganda 12.80 2005 est. 43 Moldova 12.79 2005 est. 44 Monaco 12.71 2005 est. 45 Gambia, The 12.52 2005 est. 46 Benin 12.49 2005 est. 47 Mauritania 12.44 2005 est. 48 Haiti 12.34 2005 est. 49 Gabon 12.03 2005 est. 50 Laos 11.83 2005 est. 51 Romania 11.74 2005 est. 52 Croatia 11.38 2005 est. 53 Madagascar 11.35 2005 est. 54 Man, Isle of 11.26 2005 est. 55 Lithuania 10.92 2005 est. 56 Germany 10.55 2005 est. 57 Czech Republic 10.54 2005 est. 58 Serbia and Montenegro 10.49 2005 est. 59 Denmark 10.43 2005 est. 60 Portugal 10.43 2005 est. 61 Sweden 10.36 2005 est. 62 Trinidad and Tobago 10.36 2005 est. 63 Italy 10.30 2005 est. 64 Belgium 10.22 2005 est. 65 Slovenia 10.22 2005 est. 66 United Kingdom 10.18 2005 est. 67 Greece 10.15 2005 est. 68 European Union 10.10 July 2005 est. 69 Togo 10.01 2005 est. 70 Guernsey 9.95 2005 est. 71 Ghana 9.91 2005 est. 72 Eritrea 9.87 2005 est. 73 Azerbaijan 9.86 2005 est. 74 Burma 9.85 2005 est. 75 Poland 9.84 2005 est. 76 Finland 9.79 2005 est. 77 Austria 9.70 2005 est. 78 Spain 9.63 2005 est. 79 Senegal 9.59 2005 est. 80 Nepal 9.47 2005 est. 81 Kazakhstan 9.46 2005 est. 82 Norway 9.45 2005 est. 83 Slovakia 9.43 2005 est. 84 Jersey 9.19 2005 est. 85 Gibraltar 9.18 2005 est. 86 Sudan 9.16 2005 est. 87 Cambodia 9.15 2005 est. 88 Georgia 9.09 2005 est. 89 France 9.08 2005 est. 90 Uruguay 9.06 2005 est. 91 Bahamas, The 8.97 2005 est. 92 Japan 8.95 2005 est. 93 Turkmenistan 8.78 2005 est. 94 World 8.78 2005 est. 95 Barbados 8.74 2005 est. 96 Macedonia 8.73 2005 est. 97 Faroe Islands 8.69 2005 est. 98 Netherlands 8.68 2005 est. 99 Yemen 8.53 2005 est. 100 Switzerland 8.48 2005 est. 101 Saint Kitts and Nevis 8.47 2005 est. 102 Pakistan 8.45 2005 est. 103 Luxembourg 8.41 2005 est. 104 Bangladesh 8.40 2005 est. 105 Comoros 8.40 2005 est. 106 Tajikistan 8.39 2005 est. 107 Kiribati 8.37 2005 est. 108 Guyana 8.32 2005 est. 109 India 8.28 2005 est. 110 United States 8.25 2005 est. 111 Armenia 8.16 2005 est. 112 Bosnia and Herzegovina 8.08 2005 est. 113 San Marino 8.07 2005 est. 114 Malta 8.00 2005 est. 115 Uzbekistan 7.95 2005 est. 116 Mayotte 7.90 2005 est. 117 Vanuatu 7.90 2005 est. 118 Ireland 7.85 2005 est. 119 Greenland 7.77 2005 est. 120 Canada 7.73 2005 est. 121 Bolivia 7.64 2005 est. 122 Cyprus 7.64 2005 est. 123 Bermuda 7.63 2005 est. 124 Argentina 7.56 2005 est. 125 Puerto Rico 7.54 2005 est. 126 New Zealand 7.53 2005 est. 127 Australia 7.44 2005 est. 128 Papua New Guinea 7.37 2005 est. 129 Maldives 7.24 2005 est. 130 Tuvalu 7.22 2005 est. 131 Cuba 7.19 2005 est. 132 Grenada 7.17 2005 est. 133 Montserrat 7.17 2005 est. 134 Suriname 7.16 2005 est. 135 Kyrgyzstan 7.13 2005 est. 136 Liechtenstein 7.06 2005 est. 137 Korea, North 7.05 2005 est. 138 Mongolia 7.03 2005 est. 139 Thailand 6.98 2005 est. 140 China 6.94 2005 est. 141 Palau 6.85 2005 est. 142 Mauritius 6.83 2005 est. 143 Nauru 6.82 2005 est. 144 Dominica 6.81 2005 est. 145 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 6.70 2005 est. 146 Iceland 6.68 2005 est. 147 Sao Tome and Principe 6.68 2005 est. 148 Cape Verde 6.62 2005 est. 149 Aruba 6.57 2005 est. 150 Samoa 6.54 2005 est. 151 Sri Lanka 6.49 2005 est. 152 Jamaica 6.47 2005 est. 153 Martinique 6.44 2005 est. 154 Saint Helena 6.43 2005 est. 155 Netherlands Antilles 6.41 2005 est. 156 Taiwan 6.38 2005 est. 157 Seychelles 6.34 2005 est. 158 East Timor 6.30 2005 est. 159 Peru 6.26 2005 est. 160 Virgin Islands 6.26 2005 est. 161 Indonesia 6.25 2005 est. 162 Lebanon 6.24 2005 est. 163 Vietnam 6.20 2005 est. 164 Israel 6.18 2005 est. 165 Brazil 6.15 2005 est. 166 Hong Kong 6.13 2005 est. 167 Andorra 6.07 2005 est. 168 Guadeloupe 6.06 2005 est. 169 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6.00 2005 est. 170 Turkey 5.96 2005 est. 171 El Salvador 5.85 2005 est. 172 Chile 5.76 2005 est. 173 Dominican Republic 5.73 2005 est. 174 Korea, South 5.72 2005 est. 175 Belize 5.65 2005 est. 176 New Caledonia 5.65 2005 est. 177 Fiji 5.65 2005 est. 178 Morocco 5.64 2005 est. 179 Colombia 5.59 2005 est. 180 Iran 5.55 2005 est. 181 Iraq 5.49 2005 est. 182 Reunion 5.48 2005 est. 183 Philippines 5.47 2005 est. 184 Antigua and Barbuda 5.44 2005 est. 185 Anguilla 5.43 2005 est. 186 Tonga 5.35 2005 est. 187 Guatemala 5.30 2005 est. 188 Panama 5.28 2005 est. 189 Egypt 5.26 2005 est. 190 Honduras 5.25 2005 est. 191 Albania 5.12 2005 est. 192 Saint Lucia 5.12 2005 est. 193 Tunisia 5.09 2005 est. 194 Malaysia 5.06 2005 est. 195 Venezuela 4.90 2005 est. 196 Marshall Islands 4.88 2005 est. 197 Syria 4.88 2005 est. 198 Micronesia, Federated States of 4.87 2005 est. 199 French Guiana 4.85 2005 est. 200 Cayman Islands 4.81 2005 est. 201 Mexico 4.73 2005 est. 202 French Polynesia 4.63 2005 est. 203 Qatar 4.61 2005 est. 204 Algeria 4.60 2005 est. 205 Paraguay 4.53 2005 est. 206 Nicaragua 4.49 2005 est. 207 British Virgin Islands 4.42 2005 est. 208 Guam 4.41 2005 est. 209 Macau 4.35 2005 est. 210 Costa Rica 4.33 2005 est. 211 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.28 2005 est. 212 United Arab Emirates 4.26 2005 est. 213 Ecuador 4.24 2005 est. 214 Singapore 4.16 2005 est. 215 Bahrain 4.08 2005 est. 216 West Bank 3.99 2005 est. 217 Solomon Islands 3.98 2005 est. 218 Gaza Strip 3.87 2005 est. 219 Oman 3.86 2005 est. 220 Libya 3.48 2005 est. 221 Brunei 3.42 2005 est. 222 American Samoa 3.33 2005 est. 223 Jordan 2.63 2005 est. 224 Saudi Arabia 2.62 2005 est. 225 Kuwait 2.42 2005 est. 226 Northern Mariana Islands 2.30 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2067

Rank Country Military expenditures - dollar figure Date of Information

1 United States $ 370,700,000,000 March 2003 2 China $ 67,490,000,000 2004 3 Japan $ 45,841,000,000 2004 4 France $ 45,238,100,000 2003 5 United Kingdom $ 42,836,500,000 2003 6 Germany $ 35,063,000,000 2003 7 Italy $ 28,182,800,000 2003 8 India $ 18,860,000,000 2005 9 Saudi Arabia $ 18,000,000,000 2002 10 Australia $ 16,650,000,000 2004 11 Korea, South $ 16,180,000,000 2004 12 Turkey $ 12,155,000,000 2003 13 Brazil $ 11,000,000,000 2004 14 Spain $ 9,906,500,000 2003 15 Canada $ 9,801,700,000 2003 16 Netherlands $ 9,408,000,000 2004 17 Israel $ 9,110,000,000 FY03 18 Taiwan $ 7,574,000,000 2003 19 Mexico $ 6,043,000,000 2004 20 Greece $ 5,890,000,000 2004 21 Sweden $ 5,729,000,000 2004 22 Korea, North $ 5,217,400,000 FY02 23 Singapore $ 4,470,000,000 24 Argentina $ 4,300,000,000 25 Iran $ 4,300,000,000 2003 est. 26 Norway $ 4,033,500,000 2003 27 Belgium $ 3,999,000,000 2003 28 Pakistan $ 3,848,000,000 2004 29 Poland $ 3,500,000,000 2002 30 Portugal $ 3,497,800,000 2003 31 Chile $ 3,420,000,000 2004 32 Colombia $ 3,300,000,000 33 Denmark $ 3,271,600,000 2003 34 South Africa $ 3,172,000,000 2004 35 Kuwait $ 2,584,500,000 2004 36 Switzerland $ 2,548,000,000 FY01 37 Algeria $ 2,480,000,000 2004 38 Egypt $ 2,440,000,000 2003 39 Morocco $ 2,305,600,000 2003 40 Czech Republic $ 2,170,000,000 2004 41 Finland $ 1,800,000,000 FY98/99 42 Thailand $ 1,775,000,000 43 Malaysia $ 1,690,000,000 44 Venezuela $ 1,687,000,000 2004 45 United Arab Emirates $ 1,600,000,000 46 Austria $ 1,497,000,000 FY01/02 47 Jordan $ 1,460,000,000 2004 48 Indonesia $ 1,300,000,000 2004 49 Iraq $ 1,300,000,000 FY00 50 Libya $ 1,300,000,000 51 New Zealand $ 1,147,000,000 FY03/04 52 Hungary $ 1,080,000,000 2002 est. 53 Bangladesh $ 995,300,000 2004 54 Romania $ 985,000,000 2002 55 Yemen $ 885,500,000 2003 56 Syria $ 858,000,000 57 Peru $ 829,300,000 2003 58 Philippines $ 805,500,000 2004 59 Qatar $ 723,000,000 60 Ireland $ 700,000,000 FY00/01 61 Ecuador $ 655,000,000 2004 62 Serbia and Montenegro $ 654,000,000 2002 63 Vietnam $ 650,000,000 64 Bahrain $ 628,900,000 2004 65 Croatia $ 620,000,000 2004 66 Ukraine $ 617,900,000 FY02 67 Sudan $ 587,000,000 2004 68 Cuba $ 572,300,000 2003 69 Nigeria $ 544,600,000 2004 70 Lebanon $ 540,600,000 2004 71 Sri Lanka $ 514,800,000 2004 72 Slovakia $ 406,000,000 2002 73 Cyprus $ 384,000,000 74 Slovenia $ 370,000,000 FY00 75 Bulgaria $ 356,000,000 FY02 76 Tunisia $ 356,000,000 77 Botswana $ 338,500,000 2004 78 Ethiopia $ 337,100,000 2004 79 Brunei $ 290,700,000 2004 80 Uruguay $ 257,500,000 2004 81 Oman $ 252,990,000 2004 82 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 234,300,000 83 Luxembourg $ 231,600,000 2003 84 Lithuania $ 230,800,000 FY01 85 Kazakhstan $ 221,800,000 FY02 86 Cameroon $ 221,100,000 2004 87 Zimbabwe $ 217,000,000 2004 88 Guatemala $ 201,900,000 2004 89 Macedonia $ 200,000,000 90 Uzbekistan $ 200,000,000 91 Afghanistan $ 188,400,000 2004 92 Gabon $ 184,800,000 2004 93 Angola $ 183,580,000 2004 94 Cote d'Ivoire $ 180,200,000 2004 95 Dominican Republic $ 180,000,000 1998 96 Kenya $ 177,100,000 2004 97 Belarus $ 176,100,000 FY02 98 Uganda $ 170,300,000 2004 99 Namibia $ 168,400,000 2004 100 El Salvador $ 157,000,000 2003 101 Estonia $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 102 Eritrea $ 151,000,000 2004 103 Panama $ 147,000,000 2004 104 Armenia $ 135,000,000 FY01 105 Bolivia $ 132,200,000 2004 106 Congo, Republic of the $ 126,500,000 2004 107 Equatorial Guinea $ 126,200,000 2004 108 Azerbaijan $ 121,000,000 109 Mozambique $ 117,300,000 2004 110 Cambodia $ 112,000,000 111 Senegal $ 107,300,000 2004 112 Zambia $ 106,800,000 2004 113 Chad $ 101,300,000 2004 114 Honduras $ 100,600,000 2004 115 Nepal $ 99,200,000 2004 116 Benin $ 96,500,000 2004 117 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 93,500,000 2004 118 Turkmenistan $ 90,000,000 119 Latvia $ 87,000,000 FY01 120 Trinidad and Tobago $ 66,700,000 2003 121 Costa Rica $ 64,200,000 2004 122 Burkina Faso $ 64,200,000 2004 123 Guinea $ 56,700,000 2004 124 Albania $ 56,500,000 FY02 125 Paraguay $ 53,100,000 2004 126 Rwanda $ 50,100,000 2004 127 Ghana $ 49,200,000 2004 128 Madagascar $ 44,600,000 2004 129 Maldives $ 41,100,000 2004 130 Swaziland $ 40,500,000 2004 131 Burma $ 39,000,000 132 Burundi $ 38,700,000 2004 133 Fiji $ 36,000,000 2004 134 Togo $ 35,500,000 2004 135 Tajikistan $ 35,400,000 FY01 136 Niger $ 33,300,000 2004 137 Nicaragua $ 32,800,000 2004 138 Lesotho $ 32,300,000 2004 139 Jamaica $ 31,200,000 2003 140 Malta $ 31,100,000 2004 141 Djibouti $ 28,600,000 2004 142 Haiti $ 26,000,000 2003 143 Mongolia $ 23,100,000 FY02 144 Georgia $ 23,000,000 145 Mali $ 22,400,000 2004 146 Mauritania $ 20,800,000 2004 147 Tanzania $ 20,600,000 2004 148 Kyrgyzstan $ 19,200,000 FY01 149 Somalia $ 18,900,000 2003 150 Belize $ 18,000,000 2003 151 Papua New Guinea $ 16,900,000 2003 152 Central African Republic $ 15,500,000 2004 153 Cape Verde $ 14,100,000 2004 154 Bhutan $ 13,700,000 2004 155 Sierra Leone $ 13,200,000 2004 156 Mauritius $ 12,500,000 2004 157 Seychelles $ 12,300,000 2004 158 Comoros $ 11,600,000 2004 159 Malawi $ 11,100,000 2004 160 Laos $ 10,700,000 2004 161 Guinea-Bissau $ 8,900,000 2004 162 Moldova $ 8,700,000 2004 163 Suriname $ 7,500,000 2003 164 Guyana $ 6,500,000 2003 165 East Timor $ 4,400,000 FY03 166 Bermuda $ 4,030,000 2001 167 Liberia $ 1,500,000 2004 168 Gambia, The $ 1,000,000 2004 169 San Marino $ 700,000 FY00/01 170 Sao Tome and Principe $ 700,000 2004

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2078

Rank Country Exports Date of Information

1 World $ 8,819,000,000,000 2003 est. 2 European Union $ 1,109,000,000,000 2003 3 Germany $ 893,300,000,000 2004 est. 4 United States $ 795,000,000,000 2004 est. 5 China $ 583,100,000,000 2004 est. 6 Japan $ 538,800,000,000 2004 est. 7 France $ 419,000,000,000 2004 est. 8 United Kingdom $ 347,200,000,000 2004 est. 9 Italy $ 336,400,000,000 2004 est. 10 Canada $ 315,600,000,000 2004 est. 11 Netherlands $ 293,100,000,000 2004 est. 12 Hong Kong $ 268,100,000,000 2004 est. 13 Belgium $ 255,700,000,000 2003 est. 14 Korea, South $ 250,600,000,000 2004 est. 15 Mexico $ 182,400,000,000 2004 est. 16 Singapore $ 174,000,000,000 2004 est. 17 Spain $ 172,500,000,000 2004 est. 18 Taiwan $ 170,500,000,000 2004 est. 19 Russia $ 162,500,000,000 2004 est. 20 Switzerland $ 130,700,000,000 2004 est. 21 Malaysia $ 123,500,000,000 2004 est. 22 Sweden $ 121,700,000,000 2004 est. 23 Saudi Arabia $ 113,000,000,000 2004 est. 24 Ireland $ 103,800,000,000 2004 est. 25 Austria $ 102,700,000,000 2004 est. 26 Brazil $ 95,000,000,000 2004 est. 27 Thailand $ 87,910,000,000 2004 est. 28 Australia $ 86,890,000,000 2004 est. 29 Norway $ 76,640,000,000 2004 est. 30 Poland $ 75,980,000,000 2004 est. 31 Denmark $ 73,060,000,000 2004 est. 32 Indonesia $ 69,860,000,000 2004 est. 33 United Arab Emirates $ 69,480,000,000 2004 est. 34 Turkey $ 69,460,000,000 2004 est. 35 India $ 69,180,000,000 2004 est. 36 Czech Republic $ 66,510,000,000 2004 est. 37 Finland $ 61,040,000,000 2004 est. 38 Hungary $ 54,620,000,000 2004 est. 39 Puerto Rico $ 46,900,000,000 2001 40 South Africa $ 41,970,000,000 2004 est. 41 Iran $ 38,790,000,000 2004 est. 42 Philippines $ 38,630,000,000 2004 est. 43 Portugal $ 37,680,000,000 2004 est. 44 Venezuela $ 35,840,000,000 2004 est. 45 Israel $ 34,410,000,000 2004 est. 46 Nigeria $ 33,990,000,000 2004 est. 47 Argentina $ 33,780,000,000 2004 est. 48 Ukraine $ 32,910,000,000 2004 est. 49 Algeria $ 32,160,000,000 2004 est. 50 Slovakia $ 29,240,000,000 2004 est. 51 Chile $ 29,200,000,000 2004 est. 52 Kuwait $ 27,420,000,000 2004 est. 53 Vietnam $ 23,720,000,000 2004 est. 54 Romania $ 23,540,000,000 2004 est. 55 New Zealand $ 19,850,000,000 2004 est. 56 Libya $ 18,650,000,000 2004 est. 57 Kazakhstan $ 18,470,000,000 2004 est. 58 Colombia $ 15,500,000,000 2004 est. 59 Greece $ 15,500,000,000 2004 est. 60 Pakistan $ 15,070,000,000 2004 est. 61 Qatar $ 15,000,000,000 2004 est. 62 Slovenia $ 14,970,000,000 2004 est. 63 Luxembourg $ 13,400,000,000 2003 64 Oman $ 13,140,000,000 2004 est. 65 Angola $ 12,760,000,000 2004 est. 66 Peru $ 12,300,000,000 2004 est. 67 Belarus $ 11,470,000,000 2004 est. 68 Egypt $ 11,000,000,000 2004 est. 69 Iraq $ 10,100,000,000 2004 est. 70 Tunisia $ 9,926,000,000 2004 est. 71 Morocco $ 9,754,000,000 2004 est. 72 Bulgaria $ 9,134,000,000 2004 est. 73 Lithuania $ 8,880,000,000 2004 est. 74 Bahrain $ 8,205,000,000 2004 est. 75 Croatia $ 7,845,000,000 2004 est. 76 Brunei $ 7,700,000,000 2003 est. 77 Ecuador $ 7,560,000,000 2004 est. 78 Bangladesh $ 7,478,000,000 2004 est. 79 Trinidad and Tobago $ 6,671,000,000 2004 est. 80 Costa Rica $ 6,184,000,000 2004 est. 81 Syria $ 6,086,000,000 2004 est. 82 Estonia $ 5,701,000,000 2004 est. 83 Panama $ 5,699,000,000 2004 est. 84 Dominican Republic $ 5,446,000,000 2004 est. 85 Sri Lanka $ 5,306,000,000 2004 est. 86 Cote d'Ivoire $ 5,124,000,000 2004 est. 87 Yemen $ 4,468,000,000 2004 est. 88 Turkmenistan $ 4,000,000,000 2004 est. 89 Gabon $ 3,710,000,000 2004 est. 90 Uzbekistan $ 3,700,000,000 2004 est. 91 Latvia $ 3,569,000,000 2004 est. 92 Sudan $ 3,395,000,000 2004 est. 93 El Salvador $ 3,249,000,000 2004 est. 94 Serbia and Montenegro $ 3,245,000,000 2004 est. 95 Jordan $ 3,200,000,000 2004 est. 96 Azerbaijan $ 3,168,000,000 2004 est. 97 Ghana $ 3,010,000,000 2004 est. 98 Botswana $ 2,940,000,000 2004 est. 99 Paraguay $ 2,936,000,000 2004 est. 100 Guatemala $ 2,911,000,000 2004 est. 101 Iceland $ 2,902,000,000 2004 est. 102 Equatorial Guinea $ 2,771,000,000 2004 est. 103 Malta $ 2,625,000,000 2004 est. 104 Kenya $ 2,589,000,000 2004 est. 105 Macau $ 2,580,000,000 2003 106 Liechtenstein $ 2,470,000,000 1996 107 Cameroon $ 2,445,000,000 2004 est. 108 Papua New Guinea $ 2,437,000,000 2004 est. 109 Cambodia $ 2,311,000,000 2004 est. 110 Congo, Republic of the $ 2,224,000,000 2004 est. 111 Uruguay $ 2,200,000,000 2003 est. 112 Burma $ 2,137,000,000 2004 est. 113 Cuba $ 2,104,000,000 2004 est. 114 Mauritius $ 2,012,000,000 2004 est. 115 Bolivia $ 1,986,000,000 2004 est. 116 Lebanon $ 1,783,000,000 2004 est. 117 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 1,700,000,000 2004 est. 118 Jamaica $ 1,679,000,000 2004 est. 119 Macedonia $ 1,629,000,000 2004 est. 120 Netherlands Antilles $ 1,579,000,000 2002 121 Zambia $ 1,548,000,000 2004 est. 122 Honduras $ 1,457,000,000 2004 est. 123 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 1,417,000,000 2002 est. 124 Zimbabwe $ 1,409,000,000 2004 est. 125 Senegal $ 1,374,000,000 2004 est. 126 Namibia $ 1,356,000,000 2004 est. 127 Tanzania $ 1,248,000,000 2004 est. 128 Korea, North $ 1,200,000,000 2003 est. 129 Tajikistan $ 1,130,000,000 2004 est. 130 Cyprus $ 1,094,000,000 2004 est. 131 Liberia $ 1,079,000,000 2002 est. 132 Moldova $ 1,030,000,000 2004 est. 133 Mali $ 915,000,000 2002 est. 134 Georgia $ 909,400,000 2004 est. 135 Swaziland $ 900,100,000 2004 est. 136 Bermuda $ 879,000,000 2002 137 Madagascar $ 868,200,000 2004 est. 138 Mongolia $ 853,000,000 2004 est. 139 Armenia $ 850,000,000 2004 est. 140 Nicaragua $ 750,000,000 2004 est. 141 Benin $ 720,900,000 2004 est. 142 Guinea $ 709,200,000 2004 est. 143 Mozambique $ 689,400,000 2004 est. 144 Antigua and Barbuda $ 689,000,000 2002 145 Togo $ 663,100,000 2004 est. 146 Kyrgyzstan $ 646,700,000 2004 est. 147 Bahamas, The $ 636,000,000 2003 est. 148 Uganda $ 621,700,000 2004 est. 149 Fiji $ 609,000,000 2002 150 Guyana $ 570,200,000 2004 est. 151 Nepal $ 568,000,000 2002 est. 152 Ethiopia $ 562,800,000 2004 est. 153 Albania $ 552,400,000 2004 est. 154 Mauritania $ 541,000,000 2002 155 Malawi $ 503,400,000 2004 est. 156 Suriname $ 495,000,000 2002 157 Lesotho $ 484,500,000 2004 est. 158 New Caledonia $ 448,000,000 2002 159 Afghanistan $ 446,000,000 FY03-04 160 Burkina Faso $ 418,600,000 2004 est. 161 Faroe Islands $ 408,000,000 2002 162 Belize $ 401,400,000 2004 est. 163 Greenland $ 388,000,000 2002 164 Laos $ 365,500,000 2004 est. 165 Chad $ 365,000,000 2003 est. 166 Haiti $ 338,100,000 2004 est. 167 Niger $ 280,000,000 2002 est. 168 Seychelles $ 256,200,000 2004 est. 169 Martinique $ 250,000,000 1997 170 French Polynesia $ 244,000,000 2002 171 Reunion $ 214,000,000 1997 172 Barbados $ 206,000,000 2002 173 Gaza Strip $ 205,000,000 2002 174 West Bank $ 205,000,000 2002 175 Central African Republic $ 172,000,000 2002 est. 176 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 169,200,000 2000 177 Djibouti $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 178 French Guiana $ 155,000,000 2002 est. 179 Bhutan $ 154,000,000 2000 est. 180 Guadeloupe $ 140,000,000 1997 181 Gibraltar $ 136,000,000 2002 182 Aruba $ 128,000,000 2002 est. 183 Gambia, The $ 114,400,000 2004 est. 184 Maldives $ 90,000,000 2002 est. 185 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 82,000,000 2002 186 Somalia $ 79,000,000 2002 est. 187 Solomon Islands $ 74,000,000 2003 est. 188 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 70,000,000 2002 est. 189 Rwanda $ 69,780,000 2004 est. 190 Saint Lucia $ 66,000,000 2002 est. 191 Eritrea $ 64,440,000 2004 est. 192 Cape Verde $ 61,110,000 2004 est. 193 Andorra $ 58,000,000 1998 194 Guinea-Bissau $ 54,000,000 2002 est. 195 Cyprus $ 49,300,000 2004 est. 196 Sierra Leone $ 49,000,000 2002 est. 197 Grenada $ 46,000,000 2002 est. 198 Dominica $ 39,000,000 2003 est. 199 Guam $ 38,000,000 2002 est. 200 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 38,000,000 2002 est. 201 Kiribati $ 35,000,000 2002 202 Burundi $ 31,840,000 2004 est. 203 American Samoa $ 30,000,000 2002 204 Comoros $ 28,000,000 2002 est. 205 Tonga $ 27,000,000 2002 est. 206 Vanuatu $ 26,600,000 2003 207 British Virgin Islands $ 25,300,000 2002 208 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 22,000,000 FY99/00 est. 209 Palau $ 18,000,000 2001 est. 210 Saint Helena $ 17,000,000 2002 211 Samoa $ 14,000,000 2002 212 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 10,000,000 2002 213 Cook Islands $ 9,100,000 2000 214 Marshall Islands $ 9,000,000 2000 215 East Timor $ 8,000,000 2004 est. 216 Sao Tome and Principe $ 6,700,000 2004 est. 217 Mayotte $ 3,440,000 1997 218 Anguilla $ 2,600,000 1999 219 Norfolk Island $ 1,500,000 FY99/00 220 Cayman Islands $ 1,200,000 1999 221 Tuvalu $ 1,000,000 2002 222 Montserrat $ 700,000 2001 223 Nauru $ 640,000 2004 est. 224 Wallis and Futuna $ 250,000 1999 225 Niue $ 137,200 1999 226 Tokelau $ 98,000 1983

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2079

Rank Country Debt - external Date of Information

1 World $ 12,700,000,000,000 2004 est. 2 United Kingdom $ 4,710,000,000,000 2003 3 United States $ 1,400,000,000,000 2001 est. 4 Italy $ 913,900,000,000 2004 est. 5 Spain $ 771,100,000,000 2004 est. 6 Canada $ 570,000,000,000 2004 7 Australia $ 308,700,000,000 3rd quarter, 2004 est. 8 Portugal $ 274,700,000,000 2004 est. 9 China $ 233,300,000,000 3rd quarter 2004 est. 10 Brazil $ 219,800,000,000 2004 est. 11 Russia $ 169,600,000,000 2004 est. 12 Korea, South $ 160,000,000,000 2004 est. 13 Argentina $ 157,700,000,000 2004 est. 14 Mexico $ 149,900,000,000 2004 est. 15 Indonesia $ 141,500,000,000 2004 est. 16 Iraq $ 125,000,000,000 2004 est. 17 India $ 117,200,000,000 2004 est. 18 Poland $ 99,150,000,000 2004 est. 19 Israel $ 74,460,000,000 2004 est. 20 Greece $ 67,230,000,000 2004 est. 21 Hong Kong $ 66,940,000,000 2004 est. 22 Sweden $ 66,500,000,000 1994 23 Hungary $ 57,000,000,000 2004 est. 24 Philippines $ 55,600,000,000 September 2004 est. 25 Taiwan $ 55,500,000,000 2004 est. 26 Malaysia $ 53,360,000,000 2004 est. 27 Thailand $ 50,590,000,000 2004 est. 28 New Zealand $ 47,340,000,000 2004 est. 29 Chile $ 44,600,000,000 2004 est. 30 Colombia $ 38,700,000,000 2004 est. 31 Czech Republic $ 36,280,000,000 2004 est. 32 Saudi Arabia $ 34,350,000,000 2004 est. 33 Pakistan $ 33,970,000,000 2004 est. 34 Egypt $ 33,750,000,000 2004 est. 35 Venezuela $ 33,290,000,000 2004 est. 36 Nigeria $ 30,550,000,000 2004 est. 37 Finland $ 30,000,000,000 December 1993 38 Peru $ 29,790,000,000 2004 est. 39 Belgium $ 28,300,000,000 1999 est. 40 South Africa $ 27,010,000,000 2004 est. 41 Croatia $ 26,400,000,000 2004 est. 42 Kazakhstan $ 26,030,000,000 2004 est. 43 Romania $ 24,590,000,000 2004 est. 44 Algeria $ 21,900,000,000 2004 est. 45 Denmark $ 21,700,000,000 2000 46 Sudan $ 21,000,000,000 2004 est. 47 Bangladesh $ 19,970,000,000 2004 est. 48 Slovakia $ 19,540,000,000 2004 est. 49 Singapore $ 19,400,000,000 2004 est. 50 Qatar $ 18,620,000,000 2004 est. 51 Monaco $ 18,000,000,000 2000 est. 52 Morocco $ 17,070,000,000 2004 est. 53 Turkey $ 16,900,000,000 2004 est. 54 Ecuador $ 16,810,000,000 2004 est. 55 Vietnam $ 16,550,000,000 2004 est. 56 Ukraine $ 16,370,000,000 2004 est. 57 Bulgaria $ 16,100,000,000 November 2004 est. 58 Lebanon $ 15,840,000,000 2004 est. 59 Austria $ 15,500,000,000 2003 est. 60 Kuwait $ 15,020,000,000 2004 est. 61 Tunisia $ 14,710,000,000 2004 est. 62 Slovenia $ 14,650,000,000 2004 est. 63 Iran $ 13,400,000,000 2004 est. 64 Serbia and Montenegro $ 12,970,000,000 2004 est. 65 Uruguay $ 12,800,000,000 March 2004 66 Cuba $ 12,090,000,000 2004 est. 67 Korea, North $ 12,000,000,000 1996 est. 68 Cote d'Ivoire $ 11,810,000,000 2004 est. 69 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 11,600,000,000 2000 est. 70 Ireland $ 11,000,000,000 1998 71 Sri Lanka $ 10,850,000,000 2004 est. 72 Angola $ 10,450,000,000 2004 est. 73 Lithuania $ 10,010,000,000 2004 est. 74 Panama $ 8,780,000,000 2004 est. 75 Cameroon $ 8,460,000,000 2004 est. 76 Estonia $ 8,373,000,000 2004 est. 77 Afghanistan $ 8,000,000,000 2004 78 Dominican Republic $ 7,745,000,000 2004 est. 79 Ghana $ 7,396,000,000 2004 est. 80 Latvia $ 7,368,000,000 2004 est. 81 Cyprus $ 7,327,000,000 2004 est. 82 Tanzania $ 7,321,000,000 2004 est. 83 Jordan $ 7,320,000,000 2004 est. 84 Kenya $ 6,792,000,000 2004 est. 85 Burma $ 6,752,000,000 2004 est. 86 Bahrain $ 6,215,000,000 2004 est. 87 Guatemala $ 5,969,000,000 2004 est. 88 Jamaica $ 5,964,000,000 2004 est. 89 Costa Rica $ 5,962,000,000 2004 est. 90 United Arab Emirates $ 5,900,000,000 2004 est. 91 Bolivia $ 5,439,000,000 June 2004 est. 92 Yemen $ 5,400,000,000 2004 est. 93 Honduras $ 5,365,000,000 September 2004 est. 94 Zambia $ 5,353,000,000 2004 est. 95 Congo, Republic of the $ 5,000,000,000 2000 est. 96 Oman $ 4,814,000,000 2004 est. 97 El Salvador $ 4,792,000,000 September 2004 est. 98 Madagascar $ 4,600,000,000 2002 99 Nicaragua $ 4,573,000,000 2004 est. 100 Uzbekistan $ 4,351,000,000 2004 est. 101 Zimbabwe $ 4,086,000,000 2004 est. 102 Libya $ 4,069,000,000 2004 est. 103 Syria $ 4,000,000,000 2004 est. 104 Uganda $ 3,865,000,000 2004 est. 105 Gabon $ 3,804,000,000 2004 est. 106 Senegal $ 3,476,000,000 2004 est. 107 Mali $ 3,300,000,000 2000 108 Guinea $ 3,250,000,000 2001 est. 109 Paraguay $ 3,239,000,000 2004 est. 110 Malawi $ 3,129,000,000 2004 est. 111 Iceland $ 3,073,000,000 2002 112 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 3,000,000,000 2004 est. 113 Somalia $ 3,000,000,000 2001 est. 114 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,940,000,000 2004 est. 115 Ethiopia $ 2,900,000,000 2001 est. 116 Macau $ 2,700,000,000 2003 117 Nepal $ 2,700,000,000 2001 118 Mauritania $ 2,500,000,000 2000 119 Laos $ 2,490,000,000 2001 120 Papua New Guinea $ 2,463,000,000 2004 est. 121 Cambodia $ 2,400,000,000 2002 est. 122 Turkmenistan $ 2,400,000,000 2001 est. 123 Liberia $ 2,100,000,000 2000 est. 124 Kyrgyzstan $ 1,970,000,000 2004 est. 125 Macedonia $ 1,863,000,000 2004 est. 126 Azerbaijan $ 1,832,000,000 2004 est. 127 Georgia $ 1,800,000,000 2002 128 Mauritius $ 1,780,000,000 2004 est. 129 Benin $ 1,600,000,000 2000 130 Niger $ 1,600,000,000 1999 est. 131 Sierra Leone $ 1,500,000,000 2002 est. 132 Albania $ 1,410,000,000 2003 133 Moldova $ 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 134 Togo $ 1,400,000,000 2000 135 Belize $ 1,362,000,000 June 2004 est. 136 Netherlands Antilles $ 1,350,000,000 1996 137 Rwanda $ 1,300,000,000 2000 est. 138 Burkina Faso $ 1,300,000,000 2000 139 French Guiana $ 1,200,000,000 1988 140 Haiti $ 1,200,000,000 2004 est. 141 Guyana $ 1,200,000,000 2002 142 Mongolia $ 1,191,000,000 2004 est. 143 Namibia $ 1,136,000,000 2004 est. 144 Burundi $ 1,133,000,000 2002 145 Chad $ 1,100,000,000 2000 est. 146 Mozambique $ 966,000,000 2002 est. 147 Guinea-Bissau $ 941,500,000 2000 est. 148 Armenia $ 905,000,000 June 2001 149 Tajikistan $ 888,000,000 2004 est. 150 Central African Republic $ 881,400,000 2000 est. 151 Lesotho $ 735,000,000 2002 152 Barbados $ 668,000,000 2003 153 Belarus $ 600,000,000 2004 est. 154 Botswana $ 531,000,000 2004 est. 155 Gambia, The $ 476,000,000 2001 est. 156 Djibouti $ 366,000,000 2002 est. 157 Cape Verde $ 325,000,000 2002 158 Suriname $ 321,000,000 2002 est. 159 Swaziland $ 320,000,000 2002 est. 160 Sao Tome and Principe $ 318,000,000 2002 161 Eritrea $ 311,000,000 2000 est. 162 Bahamas, The $ 308,500,000 2002 163 Aruba $ 285,000,000 1996 164 Maldives $ 281,000,000 2003 est. 165 Equatorial Guinea $ 248,000,000 2000 est. 166 Bhutan $ 245,000,000 2000 167 Comoros $ 232,000,000 2000 est. 168 Antigua and Barbuda $ 231,000,000 1999 169 Seychelles $ 218,100,000 2004 est. 170 Saint Lucia $ 214,000,000 2000 171 Samoa $ 197,000,000 2000 172 Grenada $ 196,000,000 2000 173 Fiji $ 188,100,000 2001 est. 174 Solomon Islands $ 180,400,000 2002 175 Martinique $ 180,000,000 1994 176 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 171,000,000 2001 177 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 167,200,000 2000 178 Dominica $ 161,500,000 2001 179 Bermuda $ 160,000,000 FY99/00 180 Cook Islands $ 141,000,000 1996 est. 181 Malta $ 130,000,000 1997 182 Gaza Strip $ 108,000,000 1997 est. 183 West Bank $ 108,000,000 1997 est. 184 Marshall Islands $ 86,500,000 FY99/00 est. 185 Vanuatu $ 83,700,000 2002 186 New Caledonia $ 79,000,000 1998 est. 187 Cayman Islands $ 70,000,000 1996 188 Faroe Islands $ 64,000,000 1999 189 Tonga $ 63,400,000 2001 190 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 53,100,000 FY02/03 est. 191 British Virgin Islands $ 36,100,000 1997 192 Nauru $ 33,300,000 2002 193 Greenland $ 25,000,000 1999 194 Kiribati $ 10,000,000 1999 est. 195 Montserrat $ 8,900,000 1997 196 Anguilla $ 8,800,000 1998 197 Niue $ 418,000 2002 est. 198 Brunei $ 0 199 Norway $ 0 2003 est. 200 Tokelau $ 0 201 Palau $ 0 FY99/00 202 Liechtenstein $ 0 2001

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2085

Rank Country Highways(km) Date of Information

1 World 32,345,165 2002 2 United States 6,393,603 2003 3 European Union 4,634,810 1999-2000 4 India 2,525,989 1999 5 China 1,765,222 2002 est. 6 Brazil 1,724,929 2000 7 Canada 1,408,800 2002 8 Japan 1,171,647 2001 9 France 893,100 2002 10 Australia 811,603 1999 est. 11 Spain 664,852 2001 12 Russia 537,289 2001 13 Italy 479,688 1999 14 United Kingdom 392,931 2003 15 Poland 364,697 2001 16 Turkey 354,421 2002 17 Indonesia 342,700 1999 est. 18 Mexico 329,532 1999 est. 19 South Africa 275,971 2002 20 Pakistan 257,683 2001 21 Germany 230,735 1999 22 Argentina 215,471 1999 23 Sweden 213,237 2002 24 Bangladesh 207,486 1999 25 Philippines 202,124 2002 26 Austria 200,000 2002 27 Romania 198,755 2002 28 Nigeria 194,394 1999 est. 29 Ukraine 169,679 2002 30 Iran 167,157 1998 31 Hungary 159,568 2002 32 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 157,000 1999 est. 33 Saudi Arabia 152,044 2000 34 Belgium 149,028 2002 35 Czech Republic 127,204 2002 36 Greece 117,000 1999 est. 37 Netherlands 116,500 1999 38 Colombia 112,998 2000 39 Algeria 104,000 1999 40 Venezuela 96,155 1999 est. 41 Ireland 95,736 2002 42 Vietnam 93,300 1999 est. 43 New Zealand 92,382 2002 44 Norway 91,852 2002 45 Zambia 91,440 2001 46 Tanzania 88,200 1999 est. 47 Korea, South 86,990 2001 48 Libya 83,200 1999 est. 49 Kazakhstan 82,980 2002 50 Uzbekistan 81,600 1999 est. 51 Belarus 79,990 2002 52 Chile 79,605 2001 53 Peru 78,230 2001 54 Finland 78,197 2004 55 Lithuania 77,148 2002 56 Denmark 71,847 2002 57 Switzerland 71,212 2002 58 Yemen 67,000 1999 est. 59 Malaysia 65,877 2001 60 Egypt 64,000 1999 est. 61 Kenya 63,942 2000 62 Cuba 60,858 1999 est. 63 Latvia 60,472 2002 64 Bolivia 60,282 2002 65 Morocco 57,694 2002 66 Thailand 57,403 2000 est. 67 Estonia 55,944 2002 68 Angola 51,429 2001 69 Cote d'Ivoire 50,400 1999 est. 70 Madagascar 49,827 1999 est. 71 Mongolia 49,256 2002 72 Ghana 46,176 1999 est. 73 Syria 45,697 2002 74 Iraq 45,550 1999 75 Serbia and Montenegro 45,290 2002 76 Ecuador 43,197 2002 77 Slovakia 42,970 2002 78 Namibia 42,237 2002 79 Taiwan 37,299 2002 80 Bulgaria 37,077 2002 81 Costa Rica 35,303 2002 82 Oman 34,965 2001 83 Cameroon 34,300 1999 est. 84 Chad 33,400 1999 est. 85 Ethiopia 33,297 2002 86 Korea, North 31,200 1999 est. 87 Guinea 30,500 1999 est. 88 Mozambique 30,400 1999 est. 89 Paraguay 29,500 1999 est 90 Malawi 28,400 1999 est. 91 Croatia 28,344 2002 92 Burma 28,200 1996 est. 93 Azerbaijan 28,030 2002 94 Tajikistan 27,767 2000 95 Uganda 27,000 1999 est. 96 Puerto Rico 25,328 2004 97 Turkmenistan 24,000 1999 est. 98 Central African Republic 23,810 1999 est. 99 Somalia 22,100 1999 est. 100 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,846 1999 est. 101 Laos 21,716 1999 est. 102 Afghanistan 21,000 1999 est. 103 Slovenia 20,250 2002 104 Georgia 20,229 2002 105 Papua New Guinea 19,600 1999 est. 106 Tunisia 18,997 2001 107 Nicaragua 18,712 2002 108 Jamaica 18,700 1999 est. 109 Kyrgyzstan 18,500 1999 est. 110 Zimbabwe 18,338 1999 est. 111 Albania 18,000 2002 112 Portugal 17,135 2002 113 Israel 16,903 2002 114 Mali 15,100 1999 est. 115 Senegal 14,576 2000 116 Burundi 14,480 1999 est. 117 Guatemala 14,118 1999 118 Cyprus 13,943 2002/1996 est. 119 Honduras 13,603 1999 est. 120 Nepal 13,223 1999 est. 121 Iceland 13,004 2004 122 Congo, Republic of the 12,800 1999 est. 123 Moldova 12,719 2002 124 Dominican Republic 12,600 1999 125 Burkina Faso 12,506 1999 126 Cambodia 12,323 2000 est 127 Rwanda 12,000 1999 est. 128 Sudan 11,900 1999 est. 129 Sri Lanka 11,650 2002 130 Panama 11,643 2000 est. 131 Sierra Leone 11,300 2002 132 Liberia 10,600 1999 est. 133 Botswana 10,217 1999 134 Niger 10,100 1999 est. 135 El Salvador 10,029 1999 est. 136 Uruguay 8,983 1999 est. 137 Macedonia 8,684 1999 est. 138 Gabon 8,464 2000 est. 139 Armenia 8,431 2002 140 Trinidad and Tobago 8,320 1999 est. 141 Guyana 7,970 1999 est. 142 Mauritania 7,660 1999 est. 143 Togo 7,520 1999 est. 144 Jordan 7,301 2002 145 Lebanon 7,300 1999 est. 146 Benin 6,787 1999 est. 147 Western Sahara 6,200 1991 est 148 Lesotho 5,940 1999 149 New Caledonia 5,432 2000 150 Luxembourg 5,210 2002 151 West Bank 4,500 1997 est. 152 Suriname 4,492 2002 153 Kuwait 4,450 1999 est. 154 Guinea-Bissau 4,400 1999 est. 155 Haiti 4,160 1999 est. 156 Eritrea 4,010 1999 est. 157 Bhutan 4,007 2002 158 East Timor 3,800 1995 159 Bahrain 3,459 2002 160 Fiji 3,440 1999 est. 161 Singapore 3,130 2002 162 Swaziland 3,107 2000 163 Djibouti 2,890 1999 est. 164 Equatorial Guinea 2,880 1999 est. 165 Belize 2,872 1999 est. 166 Gambia, The 2,700 1999 167 Bahamas, The 2,693 1999 est. 168 French Polynesia 2,590 1999 169 Brunei 2,525 2000 170 Malta 2,222 2002 171 Martinique 2,105 2000 172 Mauritius 2,000 2002 173 Hong Kong 1,831 1999 est. 174 Barbados 1,600 2002 175 Solomon Islands 1,360 1999 est. 176 Cape Verde 1,350 2000 177 Virgin Islands 1,257 2003 178 Qatar 1,230 1999 est. 179 Reunion 1,214 2001 180 Saint Lucia 1,210 1999 est. 181 United Arab Emirates 1,088 1999 est. 182 Vanuatu 1,070 1999 est. 183 Grenada 1,040 1999 est. 184 Guam 977 2004 185 Guadeloupe 947 2002 186 Comoros 880 1999 est 187 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 829 2002 188 French Guiana 817 1998 189 Aruba 800 1995 190 Man, Isle of 800 1999 191 Samoa 790 1999 est. 192 Cayman Islands 785 2000 193 Dominica 780 1999 est. 194 Tonga 680 1999 est. 195 Kiribati 670 1999 est. 196 Netherlands Antilles 600 197 Jersey 577 198 Faroe Islands 463 1999 199 Bermuda 450 2002 200 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 440 2002 201 Seychelles 373 1997 est. 202 Northern Mariana Islands 362 1991 203 Macau 341 2002 204 Cook Islands 320 2000 205 Sao Tome and Principe 320 1999 est. 206 Saint Kitts and Nevis 320 1999 est 207 Andorra 269 208 Antigua and Barbuda 250 1999 est. 209 Liechtenstein 250 210 Micronesia, Federated States of 240 1999 est. 211 Christmas Island 240 2000 212 Niue 234 2001 213 Montserrat 227 2003 214 San Marino 220 2001 215 Saint Helena 198 2000 216 American Samoa 185 2004 217 British Virgin Islands 177 2000 218 Turks and Caicos Islands 121 2000 219 Wallis and Futuna 120 220 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 114 221 Anguilla 105 1997 222 Mayotte 93 223 Norfolk Island 80 2001 224 Marshall Islands 65 2002 225 Palau 61 226 Monaco 50 1999 est. 227 Nauru 30 1999 est. 228 Gibraltar 29 2002 229 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 15 2003 230 Tuvalu 8 1999 est. 231 Pitcairn Islands 6

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2087

Rank Country Imports Date of Information

1 World $ 8,754,000,000,000 2003 est. 2 United States $ 1,476,000,000,000 2004 est. 3 European Union $ 1,123,000,000,000 2003 4 Germany $ 716,700,000,000 2004 est. 5 China $ 552,400,000,000 2004 est. 6 United Kingdom $ 439,400,000,000 2004 est. 7 France $ 419,700,000,000 2004 est. 8 Japan $ 401,800,000,000 2004 est. 9 Italy $ 329,300,000,000 2004 est. 10 Hong Kong $ 275,900,000,000 2004 est. 11 Canada $ 256,100,000,000 2004 est. 12 Netherlands $ 252,700,000,000 2004 est. 13 Belgium $ 235,000,000,000 2003 est. 14 Spain $ 222,000,000,000 2004 est. 15 Korea, South $ 214,200,000,000 2004 est. 16 Mexico $ 190,800,000,000 2004 est. 17 Taiwan $ 165,400,000,000 2004 est. 18 Singapore $ 155,200,000,000 2004 est. 19 Switzerland $ 121,100,000,000 2004 est. 20 Austria $ 101,200,000,000 2004 est. 21 Malaysia $ 99,300,000,000 2004 est. 22 Australia $ 98,100,000,000 2004 est. 23 Sweden $ 97,970,000,000 2004 est. 24 Turkey $ 94,500,000,000 2004 est. 25 Russia $ 92,910,000,000 2004 est. 26 India $ 89,330,000,000 2004 est. 27 Poland $ 81,610,000,000 2004 est. 28 Thailand $ 80,840,000,000 2004 est. 29 Czech Republic $ 68,190,000,000 2004 est. 30 Denmark $ 63,450,000,000 2004 est. 31 Brazil $ 61,000,000,000 2004 est. 32 Ireland $ 60,650,000,000 2004 est. 33 Hungary $ 58,680,000,000 2004 est. 34 Greece $ 54,280,000,000 2004 est. 35 Portugal $ 52,100,000,000 2004 est. 36 Norway $ 45,960,000,000 2004 est. 37 United Arab Emirates $ 45,660,000,000 2004 est. 38 Finland $ 45,170,000,000 2004 est. 39 Indonesia $ 45,070,000,000 2004 est. 40 South Africa $ 39,420,000,000 2004 est. 41 Philippines $ 37,500,000,000 2004 est. 42 Israel $ 36,840,000,000 2004 est. 43 Saudi Arabia $ 36,210,000,000 2004 est. 44 Ukraine $ 31,450,000,000 2004 est. 45 Iran $ 31,300,000,000 2004 est. 46 Slovakia $ 29,670,000,000 2004 est. 47 Puerto Rico $ 29,100,000,000 2001 48 Romania $ 28,430,000,000 2004 est. 49 Vietnam $ 26,310,000,000 2004 est. 50 Chile $ 22,530,000,000 2004 est. 51 Argentina $ 22,060,000,000 2004 est. 52 New Zealand $ 19,770,000,000 2004 est. 53 Egypt $ 19,210,000,000 2004 est. 54 Nigeria $ 17,140,000,000 2004 est. 55 Croatia $ 16,700,000,000 2004 est. 56 Luxembourg $ 16,300,000,000 2003 57 Slovenia $ 16,070,000,000 2004 est. 58 Morocco $ 15,630,000,000 2004 est. 59 Colombia $ 15,340,000,000 2004 est. 60 Algeria $ 15,250,000,000 2004 est. 61 Venezuela $ 14,980,000,000 2004 est. 62 Pakistan $ 14,010,000,000 2004 est. 63 Belarus $ 13,570,000,000 2004 est. 64 Kazakhstan $ 13,070,000,000 2004 est. 65 Bulgaria $ 12,230,000,000 2004 est. 66 Tunisia $ 11,520,000,000 2004 est. 67 Kuwait $ 11,120,000,000 2004 est. 68 Lithuania $ 11,020,000,000 2004 est. 69 Bangladesh $ 10,030,000,000 2004 est. 70 Iraq $ 9,900,000,000 2004 est. 71 Peru $ 9,600,000,000 2004 est. 72 Serbia and Montenegro $ 9,538,000,000 2004 est. 73 Lebanon $ 8,162,000,000 2004 est. 74 Dominican Republic $ 8,093,000,000 2004 est. 75 Costa Rica $ 7,842,000,000 2004 est. 76 Guatemala $ 7,770,000,000 2004 est. 77 Ecuador $ 7,650,000,000 2004 est. 78 Jordan $ 7,600,000,000 2004 est. 79 Estonia $ 7,318,000,000 2004 est. 80 Sri Lanka $ 7,265,000,000 2004 est. 81 Libya $ 7,224,000,000 2004 est. 82 Panama $ 7,164,000,000 2004 est. 83 Oman $ 6,373,000,000 2004 est. 84 Qatar $ 6,150,000,000 2004 est. 85 Latvia $ 5,970,000,000 2004 est. 86 El Salvador $ 5,968,000,000 2004 est. 87 Bahrain $ 5,870,000,000 2004 est. 88 Bermuda $ 5,523,000,000 2002 89 Cuba $ 5,296,000,000 2004 est. 90 Cyprus $ 5,258,000,000 2004 est. 91 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 5,200,000,000 2004 est. 92 Brunei $ 5,200,000,000 2003 93 Liberia $ 5,051,000,000 2002 est. 94 Syria $ 5,042,000,000 2004 est. 95 Angola $ 4,896,000,000 2004 est. 96 Trinidad and Tobago $ 4,650,000,000 2004 est. 97 Kenya $ 4,190,000,000 2004 est. 98 Afghanistan $ 3,759,000,000 FY03-04 99 Yemen $ 3,734,000,000 2004 est. 100 Ghana $ 3,699,000,000 2004 est. 101 Jamaica $ 3,624,000,000 2004 est. 102 Azerbaijan $ 3,622,000,000 2004 est. 103 Sudan $ 3,496,000,000 2004 est. 104 Malta $ 3,407,000,000 2004 est. 105 Cote d'Ivoire $ 3,360,000,000 2004 est. 106 Honduras $ 3,332,000,000 2004 est. 107 Paraguay $ 3,330,000,000 2004 est. 108 Iceland $ 3,307,000,000 2004 est. 109 Cambodia $ 3,129,000,000 2004 est. 110 Turkmenistan $ 2,850,000,000 2004 est. 111 Uzbekistan $ 2,820,000,000 2004 est. 112 Macau $ 2,760,000,000 2003 113 Macedonia $ 2,677,000,000 2004 est. 114 Reunion $ 2,500,000,000 1997 115 Botswana $ 2,255,000,000 2004 est. 116 Mauritius $ 2,245,000,000 2004 est. 117 Netherlands Antilles $ 2,233,000,000 2002 118 Senegal $ 2,128,000,000 2004 est. 119 Ethiopia $ 2,104,000,000 2004 est. 120 Korea, North $ 2,100,000,000 2003 121 Albania $ 2,076,000,000 2004 est. 122 Uruguay $ 2,071,000,000 2003 123 Nicaragua $ 2,020,000,000 2004 est. 124 Martinique $ 2,000,000,000 1997 125 Cameroon $ 1,979,000,000 2004 est. 126 Tanzania $ 1,972,000,000 2004 est. 127 Gaza Strip $ 1,900,000,000 2002 128 Moldova $ 1,830,000,000 2004 est. 129 Georgia $ 1,806,000,000 2004 est. 130 Burma $ 1,754,000,000 2004 est. 131 Gibraltar $ 1,743,000,000 2002 132 Guadeloupe $ 1,700,000,000 1997 133 Bahamas, The $ 1,630,000,000 2003 134 Zimbabwe $ 1,599,000,000 2004 est. 135 Bolivia $ 1,595,000,000 2004 est. 136 Zambia $ 1,519,000,000 2004 est. 137 West Bank $ 1,500,000,000 2002 138 Namibia $ 1,473,000,000 2004 est. 139 Nepal $ 1,419,000,000 2002 est. 140 Papua New Guinea $ 1,353,000,000 2004 est. 141 French Polynesia $ 1,341,000,000 2002 142 Uganda $ 1,306,000,000 2004 est. 143 Armenia $ 1,300,000,000 2004 est. 144 Tajikistan $ 1,300,000,000 2004 est. 145 Gabon $ 1,225,000,000 2004 est. 146 Equatorial Guinea $ 1,167,000,000 2004 est. 147 Madagascar $ 1,147,000,000 2004 est. 148 Swaziland $ 1,140,000,000 2004 est. 149 Haiti $ 1,085,000,000 2004 est. 150 Andorra $ 1,077,000,000 1998 151 Barbados $ 1,039,000,000 2002 152 New Caledonia $ 1,007,000,000 2002 153 Mongolia $ 1,000,000,000 2004 est. 154 Mozambique $ 972,900,000 2004 est. 155 Benin $ 934,500,000 2004 est. 156 Congo, Democratic Republic of the $ 933,000,000 2002 est. 157 Mali $ 927,000,000 2002 est. 158 Liechtenstein $ 917,300,000 1996 159 Burkina Faso $ 866,300,000 2004 est. 160 Mauritania $ 860,000,000 2002 161 Aruba $ 841,000,000 2002 est. 162 Fiji $ 835,000,000 2002 163 Togo $ 824,900,000 2004 est. 164 Kyrgyzstan $ 775,100,000 2004 est. 165 Congo, Republic of the $ 749,300,000 2004 est. 166 Lesotho $ 730,900,000 2004 est. 167 Antigua and Barbuda $ 692,000,000 2002 est. 168 Djibouti $ 665,000,000 2002 est. 169 Guyana $ 650,100,000 2004 est. 170 Guinea $ 641,500,000 2004 est. 171 French Guiana $ 625,000,000 2002 est. 172 Eritrea $ 622,000,000 2004 est. 173 Suriname $ 604,000,000 2002 174 Belize $ 579,900,000 2004 est. 175 Laos $ 579,500,000 2004 est. 176 Malawi $ 521,100,000 2004 est. 177 Chad $ 500,700,000 2004 est. 178 Faroe Islands $ 466,000,000 2002 179 Guam $ 462,000,000 2002 est. 180 Cayman Islands $ 457,400,000 1999 181 Greenland $ 445,000,000 2002 182 Cyprus $ 415,200,000 2004 est. 183 Niger $ 400,000,000 2002 est. 184 Seychelles $ 393,400,000 2004 est. 185 Maldives $ 392,000,000 2002 est. 186 Cape Verde $ 387,300,000 2004 est. 187 Somalia $ 344,000,000 2002 est. 188 Saint Lucia $ 267,000,000 2002 est. 189 Sierra Leone $ 264,000,000 2002 est. 190 Rwanda $ 260,000,000 2004 est. 191 Grenada $ 208,000,000 2002 est. 192 Bhutan $ 196,000,000 2000 est. 193 Saint Kitts and Nevis $ 195,000,000 2002 est. 194 British Virgin Islands $ 187,000,000 2002 est. 195 Gambia, The $ 180,900,000 2004 est. 196 Turks and Caicos Islands $ 175,600,000 2000 197 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $ 174,000,000 2002 est. 198 East Timor $ 167,000,000 2004 est. 199 Micronesia, Federated States of $ 149,000,000 FY99/00 est. 200 Mayotte $ 141,300,000 1997 201 Burundi $ 138,200,000 2004 est. 202 Vanuatu $ 138,000,000 2002 203 Central African Republic $ 136,000,000 2002 est. 204 American Samoa $ 123,000,000 2002 205 Samoa $ 113,000,000 2002 206 Saint Pierre and Miquelon $ 106,000,000 2002 207 Guinea-Bissau $ 104,000,000 2002 est. 208 Palau $ 99,000,000 2001 est. 209 Dominica $ 98,200,000 2003 est. 210 Comoros $ 88,000,000 2002 est. 211 Tonga $ 86,000,000 2002 est. 212 Kiribati $ 83,000,000 2002 213 Anguilla $ 80,900,000 1999 214 Tuvalu $ 79,000,000 2002 215 Solomon Islands $ 67,000,000 2003 216 Marshall Islands $ 54,000,000 2000 217 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) $ 53,000,000 2002 218 Cook Islands $ 50,700,000 2000 219 Saint Helena $ 42,000,000 2002 220 Sao Tome and Principe $ 41,000,000 2004 est. 221 Nauru $ 19,800,000 2004 est. 222 Norfolk Island $ 17,900,000 FY91/92 223 Montserrat $ 17,000,000 2001 224 Niue $ 2,380,000 1999 225 Tokelau $ 323,000 1983 226 Wallis and Futuna $ 300,000 1999

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2089

Rank Country Industrial production growth rate(%) Date of Information

1 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 2002 est. 2 Cambodia 22.00 2002 est. 3 Turkmenistan 22.00 2003 est. 4 Uruguay 22.00 2004 est. 5 Burundi 18.00 2001 6 China 17.10 2004 est. 7 Moldova 17.00 2003 est. 8 Turkey 16.50 2004 est. 9 Ukraine 16.50 2004 est. 10 Vietnam 16.00 2004 est. 11 Lesotho 15.50 1999 12 Armenia 15.00 2002 est. 13 Cote d'Ivoire 15.00 1998 est. 14 Burkina Faso 14.00 2001 est. 15 Pakistan 13.10 2004 est. 16 Venezuela 12.30 2004 est. 17 Taiwan 12.20 2004 est. 18 Argentina 12.00 2004 est. 19 Lithuania 12.00 2004 est. 20 Singapore 11.10 2004 est. 21 Kazakhstan 10.60 2004 est. 22 Indonesia 10.50 2004 est. 23 Malaysia 10.20 2004 est. 24 Korea, South 10.10 2004 est. 25 Ecuador 10.00 2004 est. 26 Poland 10.00 2004 est. 27 Qatar 10.00 2003 est. 28 Laos 9.70 2001 est. 29 Hungary 9.60 2004 est. 30 Bhutan 9.30 1996 est. 31 Iceland 8.80 2004 est. 32 Nepal 8.70 FY99/00 33 Tonga 8.60 FY98/99 34 Latvia 8.50 2004 est. 35 Sudan 8.50 1999 est. 36 East Timor 8.50 37 Thailand 8.50 2004 est. 38 Tanzania 8.40 1999 est. 39 Benin 8.30 2001 est. 40 Tajikistan 8.20 2002 est. 41 Faroe Islands 8.00 1999 est. 42 Mauritius 8.00 2000 est. 43 Chile 7.80 2004 est. 44 Honduras 7.70 2003 est. 45 India 7.40 2004 est. 46 Trinidad and Tobago 7.20 2004 est. 47 Sri Lanka 7.10 2004 est. 48 Guyana 7.10 1997 est. 49 Ireland 7.00 2004 est. 50 Syria 7.00 2002 est. 51 Rwanda 7.00 2001 est. 52 Zambia 6.90 2004 est. 53 Ethiopia 6.70 2001 est. 54 Japan 6.60 2004 est. 55 Bangladesh 6.50 2004 est. 56 Suriname 6.50 1994 est. 57 Russia 6.40 2004 est. 58 Uzbekistan 6.20 2003 est. 59 Antigua and Barbuda 6.00 1997 est. 60 Kyrgyzstan 6.00 2000 est. 61 Algeria 6.00 2004 est. 62 San Marino 6.00 1997 est. 63 Brazil 6.00 2004 est. 64 New Zealand 5.90 2004 est. 65 Bolivia 5.70 2004 est. 66 Uganda 5.60 2004 est. 67 Bosnia and Herzegovina 5.50 2003 est. 68 South Africa 5.50 2004 est. 69 Sweden 5.50 2004 est. 70 Panama 5.40 2004 est. 71 Bulgaria 5.20 2004 est. 72 Norway 5.20 2004 est. 73 Peru 5.20 2004 est. 74 Slovakia 5.10 2004 est. 75 Brunei 5.00 2002 est. 76 Philippines 5.00 2004 est. 77 Estonia 5.00 2000 est. 78 Jordan 5.00 2004 est. 79 Chad 5.00 1995 80 Czech Republic 4.70 2004 est. 81 Senegal 4.70 2004 est. 82 Switzerland 4.70 2004 est. 83 Belize 4.60 1999 84 Israel 4.50 2004 est. 85 Botswana 4.40 2004 est. 86 United States 4.40 2004 est. 87 Tunisia 4.40 2004 est. 88 Nicaragua 4.40 2000 est. 89 Maldives 4.40 1996 est. 90 Cameroon 4.20 1999 est. 91 Greece 4.10 2004 est. 92 Mongolia 4.10 2002 est. 93 Guatemala 4.10 1999 94 United Arab Emirates 4.00 2000 95 Colombia 4.00 2004 est. 96 Azerbaijan 4.00 2004 est. 97 Belarus 4.00 2004 est. 98 Romania 4.00 2004 est. 99 Slovenia 3.90 2004 est. 100 Ghana 3.80 2000 est. 101 Mexico 3.80 2004 est. 102 Swaziland 3.70 FY95/96 103 Belgium 3.50 2004 est. 104 Iran 3.50 2004 est. 105 Mozambique 3.40 2000 106 Austria 3.30 2004 est. 107 Guinea 3.20 1994 108 Man, Isle of 3.20 FY96/97 109 Albania 3.10 2004 est. 110 Costa Rica 3.10 2004 est. 111 Anguilla 3.10 1997 est. 112 Central African Republic 3.00 2002 113 Djibouti 3.00 1996 est. 114 Georgia 3.00 2000 115 Yemen 3.00 2003 est. 116 World 3.00 2003 est. 117 Spain 3.00 2004 est. 118 Madagascar 3.00 2000 est. 119 Luxembourg 2.90 2004 est. 120 Saudi Arabia 2.80 2004 est. 121 Samoa 2.80 2000 122 Croatia 2.70 2004 est. 123 Kenya 2.60 2004 est. 124 Guinea-Bissau 2.60 1997 est. 125 Egypt 2.50 2004 est. 126 European Union 2.40 2004 est. 127 Germany 2.20 2004 est. 128 Bahrain 2.00 2000 est. 129 Finland 2.00 2004 est. 130 Mauritania 2.00 2000 est. 131 Dominican Republic 2.00 2001 est. 132 Canada 2.00 2004 est. 133 Australia 1.90 2004 est. 134 Nigeria 1.80 2004 est. 135 Denmark 1.70 2004 est. 136 France 1.70 2004 est. 137 Serbia and Montenegro 1.70 2002 est. 138 Gabon 1.60 2002 est. 139 Cuba 1.40 2004 est. 140 Malawi 1.40 2004 est. 141 Portugal 1.10 2004 est. 142 Angola 1.00 2000 143 Hong Kong 1.00 2004 est. 144 Vanuatu 1.00 1997 est. 145 Cook Islands 1.00 2002 146 United Kingdom 0.90 2004 est. 147 Netherlands 0.80 2004 est. 148 El Salvador 0.70 2004 est. 149 Kiribati 0.70 1991 est. 150 Italy 0.70 2004 est. 151 Grenada 0.70 1997 est. 152 Cyprus 0.40 2002 153 Congo, Republic of the 0.00 2002 est. 154 Paraguay 0.00 2000 est. 155 Macedonia 0.00 2004 est. 156 Cyprus -0.30 2002 157 New Caledonia -0.60 1996 158 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.90 1997 est. 159 Oman -1.20 2004 est. 160 Comoros -2.00 1999 est. 161 Jamaica -2.00 2000 est. 162 Barbados -3.20 2000 est. 163 Kuwait -5.00 2002 est. 164 Zimbabwe -7.80 2004 est. 165 Saint Lucia -8.90 1997 est. 166 Dominica -10.00 1997 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2091

Rank Country Infant mortality rate(deaths/1,000 live births) Date of Information

1 Angola 187.49 2005 est. 2 Afghanistan 163.07 2005 est. 3 Sierra Leone 162.55 2005 est. 4 Liberia 161.99 2005 est. 5 Mozambique 130.79 2005 est. 6 Niger 119.69 2005 est. 7 Somalia 116.70 2005 est. 8 Tajikistan 110.76 2005 est. 9 Mali 109.47 2005 est. 10 Guinea-Bissau 107.15 2005 est. 11 Djibouti 104.13 2005 est. 12 Bhutan 100.44 2005 est. 13 Nigeria 98.80 2005 est. 14 Tanzania 98.54 2005 est. 15 Malawi 96.14 2005 est. 16 Ethiopia 95.32 2005 est. 17 Chad 93.13 2005 est. 18 Burkina Faso 92.94 2005 est. 19 Guinea 91.45 2005 est. 20 Rwanda 91.23 2005 est. 21 Equatorial Guinea 91.16 2005 est. 22 Cote d'Ivoire 90.83 2005 est. 23 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 90.66 2005 est. 24 Lesotho 88.75 2005 est. 25 Zambia 88.29 2005 est. 26 Congo, Republic of the 87.41 2005 est. 27 Central African Republic 87.33 2005 est. 28 Laos 85.22 2005 est. 29 Azerbaijan 81.74 2005 est. 30 Benin 81.29 2005 est. 31 Madagascar 76.83 2005 est. 32 Comoros 74.93 2005 est. 33 Haiti 73.45 2005 est. 34 Turkmenistan 73.08 2005 est. 35 Gambia, The 73.07 2005 est. 36 Swaziland 72.92 2005 est. 37 Pakistan 72.44 2005 est. 38 Uzbekistan 71.10 2005 est. 39 Cambodia 70.89 2005 est. 40 Mauritania 70.89 2005 est. 41 Uganda 67.83 2005 est. 42 Nepal 66.98 2005 est. 43 Cameroon 64.87 2005 est. 44 Burundi 64.39 2005 est. 45 Burma 63.56 2005 est. 46 Bangladesh 62.60 2005 est. 47 Sudan 62.50 2005 est. 48 Mayotte 62.40 2005 est. 49 Togo 62.20 2005 est. 50 South Africa 61.81 2005 est. 51 Yemen 61.50 2005 est. 52 Kenya 61.47 2005 est. 53 Maldives 56.52 2005 est. 54 Ghana 56.36 2005 est. 55 India 56.29 2005 est. 56 Gabon 55.35 2005 est. 57 Vanuatu 55.16 2005 est. 58 Botswana 54.58 2005 est. 59 Senegal 54.12 2005 est. 60 Mongolia 53.79 2005 est. 61 Bolivia 53.11 2005 est. 62 Zimbabwe 52.34 2005 est. 63 Papua New Guinea 51.45 2005 est. 64 Iraq 50.25 2005 est. 65 World 50.11 2005 est. 66 Namibia 48.98 2005 est. 67 Kiribati 48.52 2005 est. 68 Cape Verde 47.77 2005 est. 69 Eritrea 47.41 2005 est. 70 East Timor 47.41 2005 est. 71 Sao Tome and Principe 43.11 2005 est. 72 Morocco 41.62 2005 est. 73 Iran 41.58 2005 est. 74 Turkey 41.04 2005 est. 75 Moldova 40.42 2005 est. 76 Kyrgyzstan 35.64 2005 est. 77 Indonesia 35.60 2005 est. 78 Guyana 33.26 2005 est. 79 Egypt 32.59 2005 est. 80 Guatemala 32.00 2005 est. 81 Peru 31.94 2005 est. 82 Algeria 31.00 2005 est. 83 Micronesia, Federated States of 30.21 2005 est. 84 Brazil 29.61 2005 est. 85 Syria 29.53 2005 est. 86 Marshall Islands 29.45 2005 est. 87 Dominican Republic 29.37 2005 est. 88 Kazakhstan 29.21 2005 est. 89 Nicaragua 29.11 2005 est. 90 Samoa 27.71 2005 est. 91 Honduras 26.47 2005 est. 92 Romania 26.43 2005 est. 93 Vietnam 25.95 2005 est. 94 Trinidad and Tobago 25.81 2005 est. 95 Paraguay 25.63 2005 est. 96 Belize 25.40 2005 est. 97 Bahamas, The 25.21 2005 est. 98 El Salvador 25.10 2005 est. 99 Tunisia 24.77 2005 est. 100 Libya 24.60 2005 est. 101 Lebanon 24.52 2005 est. 102 China 24.18 2005 est. 103 Korea, North 24.04 2005 est. 104 Ecuador 23.66 2005 est. 105 Suriname 23.57 2005 est. 106 Philippines 23.51 2005 est. 107 Armenia 23.28 2005 est. 108 Gaza Strip 22.93 2005 est. 109 Venezuela 22.20 2005 est. 110 Albania 21.52 2005 est. 111 Solomon Islands 21.29 2005 est. 112 Anguilla 21.03 2005 est. 113 Colombia 20.97 2005 est. 114 Mexico 20.91 2005 est. 115 Bulgaria 20.55 2005 est. 116 Thailand 20.16 2005 est. 117 Tuvalu 20.03 2005 est. 118 West Bank 19.62 2005 est. 119 Oman 19.51 2005 est. 120 Antigua and Barbuda 19.46 2005 est. 121 Saint Helena 19.00 2005 est. 122 Qatar 18.61 2005 est. 123 Georgia 18.59 2005 est. 124 Malaysia 17.70 2005 est. 125 Jordan 17.35 2005 est. 126 British Virgin Islands 17.30 2005 est. 127 Bahrain 17.27 2005 est. 128 Panama 16.73 2005 est. 129 Jamaica 16.33 2005 est. 130 Greenland 15.82 2005 est. 131 Turks and Caicos Islands 15.67 2005 est. 132 Seychelles 15.53 2005 est. 133 Russia 15.39 2005 est. 134 Argentina 15.18 2005 est. 135 Mauritius 15.03 2005 est. 136 Palau 14.84 2005 est. 137 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 14.78 2005 est. 138 Grenada 14.62 2005 est. 139 United Arab Emirates 14.51 2005 est. 140 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14.49 2005 est. 141 Sri Lanka 14.35 2005 est. 142 Dominica 14.15 2005 est. 143 Saint Lucia 13.53 2005 est. 144 Belarus 13.37 2005 est. 145 Saudi Arabia 13.24 2005 est. 146 Serbia and Montenegro 12.89 2005 est. 147 Fiji 12.62 2005 est. 148 Tonga 12.62 2005 est. 149 Brunei 12.61 2005 est. 150 French Guiana 12.07 2005 est. 151 Uruguay 11.95 2005 est. 152 Barbados 11.72 2005 est. 153 Ukraine 10.11 2005 est. 154 Macedonia 10.09 2005 est. 155 Bosnia and Herzegovina 10.07 2005 est. 156 Netherlands Antilles 10.03 2005 est. 157 Costa Rica 9.95 2005 est. 158 Kuwait 9.95 2005 est. 159 Nauru 9.95 2005 est. 160 Latvia 9.55 2005 est. 161 Puerto Rico 9.28 2005 est. 162 American Samoa 9.27 2005 est. 163 Chile 8.80 2005 est. 164 Guadeloupe 8.60 2005 est. 165 Hungary 8.57 2005 est. 166 Bermuda 8.53 2005 est. 167 French Polynesia 8.44 2005 est. 168 Cayman Islands 8.19 2005 est. 169 Virgin Islands 8.03 2005 est. 170 Estonia 7.87 2005 est. 171 Reunion 7.78 2005 est. 172 New Caledonia 7.72 2005 est. 173 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7.54 2005 est. 174 Slovakia 7.41 2005 est. 175 Poland 7.36 2005 est. 176 Montserrat 7.35 2005 est. 177 Cyprus 7.18 2005 est. 178 Northern Mariana Islands 7.11 2005 est. 179 Martinique 7.09 2005 est. 180 Israel 7.03 2005 est. 181 Guam 6.94 2005 est. 182 Lithuania 6.89 2005 est. 183 Croatia 6.84 2005 est. 184 United States 6.50 2005 est. 185 Taiwan 6.40 2005 est. 186 Cuba 6.33 2005 est. 187 Korea, South 6.28 2005 est. 188 Faroe Islands 6.24 2005 est. 189 Italy 5.94 2005 est. 190 Man, Isle of 5.93 2005 est. 191 Aruba 5.89 2005 est. 192 New Zealand 5.85 2005 est. 193 San Marino 5.73 2005 est. 194 Greece 5.53 2005 est. 195 Monaco 5.43 2005 est. 196 Ireland 5.39 2005 est. 197 Jersey 5.24 2005 est. 198 United Kingdom 5.16 2005 est. 199 Gibraltar 5.13 2005 est. 200 European Union 5.10 July 2005 est. 201 Portugal 5.05 2005 est. 202 Netherlands 5.04 2005 est. 203 Luxembourg 4.81 2005 est. 204 Canada 4.75 2005 est. 205 Guernsey 4.71 2005 est. 206 Liechtenstein 4.70 2005 est. 207 Australia 4.69 2005 est. 208 Belgium 4.68 2005 est. 209 Austria 4.66 2005 est. 210 Denmark 4.56 2005 est. 211 Slovenia 4.45 2005 est. 212 Spain 4.42 2005 est. 213 Switzerland 4.39 2005 est. 214 Macau 4.37 2005 est. 215 France 4.26 2005 est. 216 Germany 4.16 2005 est. 217 Andorra 4.05 2005 est. 218 Czech Republic 3.93 2005 est. 219 Malta 3.89 2005 est. 220 Norway 3.70 2005 est. 221 Finland 3.57 2005 est. 222 Iceland 3.31 2005 est. 223 Japan 3.26 2005 est. 224 Hong Kong 2.96 2005 est. 225 Sweden 2.77 2005 est. 226 Singapore 2.29 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2092

Rank Country Inflation rate (consumer prices)(%) Date of Information

1 Nauru -3.60 1993 2 New Caledonia -0.60 2000 est. 3 Barbados -0.50 2003 est. 4 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -0.40 2001 est. 5 Hong Kong -0.30 2004 est. 6 Japan -0.10 2004 est. 7 Guam 0.00 1999 est. 8 Israel 0.00 2004 est. 9 Oman 0.20 2004 est. 10 Brunei 0.30 2003 est. 11 Antigua and Barbuda 0.40 2000 est. 12 Macedonia 0.40 2004 est. 13 Finland 0.70 2004 est. 14 Sweden 0.70 2004 est. 15 Saudi Arabia 0.80 2004 est. 16 Senegal 0.80 2004 est. 17 Switzerland 0.90 2004 est. 18 Cameroon 1.00 2004 est. 19 Togo 1.00 2004 est. 20 Sierra Leone 1.00 2002 est. 21 Norway 1.00 2004 est. 22 Niue 1.00 1995 23 Maldives 1.00 2002 est. 24 Micronesia, Federated States of 1.00 2002 est. 25 Liechtenstein 1.00 2001 26 Dominica 1.00 2001 est. 27 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.10 2004 est. 28 Lithuania 1.10 2004 est. 29 Bahamas, The 1.20 30 Northern Mariana Islands 1.20 1997 est. 31 Malaysia 1.30 2004 est. 32 Denmark 1.40 2004 est. 33 United Kingdom 1.40 2004 est. 34 Netherlands 1.40 2004 est. 35 Cote d'Ivoire 1.40 2004 est. 36 Cape Verde 1.50 2004 est. 37 French Guiana 1.50 2002 est. 38 Gabon 1.50 2004 est. 39 Gibraltar 1.50 1998 40 French Polynesia 1.50 2002 est. 41 Fiji 1.60 2002 est. 42 Greenland 1.60 1999 est. 43 Germany 1.60 2004 est. 44 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.70 2001 est. 45 Singapore 1.70 2004 est. 46 Taiwan 1.70 2004 est. 47 Austria 1.80 2004 est. 48 Congo, Republic of the 1.80 2004 est. 49 Belgium 1.90 2004 est. 50 Canada 1.90 2004 est. 51 Monaco 1.90 2000 52 Djibouti 2.00 2002 est. 53 Lebanon 2.00 2004 est. 54 Panama 2.00 2004 est. 55 Marshall Islands 2.00 2001 est. 56 Macau 2.00 3rd quarter, 2004 57 Ecuador 2.00 2004 est. 58 Bahrain 2.10 2004 est. 59 Syria 2.10 2004 est. 60 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.10 1991-96 average 61 Portugal 2.10 2004 est. 62 Netherlands Antilles 2.10 2003 est. 63 Morocco 2.10 2004 est. 64 European Union 2.10 2004 est. 65 Ireland 2.20 2004 est. 66 West Bank 2.20 2001 est. 67 Gaza Strip 2.20 2001 est. 68 Virgin Islands 2.20 2003 69 Australia 2.30 2004 est. 70 Anguilla 2.30 71 France 2.30 2004 est. 72 Italy 2.30 2004 est. 73 Kuwait 2.30 2004 est. 74 Chile 2.40 2004 est. 75 Cyprus 2.40 2003 est. 76 Ethiopia 2.40 2004 est. 77 Luxembourg 2.40 2004 est. 78 New Zealand 2.40 2004 est. 79 Burkina Faso 2.40 2004 est. 80 Croatia 2.50 2004 est. 81 Kiribati 2.50 2001 est. 82 United States 2.50 2004 est. 83 British Virgin Islands 2.50 2003 84 Montserrat 2.60 2002 est. 85 Benin 2.80 2004 est. 86 Cayman Islands 2.80 2002 87 Thailand 2.80 2004 est. 88 Grenada 2.80 2001 est. 89 Belize 2.90 2004 est. 90 Malta 2.90 2004 est. 91 Nepal 2.90 2002 est. 92 Libya 2.90 2004 est. 93 Greece 2.90 2004 est. 94 Bhutan 3.00 2002 est. 95 Qatar 3.00 2004 est. 96 Uzbekistan 3.00 2004 est. 97 Saint Lucia 3.00 2001 est. 98 Niger 3.00 2002 est. 99 Estonia 3.00 2004 est. 100 Algeria 3.10 2004 est. 101 Cuba 3.10 2004 est. 102 Vanuatu 3.10 2003 est. 103 Cambodia 3.10 2004 est. 104 Aruba 3.20 2002 est. 105 United Arab Emirates 3.20 2004 est. 106 Spain 3.20 2004 est. 107 Saint Helena 3.20 1997 est. 108 Kyrgyzstan 3.20 2004 est. 109 Jordan 3.20 2004 est. 110 Czech Republic 3.20 2004 est. 111 Cook Islands 3.20 2000 est. 112 Albania 3.20 2004 est. 113 Bermuda 3.30 mid-2003 est. 114 Slovenia 3.30 2004 est. 115 Trinidad and Tobago 3.30 2004 est. 116 San Marino 3.30 2001 117 Poland 3.40 2004 est. 118 Palau 3.40 2000 est. 119 Armenia 3.50 2004 est. 120 Comoros 3.50 2001 est. 121 Uganda 3.50 2004 est. 122 Central African Republic 3.60 2001 est. 123 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 3.60 1998 124 Korea, South 3.60 2004 est. 125 Man, Isle of 3.60 March 2003 est. 126 Peru 3.80 2004 est. 127 Martinique 3.90 1990 128 Iceland 4.00 2004 est. 129 Turks and Caicos Islands 4.00 1995 130 Samoa 4.00 2001 est. 131 East Timor 4.00 2003 est. 132 Guinea-Bissau 4.00 2002 est. 133 China 4.10 2004 est. 134 Tunisia 4.10 2004 est. 135 India 4.20 2004 est. 136 Namibia 4.20 2004 est. 137 Papua New Guinea 4.20 2004 est. 138 Andorra 4.30 2000 139 Guyana 4.50 2004 est. 140 Mali 4.50 2002 est. 141 South Africa 4.50 2004 est. 142 Mauritius 4.50 2004 est. 143 Azerbaijan 4.60 2004 est. 144 Pakistan 4.80 FY03/04 est. 145 Bolivia 4.90 2004 est. 146 Guernsey 4.90 2004 est. 147 Seychelles 5.00 2004 est. 148 Tuvalu 5.00 2000 est. 149 Faroe Islands 5.10 1999 150 Paraguay 5.10 2004 est. 151 Jersey 5.30 2004 152 Lesotho 5.30 2004 est. 153 El Salvador 5.40 2004 est. 154 Swaziland 5.40 2004 est. 155 Tanzania 5.40 2004 est. 156 Mexico 5.40 2004 est. 157 Georgia 5.50 2004 est. 158 Philippines 5.50 2004 est. 159 Sri Lanka 5.80 2004 est. 160 Colombia 5.90 2004 est. 161 Bangladesh 6.00 2004 est. 162 Latvia 6.00 2004 est. 163 Argentina 6.10 2004 est. 164 Indonesia 6.10 2004 est. 165 Bulgaria 6.10 2004 est. 166 Puerto Rico 6.50 2003 est. 167 Kazakhstan 6.90 2004 est. 168 Botswana 7.00 2004 est. 169 Gambia, The 7.00 2004 est. 170 Rwanda 7.00 2004 est. 171 Mauritania 7.00 2003 est. 172 Hungary 7.00 2004 est. 173 Honduras 7.00 2004 est. 174 Guatemala 7.20 2004 est. 175 Slovakia 7.50 2004 est. 176 Madagascar 7.50 2004 est. 177 Brazil 7.60 2004 est. 178 Uruguay 7.60 2004 est. 179 Chad 8.00 2004 est. 180 Tajikistan 8.00 2004 est. 181 Burundi 8.50 2004 est. 182 Equatorial Guinea 8.50 2004 est. 183 Serbia and Montenegro 8.80 2004 est. 184 Kenya 9.00 2004 est. 185 Sudan 9.00 2004 est. 186 Turkmenistan 9.00 2004 est. 187 Nicaragua 9.30 2004 est. 188 Turkey 9.30 2004 est. 189 Egypt 9.50 2004 est. 190 Vietnam 9.50 2004 est. 191 Romania 9.60 2004 est. 192 Solomon Islands 10.00 2003 est. 193 Eritrea 10.00 2004 est. 194 Afghanistan 10.30 2003 195 Tonga 10.30 2002 est. 196 Mongolia 11.00 2004 est. 197 Costa Rica 11.50 2004 est. 198 Moldova 11.50 2004 est. 199 Russia 11.50 2004 est. 200 Malawi 12.00 2004 est. 201 Ukraine 12.00 2004 est. 202 Yemen 12.20 2004 est. 203 Laos 12.30 2004 est. 204 Jamaica 12.40 2004 est. 205 Cyprus 12.60 2003 est. 206 Mozambique 12.80 2004 est. 207 Ghana 13.00 2004 est. 208 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14.00 2003 est. 209 Sao Tome and Principe 14.00 2004 est. 210 Liberia 15.00 2003 est. 211 Iran 15.50 2004 est. 212 Nigeria 16.50 2004 est. 213 Burma 17.20 2004 est. 214 Belarus 17.40 2004 est. 215 Guinea 18.00 2004 est. 216 Zambia 18.30 2004 est. 217 Haiti 22.00 2004 est. 218 Venezuela 22.40 2004 est. 219 Suriname 23.00 2003 est. 220 Iraq 25.40 2004 est. 221 Angola 43.80 2004 est. 222 Dominican Republic 55.00 2004 est. 223 Zimbabwe 133.00 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2093

Rank Country Waterways(km) Date of Information

1 World 671,886 2004 2 China 121,557 2002 3 Russia 96,000 2004 4 European Union 53,512 5 Brazil 50,000 2004 6 United States 41,009 2004 7 Indonesia 21,579 2004 8 Vietnam 17,702 2004 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 15,000 2004 10 India 14,500 2004 11 Burma 12,800 2004 12 Argentina 11,000 2004 13 Papua New Guinea 10,940 2003 14 Bolivia 10,000 2004 15 Colombia 9,187 2004 16 Peru 8,808 2004 17 Nigeria 8,600 2004 18 France 8,500 2000 19 Bangladesh 8,372 2004 20 Finland 7,842 2004 21 Germany 7,300 2004 22 Malaysia 7,200 2004 23 Venezuela 7,100 2004 24 Iraq 5,275 2004 25 Netherlands 5,046 2004 26 Laos 4,600 2003 27 Congo, Republic of the 4,385 2004 28 Sudan 4,068 2004 29 Kazakhstan 4,000 2004 30 Thailand 4,000 2003 31 Poland 3,997 2003 32 French Guiana 3,760 2004 33 Egypt 3,500 2004 34 Philippines 3,219 2004 35 United Kingdom 3,200 2004 36 Paraguay 3,100 2004 37 Mexico 2,900 2004 38 Central African Republic 2,800 2004 39 Belarus 2,500 2003 40 Cambodia 2,400 2004 41 Italy 2,400 2004 42 Korea, North 2,250 2004 43 Zambia 2,250 2003 44 Nicaragua 2,220 1997 45 Belgium 2,043 2003 46 Australia 2,000 2004 47 Mali 1,815 2004 48 Japan 1,770 2004 49 Romania 1,731 2004 50 Ukraine 1,672 2004 51 Hungary 1,622 2004 52 Korea, South 1,608 2004 53 Gabon 1,600 2003 54 Uruguay 1,600 2002 55 Ecuador 1,500 2003 56 Angola 1,300 2004 57 Turkmenistan 1,300 2003 58 Guinea 1,295 2003 59 Ghana 1,293 2003 60 Afghanistan 1,200 2004 61 Turkey 1,200 2003 62 Suriname 1,200 2003 63 Uzbekistan 1,100 2004 64 Guyana 1,077 2004 65 Spain 1,045 2003 66 Senegal 1,000 2003 67 Guatemala 990 2004 68 Cote d'Ivoire 980 2003 69 Syria 900 2002 70 Iran 850 2004 71 Belize 825 2004 72 Panama 800 2004 73 Sierra Leone 800 2003 74 Croatia 785 2004 75 Ireland 753 2004 76 Costa Rica 730 2004 77 Malawi 700 2003 78 Czech Republic 664 2004 79 Canada 631 2003 80 Kyrgyzstan 600 2004 81 Lithuania 600 2004 82 Madagascar 600 2004 83 Serbia and Montenegro 587 2004 84 Mongolia 580 2004 85 Estonia 500 2003 86 Bulgaria 470 2004 87 Honduras 465 2004 88 Mozambique 460 2004 89 Moldova 424 2004 90 Denmark 417 2001 91 Gambia, The 390 2004 92 Austria 358 2003 93 Latvia 300 2004 94 Niger 300 2004 95 Uganda 300 2004 est. 96 Cuba 240 2004 97 Portugal 210 2003 98 Brunei 209 2004 99 Fiji 203 2004 100 Tajikistan 200 2003 101 Slovakia 172 2004 102 Sri Lanka 160 2004 103 Benin 150 2004 104 Switzerland 65 2003 105 Togo 50 2003 106 Albania 43 2004 107 Luxembourg 37 2003 108 Liechtenstein 28 2004 109 Greece 6 2004 110 Kiribati 5 2003

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2095

Rank Country Labor force Date of Information

1 China 760,800,000 2003 2 India 482,200,000 2004 est. 3 European Union 215,000,000 various 4 United States 147,400,000 2004 est. 5 Indonesia 111,500,000 2004 est. 6 Brazil 89,000,000 2004 est. 7 Russia 71,830,000 2004 est. 8 Japan 66,970,000 2004 est. 9 Bangladesh 65,490,000 2004 est. 10 Nigeria 55,670,000 2004 est. 11 Pakistan 45,430,000 2004 est. 12 Vietnam 42,980,000 2004 est. 13 Germany 42,630,000 2004 est. 14 Thailand 36,430,000 November 2004 est. 15 Philippines 35,860,000 2004 est. 16 Mexico 34,730,000 2004 est. 17 United Kingdom 29,780,000 2004 est. 18 France 27,700,000 2004 est. 19 Burma 27,010,000 2004 est. 20 Turkey 25,300,000 2003 est. 21 Italy 24,270,000 2004 est. 22 Iran 23,000,000 2004 est. 23 Korea, South 22,900,000 2004 est. 24 Ukraine 21,110,000 2004 est. 25 Egypt 20,710,000 2004 est. 26 Colombia 20,700,000 2004 est. 27 Spain 19,330,000 2004 est. 28 Tanzania 19,000,000 2004 est. 29 Canada 17,370,000 2004 30 Poland 17,020,000 2004 est. 31 South Africa 16,630,000 2004 est. 32 Argentina 15,040,000 2004 est. 33 Uzbekistan 14,640,000 2004 est. 34 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,510,000 1993 est. 35 Uganda 12,410,000 2004 est. 36 Venezuela 12,250,000 2004 est. 37 Afghanistan 11,800,000 2001 est. 38 Kenya 11,400,000 2004 est. 39 Morocco 11,020,000 2004 est. 40 Peru 11,000,000 2004 est. 41 Sudan 11,000,000 1996 est. 42 Malaysia 10,490,000 2004 est. 43 Australia 10,350,000 2004 est. 44 Ghana 10,240,000 2004 est. 45 Taiwan 10,220,000 2004 est. 46 Nepal 10,000,000 1996 est. 47 Algeria 9,910,000 2004 est. 48 Romania 9,660,000 2004 est. 49 Korea, North 9,600,000 50 Mozambique 9,200,000 2000 est. 51 Kazakhstan 7,950,000 2004 est. 52 Netherlands 7,530,000 2004 est. 53 Madagascar 7,300,000 2000 54 Sri Lanka 7,260,000 2004 est. 55 Cambodia 7,000,000 2003 est. 56 Cote d'Ivoire 6,700,000 2004 est. 57 Iraq 6,700,000 2004 est. 58 Cameroon 6,680,000 2004 est. 59 Saudi Arabia 6,620,000 2004 est. 60 Chile 6,200,000 2004 est. 61 Yemen 5,980,000 2004 est. 62 Portugal 5,480,000 2004 est. 63 Angola 5,410,000 2004 est. 64 Czech Republic 5,250,000 2004 est. 65 Syria 5,120,000 2004 est. 66 Azerbaijan 5,090,000 2004 est. 67 Burkina Faso 5,000,000 2003 68 Belgium 4,750,000 2004 est. 69 Senegal 4,650,000 2004 est. 70 Zambia 4,630,000 2004 est. 71 Rwanda 4,600,000 2000 72 Cuba 4,550,000 2004 est. 73 Ecuador 4,530,000 2004 est. 74 Malawi 4,500,000 2001 est. 75 Sweden 4,460,000 2004 est. 76 Greece 4,400,000 2004 est. 77 Belarus 4,305,000 31 December 2003 78 Zimbabwe 4,230,000 2004 est. 79 Hungary 4,170,000 2004 est. 80 Mali 3,930,000 2001 est. 81 Bolivia 3,800,000 2004 est. 82 Switzerland 3,770,000 2004 est. 83 Somalia 3,700,000 84 Guatemala 3,680,000 2004 est. 85 Haiti 3,600,000 1995 86 Tunisia 3,550,000 2004 est. 87 Hong Kong 3,540,000 October 2004 est. 88 Austria 3,450,000 2004 est. 89 Bulgaria 3,398,000 2004 est. 90 Papua New Guinea 3,320,000 2004 est. 91 Serbia and Montenegro 3,200,000 2004 est. 92 Tajikistan 3,187,000 2000 93 Guinea 3,000,000 1999 94 Burundi 2,990,000 2002 95 Denmark 2,870,000 2004 est. 96 El Salvador 2,750,000 2004 est. 97 Kyrgyzstan 2,700,000 2000 98 Israel 2,680,000 2004 est. 99 Finland 2,660,000 2004 est. 100 Paraguay 2,660,000 2004 est. 101 Laos 2,600,000 2001 est. 102 Lebanon 2,600,000 2001 est. 103 Honduras 2,470,000 2004 est. 104 Norway 2,380,000 2004 est. 105 United Arab Emirates 2,360,000 2004 est. 106 Turkmenistan 2,320,000 2003 est. 107 Slovakia 2,200,000 3rd quarter, 2004 est. 108 Singapore 2,180,000 2004 est. 109 Georgia 2,100,000 2001 est. 110 New Zealand 2,050,000 2004 est. 111 Nicaragua 1,930,000 2004 est. 112 Ireland 1,920,000 2004 est. 113 Costa Rica 1,810,000 2004 est. 114 Togo 1,740,000 1996 115 Croatia 1,710,000 2004 est. 116 Lithuania 1,630,000 2004 est. 117 Libya 1,590,000 2004 est. 118 Uruguay 1,560,000 2004 est. 119 Mongolia 1,488,000 2003 120 Kuwait 1,420,000 2004 est. 121 Jordan 1,410,000 2004 est. 122 Armenia 1,400,000 2001 123 Sierra Leone 1,369,000 1981 est. 124 Moldova 1,360,000 2004 est. 125 Panama 1,320,000 2004 est. 126 Puerto Rico 1,300,000 2000 127 Latvia 1,170,000 2004 est. 128 Jamaica 1,140,000 2004 est. 129 Albania 1,090,000 2004 est. 130 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,026,000 2001 131 Oman 920,000 2002 est. 132 Slovenia 870,000 2004 est. 133 Macedonia 855,000 2004 est. 134 Namibia 840,000 2004 est. 135 Lesotho 838,000 2000 136 Mauritania 786,000 2001 137 Gaza Strip 725,000 2004 138 Estonia 660,000 2004 est. 139 Gabon 650,000 2004 est. 140 Trinidad and Tobago 590,000 2004 est. 141 Mauritius 560,000 2004 est. 142 Guinea-Bissau 480,000 1999 143 Guyana 418,000 2001 est. 144 Gambia, The 400,000 1996 145 Swaziland 383,200 2000 146 Bahrain 370,000 2004 est. 147 West Bank 364,000 2004 148 Cyprus 330,000 2004 est. 149 Reunion 309,900 2000 150 Luxembourg 293,700 2004 est. 151 Djibouti 282,000 2000 152 Botswana 264,000 2000 153 Macau 231,500 3rd Quarter, 2004 154 Martinique 165,900 1998 155 Malta 160,000 2002 est. 156 Iceland 158,100 2004 est. 157 Brunei 158,000 2002 est. 158 Bahamas, The 156,000 1999 159 Comoros 144,500 1996 est. 160 Qatar 140,000 2004 est. 161 Fiji 137,000 1999 162 Barbados 128,500 2001 est. 163 Guadeloupe 125,900 1997 164 Suriname 104,000 2003 165 Cyprus 95,025 2004 est. 166 Belize 90,000 2001 est. 167 Samoa 90,000 2000 est. 168 Netherlands Antilles 89,000 2000 169 Maldives 88,000 2000 170 New Caledonia 79,400 1996 171 French Polynesia 70,000 1996 172 Niger 70,000 2002 est. 173 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 67,000 1984 est. 174 Guam 60,000 2000 est. 175 French Guiana 58,800 1997 176 Jersey 52,790 2004 177 Virgin Islands 48,900 2003 est. 178 Mayotte 48,800 2000 179 Saint Lucia 43,800 2001 est. 180 Grenada 42,300 1996 181 Aruba 41,500 1997 est. 182 Man, Isle of 39,690 2001 183 Bermuda 37,470 2000 184 Tonga 33,910 1996 185 Andorra 33,000 2001 est. 186 Guernsey 32,290 2001 187 Seychelles 30,900 1996 188 Monaco 30,540 January 1994 189 Antigua and Barbuda 30,000 190 Liechtenstein 29,000 31 December 2001 191 Marshall Islands 28,700 1996 est. 192 Solomon Islands 26,840 1999 193 Dominica 25,000 1999 est. 194 Greenland 24,500 1999 est. 195 Faroe Islands 24,250 October 2000 196 Cayman Islands 19,820 1995 197 San Marino 18,500 1999 198 Saint Kitts and Nevis 18,170 June 1995 199 Gibraltar 14,800 1999 200 American Samoa 14,000 1996 201 British Virgin Islands 12,770 2004 202 Western Sahara 12,000 203 Palau 9,845 2000 204 Cook Islands 8,000 1996 205 Kiribati 7,870 2001 est. 206 Tuvalu 7,000 2001 est. 207 Anguilla 6,049 2001 208 Northern Mariana Islands 6,006 June 1995 209 Turks and Caicos Islands 4,848 1990 est. 210 Montserrat 4,521 2000 est. 211 Saint Helena 3,500 1998 est. 212 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3,261 1999 213 Norfolk Island 1,345 214 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 1,100 215 Pitcairn Islands 15 2004

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2102

Rank Country Life expectancy at birth(years) Date of Information

1 Andorra 83.51 2005 est. 2 Macau 82.12 2005 est. 3 San Marino 81.62 2005 est. 4 Singapore 81.62 2005 est. 5 Hong Kong 81.50 2005 est. 6 Japan 81.15 2005 est. 7 Sweden 80.40 2005 est. 8 Australia 80.39 2005 est. 9 Switzerland 80.39 2005 est. 10 Guernsey 80.30 2005 est. 11 Iceland 80.19 2005 est. 12 Canada 80.10 2005 est. 13 Cayman Islands 79.95 2005 est. 14 Italy 79.68 2005 est. 15 Gibraltar 79.67 2005 est. 16 France 79.60 2005 est. 17 Monaco 79.57 2005 est. 18 Liechtenstein 79.55 2005 est. 19 Spain 79.52 2005 est. 20 Norway 79.40 2005 est. 21 Israel 79.32 2005 est. 22 Jersey 79.24 2005 est. 23 Faroe Islands 79.21 2005 est. 24 Aruba 79.14 2005 est. 25 Greece 79.09 2005 est. 26 Martinique 79.04 2005 est. 27 Austria 78.92 2005 est. 28 Virgin Islands 78.91 2005 est. 29 Malta 78.86 2005 est. 30 Netherlands 78.81 2005 est. 31 Luxembourg 78.74 2005 est. 32 Montserrat 78.71 2005 est. 33 New Zealand 78.66 2005 est. 34 Germany 78.65 2005 est. 35 Belgium 78.62 2005 est. 36 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 78.46 2005 est. 37 Guam 78.40 2005 est. 38 United Kingdom 78.38 2005 est. 39 Finland 78.35 2005 est. 40 Man, Isle of 78.34 2005 est. 41 European Union 78.30 July 2005 est. 42 Puerto Rico 78.29 2005 est. 43 Jordan 78.24 2005 est. 44 Guadeloupe 77.90 2005 est. 45 Bosnia and Herzegovina 77.83 2005 est. 46 Bermuda 77.79 2005 est. 47 Saint Helena 77.76 2005 est. 48 United States 77.71 2005 est. 49 Cyprus 77.65 2005 est. 50 Denmark 77.62 2005 est. 51 Ireland 77.56 2005 est. 52 Portugal 77.53 2005 est. 53 Taiwan 77.26 2005 est. 54 Albania 77.24 2005 est. 55 Cuba 77.23 2005 est. 56 Anguilla 77.11 2005 est. 57 French Guiana 77.09 2005 est. 58 Kuwait 77.03 2005 est. 59 Korea, South 76.85 2005 est. 60 Costa Rica 76.84 2005 est. 61 Chile 76.58 2005 est. 62 Libya 76.50 2005 est. 63 British Virgin Islands 76.49 2005 est. 64 Ecuador 76.21 2005 est. 65 Slovenia 76.14 2005 est. 66 Uruguay 76.13 2005 est. 67 Czech Republic 76.02 2005 est. 68 Argentina 75.91 2005 est. 69 French Polynesia 75.90 2005 est. 70 Northern Mariana Islands 75.88 2005 est. 71 Georgia 75.88 2005 est. 72 American Samoa 75.84 2005 est. 73 Netherlands Antilles 75.83 2005 est. 74 Saudi Arabia 75.46 2005 est. 75 Panama 75.25 2005 est. 76 United Arab Emirates 75.24 2005 est. 77 Mexico 75.19 2005 est. 78 Paraguay 74.89 2005 est. 79 Tunisia 74.89 2005 est. 80 Brunei 74.80 2005 est. 81 Poland 74.74 2005 est. 82 Serbia and Montenegro 74.73 2005 est. 83 Dominica 74.65 2005 est. 84 Turks and Caicos Islands 74.51 2005 est. 85 Slovakia 74.50 2005 est. 86 Croatia 74.45 2005 est. 87 Venezuela 74.31 2005 est. 88 Bahrain 74.23 2005 est. 89 New Caledonia 74.04 2005 est. 90 Lithuania 73.97 2005 est. 91 Reunion 73.95 2005 est. 92 Macedonia 73.73 2005 est. 93 Qatar 73.67 2005 est. 94 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 73.62 2005 est. 95 Saint Lucia 73.61 2005 est. 96 Jamaica 73.33 2005 est. 97 Sri Lanka 73.17 2005 est. 98 Oman 73.13 2005 est. 99 West Bank 73.08 2005 est. 100 Algeria 73.00 2005 est. 101 Solomon Islands 72.66 2005 est. 102 Lebanon 72.63 2005 est. 103 Barbados 72.59 2005 est. 104 Hungary 72.40 2005 est. 105 Mauritius 72.38 2005 est. 106 Turkey 72.36 2005 est. 107 China 72.27 2005 est. 108 Malaysia 72.24 2005 est. 109 Saint Kitts and Nevis 72.15 2005 est. 110 Bulgaria 72.03 2005 est. 111 Thailand 71.95 2005 est. 112 Antigua and Barbuda 71.90 2005 est. 113 Seychelles 71.82 2005 est. 114 Gaza Strip 71.79 2005 est. 115 Estonia 71.77 2005 est. 116 Colombia 71.72 2005 est. 117 Brazil 71.69 2005 est. 118 Armenia 71.55 2005 est. 119 Dominican Republic 71.44 2005 est. 120 Korea, North 71.37 2005 est. 121 Romania 71.35 2005 est. 122 El Salvador 71.22 2005 est. 123 Latvia 71.05 2005 est. 124 Egypt 71.00 2005 est. 125 Samoa 70.72 2005 est. 126 Morocco 70.66 2005 est. 127 Vietnam 70.61 2005 est. 128 Cape Verde 70.45 2005 est. 129 Nicaragua 70.33 2005 est. 130 Palau 70.14 2005 est. 131 Syria 70.03 2005 est. 132 Marshall Islands 70.01 2005 est. 133 Iran 69.96 2005 est. 134 Philippines 69.91 2005 est. 135 Micronesia, Federated States of 69.75 2005 est. 136 Ukraine 69.68 2005 est. 137 Greenland 69.65 2005 est. 138 Indonesia 69.57 2005 est. 139 Fiji 69.53 2005 est. 140 Peru 69.53 2005 est. 141 Tonga 69.53 2005 est. 142 Honduras 69.30 2005 est. 143 Guatemala 69.06 2005 est. 144 Suriname 68.96 2005 est. 145 Belarus 68.72 2005 est. 146 Iraq 68.70 2005 est. 147 Belize 68.44 2005 est. 148 Kyrgyzstan 68.16 2005 est. 149 Tuvalu 68.01 2005 est. 150 Russia 67.10 2005 est. 151 Sao Tome and Principe 66.99 2005 est. 152 Trinidad and Tobago 66.73 2005 est. 153 Kazakhstan 66.55 2005 est. 154 East Timor 65.90 2005 est. 155 Bahamas, The 65.54 2005 est. 156 Bolivia 65.50 2005 est. 157 Guyana 65.50 2005 est. 158 Moldova 65.18 2005 est. 159 Papua New Guinea 64.93 2005 est. 160 Tajikistan 64.56 2005 est. 161 Grenada 64.53 2005 est. 162 Mongolia 64.52 2005 est. 163 India 64.35 2005 est. 164 World 64.33 2005 est. 165 Uzbekistan 64.19 2005 est. 166 Maldives 64.06 2005 est. 167 Azerbaijan 63.35 2005 est. 168 Pakistan 63.00 2005 est. 169 Nauru 62.73 2005 est. 170 Vanuatu 62.49 2005 est. 171 Bangladesh 62.08 2005 est. 172 Comoros 61.96 2005 est. 173 Yemen 61.75 2005 est. 174 Kiribati 61.71 2005 est. 175 Mayotte 61.39 2005 est. 176 Turkmenistan 61.39 2005 est. 177 Burma 60.70 2005 est. 178 Nepal 59.80 2005 est. 179 Cambodia 58.92 2005 est. 180 Senegal 58.90 2005 est. 181 Sudan 58.54 2005 est. 182 Eritrea 58.47 2005 est. 183 Ghana 58.47 2005 est. 184 Togo 57.01 2005 est. 185 Madagascar 56.95 2005 est. 186 Laos 55.08 2005 est. 187 Gabon 55.02 2005 est. 188 Bhutan 54.39 2005 est. 189 Gambia, The 53.75 2005 est. 190 Haiti 52.92 2005 est. 191 Mauritania 52.73 2005 est. 192 Benin 52.66 2005 est. 193 Congo, Republic of the 52.26 2005 est. 194 Uganda 51.59 2005 est. 195 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 51.10 2005 est. 196 Cameroon 50.89 2005 est. 197 Burundi 50.29 2005 est. 198 Equatorial Guinea 49.70 2005 est. 199 Guinea 49.36 2005 est. 200 Ethiopia 48.83 2005 est. 201 Mali 48.64 2005 est. 202 Cote d'Ivoire 48.62 2005 est. 203 Burkina Faso 48.45 2005 est. 204 Somalia 48.09 2005 est. 205 Kenya 47.99 2005 est. 206 Chad 47.18 2005 est. 207 Rwanda 46.96 2005 est. 208 Nigeria 46.74 2005 est. 209 Guinea-Bissau 46.61 2005 est. 210 Tanzania 45.24 2005 est. 211 Namibia 43.93 2005 est. 212 Niger 43.50 2005 est. 213 Central African Republic 43.39 2005 est. 214 South Africa 43.27 2005 est. 215 Djibouti 43.10 2005 est. 216 Afghanistan 42.90 2005 est. 217 Malawi 41.43 2005 est. 218 Mozambique 40.32 2005 est. 219 Sierra Leone 39.87 2005 est. 220 Zambia 39.70 2005 est. 221 Zimbabwe 39.13 2005 est. 222 Liberia 38.89 2005 est. 223 Angola 38.43 2005 est. 224 Lesotho 34.47 2005 est. 225 Botswana 33.87 2005 est. 226 Swaziland 33.22 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2108

Rank Country Merchant marine Date of Information

1 World 30,936 2005 2 Panama 5,005 2005 3 China 1,649 2005 4 Liberia 1,465 2005 5 Russia 1,194 2005 6 Malta 1,140 2005 7 Bahamas, The 1,119 2005 8 Antigua and Barbuda 980 2005 9 Cyprus 972 2005 10 Singapore 923 2005 11 Greece 861 2005 12 Hong Kong 837 2005 13 Norway 740 2005 14 Indonesia 728 2005 15 Japan 702 2005 16 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 657 2005 17 Korea, South 601 2005 18 Italy 565 2005 19 Netherlands 558 2005 20 Marshall Islands 540 2005 21 Turkey 526 2005 22 United States 486 2005 23 Cambodia 479 2005 24 United Kingdom 429 2005 25 Philippines 419 2005 26 Thailand 386 2005 27 Malaysia 346 2005 28 Germany 332 2005 29 India 299 2005 30 Belize 295 2005 31 Denmark 287 2005 32 Man, Isle of 267 2005 33 Korea, North 238 2005 34 Sweden 205 2005 35 Ukraine 201 2005 36 Vietnam 194 2005 37 Spain 182 2005 38 Georgia 175 2005 39 Canada 169 2005 40 Netherlands Antilles 168 2005 41 Gibraltar 161 2005 42 Brazil 150 2005 43 Iran 144 2005 44 Honduras 137 2005 45 Cayman Islands 129 2005 46 Taiwan 126 2005 47 Syria 120 2005 48 Portugal 114 2005 49 Bermuda 108 2005 50 Finland 94 2005 51 Azerbaijan 81 2005 52 Comoros 79 2005 53 Egypt 77 2005 54 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 75 2005 55 Croatia 73 2005 56 Mongolia 65 2005 57 Bulgaria 64 2005 58 Saudi Arabia 64 2005 59 Barbados 58 2005 60 Mexico 57 2005 61 United Arab Emirates 56 2005 62 Algeria 56 2005 63 Venezuela 56 2005 64 France 56 2005 65 Australia 55 2005 66 Lithuania 54 2005 67 Monaco 54 2005 68 Belgium 53 2005 69 Vanuatu 52 2005 70 Chile 47 2005 71 Nigeria 46 2005 72 Lebanon 44 2005 73 Estonia 43 2005 74 Bangladesh 41 2005 75 Morocco 41 2005 76 Luxembourg 40 2005 77 Ireland 39 2005 78 Kuwait 39 2005 79 Burma 37 2005 80 Romania 34 2005 81 Bolivia 32 2005 82 Dominica 32 2005 83 Ecuador 31 2005 84 Tonga 29 2005 85 Argentina 26 2005 86 Albania 25 2005 87 Slovakia 24 2005 88 Sri Lanka 23 2005 89 Switzerland 23 2005 90 Tuvalu 23 2005 91 Slovenia 23 92 Papua New Guinea 22 2005 93 Qatar 22 2005 94 Paraguay 21 2005 95 Jordan 20 2005 96 Latvia 19 2005 97 Israel 17 2005 98 Libya 17 2005 99 Maldives 16 2005 100 Colombia 15 2005 101 Sao Tome and Principe 15 2005 102 French Polynesia 15 2005 103 Cuba 15 2005 104 Faroe Islands 14 2005 105 Iraq 14 2005 106 New Zealand 13 2005 107 Pakistan 13 2005 108 Tunisia 12 2005 109 Tanzania 11 2005 110 Uruguay 11 2005 111 Jamaica 9 2005 112 Madagascar 9 2005 113 Austria 8 2005 114 Bahrain 8 2005 115 Brunei 8 2005 116 Ethiopia 8 2005 117 Mauritius 8 2005 118 Fiji 7 2005 119 Poland 7 2005 120 Turkmenistan 7 2005 121 Eritrea 6 2005 122 Guyana 6 2005 123 Trinidad and Tobago 6 2005 124 Cape Verde 5 2005 125 Seychelles 5 2005 126 Yemen 5 2005 127 Angola 4 2005 128 Gambia, The 4 2005 129 Wallis and Futuna 4 2005 130 Peru 4 2005 131 Ghana 4 2005 132 Dominican Republic 3 2005 133 Kazakhstan 3 2005 134 Kenya 3 2005 135 Iceland 3 2005 136 Greenland 3 2005 137 French Guiana 3 138 Czech Republic 3 139 Costa Rica 2 2005 140 Sudan 2 2005 141 Serbia and Montenegro 2 2005 142 Togo 2 2005 143 Sierra Leone 2 2005 144 Moldova 2 2005 145 New Caledonia 2 2005 146 Puerto Rico 2 2005 147 South Africa 2 2005 148 Mozambique 2 2005 149 Micronesia, Federated States of 2 2005 150 Andorra 1 151 Samoa 1 2005 152 Namibia 1 2005 153 British Virgin Islands 1 2005 154 Reunion 1 2005 155 Suriname 1 2005 156 Oman 1 2005 157 Laos 1 2005 158 Guadeloupe 1 2005 159 Cook Islands 1 2005 160 Djibouti 1 2005 161 Kiribati 1 2005 162 Equatorial Guinea 1 2005 163 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1 164 Cameroon 1 2005

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2119

Rank Country Population Date of Information

1 World 6,446,131,400 July 2005 est. 2 China 1,306,313,812 July 2005 est. 3 India 1,080,264,388 July 2005 est. 4 European Union 456,953,258 July 2005 est. 5 United States 295,734,134 July 2005 est. 6 Indonesia 241,973,879 July 2005 est. 7 Brazil 186,112,794 July 2005 est. 8 Pakistan 162,419,946 July 2005 est. 9 Bangladesh 144,319,628 July 2005 est. 10 Russia 143,420,309 July 2005 est. 11 Nigeria 128,765,768 July 2005 est. 12 Japan 127,417,244 July 2005 est. 13 Mexico 106,202,903 July 2005 est. 14 Philippines 87,857,473 July 2005 est. 15 Vietnam 83,535,576 July 2005 est. 16 Germany 82,431,390 July 2005 est. 17 Egypt 77,505,756 July 2005 est. 18 Ethiopia 73,053,286 July 2005 est. 19 Turkey 69,660,559 July 2005 est. 20 Iran 68,017,860 July 2005 est. 21 Thailand 64,185,502 July 2005 est. 22 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 60,764,490 July 2005 est. 23 France 60,656,178 July 2005 est. 24 United Kingdom 60,441,457 July 2005 est. 25 Italy 58,103,033 July 2005 est. 26 Korea, South 48,640,671 July 2005 est. 27 Ukraine 46,996,765 July 2005 est. 28 Burma 46,996,558 July 2005 est. 29 South Africa 44,344,136 July 2005 est. 30 Colombia 42,954,279 July 2005 est. 31 Spain 40,341,462 July 2005 est. 32 Sudan 40,187,486 July 2005 est. 33 Argentina 39,537,943 July 2005 est. 34 Poland 38,557,984 July 2005 est. 35 Tanzania 36,766,356 July 2005 est. 36 Kenya 33,829,590 July 2005 est. 37 Canada 32,805,041 July 2005 est. 38 Morocco 32,725,847 July 2005 est. 39 Algeria 32,531,853 July 2005 est. 40 Afghanistan 29,928,987 July 2005 est. 41 Peru 27,925,628 July 2005 est. 42 Nepal 27,676,547 July 2005 est. 43 Uganda 27,269,482 July 2005 est. 44 Uzbekistan 26,851,195 July 2005 est. 45 Saudi Arabia 26,417,599 July 2005 est. 46 Iraq 26,074,906 July 2005 est. 47 Venezuela 25,375,281 July 2005 est. 48 Malaysia 23,953,136 July 2005 est. 49 Korea, North 22,912,177 July 2005 est. 50 Taiwan 22,894,384 July 2005 est. 51 Romania 22,329,977 July 2005 est. 52 Ghana 21,946,247 July 2005 est. 53 Yemen 20,727,063 July 2005 est. 54 Australia 20,090,437 July 2005 est. 55 Sri Lanka 20,064,776 July 2005 est. 56 Mozambique 19,406,703 July 2005 est. 57 Syria 18,448,752 July 2005 est. 58 Madagascar 18,040,341 July 2005 est. 59 Cote d'Ivoire 17,298,040 July 2005 est. 60 Cameroon 16,988,132 July 2005 est. 61 Netherlands 16,407,491 July 2005 est. 62 Chile 15,980,912 July 2005 est. 63 Kazakhstan 15,185,844 July 2005 est. 64 Cambodia 13,636,398 July 2005 est. 65 Burkina Faso 13,491,736 July 2005 est. 66 Ecuador 13,363,593 July 2005 est. 67 Malawi 12,707,464 July 2005 est. 68 Niger 12,162,856 July 2005 est. 69 Zimbabwe 12,160,782 July 2005 est. 70 Guatemala 12,013,907 July 2005 est. 71 Angola 11,827,315 July 2005 est. 72 Senegal 11,706,498 July 2005 est. 73 Mali 11,415,261 July 2005 est. 74 Cuba 11,346,670 July 2005 est. 75 Zambia 11,261,795 July 2005 est. 76 Serbia and Montenegro 10,829,175 July 2005 est. 77 Greece 10,668,354 July 2005 est. 78 Portugal 10,566,212 July 2005 est. 79 Belgium 10,364,388 July 2005 est. 80 Belarus 10,300,483 July 2005 est. 81 Czech Republic 10,241,138 July 2005 est. 82 Tunisia 10,074,951 July 2005 est. 83 Hungary 10,006,835 July 2005 est. 84 Chad 9,657,069 July 2005 est. 85 Guinea 9,452,670 July 2005 est. 86 Dominican Republic 9,049,595 July 2005 est. 87 Sweden 9,001,774 July 2005 est. 88 Bolivia 8,857,870 July 2005 est. 89 Somalia 8,591,629 July 2005 est. 90 Rwanda 8,440,820 July 2005 est. 91 Austria 8,184,691 July 2005 est. 92 Haiti 8,121,622 July 2005 est. 93 Azerbaijan 7,911,974 July 2005 est. 94 Burundi 7,795,426 July 2005 est. 95 Benin 7,649,360 July 2005 est. 96 Switzerland 7,489,370 July 2005 est. 97 Bulgaria 7,450,349 July 2005 est. 98 Honduras 7,167,902 July 2005 est. 99 Tajikistan 7,163,506 July 2005 est. 100 Hong Kong 6,898,686 July 2005 est. 101 El Salvador 6,704,932 July 2005 est. 102 Paraguay 6,347,884 July 2005 est. 103 Israel 6,276,883 July 2005 est. 104 Laos 6,217,141 July 2005 est. 105 Sierra Leone 5,867,426 July 2005 est. 106 Libya 5,765,563 July 2005 est. 107 Jordan 5,759,732 July 2005 est. 108 Papua New Guinea 5,545,268 July 2005 est. 109 Nicaragua 5,465,100 July 2005 est. 110 Denmark 5,432,335 July 2005 est. 111 Slovakia 5,431,363 July 2005 est. 112 Togo 5,399,991 July 2005 est. 113 Finland 5,223,442 July 2005 est. 114 Kyrgyzstan 5,146,281 July 2005 est. 115 Turkmenistan 4,952,081 July 2005 est. 116 Georgia 4,677,401 July 2005 est. 117 Eritrea 4,669,638 July 2005 est. 118 Norway 4,593,041 July 2005 est. 119 Croatia 4,495,904 July 2005 est. 120 Moldova 4,455,421 July 2005 est. 121 Bosnia and Herzegovina 4,430,494 July 2005 est. 122 Singapore 4,425,720 July 2005 est. 123 Central African Republic 4,237,703 July 2005 est. 124 New Zealand 4,035,461 July 2005 est. 125 Costa Rica 4,016,173 July 2005 est. 126 Ireland 4,015,676 July 2005 est. 127 Puerto Rico 3,911,299 July 2005 est. 128 Lebanon 3,826,018 July 2005 est. 129 Congo, Republic of the 3,602,269 July 2005 est. 130 Lithuania 3,596,617 July 2005 est. 131 Albania 3,563,112 July 2005 est. 132 Uruguay 3,415,920 July 2005 est. 133 Panama 3,140,232 July 2005 est. 134 Mauritania 3,086,859 July 2005 est. 135 Oman 3,001,583 July 2005 est. 136 Armenia 2,982,904 July 2005 est. 137 Liberia 2,900,269 July 2005 est. 138 Mongolia 2,791,272 July 2005 est. 139 Jamaica 2,735,520 July 2005 est. 140 United Arab Emirates 2,563,212 July 2005 est. 141 West Bank 2,385,615 142 Kuwait 2,335,648 July 2005 est. 143 Latvia 2,290,237 July 2005 est. 144 Bhutan 2,232,291 July 2005 est. 145 Macedonia 2,045,262 July 2005 est. 146 Lesotho 2,031,348 July 2005 est. 147 Namibia 2,030,692 July 2005 est. 148 Slovenia 2,011,070 July 2005 est. 149 Botswana 1,640,115 July 2005 est. 150 Gambia, The 1,595,086 July 2005 est. 151 Guinea-Bissau 1,413,446 July 2005 est. 152 Gabon 1,394,307 July 2005 est. 153 Gaza Strip 1,376,289 July 2005 est. 154 Estonia 1,332,893 July 2005 est. 155 Mauritius 1,230,602 July 2005 est. 156 Swaziland 1,138,227 July 2005 est. 157 Trinidad and Tobago 1,075,066 July 2005 est. 158 East Timor 1,040,880 July 2005 est. 159 Fiji 893,354 July 2005 est. 160 Qatar 863,051 July 2005 est. 161 Cyprus 780,133 July 2005 est. 162 Reunion 776,948 July 2005 est. 163 Guyana 765,283 July 2005 est. 164 Bahrain 688,345 July 2005 est. 165 Comoros 671,247 July 2005 est. 166 Solomon Islands 538,032 July 2005 est. 167 Equatorial Guinea 529,034 July 2005 est. 168 Djibouti 476,703 July 2005 est. 169 Luxembourg 468,571 July 2005 est. 170 Macau 449,198 July 2005 est. 171 Guadeloupe 448,713 July 2005 est. 172 Suriname 438,144 July 2005 est. 173 Martinique 432,900 July 2005 est. 174 Cape Verde 418,224 July 2005 est. 175 Malta 398,534 July 2005 est. 176 Brunei 372,361 July 2005 est. 177 Maldives 349,106 July 2005 est. 178 Bahamas, The 301,790 July 2005 est. 179 Iceland 296,737 July 2005 est. 180 Belize 281,084 July 2005 est. 181 Barbados 278,870 July 2005 est. 182 Western Sahara 273,008 July 2005 est. 183 French Polynesia 270,485 July 2005 est. 184 Netherlands Antilles 219,958 July 2005 est. 185 New Caledonia 216,494 July 2005 est. 186 Vanuatu 205,754 July 2005 est. 187 French Guiana 195,506 July 2005 est. 188 Mayotte 193,633 July 2005 est. 189 Sao Tome and Principe 187,410 July 2005 est. 190 Samoa 177,287 July 2005 est. 191 Guam 168,564 July 2005 est. 192 Saint Lucia 166,312 July 2005 est. 193 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 117,534 July 2005 est. 194 Tonga 112,422 July 2005 est. 195 Virgin Islands 108,708 July 2005 est. 196 Micronesia, Federated States of 108,105 July 2005 est. 197 Kiribati 103,092 July 2005 est. 198 Jersey 90,812 July 2005 est. 199 Grenada 89,502 July 2005 est. 200 Seychelles 81,188 July 2005 est. 201 Northern Mariana Islands 80,362 July 2005 est. 202 Man, Isle of 75,049 July 2005 est. 203 Aruba 71,566 July 2005 est. 204 Andorra 70,549 July 2005 est. 205 Dominica 69,029 July 2005 est. 206 Antigua and Barbuda 68,722 July 2005 est. 207 Bermuda 65,365 July 2005 est. 208 Guernsey 65,228 July 2005 est. 209 Marshall Islands 59,071 July 2005 est. 210 American Samoa 57,881 July 2005 est. 211 Greenland 56,375 July 2005 est. 212 Faroe Islands 46,962 July 2005 est. 213 Cayman Islands 44,270 July 2005 est. 214 Saint Kitts and Nevis 38,958 July 2005 est. 215 Liechtenstein 33,717 July 2005 est. 216 Monaco 32,409 July 2005 est. 217 San Marino 28,880 July 2005 est. 218 Gibraltar 27,884 July 2005 est. 219 British Virgin Islands 22,643 July 2005 est. 220 Cook Islands 21,388 July 2005 est. 221 Turks and Caicos Islands 20,556 July 2005 est. 222 Palau 20,303 July 2005 est. 223 Wallis and Futuna 16,025 July 2005 est. 224 Anguilla 13,254 July 2005 est. 225 Nauru 13,048 July 2005 est. 226 Tuvalu 11,636 July 2005 est. 227 Montserrat 9,341 July 2005 est. 228 Saint Helena 7,460 July 2005 est. 229 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 7,012 July 2005 est. 230 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,967 July 2005 est. 231 Svalbard 2,701 July 2005 est. 232 Niue 2,166 July 2005 est. 233 Norfolk Island 1,828 July 2005 est. 234 Tokelau 1,392 July 2005 est. 235 Holy See (Vatican City) 932 July 2005 est. 236 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 628 July 2005 est. 237 Johnston Atoll 361 July 2005 est. 238 Christmas Island 361 July 2005 est. 239 Pitcairn Islands 45 July 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2121

Rank Country Railways(km) Date of Information

1 World 1,115,205 2003 2 United States 227,736 2003 3 European Union 222,293 2003 4 Russia 87,157 2004 5 China 71,898 2002 6 India 63,230 2004 7 Australia 54,439 2004 8 Canada 48,683 2004 9 Germany 46,142 2004 10 Argentina 34,091 2004 11 France 29,519 2004 12 Brazil 29,412 2004 13 Poland 23,852 2004 14 Japan 23,577 2004 15 Ukraine 22,473 2004 16 South Africa 20,872 2004 17 Italy 19,319 2004 18 Mexico 17,634 2004 19 United Kingdom 17,274 2004 20 Spain 14,781 2004 21 Kazakhstan 13,700 2004 22 Sweden 11,481 2004 23 Romania 11,385 2004 24 Czech Republic 9,543 2004 25 Turkey 8,697 2004 26 Pakistan 8,163 2004 27 Hungary 7,937 2004 28 Iran 7,203 2004 29 Chile 6,585 2004 30 Indonesia 6,458 2004 31 Austria 6,021 2004 32 Sudan 5,995 2004 33 Finland 5,851 2004 34 Belarus 5,512 2004 35 Korea, North 5,214 2004 36 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 5,138 2004 37 Egypt 5,063 2004 38 Switzerland 4,527 2004 39 Serbia and Montenegro 4,380 2004 40 Bulgaria 4,294 2004 41 Cuba 4,226 2004 42 Norway 4,077 2004 43 Thailand 4,071 2004 44 Algeria 3,973 2004 45 Burma 3,955 2004 46 Uzbekistan 3,950 2004 47 New Zealand 3,898 2004 48 Tanzania 3,690 2004 49 Slovakia 3,662 2004 50 Nigeria 3,557 2004 51 Belgium 3,521 2004 52 Bolivia 3,519 2004 53 Korea, South 3,472 2004 54 Peru 3,462 2004 55 Ireland 3,312 2004 56 Colombia 3,304 2004 57 Mozambique 3,123 2004 58 Zimbabwe 3,077 2004 59 Azerbaijan 2,957 2004 60 Portugal 2,850 2004 61 Netherlands 2,808 2004 62 Kenya 2,778 2004 63 Angola 2,761 2004 64 Croatia 2,726 2004 65 Syria 2,711 2004 66 Bangladesh 2,706 2004 67 Denmark 2,628 2004 68 Vietnam 2,600 2004 69 Greece 2,571 2004 70 Taiwan 2,497 2004 71 Turkmenistan 2,440 2004 72 Namibia 2,382 2004 73 Latvia 2,303 2004 74 Iraq 2,200 2004 75 Zambia 2,173 2004 76 Tunisia 2,152 2004 77 Uruguay 2,073 2004 78 Lithuania 1,998 2004 79 Morocco 1,907 2004 80 Malaysia 1,890 2004 81 Mongolia 1,810 2004 82 Dominican Republic 1,743 2004 83 Georgia 1,612 2004 84 Sri Lanka 1,449 2004 85 Saudi Arabia 1,392 2004 86 Uganda 1,241 2004 87 Slovenia 1,201 2004 88 Moldova 1,138 2004 89 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,021 2004 90 Cameroon 1,008 2004 91 Ecuador 966 2004 92 Estonia 958 2004 93 Ghana 953 2004 94 Senegal 906 2004 95 Philippines 897 2004 96 Congo, Republic of the 894 2004 97 Botswana 888 2004 98 Guatemala 886 2004 99 Armenia 845 2004 100 Guinea 837 2004 101 Gabon 814 2004 102 Malawi 797 2004 103 Madagascar 732 2004 104 Mali 729 2004 105 Honduras 699 2004 106 Macedonia 699 2004 107 Venezuela 682 2004 108 Ethiopia 681 2004 109 Cote d'Ivoire 660 2004 110 Israel 640 2004 111 Burkina Faso 622 2004 112 Cambodia 602 2004 113 Fiji 597 2003 114 Benin 578 2004 115 Togo 568 2004 116 Jordan 505 2004 117 Liberia 490 2004 118 Tajikistan 482 2004 119 Kyrgyzstan 470 2004 120 Albania 447 2004 121 Paraguay 441 2004 122 Lebanon 401 2004 123 Panama 355 2004 124 Eritrea 306 2004 125 Swaziland 301 2004 126 El Salvador 283 2004 127 Costa Rica 278 2004 128 Luxembourg 274 2004 129 Jamaica 272 2003 130 Guyana 187 2001 est. 131 Djibouti 100 2004 132 Puerto Rico 96 2004 133 Man, Isle of 61 2003 134 Nepal 59 2004 135 Saint Kitts and Nevis 50 2003 136 Nicaragua 6 2004

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2127

Rank Country Total fertility rate(children born/woman) Date of Information

1 Niger 7.55 2005 est. 2 Mali 7.47 2005 est. 3 Somalia 6.84 2005 est. 4 Afghanistan 6.75 2005 est. 5 Uganda 6.74 2005 est. 6 Yemen 6.67 2005 est. 7 Burundi 6.63 2005 est. 8 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 6.54 2005 est. 9 Burkina Faso 6.54 2005 est. 10 Angola 6.42 2005 est. 11 Chad 6.32 2005 est. 12 Sierra Leone 6.15 2005 est. 13 Congo, Republic of the 6.14 2005 est. 14 Liberia 6.09 2005 est. 15 Malawi 5.98 2005 est. 16 Mauritania 5.94 2005 est. 17 Gaza Strip 5.91 2005 est. 18 Mayotte 5.89 2005 est. 19 Oman 5.84 2005 est. 20 Guinea 5.83 2005 est. 21 Sao Tome and Principe 5.71 2005 est. 22 Madagascar 5.66 2005 est. 23 Nigeria 5.53 2005 est. 24 Rwanda 5.49 2005 est. 25 Zambia 5.47 2005 est. 26 Djibouti 5.40 2005 est. 27 Gambia, The 5.38 2005 est. 28 Ethiopia 5.33 2005 est. 29 Benin 5.32 2005 est. 30 Eritrea 5.20 2005 est. 31 Comoros 5.09 2005 est. 32 Tanzania 5.06 2005 est. 33 Haiti 5.02 2005 est. 34 Maldives 5.02 2005 est. 35 Togo 5.01 2005 est. 36 Kenya 4.96 2005 est. 37 Guinea-Bissau 4.93 2005 est. 38 Sudan 4.85 2005 est. 39 Bhutan 4.81 2005 est. 40 Gabon 4.77 2005 est. 41 Laos 4.77 2005 est. 42 Mozambique 4.70 2005 est. 43 Equatorial Guinea 4.62 2005 est. 44 Cote d'Ivoire 4.58 2005 est. 45 Central African Republic 4.50 2005 est. 46 Senegal 4.50 2005 est. 47 Cameroon 4.47 2005 est. 48 West Bank 4.40 2005 est. 49 Iraq 4.28 2005 est. 50 Kiribati 4.20 2005 est. 51 Nepal 4.19 2005 est. 52 Pakistan 4.14 2005 est. 53 Ghana 4.10 2005 est. 54 Saudi Arabia 4.05 2005 est. 55 Tajikistan 4.05 2005 est. 56 Solomon Islands 4.04 2005 est. 57 Papua New Guinea 3.96 2005 est. 58 Guatemala 3.93 2005 est. 59 Paraguay 3.93 2005 est. 60 Marshall Islands 3.93 2005 est. 61 Honduras 3.69 2005 est. 62 Belize 3.68 2005 est. 63 Swaziland 3.62 2005 est. 64 East Timor 3.61 2005 est. 65 Syria 3.50 2005 est. 66 Cape Verde 3.48 2005 est. 67 Cambodia 3.44 2005 est. 68 Turkmenistan 3.41 2005 est. 69 Lesotho 3.35 2005 est. 70 Libya 3.34 2005 est. 71 American Samoa 3.25 2005 est. 72 Micronesia, Federated States of 3.25 2005 est. 73 Nauru 3.19 2005 est. 74 Namibia 3.18 2005 est. 75 Zimbabwe 3.18 2005 est. 76 El Salvador 3.16 2005 est. 77 Philippines 3.16 2005 est. 78 Bangladesh 3.13 2005 est. 79 Turks and Caicos Islands 3.08 2005 est. 80 Malaysia 3.07 2005 est. 81 French Guiana 3.01 2005 est. 82 Samoa 3.01 2005 est. 83 Tonga 3.00 2005 est. 84 Tuvalu 3.00 2005 est. 85 Kuwait 2.97 2005 est. 86 United Arab Emirates 2.94 2005 est. 87 Uzbekistan 2.94 2005 est. 88 Bolivia 2.94 2005 est. 89 Egypt 2.88 2005 est. 90 Qatar 2.87 2005 est. 91 Dominican Republic 2.86 2005 est. 92 Botswana 2.85 2005 est. 93 Nicaragua 2.81 2005 est. 94 India 2.78 2005 est. 95 Vanuatu 2.77 2005 est. 96 Fiji 2.75 2005 est. 97 Morocco 2.73 2005 est. 98 Ecuador 2.72 2005 est. 99 Jordan 2.71 2005 est. 100 Kyrgyzstan 2.70 2005 est. 101 Panama 2.70 2005 est. 102 Bahrain 2.63 2005 est. 103 Guam 2.60 2005 est. 104 World 2.60 2005 est. 105 Colombia 2.56 2005 est. 106 Peru 2.56 2005 est. 107 Jamaica 2.47 2005 est. 108 Reunion 2.47 2005 est. 109 Palau 2.46 2005 est. 110 Mexico 2.45 2005 est. 111 Azerbaijan 2.44 2005 est. 112 Israel 2.44 2005 est. 113 Indonesia 2.44 2005 est. 114 Greenland 2.41 2005 est. 115 Grenada 2.37 2005 est. 116 Suriname 2.34 2005 est. 117 Saint Kitts and Nevis 2.33 2005 est. 118 New Caledonia 2.31 2005 est. 119 Brunei 2.30 2005 est. 120 Costa Rica 2.28 2005 est. 121 Antigua and Barbuda 2.26 2005 est. 122 Mongolia 2.26 2005 est. 123 Venezuela 2.26 2005 est. 124 South Africa 2.24 2005 est. 125 Saint Lucia 2.21 2005 est. 126 Bahamas, The 2.20 2005 est. 127 Faroe Islands 2.20 2005 est. 128 Argentina 2.19 2005 est. 129 Virgin Islands 2.19 2005 est. 130 Korea, North 2.15 2005 est. 131 United States 2.08 2005 est. 132 Guyana 2.05 2005 est. 133 Albania 2.04 2005 est. 134 French Polynesia 2.04 2005 est. 135 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 2.03 2005 est. 136 Chile 2.02 2005 est. 137 Burma 2.01 2005 est. 138 Netherlands Antilles 2.00 2005 est. 139 Dominica 1.96 2005 est. 140 Mauritius 1.96 2005 est. 141 Turkey 1.94 2005 est. 142 Vietnam 1.94 2005 est. 143 Brazil 1.93 2005 est. 144 Algeria 1.92 2005 est. 145 Lebanon 1.92 2005 est. 146 Iceland 1.92 2005 est. 147 Guadeloupe 1.91 2005 est. 148 Uruguay 1.91 2005 est. 149 Cayman Islands 1.90 2005 est. 150 Bermuda 1.89 2005 est. 151 Kazakhstan 1.89 2005 est. 152 Ireland 1.87 2005 est. 153 Sri Lanka 1.85 2005 est. 154 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1.85 2005 est. 155 France 1.85 2005 est. 156 Cyprus 1.83 2005 est. 157 Iran 1.82 2005 est. 158 Moldova 1.81 2005 est. 159 Aruba 1.79 2005 est. 160 New Zealand 1.79 2005 est. 161 Luxembourg 1.79 2005 est. 162 Martinique 1.79 2005 est. 163 Montserrat 1.78 2005 est. 164 Norway 1.78 2005 est. 165 Australia 1.76 2005 est. 166 Monaco 1.76 2005 est. 167 Puerto Rico 1.75 2005 est. 168 Seychelles 1.75 2005 est. 169 Tunisia 1.75 2005 est. 170 Trinidad and Tobago 1.75 2005 est. 171 Denmark 1.74 2005 est. 172 Anguilla 1.73 2005 est. 173 Finland 1.73 2005 est. 174 China 1.72 2005 est. 175 British Virgin Islands 1.72 2005 est. 176 Serbia and Montenegro 1.67 2005 est. 177 Cuba 1.66 2005 est. 178 Netherlands 1.66 2005 est. 179 United Kingdom 1.66 2005 est. 180 Sweden 1.66 2005 est. 181 Gibraltar 1.65 2005 est. 182 Man, Isle of 1.65 2005 est. 183 Barbados 1.64 2005 est. 184 Belgium 1.64 2005 est. 185 Thailand 1.63 2005 est. 186 Canada 1.61 2005 est. 187 Jersey 1.57 2005 est. 188 Taiwan 1.57 2005 est. 189 Macedonia 1.57 2005 est. 190 Saint Helena 1.54 2005 est. 191 Liechtenstein 1.51 2005 est. 192 Malta 1.50 2005 est. 193 European Union 1.47 July 2005 est. 194 Portugal 1.47 2005 est. 195 Switzerland 1.43 2005 est. 196 Georgia 1.41 2005 est. 197 Belarus 1.39 2005 est. 198 Germany 1.39 2005 est. 199 Croatia 1.39 2005 est. 200 Japan 1.39 2005 est. 201 Estonia 1.39 2005 est. 202 Bulgaria 1.38 2005 est. 203 Guernsey 1.38 2005 est. 204 Austria 1.36 2005 est. 205 Romania 1.36 2005 est. 206 Greece 1.33 2005 est. 207 San Marino 1.33 2005 est. 208 Armenia 1.32 2005 est. 209 Hungary 1.32 2005 est. 210 Slovakia 1.32 2005 est. 211 Andorra 1.29 2005 est. 212 Italy 1.28 2005 est. 213 Spain 1.28 2005 est. 214 Northern Mariana Islands 1.27 2005 est. 215 Russia 1.27 2005 est. 216 Korea, South 1.26 2005 est. 217 Latvia 1.26 2005 est. 218 Poland 1.24 2005 est. 219 Slovenia 1.24 2005 est. 220 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.21 2005 est. 221 Czech Republic 1.20 2005 est. 222 Lithuania 1.19 2005 est. 223 Ukraine 1.16 2005 est. 224 Singapore 1.05 2005 est. 225 Macau 1.00 2005 est. 226 Hong Kong 0.93 2005 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2129

Rank Country Unemployment rate(%) Date of Information

1 Andorra 0.00 1996 est. 2 Norfolk Island 0.00 3 Guernsey 0.50 1999 est. 4 Aruba 0.60 2003 est. 5 Man, Isle of 0.60 2004 est. 6 Uzbekistan 0.60 2004 est. 7 Jersey 0.90 2004 est. 8 Faroe Islands 1.00 October 2000 9 Azerbaijan 1.20 2004 est. 10 Liechtenstein 1.30 September 2002 11 Thailand 1.50 November 2004 est. 12 Vietnam 1.90 2004 est. 13 Belarus 2.00 2004 14 Gibraltar 2.00 2001 est. 15 Kiribati 2.00 1992 est. 16 Kuwait 2.20 2004 est. 17 Palau 2.30 2000 est. 18 United Arab Emirates 2.40 2001 19 Cambodia 2.50 2000 est. 20 Cuba 2.50 2004 est. 21 San Marino 2.60 2001 22 Qatar 2.70 2001 23 Malaysia 3.00 2004 est. 24 British Virgin Islands 3.00 1995 25 Iceland 3.10 2004 est. 26 Brunei 3.20 2002 est. 27 Mexico 3.20 2004 est. 28 Cyprus 3.20 2004 est. 29 Singapore 3.40 2004 est. 30 Switzerland 3.40 2004 est. 31 Ukraine 3.50 2004 est. 32 Korea, South 3.60 2004 est. 33 Cayman Islands 4.10 1997 34 New Zealand 4.20 2004 est. 35 Ireland 4.30 2004 est. 36 Norway 4.30 2004 est. 37 Austria 4.40 2004 est. 38 Luxembourg 4.50 December, 2004 est. 39 Saint Kitts and Nevis 4.50 1997 40 Taiwan 4.50 2004 est. 41 Japan 4.70 2004 est. 42 Macau 4.70 3rd Quarter, 2004 43 United Kingdom 4.80 2004 est. 44 Bermuda 5.00 2002 est. 45 Australia 5.10 December 2004 est. 46 Burma 5.20 2004 est. 47 Mali 5.30 2001 est. 48 United States 5.50 2004 est. 49 Cyprus 5.60 2004 est. 50 Sweden 5.60 2004 est. 51 Laos 5.70 1997 est. 52 Hungary 5.90 2004 est. 53 American Samoa 6.00 2000 54 Netherlands 6.00 2004 est. 55 Montserrat 6.00 1998 est. 56 Denmark 6.20 2004 est. 57 El Salvador 6.30 2004 est. 58 Romania 6.30 2004 est. 59 Slovenia 6.40 2004 est. 60 Portugal 6.50 2004 est. 61 Costa Rica 6.60 2004 est. 62 Hong Kong 6.70 2004 est. 63 Mongolia 6.70 2003 64 Canada 7.00 2004 65 Malta 7.00 2003 est. 66 Guatemala 7.50 2003 est. 67 Fiji 7.60 1999 68 Sri Lanka 7.80 2004 est. 69 Nicaragua 7.80 2003 est. 70 Anguilla 8.00 2002 71 Central African Republic 8.00 2001 est. 72 Kazakhstan 8.00 2004 est. 73 Moldova 8.00 2002 est. 74 Lithuania 8.00 2004 est. 75 Pakistan 8.30 2004 est. 76 Russia 8.30 2004 est. 77 Chile 8.50 2004 est. 78 Italy 8.60 2004 est. 79 Latvia 8.80 2004 est. 80 Finland 8.90 2004 est. 81 Bolivia 9.20 2003 est. 82 Indonesia 9.20 2004 est. 83 India 9.20 2004 est. 84 Turkey 9.30 2004 est. 85 Virgin Islands 9.30 2003 est. 86 European Union 9.50 2004 est. 87 Estonia 9.60 2004 est. 88 Peru 9.60 2004 est. 89 China 9.80 2004 est. 90 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 9.80 1997 91 Greenland 10.00 2000 est. 92 Greece 10.00 2004 est. 93 Turks and Caicos Islands 10.00 1997 est. 94 France 10.10 2004 est. 95 Bahamas, The 10.20 2004 est. 96 Spain 10.40 2004 est. 97 Trinidad and Tobago 10.40 2004 est. 98 Czech Republic 10.60 2004 est. 99 Germany 10.60 2004 est. 100 Barbados 10.70 2003 est. 101 Israel 10.70 2004 est. 102 Mauritius 10.80 2004 est. 103 Egypt 10.90 2004 est. 104 Antigua and Barbuda 11.00 2001 est. 105 Ecuador 11.10 2004 est. 106 Iran 11.20 2004 est. 107 Brazil 11.50 2004 est. 108 Philippines 11.70 2004 est. 109 French Polynesia 11.80 1994 110 Belgium 12.00 first half, 2004 111 Puerto Rico 12.00 2002 112 Morocco 12.10 2004 est. 113 Grenada 12.50 2000 114 Panama 12.60 2004 est. 115 Bulgaria 12.70 2004 est. 116 Belize 12.90 2003 117 Cook Islands 13.00 1996 118 Cote d'Ivoire 13.00 1998 119 Uruguay 13.00 2004 est. 120 Slovakia 13.10 31 December 2004 est. 121 Tonga 13.30 1996 est. 122 Colombia 13.60 2004 est. 123 Croatia 13.80 2004 est. 124 Tunisia 13.80 2004 est. 125 Saint Helena 14.00 1998 est. 126 Mali 14.60 2001 est. 127 Albania 14.80 2001 est. 128 Argentina 14.80 2004 est. 129 Bahrain 15.00 1998 est. 130 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 15.00 2001 est. 131 Oman 15.00 2004 est. 132 Jordan 15.00 2004 est. 133 Jamaica 15.00 2004 est. 134 Guam 15.00 2000 est. 135 Paraguay 15.10 2004 est. 136 Netherlands Antilles 15.60 2002 est. 137 Micronesia, Federated States of 16.00 1999 est. 138 Dominican Republic 17.00 2004 est. 139 Georgia 17.00 2001 est. 140 Suriname 17.00 2000 141 Venezuela 17.10 2004 est. 142 Kyrgyzstan 18.00 2004 est. 143 Lebanon 18.00 1997 est. 144 Sudan 18.70 2002 est. 145 New Caledonia 19.00 1996 146 Poland 19.50 2004 est. 147 Comoros 20.00 1996 est. 148 Syria 20.00 2002 est. 149 Saint Lucia 20.00 2003 est. 150 Mauritania 20.00 2004 est. 151 Ghana 20.00 1997 est. 152 Cape Verde 21.00 2000 est. 153 Gabon 21.00 1997 est. 154 Mozambique 21.00 1997 est. 155 French Guiana 22.00 2001 156 Monaco 22.00 1999 157 Dominica 23.00 2000 est. 158 Botswana 23.80 2004 est. 159 Iraq 25.00 2004 est. 160 Saudi Arabia 25.00 2004 est. 161 Algeria 25.40 2004 est. 162 South Africa 26.20 2004 est. 163 Martinique 27.20 1998 164 West Bank 27.20 2004 est. 165 Guadeloupe 27.80 1998 166 Honduras 28.50 2004 est. 167 Armenia 30.00 2003 est. 168 Libya 30.00 2004 169 Cameroon 30.00 2001 est. 170 Serbia and Montenegro 30.00 2004 est. 171 World 30.00 172 Equatorial Guinea 30.00 1998 est. 173 Marshall Islands 30.90 1999 est. 174 Swaziland 34.00 2000 est. 175 Namibia 35.00 1998 176 Yemen 35.00 2003 est. 177 Reunion 36.00 1999 est. 178 Macedonia 37.70 3rd quarter, 2004 est. 179 Mayotte 38.00 1999 180 Bangladesh 40.00 2004 est. 181 Kenya 40.00 2001 est. 182 Tajikistan 40.00 2002 est. 183 Bosnia and Herzegovina 44.00 2004 est. 184 Lesotho 45.00 2002 185 Nepal 47.00 2001 est. 186 Senegal 48.00 2001 est. 187 Djibouti 50.00 2004 est. 188 East Timor 50.00 1992 est. 189 Zambia 50.00 2000 est. 190 Gaza Strip 50.00 2003 est. 191 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 60.00 2000 est. 192 Turkmenistan 60.00 2004 est. 193 Kiribati 70.00 1992 est. 194 Zimbabwe 70.00 2002 est. 195 Liberia 85.00 2003 est. 196 Nauru 90.00 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2147

Rank Country Area(sq km) Date of Information

1 World 510,072,000 2 Pacific Ocean 155,557,000 3 Atlantic Ocean 76,762,000 4 Indian Ocean 68,556,000 5 Southern Ocean 20,327,000 6 Russia 17,075,200 7 Arctic Ocean 14,056,000 8 Antarctica 14,000,000 9 Canada 9,984,670 10 United States 9,631,418 11 China 9,596,960 12 Brazil 8,511,965 13 Australia 7,686,850 14 European Union 3,976,372 15 India 3,287,590 16 Argentina 2,766,890 17 Kazakhstan 2,717,300 18 Sudan 2,505,810 19 Algeria 2,381,740 20 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 2,345,410 21 Greenland 2,166,086 22 Mexico 1,972,550 23 Saudi Arabia 1,960,582 24 Indonesia 1,919,440 25 Libya 1,759,540 26 Iran 1,648,000 27 Mongolia 1,564,116 28 Peru 1,285,220 29 Chad 1,284,000 30 Niger 1,267,000 31 Angola 1,246,700 32 Mali 1,240,000 33 South Africa 1,219,912 34 Colombia 1,138,910 35 Ethiopia 1,127,127 36 Bolivia 1,098,580 37 Mauritania 1,030,700 38 Egypt 1,001,450 39 Tanzania 945,087 40 Nigeria 923,768 41 Venezuela 912,050 42 Namibia 825,418 43 Pakistan 803,940 44 Mozambique 801,590 45 Turkey 780,580 46 Chile 756,950 47 Zambia 752,614 48 Burma 678,500 49 Afghanistan 647,500 50 Somalia 637,657 51 Central African Republic 622,984 52 Ukraine 603,700 53 Botswana 600,370 54 Madagascar 587,040 55 Kenya 582,650 56 France 547,030 57 Yemen 527,970 58 Thailand 514,000 59 Spain 504,782 60 Turkmenistan 488,100 61 Cameroon 475,440 62 Papua New Guinea 462,840 63 Sweden 449,964 64 Uzbekistan 447,400 65 Morocco 446,550 66 Iraq 437,072 67 Paraguay 406,750 68 Zimbabwe 390,580 69 Japan 377,835 70 Germany 357,021 71 Congo, Republic of the 342,000 72 Finland 338,145 73 Malaysia 329,750 74 Vietnam 329,560 75 Norway 324,220 76 Cote d'Ivoire 322,460 77 Poland 312,685 78 Italy 301,230 79 Philippines 300,000 80 Ecuador 283,560 81 Burkina Faso 274,200 82 New Zealand 268,680 83 Gabon 267,667 84 Western Sahara 266,000 85 Guinea 245,857 86 United Kingdom 244,820 87 Ghana 239,460 88 Romania 237,500 89 Laos 236,800 90 Uganda 236,040 91 Guyana 214,970 92 Oman 212,460 93 Belarus 207,600 94 Kyrgyzstan 198,500 95 Senegal 196,190 96 Syria 185,180 97 Cambodia 181,040 98 Uruguay 176,220 99 Tunisia 163,610 100 Suriname 163,270 101 Bangladesh 144,000 102 Tajikistan 143,100 103 Nepal 140,800 104 Greece 131,940 105 Nicaragua 129,494 106 Eritrea 121,320 107 Korea, North 120,540 108 Malawi 118,480 109 Benin 112,620 110 Honduras 112,090 111 Liberia 111,370 112 Bulgaria 110,910 113 Cuba 110,860 114 Guatemala 108,890 115 Iceland 103,000 116 Serbia and Montenegro 102,350 117 Korea, South 98,480 118 Hungary 93,030 119 Portugal 92,391 120 Jordan 92,300 121 French Guiana 91,000 122 Azerbaijan 86,600 123 Austria 83,870 124 United Arab Emirates 82,880 125 Czech Republic 78,866 126 Panama 78,200 127 Sierra Leone 71,740 128 Ireland 70,280 129 Georgia 69,700 130 Sri Lanka 65,610 131 Lithuania 65,200 132 Latvia 64,589 133 Svalbard 62,049 134 Togo 56,785 135 Croatia 56,542 136 Bosnia and Herzegovina 51,129 137 Costa Rica 51,100 138 Slovakia 48,845 139 Dominican Republic 48,730 140 Bhutan 47,000 141 Estonia 45,226 142 Denmark 43,094 143 Netherlands 41,526 144 Switzerland 41,290 145 Guinea-Bissau 36,120 146 Taiwan 35,980 147 Moldova 33,843 148 Belgium 30,528 149 Lesotho 30,355 150 Armenia 29,800 151 Albania 28,748 152 Solomon Islands 28,450 153 Equatorial Guinea 28,051 154 Burundi 27,830 155 Haiti 27,750 156 Rwanda 26,338 157 Macedonia 25,333 158 Djibouti 23,000 159 Belize 22,966 160 El Salvador 21,040 161 Israel 20,770 162 Slovenia 20,273 163 New Caledonia 19,060 164 Fiji 18,270 165 Kuwait 17,820 166 Swaziland 17,363 167 East Timor 15,007 168 Bahamas, The 13,940 169 Vanuatu 12,200 170 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 12,173 171 Qatar 11,437 172 Gambia, The 11,300 173 Jamaica 10,991 174 Lebanon 10,400 175 Cyprus 9,250 176 Puerto Rico 9,104 177 French Southern and Antarctic Lands 7,829 178 West Bank 5,860 179 Brunei 5,770 180 Trinidad and Tobago 5,128 181 French Polynesia 4,167 182 Cape Verde 4,033 183 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands 3,903 184 Samoa 2,944 185 Luxembourg 2,586 186 Reunion 2,517 187 Comoros 2,170 188 Mauritius 2,040 189 Guadeloupe 1,780 190 Faroe Islands 1,399 191 Martinique 1,100 192 Hong Kong 1,092 193 Sao Tome and Principe 1,001 194 Netherlands Antilles 960 195 Kiribati 811 196 Dominica 754 197 Tonga 748 198 Micronesia, Federated States of 702 199 Singapore 693 200 Bahrain 665 201 Saint Lucia 616 202 Man, Isle of 572 203 Guam 549 204 Northern Mariana Islands 477 205 Andorra 468 206 Palau 458 207 Seychelles 455 208 Antigua and Barbuda 443 209 Barbados 431 210 Turks and Caicos Islands 430 211 Heard Island and McDonald Islands 412 212 Saint Helena 410 213 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 389 214 Mayotte 374 215 Jan Mayen 373 216 Gaza Strip 360 217 Virgin Islands 352 218 Grenada 344 219 Malta 316 220 Maldives 300 221 Wallis and Futuna 274 222 Cayman Islands 262 223 Saint Kitts and Nevis 261 224 Niue 260 225 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 242 226 Cook Islands 240 227 American Samoa 199 228 Aruba 193 229 Marshall Islands 181 230 Liechtenstein 160 231 British Virgin Islands 153 232 Christmas Island 135 233 Dhekelia 131 234 Akrotiri 123 235 Jersey 116 236 Anguilla 102 237 Montserrat 102 238 Guernsey 78 239 San Marino 61 240 British Indian Ocean Territory 60 241 Bouvet Island 59 242 Bermuda 53 243 Pitcairn Islands 47 244 Norfolk Island 35 245 Europa Island 28 246 Tuvalu 26 247 Macau 25 248 Nauru 21 249 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 14 250 Palmyra Atoll 12 251 Tokelau 10 252 Gibraltar 7 253 Wake Island 7 254 Midway Islands 6 255 Clipperton Island 6 256 Navassa Island 5 257 Ashmore and Cartier Islands 5 258 Glorioso Islands 5 259 Spratly Islands 5 260 Jarvis Island 5 261 Juan de Nova Island 4 262 Coral Sea Islands 3 263 Johnston Atoll 3 264 Monaco 2 265 Howland Island 2 266 Baker Island 1 267 Kingman Reef 1 268 Tromelin Island 1 269 Holy See (Vatican City) 0 270 Bassas da India 0

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2150

Rank Country Telephones - main lines in use Date of Information

1 World 843,923,500 2003 2 China 263,000,000 2003 3 European Union 238,763,162 2002 4 United States 181,599,900 2003 5 Japan 71,149,000 2002 6 Germany 54,350,000 2003 7 India 48,917,000 2003 8 Brazil 38,810,000 2002 9 Russia 35,500,000 2002 10 United Kingdom 34,898,000 2002 11 France 33,905,400 2003 12 Italy 26,596,000 2003 13 Korea, South 22,877,000 2003 14 Canada 19,950,900 2003 15 Turkey 18,916,700 2003 16 Spain 17,567,500 2003 17 Mexico 15,958,700 2003 18 Iran 14,571,100 2003 19 Taiwan 13,355,000 2003 20 Poland 12,300,000 2003 21 Ukraine 10,833,300 2002 22 Australia 10,815,000 2003 23 Netherlands 10,004,000 2002 24 Egypt 9,600,000 2005 25 Colombia 8,768,100 2003 26 Argentina 8,009,400 2002 27 Indonesia 7,750,000 2002 28 Thailand 6,617,400 2003 29 Sweden 6,579,200 2002 30 Switzerland 5,419,000 2002 31 Greece 5,205,100 2003 32 Belgium 5,120,400 2002 33 South Africa 4,844,000 2002 34 Malaysia 4,571,600 2003 35 Vietnam 4,402,000 2003 36 Romania 4,300,000 2003 37 Portugal 4,278,800 2003 38 Pakistan 3,982,800 2003 39 Austria 3,881,000 2003 40 Hong Kong 3,801,300 2003 41 Hungary 3,666,400 2002 42 Czech Republic 3,626,000 2003 43 Denmark 3,610,100 2003 44 Saudi Arabia 3,502,600 2003 45 Chile 3,467,000 2002 46 Norway 3,343,000 2002 47 Philippines 3,310,900 2002 48 Belarus 3,071,300 2003 49 Israel 3,006,000 2002 50 Bulgaria 2,868,200 2002 51 Venezuela 2,841,800 2002 52 Serbia and Montenegro 2,611,700 2003 53 Finland 2,548,000 2003 54 Algeria 2,199,600 2003 55 Syria 2,099,300 2002 56 Kazakhstan 2,081,900 2002 57 Ireland 1,955,000 2003 58 Singapore 1,896,100 2004 59 Peru 1,839,200 2003 60 Croatia 1,825,000 2002 61 New Zealand 1,765,000 2002 62 Uzbekistan 1,717,100 2003 63 Ecuador 1,549,000 2003 64 Puerto Rico 1,329,500 2002 65 Slovakia 1,294,700 2003 66 Morocco 1,219,200 2003 67 Tunisia 1,163,800 2003 68 United Arab Emirates 1,135,800 2003 69 Costa Rica 1,132,000 2002 70 Korea, North 1,100,000 2001 71 Uruguay 946,500 2002 72 Bosnia and Herzegovina 938,000 2003 73 Azerbaijan 923,800 2002 74 Dominican Republic 901,800 2003 75 Sudan 900,000 2003 76 Sri Lanka 881,400 2002 77 Nigeria 853,100 2003 78 Guatemala 846,000 2002 79 Lithuania 824,200 2003 80 Slovenia 812,300 2003 81 El Salvador 752,600 2003 82 Libya 750,000 2003 83 Bangladesh 740,000 2003 84 Moldova 706,900 2002 85 Lebanon 678,800 2002 86 Iraq 675,000 2003 87 Latvia 653,900 2003 88 Georgia 650,500 2003 89 Jordan 622,600 2003 90 Bolivia 600,100 2003 91 Cuba 574,400 2002 92 Armenia 562,600 2003 93 Macedonia 560,000 2002 94 Yemen 542,200 2002 95 Kuwait 486,900 2003 96 Estonia 475,000 2002 97 Jamaica 444,400 2002 98 Ethiopia 435,000 2003 99 Cyprus 427,400 100 Kyrgyzstan 394,800 2002 101 Panama 386,900 2002 102 Turkmenistan 374,000 2002 103 Nepal 371,800 2003 104 Burma 357,300 2003 105 Luxembourg 355,400 2002 106 Mauritius 348,200 2003 107 Kenya 328,400 2003 108 Cote d'Ivoire 328,000 2003 109 Trinidad and Tobago 325,100 2002 110 Honduras 322,500 2002 111 Ghana 302,300 2003 112 West Bank 301,600 2002 113 Zimbabwe 300,900 2003 114 Reunion 300,000 2001 115 Paraguay 273,200 2002 116 Albania 255,000 2003 117 Tajikistan 242,100 2003 118 Oman 233,900 2002 119 Senegal 228,800 2003 120 Guadeloupe 210,000 2001 121 Malta 208,300 2003 122 Iceland 190,700 2003 123 Bahrain 185,800 2003 124 Qatar 184,500 2003 125 Macau 174,600 2003 126 Martinique 172,000 2001 127 Nicaragua 171,600 2002 128 Tanzania 149,100 2003 129 Botswana 142,400 2002 130 Mongolia 142,300 2004 131 Barbados 134,000 2003 132 Bahamas, The 131,700 2003 133 Haiti 130,000 2002 134 Namibia 127,400 2003 135 Cameroon 110,900 2002 136 Fiji 102,000 2003 137 Somalia 100,000 2002 est. 138 Angola 96,300 2003 139 Gaza Strip 95,729 1997 140 Brunei 90,000 2002 141 Zambia 88,400 2003 142 Cyprus 86,228 143 Malawi 85,000 2003 144 Guam 84,134 2001 145 Mozambique 83,700 2002 146 Netherlands Antilles 81,000 2001 147 Guyana 80,400 2002 148 Suriname 79,800 2003 149 Jersey 73,900 2001 150 Cape Verde 71,700 2003 151 Virgin Islands 69,400 2002 152 Benin 66,500 2003 153 Burkina Faso 65,400 2003 154 Papua New Guinea 62,000 2002 155 Laos 61,900 2002 156 Uganda 61,000 2003 157 Togo 60,600 2003 158 Madagascar 59,600 2003 159 Mali 56,600 2002 160 Bermuda 56,000 2002 161 Guernsey 55,000 2001 162 French Polynesia 52,500 2002 163 New Caledonia 52,000 2002 164 Saint Lucia 51,100 2002 165 French Guiana 51,000 2001 166 Man, Isle of 51,000 1999 167 Swaziland 46,200 2003 168 Gambia, The 38,400 2002 169 Gabon 38,400 2003 170 Eritrea 38,100 2003 171 Antigua and Barbuda 38,000 2002 172 Cayman Islands 38,000 2002 173 Aruba 37,100 2002 174 Cambodia 35,400 2002 175 Andorra 35,000 2001 176 Monaco 33,700 2002 177 Grenada 33,500 2002 178 Belize 33,300 2003 179 Afghanistan 33,100 2002 180 Mauritania 31,500 2002 181 Maldives 28,700 2002 182 Lesotho 28,600 2002 183 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 27,300 2002 184 Guinea 26,200 2003 185 Greenland 26,000 2001 186 Bhutan 25,200 2003 187 Gibraltar 24,512 2002 188 Sierra Leone 24,000 2002 189 Burundi 23,900 2003 190 Dominica 23,700 2002 191 Saint Kitts and Nevis 23,500 2002 192 Rwanda 23,200 2002 193 Faroe Islands 23,000 2002 194 Niger 22,400 2002 195 Seychelles 21,700 2002 196 Northern Mariana Islands 21,000 2000 197 San Marino 20,600 2002 198 Liechtenstein 19,900 2002 199 American Samoa 15,000 2001 200 Comoros 13,200 2003 201 Chad 11,800 2002 202 Samoa 11,800 2002 203 British Virgin Islands 11,700 2002 204 Tonga 11,200 2002 205 Guinea-Bissau 10,600 2003 206 Micronesia, Federated States of 10,100 2001 207 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 10,000 2002 208 Mayotte 10,000 2001 209 Equatorial Guinea 9,600 2003 210 Djibouti 9,500 2003 211 Central African Republic 9,000 2002 212 Congo, Republic of the 7,000 2003 213 Sao Tome and Principe 7,000 2003 214 Liberia 7,000 2001 215 Palau 6,700 2002 216 Solomon Islands 6,600 2002 217 Vanuatu 6,500 2003 218 Anguilla 6,200 2002 219 Cook Islands 6,200 2002 220 Turks and Caicos Islands 5,700 2002 221 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 4,800 2002 222 Kiribati 4,500 2002 223 Marshall Islands 4,500 2003 224 Norfolk Island 2,532 2004 225 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 2,400 2002 226 Saint Helena 2,200 2002 227 Nauru 1,900 2002 228 Wallis and Futuna 1,900 2002 229 Niue 1,100 2002 230 Tuvalu 700 2002 231 Tokelau 300 2002 232 Cocos (Keeling) Islands 287 1992 233 Pitcairn Islands 1 2004 234 Antarctica 0 2001

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2151

Rank Country Telephones - mobile cellular Date of Information

1 European Union 314,644,700 2002 2 China 269,000,000 2003 3 United States 158,722,000 2003 4 Japan 86,658,600 2003 5 Germany 64,800,000 2003 6 Italy 55,918,000 2003 7 United Kingdom 49,677,000 2002 8 Brazil 46,373,300 2003 9 France 41,683,100 2003 10 Spain 37,506,700 2003 11 Korea, South 33,591,800 2003 12 Mexico 28,125,000 2003 13 Turkey 27,887,500 2003 14 Thailand 26,500,000 2005 15 India 26,154,400 2003 16 Taiwan 25,089,600 2003 17 Russia 17,608,800 2002 18 Poland 17,401,000 2003 19 South Africa 16,860,000 2003 20 Philippines 15,201,000 2002 21 Australia 14,347,000 2003 22 Canada 13,221,800 2003 23 Netherlands 12,500,000 2003 24 Indonesia 11,700,000 2002 25 Malaysia 11,124,100 2003 26 Czech Republic 9,708,700 2003 27 Portugal 9,341,400 2003 28 Greece 8,936,200 2003 29 Egypt 8,583,940 2005 30 Belgium 8,135,500 2002 31 Sweden 7,949,000 2002 32 Morocco 7,332,800 2003 33 Hong Kong 7,241,400 2003 34 Saudi Arabia 7,238,200 2003 35 Austria 7,094,500 2003 36 Romania 6,900,000 2003 37 Hungary 6,862,800 2002 38 Argentina 6,500,000 2002 39 Venezuela 6,463,600 2002 40 Chile 6,445,700 2002 41 Israel 6,334,000 2002 42 Colombia 6,186,200 2003 43 Switzerland 6,172,000 2003 44 Denmark 4,785,300 2003 45 Finland 4,700,000 2003 46 Ukraine 4,200,000 2002 47 Norway 4,163,400 2003 48 Slovakia 3,678,800 2003 49 Serbia and Montenegro 3,634,600 2003 50 Singapore 3,521,800 2004 51 Ireland 3,400,000 2003 52 Iran 3,376,500 2003 53 Nigeria 3,149,500 2003 54 United Arab Emirates 2,972,300 2003 55 Peru 2,908,800 2003 56 Vietnam 2,742,000 2003 57 Pakistan 2,624,800 2003 58 New Zealand 2,599,000 2003 59 Bulgaria 2,597,500 2002 60 Croatia 2,553,000 2003 61 Ecuador 2,394,400 2003 62 Lithuania 2,169,900 2003 63 Dominican Republic 2,120,400 2003 64 Tunisia 1,899,900 2003 65 Paraguay 1,770,300 2003 66 Slovenia 1,739,100 2003 67 Kenya 1,590,800 2003 68 Guatemala 1,577,100 2002 69 Algeria 1,447,310 2003 70 Kuwait 1,420,000 2003 71 Bolivia 1,401,500 2003 72 Jamaica 1,400,000 2002 73 Bangladesh 1,365,000 2003 74 Jordan 1,325,300 2003 75 Cote d'Ivoire 1,236,000 2003 76 Latvia 1,219,600 2003 77 Puerto Rico 1,211,111 2001 78 El Salvador 1,149,800 2003 79 Belarus 1,118,000 2003 80 Albania 1,100,000 2003 81 Cameroon 1,077,000 2003 82 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,050,000 2003 83 Kazakhstan 1,027,000 2002 84 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,000,000 2003 85 Sri Lanka 931,600 2002 86 Tanzania 891,200 2003 87 Estonia 881,000 2002 88 Azerbaijan 870,000 2002 89 Panama 834,000 2003 90 Macedonia 830,000 2005 91 Ghana 799,900 2003 92 Uganda 776,200 2003 93 Lebanon 775,100 2002 94 Uruguay 652,000 2002 95 Sudan 650,000 2003 96 Senegal 575,900 2003 97 Costa Rica 528,047 2002 98 Georgia 522,300 2003 99 Reunion 489,800 2002 100 West Bank 480,000 2003 101 Luxembourg 473,000 2002 102 Oman 464,900 2002 103 Mauritius 462,400 2003 104 Bahrain 443,100 2003 105 Botswana 435,000 2002 106 Mozambique 428,900 2003 107 Cyprus 417,900 108 Yemen 411,100 2002 109 Mongolia 404,400 2004 110 Syria 400,000 2002 111 Cambodia 380,000 2002 112 Zimbabwe 379,100 2003 113 Qatar 376,500 2003 114 Macau 364,000 2003 115 Trinidad and Tobago 361,900 2002 116 Moldova 338,200 2002 117 Congo, Republic of the 330,000 2003 118 Honduras 326,500 2002 119 Guadeloupe 323,500 2002 120 Uzbekistan 320,800 2003 121 Gaza Strip 320,000 2002 122 Martinique 319,900 2002 123 Gabon 300,000 2003 124 Mauritania 300,000 2003 125 Malta 290,000 2003 126 Madagascar 279,500 2003 127 Iceland 279,100 2003 128 Mali 250,000 2003 129 Zambia 241,000 2003 130 Benin 236,200 2003 131 Burkina Faso 227,000 2003 132 Namibia 223,700 2003 133 Togo 220,000 2003 134 Nicaragua 202,800 2002 135 Suriname 168,100 2003 136 Cyprus 143,178 137 Barbados 140,000 2003 138 Haiti 140,000 2002 139 French Guiana 138,200 2002 140 Brunei 137,000 2002 141 Malawi 135,100 2003 142 Rwanda 134,000 2003 143 Angola 130,000 2002 144 Bahamas, The 121,800 2002 145 Armenia 114,400 2003 146 Guinea 111,500 2003 147 Fiji 109,900 2003 148 Gambia, The 100,000 2002 149 Libya 100,000 2003 150 Ethiopia 97,800 2003 151 Lesotho 92,000 2002 152 French Polynesia 90,000 2002 153 Swaziland 88,000 2003 154 Guyana 87,300 2002 155 Netherlands Antilles 81,000 2001 156 New Caledonia 80,000 2002 157 Sierra Leone 67,000 2002 158 Burma 66,500 2003 159 Chad 65,000 2003 160 Burundi 64,000 2003 161 Jersey 61,400 2001 162 Belize 60,400 2003 163 Laos 55,200 2002 164 Seychelles 54,500 2003 165 Cape Verde 53,300 2003 166 Kyrgyzstan 53,100 2002 167 Aruba 53,000 2001 168 Turkmenistan 52,000 2004 169 Nepal 50,400 2003 170 Tajikistan 47,600 2003 171 Maldives 41,900 2002 172 Equatorial Guinea 41,500 2003 173 Virgin Islands 41,000 2002 174 Antigua and Barbuda 38,200 2002 175 Bermuda 37,873 2003 176 Somalia 35,000 2002 177 Guam 32,600 2001 178 Guernsey 31,500 2001 179 Faroe Islands 30,700 2002 180 Niger 24,000 2003 181 Andorra 23,500 2001 182 Djibouti 23,000 2003 183 Bhutan 22,000 2005 184 Mayotte 21,700 2002 185 Iraq 20,000 2002 186 Monaco 19,300 2002 187 Cuba 17,900 2002 188 Cayman Islands 17,000 2002 189 San Marino 16,800 2002 190 Greenland 16,747 2001 191 Afghanistan 15,000 2002 192 Papua New Guinea 15,000 2002 193 Saint Lucia 14,300 2002 194 Central African Republic 13,000 2003 195 Liechtenstein 11,400 2002 196 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10,000 2002 197 Gibraltar 9,797 2002 198 Dominica 9,400 2002 199 Tonga 9,000 2004 200 British Virgin Islands 8,000 2002 201 Vanuatu 7,800 2003 202 Grenada 7,600 2002 203 Saint Kitts and Nevis 5,000 2002 204 Sao Tome and Principe 4,800 2003 205 Northern Mariana Islands 3,000 2000 206 Samoa 2,700 2002 207 American Samoa 2,377 1999 208 Comoros 2,000 2003 209 Liberia 2,000 2001 210 Anguilla 1,800 2002 211 Micronesia, Federated States of 1,800 2002 212 Turks and Caicos Islands 1,700 1999 213 Cook Islands 1,500 2002 214 Nauru 1,500 2002 215 Guinea-Bissau 1,300 2003 216 Solomon Islands 1,000 2002 217 Palau 1,000 2002 218 Marshall Islands 600 2002 219 Kiribati 500 2002 220 Niue 400 2002 221 Montserrat 70 1994 222 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2001 223 Western Sahara 0 1999 224 Wallis and Futuna 0 1994 225 Tuvalu 0 2004 226 Tokelau 0 2001 227 Saint Helena 0 1997 228 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 1994 229 Norfolk Island 0 2002

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2153

Rank Country Internet users Date of Information

1 World 604,111,719 2 European Union 206,032,067 September 2004 3 United States 159,000,000 2002 4 China 94,000,000 2004 5 Japan 57,200,000 2002 6 Germany 39,000,000 2003 7 Korea, South 29,220,000 2003 8 United Kingdom 25,000,000 2002 9 France 21,900,000 2003 10 Italy 18,500,000 2003 11 India 18,481,000 2003 12 Canada 16,110,000 2002 13 Brazil 14,300,000 2002 14 Taiwan 13,800,000 2005 15 Mexico 10,033,000 2002 16 Spain 9,789,000 2003 17 Australia 9,472,000 2002 18 Poland 8,970,000 2003 19 Malaysia 8,692,100 2003 20 Netherlands 8,500,000 2003 21 Indonesia 8,000,000 2002 22 Thailand 6,971,500 2003 23 Russia 6,000,000 2002 24 Turkey 5,500,000 2003 25 Sweden 5,125,000 2002 26 Iran 4,300,000 2003 27 Egypt 4,200,000 2005 28 Argentina 4,100,000 2002 29 Romania 4,000,000 2003 30 Ukraine 3,800,000 2003 31 Austria 3,730,000 2003 32 Portugal 3,600,000 2002 33 Chile 3,575,000 2002 34 Philippines 3,500,000 2002 35 Vietnam 3,500,000 2003 36 Belgium 3,400,000 2002 37 Hong Kong 3,212,800 2003 38 South Africa 3,100,000 2002 39 Peru 2,850,000 2003 40 Denmark 2,756,000 2002 41 Colombia 2,732,200 2003 42 Czech Republic 2,700,000 2003 43 Finland 2,650,000 2002 44 Switzerland 2,556,000 2002 45 Singapore 2,310,000 2002 46 Norway 2,288,000 2002 47 New Zealand 2,110,000 2003 48 Israel 2,000,000 2002 49 Greece 1,718,400 2003 50 Hungary 1,600,000 2002 51 Pakistan 1,500,000 2002 52 Saudi Arabia 1,500,000 2003 53 Belarus 1,391,900 2003 54 Slovakia 1,375,800 2003 55 Venezuela 1,274,400 2002 56 Ireland 1,260,000 2003 57 United Arab Emirates 1,110,200 2003 58 Croatia 1,014,000 2003 59 Latvia 936,000 2003 60 Serbia and Montenegro 847,000 2003 61 Costa Rica 800,000 2002 62 Morocco 800,000 2003 63 Nigeria 750,000 2003 64 Slovenia 750,000 2002 65 Lithuania 695,700 2003 66 Bulgaria 630,000 2002 67 Tunisia 630,000 2003 68 Jamaica 600,000 2002 69 Puerto Rico 600,000 2002 70 Ecuador 569,700 2003 71 Kuwait 567,000 2003 72 El Salvador 550,000 2003 73 Algeria 500,000 2002 74 Dominican Republic 500,000 2003 75 Zimbabwe 500,000 2002 76 Uzbekistan 492,000 2003 77 Jordan 457,000 2003 78 Estonia 444,000 2002 79 Guatemala 400,000 2002 80 Uruguay 400,000 2002 81 Lebanon 400,000 2002 82 Kenya 400,000 2002 83 Azerbaijan 300,000 2002 84 Sudan 300,000 2003 85 Bolivia 270,000 2002 86 Kazakhstan 250,000 2002 87 Tanzania 250,000 2003 88 Bangladesh 243,000 2003 89 Senegal 225,000 2003 90 Mongolia 220,000 2004 91 Syria 220,000 2002 92 Cyprus 210,000 2002 93 Togo 210,000 2003 94 Sri Lanka 200,000 2002 95 Bahrain 195,700 2003 96 Iceland 195,000 2003 97 Oman 180,000 2002 98 Ghana 170,000 2002 99 Honduras 168,600 2002 100 Luxembourg 165,000 2002 101 Libya 160,000 2003 102 Kyrgyzstan 152,000 2002 103 Georgia 150,500 2003 104 Armenia 150,000 2003 105 Reunion 150,000 2002 106 Moldova 150,000 2002 107 Mauritius 150,000 2003 108 West Bank 145,000 2003 109 Trinidad and Tobago 138,000 2002 110 Qatar 126,000 2003 111 Guyana 125,000 2002 112 Uganda 125,000 2003 113 Cuba 120,000 2004 114 Malta 120,000 2002 115 Panama 120,000 2002 116 Paraguay 120,000 2003 117 Macau 120,000 2003 118 Barbados 100,000 2003 119 Yemen 100,000 2002 120 Macedonia 100,000 2002 121 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100,000 2002 122 Cote d'Ivoire 90,000 2002 123 Nicaragua 90,000 2002 124 Somalia 89,000 2002 125 Bahamas, The 84,000 2003 126 Haiti 80,000 2002 127 Nepal 80,000 2002 128 Ethiopia 75,000 2003 129 Papua New Guinea 75,000 2002 130 Madagascar 70,500 2003 131 Benin 70,000 2003 132 Zambia 68,200 2003 133 Namibia 65,000 2003 134 Botswana 60,000 2002 135 Cameroon 60,000 136 New Caledonia 60,000 2003 137 Gaza Strip 60,000 138 Fiji 55,000 2003 139 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 50,000 2002 140 Mozambique 50,000 2002 141 Guam 50,000 2002 142 Burkina Faso 48,000 2003 143 Angola 41,000 2002 144 Guinea 40,000 2003 145 Martinique 40,000 2002 146 Malawi 36,000 2003 147 Brunei 35,000 2002 148 French Polynesia 35,000 2002 149 Gabon 35,000 2003 150 Bermuda 34,500 2003 151 Albania 30,000 2003 152 Belize 30,000 2002 153 Virgin Islands 30,000 2002 154 Cambodia 30,000 2002 155 Burma 28,000 2003 156 Swaziland 27,000 2003 157 Faroe Islands 25,000 2002 158 Iraq 25,000 2002 159 Mali 25,000 2002 160 Rwanda 25,000 2002 161 Gambia, The 25,000 2002 162 Andorra 24,500 2001 163 Aruba 24,000 2002 164 Lesotho 21,000 2002 165 Cape Verde 20,400 2003 166 Greenland 20,000 2002 167 Guadeloupe 20,000 2002 168 Liechtenstein 20,000 2002 169 Suriname 20,000 2002 170 Guinea-Bissau 19,000 2003 171 Monaco 16,000 2002 172 Bhutan 15,000 2003 173 Sao Tome and Principe 15,000 2003 174 Niger 15,000 2002 175 Maldives 15,000 2002 176 Laos 15,000 2002 177 Grenada 15,000 2002 178 Chad 15,000 2002 179 Congo, Republic of the 15,000 2003 180 San Marino 14,300 2002 181 Burundi 14,000 2003 182 Saint Lucia 13,000 2002 183 Dominica 12,500 2002 184 Seychelles 11,700 2002 185 Antigua and Barbuda 10,000 2002 186 Saint Kitts and Nevis 10,000 2002 187 Mauritania 10,000 2002 188 Cayman Islands 9,909 2003 189 Eritrea 9,500 2003 190 Sierra Leone 8,000 2002 191 Turkmenistan 8,000 2002 192 Vanuatu 7,500 2003 193 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7,000 2002 194 Djibouti 6,500 2003 195 Gibraltar 6,200 2002 196 Micronesia, Federated States of 6,000 2002 197 Comoros 5,000 2003 198 Central African Republic 5,000 2002 199 Tajikistan 4,100 2003 200 British Virgin Islands 4,000 2002 201 Samoa 4,000 2002 202 Cook Islands 3,600 2002 203 French Guiana 3,200 2002 204 Anguilla 3,000 2002 205 Tonga 2,900 2002 206 Solomon Islands 2,200 2002 207 Kiribati 2,000 2002 208 Netherlands Antilles 2,000 2000 209 Equatorial Guinea 1,800 2002 210 Marshall Islands 1,400 2003 211 Tuvalu 1,300 2002 212 Afghanistan 1,000 2002 213 Liberia 1,000 2002 214 Wallis and Futuna 900 2002 215 Norfolk Island 700 216 Saint Helena 500 2002 217 Nauru 300 2002

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2155

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate(%) Date of Information

1 Swaziland 38.80 2003 est. 2 Botswana 37.30 2003 est. 3 Lesotho 28.90 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 24.60 2001 est. 5 South Africa 21.50 2003 est. 6 Namibia 21.30 2003 est. 7 Zambia 16.50 2003 est. 8 Malawi 14.20 2003 est. 9 Central African Republic 13.50 2003 est. 10 Mozambique 12.20 2003 est. 11 Guinea-Bissau 10.00 2003 est. 12 Tanzania 8.80 2003 est. 13 Gabon 8.10 2003 est. 14 Cote d'Ivoire 7.00 2003 est. 15 Sierra Leone 7.00 2001 est. 16 Cameroon 6.90 2003 est. 17 Kenya 6.70 2003 est. 18 Burundi 6.00 2003 est. 19 Liberia 5.90 2003 est. 20 Haiti 5.60 2003 est. 21 Nigeria 5.40 2003 est. 22 Rwanda 5.10 2003 est. 23 Congo, Republic of the 4.90 2003 est. 24 Chad 4.80 2003 est. 25 Ethiopia 4.40 2003 est. 26 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 4.20 2003 est. 27 Burkina Faso 4.20 2003 est. 28 Togo 4.10 2003 est. 29 Uganda 4.10 2003 est. 30 Angola 3.90 2003 est. 31 Equatorial Guinea 3.40 2001 est. 32 Guinea 3.20 2003 est. 33 Trinidad and Tobago 3.20 2003 est. 34 Ghana 3.10 2003 est. 35 Bahamas, The 3.00 2003 est. 36 Djibouti 2.90 2003 est. 37 Eritrea 2.70 2003 est. 38 Cambodia 2.60 2003 est. 39 Guyana 2.50 2003 est. 40 Belize 2.40 2003 est. 41 Sudan 2.30 2001 est. 42 Benin 1.90 2003 est. 43 Mali 1.90 2003 est. 44 Honduras 1.80 2003 est. 45 Dominican Republic 1.70 2003 est. 46 Madagascar 1.70 2003 est. 47 Suriname 1.70 2001 est. 48 Barbados 1.50 2003 est. 49 Thailand 1.50 2003 est. 50 Ukraine 1.40 2003 est. 51 Burma 1.20 2003 est. 52 Gambia, The 1.20 2003 est. 53 Niger 1.20 2003 est. 54 Jamaica 1.20 2003 est. 55 Estonia 1.10 2001 est. 56 Guatemala 1.10 2003 est. 57 Russia 1.10 2001 est. 58 Somalia 1.00 2001 est. 59 India 0.90 2001 est. 60 Panama 0.90 2003 est. 61 Senegal 0.80 2003 est. 62 Argentina 0.70 2001 est. 63 Venezuela 0.70 2001 est. 64 Spain 0.70 2001 est. 65 El Salvador 0.70 2003 est. 66 Colombia 0.70 2003 est. 67 Brazil 0.70 2003 est. 68 Costa Rica 0.60 2003 est. 69 United States 0.60 2003 est. 70 Papua New Guinea 0.60 2003 est. 71 Mauritania 0.60 2003 est. 72 Latvia 0.60 2001 est. 73 Italy 0.50 2001 est. 74 Paraguay 0.50 2003 est. 75 Peru 0.50 2003 est. 76 Nepal 0.50 2001 est. 77 France 0.40 2003 est. 78 Switzerland 0.40 2001 est. 79 Vietnam 0.40 2003 est. 80 Portugal 0.40 2001 est. 81 Malaysia 0.40 2003 est. 82 Austria 0.30 2003 est. 83 Uruguay 0.30 2001 est. 84 Chile 0.30 2003 est. 85 Mexico 0.30 2003 est. 86 Libya 0.30 2001 est. 87 Canada 0.30 2003 est. 88 Ecuador 0.30 2003 est. 89 Belarus 0.30 2001 est. 90 Bahrain 0.20 2001 est. 91 Belgium 0.20 2003 est. 92 Serbia and Montenegro 0.20 2001 est. 93 United Kingdom 0.20 2001 est. 94 Singapore 0.20 2003 est. 95 Nicaragua 0.20 2003 est. 96 Netherlands 0.20 2001 est. 97 Malta 0.20 2001 est. 98 Moldova 0.20 2001 est. 99 Luxembourg 0.20 2001 est. 100 Kazakhstan 0.20 2001 est. 101 Iceland 0.20 2001 est. 102 Greece 0.20 2001 est. 103 Denmark 0.20 2003 est. 104 United Arab Emirates 0.18 2001 est. 105 Comoros 0.12 2001 est. 106 Kuwait 0.12 2001 est. 107 Algeria 0.10 2001 est. 108 Australia 0.10 2003 est. 109 Azerbaijan 0.10 2003 est. 110 Bolivia 0.10 2003 est. 111 Bulgaria 0.10 2001 est. 112 Sri Lanka 0.10 2001 est. 113 Maldives 0.10 2001 est. 114 Oman 0.10 2001 est. 115 Mauritius 0.10 2001 est. 116 Morocco 0.10 2001 est. 117 Macedonia 0.10 2001 est. 118 Georgia 0.10 2001 est. 119 Fiji 0.10 2003 est. 120 Finland 0.10 2003 est. 121 Czech Republic 0.10 2001 est. 122 Ireland 0.10 2001 est. 123 Egypt 0.10 2001 est. 124 Cyprus 0.10 2003 est. 125 Cuba 0.10 2003 est. 126 China 0.10 2003 est. 127 Tajikistan 0.10 2001 est. 128 Syria 0.10 2001 est. 129 Sweden 0.10 2001 est. 130 Slovenia 0.10 2001 est. 131 Philippines 0.10 2003 est. 132 Romania 0.10 2001 est. 133 Poland 0.10 2001 est. 134 Pakistan 0.10 2001 est. 135 Mongolia 0.10 2003 est. 136 Yemen 0.10 2001 est. 137 Uzbekistan 0.10 2001 est. 138 Turkmenistan 0.10 2004 est. 139 Turkey 0.10 2001 est. 140 Tunisia 0.10 2005 est. 141 Slovakia 0.10 2001 est. 142 Lithuania 0.10 2001 est. 143 Lebanon 0.10 2001 est. 144 Laos 0.10 2003 est. 145 Korea, South 0.10 2003 est. 146 Kyrgyzstan 0.10 2001 est. 147 Jordan 0.10 2001 est. 148 Japan 0.10 2003 est. 149 New Zealand 0.10 2003 est. 150 Norway 0.10 2001 est. 151 Iraq 0.10 2001 est. 152 Israel 0.10 2001 est. 153 Iran 0.10 2001 est. 154 Indonesia 0.10 2003 est. 155 Hungary 0.10 2001 est. 156 Croatia 0.10 2001 est. 157 Hong Kong 0.10 2003 est. 158 Germany 0.10 2001 est. 159 Brunei 0.10 2003 est. 160 Bhutan 0.10 2001 est. 161 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.10 2001 est. 162 Bangladesh 0.10 2001 est. 163 Armenia 0.10 2003 est. 164 Qatar 0.09 2001 est. 165 Cape Verde 0.04 166 Afghanistan 0.01 2001 est. 167 Saudi Arabia 0.01 2001 est. 168 Svalbard 0.00 2001

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2156

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS Date of Information

1 South Africa 5,300,000 2003 est. 2 India 5,100,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 3,600,000 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 1,800,000 2001 est. 5 Tanzania 1,600,000 2003 est. 6 Ethiopia 1,500,000 2003 est. 7 Mozambique 1,300,000 2003 est. 8 Kenya 1,200,000 2003 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,100,000 2003 est. 10 United States 950,000 2003 est. 11 Zambia 920,000 2003 est. 12 Malawi 900,000 2003 est. 13 Russia 860,000 2001 est. 14 China 840,000 2003 est. 15 Brazil 660,000 2003 est. 16 Cote d'Ivoire 570,000 2003 est. 17 Thailand 570,000 2003 est. 18 Cameroon 560,000 2003 est. 19 Uganda 530,000 2001 est. 20 Sudan 400,000 2001 est. 21 Ukraine 360,000 2001 est. 22 Botswana 350,000 2003 est. 23 Ghana 350,000 2003 est. 24 Burma 330,000 2003 est. 25 Lesotho 320,000 2003 est. 26 Burkina Faso 300,000 2003 est. 27 Haiti 280,000 2003 est. 28 Central African Republic 260,000 2003 est. 29 Burundi 250,000 2003 est. 30 Rwanda 250,000 2003 est. 31 Angola 240,000 2003 est. 32 Vietnam 220,000 2003 est. 33 Swaziland 220,000 2003 est. 34 Namibia 210,000 2001 est. 35 Chad 200,000 2003 est. 36 Colombia 190,000 2003 est. 37 Cambodia 170,000 2003 est. 38 Sierra Leone 170,000 2001 est. 39 Mexico 160,000 2003 est. 40 Guinea 140,000 2003 est. 41 Madagascar 140,000 2003 est. 42 Italy 140,000 2001 est. 43 Mali 140,000 2003 est. 44 Spain 140,000 2001 est. 45 Argentina 130,000 2001 est. 46 France 120,000 2003 est. 47 Indonesia 110,000 2003 est. 48 Togo 110,000 2003 est. 49 Venezuela 110,000 1999 est. 50 Liberia 100,000 2003 est. 51 Congo, Republic of the 90,000 2003 est. 52 Dominican Republic 88,000 2003 est. 53 Peru 82,000 2003 est. 54 Guatemala 78,000 2003 est. 55 Pakistan 74,000 2001 est. 56 Niger 70,000 2003 est. 57 Benin 68,000 2003 est. 58 Honduras 63,000 2003 est. 59 Nepal 61,000 2001 est. 60 Eritrea 60,000 2003 est. 61 Canada 56,000 2003 est. 62 Malaysia 52,000 2003 est. 63 United Kingdom 51,000 2001 est. 64 Gabon 48,000 2003 est. 65 Senegal 44,000 2003 est. 66 Germany 43,000 2001 est. 67 Somalia 43,000 2001 est. 68 Iran 31,000 2001 est. 69 El Salvador 29,000 2003 est. 70 Trinidad and Tobago 29,000 2003 est. 71 Chile 26,000 2003 est. 72 Jamaica 22,000 2003 est. 73 Portugal 22,000 2001 est. 74 Ecuador 21,000 2003 est. 75 Netherlands 19,000 2001 est. 76 Guinea-Bissau 17,000 2001 est. 77 Kazakhstan 16,500 2001 est. 78 Panama 16,000 2003 est. 79 Papua New Guinea 16,000 2003 est. 80 Belarus 15,000 2001 est. 81 Morocco 15,000 2001 est. 82 Paraguay 15,000 1999 est. 83 Australia 14,000 2003 est. 84 Poland 14,000 2003 est. 85 Bangladesh 13,000 2001 est. 86 Switzerland 13,000 2001 est. 87 Costa Rica 12,000 2003 est. 88 Yemen 12,000 2001 est. 89 Japan 12,000 2003 est. 90 Egypt 12,000 2001 est. 91 Guyana 11,000 2003 est. 92 Uzbekistan 11,000 2003 est. 93 Austria 10,000 2003 est. 94 Belgium 10,000 2003 est. 95 Libya 10,000 2001 est. 96 Serbia and Montenegro 10,000 2001 est. 97 Mauritania 9,500 2003 est. 98 Algeria 9,100 2003 est. 99 Greece 9,100 2001 est. 100 Djibouti 9,100 2003 est. 101 Philippines 9,000 2003 est. 102 Korea, South 8,300 2003 est. 103 Estonia 7,800 2003 est. 104 Latvia 7,600 2001 est. 105 Puerto Rico 7,397 106 Gambia, The 6,800 2003 est. 107 Romania 6,500 2001 est. 108 Nicaragua 6,400 2003 est. 109 Uruguay 6,000 2001 est. 110 Equatorial Guinea 5,900 2001 est. 111 Bahamas, The 5,600 2003 est. 112 Moldova 5,500 2001 est. 113 Suriname 5,200 2001 est. 114 Denmark 5,000 2003 est. 115 Bolivia 4,900 2003 est. 116 Singapore 4,100 2003 est. 117 Kyrgyzstan 3,900 2003 est. 118 Belize 3,600 2003 est. 119 Sweden 3,600 2001 est. 120 Sri Lanka 3,500 2001 est. 121 Cuba 3,300 2003 est. 122 Georgia 3,000 2003 est. 123 Israel 3,000 1999 est. 124 Ireland 2,800 2001 est. 125 Hungary 2,800 2001 est. 126 Lebanon 2,800 2003 est. 127 Armenia 2,600 2003 est. 128 Hong Kong 2,600 2003 est. 129 Barbados 2,500 2003 est. 130 Czech Republic 2,500 2001 est. 131 Norway 2,100 2001 est. 132 Laos 1,700 2003 est. 133 Finland 1,500 2003 est. 134 Azerbaijan 1,400 2003 est. 135 New Zealand 1,400 2003 est. 136 Lithuania 1,300 2003 est. 137 Oman 1,300 2001 est. 138 Cyprus 1,000 1999 est. 139 Tunisia 1,000 2003 est. 140 Bosnia and Herzegovina 900 2003 est. 141 Cape Verde 775 142 Mauritius 700 2001 est. 143 Bahrain 600 2003 est. 144 Fiji 600 2003 est. 145 Jordan 600 2003 est. 146 Iraq 500 2003 est. 147 Syria 500 2003 est. 148 Malta 500 2003 est. 149 Mongolia 500 2003 est 150 Luxembourg 500 2003 est. 151 Bulgaria 346 2001 est. 152 Slovenia 280 2001 est. 153 Iceland 220 2001 est. 154 Brunei 200 2003 est. 155 Turkmenistan 200 2003 est. 156 Tajikistan 200 2003 est. 157 Macedonia 200 2003 est. 158 Slovakia 200 2003 est. 159 Croatia 200 2001 est. 160 Bhutan 100 1999 est. 161 Greenland 100 162 Maldives 100 2001 est. 163 Samoa 12 164 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2157

Rank Country HIV/AIDS - deaths Date of Information

1 South Africa 370,000 2003 est. 2 India 310,000 2001 est. 3 Nigeria 310,000 2003 est. 4 Zimbabwe 170,000 2003 est. 5 Tanzania 160,000 2003 est. 6 Kenya 150,000 2003 est. 7 Ethiopia 120,000 2003 est. 8 Mozambique 110,000 2003 est. 9 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 100,000 2003 est. 10 Zambia 89,000 2003 est. 11 Malawi 84,000 2003 est. 12 Uganda 78,000 2003 est. 13 Thailand 58,000 2003 est. 14 Cameroon 49,000 2003 est. 15 Cote d'Ivoire 47,000 2003 est. 16 China 44,000 2003 est. 17 Botswana 33,000 2003 est. 18 Ghana 30,000 2003 est. 19 Lesotho 29,000 2003 est. 20 Burkina Faso 29,000 2003 est. 21 Burundi 25,000 2003 est. 22 Haiti 24,000 2003 est. 23 Central African Republic 23,000 2003 est. 24 Sudan 23,000 2003 est. 25 Rwanda 22,000 2003 est. 26 Angola 21,000 2003 est. 27 Burma 20,000 2003 est. 28 Ukraine 20,000 2003 est. 29 Chad 18,000 2003 est. 30 Swaziland 17,000 2003 est. 31 Namibia 16,000 2003 est. 32 Brazil 15,000 2003 est. 33 Cambodia 15,000 2003 est. 34 United States 14,000 2003 est. 35 Mali 12,000 2003 est. 36 Sierra Leone 11,000 2001 est. 37 Togo 10,000 2003 est. 38 Congo, Republic of the 9,700 2003 est. 39 Guinea 9,000 2003 est. 40 Russia 9,000 2001 est. 41 Vietnam 9,000 2003 est. 42 Dominican Republic 7,900 2003 est. 43 Madagascar 7,500 2003 est. 44 Liberia 7,200 2003 est. 45 Eritrea 6,300 2003 est. 46 Benin 5,800 2003 est. 47 Guatemala 5,800 2003 est. 48 Mexico 5,000 2003 est. 49 Pakistan 4,900 2003 est. 50 Niger 4,800 2003 est. 51 Peru 4,200 2003 est. 52 Honduras 4,100 2003 est. 53 Venezuela 4,100 2003 est. 54 Colombia 3,600 2003 est. 55 Senegal 3,500 2003 est. 56 Nepal 3,100 2003 est. 57 Gabon 3,000 2003 est. 58 Indonesia 2,400 2003 est. 59 El Salvador 2,200 2003 est. 60 Malaysia 2,000 2003 est. 61 Trinidad and Tobago 1,900 2003 est. 62 Ecuador 1,700 2003 est. 63 Argentina 1,500 2003 est. 64 Canada 1,500 2003 est. 65 Chile 1,400 2003 est. 66 Guinea-Bissau 1,200 2001 est. 67 Guyana 1,100 2003 est. 68 Belarus 1,000 2001 est. 69 France 1,000 2003 est. 70 Italy 1,000 2003 est. 71 Spain 1,000 2003 est. 72 Portugal 1,000 2003 est. 73 Germany 1,000 2003 est. 74 Costa Rica 900 2003 est. 75 Jamaica 900 2003 est. 76 Iran 800 2003 est. 77 Egypt 700 2003 est. 78 Djibouti 690 2003 est. 79 Bangladesh 650 2001 est. 80 Gambia, The 600 2003 est. 81 Papua New Guinea 600 2003 est. 82 Paraguay 600 2003 est. 83 Algeria 500 2003 est. 84 Latvia 500 2003 est. 85 Philippines 500 2003 est. 86 Uzbekistan 500 2003 est. 87 Uruguay 500 2003 est. 88 United Kingdom 500 2003 est. 89 Suriname 500 2003 est. 90 Jordan 500 2003 est. 91 Japan 500 2003 est. 92 Equatorial Guinea 370 2001 est. 93 Romania 350 2001 est. 94 Moldova 300 2001 est. 95 Cape Verde 225 96 Armenia 200 2003 est. 97 Lithuania 200 2003 est. 98 Lebanon 200 2003 est. 99 Laos 200 2003 est. 100 Kazakhstan 200 2003 est. 101 Korea, South 200 2003 est. 102 Kyrgyzstan 200 2003 est. 103 Hong Kong 200 2003 est. 104 Georgia 200 2003 est. 105 Fiji 200 2003 est. 106 Tunisia 200 2003 est. 107 Syria 200 2003 est. 108 Singapore 200 2003 est. 109 New Zealand 200 2003 est. 110 Oman 200 2003 est. 111 Mongolia 200 2003 est. 112 Estonia 200 2003 est. 113 Cuba 200 2003 est. 114 Sri Lanka 200 2003 est. 115 Brunei 200 2003 est. 116 Barbados 200 2003 est. 117 Bahamas, The 200 2003 est. 118 Bahrain 200 2003 est. 119 Azerbaijan 100 2001 est. 120 Serbia and Montenegro 100 2003 est. 121 Turkmenistan 100 2004 est. 122 Switzerland 100 2003 est. 123 Sweden 100 2003 est. 124 Slovenia 100 2003 est. 125 Poland 100 2001 est. 126 Norway 100 2003 est. 127 Netherlands 100 2003 est. 128 Malta 100 2003 est. 129 Mauritius 100 2001 est. 130 Macedonia 100 2003 est. 131 Tajikistan 100 2001 est. 132 Luxembourg 100 2003 est. 133 Slovakia 100 2001 est. 134 Israel 100 2001 est. 135 Iceland 100 2003 est. 136 Hungary 100 2001 est. 137 Greece 100 2003 est. 138 Finland 100 2003 est. 139 Bulgaria 100 2001 est. 140 Bosnia and Herzegovina 100 2001 est. 141 Denmark 100 2003 est. 142 Ireland 100 2003 est. 143 Belgium 100 2003 est. 144 Austria 100 2003 est. 145 Czech Republic 10 2001 est. 146 Croatia 10 2001 est. 147 Samoa 3 148 Svalbard 0 2001

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2173

Rank Country Oil - production(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 76,010,000 2001 est. 2 Saudi Arabia 9,021,000 2004 est. 3 Russia 8,420,000 2003 est. 4 United States 7,800,000 2004 est. 5 Iran 3,962,000 2004 est. 6 Mexico 3,460,000 2004 est. 7 China 3,392,000 2003 est. 8 Norway 3,310,000 2004 est. 9 Canada 3,110,000 2004 est. 10 European Union 2,648,000 2001 11 Venezuela 2,600,000 2004 est. 12 Nigeria 2,356,000 2004 est. 13 United Arab Emirates 2,335,000 2004 est. 14 Kuwait 2,319,000 2004 est. 15 Iraq 2,250,000 2004 est. 16 United Kingdom 1,957,000 2003 est. 17 Brazil 1,788,000 2004 est. 18 Libya 1,518,000 2004 est. 19 Algeria 1,200,000 2004 est. 20 Kazakhstan 1,200,000 2004 est. 21 Angola 980,000 2004 est. 22 Indonesia 971,000 2003 est. 23 Qatar 790,000 2004 est. 24 Malaysia 785,000 2004 est. 25 India 780,000 2004 est. 26 Oman 775,000 2004 est. 27 Argentina 755,000 2004 est. 28 Egypt 740,000 2004 est. 29 Australia 537,500 2004 est. 30 Colombia 531,100 2004 est. 31 Syria 525,000 2004 est. 32 Ecuador 523,000 2004 est. 33 Yemen 417,500 2004 est. 34 Vietnam 359,400 2004 est. 35 Equatorial Guinea 350,000 2004 est. 36 Denmark 346,200 2001 est. 37 Sudan 345,000 2004 est. 38 Azerbaijan 312,800 2004 est. 39 Gabon 264,900 2004 est. 40 Congo, Republic of the 227,000 2004 est. 41 Thailand 225,000 2004 est. 42 Brunei 204,000 2003 est. 43 Chad 200,000 2004 est. 44 South Africa 196,200 2001 est. 45 Turkmenistan 162,500 2001 est. 46 Uzbekistan 143,300 2004 est. 47 Trinidad and Tobago 140,000 2004 est. 48 Romania 128,000 2004 est. 49 Peru 95,500 2004 est. 50 Cameroon 94,000 2004 est. 51 Italy 79,460 2001 est. 52 Cuba 77,900 2004 est. 53 Germany 74,100 2003 54 Tunisia 72,580 2001 est. 55 Ukraine 72,000 2003 est. 56 Pakistan 61,000 2004 est. 57 Turkey 48,000 2001 est. 58 Netherlands 46,200 2001 est. 59 Papua New Guinea 46,200 2004 est. 60 Bahrain 44,000 2003 61 New Zealand 42,160 2001 est. 62 Hungary 41,190 2001 est. 63 Bolivia 39,000 2004 est. 64 Belarus 36,000 2004 est. 65 France 34,920 2001 est. 66 Cote d'Ivoire 29,300 2004 est. 67 Philippines 26,000 2003 est. 68 Guatemala 25,000 2004 est. 69 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 24,000 2001 est. 70 Croatia 21,000 2004 est. 71 Austria 20,670 2001 est. 72 Chile 18,500 2003 est. 73 Burma 17,550 2003 est. 74 Japan 17,330 2001 est. 75 Poland 17,180 2001 est. 76 Serbia and Montenegro 15,000 2001 est. 77 Suriname 12,000 2004 est. 78 Czech Republic 7,419 2001 est. 79 Spain 7,099 2001 est. 80 Ghana 7,000 2001 est. 81 Greece 5,992 2001 est. 82 Estonia 5,100 2001 est. 83 Lithuania 4,594 2001 est. 84 Bangladesh 3,581 2001 est. 85 Albania 2,000 2004 est. 86 Kyrgyzstan 2,000 2001 est. 87 Georgia 2,000 2001 est. 88 Barbados 1,271 2001 est. 89 Slovakia 1,000 2001 est. 90 Morocco 1,000 2004 est. 91 Benin 700 2001 est. 92 Bulgaria 603 2001 est. 93 Mongolia 542 2004 est. 94 Taiwan 500 2004 est. 95 Cyprus 300 2004 est. 96 Tajikistan 250 2001 est. 97 Israel 80 2001 est. 98 Jordan 40 2004 est. 99 Slovenia 20 2001 est. 100 Aruba 0 2001 est. 101 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 102 Botswana 0 2001 est. 103 Belgium 0 2001 est. 104 Belize 0 2001 est. 105 Bhutan 0 2001 est. 106 Zimbabwe 0 2001 est. 107 Zambia 0 2001 est. 108 Swaziland 0 2001 est. 109 Samoa 0 2001 est. 110 Western Sahara 0 2001 est. 111 Namibia 0 2001 est. 112 Virgin Islands 0 2001 est. 113 British Virgin Islands 0 2001 est. 114 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0 2001 est. 115 Uruguay 0 2001 est. 116 Burkina Faso 0 2001 est. 117 Uganda 0 2001 est. 118 Tanzania 0 2001 est. 119 Sao Tome and Principe 0 2001 est. 120 Togo 0 2001 est. 121 Tonga 0 2001 est. 122 Turks and Caicos Islands 0 123 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 124 Sweden 0 2001 est. 125 Saint Lucia 0 2001 est. 126 Somalia 0 2001 est. 127 Singapore 0 2001 est. 128 Sierra Leone 0 2001 est. 129 Saint Helena 0 2001 est. 130 Senegal 0 2001 est. 131 Seychelles 0 2001 est. 132 Saint Kitts and Nevis 0 2001 est. 133 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0 2001 est. 134 Rwanda 0 2001 est. 135 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 136 Reunion 0 2001 est. 137 Guinea-Bissau 0 2001 est. 138 Portugal 0 2001 est. 139 Panama 0 2004 est. 140 Netherlands Antilles 0 2001 est. 141 Nauru 0 2001 est. 142 Nepal 0 2001 est. 143 Vanuatu 0 2001 est. 144 Niger 0 2001 est. 145 Niue 0 2001 est. 146 New Caledonia 0 2001 est. 147 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 148 Lebanon 0 2001 est. 149 Paraguay 0 2001 est. 150 Nicaragua 0 2003 est. 151 Laos 0 2001 est. 152 Korea, South 0 2004 est. 153 Kiribati 0 2001 est. 154 Korea, North 0 2001 est. 155 Kenya 0 2004 est. 156 Jamaica 0 2001 est. 157 Iceland 0 2001 est. 158 Honduras 0 2001 est. 159 Maldives 0 2001 est. 160 Malta 0 2004 est. 161 Mauritania 0 2001 est. 162 Mauritius 0 2001 est. 163 Mali 0 2001 est. 164 Macedonia 0 2003 est. 165 Malawi 0 2001 est. 166 Montserrat 0 2001 est. 167 Moldova 0 2001 est. 168 Macau 0 2001 est. 169 Martinique 0 2001 est. 170 Madagascar 0 2001 est. 171 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 172 Lesotho 0 2001 est. 173 Liberia 0 2001 est. 174 Latvia 0 2001 est. 175 Hong Kong 0 2003 est. 176 Haiti 0 2001 est. 177 Guyana 0 2001 est. 178 Guinea 0 2001 est. 179 Guam 0 2001 est. 180 Guadeloupe 0 2001 est. 181 Greenland 0 2001 est. 182 Grenada 0 2001 est. 183 Gibraltar 0 2001 est. 184 Gambia, The 0 2001 est. 185 French Polynesia 0 2001 est. 186 Faroe Islands 0 2001 est. 187 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 0 2001 est. 188 Fiji 0 2001 est. 189 Finland 0 2001 est. 190 French Guiana 0 2001 est. 191 Ethiopia 0 2001 est. 192 El Salvador 0 2001 est. 193 Eritrea 0 2001 est. 194 Ireland 0 2001 est. 195 Dominican Republic 0 2001 est. 196 Dominica 0 2001 est. 197 Djibouti 0 2001 est. 198 Cook Islands 0 2001 est. 199 Cape Verde 0 2001 est. 200 Central African Republic 0 2001 est. 201 Costa Rica 0 2001 est. 202 Comoros 0 2001 est. 203 Cayman Islands 0 2001 est. 204 Sri Lanka 0 2001 est. 205 Cambodia 0 2001 est. 206 Burundi 0 2001 est. 207 Solomon Islands 0 2001 est. 208 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est. 209 Bahamas, The 0 2001 est. 210 Bermuda 0 2001 est. 211 Armenia 0 2001 est. 212 American Samoa 0 2001 est. 213 Antigua and Barbuda 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2174

Rank Country Oil - consumption(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 World 77,040,000 2001 est. 2 United States 19,650,000 2001 est. 3 European Union 14,540,000 2001 4 Japan 5,290,000 2001 est. 5 China 4,956,000 2002 est. 6 Germany 2,891,000 2003 7 Russia 2,310,000 2003 est. 8 Canada 2,200,000 2003 est. 9 Brazil 2,199,000 2001 est. 10 India 2,130,000 2001 est. 11 Korea, South 2,070,000 2004 est. 12 France 2,026,000 2001 est. 13 Italy 1,866,000 2001 est. 14 Mexico 1,752,000 2004 est. 15 United Kingdom 1,692,000 2003 est. 16 Saudi Arabia 1,550,000 2003 17 Spain 1,497,000 2001 est. 18 Iran 1,400,000 2002 est. 19 Indonesia 1,183,000 2003 est. 20 Taiwan 988,000 2001 est. 21 Netherlands 895,300 2001 est. 22 Australia 796,500 2001 est. 23 Thailand 785,000 2001 est. 24 Singapore 700,000 2001 est. 25 Turkey 619,500 2001 est. 26 Belgium 595,100 2001 est. 27 Egypt 562,000 2001 est. 28 Venezuela 500,000 2004 est. 29 Argentina 486,000 2001 est. 30 Malaysia 460,000 2003 est. 31 South Africa 460,000 2001 est. 32 Poland 424,100 2001 est. 33 Greece 405,700 2001 est. 34 Iraq 383,000 2004 est. 35 Pakistan 365,000 2004 est. 36 Portugal 339,800 2001 est. 37 Philippines 338,000 2003 est. 38 Sweden 328,600 2001 est. 39 United Arab Emirates 310,000 2004 est. 40 Ukraine 303,000 2003 est. 41 Kuwait 293,000 2003 est. 42 Switzerland 290,400 2001 est. 43 Belarus 285,000 2003 est. 44 Nigeria 275,000 2001 est. 45 Austria 262,400 2001 est. 46 Israel 260,000 2001 est. 47 Hong Kong 257,000 2001 est. 48 Romania 253,800 2003 est. 49 Colombia 252,000 2001 est. 50 Chile 240,000 2003 est. 51 Syria 240,000 2004 est. 52 Denmark 218,000 2001 est. 53 Libya 216,000 2001 est. 54 Finland 211,400 2001 est. 55 Algeria 209,000 2001 est. 56 Puerto Rico 190,000 2001 est. 57 Kazakhstan 189,400 2003 est. 58 Vietnam 185,000 2001 est. 59 Czech Republic 175,700 2001 est. 60 Ireland 174,400 2001 est. 61 Norway 171,100 2001 est. 62 Morocco 167,000 2001 est. 63 Cuba 163,000 2001 est. 64 Peru 161,000 2001 est. 65 Uzbekistan 142,000 2001 est. 66 Hungary 140,700 2001 est. 67 Azerbaijan 140,000 2001 est. 68 New Zealand 132,700 2001 est. 69 Dominican Republic 129,000 2001 est. 70 Ecuador 129,000 2001 est. 71 Lebanon 107,000 2001 est. 72 Jordan 103,000 2004 est. 73 Bulgaria 94,000 2001 est. 74 Croatia 89,000 2001 est. 75 Tunisia 87,000 2001 est. 76 Korea, North 85,000 2001 est. 77 Slovakia 82,000 2001 est. 78 Yemen 78,000 2003 est. 79 Sri Lanka 75,000 2001 est. 80 Lithuania 72,000 2001 est. 81 Netherlands Antilles 72,000 2001 est. 82 Bangladesh 71,000 2001 est. 83 Sudan 70,000 2004 est. 84 Jamaica 66,000 2001 est. 85 Virgin Islands 66,000 2001 est. 86 Serbia and Montenegro 64,000 2001 est. 87 Turkmenistan 63,000 2001 est. 88 Guatemala 61,000 2001 est. 89 Burma 60,950 2003 est. 90 Kenya 57,000 2001 est. 91 Oman 54,000 2003 est. 92 Slovenia 53,300 2001 est. 93 Luxembourg 50,650 2001 est. 94 Bolivia 49,000 2001 est. 95 Cyprus 49,000 2001 est. 96 Latvia 44,000 2001 est. 97 Gibraltar 42,000 2001 est. 98 Uruguay 41,500 2001 est. 99 Panama 40,520 2003 est. 100 Bahrain 40,000 2003 est. 101 El Salvador 39,000 2001 est. 102 Ghana 38,000 2001 est. 103 Costa Rica 37,000 2001 est. 104 Cote d'Ivoire 32,000 2001 est. 105 Georgia 31,500 2001 est. 106 Angola 31,000 2001 est. 107 Senegal 31,000 2001 est. 108 Qatar 30,000 2003 est. 109 Honduras 29,000 2001 est. 110 Nicaragua 25,770 2003 est. 111 Paraguay 25,000 2001 est. 112 Estonia 24,000 2001 est. 113 Mauritania 24,000 2001 est. 114 Trinidad and Tobago 24,000 2001 est. 115 Moldova 24,000 2001 est. 116 Bahamas, The 23,000 2001 est. 117 Zimbabwe 23,000 2001 est. 118 Ethiopia 23,000 2001 est. 119 Cameroon 22,000 2001 est. 120 Macedonia 22,000 2003 est. 121 Mauritius 21,000 2001 est. 122 Bosnia and Herzegovina 20,000 2001 est. 123 Guam 20,000 2001 est. 124 Tajikistan 20,000 2001 est. 125 Malta 20,000 2001 est. 126 Kyrgyzstan 20,000 2001 est. 127 Reunion 18,000 2001 est. 128 Tanzania 17,000 2001 est. 129 Iceland 16,300 2001 est. 130 Botswana 16,000 2001 est. 131 Nepal 16,000 2001 est. 132 Papua New Guinea 15,000 2001 est. 133 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 14,000 2001 est. 134 Suriname 14,000 2004 est. 135 Martinique 13,500 2001 est. 136 Brunei 13,000 2001 est. 137 Madagascar 13,000 2001 est. 138 Gabon 13,000 2001 est. 139 Namibia 13,000 2001 est. 140 Guadeloupe 13,000 2001 est. 141 Benin 11,500 2001 est. 142 Djibouti 11,300 2001 est. 143 Macau 11,190 2001 est. 144 Guyana 11,000 2001 est. 145 Mongolia 11,000 2004 est. 146 Haiti 11,000 2001 est. 147 Zambia 11,000 2001 est. 148 Barbados 10,900 2001 est. 149 Togo 10,000 2001 est. 150 New Caledonia 8,750 2001 est. 151 Uganda 8,750 2001 est. 152 Guinea 8,600 2001 est. 153 Mozambique 8,500 2001 est. 154 Burkina Faso 8,000 2001 est. 155 Albania 7,500 2004 est. 156 Cambodia 7,200 2002 est. 157 Aruba 6,500 2001 est. 158 French Guiana 6,500 2001 est. 159 Sierra Leone 6,500 2001 est. 160 Eritrea 6,000 2001 est. 161 Armenia 5,700 2001 est. 162 Fiji 5,700 2001 est. 163 Malawi 5,400 2001 est. 164 Rwanda 5,300 2001 est. 165 Belize 5,000 2001 est. 166 Niger 5,000 2001 est. 167 Congo, Republic of the 5,000 2001 est. 168 French Polynesia 4,750 2001 est. 169 Faroe Islands 4,500 2001 est. 170 Bermuda 4,000 2001 est. 171 Mali 4,000 2001 est. 172 Seychelles 4,000 2001 est. 173 Somalia 4,000 2001 est. 174 American Samoa 3,800 2001 est. 175 Greenland 3,700 2001 est. 176 Antigua and Barbuda 3,600 2001 est. 177 Afghanistan 3,500 2001 est. 178 Swaziland 3,500 2001 est. 179 Maldives 3,200 2001 est. 180 Liberia 3,100 2001 est. 181 Burundi 2,750 2001 est. 182 Laos 2,750 2001 est. 183 Guinea-Bissau 2,500 2001 est. 184 Cayman Islands 2,400 2001 est. 185 Central African Republic 2,400 2001 est. 186 Saint Lucia 2,400 2001 est. 187 Cape Verde 2,000 2001 est. 188 Equatorial Guinea 2,000 2001 est. 189 Gambia, The 1,900 2001 est. 190 Western Sahara 1,800 2001 est. 191 Chad 1,500 2001 est. 192 Lesotho 1,500 2001 193 Solomon Islands 1,250 2001 est. 194 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1,250 2001 est. 195 Bhutan 1,020 2001 est. 196 Grenada 1,000 2001 est. 197 Samoa 1,000 2001 est. 198 Tonga 1,000 2001 est. 199 Nauru 1,000 2001 est. 200 Saint Kitts and Nevis 710 2001 est. 201 Comoros 700 2001 est. 202 Sao Tome and Principe 700 2001 est. 203 Dominica 600 2001 est. 204 Vanuatu 600 2001 est. 205 Saint Pierre and Miquelon 600 2001 est. 206 Cook Islands 450 2001 est. 207 British Virgin Islands 420 2001 est. 208 Montserrat 400 2001 est. 209 Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) 200 2001 est. 210 Saint Helena 200 2001 est. 211 Kiribati 190 2001 est. 212 Niue 20 2001 est. 213 Turks and Caicos Islands 0

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2175

Rank Country Oil - imports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 European Union 15,690,000 2001 2 Japan 5,449,000 2001 3 China 2,414,000 2002 4 Netherlands 2,284,000 2001 5 France 2,281,000 2001 6 Korea, South 2,263,000 2003 7 Italy 2,158,000 2001 8 Germany 2,135,000 2003 9 Spain 1,582,000 2001 10 United Kingdom 1,084,000 2003 11 Belgium 1,042,000 2001 12 Canada 987,000 2004 13 Turkey 616,500 2001 14 Sweden 553,100 2001 15 Australia 530,800 2001 16 Greece 468,300 2001 17 Poland 413,700 2001 18 Indonesia 370,500 2003 19 Belarus 360,000 2004 est. 20 Portugal 357,300 2001 21 Finland 318,300 2001 22 Philippines 312,000 2003 23 Switzerland 289,500 2001 24 Austria 262,000 2001 25 Chile 221,500 2003 est. 26 Mexico 205,000 2004 27 Denmark 195,000 2001 28 Czech Republic 192,300 2001 29 Ireland 178,600 2001 30 Hungary 136,600 2001 31 Dominican Republic 129,900 2003 32 New Zealand 119,700 2001 33 Jordan 100,000 2004 est. 34 Norway 88,870 2001 35 Luxembourg 50,700 2001 36 Burma 49,230 2003 37 Kazakhstan 47,000 2003 38 Nicaragua 27,950 2003 39 Iceland 15,470 2001 40 Korea, North 11,500 2003 est. 41 Mongolia 11,000 2004 est. 42 Albania 5,500 2004 est. 43 Suriname 1,644 2003 44 United Arab Emirates 0 2004 45 Saudi Arabia 0 2003 46 Sudan 0 2004

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2176

Rank Country Oil - exports(bbl/day) Date of Information

1 Saudi Arabia 7,920,000 2003 2 Russia 6,110,000 2003 3 European Union 5,322,000 2001 4 Norway 3,466,000 2001 5 United Arab Emirates 2,500,000 2004 est. 6 Iran 2,500,000 2004 est. 7 Venezuela 2,100,000 2004 est. 8 Kuwait 1,970,000 2003 9 Mexico 1,863,000 2004 10 United Kingdom 1,498,000 2001 11 Iraq 1,490,000 2004 est. 12 Netherlands 1,418,000 2001 13 Canada 1,370,000 2004 14 Kazakhstan 890,000 2003 15 Oman 721,000 2004 16 Korea, South 630,100 2003 17 Australia 523,400 2001 18 Indonesia 518,100 2003 19 Italy 456,600 2001 20 Belgium 450,000 2001 21 China 427,800 2002 22 France 409,600 2001 23 Ecuador 387,000 2004 est. 24 Yemen 370,300 2003 25 Denmark 332,100 2001 26 Syria 285,000 2004 27 Sudan 275,000 2004 28 Malaysia 230,200 2003 29 Sweden 203,700 2001 30 Brunei 199,000 2003 31 Spain 135,100 2001 32 Finland 101,000 2001 33 Japan 93,360 2001 34 Greece 84,720 2001 35 Poland 53,000 2001 36 Peru 49,000 2004 est. 37 Hungary 47,180 2001 38 Turkey 46,110 2001 39 Austria 35,470 2001 40 New Zealand 30,220 2001 41 Bahamas, The 29,000 2003 42 Portugal 28,830 2001 43 Ireland 27,450 2001 44 Czech Republic 26,670 2001 45 Belarus 14,500 2003 est. 46 Germany 12,990 2003 47 Switzerland 10,420 2001 48 Burma 3,356 2003 49 Guatemala 3,104 2003 50 Suriname 1,370 2003 51 Nicaragua 738 2003 52 Luxembourg 634 2001 53 Mongolia 497 2004 est. 54 Albania 0 2004 est. 55 Chile 0 2003 56 Philippines 0 2001 57 Jordan 0 2004 est. 58 Iceland 0 2001

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2178

Rank Country Oil - proved reserves(bbl) Date of Information

1 World 1,025,000,000,000 1 January 2002 est. 2 Saudi Arabia 261,700,000,000 2004 est. 3 Canada 178,900,000,000 2004 est. 4 Iran 130,800,000,000 2004 est. 5 Iraq 112,500,000,000 2004 est. 6 United Arab Emirates 97,800,000,000 2004 est. 7 Kuwait 96,500,000,000 2004 est. 8 Venezuela 78,000,000,000 2004 est. 9 Russia 69,000,000,000 2003 est. 10 Libya 38,000,000,000 2004 est. 11 Nigeria 34,000,000,000 2004 est. 12 European Union 28,210,000,000 1 January 2002 13 Kazakhstan 26,000,000,000 1 January 2004 14 United Kingdom 25,410,000,000 2003 15 Angola 22,880,000,000 2004 est. 16 United States 22,450,000,000 1 January 2002 17 Mexico 18,000,000,000 2004 est. 18 China 17,740,000,000 2004 est. 19 Qatar 16,000,000,000 2004 est. 20 Brazil 13,900,000,000 2004 est. 21 Algeria 11,870,000,000 2004 est. 22 Norway 9,859,000,000 1 January 2002 23 India 5,700,000,000 2004 est. 24 Oman 5,500,000,000 2003 est. 25 Indonesia 4,900,000,000 2004 est. 26 Ecuador 4,408,000,000 2004 est. 27 Yemen 4,000,000,000 2004 est. 28 Australia 3,664,000,000 1 January 2002 29 Burma 3,200,000,000 2003 30 Malaysia 3,200,000,000 2004 est. 31 Argentina 2,900,000,000 2004 est. 32 Egypt 2,700,000,000 2004 est. 33 Syria 2,500,000,000 2004 est. 34 Gabon 2,022,000,000 2004 est. 35 Colombia 1,700,000,000 2004 est. 36 Tunisia 1,700,000,000 2004 est. 37 Sudan 1,600,000,000 2004 est. 38 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1,538,000,000 1 January 2002 39 Brunei 1,255,000,000 1 January 2002 40 Denmark 1,230,000,000 1 January 2002 41 Romania 1,055,000,000 1 January 2002 42 Trinidad and Tobago 990,000,000 1 January 2004 43 Vietnam 650,000,000 2004 est. 44 Thailand 600,000,000 1 January 2003 45 Azerbaijan 589,000,000 1 January 2002 46 Italy 586,600,000 1 January 2002 47 Equatorial Guinea 563,500,000 1 January 2002 48 Cuba 532,000,000 1 January 2002 49 Bolivia 458,800,000 1 January 2002 50 Peru 408,800,000 2004 est. 51 Germany 395,800,000 1 January 2004 52 Ukraine 395,000,000 9 November 2004 53 Pakistan 325,500,000 2004 est. 54 Morocco 300,000,000 2004 est. 55 Uzbekistan 297,000,000 1 January 2002 56 Turkey 288,400,000 1 January 2002 57 Turkmenistan 273,000,000 1 January 2002 58 Guatemala 263,000,000 1 January 2002 59 Cote d'Ivoire 220,000,000 2004 est. 60 Albania 185,500,000 1 January 2002 61 Papua New Guinea 170,000,000 2004 est. 62 Philippines 152,000,000 1 January 2004 63 Chile 150,000,000 1 January 2004 64 France 144,300,000 1 January 2002 65 Bahrain 126,000,000 2004 est. 66 Poland 116,400,000 1 January 2002 67 Hungary 110,700,000 1 January 2002 68 Suriname 99,000,000 2004 69 Croatia 93,600,000 1 January 2002 70 Congo, Republic of the 93,500,000 1 January 2002 71 New Zealand 89,620,000 1 January 2002 72 Netherlands 88,060,000 1 January 2002 73 Austria 85,690,000 1 January 2002 74 Cameroon 80,000,000 2004 est. 75 Serbia and Montenegro 38,750,000 1 January 2002 76 Japan 29,290,000 1 January 2002 77 Bangladesh 28,450,000 1 January 2002 78 Czech Republic 17,250,000 1 January 2002 79 Spain 10,500,000 1 January 2002 80 Ghana 8,255,000 1 January 2002 81 Bulgaria 8,100,000 1 January 2002 82 South Africa 7,840,000 1 January 2002 83 Greece 4,500,000 1 January 2002 84 Slovakia 4,500,000 1 January 2002 85 Benin 4,105,000 1 January 2002 86 Taiwan 2,900,000 2004 est. 87 Israel 1,920,000 1 January 2002 88 Barbados 1,254,000 1 January 2002 89 Jordan 445,000 1 January 2002 90 Ethiopia 214,000 1 January 2002 91 Afghanistan 0 1 January 2002 92 Rwanda 0 1 January 2002 93 Tanzania 0 1 January 2002 94 Namibia 0 1 January 2002 95 Somalia 0 1 January 2002 96 Mozambique 0 1 January 2002 97 Ireland 0 1 January 2002 98 Madagascar 0 1 January 2002

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2179

Rank Country Natural gas - proved reserves(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 161,200,000,000,000 1 January 2002 2 Russia 47,000,000,000,000 2003 3 Iran 26,700,000,000,000 2004 4 Qatar 14,410,000,000,000 2004 5 Saudi Arabia 6,339,000,000,000 2004 6 United Arab Emirates 6,060,000,000,000 2004 7 United States 5,195,000,000,000 1 January 2002 8 Algeria 4,739,000,000,000 2004 9 Venezuela 4,190,000,000,000 2004 10 Nigeria 4,007,000,000,000 2004 11 European Union 3,256,000,000,000 1 January 2002 12 Iraq 3,149,000,000,000 2004 13 Indonesia 2,549,000,000,000 2004 14 Burma 2,460,000,000,000 2003 15 Australia 2,407,000,000,000 1 January 2002 16 China 2,230,000,000,000 2004 17 Malaysia 2,230,000,000,000 2004 18 Kazakhstan 1,800,000,000,000 1 January 2004 19 Norway 1,716,000,000,000 1 January 2002 20 Netherlands 1,693,000,000,000 1 January 2002 21 Canada 1,691,000,000,000 2004 22 Kuwait 1,548,000,000,000 2004 23 Turkmenistan 1,430,000,000,000 1 January 2002 24 Libya 1,321,000,000,000 2004 25 Egypt 1,264,000,000,000 2004 26 Uzbekistan 937,300,000,000 1 January 2002 27 Oman 829,700,000,000 2003 28 Argentina 768,000,000,000 2004 29 Bolivia 727,200,000,000 1 January 2002 30 United Kingdom 714,900,000,000 2003 31 Pakistan 695,600,000,000 2004 32 Trinidad and Tobago 589,000,000,000 1 January 2004 33 Ukraine 560,700,000,000 9 November 2004 34 India 542,400,000,000 2004 35 Yemen 480,000,000,000 2004 36 Mexico 420,000,000,000 2004 37 Papua New Guinea 385,500,000,000 2004 38 Thailand 368,200,000,000 1 January 2003 39 Brunei 315,000,000,000 1 January 2002 40 Germany 293,000,000,000 1 January 2004 41 Peru 245,100,000,000 2004 42 Syria 240,700,000,000 2004 43 Brazil 221,700,000,000 2004 44 Italy 209,700,000,000 1 January 2002 45 Vietnam 192,600,000,000 2004 46 Poland 154,400,000,000 1 January 2002 47 Bangladesh 150,300,000,000 1 January 2002 48 Colombia 132,000,000,000 2004 49 Romania 111,100,000,000 1 January 2002 50 Philippines 107,600,000,000 1 January 2004 51 Ecuador 106,500,000,000 2004 52 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 104,800,000,000 1 January 2002 53 Sudan 99,110,000,000 2004 54 Chile 99,050,000,000 1 January 2004 55 Denmark 81,980,000,000 1 January 2002 56 Angola 79,570,000,000 2004 57 Tunisia 77,160,000,000 2004 58 Equatorial Guinea 68,530,000,000 1 January 2002 59 Gabon 66,470,000,000 2004 60 Mozambique 63,710,000,000 1 January 2002 61 Azerbaijan 62,300,000,000 1 January 2002 62 New Zealand 58,940,000,000 1 January 2002 63 Cameroon 55,220,000,000 2004 64 Hungary 50,450,000,000 1 January 2002 65 Afghanistan 49,980,000,000 1 January 2002 66 Bahrain 46,000,000,000 2004 67 Cuba 42,620,000,000 1 January 2002 68 Taiwan 38,230,000,000 2004 69 Croatia 34,360,000,000 1 January 2002 70 Namibia 31,150,000,000 1 January 2002 71 Rwanda 28,320,000,000 1 January 2002 72 Austria 24,900,000,000 1 January 2002 73 Serbia and Montenegro 24,070,000,000 1 January 2002 74 Israel 20,810,000,000 1 January 2002 75 Japan 20,020,000,000 1 January 2002 76 Cote d'Ivoire 14,870,000,000 2004 77 South Africa 14,160,000,000 1 January 2002 78 France 12,860,000,000 1 January 2002 79 Ethiopia 12,460,000,000 1 January 2002 80 Ghana 11,890,000,000 1 January 2002 81 Tanzania 11,330,000,000 1 January 2002 82 Ireland 9,911,000,000 1 January 2002 83 Turkey 8,685,000,000 1 January 2002 84 Slovakia 7,504,000,000 1 January 2002 85 Bulgaria 3,724,000,000 1 January 2002 86 Albania 3,316,000,000 1 January 2002 87 Jordan 3,256,000,000 1 January 2002 88 Czech Republic 3,057,000,000 1 January 2002 89 Somalia 2,832,000,000 1 January 2002 90 Guatemala 1,543,000,000 1 January 2002 91 Morocco 665,400,000 2004 92 Benin 608,800,000 1 January 2002 93 Congo, Republic of the 495,500,000 1 January 2002 94 Greece 254,900,000 1 January 2002 95 Spain 254,900,000 1 January 2002 96 Barbados 70,790,000 1 January 2002 97 Madagascar 0 1 January 2002 98 Suriname 0 2004

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2180

Rank Country Natural gas - production(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 2,637,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 Russia 578,600,000,000 2003 est. 3 United States 548,100,000,000 2001 est. 4 European Union 242,600,000,000 2001 5 Canada 165,800,000,000 2003 est. 6 United Kingdom 105,900,000,000 2001 est. 7 Algeria 80,300,000,000 2001 est. 8 Iran 79,000,000,000 2003 est. 9 Netherlands 77,750,000,000 2001 est. 10 Indonesia 77,600,000,000 2003 est. 11 Uzbekistan 63,100,000,000 2001 est. 12 Turkmenistan 58,570,000,000 2004 est. 13 Saudi Arabia 56,400,000,000 2002 14 Norway 54,600,000,000 2001 est. 15 Malaysia 53,660,000,000 2001 est. 16 Mexico 47,300,000,000 2004 est. 17 United Arab Emirates 44,400,000,000 2003 est. 18 Argentina 37,150,000,000 2001 est. 19 China 35,000,000,000 2003 est. 20 Australia 33,080,000,000 2001 est. 21 Bahrain 32,700,000,000 2002 est. 22 Qatar 32,400,000,000 2001 est. 23 Venezuela 29,400,000,000 2003 est. 24 Trinidad and Tobago 25,000,000,000 2003 est. 25 Pakistan 23,400,000,000 2001 est. 26 India 22,750,000,000 2001 est. 27 Egypt 21,200,000,000 2001 est. 28 Germany 21,000,000,000 2003 29 Ukraine 19,600,000,000 2003 est. 30 Thailand 18,730,000,000 2001 est. 31 Nigeria 15,680,000,000 2001 est. 32 Italy 15,490,000,000 2001 est. 33 Oman 13,770,000,000 2001 est. 34 Romania 12,600,000,000 2003 est. 35 Kazakhstan 11,600,000,000 2004 est. 36 Brunei 10,350,000,000 2001 est. 37 Burma 9,980,000,000 2003 est. 38 Bangladesh 9,900,000,000 2001 est. 39 Kuwait 8,700,000,000 2002 est. 40 Bolivia 8,440,000,000 2004 est. 41 Denmark 8,380,000,000 2001 est. 42 New Zealand 6,504,000,000 2001 est. 43 Libya 6,180,000,000 2001 est. 44 Brazil 5,950,000,000 2001 est. 45 Syria 5,840,000,000 2001 est. 46 Azerbaijan 5,720,000,000 2001 est. 47 Colombia 5,700,000,000 2001 est. 48 Poland 5,471,000,000 2001 est. 49 Hungary 3,231,000,000 2001 est. 50 Japan 2,519,000,000 2001 est. 51 Iraq 2,350,000,000 2002 est. 52 Tunisia 2,250,000,000 2001 est. 53 France 1,898,000,000 2001 est. 54 South Africa 1,800,000,000 2001 est. 55 Croatia 1,760,000,000 2001 est. 56 Austria 1,731,000,000 2001 est. 57 Cote d'Ivoire 1,350,000,000 2001 est. 58 Vietnam 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 59 Chile 1,180,000,000 2002 est. 60 Peru 910,000,000 2004 est. 61 Ireland 815,000,000 2001 est. 62 Taiwan 750,000,000 2001 est. 63 Serbia and Montenegro 602,000,000 2001 est. 64 Cuba 600,000,000 2001 est. 65 Angola 530,000,000 2001 est. 66 Spain 516,000,000 2001 est. 67 Turkey 312,000,000 2001 est. 68 Jordan 290,000,000 2001 est. 69 Belarus 250,000,000 2004 est. 70 Afghanistan 220,000,000 2001 est. 71 Slovakia 190,000,000 2003 est. 72 Ecuador 160,000,000 2001 est. 73 Czech Republic 160,000,000 2001 est. 74 Papua New Guinea 110,000,000 2001 est. 75 Gabon 80,000,000 2001 est. 76 Georgia 60,000,000 2001 est. 77 Mozambique 60,000,000 2001 est. 78 Morocco 50,000,000 2001 est. 79 Tajikistan 50,000,000 2001 est. 80 Senegal 50,000,000 2001 est. 81 Greece 35,000,000 2001 est. 82 Albania 30,000,000 2001 est. 83 Barbados 29,170,000 2001 est. 84 Equatorial Guinea 20,000,000 2001 est. 85 Kyrgyzstan 16,000,000 2001 est. 86 Israel 10,000,000 2001 est. 87 Bulgaria 4,000,000 2001 est. 88 Philippines 2,500,000 2004 est. 89 Armenia 0 2001 est. 90 Korea, South 0 2003 est. 91 Lithuania 0 2001 est. 92 Yemen 0 2003 est. 93 Uruguay 0 2003 est. 94 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 95 Sweden 0 2001 est. 96 Singapore 0 2001 est. 97 Slovenia 0 2001 est. 98 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 99 Portugal 0 2001 est. 100 Moldova 0 2001 est. 101 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 102 Latvia 0 2001 est. 103 Estonia 0 2001 est. 104 Finland 0 2001 est. 105 Belgium 0 2001 est. 106 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 107 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 108 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2181

Rank Country Natural gas - consumption(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 2,599,000,000,000 2001 est. 2 United States 640,900,000,000 2001 est. 3 European Union 467,700,000,000 2001 4 Russia 405,800,000,000 2003 est. 5 Germany 99,550,000,000 2003 6 United Kingdom 92,850,000,000 2001 est. 7 Japan 80,420,000,000 2001 est. 8 Ukraine 79,860,000,000 2003 est. 9 Iran 72,400,000,000 2003 est. 10 Italy 71,180,000,000 2001 est. 11 Saudi Arabia 56,400,000,000 2002 12 Canada 55,800,000,000 2003 est. 13 Indonesia 55,300,000,000 2003 est. 14 Mexico 55,100,000,000 2004 est. 15 Netherlands 49,720,000,000 2001 est. 16 Uzbekistan 45,200,000,000 2001 est. 17 France 42,010,000,000 2001 est. 18 United Arab Emirates 33,700,000,000 2003 est. 19 Bahrain 32,700,000,000 2002 est. 20 Malaysia 31,250,000,000 2001 est. 21 Argentina 31,100,000,000 2001 est. 22 Venezuela 29,400,000,000 2003 est. 23 China 29,180,000,000 2002 est. 24 Thailand 23,930,000,000 2001 est. 25 Pakistan 23,400,000,000 2001 est. 26 Australia 23,330,000,000 2001 est. 27 India 22,750,000,000 2001 est. 28 Algeria 22,320,000,000 2001 est. 29 Egypt 21,200,000,000 2001 est. 30 Korea, South 20,920,000,000 2003 est. 31 Belarus 18,800,000,000 2004 est. 32 Romania 18,500,000,000 2003 est. 33 Spain 17,960,000,000 2001 est. 34 Turkey 15,940,000,000 2001 est. 35 Qatar 15,860,000,000 2001 est. 36 Belgium 15,500,000,000 2001 est. 37 Kazakhstan 14,300,000,000 2001 est. 38 Poland 13,850,000,000 2001 est. 39 Trinidad and Tobago 13,760,000,000 2003 est. 40 Hungary 13,370,000,000 2001 est. 41 Bangladesh 9,900,000,000 2001 est. 42 Czech Republic 9,892,000,000 2001 est. 43 Turkmenistan 9,600,000,000 2001 est. 44 Brazil 9,590,000,000 2001 est. 45 Kuwait 8,700,000,000 2002 est. 46 Nigeria 7,850,000,000 2001 est. 47 Austria 7,810,000,000 2001 est. 48 Slovakia 6,800,000,000 2003 est. 49 Azerbaijan 6,720,000,000 2001 est. 50 Taiwan 6,640,000,000 2001 est. 51 Chile 6,517,000,000 2002 est. 52 New Zealand 6,504,000,000 2001 est. 53 Oman 6,340,000,000 2001 est. 54 Syria 5,840,000,000 2001 est. 55 Bulgaria 5,804,000,000 2001 est. 56 Colombia 5,700,000,000 2001 est. 57 Libya 5,410,000,000 2001 est. 58 Denmark 5,280,000,000 2001 est. 59 Finland 4,557,000,000 2001 est. 60 Ireland 4,199,000,000 2001 est. 61 Norway 4,100,000,000 2001 est. 62 Tunisia 3,830,000,000 2001 est. 63 Switzerland 3,093,000,000 2001 est. 64 Croatia 2,840,000,000 2001 est. 65 Lithuania 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 66 Portugal 2,542,000,000 2001 est. 67 Singapore 2,500,000,000 2001 est. 68 Iraq 2,350,000,000 2002 est. 69 Moldova 2,050,000,000 2001 est. 70 Greece 2,021,000,000 2001 est. 71 Kyrgyzstan 2,016,000,000 2001 est. 72 South Africa 1,800,000,000 2001 est. 73 Latvia 1,700,000,000 2001 est. 74 Burma 1,569,000,000 2003 est. 75 Armenia 1,400,000,000 2001 est. 76 Brunei 1,350,000,000 2001 est. 77 Cote d'Ivoire 1,350,000,000 2001 est. 78 Tajikistan 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 79 Vietnam 1,300,000,000 2001 est. 80 Estonia 1,270,000,000 2001 est. 81 Georgia 1,160,000,000 2001 est. 82 Bolivia 1,150,000,000 2001 est. 83 Slovenia 1,040,000,000 2001 est. 84 Sweden 949,000,000 2001 est. 85 Peru 910,000,000 2004 est. 86 Luxembourg 865,000,000 2001 est. 87 Hong Kong 680,900,000 2001 est. 88 Puerto Rico 630,000,000 2001 est. 89 Serbia and Montenegro 602,000,000 2001 est. 90 Cuba 600,000,000 2001 est. 91 Angola 530,000,000 2001 est. 92 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2001 est. 93 Jordan 290,000,000 2001 est. 94 Afghanistan 220,000,000 2001 est. 95 Ecuador 160,000,000 2001 est. 96 Papua New Guinea 110,000,000 2001 est. 97 Gabon 80,000,000 2001 est. 98 Uruguay 64,500,000 2003 est. 99 Mozambique 60,000,000 2001 est. 100 Morocco 50,000,000 2001 est. 101 Senegal 50,000,000 2001 est. 102 Albania 30,000,000 2001 est. 103 Barbados 29,170,000 2001 est. 104 Philippines 25,000,000 2004 est. 105 Equatorial Guinea 20,000,000 2001 est. 106 Israel 10,000,000 2001 est. 107 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 108 Yemen 0 2003 est. 109 Cameroon 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2182

Rank Country Natural gas - imports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 718,700,000,000 2001 est. 2 European Union 297,800,000,000 2001 3 United States 114,100,000,000 2001 est. 4 Germany 85,020,000,000 2003 5 Japan 77,730,000,000 2001 est. 6 Ukraine 60,400,000,000 2003 est. 7 Italy 54,780,000,000 2001 est. 8 France 40,260,000,000 2001 est. 9 Russia 32,700,000,000 2001 est. 10 Korea, South 21,110,000,000 2003 est. 11 Netherlands 20,780,000,000 2001 est. 12 Belarus 18,500,000,000 2004 est. 13 Spain 17,260,000,000 2001 est. 14 Turkey 15,750,000,000 2001 est. 15 Belgium 15,400,000,000 2001 est. 16 Hungary 9,587,000,000 2001 est. 17 Czech Republic 9,521,000,000 2001 est. 18 Poland 8,782,000,000 2001 est. 19 Canada 8,730,000,000 2003 est. 20 Kazakhstan 8,696,000,000 2003 est. 21 Mexico 7,850,000,000 2004 est. 22 Slovakia 6,600,000,000 2003 est. 23 Taiwan 6,300,000,000 2001 est. 24 Austria 6,033,000,000 2001 est. 25 Bulgaria 5,800,000,000 2001 est. 26 Romania 5,400,000,000 2001 est. 27 Chile 5,337,000,000 2002 est. 28 Thailand 5,200,000,000 2001 est. 29 Iran 4,920,000,000 2003 est. 30 Finland 4,567,000,000 2001 est. 31 Brazil 3,640,000,000 2001 est. 32 Ireland 3,384,000,000 2001 est. 33 Switzerland 3,093,000,000 2001 est. 34 Lithuania 2,760,000,000 2001 est. 35 United Kingdom 2,700,000,000 2001 est. 36 Portugal 2,553,000,000 2001 est. 37 Singapore 2,500,000,000 2001 est. 38 Moldova 2,050,000,000 2001 est. 39 Greece 2,018,000,000 2001 est. 40 Kyrgyzstan 2,000,000,000 2001 est. 41 Latvia 1,700,000,000 2001 est. 42 Tunisia 1,580,000,000 2001 est. 43 Armenia 1,400,000,000 2001 est. 44 Estonia 1,270,000,000 2001 est. 45 Tajikistan 1,250,000,000 2001 est. 46 Georgia 1,100,000,000 2001 est. 47 Croatia 1,080,000,000 2001 est. 48 Slovenia 1,040,000,000 2001 est. 49 Azerbaijan 1,000,000,000 2001 est. 50 Sweden 968,000,000 2001 est. 51 Luxembourg 867,000,000 2001 est. 52 Hong Kong 680,900,000 2001 est. 53 Puerto Rico 630,000,000 2001 est. 54 Bosnia and Herzegovina 300,000,000 2001 est. 55 Uruguay 65,000,000 2003 est. 56 United Arab Emirates 0 2003 est. 57 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 58 Argentina 0 2001 est. 59 Bolivia 0 2001 est. 60 Senegal 0 2001 est. 61 South Africa 0 2001 est. 62 Saudi Arabia 0 2002 63 Philippines 0 2004 est. 64 Qatar 0 2001 est. 65 Papua New Guinea 0 2001 est. 66 Pakistan 0 2001 est. 67 Peru 0 2004 est. 68 New Zealand 0 2001 est. 69 Yemen 0 2003 est. 70 Serbia and Montenegro 0 2001 est. 71 Vietnam 0 2001 est. 72 Venezuela 0 2004 est. 73 Uzbekistan 0 2001 est. 74 Turkmenistan 0 2001 est. 75 Trinidad and Tobago 0 2001 est. 76 Syria 0 2001 est. 77 Norway 0 2001 est. 78 Nigeria 0 2001 est. 79 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 80 Malaysia 0 2001 est. 81 Oman 0 2001 est. 82 Morocco 0 2001 est. 83 Libya 0 2001 est. 84 Kuwait 0 2002 est. 85 Jordan 0 2001 est. 86 Iraq 0 2004 est. 87 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2001 est. 88 Israel 0 2001 est. 89 India 0 2001 est. 90 Indonesia 0 2003 est. 91 Gabon 0 2001 est. 92 Ecuador 0 2001 est. 93 Denmark 0 2001 est. 94 Cuba 0 2001 est. 95 Colombia 0 2001 est. 96 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 97 China 0 2002 est. 98 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 99 Brunei 0 2001 est. 100 Burma 0 2003 est. 101 Equatorial Guinea 0 2001 est. 102 Egypt 0 2001 est. 103 Bangladesh 0 2001 est. 104 Barbados 0 2001 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2002 est. 106 Australia 0 2001 est. 107 Angola 0 2001 est. 108 Albania 0 2001 est. 109 Algeria 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2183

Rank Country Natural gas - exports(cu m) Date of Information

1 World 693,700,000,000 2001 est. 2 Russia 171,000,000,000 2003 est. 3 Canada 91,520,000,000 2003 est. 4 European Union 78,100,000,000 2001 5 Algeria 57,980,000,000 2001 est. 6 Norway 50,500,000,000 2001 est. 7 Netherlands 49,280,000,000 2001 est. 8 Turkmenistan 43,500,000,000 2004 est. 9 Indonesia 39,700,000,000 2003 est. 10 Malaysia 22,410,000,000 2001 est. 11 Qatar 18,200,000,000 2004 est. 12 Uzbekistan 17,900,000,000 2001 est. 13 United Kingdom 15,750,000,000 2001 est. 14 Trinidad and Tobago 11,790,000,000 2003 est. 15 United States 11,160,000,000 2001 est. 16 Kazakhstan 11,010,000,000 2003 est. 17 Australia 9,744,000,000 2001 est. 18 Brunei 9,000,000,000 2001 est. 19 Burma 8,424,000,000 2003 est. 20 Nigeria 7,830,000,000 2001 est. 21 Germany 7,731,000,000 2003 22 Oman 7,430,000,000 2001 est. 23 United Arab Emirates 7,190,000,000 2003 est. 24 Argentina 6,050,000,000 2001 est. 25 Ukraine 5,800,000,000 2003 est. 26 Iran 3,400,000,000 2003 est. 27 Denmark 3,100,000,000 2001 est. 28 Bolivia 2,900,000,000 2001 est. 29 France 1,725,000,000 2001 est. 30 Libya 770,000,000 2001 est. 31 Taiwan 410,000,000 2001 est. 32 Austria 403,000,000 2001 est. 33 Italy 61,000,000 2001 est. 34 Poland 41,000,000 2001 est. 35 Hungary 4,000,000 2001 est. 36 Czech Republic 1,000,000 2001 est. 37 Afghanistan 0 2001 est. 38 Barbados 0 2001 est. 39 Bangladesh 0 2001 est. 40 Cuba 0 2001 est. 41 Colombia 0 2001 est. 42 Cameroon 0 2001 est. 43 Chile 0 2002 44 China 0 2002 est. 45 Congo, Republic of the 0 2001 est. 46 Bulgaria 0 2001 est. 47 Brazil 0 2001 est. 48 Belarus 0 2004 est. 49 Moldova 0 2001 est. 50 Luxembourg 0 2001 est. 51 Slovakia 0 2003 est. 52 Lithuania 0 2001 est. 53 Latvia 0 2001 est. 54 Kuwait 0 2002 est. 55 Korea, South 0 2003 est. 56 Kyrgyzstan 0 2001 est. 57 Jordan 0 2001 est. 58 Uruguay 0 2003 est. 59 Turkey 0 2001 est. 60 Tunisia 0 2001 est. 61 Tajikistan 0 2001 est. 62 Thailand 0 2001 est. 63 Switzerland 0 2001 est. 64 Syria 0 2001 est. 65 Sweden 0 2001 est. 66 Spain 0 2001 est. 67 Yemen 0 2003 est. 68 Serbia and Montenegro 0 2001 est. 69 Vietnam 0 2001 est. 70 Venezuela 0 2004 est. 71 Singapore 0 2001 est. 72 Slovenia 0 2001 est. 73 Senegal 0 2001 est. 74 South Africa 0 2001 est. 75 Saudi Arabia 0 2002 76 Puerto Rico 0 2001 est. 77 Philippines 0 2004 est. 78 Romania 0 2001 est. 79 Papua New Guinea 0 2001 est. 80 Portugal 0 2001 est. 81 Pakistan 0 2001 est. 82 Peru 0 2004 est. 83 New Zealand 0 2001 est. 84 Mozambique 0 2001 est. 85 Mexico 0 2004 est. 86 Morocco 0 2001 est. 87 Japan 0 2001 est. 88 Iraq 0 2004 est. 89 Cote d'Ivoire 0 2001 est. 90 Israel 0 2001 est. 91 India 0 2001 est. 92 Croatia 0 2001 est. 93 Hong Kong 0 2001 est. 94 Greece 0 2001 est. 95 Georgia 0 2001 est. 96 Gabon 0 2001 est. 97 Finland 0 2001 est. 98 Estonia 0 2001 est. 99 Equatorial Guinea 0 2001 est. 100 Ireland 0 2001 est. 101 Egypt 0 2001 est. 102 Ecuador 0 2001 est. 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0 2001 est. 104 Belgium 0 2001 est. 105 Bahrain 0 2002 est. 106 Azerbaijan 0 2001 est. 107 Albania 0 2001 est. 108 Armenia 0 2001 est. 109 Angola 0 2001 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Rank code: @2184

Rank Country Internet hosts Date of Information

1 United States 115,311,958 2002 2 European Union 22,000,414 3 Japan 12,962,065 2003 4 Netherlands 4,518,226 2004 5 United Kingdom 3,398,708 2004 6 Canada 3,210,081 2003 7 Brazil 3,163,349 2003 8 Australia 2,847,763 2003 9 Taiwan 2,777,085 2003 10 Germany 2,686,119 2004 11 France 2,396,761 2004 12 Italy 1,437,511 2004 13 Mexico 1,333,406 2003 14 Denmark 1,219,925 2004 15 Finland 1,219,173 2004 16 Spain 1,056,950 2004 17 Sweden 945,221 2004 18 Poland 804,915 2004 19 Argentina 742,358 2003 20 Korea, South 694,206 2001 21 Switzerland 667,275 2004 22 Norway 593,850 2004 23 Hong Kong 591,993 2003 24 Russia 560,874 2004 25 Singapore 484,825 2003 26 New Zealand 474,395 2003 27 Israel 437,516 2004 28 Austria 387,006 2004 29 Hungary 383,071 2004 30 Turkey 355,215 2004 31 Portugal 346,078 2004 32 Czech Republic 295,677 2004 33 South Africa 288,633 2003 34 Greece 208,977 2004 35 Chile 202,429 2003 36 Belgium 166,799 2004 37 Ireland 162,228 2004 38 China 160,421 2003 39 Iceland 122,175 2004 40 Colombia 115,158 2003 41 Malaysia 107,971 2003 42 Thailand 103,700 2003 43 Ukraine 94,345 2004 44 Slovakia 89,592 2004 45 Uruguay 87,630 2003 46 India 86,871 2003 47 Estonia 82,142 2004 48 Lithuania 67,769 2004 49 Peru 65,868 2003 50 Dominican Republic 64,197 2003 51 Indonesia 62,036 2003 52 United Arab Emirates 56,283 2004 53 Bulgaria 53,421 2004 54 Latvia 51,758 2004 55 Romania 50,807 2004 56 Slovenia 45,491 2004 57 Philippines 38,440 2002 58 Venezuela 35,301 2003 59 Croatia 29,644 2004 60 Luxembourg 28,214 2003 61 Kazakhstan 21,984 2004 62 Guatemala 20,360 2003 63 Serbia and Montenegro 20,207 2004 64 Tonga 18,906 2003 65 Saudi Arabia 15,931 2004 66 Pakistan 15,124 2003 67 Kyrgyzstan 12,299 2004 68 Moldova 11,984 2003 69 Costa Rica 10,826 2003 70 Paraguay 9,243 2003 71 Kenya 8,325 2003 72 Samoa 8,225 2003 73 Trinidad and Tobago 8,003 2003 74 Malta 7,156 2004 75 Panama 7,129 2003 76 Nicaragua 7,094 2003 77 Bolivia 7,080 2003 78 Lebanon 6,998 2004 79 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6,994 2004 80 Brunei 6,409 2003 81 Cyprus 5,901 2004 82 Tanzania 5,534 2003 83 Belarus 5,308 2004 84 Iran 5,269 2004 85 Bermuda 5,161 2001 86 Georgia 5,160 2004 87 French Polynesia 5,123 2003 88 Zimbabwe 4,501 2003 89 New Caledonia 4,449 2003 90 Andorra 4,144 2004 91 El Salvador 4,084 2003 92 Mauritius 3,985 2003 93 Cote d'Ivoire 3,795 2004 94 Macedonia 3,738 2004 95 Liechtenstein 3,727 2004 96 Morocco 3,627 2004 97 Kuwait 3,437 2001 98 Egypt 3,401 2004 99 Mozambique 3,249 2003 100 Ecuador 3,188 2003 101 Namibia 3,164 2003 102 Jordan 3,160 2004 103 Uganda 2,692 2004 104 Greenland 2,642 2004 105 Belize 2,613 2003 106 Armenia 2,206 2004 107 Honduras 1,944 2003 108 Botswana 1,920 2003 109 Sri Lanka 1,882 2003 110 Zambia 1,880 2003 111 San Marino 1,763 2004 112 Antigua and Barbuda 1,665 2003 113 Cuba 1,529 2003 114 Rwanda 1,495 2003 115 Jamaica 1,480 2003 116 Swaziland 1,401 2003 117 Bahrain 1,334 2003 118 Nigeria 1,142 2004 119 Sao Tome and Principe 1,069 2003 120 Eritrea 1,047 2004 121 Uzbekistan 1,040 2003 122 Mongolia 1,000 2004 123 Bhutan 985 2003 124 Laos 937 2003 125 Aruba 923 2001 126 Nepal 917 2003 127 Algeria 897 2004 128 Benin 879 2004 129 Cambodia 818 2003 130 Madagascar 773 2003 131 Oman 726 2003 132 Djibouti 702 2004 133 Dominica 681 2003 134 Senegal 672 2003 135 Guyana 613 2003 136 Azerbaijan 586 2004 137 Gambia, The 568 2004 138 Monaco 533 2004 139 Maldives 532 2003 140 Turkmenistan 524 2004 141 Vanuatu 512 2003 142 Fiji 493 2003 143 Cameroon 479 2004 144 Albania 455 2004 145 Burkina Faso 442 2003 146 Ghana 407 2004 147 Solomon Islands 398 2003 148 Papua New Guinea 389 2003 149 Guinea 380 2004 150 Vietnam 340 2003 151 Bahamas, The 302 2003 152 Tunisia 281 2004 153 Sierra Leone 277 2004 154 Seychelles 264 2003 155 Qatar 221 2004 156 Barbados 204 2003 157 Mali 187 2003 158 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 153 2003 159 Yemen 138 2004 160 Niger 134 2003 161 Lesotho 119 2003 162 Netherlands Antilles 119 2001 163 Cape Verde 118 2004 164 Gabon 93 2004 165 Macau 89 2003 166 Togo 82 2003 167 Tajikistan 69 2004 168 Libya 67 2003 169 Saint Kitts and Nevis 51 2003 170 Congo, Republic of the 46 2003 171 Saint Lucia 41 2003 172 Mauritania 25 2003 173 Burundi 22 2003 174 Grenada 18 2003 175 Suriname 18 2003 176 Malawi 18 2003 177 Angola 17 2003 178 Liberia 14 2004 179 Comoros 11 2003 180 Syria 11 2004 181 Ethiopia 9 2003 182 Holy See (Vatican City) 9 2004 183 Chad 8 2004 184 Central African Republic 6 2002 185 Marshall Islands 6 2003 186 Somalia 4 2004 187 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4 2003 188 Burma 3 2003 189 Equatorial Guinea 3 2004 190 Guinea-Bissau 2 2004 191 Bangladesh 1 2003

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2185

Rank Country Investment (gross fixed)(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Azerbaijan 65.10 2004 est. 2 Equatorial Guinea 50.80 2004 est. 3 Mozambique 47.00 2004 est. 4 China 46.00 2004 est. 5 Zambia 41.40 2004 est. 6 Lesotho 39.60 2004 est. 7 Seychelles 39.50 2004 est. 8 Vietnam 36.60 2004 est. 9 Angola 34.50 2004 est. 10 Guyana 34.50 2004 est. 11 Belize 33.60 2004 est. 12 Jamaica 32.00 2004 est. 13 Sao Tome and Principe 31.50 2004 est. 14 Iran 31.30 2004 est. 15 Burkina Faso 29.10 2004 est. 16 Czech Republic 29.00 2004 est. 17 Turkmenistan 29.00 2004 est. 18 Korea, South 28.70 2004 est. 19 Croatia 28.60 2004 est. 20 Estonia 28.20 2004 est. 21 Nicaragua 28.00 2004 est. 22 Singapore 27.40 2004 est. 23 Greece 27.00 2004 est. 24 Malta 26.40 2004 est. 25 Eritrea 26.30 2002 26 Algeria 26.20 2004 est. 27 Latvia 26.10 2004 est. 28 Lebanon 26.00 2004 est. 29 Congo, Republic of the 25.80 2004 est. 30 Botswana 25.50 2004 est. 31 Spain 25.40 2004 est. 32 Australia 25.30 2004 est. 33 Gambia, The 25.30 2004 est. 34 Panama 25.00 2004 est. 35 Slovenia 24.90 2004 est. 36 Chad 24.70 2004 est. 37 Tunisia 24.50 2004 est. 38 Honduras 24.10 2004 est. 39 Japan 24.00 2004 est. 40 Slovakia 24.00 2004 est. 41 Chile 23.90 2004 est. 42 Kazakhstan 23.90 2004 est. 43 Ireland 23.80 2004 est. 44 India 23.80 2004 est. 45 Iceland 23.80 2004 est. 46 Swaziland 23.60 2004 est. 47 Bangladesh 23.50 2004 est. 48 Romania 23.30 2004 est. 49 Qatar 22.90 2004 est. 50 Hungary 22.80 2004 est. 51 Hong Kong 22.70 2004 est. 52 Austria 22.60 2004 est. 53 Mauritius 22.50 2004 est. 54 Thailand 22.50 Jan - Sep 2004 est. 55 Sri Lanka 22.40 2004 est. 56 Morocco 22.40 2004 est. 57 Uganda 22.40 2004 est. 58 New Zealand 22.40 2004 est. 59 Portugal 22.30 2004 est. 60 Tajikistan 22.00 2004 est. 61 Lithuania 21.90 2004 est. 62 Belarus 21.80 2004 est. 63 Gabon 21.80 2004 est. 64 Malaysia 21.70 2004 est. 65 Guinea 21.00 2004 est. 66 Cambodia 20.90 2004 est. 67 United Arab Emirates 20.80 2004 est. 68 Ecuador 20.60 2004 est. 69 Switzerland 20.40 2004 est. 70 Senegal 20.10 2004 est. 71 Rwanda 20.00 2004 est. 72 Netherlands 19.90 2004 est. 73 Armenia 19.80 2004 est. 74 Brazil 19.80 2004 est. 75 Denmark 19.80 2004 est. 76 Luxembourg 19.80 2004 est. 77 Ghana 19.70 2004 est. 78 Namibia 19.60 2004 est. 79 European Union 19.50 2004 est. 80 Canada 19.40 2004 est. 81 Mexico 19.40 2004 est. 82 Trinidad and Tobago 19.40 2004 est. 83 Benin 19.30 2004 est. 84 Italy 19.30 2004 est. 85 Costa Rica 19.20 2004 est. 86 France 19.20 2004 est. 87 Cape Verde 19.20 2004 est. 88 Belgium 19.10 2004 est. 89 Togo 19.10 2004 est. 90 Russia 19.10 2004 est. 91 Dominican Republic 18.90 2004 est. 92 Ukraine 18.80 2004 est. 93 Bulgaria 18.60 2004 est. 94 Georgia 18.50 2004 est. 95 Albania 18.40 2004 est. 96 Poland 18.40 2004 est. 97 Argentina 18.30 2004 est. 98 Finland 18.30 2004 est. 99 Paraguay 18.10 2004 est. 100 Nigeria 18.00 2004 est. 101 Taiwan 18.00 2004 est. 102 Cyprus 17.90 2004 est. 103 Ethiopia 17.80 2004 est. 104 Peru 17.80 2004 est. 105 Germany 17.60 2004 106 Israel 17.60 2004 est. 107 Macedonia 17.50 2004 est. 108 Norway 17.50 2004 est. 109 Turkey 17.30 2004 est. 110 Saudi Arabia 17.20 2004 est. 111 Moldova 17.10 2004 est. 112 Kyrgyzstan 17.00 2004 est. 113 Philippines 17.00 2004 est. 114 South Africa 16.70 2004 est. 115 El Salvador 16.60 2004 est. 116 Indonesia 16.60 2004 est. 117 Pakistan 16.40 FY03/04 est. 118 Syria 16.30 2004 est. 119 Tanzania 16.20 2004 est. 120 United Kingdom 16.20 2004 est. 121 Cameroon 16.10 2004 est. 122 Yemen 16.10 2004 est. 123 Sudan 16.00 2004 est. 124 Colombia 15.80 2004 est. 125 Sweden 15.80 2004 est. 126 Egypt 15.80 2004 est. 127 United States 15.70 2004 est. 128 Guatemala 14.90 2004 est. 129 Kenya 14.70 2004 est. 130 Madagascar 14.70 2004 est. 131 Serbia and Montenegro 14.40 2004 est. 132 Papua New Guinea 13.60 2004 est. 133 Oman 13.50 2004 est. 134 Venezuela 12.90 2004 est. 135 Bahrain 12.80 2004 est. 136 Jordan 11.60 2004 est. 137 Cote d'Ivoire 11.30 2004 est. 138 Cuba 11.20 2004 est. 139 Burundi 10.70 2004 est. 140 Malawi 10.70 2004 est. 141 Bolivia 10.40 2003 est. 142 Burma 10.20 2004 est. 143 Libya 9.90 2004 est. 144 Zimbabwe 9.90 2004 est. 145 Uruguay 9.60 2004 est. 146 Kuwait 8.00 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2186

Rank Country Public debt(% of GDP) Date of Information

1 Malawi 228.30 2004 est. 2 Lebanon 177.90 2004 est. 3 Japan 164.30 2004 est. 4 Jamaica 146.10 2004 est. 5 Zambia 127.50 2004 est. 6 Seychelles 122.80 2004 est. 7 Argentina 118.00 June 2004 est. 8 Greece 112.00 2004 est. 9 Italy 105.60 2004 est. 10 Israel 104.50 2004 est. 11 Sri Lanka 104.30 2004 est. 12 Egypt 102.70 2004 est. 13 Singapore 102.50 2004 est. 14 Belgium 96.20 2004 est. 15 Jordan 85.80 2004 est. 16 Serbia and Montenegro 80.00 2004 est. 17 Sudan 79.70 2004 est. 18 Saudi Arabia 75.00 2004 est. 19 Cyprus 74.90 2004 est. 20 Cote d'Ivoire 74.80 2004 est. 21 Kenya 74.30 2004 est. 22 Turkey 74.30 2004 est. 23 Philippines 74.20 September 2004 est. 24 Honduras 74.10 2004 est. 25 Uganda 73.90 2004 est. 26 Pakistan 71.40 2004 est. 27 Morocco 70.20 2004 est. 28 Nicaragua 69.50 2004 est. 29 Panama 69.20 2004 est. 30 Cameroon 69.10 2004 est. 31 France 67.70 2004 est. 32 Vietnam 65.90 2004 est. 33 Germany 65.80 2004 est. 34 United States 65.00 2004 est. 35 Austria 64.20 2004 est. 36 Bahrain 63.80 2004 est. 37 Moldova 63.40 2004 est. 38 Portugal 61.50 2004 est. 39 Dominican Republic 61.10 2004 est. 40 India 59.70 2004 est. 41 Papua New Guinea 59.30 2004 est. 42 Tunisia 59.20 2004 est. 43 Hungary 58.30 2004 est. 44 Costa Rica 58.00 2004 est. 45 Switzerland 57.20 2004 est. 46 Indonesia 56.20 2004 est. 47 Netherlands 55.80 2004 est. 48 Senegal 55.20 2004 est. 49 Trinidad and Tobago 54.40 2004 est. 50 Spain 53.20 2004 est. 51 Zimbabwe 52.30 2004 est. 52 Brazil 52.00 2004 est. 53 Colombia 51.80 2004 est. 54 Sweden 51.60 2004 est. 55 Poland 49.90 2004 est. 56 Ecuador 49.20 2004 est. 57 Thailand 47.60 November 2004 est. 58 Finland 46.80 2004 est. 59 Slovakia 46.60 2004 est. 60 Yemen 46.40 2004 est. 61 South Africa 45.90 2004 est. 62 Malaysia 45.40 2004 est. 63 Peru 44.10 2004 est. 64 Venezuela 43.10 2004 est. 65 Bangladesh 43.00 2004 est. 66 Denmark 42.50 2004 est. 67 Bulgaria 41.90 2004 est. 68 El Salvador 41.70 2004 est. 69 Croatia 41.70 2004 est. 70 Uzbekistan 41.50 2004 est. 71 United Kingdom 39.60 2004 est. 72 Paraguay 39.20 2004 est. 73 Namibia 38.50 2004 est. 74 Algeria 37.40 2004 est. 75 Iceland 35.90 2004 est. 76 Czech Republic 33.50 2004 est. 77 Norway 33.10 2004 est. 78 Taiwan 32.40 2004 est. 79 Guatemala 32.00 2004 est. 80 Syria 32.00 2004 est. 81 Slovenia 31.50 2004 est. 82 China 31.40 2004 est. 83 Ireland 31.20 2004 est. 84 Kuwait 29.60 2004 est. 85 Gabon 29.30 2004 est. 86 Mauritius 29.20 2004 est. 87 Russia 28.20 2004 est. 88 Iran 27.00 2004 est. 89 Lithuania 25.20 2004 est. 90 Ukraine 24.70 2004 est. 91 Romania 23.60 2004 est. 92 Mexico 23.50 2004 est. 93 New Zealand 22.10 2004 est. 94 Korea, South 21.30 2004 est. 95 Macedonia 20.00 2004 est. 96 Nigeria 20.00 2004 est. 97 Azerbaijan 18.90 2004 est. 98 United Arab Emirates 17.60 2004 est. 99 Australia 17.40 2004 est. 100 Kazakhstan 13.70 2004 est. 101 Chile 12.80 2004 est. 102 Latvia 11.80 2004 est. 103 Oman 10.30 2004 est. 104 Libya 8.80 2004 est. 105 Botswana 8.60 2004 est. 106 Estonia 5.40 2004 est. 107 Tanzania 5.00 2004 est. 108 Hong Kong 2.10 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2187

Rank Country Current account balance Date of Information

1 Japan $ 170,200,000,000 2004 est. 2 Germany $ 73,590,000,000 2004 est. 3 Saudi Arabia $ 51,500,000,000 2004 est. 4 Russia $ 46,040,000,000 2004 est. 5 Switzerland $ 40,950,000,000 2004 est. 6 Norway $ 30,520,000,000 2004 est. 7 China $ 30,320,000,000 2004 est. 8 Canada $ 28,200,000,000 2004 est. 9 Korea, South $ 26,780,000,000 2004 est. 10 Sweden $ 24,080,000,000 2004 est. 11 Taiwan $ 21,160,000,000 2004 est. 12 Netherlands $ 19,900,000,000 2004 est. 13 Hong Kong $ 14,850,000,000 2004 est. 14 Venezuela $ 14,590,000,000 2004 est. 15 Kuwait $ 12,040,000,000 2004 est. 16 Algeria $ 11,900,000,000 2004 est. 17 Malaysia $ 11,810,000,000 2004 est. 18 Belgium $ 11,400,000,000 2004 est. 19 Finland $ 11,390,000,000 2004 est. 20 Libya $ 9,895,000,000 2004 est. 21 Singapore $ 8,800,000,000 2004 est. 22 Brazil $ 8,000,000,000 2004 est. 23 Indonesia $ 7,338,000,000 2004 est. 24 Thailand $ 6,736,000,000 2004 est. 25 Denmark $ 6,529,000,000 2004 est. 26 United Arab Emirates $ 6,300,000,000 2004 est. 27 Argentina $ 5,473,000,000 2004 est. 28 Nigeria $ 5,228,000,000 2004 est. 29 Qatar $ 5,187,000,000 2004 est. 30 India $ 4,897,000,000 2004 est. 31 Ukraine $ 4,584,000,000 2004 est. 32 Philippines $ 3,600,000,000 2004 est. 33 Oman $ 2,674,000,000 2004 est. 34 Chile $ 2,185,000,000 2004 est. 35 Egypt $ 2,113,000,000 2004 est. 36 Iran $ 2,100,000,000 2004 est. 37 Trinidad and Tobago $ 1,548,000,000 2004 est. 38 Pakistan $ 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 39 Syria $ 1,100,000,000 2003 40 Morocco $ 765,400,000 2004 est. 41 Dominican Republic $ 762,200,000 2004 est. 42 Bulgaria $ 682,900,000 2004 est. 43 Bahrain $ 586,100,000 2004 est. 44 Uzbekistan $ 461,900,000 2004 est. 45 Yemen $ 369,900,000 2004 est. 46 Botswana $ 337,000,000 2004 est. 47 Chad $ 330,200,000 2004 est. 48 Mauritius $ 284,100,000 2004 est. 49 Bolivia $ 273,000,000 2004 est. 50 Congo, Republic of the $ 266,000,000 2004 est. 51 Ecuador $ 261,100,000 2004 est. 52 Honduras $ 258,300,000 2003 est. 53 Namibia $ 234,300,000 2004 est. 54 Bangladesh $ 216,600,000 2004 est. 55 Israel $ 211,900,000 2004 est. 56 Jordan $ 203,200,000 2004 est. 57 Gabon $ 196,800,000 2004 est. 58 Uruguay $ 181,800,000 2004 est. 59 Turkmenistan $ 114,000,000 2004 est. 60 Ghana $ 83,870,000 2004 est. 61 Tunisia $ 71,850,000 2004 est. 62 Papua New Guinea $ 29,150,000 2004 est. 63 Gambia, The $ -16,400,000 2004 est. 64 Haiti $ -27,630,000 2004 est. 65 Peru $ -30,000,000 2004 est. 66 Sao Tome and Principe $ -31,500,000 2004 est. 67 Paraguay $ -36,110,000 2004 est. 68 Angola $ -37,880,000 2004 est. 69 Kazakhstan $ -39,020,000 2004 est. 70 Slovenia $ -51,640,000 2004 est. 71 Tajikistan $ -52,000,000 2004 est. 72 Malawi $ -55,500,000 2004 est. 73 Burundi $ -59,500,000 2004 est. 74 Laos $ -80,760,000 2004 est. 75 Swaziland $ -82,400,000 2004 est. 76 Kyrgyzstan $ -87,920,000 2004 est. 77 Cape Verde $ -93,760,000 2004 est. 78 Seychelles $ -98,420,000 2004 est. 79 Mozambique $ -101,200,000 2004 est. 80 Lesotho $ -108,300,000 2004 est. 81 Belize $ -115,000,000 2004 est. 82 Togo $ -125,600,000 2004 est. 83 Guyana $ -129,400,000 2004 est. 84 Eritrea $ -144,900,000 2004 est. 85 Moldova $ -148,400,000 2004 est. 86 Cameroon $ -149,100,000 2004 est. 87 Benin $ -159,900,000 2004 est. 88 Zambia $ -181,400,000 2004 est. 89 Burma $ -185,000,000 2004 est. 90 Cuba $ -185,100,000 2004 est. 91 Rwanda $ -212,500,000 2004 est. 92 Zimbabwe $ -230,300,000 2004 est. 93 Armenia $ -240,400,000 2004 est. 94 Malta $ -241,000,000 2004 est. 95 Madagascar $ -281,900,000 2004 est. 96 France $ -305,000,000 2004 est. 97 Guinea $ -308,300,000 2004 est. 98 Macedonia $ -311,000,000 2004 est. 99 Cambodia $ -316,200,000 2004 est. 100 Tanzania $ -327,400,000 2004 est. 101 Cote d'Ivoire $ -421,500,000 2004 est. 102 Kenya $ -459,200,000 2004 est. 103 Ethiopia $ -464,400,000 2004 est. 104 Panama $ -469,600,000 2004 est. 105 Burkina Faso $ -471,700,000 2004 est. 106 Albania $ -504,000,000 2004 est. 107 Senegal $ -518,800,000 2004 est. 108 Iraq $ -560,000,000 2003 est. 109 Iceland $ -570,000,000 2004 est. 110 Equatorial Guinea $ -578,600,000 2004 est. 111 Sri Lanka $ -587,300,000 2004 est. 112 Uganda $ -590,800,000 2004 est. 113 Cyprus $ -619,900,000 2004 est. 114 Georgia $ -632,900,000 2004 est. 115 Sudan $ -763,600,000 2004 est. 116 Jamaica $ -830,700,000 2004 est. 117 Nicaragua $ -843,100,000 2004 est. 118 El Salvador $ -880,500,000 2004 est. 119 Costa Rica $ -980,300,000 2004 est. 120 Belarus $ -1,119,000,000 2004 est. 121 Estonia $ -1,169,000,000 2004 est. 122 Latvia $ -1,251,000,000 2004 est. 123 Guatemala $ -1,381,000,000 2004 est. 124 Slovakia $ -1,400,000,000 2004 est. 125 Lithuania $ -1,600,000,000 2004 est. 126 Colombia $ -1,706,000,000 2004 est. 127 Croatia $ -1,925,000,000 2004 est. 128 Vietnam $ -2,061,000,000 2004 est. 129 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ -2,100,000,000 2004 est. 130 Lebanon $ -2,389,000,000 2004 est. 131 South Africa $ -2,480,000,000 2004 est. 132 Ireland $ -2,881,000,000 2004 est. 133 Azerbaijan $ -2,899,000,000 2004 est. 134 Serbia and Montenegro $ -3,008,000,000 2004 est. 135 Austria $ -3,283,000,000 2004 est. 136 Romania $ -3,631,000,000 2004 est. 137 New Zealand $ -3,647,000,000 2004 est. 138 Poland $ -3,831,000,000 2004 est. 139 Mexico $ -4,113,000,000 2004 est. 140 Czech Republic $ -5,730,000,000 2004 est. 141 Hungary $ -7,941,000,000 2004 est. 142 Greece $ -8,000,000,000 2004 est. 143 Portugal $ -8,120,000,000 2004 est. 144 Turkey $ -15,300,000,000 2004 est. 145 Italy $ -21,100,000,000 2004 est. 146 Spain $ -30,890,000,000 2004 est. 147 United Kingdom $ -33,460,000,000 2004 est. 148 Australia $ -38,300,000,000 2004 est. 149 United States $ -646,500,000,000 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

======================================================================

Rank code: @2188

Rank Country Reserves of foreign exchange and gold Date of Information

1 Japan $ 664,600,000,000 2003 2 China $ 609,900,000,000 2004 est. 3 Taiwan $ 246,500,000,000 2004 est. 4 Korea, South $ 199,100,000,000 2004 est. 5 India $ 126,000,000,000 2004 est. 6 Russia $ 124,500,000,000 3 December 2004 est. 7 Hong Kong $ 123,600,000,000 31 December 2004 est. 8 Singapore $ 112,800,000,000 2004 est. 9 Germany $ 96,840,000,000 2003 10 United States $ 85,940,000,000 2003 11 France $ 70,760,000,000 2003 12 Switzerland $ 69,580,000,000 2003 13 Italy $ 61,500,000,000 2004 est. 14 Mexico $ 60,670,000,000 2004 est. 15 Malaysia $ 55,270,000,000 2004 est. 16 Brazil $ 52,940,000,000 2004 est. 17 United Kingdom $ 48,730,000,000 2004 18 Thailand $ 48,300,000,000 2004 19 Algeria $ 43,550,000,000 2004 est. 20 Poland $ 41,880,000,000 2004 est. 21 Denmark $ 37,980,000,000 2003 22 Turkey $ 37,100,000,000 2004 est. 23 Canada $ 36,270,000,000 2003 24 Indonesia $ 35,820,000,000 2004 est. 25 Australia $ 35,140,000,000 2004 est. 26 Czech Republic $ 32,780,000,000 2004 est. 27 Iran $ 29,870,000,000 2004 est. 28 Israel $ 28,480,000,000 2004 est. 29 Venezuela $ 25,750,000,000 2004 est. 30 Libya $ 24,180,000,000 2004 est. 31 Saudi Arabia $ 23,620,000,000 2004 est. 32 Netherlands $ 21,440,000,000 2003 33 Sweden $ 19,990,000,000 2003 34 Spain $ 19,700,000,000 2004 est. 35 Argentina $ 19,470,000,000 2004 est. 36 United Arab Emirates $ 18,640,000,000 2004 est. 37 Lebanon $ 16,300,000,000 2004 est. 38 Romania $ 16,210,000,000 2004 39 Philippines $ 16,050,000,000 2004 40 Chile $ 16,020,000,000 2004 41 Morocco $ 15,140,000,000 2004 est. 42 Slovakia $ 14,910,000,000 2004 est. 43 Hungary $ 14,800,000,000 2004 est. 44 Nigeria $ 14,710,000,000 2004 est. 45 Belgium $ 14,450,000,000 2003 46 Kazakhstan $ 14,350,000,000 2004 est. 47 Egypt $ 14,030,000,000 2004 est. 48 Austria $ 12,730,000,000 2003 49 Peru $ 12,700,000,000 2004 est. 50 Pakistan $ 12,580,000,000 2004 est. 51 Portugal $ 12,300,000,000 2004 est. 52 Colombia $ 11,940,000,000 2004 est. 53 South Africa $ 11,680,000,000 2004 est. 54 Ukraine $ 11,330,000,000 2004 est. 55 Finland $ 11,170,000,000 2003 56 Croatia $ 8,563,000,000 2004 est. 57 Slovenia $ 8,493,000,000 2004 est. 58 Bulgaria $ 7,526,000,000 2004 est. 59 Kuwait $ 7,333,000,000 2004 est. 60 Greece $ 7,300,000,000 2004 est. 61 Vietnam $ 6,510,000,000 2004 est. 62 Botswana $ 5,700,000,000 2004 est. 63 Jordan $ 5,457,000,000 2004 est. 64 Yemen $ 5,300,000,000 2004 est. 65 Syria $ 5,000,000,000 2004 est. 66 New Zealand $ 4,805,000,000 2004 est. 67 Lithuania $ 4,610,000,000 2004 est. 68 Ireland $ 4,152,000,000 2003 69 Oman $ 4,144,000,000 2004 est. 70 Serbia and Montenegro $ 3,550,000,000 2004 est. 71 Tunisia $ 3,509,000,000 2004 est. 72 Cyprus $ 3,385,000,000 2004 est. 73 Qatar $ 3,351,000,000 2004 est. 74 Guatemala $ 3,084,000,000 2004 est. 75 Turkmenistan $ 3,034,000,000 2004 est. 76 Bangladesh $ 3,000,000,000 2004 est. 77 Trinidad and Tobago $ 2,927,000,000 2004 est. 78 Malta $ 2,865,000,000 2004 est. 79 Sri Lanka $ 2,475,000,000 2004 est. 80 Uruguay $ 2,362,000,000 2004 est. 81 Tanzania $ 2,175,000,000 2004 est. 82 Bahrain $ 2,141,000,000 2004 est. 83 Bosnia and Herzegovina $ 2,000,000,000 2004 est. 84 Cote d'Ivoire $ 1,950,000,000 2004 est. 85 El Salvador $ 1,888,000,000 2004 est. 86 Costa Rica $ 1,736,000,000 2004 est. 87 Mauritius $ 1,676,000,000 2004 est. 88 Sudan $ 1,652,000,000 2004 est. 89 Latvia $ 1,650,000,000 2004 est. 90 Uzbekistan $ 1,603,000,000 2004 est. 91 Estonia $ 1,503,000,000 2004 est. 92 Kenya $ 1,500,000,000 2004 est. 93 Honduras $ 1,464,000,000 2004 est. 94 Ecuador $ 1,436,000,000 December 2004 est. 95 Jamaica $ 1,400,000,000 2004 est. 96 Ghana $ 1,267,000,000 2004 est. 97 Bolivia $ 1,214,000,000 2004 est. 98 Albania $ 1,206,000,000 2004 est. 99 Mozambique $ 1,206,000,000 2004 est. 100 Uganda $ 1,200,000,000 2004 est. 101 Paraguay $ 1,164,000,000 2004 est. 102 Panama $ 1,076,000,000 2004 est. 103 Cambodia $ 997,500,000 2004 est. 104 Cyprus $ 941,600,000 2004 est. 105 Iceland $ 935,000,000 2004 106 Macedonia $ 928,000,000 2004 est. 107 Ethiopia $ 923,100,000 2004 est. 108 Azerbaijan $ 875,000,000 2004 est. 109 Benin $ 839,300,000 2004 est. 110 Senegal $ 820,000,000 2004 est. 111 Angola $ 800,000,000 2004 est. 112 Belarus $ 770,200,000 2004 est. 113 Cuba $ 738,600,000 2004 est. 114 Cameroon $ 687,500,000 2004 est. 115 Nicaragua $ 670,000,000 2004 est. 116 Chad $ 652,700,000 2004 est. 117 Papua New Guinea $ 635,800,000 2004 est. 118 Burma $ 590,000,000 2004 est. 119 Armenia $ 555,000,000 2004 est. 120 Madagascar $ 500,300,000 2004 est. 121 Kyrgyzstan $ 498,700,000 2004 est. 122 Burkina Faso $ 474,900,000 2004 est. 123 Dominican Republic $ 426,000,000 2004 est. 124 Lesotho $ 402,200,000 2004 est. 125 Moldova $ 390,000,000 2004 est. 126 Namibia $ 360,000,000 2004 est. 127 Zambia $ 345,000,000 2004 est. 128 Swaziland $ 320,500,000 2004 est. 129 Guyana $ 280,600,000 2004 est. 130 Gabon $ 268,600,000 2004 est. 131 Togo $ 267,400,000 2004 est. 132 Equatorial Guinea $ 235,200,000 2004 est. 133 Georgia $ 231,400,000 2004 est. 134 Rwanda $ 210,900,000 2004 est. 135 Guinea $ 201,700,000 2004 est. 136 Laos $ 193,100,000 2004 est. 137 Malawi $ 160,500,000 2004 est. 138 Tajikistan $ 145,300,000 2004 est. 139 Gambia, The $ 113,100,000 2004 est. 140 Cape Verde $ 112,700,000 2004 est. 141 Belize $ 111,100,000 2004 est. 142 Haiti $ 80,640,000 2004 est. 143 Burundi $ 76,890,000 2004 est. 144 Seychelles $ 70,940,000 2004 est. 145 Zimbabwe $ 57,000,000 2004 est. 146 Congo, Republic of the $ 40,420,000 2004 est. 147 Eritrea $ 30,870,000 2004 est. 148 Sao Tome and Principe $ 29,780,000 2004 est.

This file was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Appendix A - Abbreviations

ABEDA: Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa

ACCT: Agency for the French-Speaking Community

ACP Group: African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States

AfDB: African Development Bank

AFESD: Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development

Air Pollution: Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on
Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of
Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants: Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent
Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long- Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at Least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94: Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-
Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur
Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds: Protocol to the 1979
Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the
Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their
Transboundary Fluxes

AMF: Arab Monetary Fund

AMU: Arab Maghreb Union

Antarctic-Environmental Protocol: Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Marine Living Resources: Convention on the Conservation of
Antarctic Marine Living Resources

ANZUS: Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty

Antarctic Seals: Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

APEC: Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Arabsat: Arab Satellite Communications Organization

ARF: ASEAN Regional Forum

AsDB: Asian Development Bank

ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Autodin: Automatic Digital Network

AU: African Union

bbl/day: barrels per day

BCIE: Central American Bank for Economic Integration

BDEAC: Central African States Development Bank

Benelux: Benelux Economic Union

Biodiversity: Convention on Biological Diversity

BGN: United States Board on Geographic Names

BIS: Bank for International Settlements

BSEC: Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone

C: Commonwealth

c.i.f.: cost, insurance, and freight

CACM: Central American Common Market

CAEU: Council of Arab Economic Unity

CAN: Andean Community of Nations

Caricom: Caribbean Community and Common Market

CB: citizen's band mobile radio communications

CBSS: Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCC: Customs Cooperation Council

CDB: Caribbean Development Bank

CE: Council of Europe

CEI: Central European Initiative

CEMA: Council for Mutual Economic Assistance; also known as CMEA or
Comecon

CEMAC: Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa

CEPGL: Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries

CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research

CEPT: Conference Europeanne des Poste et Telecommunications

CIS: Commonwealth of Independent States

CITES: see Endangered Species

Climate Change: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol: Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change

COCOM: Coordinating Committee on Export Controls

Comsat: Communications Satellite Corporation

COMESA: Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa

CP: Colombo Plan

CY: calendar year

DC: developed country

Desertification: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

DDT: dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane

DSN: Defense Switched Network

DIA: United States Defense Intelligence Agency

DWT: deadweight ton

EADB: East African Development Bank

EAPC: Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council

EBRD: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC: European Community

ECA: Economic Commission for Africa

ECE: Economic Commission for Europe

ECLAC: Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

ECO: Economic Cooperation Organization

ECOSOC: Economic and Social Council

ECOWAS: Economic Community of West African States

ECSC: European Coal and Steel Community

EEC: European Economic Community

EFTA: European Free Trade Association

EEZ: exclusive economic zone

EIB: European Investment Bank

EMU: European Monetary Union

Endangered Species: Convention on the International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Entente: Council of the Entente

Environmental Modification: Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

ESA: European Space Agency

ESCAP: Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

ESCWA: Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

est.: estimate

EU: European Union

Euratom: European Atomic Energy Community

Eutelsat: European Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Ex-Im: Export-Import Bank of the United States

f.o.b.: free on board

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization

FAX: facsimile

FLS: Front Line States

FRG: Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

FOC: flags of convenience

FSU: former Soviet Union

FY: fiscal year

FZ: Franc Zone

G-2: Group of 2

G-3: Group of 3

G-5: Group of 5

G-6: Group of 6

G-7: Group of 7

G-8: Group of 8

G-9: Group of 9

G-10: Group of 10

G-15: Group of 15

G-11: Group of 11

G-24: Group of 24

G-77: Group of 77

GATT: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; now WTO

GCC: Gulf Cooperation Council

GDP: gross domestic product

GDR: German Democratic Republic (East Germany); used for information dated before 3 October 1990 or CY91

GNP: gross national product

GRT: gross register ton

GSM: global system for mobile cellular communications

GWP: gross world product

GUUAM: acronym for member states - Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
Azerbaijan, Moldova

Hazardous Wastes: Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary
Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

HF: high-frequency

IADB: Inter-American Development Bank

HIV/AIDS: human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome

IAEA: International Atomic Energy Agency

IANA: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority

IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World
Bank)

ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization

ICC: International Chamber of Commerce

ICCt: International Criminal Court

ICJ: International Court of Justice (World Court)

ICFTU: International Confederation of Free Trade Unions

ICRC: International Committee of the Red Cross

ICRM: International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

ICTR: International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda

ICSID: International Center for Secretariat of Investment Disputes

ICTY: International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

IDA: International Development Association

IDB: Islamic Development Bank

IEA: International Energy Agency

IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development

IFC: International Finance Corporation

IFRCS: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies

IGAD: Inter-Governmental Authority on Development

IHO: International Hydrographic Organization

ILO: International Labor Organization

IMF: International Monetary Fund

IMO: International Maritime Organization

Inmarsat: International Maritime Satellite Organization

InOC: Indian Ocean Commission

INSTRAW: International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women

Intelsat: International Telecommunications Satellite Organization

Interpol: International Criminal Police Organization

Intersputnik: International Organization of Space Communications

IOC: International Olympic Committee

IOM: International Organization for Migration

ISO: International Organization for Standardization

ITU: International Telecommunication Union

ISP: Internet Service Provider

kHz: kilohertz

km: kilometer

kW: kilowatt

kWh: kilowatt-hour

LAES: Latin American Economic System

LAIA: Latin American Integration Association

Law of the Sea: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

LAS: League of Arab States

LDC: less developed country

LLDC: least developed country

London Convention: see Marine Dumping

LOS: see Law of the Sea

m: meter

Marecs: Maritime European Communications Satellite

Marine Dumping: Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
Dumping Wastes and Other Matter

Marine Life Conservation: Convention on Fishing and Conservation of
Living Resources of the High Seas

MARPOL: see Ship Pollution

Medarabtel: Middle East Telecommunications Project of the
International Telecommunications Union

Mercosur: Southern Cone Common Market

MHz: megahertz

MICAH: Internatlional Civilian Support Mission in Haiti

MINURSO: United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

MIGA: Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency

MINUSTAH: United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

MONUC: United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

NA: not available

NAM: Nonaligned Movement

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization

NC: Nordic Council

NEA: Nuclear Energy Agency

NEGL: negligible

NIB: Nordic Investment Bank

NGA: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

NIC: newly industrializing country

NIE: newly industrializing economy

NIS: new independent states

nm: nautical mile

NMT: Nordic Mobile Telephone

NSG: Nuclear Suppliers Group

Nuclear Test Ban: Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the
Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

NZ: New Zealand

OAPEC: Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS: Organization of American States

OAU: Organization of African Unity; see African Union

ODA: official development assistance

OECD: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OECS: Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

OHCHR: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

OIC: Organization of the Islamic Conference

ONUB: United Nations Operation in Burundi

OOF: other official flows

OPANAL: Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean

OPCW: Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC: Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

OSCE: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Ozone Layer Protection: Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

PCA: Permanent Court of Arbitration

PDRY: People's Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South
Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

PFP: Partnership for Peace

PIF: Pacific Islands Forum

PPP: purchasing power parity

Ramsar: see Wetlands

RG: Rio Group

SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SACU: Southern African Customs Union

SACEP: South Asia Co-opeative Environment Programme

SADC: Southern African Development Community

SAFE: South African Far East Cable

SCO: Shanghai Cooperative Organization

SFRY: Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

SHF: super-high-frequency

Ship Pollution: Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Sparteca: South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation
Agreement

SPF: South Pacific Forum

sq km: square kilometer

sq mi: square mile

TAT: Trans-Atlantic Telephone

Tropical Timber 83: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94: International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

UAE: United Arab Emirates

UDEAC: Central African Customs and Economic Union

UHF: ultra-high-frequency

UK: United Kingdom

UN: United Nations

UNAMSIL: United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone

UNCLOS: United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, also know as
LOS

UNCTAD: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDCP: United Nations Drug Control Program

UNDOF: United Nations Disengagement Observer Force

UNDP: United Nations Development Program

UNEP: United Nations Environment Program

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization

UNFICYP: United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus

UNFPA: United Nations Population Fund

UNHCR: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICEF: United Nations Children's Fund

UNICEP: United Nations International Comparison Program

UNICRI: United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute

UNIDIR: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research

UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNIFIL: United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon

UNITAR: United Nations Institute for Training and Research

UNMEE: United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

UNMIK: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo

UNMIL: United Nations Mission in Liberia

UNMISET: United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor

UNMOGIP: United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan

UNMOVIC: United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection
Commission

UNOMIG: United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia

UNOCI: United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire

UNOPS: United Nations Office of Project Services

UNRISD: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRWA: United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UNSC: United Nations Security Council

UNSSC: Untied Nations System Staff College

UNTSO: United Nations Truce Supervision Organization

UNU: United Nations University

UPU: Universal Postal Union

US: United States

USSR: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union); used for information dated before 25 December 1991

USSR/EE: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics/Eastern Europe

UV: ultra violet

VHF: very-high-frequency

VSAT: very small aperture terminal

WADB: West African Development Bank

WAEMU: West African Economic and Monetary Union

WCL: World Confederation of Labor

WCO: World Customs Organization

Wetlands: Convention on Wetlands of International Importance
Especially As Waterfowl Habitat

WEU: Western European Union

WFP: World Food Program

WFTU: World Federation of Trade Unions

Whaling: International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

WHO: World Health Organization

WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO: World Meteorological Organization

WP: Warsaw Pact

WTO: World Trade Organization note - see WToO for World Tourism
Organization

WToO: World Tourism Organization

YAR: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North Yemen]; used for information dated before 22 May 1990 or CY91

ZC: Zangger Committee

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Appendix B - International Organizations and Groups

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): established - 25 July 1994

aim - to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern

members - (24) Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, China, EU,
India, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia,
Mongolia, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia,
Singapore, Thailand, US, Vietnam

ASEAN plus 3 (APT): established - 16 December 1997

aim - to coordinate areas of cooperation ranging from agriculture to information technologies

members - (13) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

African Development Bank (AfDB): note - its predecessor was
Organization of African Unity (OAU)

established - 9 September 1999

aim - to promote economic and social development

regional members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland,
Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

nonregional members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada,
China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

African Union (AU): note - replaces Organization of African Unity
(OAU)

established - 8 July 2001

aim - to achieve greater unity among African States; to defend states' integrity and independence; to accelerate political, social, and economic integration; to encourage international cooperation; to promote democratic principles and institutions

members - (53) Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia,
Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa,
Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Group): established - 6 June 1975

aim - to manage their preferential economic and aid relationship with the EU

members - (79) Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Island, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho,
Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru,
Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands,
Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swiziland, Tanzania, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Agency for the French-Speaking Community (ACCT): note - formerly
Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation

established - 20 March 1970; name changed 1996

aim - to promote cultural and technical cooperation among French- speaking countries

members - (50) Albania, Belgium, Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea,
France, French Community of Belgium, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Laos, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Mali,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, New Brunswick
(Canada), Niger, Quebec (Canada), Romania, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao
Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, Tunisia,
Vanuatu

observers - (5) Czech Republic, Lithuania, Poland, Slovenia, Vietnam

Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL): note - acronym from Organismo para la Proscripcion de las Armas Nucleares en la America Latina y el Caribe (OPANAL)

established - 14 February 1967 under the Treaty of Tlatelolco; effective - 25 April 1969 on the 11th ratification

aim - to encourage the peaceful uses of atomic energy and prohibit nuclear weapons

members - (33) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela

Andean Community of Nations (CAN): note - formerly known as the Andean
Group (AG), the Andean Parliament, and most recently as the Andean
Common Market (Ancom)

established - 26 May 1969; present name established 1 October 1992; effective - 16 October 1969

aim - to promote harmonious development through economic integration

members - (5) Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (ABEDA): note - also known as Banque Arabe de Developpement Economique en Afrique (BADEA)

established - 18 February 1974; effective - 16 September 1974

aim - to promote economic development

members - (17 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Palestine Liberation Organization; note - these are all the members of the Arab League excluding Comoros, Djibouti, Somalia, Yemen

Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD): established - 16 May 1968

aim - to promote economic and social development

members - (20 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq (suspended 1993), Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia (suspended 1993), Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU): established - 17 February 1989

aim - to promote cooperation and integration among the Arab states of northern Africa

members - (5) Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF): established - 27 April 1976; effective - 2
February 1977

aim - to promote Arab cooperation, development, and integration in monetary and economic affairs

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): established - 7 November 1989

aim - to promote trade and investment in the Pacific basin

members - (21) Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, US, Vietnam

observers - (3) Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, Pacific Islands Forum

Asian Development Bank (AsDB): established - 19 December 1966

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (45) Afghanistan, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
Burma, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, Hong Kong,
India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka,
Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Vietnam

nonregional members - (17) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): established - 8 August 1967

aim - to encourage regional economic, social, and cultural cooperation among the non-Communist countries of Southeast Asia

members - (10) Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

associate member - (1) Papua New Guinea

dialogue partners - (12) Australia, Canada, China, EU, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, NZ, Russia, US, UNDP

Australia Group: established - June 1985

aim - to consult on and coordinate export controls related to chemical and biological weapons

members - (39) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Commission,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Australia-New Zealand-United States Security Treaty (ANZUS): established - 1 September 1951; effective - 29 April 1952

aim - to implement a trilateral mutual security agreement, although the US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August 1986; Australia and the US continue to hold annual meetings

members - (3) Australia, NZ, US

Bank for International Settlements (BIS): established - 20 January 1930; effective - 17 March 1930

aim - to promote cooperation among central banks in international financial settlements

members - (55) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, European Central Bank, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, UK, US; note - Serbia and Montenegro have separate central banks; their links with BIS are currently under review

Benelux Economic Union (Benelux): note - acronym from Belgium,
Netherlands, and Luxembourg

established - 3 February 1958; effective - 1 November 1960

aim - to develop closer economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands

Big Seven: note - membership is the same as the Group of 7

established - 1975

aim - to discuss and coordinate major economic policies

members - (7) Big Six (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK) plus the US

Big Six: note - not to be confused with the Group of 6

established - 1967

aim - to foster economic cooperation

members - (6) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK

Black Sea Economic Cooperation Zone (BSEC): established - 25 June 1992

aim - to enhance regional stability through economic cooperation

members - (12) Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey, Ukraine; note - Macedonia is in the process of joining

observers - (8) Austria, Egypt, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Poland, Tunisia

Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom): established - 4 July 1973; effective - 1 August 1973

aim - to promote economic integration and development, especially among the less developed countries

members - (15) Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname,
Trinidad and Tobago

associate members - (5) Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands

Caribbean Development Bank (CDB): established - 18 October 1969; effective - 26 January 1970

aim - to promote economic development and cooperation

regional members - (20) Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas,
Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Colombia,
Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and
Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Venezuela

nonregional members - (5) Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UK

Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC): see Monetary and
Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC)

Central African States Development Bank (BDEAC): note - acronym from
Banque de Developpement des Etats de l'Afrique Centrale

established - 3 December 1975

aim - to provide loans for economic development

members - (10) African Development Bank (AfDB), Cameroon, Central African States Bank (BEAC), Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Kuwait

Central American Bank for Economic Integration (BCIE): note - acronym from Banco Centroamericano de Integracion Economico

established - 13 December 1960 signature of Articles of Agreement; 31 May 1961 began operations

aim - to promote economic integration and development

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

nonregional members - (5) Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan

Central American Common Market (CACM): established - 13 December 1960, collapsed in 1969, reinstated in 1991

aim - to promote establishment of a Central American Common Market

members - (5) Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua; note - Panama, although not a member, pursues full regional cooperation

Central European Initiative (CEI): note - evolved from the
Quadrilateral Initiative and the Hexagonal Initiative

established - 11 November 1989 as the Quadrilateral Initiative, 27 July 1991 became the Hexagonal Initiative, July 1992 its present name was adopted

aim - to form an economic and political cooperation group for the region between the Adriatic and the Baltic Seas

members - (17) Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine

Colombo Plan (CP): established - May 1950 proposal was adopted; 1 July 1951 commenced full operations

aim - to promote economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific

members - (25) Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Fiji,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives,
Mongolia, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, Vietnam

Commonwealth (C): note - also known as Commonwealth of Nations

established - 31 December 1931

aim - to foster multinational cooperation and assistance, as a voluntary association that evolved from the British Empire

members - (53) Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, NZ, Nigeria, Pakistan (suspended), Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, UK, Vanuatu, Zambia; note - on 7 December 2003 Zimbabwe withdrew its membership from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): established - 8 December 1991; effective - 21 December 1991

aim - to coordinate intercommonwealth relations and to provide a mechanism for the orderly dissolution of the USSR

members - (12) Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Communist countries: traditionally the Marxist-Leninist states with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; most of the original and the successor states are no longer Communist; see centrally planned economies

Coordinating Committee on Export Controls (COCOM): established in 1949 to control the export of strategic products and technical data from member countries to proscribed destinations; members were: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, UK, US; abolished 31 March 1994; COCOM members established a new organization, the Wassenaar Arrangement, with expanded membership on 12 July 1996 that focuses on nonproliferation export controls as opposed to East- West control of advanced technology

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (CEMA): note - also known as
CMEA or Comecon

established 25 January 1949 to promote the development of socialist economies and abolished 1 January 1991; members included Afghanistan (observer), Albania (had not participated since 1961 break with USSR), Angola (observer), Bulgaria, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia (observer), GDR, Hungary, Laos (observer), Mongolia, Mozambique (observer), Nicaragua (observer), Poland, Romania, USSR, Vietnam, Yemen (observer), Yugoslavia (associate)

Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU): established - 3 June 1957; effective - 30 May 1964

aim - to promote economic integration among Arab nations

members - (10 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Council of Europe (CE): established - 5 May 1949; effective - 3 August 1949

aim - to promote increased unity and quality of life in Europe

members - (46) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK

observers - (6) Canada, Holy See, Israel, Japan, Mexico, US

Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS): established - 6 March 1992

aim - to promote cooperation among the Baltic Sea states in the areas of aid to new democratic institutions, economic development, humanitarian aid, energy and the environment, cultural programs and education, and transportation and communication

members - (12) Denmark, Estonia, EC, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden

Council of the Entente (Entente): established - 29 May 1959

aim - to promote economic, social, and political coordination

members - (5) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo

Customs Cooperation Council (CCC): note - see World Customs
Organization (WCO)

East African Development Bank (EADB): established - 6 June 1967; effective - 1 December 1967

aim - to promote economic development

members - (3) Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): established - 28
May 1975

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation

members - (15) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo

Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL): note - acronym from Communaute Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs

established - 20 September 1976

aim - to promote regional economic cooperation and integration

members - (3) Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO): established - 27-29 January 1985

aim - to promote regional cooperation in trade, transportation, communications, tourism, cultural affairs, and economic development

members - (10) Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

associate member - (1) "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"

Economic and Monetary Union (EMU): note - an integral part of the
European Union; also known as the European Economic and Monetary Union

established - 1-2 December 1969 (proposed at summit conference of heads of government; 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed)

aim - to promote a single market by creating a single currency, the euro; timetable - 2 May 1998: European exchange rates fixed for 1 January 1999; 1 January 1999: all banks and stock exchanges begin using euros; 1 January 2002: the euro goes into circulation; 1 July 2002 local currencies no longer accepted

members - (12) Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to coordinate the economic and social work of the UN; includes five regional commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Europe, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and nine functional commissions (Commission for Social Development, Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotic Drugs, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Population and Development, Statistical Commission, Commission on Science and Technology for Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, and Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice)

members - (54) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC): note - began as the North
Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC); an extension of NATO

established - 8 November 1991; effective - 20 December 1991

aim - to discuss cooperation on mutual political and security issues

members - (46) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium,
Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD): established - 8-9 January 1990 (proposals made); 15 April 1991 (bank inaugurated)

aim - to facilitate the transition of seven centrally planned economies in Europe (Bulgaria, former Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, former USSR, and former Yugoslavia) to market economies by committing 60% of its loans to privatization

members - (62) Albania, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, EU, European Investment Bank
(EIB), Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Ukraine, UK, US, Uzbekistan

European Community (or European Communities, EC): established 8 April 1965 to integrate the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom), the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC or Common Market), and to establish a completely integrated common market and an eventual federation of Europe; merged into the European Union (EU) on 7 February 1992; member states at the time of merger were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK

European Free Trade Association (EFTA): established - 4 January 1960; effective - 3 May 1960

aim - to promote expansion of free trade

members - (4) Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland

European Investment Bank (EIB): established - 25 March 1957; effective - 1 January 1958

aim - to promote economic development of the EU and its predecessors, the EEC and the EC

members - (25) Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, UK

European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization Conseil Europeenne pour la Recherche Nucleaire

established - 1 July 1953; effective - 29 September 1954

aim - to foster nuclear research for peaceful purposes only

members - (20) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

observers - (8) European Commission, India, Israel, Japan, Russia, Turkey, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), US

European Space Agency (ESA): established - 31 May 1975

aim - to promote peaceful cooperation in space research and technology

members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

cooperating states - (2) Canada, Hungary

European Union (EU): note - see European Union entry at the end of the "country" listings

First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945

aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency

members - (187) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Belarus, Brunei, Liechtenstein, Russia, and Singapore (185 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

Four Dragons: the four small Asian less developed countries (LDCs) that have experienced unusually rapid economic growth; also known as the Four Tigers; this group consists of Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan; these countries are included in the IMF's "advanced economies" group

Franc Zone (FZ): note - also known as Conference des Ministres des
Finances des Pays de la Zone Franc

established - 1964

aim - to form a monetary union among countries whose currencies are linked to the French franc

members - (16) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Front Line States (FLS): established to achieve black majority rule in
South Africa; has since gone out of existence; members included Angola,
Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

GUUAM: note-acronym standing for the member countries, Georgia,
Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova

established - 7 June 2001

aim - commits the countries to cooperation and assistance in social and economic development, the strengthening and broadening of trade and economic relations, and the development and effective use of transport and communications, highways, and related infrastructure crossing the boundaries of the member states

members - (4) Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine; note - Uzbekistan withdrew from GUUAM 5 May 2005

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT): see the World Trade
Organization (WTO)

Group of 10 (G-10): note - also known as the Paris Club; includes the wealthiest members of the IMF who provide most of the money to be loaned and act as the informal steering committee; name persists despite increased membership

established - October 1962

aim - to coordinate credit policy

members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

nonstate participants - (4) BIS, EU, IMF, OECD

Group of 11 (G-11): note - also known as the Cartagena Group

established in 21-22 June 1984, in Cartagena, Colombia, aim was to provide a forum for largest debtor nations in Latin America; members were: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Group of 15 (G-15): note - byproduct of the Nonaligned Movement; name persists despite increased membership

established - September 1989

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing nations; to act as the main political organ for the Nonaligned Movement

members - (17) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Zimbabwe

Group of 2 (G-2): informal term that came into use about 1986; to facilitate bilateral economic cooperation between the two most powerful economic giants; members were Japan, US

Group of 24 (G-24): established - 1 August 1989

aim - to promote the interests of developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America within the IMF

members - (24) Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana,
Guatemala, India, Iran, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru,
Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago,
Venezuela

Group of 3 (G-3): established - September 1990

aim - mechanism for policy coordination

members - (3) Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela

Group of 5 (G-5): established - 22 September 1985

aim - to coordinate the economic policies of five major noncommunist economic powers

members - (5) France, Germany, Japan, UK, US

Group of 6 (G-6): note - also known as Groupe des Six Sur le
Desarmement; not to be confused with the Big Six

established - 22 May 1984

aim - to achieve nuclear disarmament

members - (6) Argentina, Greece, India, Mexico, Sweden, Tanzania

Group of 7 (G-7): note - membership is the same as the Big Seven

established - 22 September 1985

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the seven major noncommunist economic powers

members - (7) Group of 5 (France, Germany, Japan, UK, US) plus Canada and Italy

Group of 77 (G-77): established - 15 June1964; October 1967 first ministerial meeting

aim - to promote economic cooperation among developing countries; name persists in spite of increased membership

members - (131 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile,
China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North Korea, Kuwait,
Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated
States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation
Organization

Group of 8 (G-8): established - October 1975

aim - to facilitate economic cooperation among the developed countries (DCs) that participated in the Conference on International Economic Cooperation (CIEC), held in several sessions between December 1975 and 3 June 1977

members - (8) Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, US

Group of 9 (G-9): established - NA

aim - to discuss matters of mutual interest on an informal basis

members - (8) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Sweden

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC): note - also known as the Cooperation
Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

established - 25 May 1981

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, political, and military affairs

members - (6) Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE

Indian Ocean Commission (InOC): established - 21 December 1982

aim - to organize and promote regional cooperation in all sectors, especially economic

members - (5) Comoros, France (for Reunion), Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB): note - also known as Banco
Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID)

established - 8 April 1959; effective - 30 December 1959

aim - to promote economic and social development in Latin America

members - (46) Argentina, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia,
Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, France,
Germany, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD): note - formerly known as Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD)

established - 15-16 January 1986 as the Inter-Governmental Authority on Drought and Development; revitalized - 21 March 1996 as the Inter- Governmental Authority on Development

aim - to promote a social, economic, and scientific community among its members

members - (7) Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): established - 26 October 1956; effective - 29 July 1957

aim - to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy

members - (137) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chile,
China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala,
Haiti, Holy See, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD): note - also known as the World Bank

established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to provide economic development loans; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, and Tuvalu

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC): established - 1919

aim - to promote free trade and private enterprise and to represent business interests at national and international levels

members - (89 national committees) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon,
Canada, Caribbean, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland,
France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland,
India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, South
Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nigeria, Norway,
Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): established - 7
December 1944; effective - 4 April 1947

aim - to promote international cooperation in civil aviation; a UN specialized agency

members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Dominica, East Timor, Liechtenstein, and Tuvalu (187 total); plus Cook Islands

International Civilian Support Mission in Haiti (MICAH): established
17 December 1999 to promote respect for human rights; members included
Argentina, Benin, Canada, France, India, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo,
Tunisia, US; closed 2001

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): established - 17
February 1863

aim - to provide humanitarian aid in wartime

members - (25 individuals) all Swiss nationals

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU): established
- December 1949

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (231 affiliated organizations in the following 153 countries
plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Albania, Algeria, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Eritrea, Estonia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, French
Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Holy See, Honduras, Hong
Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montserrat,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Caledonia, NZ,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Vanuatu, Venezuela,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Court of Justice (ICJ): note - also known as the World
Court

established - 3 February 1946 superseded Permanent Court of International Justice

aim - primary judicial organ of the UN

members - (15 judges) elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council to represent all principal legal systems

International Criminal Court (ICCt): established - 11 April 2002

aim - to hold all individuals and countries accountable to international laws of conduct; to specify international standards of conduct; to provide an important mechanism for implementing these standards; to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice

members (countries that have ratified the treaty) - (97) Afghanistan,
Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Canada,
Central African Republic, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Croatia, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, East Timor, Ecuador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, South Korea, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malawi, Mali,
Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mongolia, Namibia, Nauru,
Netherlands, NZ, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San
Marino, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan,
Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the
treaty) - (46) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Chile, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire,
Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Guinea-Bissau,
Haiti, Iran, Israel, Jamaica, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Madagascar,
Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Oman, Philippines,
Russia, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, Solomon
Islands, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, UAE, US, Uzbekistan, Yemen,
Zimbabwe

International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol): established - September 1923 set up as the International Criminal Police Commission; 13 June 1956 constitution modified and present name adopted

aim - to promote international cooperation among police authorities in fighting crime

members - (182) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

subbureaus - (14) American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Guam, Hong Kong, Macau, Montserrat,
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin
Islands

International Development Association (IDA): established - 26 January 1960; effective - 24 September 1960

aim - to provide economic loans for low-income countries; UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (166)

Part I - (27 developed countries) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE, UK, US

Part II - (139 less developed countries) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Energy Agency (IEA): established - 15 November 1974

aim - to promote cooperation on energy matters, especially emergency oil sharing and relations between oil consumers and oil producers; established by the OECD

members - (27) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS): note - formerly known as League of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (LORCS)

established - 5 May 1919

aim - to organize, coordinate, and direct international relief actions; to promote humanitarian activities; to represent and encourage the development of National Societies; to bring help to victims of armed conflicts, refugees, and displaced people; to reduce the vulnerability of people through development programs

members - (182) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua
and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands,
Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (5 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Comoros, East Timor, Eritrea, Israel, Tuvalu, Palestine Liberation Organization

International Finance Corporation (IFC): established - 25 May 1955; effective - 24 July 1956

aim - to support private enterprise in international economic development; a UN specialized agency and IBRD affiliate

members - (177) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madgascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia,
Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sebia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra
Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): established -
November 1974

aim - to promote agricultural development; a UN specialized agency

members - (163)

Category I - (23 industrialized aid contributors) Australia, Austria,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland,
Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Category II - (12 petroleum-exporting aid contributors) Algeria, Gabon,
Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,
UAE, Venezuela

Category III - (128 aid recipients) Afghanistan, Albania, Angola,
Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook
Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras,
India, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South
Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

International Hydrographic Organization (IHO): note - name changed from International Hydrographic Bureau on 22 September 1970

established - June 1919; effective - June 1921

aim - to train hydrographic surveyors and nautical cartographers to achieve standardization in nautical charts and electronic chart displays; to provide advice on nautical cartography and hydrography; to develop the sciences in the field of hydrography and techniques used for descriptive oceanograrphy

members - (74) Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Chile, China (including Hong Kong and
Macau), Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Fiji,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore, Slovenia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Syria, Thailand,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela

membership pending - (3) Bulgaria, Mauritania, Qatar

International Labor Organization (ILO): established - 28 June 1919 set up as part of Treaty of Versailles; 11 April 1919 became operative; 14 December 1946 affiliated with the UN

aim - to deal with world labor issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (177) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Bhutan, Brunei, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Maldives, Marshall Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, Tonga and
Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies: Netherlands
(Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Maritime Organization (IMO): note - name changed from Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) on 22 May 1982

established - 6 March 1948 set up as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization; effective - 17 Mar 1958

aim - to deal with international maritime affairs; a UN specialized agency

members - (164) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan,
Andorra, Armenia, Belarus, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi,
Central African Republic, Chad, East Timor, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niger,
Palau, Rwanda, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Uganda, Uzbekistan, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

associate members - (3) Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Macau

International Monetary Fund (IMF): established - 22 July 1944; effective - 27 December 1945

aim - to promote world monetary stability and economic development; a UN specialized agency

members - (184) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, Cuba, North Korea, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Nauru, Tuvalu; note - includes the following dependencies or areas of special interest: China (Hong Kong and Macau), Netherlands (Netherlands Antilles and Aruba)

International Olympic Committee (IOC): established - 23 June 1894

aim - to promote the Olympic ideals and administer the Olympic games: 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy; 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China; 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada

National Olympic Committees - (201 and the Palestine Liberation
Organization) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra,
Angola (suspended), Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh,
Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary,
Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto
Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Virgin Islands, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation
Organization

International Organization for Migration (IOM): note - established as
Provisional Intergovernmental Committee for the Movement of Migrants
from Europe; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration
(ICEM) on 15 November 1952; renamed Intergovernmental Committee for
Migration (ICM) in Novem

established - 5 December 1951

aim - to facilitate orderly international emigration and immigration

members - (109) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Cambodia, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, South
Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania,
Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (25) Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burundi,
China, Cuba, Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Holy See, India, Indonesia,
Jamaica, Macedonia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea,
Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Somalia, Spain,
Turkmenistan, Vietnam

International Organization for Standardization (ISO): established -
February 1947

aim - to promote the development of international standards with a view to facilitating international exchange of goods and services and to developing cooperation in the sphere of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity

members - (99 national standards organizations) Algeria, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bahrain,
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Libya, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal,
Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and
Montenegro, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad
and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zimbabwe

correspondent members - (36 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization)
Albania, Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Brunei, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Guatemala, Guinea, Hong
Kong, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Macau, Madagascar,
Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Palestine Liberation Operation

subscriber members - (11) Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cambodia, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Lesotho, Niger, Tajikistan

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM): established - 1928

aim - to promote worldwide humanitarian aid through the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in wartime, and International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS; formerly
League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or LORCS) in peacetime

National Societies - (182 countries); note - same as membership for
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
(IFRCS)

International Telecommunication Union (ITU): established - 17 May 1865 set up as the International Telegraph Union; 9 December 1932 adopted present name; effective - 1 January 1934; affiliated with the UN - 15 November 1947

aim - to deal with world telecommunications issues; a UN specialized agency

members - (189) includes all UN member countries except East Timor, Palau, St. Kitts and Nevis (188 total); plus Holy See

Islamic Development Bank (IDB): established - 15 December 1973 by declaration of intent; effective - 12 August 1974

aim - to promote Islamic economic aid and social development

members - (54 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d?Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Oman, Pakistan,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Suriname,
Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UAE,
Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Latin American Economic System (LAES): note - also known as Sistema
Economico Latinoamericana (SELA)

established - 17 October 1975

aim - to promote economic and social development through regional cooperation

members - (27) Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia,
Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,
Uruguay, Venezuela

Latin American Integration Association (LAIA): note - also known as
Asociacion Latinoamericana de Integracion (ALADI)

established - 12 August 1980; effective - 18 March 1981

aim - to promote freer regional trade

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (25) China, Corporacion Andina de Fomento, Costa Rica,
Dominican Republic, EC, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Inter-
American Development Bank, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on
Agriculture, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latin America Economic System,
Nicaragua, Organization of American States, Panama, Pan-American Health
Organization, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, United
Nations Development Program, United Nations Economic Commission for
Latin America and the Caribbean

League of Arab States (LAS): note - also known as Arab League (AL)

established - 22 March 1945

aim - aim - to promote economic, social, political, and military cooperation

members - (21 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Algeria,
Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

Monetary and Economic Community of Central Africa (CEMAC): note - was formerly the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC)

established - 8 December 1964; effective - 1 January 1966

aim - to promote the establishment of a Central African Common Market

members - (6) Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon

Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA): established - 12
April 1988

aim - encourages flow of foreign direct investment among member countries by offering investment insurance, consultation, and negotiation on conditions for foreign investment and technical assistance; a UN specialized agency

members - (164) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti,
Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kirabati, North Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Monaco, Nauru, NZ, Niger, San
Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Tonga, Tuvalu

Near Abroad: Russian term for the 14 non-Russian successor states of the USSR, in which 25 million ethnic Russians live and in which Moscow has expressed a strong national security interest; the 14 countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Nonaligned Movement (NAM): established - 1-6 September 1961

aim - to establish political and military cooperation apart from the traditional East or West blocs

members - (114 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Algeria, Angola, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon,
The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, North
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius,
Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines,
Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (13) Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Paraguay, Ukraine, Uruguay

guests - (28) Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Nordic Council (NC): established - 16 March 1952; effective - 12
February 1953

aim - to promote regional economic, cultural, and environmental cooperation

members - (5) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Norway, Sweden

observers - (3) the Sami (Lapp) local parliaments of Finland, Norway, and Sweden

Nordic Investment Bank (NIB): established - 4 December 1975; effective - 1 June 1976

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (8) Denmark (including Faroe Islands and Greenland), Estonia, Finland (including Aland Islands), Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden

North: a popular term for the rich industrialized countries generally located in the northern portion of the Northern Hemisphere; the counterpart of the South; see developed countries (DCs)

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): established - 17 December 1992

aim - to eliminate trade barriers, promote fair competition, increase investment opportunities, provide protection of intellectual property rights, and create procedures to settle disputes

members - (3) Canada, Mexico, US

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): established - 4 April 1949

aim - to promote mutual defense and cooperation

members - (26) Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA): note - also known as OECD Nuclear Energy
Agency

established - 1 February 1958

aim - to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy; associated with OECD

members - (28) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway,
Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): note - also known as the London
Suppliers Group or the London Group

established - 1974; effective - 1975

aim - to establish guidelines for exports of nuclear materials, processing equipment for uranium enrichment, and technical information to countries of proliferation concern and regions of conflict and instability

members - (44) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan,
Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,
UK, US

observer - (1) European Commission (a policy-planning body for the EU)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD): established - 14 December 1960; effective - 30 September 1961

aim - to promote economic cooperation and development

members - (30) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, NZ, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US

special member - (1) EU

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE): note - formerly the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) established 3 July 1975

established - 1 January 1995

aim - to foster the implementation of human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law; to act as an instrument of early warning, conflict prevention, and crisis management; and to serve as a framework for conventional arms control and confidence building measures

members - (55) Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany,
Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Russia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uzbekistan

partners for cooperation - (10) Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Mongolia, Morocco, Thailand, Tunisia

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW): established - 29 April 1997

aim - to enforce the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction; to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among the signatories of the Convention

members (countries that have ratified the Convention) - (167)
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, East Timor,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana,
Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar,
Macedonia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan,
Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE,
UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

signatory states (countries that have signed, but not ratified, the Convention) - (16) The Bahamas, Bhutan, Burma, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Liberia

Organization of African Unity (OAU): see African Union

Organization of American States (OAS): established - 14 April 1890 as the International Union of American Republics; 30 April 1948 adopted present charter; effective - 13 December 1951

aim - to promote regional peace and security as well as economic and social development

members - (35) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (excluded from formal participation since 1962), Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, US, Uruguay, Venezuela

observers - (59) Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan,
Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, EU,
Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Holy See, Hungary,
India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Luxembourg, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia,
Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, Yemen

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC): established - 9 January 1968

aim - to promote cooperation in the petroleum industry

members - (11) Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, UAE

Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS): established - 18 June 1981; effective - 4 July 1981

aim - to promote political, economic, and defense cooperation

members - (7) Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

associate member - (2) Anguilla, British Virgin Islands

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC): established - 14
September 1960

aim - to coordinate petroleum policies

members - (11) Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Venezuela

Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC): established - 22-25
September 1969

aim - to promote Islamic solidarity in economic, social, cultural, and political affairs

members - (56 plus the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Benin, Brunei,
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt,
Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan,
Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Uganda, UAE, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Palestine Liberation Organization

observers - (10) Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central African Republic, ECO, LAS, Moro National Liberation Front, NAM, OAU, Thailand, Turkish Muslim Community of Kibris, UN

Pacific Community: note - formerly known as the South Pacific
Commission (SPC)

established - 6 February 1947; effective - 29 July 1948

aim - to promote regional cooperation in economic and social matters

members - (27) American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, France,
French Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, NZ, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands,
Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands,
Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, UK, US, Vanuatu, Wallis and Futuna

Pacific Islands Forum (PIF): note - formerly known as South Pacific
Forum (SPF)

established - 5 August 1971

aim - to promote regional cooperation in political matters

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

observers - (3) East Timor, French Polynesia, New Caledonia

Paris Club: established - 1956

aim - to provide a forum for debtor countries to negotiate rescheduling of debt service payments or loans extended by governments or official agencies of participating countries; to help restore normal trade and project finance to debtor countries

members - (19) Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US

Partnership for Peace (PFP): established - 10-11 January 1994

aim - to expand and intensify political and military cooperation throughout Europe, increase stability, diminish threats to peace, and build relationships by promoting the spirit of practical cooperation and commitment to democratic principles that underpin NATO; program under the auspices of NATO

members - (22) Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Georgia, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - a nation that becomes a member of NATO is no longer a member of PFP

Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA): established - 29 July 1899

aim - to facilitate the settlement of international disputes

members - (103) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium,
Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa
Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Japan, Jordan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malaysia,
Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda,
Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Rio Group (RG): note - formerly known as Grupo de los Ocho, established NA December 1986; composed of the Contadora Group and the Lima Group

established - 1988

aim - to consult on regional Latin American issues

members - (19) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, CARICOM, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Second World: another term for the traditionally Marxist-Leninist states of the USSR and Eastern Europe, with authoritarian governments and command economies based on the Soviet model; the term is fading from use; see centrally planned economies

Shanghai Cooperative Organization (SCO): established - 15 June 1901

aim - to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism; to safeguard regional security through mutual trust, disarmament, and cooperative security; and to increase cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific and technological, cultural, and educational fields

members - (6) China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

observer - (1) Mongolia

South: a popular term for the poorer, less industrialized countries generally located south of the developed countries; the counterpart of the North; see less developed countries (LDCs)

South American Community of Nations (CSN): established - 9 December 2004

aim - to coordinate common policies regarding multilateral organizations, to integrate physical infrastructure, and to consolidate the merger of CAN and Mercosur

members - (12) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Surinam, Uruguay, Venezuela

South Asia Co-operative Environment Program (SACEP): established -
January 1983

aim - to promote regional cooperation in South Asia in the field of environment, both natural and human, and on issues of economic and social development; to support conservation and management of natural resources of the region

members - (8) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC): established - 8 December 1985

aim - to promote economic, social, and cultural cooperation

members - (7) Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka

South Pacific Forum (SPF): note - see Pacific Island Forum

South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement
(Sparteca): established - 1981

aim - to redress unequal trade relationships of Australia and New Zealand with small island economies in the Pacific region

members - (16) Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, NZ, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Southern African Customs Union (SACU): established - 11 December 1969

aim - to promote free trade and cooperation in customs matters

members - (5) Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland

Southern African Development Community (SADC): note - evolved from the
Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC)

established - 17 August 1992

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

members - (14) Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Southern Cone Common Market (Mercosur) or Southern Common Market: note - also known as Mercado Comun del Cono Sur (Mercosur)

established - 26 March 1991

aim - to increase regional economic cooperation

members - (4) Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay

associate members - (6) Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela

Third World: another term for the less developed countries; the term is obsolescent; see less developed countries (LDCs)

United Nations (UN): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security and to promote cooperation involving economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems

constituent organizations - the UN is composed of six principal organs and numerous subordinate agencies and bodies as follows:

1) Secretariat

2) General Assembly: Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UN
AIDS), International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Center for Human
Settlements (UN-Habitat), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF),
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United
Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Drug Control Program
(UNDCP), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Institute for
Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), United Nations Institute for Training
and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice
Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations
Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA), United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(UNRISD), United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC), and United
Nations University (UNU), World Food Program (WFP)

3) Security Council: International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),
United Nations Compensation Commission, United Nations Disengagement
Observer Force (UNDOF), United Nations Interim Administration Mission
in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL),
United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Mission of
Support in East Timor (UNMISET), United Nations Military Observer Group
in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), United Nations Mission for the
Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Mission in
Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone
(UNAMSIL), United Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission
(UNMOVIC), United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), United
Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC), United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), and
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO)

4) Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Commission for Social
Development, Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice,
Commission on Human Rights, Commission on Narcotics Drugs, Commission
on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology for
Development, Commission on Sustainable Development, Commission on the
Status of Women, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (ESCAP), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
(ESCWA), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for
Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(ECLAC), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Center for
Secretariat of Investment Disputes (ICSID), International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO), International Development Association
(IDA), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Fund for
Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Labor Organization
(ILO), International Maritime Organization (IMO), International
Monetary Fund (IMF), International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
Multilateral Investment Geographic Agency (MIGA), Statistical
Commission, United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Universal Postal Union
(UPU), World Health Organization (WHO), World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO), World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World
Tourism Organization (WToO), and World Trade Organization (WTO)

5) Trusteeship Council (inactive; no trusteeships at this time)

6) International Court of Justice (ICJ)

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): note - acronym retained from the predecessor organization, UN International Children's Emergency Fund

established - 11 December 1946

aim - to help establish child health and welfare services

members - (37) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): established - 30 December 1964

aim - to promote international trade

members - (192) all UN members plus Holy See

United Nations Development Program (UNDP): established - 22 November 1965

aim - to provide technical assistance to stimulate economic and social development

members (executive board) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF): established - 31
May 1974

aim - to observe the 1973 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (6) Austria, Canada, Japan, Nepal, Poland, Slovakia

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO): established - 16 November 1945; effective - 4 November 1946

aim - to promote cooperation in education, science, and culture

members - (190) includes all UN member countries except Brunei, Liechtenstein, and Singapore (188 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

associate members - (6) Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, Tokelau

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP): established - 15 December 1972

aim - to promote international cooperation on all environmental matters

members - (58) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations General Assembly: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to function as the primary deliberative organ of the UN

members - (191) all UN members are represented in the General Assembly

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): established - 3
December 1949; effective - 1 January 1951

aim - to ensure the humanitarian treatment of refugees and find permanent solutions to refugee problems

members (executive committee) - (66) Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Denmark,
Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guinea,
Holy See, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya,
South Korea, Lebanon, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan,
Philippines, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Somalia, South
Africa, Spain, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia,
Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): established - 17 November 1966; effective - 1 January 1967

aim - UN specialized agency that promotes industrial development especially among the members

members - (171) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Estonia, Iceland,
Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Samoa, San Marino, Singapore, Solomon
Islands, Tuvalu, US

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR): established - 11 December 1963 adoption of the resolution establishing the Institute; effective - 24 March 1965

aim - to help the UN become more effective through training and research

members (Board of Trustees) - (21) Austria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Ghana, Japan, Kuwait, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, US; note - the UN Secretary General can appoint up to 30 members

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK): established - 10 June 1999

aim - to promote the establishment of substantial autonomy and self- government in Kosovo; to perform basic civilian administrative functions; to support the reconstruction of key infrastructure and humanitarian and disaster relief

members - (50) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt,
Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Nepal, NZ, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL): established - 19
March 1978

aim - to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and assist in reestablishing Lebanese authority in southern Lebanon; established by the UN Security Council

members - (7) France, Ghana, India, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Ukraine

United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP): established - 24 January 1949

aim - to observe the 1949 India-Pakistan cease-fire; established by the UN Security Council

members - (9) Belgium, Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Uruguay

United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO): established - 29 April 1991

aim - to supervise the cease-fire and conduct a referendum in Western Sahara; established by the UN Security Council

members - (24) Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Croatia, Egypt, El
Slavador, France, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Kenya, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE): established - 31 July 2000

aim - to monitor the cessation of hostilities

members - (41) Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Iran,
Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway,
Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Ukraine, US, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL): established - 19 September 2003

aim - to support the cease-fire agreement and peace process, protect UN facilities and people, support humanitarian activities, and assist in national security reform

members - (48) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China,
Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Ethiopia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Indonesia, Ireland,
Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Moldova, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
South Africa, Sweden, Togo, Ukraine, UK, US, Zambia

United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL): established - 22
October 1999

aim - to cooperate with the Government of Sierra Leone and the other parties to the Peace Agreement in the implementation of the agreement; to monitor the military and security situation in Sierra Leone; to monitor the disarmament and demobilization of combatants and members of the Civil Defense Forces (CFD); to assist in monitoring respect for international humanitarian law

members - (31) Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Egypt, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Guinea,
Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mali, Nepal, NZ,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Tanzania, Thailand,
Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET): established - 17 May 2002

aim - to provide assistance to structures critical to political stability; to provide law enforcement and public security and to assist in the development of law enforcement agencies; to contribute to external security

members - (16) Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Denmark, Fiji, Jordan, Malaysia, Mozambique, Nepal, NZ, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Sweden

United Nations Monitoring, Verification, and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC): note - formerly known as United Nations Special Commission for the Elimination of Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction (UNSCOM)

established - December 1999

aim - to identify, account for, and eliminate Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and the capacity to produce them

commissioners - (15) Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Senegal, Ukraine, UK, US; note - the organization's mandate has been extended up to early 2006

United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG): established - 24
August 1993

aim - to verify compliance with the cease-fire agreement, to monitor weapons exclusion zone, and to supervise CIS peacekeeping force for Abkhazia; established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Albania, Austria, Bangladesh, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, South
Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine,
UK, US, Uruguay

United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB): established - 21 May 2004

aim - to support and help implement the efforts undertaken by Burundians to restore lasting peace and bring about national reconciliation

members - (44) Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad,
China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea,
India, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique,
Nambia, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI): established - 27
February 2004

aim - to facilitate the implementation by the Ivorian parties of the peace agreement signed by them in January 2003

members - (41) Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Chad,
China, Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, France, The Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, India, Ireland,
Jordan, Kenya, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Togo, Tunisia, Uruguay, Yemen, Zambia

United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC): established - 30 November 1999

aim - to establish contacts with the signatories to the cease-fire agreement and to plan for the observation of the cease-fire and disengagement of forces

members - (47) Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, China, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Egypt, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan,
Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nepal,
Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Zambia

United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP): established - 4 March 1964

aim - to serve as a peacekeeping force between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots in Cyprus; established by the UN Security Council

(10) Argentina, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Slovakia, UK, Uruguay

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA): note - acronym retained from predecessor organization UN Fund for Population Activities

established - July 1967

aim - to assist both developed and developing countries to deal with their population problems

members (executive board ) - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA): established - 8 December 1949

aim - to provide assistance to Palestinian refugees

members (advisory commission) - (10) Belgium, Egypt, France, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, UK, US

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD): established - 1963

aim - to conduct research into the problems of economic development during different phases of economic growth

members - no country members, but a Board of Directors consisting of a chairman appointed by the UN secretary general and 10 individual members

United Nations Secretariat: established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24
October 1945

aim - to serve as the primary administrative organ of the UN; a Secretary General is appointed for a five-year term by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council

members - the UN Secretary General and staff

United Nations Security Council (UNSC): established - 26 June 1945; effective - 24 October 1945

aim - to maintain international peace and security

permanent members - (5) China, France, Russia, UK, US

nonpermanent members - (10) elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly; Algeria (2004-05), Argentina (2005-06), Benin (2004- 05), Brazil (2004-05), Denmark (2005-06), Greece (2005-06), Japan (2005-06), Philippines (2004-05), Romania (2004-05), Tanzania (2005-06)

United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH): established - 30 April 2004

aim - to stabilize Haiti in many areas for at least six months

members - (20) Argentina, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Jordan, Nepal, Morocco, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Spain, Sri Lanka, US, Uruguay

United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO): established -
June 1948

aim - to supervise the 1948 Arab-Israeli cease-fire; currently supports timely deployment of reinforcements to other peacekeeping operations in the region as needed; initially established by the UN Security Council

members - (23) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile,
China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden,
Switzerland, US

United Nations Trusteeship Council: established on 26 June 1945, effective on 24 October 1945, to supervise the administration of the 11 UN trust territories; members were China, France, Russia, UK, US; it formally suspended operations 1 November 1995 after the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (Palau) became the Republic of Palau, a constitutional government in free association with the US; the Trusteeship Council was not dissolved

United Nations University (UNU): established - 3 December 1973

aim - to conduct research in development, welfare, and human survival and to train scholars

members - (24 members of UNU Council and the Rector are appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO)

Universal Postal Union (UPU): established - 9 October 1874, affiliated with the UN 15 November 1947; effective - 1 July 1948

aim - to promote international postal cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (188) includes all UN member countries except Andorra,
Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau (187
total); plus Holy See; note - includes the following dependencies or
areas of special interest: Australia (Norfolk Island), China (Hong
Kong, Macau), Denmark (Faroe Islands, Greenland), France (French
Guiana, French Polynesia, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion,
St. Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna), Netherlands (Aruba,
Netherlands Antilles), NZ (Cook Island, Niue, Tokelau), UK (Guernsey,
Jersey, Isle of Man; Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman
Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint
Helena, Turks and Caicos), US (American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico,
Virgin Islands)

Warsaw Pact (WP): established 14 May 1955 to promote mutual defense; members met 1 July 1991 to dissolve the alliance; member states at the time of dissolution were: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the USSR; earlier members included GDR and Albania

West African Development Bank (WADB): note - also known as Banque
Ouest-Africaine de Developpement (BOAD); is a financial institution of
WAEMU

established - 14 November 1973

aim - to promote regional economic development and integration

regional members - (9) Central Bank of West African States, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

international/nonregional members - (5) African Development Bank, Belgium, European Investment Bank, France, Germany

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU): note - also known as
Union Economique et Monetaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA)

established - 1 August 1994

aim - to increase competitiveness of members' economic markets; to create a common market

members - (8) Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Togo

Western European Union (WEU): established - 23 October 1954; effective - 6 May 1955

aim - to provide mutual defense and to move toward political unification

members - (10) Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, UK; affiliate members - (8) Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland. Slovakia, Slovenia

associate members - (3) Iceland, Norway, Turkey; affiliate associate members - (2) Bulgaria, Romania

observers - (5) Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden; affiliate observers - (2) Cyprus, Malta

World Bank Group: includes International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (IBRD), International Development Association (IDA),
International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment
Guarantee Agency (MIGA)

World Confederation of Labor (WCL): established - 19 June 1920 as the
International Federation of Christian Trade Unions (IFCTU), renamed 4
October 1

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (102 national organizations) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Aruba, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic,
Chad, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, French
Guiana, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Liberia, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Malawi, Malta,
Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia,
Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania,
Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and
Principe, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland,
Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, US, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

World Customs Organization (WCO): note - began as the Customs
Cooperation Council (CCC)

established - 15 December 1950

aim - to promote international cooperation in customs matters

members - (164) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bermuda,
Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso,
Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d?Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, East Timor,
Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho,
Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,
Netherlands Antilles, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine,
UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU): established - 3 October 1945

aim - to promote the trade union movement

members - (125 and the Palestine Liberation Organization) Afghanistan,
Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Benin,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Chile, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of
the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea,
Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, The Gambia, Ghana,
Greece, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti,
Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali,
Martinique, Mauritius, Mexico, Mozambique, Nepal, New Caledonia, NZ,
Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Solomon
Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Syria,
Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia,
Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zimbabwe, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Food Program (WFP): established - 24 November 1961

aim - to provide food aid in support of economic development or disaster relief; an ECOSOC organization

members - (36) selected on a rotating basis from all regions

World Health Organization (WHO): established - 22 July 1946; effective - 7 April 1948

aim - to deal with health matters worldwide; a UN specialized agency

members - (192) includes all UN member countries except Liechtenstein (190 total); plus Cook Islands and Niue

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): established - 14 July 1967; effective - 26 April 1970

aim - to furnish protection for literary, artistic, and scientific works; a UN specialized agency

members - (181) includes all UN member countries except Afghanistan, Comoros, East Timor, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu (180 total); plus Holy See

World Meteorological Organization (WMO): established - 11 October 1947; effective - 4 April 1951

aim - to sponsor meteorological cooperation; a UN specialized agency

members - (187) includes all UN member countries except Andorra, East
Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Liechtenstein, Marshall Islands,
Nauru, Palau, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, San
Marino, Tuvalu (179 total); plus British Caribbean Territories, Cook
Islands, French Polynesia, Hong Kong, Macau, Netherlands Antilles, New
Caledonia, and Niue

World Tourism Organization (WToO): established - 2 January 1975

aim - to promote tourism as a means of contributing to economic development, international understanding, and peace

members - (144) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Honduras,
Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait,
Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Lithuania, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan,
Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Rwanda, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland,
Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey,
Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

associate members - (7) Aruba, Flanders, Hong Kong, Macau, Madeira Islands, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico

observers - (2) Holy See, Palestine Liberation Organization

World Trade Organization (WTO): note - succeeded General Agreement on
Tariff and Trade (GATT)

established - 15 April 1994; effective - 1 January 1995

aim - to provide a forum to resolve trade conflicts between members and to carry on negotiations with the goal of further lowering and/or eliminating tariffs and other trade barriers

members - (148) Albania, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba,
Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican
Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, EC, Fiji, Finland,
France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada,
Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lesotho,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua
New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland,
Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Venezuela,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

observers - (31) Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Belarus, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Russia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sudan, Tajikistan, Tonga, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen; note - must start accession negotiations within five years of becoming observers

Zangger Committee (ZC): established - early 1970s

aim - to establish guidelines for the export control provisions of the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons Treaty (NPT)

members - (35) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey Ukraine, UK,
US

advanced developing countries: another term for those less developed countries (LDCs) with particularly rapid industrial development; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

advanced economies: a term used by the International Monetary FUND (IMF) for the top group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; it includes the following 28 advanced economies: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Luxembourg, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK, US; note - this group would presumably also cover the following seven smaller countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Faroe Islands, Holy See, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and San Marino that are included in the more comprehensive group of "developed countries"

centrally planned economies: a term applied mainly to the traditionally Communist states that looked to the former USSR for leadership; most are now evolving toward more democratic and market- oriented systems; also known formerly as the Second World or as as the Communist countries; through the 1980s, this group included Albania, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, North Korea, Laos, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, USSR, Vietnam

countries in transition: a term used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the middle group in its hierarchy of advanced economies, countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics include the following 28 countries in transition: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan; note - this group is identical to the group traditionally referred to as the "former USSR/Eastern Europe" except for the addition of Mongolia

developed countries (DCs): the top group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); includes the market-oriented economies of the mainly democratic nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Bermuda, Israel, South Africa, and the European ministates; also known as the First World, high-income countries, the North, industrial countries; generally have a per capita GDP in excess of $10,000 although four OECD countries and South Africa have figures well under $10,000 and two of the excluded OPEC countries have figures of more than $10,000; the 34 DCs are: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, US; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "advanced economies" that adds Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan but drops Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey

developing countries: a term used by the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) for the bottom group in its hierarchy of advanced economies,
countries in transition, and developing countries; IMF statistics
include the following 126 developing countries: Afghanistan, Algeria,
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central
African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador,
Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, The
Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya,
Kiribati, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Morocco, Mozambique,
Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal,
Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri
Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - this category would
presumably also cover the following 46 other countries that are
traditionally included in the more comprehensive group of "less
developed countries": American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands,
Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands,
Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza
Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey,
Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte,
Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern
Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint
Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos
Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western
Sahara

former Soviet Union (FSU): former term often used to identify as a group the successor nations to the Soviet Union or USSR; this group of 15 countries consists of: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan

former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE): the middle group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); these countries are in political and economic transition and may well be grouped differently in the near future; this group of 27 countries consists of: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia; this group is identical to the IMF group "countries in transition" except for the IMF's inclusion of Mongolia

high income countries: another term for the industrialized countries with high per capita GDPs; see developed countries (DCs)

industrial countries: another term for the developed countries; see developed countries (DCs)

least developed countries (LLDCs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) initially identified by the UN General Assembly in 1971 as having no significant economic growth, per capita GDPs normally less than $1,000, and low literacy rates; also known as the undeveloped countries; the 42 LLDCs are: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen

less developed countries (LDCs): the bottom group in the hierarchy of developed countries (DCs), former USSR/Eastern Europe (former USSR/EE), and less developed countries (LDCs); mainly countries and dependent areas with low levels of output, living standards, and technology; per capita GDPs are generally below $5,000 and often less than $1,500; however, the group also includes a number of countries with high per capita incomes, areas of advanced technology, and rapid rates of growth; includes the advanced developing countries, developing countries, Four Dragons (Four Tigers), least developed countries (LLDCs), low-income countries, middle-income countries, newly industrializing economies (NIEs), the South, Third World, underdeveloped countries, undeveloped countries; the 172 LDCs are: Afghanistan, Algeria, American Samoa, Angola, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, The Gambia, Gaza Strip, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Isle of Man, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Palau, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, UAE, Uganda, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe; note - similar to the new International Monetary Fund (IMF) term "developing countries" which adds Malta, Mexico, South Africa, and Turkey but omits in its recently published statistics American Samoa, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, Cook Islands, Cuba, Eritrea, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gaza Strip, Gibraltar, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guernsey, Jersey, North Korea, Macau, Isle of Man, Martinique, Mayotte, Montserrat, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Saint Helena, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Tokelau, Tonga, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Virgin Islands, Wallis and Futuna, West Bank, Western Sahara

low-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with below-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

middle-income countries: another term for those less developed countries with above-average per capita GDPs; see less developed countries (LDCs)

new independent states (NIS): a term referring to all the countries of the FSU except the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania)

newly industrializing countries (NICs): former term for the newly industrializing economies; see newly industrializing economies (NIEs)

newly industrializing economies (NIEs): that subgroup of the less developed countries (LDCs) that has experienced particularly rapid industrialization of their economies; formerly known as the newly industrializing countries (NICs); also known as advanced developing countries; usually includes the Four Dragons (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan), and Brazil

socialist countries: in general, countries in which the government owns and plans the use of the major factors of production; note - the term is sometimes used incorrectly as a synonym for Communist countries

underdeveloped countries: refers to those less developed countries with the potential for above-average economic growth; see less developed countries (LDCs)

undeveloped countries: refers to those extremely poor less developed countries (LDCs) with little prospect for economic growth; see least developed countries (LLDCs)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

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Appendix C - Selected International Environmental Agreements

Air Pollution

see Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary Fluxes by at least 30%

Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

see Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

Antarctic - Environmental Protocol

see Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

Antarctic Treaty

opened for signature - 1 December 1959

entered into force - 23 June 1961

objective - to ensure that Antarctica is used for peaceful purposes only (such as international cooperation in scientific research); to defer the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others; to provide an international forum for management of the region; applies to land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees South latitude

parties - (45) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia,
South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Venezuela

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal

note - abbreviated as Hazardous Wastes

opened for signature - 22 March 1989

entered into force - 5 May 1992

objective - to reduce transboundary movements of wastes subject to the Convention to a minimum consistent with the environmentally sound and efficient management of such wastes; to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated and ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation; and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate

parties - (149) Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina
Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU,
Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea,
Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States
of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South
Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tanzania,
Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Afghanistan, Haiti, US

Biodiversity

see Convention on Biological Diversity

Climate Change

see United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

see Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals

note - abbreviated as Antarctic Seals

opened for signature - 1 June 1972

entered into force - 11 March 1978

objective - to promote and achieve the protection, scientific study, and rational use of Antarctic seals, and to maintain a satisfactory balance within the ecological system of Antarctica

parties - (16) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, South Africa, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) NZ

Convention on Biological Diversity

note - abbreviated as Biodiversity

opened for signature - 5 June 1992

entered into force - 29 December 1993

objective - to develop national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity

parties - (182) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea,
Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan,
Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico,
Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea,
Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia,
Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo,
Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Afghanistan, Kuwait, Serbia and Montenegro, Thailand, Tuvalu, US

Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High
Seas

note - abbreviated as Marine Life Conservation

opened for signature - 29 April 1958

entered into force - 20 March 1966

objective - to solve through international cooperation the problems involved in the conservation of living resources of the high seas, considering that because of the development of modern technology some of these resources are in danger of being overexploited

parties - (37) Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina
Faso, Cambodia, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland,
France, Haiti, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia,
Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Portugal, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Switzerland, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, UK, US,
Venezuela

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (21) Afghanistan,
Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ghana, Iceland,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Liberia, Nepal, NZ,
Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay

Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution

opened for signature - 13 November 1979

entered into force - 16 March 1983

objective - to protect the human environment against air pollution and to gradually reduce and prevent air pollution, including long-range transboundary air pollution

parties - (48) Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova,
Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia
and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey,
Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (2) Holy See, San Marino

Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as
Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

note - abbreviated as Wetlands

opened for signature - 2 February 1971

entered into force - 21 December 1975

objective - to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value

parties - (125) Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus,
Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon,
The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea, Latvia,
Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar,
Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco,
Mongolia, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri
Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, US,
Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Marine Living Resources

opened for signature - 5 May 1980

entered into force - 7 April 1982

objective - to safeguard the environment and protect the integrity of the ecosystem of the seas surrounding Antarctica, and to conserve Antarctic marine living resources

parties - (31) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
Chile, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, South
Korea, Namibia, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, South
Africa, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Flora and Fauna (CITES)

note - abbreviated as Endangered Species

opened for signature - 3 March 1973

entered into force - 1 July 1975

objective - to protect certain endangered species from overexploitation by means of a system of import/export permits

parties - (156) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei,
Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France,
Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala,
Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, South Korea, Latvia, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco,
Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria,
Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao
Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK,
US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia,
Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (3) Ireland, Kuwait, Lesotho

Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and
Other Matter (London Convention)

note - abbreviated as Marine Dumping

opened for signature - 29 December 1972

entered into force - 30 August 1975

objective - to control pollution of the sea by dumping and to encourage regional agreements supplementary to the Convention

parties - (78) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia,
Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cape Verde,
Chile, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt,
Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras,
Hong Kong (associate member), Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Ireland, Italy,
Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Libya,
Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, NZ,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saint Lucia, Serbia and Montenegro,
Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Suriname,
Sweden, Switzerland, Tonga, Tunisia, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Vanuatu

Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of
Environmental Modification Techniques

note - abbreviated as Environmental Modification

opened for signature - 10 December 1976

entered into force - 5 October 1978

objective - to prohibit the military or other hostile use of environmental modification techniques in order to further world peace and trust among nations

parties - (66) Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Malawi, Mauritius, Mongolia, Netherlands, NZ,
Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Slovakia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tajikistan, Tunisia, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vietnam,
Yemen

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Bolivia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Holy See, Iceland, Iran,
Iraq, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Morocco, Nicaragua, Portugal,
Sierra Leone, Syria, Turkey, Uganda

Desertification

see United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa

Endangered Species

see Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES)

Environmental Modification

see Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques

Hazardous Wastes

see Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal

International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

note - abbreviated as Whaling

opened for signature - 2 December 1946

entered into force - 10 November 1948

objective - to protect all species of whales from overhunting; to establish a system of international regulation for the whale fisheries to ensure proper conservation and development of whale stocks; and to safeguard for future generations the great natural resources represented by whale stocks

parties - (42) Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France,
Germany, Grenada, Guinea, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, South
Korea, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Oman, Panama,
Peru, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Senegal, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK, US

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 83

opened for signature - 18 November 1983

entered into force - 1 April 1985; this agreement expired when the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994, went into force

objective - to provide an effective framework for cooperation between tropical timber producers and consumers and to encourage the development of national policies aimed at sustainable utilization and conservation of tropical forests and their genetic resources

parties - (54) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cameroon, Canada, China, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU,
Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras,
India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Liberia,
Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, UK, US, Venezuela

International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

note - abbreviated as Tropical Timber 94

opened for signature - 26 January 1994

entered into force - 1 January 1997

objective - to ensure that by the year 2000 exports of tropical timber originate from sustainably managed sources; to establish a fund to assist tropical timber producers in obtaining the resources necessary to reach this objective

parties - (58) Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burma,
Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire,
Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany,
Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, South Korea, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands,
NZ, Norway, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Portugal,
Spain, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and
Tobago, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Ireland

Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

opened for signature - 16 March 1998

entered into force - 23 February 2005

objective - to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enhancing the national programs of developed countries aimed at this goal and by establishing percentage reduction targets for the developed countries

parties - (144) Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium,
Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook
Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Estonia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia,
Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand,
Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama,
Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar,
Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon
Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland,
Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, UK, Uruguay, Uzbekistan,
Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Australia, Croatia, Kazakhstan, Monaco, US, Zambia

Law of the Sea

see United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

Marine Dumping

see Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping Wastes and Other Matter (London Convention)

Marine Life Conservation

see Convention on Fishing and Conservation of Living Resources of the High Seas

Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

< I>note - abbreviated as Ozone Layer Protection

opened for signature - 16 September 1987

entered into force - 1 January 1989

objective - to protect the ozone layer by controlling emissions of substances that deplete it

parties - (183) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The Bahamas,
Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria,
Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde,
Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros,
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica,
Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador,
Estonia, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana,
Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland,
Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati,
North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon,
Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and
Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles,
Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia,
South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda,
Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam,
Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Nuclear Test Ban

see Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

Ozone Layer Protection

see Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer

Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the
Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

note - abbreviated as Ship Pollution

opened for signature - 17 February 1978

entered into force - 2 October 1983

objective - to preserve the marine environment through the complete elimination of pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances

parties - (119) Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada,
Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras,
Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, North Korea, South Korea, Latvia, Lebanon,
Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall
Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands,
NZ, Nicaragua, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis,
Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe,
Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden,
Switzerland, Syria, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey,
Tuvalu, Ukraine, UK, US, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam

Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty

note - abbreviated as Antarctic-Environmental Protocol

opened for signature - 4 October 1991

entered into force - 14 January 1998

objective - to provide for comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment and dependent and associated ecosystems; applies to the area covered by the Antarctic Treaty

consultative parties - (27) Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil,
Bulgaria, Chile, China, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, India,
Italy, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, NZ, Norway, Peru, Poland,
Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, UK, US, Uruguay

non consultative parties - (16) Austria, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Nitrogen Oxides or
Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides

opened for signature - 31 October 1988

entered into force - 14 February 1991

objective - to provide for the control or reduction of nitrogen oxides and their transboundary fluxes

parties - (28) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands,
Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, UK, US

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (1) Poland

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution Concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic
Compounds or Their Transboundary Fluxes

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

opened for signature - 18 November 1991

entered into force - 29 September 1997

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of volatile organic compounds in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (21) Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Liechtenstein,
Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (6) Canada, EU, Greece, Portugal, Ukraine, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Further Reduction of Sulphur Emissions

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 94

opened for signature - 14 June 1994

entered into force - 5 August 1998

objective - to provide for a further reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes

parties - (23) Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (5) Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Ukraine

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on Persistent Organic Pollutants

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

opened for signature - 24 June 1998

entered into force - 23 October 2003

objective - to provide for the control and reduction of emissions of persistent organic pollutants in order to reduce their transboundary fluxes so as to protect human health and the environment from adverse effects

parties - (22) Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Romania,
Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (14) Armenia, Belgium, Croatia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, UK, US

Protocol to the 1979 Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air
Pollution on the Reduction of Sulphur Emissions or Their Transboundary
Fluxes by at Least 30%

note - abbreviated as Air Pollution-Sulphur 85

opened for signature - 8 July 1985

entered into force - 2 September 1987

objective - to provide for a 30% reduction in sulfur emissions or transboundary fluxes by 1993

parties - (22) Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Slovakia,
Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

Ship Pollution

see Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973 (MARPOL)

Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space, and Under Water

note - abbreviated as Nuclear Test Ban

opened for signature - 5 August 1963

entered into force - 10 October 1963

objective - to obtain an agreement on general and complete disarmament under strict international control in accordance with the objectives of the United Nations; to put an end to the armaments race and eliminate incentives for the production and testing of all kinds of weapons, including nuclear weapons

parties - (113) Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia,
Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bhutan,
Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma,
Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El
Salvador, Fiji, Finland, Gabon, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece,
Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, South Korea,
Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Malawi,
Malaysia, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, San
Marino, Senegal, Serbia and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan,
Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Thailand, Togo, Tonga,
Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UK, US, Venezuela, Zambia

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (17) Algeria,
Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, Ethiopia, Haiti, Libya, Mali,
Pakistan, Paraguay, Portugal, Somalia, Tanzania, Uruguay, Vietnam,
Yemen

Tropical Timber 83

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983

Tropical Timber 94

see International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1994

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOS)

note - abbreviated as Law of the Sea

opened for signature - 10 December 1982

entered into force - 16 November 1994

objective - to set up a comprehensive new legal regime for the sea and oceans; to include rules concerning environmental standards as well as enforcement provisions dealing with pollution of the marine environment

parties - (148) Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda,
Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bahrain,
Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Chile, China, Comoros, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire,
Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica,
Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia,
Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-
Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, South
Korea, Kuwait, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia,
Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Monaco,
Mongolia, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ,
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New
Guinea, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania,
Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia
and Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia,
Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka,
Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UK, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen,
Zambia, Zimbabwe

countries that have signed, but not yet ratified - (29) Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African
Republic, Chad, Colombia, Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, El
Salvador, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya,
Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Malawi, Morocco, Niger, Niue, Rwanda,
Swaziland, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries
Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in
Africa

note - abbreviated as Desertification

opened for signature - 14 October 1994

entered into force - 26 December 1996

objective - to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements

parties - (178) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma,
Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of
the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote
d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti,
Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial
Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The
Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea,
Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India,
Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan,
Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands,
Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova,
Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal,
Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway, Oman,
Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines,
Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint
Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome
and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone,
Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain,
Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria,
Thailand, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay,
Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

note - abbreviated as Climate Change

opened for signature - 9 May 1992

entered into force - 21 March 1994

objective - to achieve stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level to prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system

parties - (189) Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and
Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, The
Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize,
Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil,
Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon,
Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China,
Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the
Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus,
Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic,
Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia,
Ethiopia, EU, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, The Gambia, Georgia,
Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,
Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran,
Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya,
Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia,
Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta,
Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Federated States of
Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, NZ, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norway,
Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint
Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa,
San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia and
Montenegro, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname,
Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand,
Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan,
Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, UAE, UK, US, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu,
Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Wetlands

see Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially As Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar)

Whaling

see International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

=====================================================================

Appendix D - Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes

FIPS 10-4: Countries, Dependencies, Areas of Special Sovereignty, and Their Principal Administrative Divisions (FIPS PUB 10-4) is maintained by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues (Department of State) and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Department of Commerce). FIPS 10-4 codes are intended for general use throughout the US Government, especially in activities associated with the mission of the Department of State and national defense programs.

ISO 3166:Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries (ISO 3166) is prepared by the International Organization for Standardization. ISO 3166 includes two- and three-character alphabetic codes and three-digit numeric codes that may be needed for activities involving exchange of data with international organizations that have adopted that standard. Except for the numeric codes, ISO 3166 codes have been adopted in the US as FIPS 104-1: American National Standard Codes for the Representation of Names of Countries, Dependencies, and Areas of Special Sovereignty for Information Interchange.

Internet: The Internet country code is the two-letter digraph maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in the ISO 3166 Alpha-2 list and used by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) to establish country-coded top-level domains (ccTLDs).

Entity FIPS 10-4 ISO 3166 Internet Comment

Afghanistan AF AF AFG 004 .af
Albania AL AL ALB 008 .al
Algeria AG DZ DZA 012 .dz
American Samoa AQ AS ASM 016 .as
Andorra AN AD AND 020 .ad
Angola AO AO AGO 024 .ao
Anguilla AV AI AIA 660 .ai
Antarctica AY AQ ATA 010 .aq
  ISO defines as the territory south of 60 degrees south latitude

Antigua and Barbuda AC AG ATG 028 .ag
Argentina AR AR ARG 032 .ar
Armenia AM AM ARM 051 .am
Aruba AA AW ABW 533 .aw
Ashmore and Cartier IslandsAT - - -
  ISO includes with Australia

Australia AS AU AUS 036 .au
  ISO includes Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Coral Sea Islands

Austria AU AT AUT 040 .at
Azerbaijan AJ AZ AZE 031 .az
Bahamas, The BF BS BHS 044 .bs
Bahrain BA BH BHR 048 .bh
Baker Island FQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Bangladesh BG BD BGD 050 .bd
Barbados BB BB BRB 052 .bb
Bassas da India BS - - - -
  administered from Reunion; no ISO codes assigned

Belarus BO BY BLR 112 .by
Belgium BE BE BEL 056 .be
Belize BH BZ BLZ 084 .bz
Benin BN BJ BEN 204 .bj
Bermuda BD BM BMU 060 .bm
Bhutan BT BT BTN 064 .bt
Bolivia BL BO BOL 068 .bo
Bosnia and
  Herzegovina BK BA BIH 070 .ba
Botswana BC BW BWA 072 .bw
Bouvet Island BV BV BVT 074 .bv
Brazil BR BR BRA 076 .br
British Indian
  Ocean Territory IO IO IOT 086 .io
British Virgin
  Islands VI VG VGB 092 .vg
Brunei BX BN BRN 096 .bn
Bulgaria BU BG BGR 100 .bg
Burkina Faso UV BF BFA 854 .bf
Burma BM MM MMR 104 .mm
  ISO uses the name Myanmar

Burundi BY BI BDI 108 .bi
Cambodia CB KH KHM 116 .kh
Cameroon CM CM CMR 120 .cm
Canada CA CA CAN 124 .ca
Cape Verde CV CV CPV 132 .cv
Cayman Islands CJ KY CYM 136 .ky
Central African
  Republic CT CF CAF 140 .cf
Chad CD TD TCD 148 .td
Chile CI CL CHL 152 .cl
China CH CN CHN 156 .cn
  see also Taiwan

Christmas Island KT CX CXR 162 .cx
Clipperton Island IP - - -
  ISO includes with French Polynesia

Cocos (Keeling)
  Islands CK CC CCK 166 .cc
Colombia CO CO COL 170 .co
Comoros CN KM COM 174 .km
Congo, Democratic
  Republic of the CG CD COD 180 .cd
  formerly Zaire

Congo, Republic
  of the CF CG COG 178 .cg
Cook Islands CW CK COK 184 .ck
Coral Sea Islands CR - - -
  ISO includes with Australia

Costa Rica CS CR CRI 188 .cr
Cote d'Ivoire IV CI CIV 384 .ci
Croatia HR HR HRV 191 .hr
Cuba CU CU CUB 192 .cu
Cyprus CY CY CYP 196 .cy
Czech Republic EZ CZ CZE 203 .cz
Denmark DA DK DNK 208 .dk
Djibouti DJ DJ DJI 262 .dj
Dominica DO DM DMA 212 .dm
Dominican Republic DR DO DOM 214 .do
East Timor TT TL TLS 626 .tl
Ecuador EC EC ECU 218 .ec
Egypt EG EG EGY 818 .eg
El Salvador ES SV SLV 222 .sv
Equatorial Guinea EK GQ GNQ 226 .gq
Eritrea ER ER ERI 232 .er
Estonia EN EE EST 233 .ee
Ethiopia ET ET ETH 231 .et
Europa Island EU - - - -
  administered from Reunion; no ISO codes assigned

Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)FKFKFLK 238 .fk
Faroe Islands FO FO FRO 234 .fo
Fiji FJ FJ FJI 242 .fj
Finland FI FI FIN 246 .fi
France FR FR FRA 250 .fr
France,
  Metropolitan - FX FXX 249 .fx
  ISO limits to the European part of France, excluding French
  Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands,
  Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint
  Pierre and Miquelon, Wallis and Futuna

French Guiana FG GF GUF 254 .gf
French Polynesia FP PF PYF 258 .pf
  ISO includes Clipperton Island

French Southern
  and Antarctic
  Lands FS TF ATF 260 .tf
  FIPS 10-4 does not include the French-claimed portion of
  Antarctica (Terre Adelie)

Gabon GB GA GAB 266 .ga
Gambia, The GA GM GMB 270 .gm
Gaza Strip GZ PS PSE 275 .ps
  ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Georgia GG GE GEO 268 .ge
Germany GM DE DEU 276 .de
Ghana GH GH GHA 288 .gh
Gibraltar GI GI GIB 292 .gi
Glorioso Islands GO - - - -
  administered from Reunion; no ISO codes assigned

Greece GR GR GRC 300 .gr
Greenland GL GL GRL 304 .gl
Grenada GJ GD GRD 308 .gd
Guadeloupe GP GP GLP 312 .gp
Guam GQ GU GUM 316 .gu
Guatemala GT GT GTM 320 .gt
Guernsey GK - - .gg
  ISO includes with the UK

Guinea GV GN GIN 324 .gn
Guinea-Bissau PU GW GNB 624 .gw
Guyana GY GY GUY 328 .gy
Haiti HA HT HTI 332 .ht
Heard Island and
  McDonald Islands HM HM HMD 334 .hm
Holy See
  (Vatican City) VT VA VAT 336 .va
Honduras HO HN HND 340 .hn
Hong Kong HK HK HKG 344 .hk
Howland Island HQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Hungary HU HU HUN 348 .hu
Iceland IC IS ISL 352 .is
India IN IN IND 356 .in
Indonesia ID ID IDN 360 .id
Iran IR IR IRN 364 .ir
Iraq IZ IQ IRQ 368 .iq
Ireland EI IE IRL 372 .ie
Israel IS IL ISR 376 .il
Italy IT IT ITA 380 .it
Jamaica JM JM JAM 388 .jm
Jan Mayen JN - - -
  ISO includes with Svalbard

Japan JA JP JPN 392 .jp
Jarvis Island DQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jersey JE - - .je
  ISO includes with the UK

Johnston Atoll JQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Jordan JO JO JOR 400 .jo Juan de Nova Island JU - - - - adminstered from Reunion; no ISO codes assigned

Kazakhstan KZ KZ KAZ 398 .kz
Kenya KE KE KEN 404 .ke
Kingman Reef KQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Kiribati KR KI KIR 296 .ki
Korea, North KN KP PRK 408 .kp
Korea, South KS KR KOR 410 .kr
Kuwait KU KW KWT 414 .kw
Kyrgyzstan KG KG KGZ 417 .kg
Laos LA LA LAO 418 .la
Latvia LG LV LVA 428 .lv
Lebanon LE LB LBN 422 .lb
Lesotho LT LS LSO 426 .ls
Liberia LI LR LBR 430 .lr
Libya LY LY LBY 434 .ly
Liechtenstein LS LI LIE 438 .li
Lithuania LH LT LTU 440 .lt
Luxembourg LU LU LUX 442 .lu
Macau MC MO MAC 446 .mo
Macedonia MK MK MKD 807 .mk
Madagascar MA MG MDG 450 .mg
Malawi MI MW MWI 454 .mw
Malaysia MY MY MYS 458 .my
Maldives MV MV MDV 462 .mv
Mali ML ML MLI 466 .ml
Malta MT MT MLT 470 .mt
Man, Isle of IM - - .im
  ISO includes with the UK

Marshall Islands RM MH MHL 584 .mh
Martinique MB MQ MTQ 474 .mq
Mauritania MR MR MRT 478 .mr
Mauritius MP MU MUS 480 .mu
Mayotte MF YT MYT 175 .yt
Mexico MX MX MEX 484 .mx
Micronesia,
  Federated
  States of FM FM FSM 583 .fm
Midway Islands MQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Moldova MD MD MDA 498 .md
Monaco MN MC MCO 492 .mc
Mongolia MG MN MNG 496 .mn
Montserrat MH MS MSR 500 .ms
Morocco MO MA MAR 504 .ma
Mozambique MZ MZ MOZ 508 .mz
Myanmar - - - -
  see Burma

Namibia WA NA NAM 516 .na
Nauru NR NR NRU 520 .nr
Navassa Island BQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Nepal NP NP NPL 524 .np
Netherlands NL NL NLD 528 .nl
Netherlands
  Antilles NT AN ANT 530 .an
New Caledonia NC NC NCL 540 .nc
New Zealand NZ NZ NZL 554 .nz
Nicaragua NU NI NIC 558 .ni
Niger NG NE NER 562 .ne
Nigeria NI NG NGA 566 .ng
Niue NE NU NIU 570 .nu
Norfolk Island NF NF NFK 574 .nf
Northern Mariana
  Islands CQ MP MNP 580 .mp
Norway NO NO NOR 578 .no
Oman MU OM OMN 512 .om
Pakistan PK PK PAK 586 .pk
Palau PS PW PLW 585 .pw
Palmyra Atoll LQ - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Panama PM PA PAN 591 .pa
Papua New Guinea PP PG PNG 598 .pg
Paracel Islands PF - - -
Paraguay PA PY PRY 600 .py
Peru PE PE PER 604 .pe
Philippines RP PH PHL 608 .ph
Pitcairn Islands PC PN PCN 612 .pn
Poland PL PL POL 616 .pl
Portugal PO PT PRT 620 .pt
Puerto Rico RQ PR PRI 630 .pr
Qatar QA QA QAT 634 .qa
Reunion RE RE REU 638 .re
Romania RO RO ROU 642 .ro
Russia RS RU RUS 643 .ru
Rwanda RW RW RWA 646 .rw
Saint Helena SH SH SHN 654 .sh
Saint Kitts
  and Nevis SC KN KNA 659 .kn
Saint Lucia ST LC LCA 662 .lc
Saint Pierre
  and Miquelon SB PM SPM 666 .pm
Saint Vincent
  and the
  Grenadines VC VC VCT 670 .vc
Samoa WS WS WSM 882 .ws
San Marino SM SM SMR 674 .sm
Sao Tome and
  Principe TP ST STP 678 .st
Saudi Arabia SA SA SAU 682 .sa
Senegal SG SN SEN 686 .sn
Serbia and
  Montenegro YI CS SCG 891 .cs
Seychelles SE SC SYC 690 .sc
Sierra Leone SL SL SLE 694 .sl
Singapore SN SG SGP 702 .sg
Slovakia LO SK SVK 703 .sk
Slovenia SI SI SVN 705 .si
Solomon Islands BP SB SLB 090 .sb
Somalia SO SO SOM 706 .so
South Africa SF ZA ZAF 710 .za
South Georgia and
  the Islands SX GS SGS 239 .gs
Spain SP ES ESP 724 .es
Spratly Islands PG - - -
Sri Lanka CE LK LKA 144 .lk
Sudan SU SD SDN 736 .sd
Suriname NS SR SUR 740 .sr
Svalbard SV SJ SJM 744 .sj
  ISO includes Jan Mayen

Swaziland WZ SZ SWZ 748 .sz
Sweden SW SE SWE 752 .se
Switzerland SZ CH CHE 756 .ch
Syria SY SY SYR 760 .sy
Taiwan TW TW TWN 158 .tw
Tajikistan TI TJ TJK 762 .tj
Tanzania TZ TZ TZA 834 .tz
Thailand TH TH THA 764 .th
Togo TO TG TGO 768 .tg
Tokelau TL TK TKL 772 .tk
Tonga TN TO TON 776 .to
Trinidad and Tobago TD TT TTO 780 .tt
Tromelin Island TE - - - -
  administered from Reunion; no ISO codes assigned

Tunisia TS TN TUN 788 .tn
Turkey TU TR TUR 792 .tr
Turkmenistan TX TM TKM 795 .tm
Turks and
  Caicos Islands TK TC TCA 796 .tc
Tuvalu TV TV TUV 798 .tv
Uganda UG UG UGA 800 .ug
Ukraine UP UA UKR 804 .ua
United Arab
  Emirates AE AE ARE 784 .ae
United Kingdom UK GB GBR 826 .uk
  ISO includes Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey

United States US US USA 840 .us
United States
  Minor Outlying
  Islands - UM UMI 581 .um
  ISO includes Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island,
  Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island,
  Palmyra Atoll, Wake Island

Uruguay UY UY URY 858 .uy
Uzbekistan UZ UZ UZB 860 .uz
Vanuatu NH VU VUT 548 .vu
Venezuela VE VE VEN 862 .ve
Vietnam VM VN VNM 704 .vn
Virgin Islands VQ VI VIR 850 .vi
Virgin Islands (UK) - - - .vg
  see British Virgin Islands

Virgin Islands (US) - - - .vi
  see Virgin Islands

Wake Island WQ - - - -
  ISO includes with the US Minor Outlying Islands

Wallis and Futuna WF WF WLF 876 .wf
West Bank WE PS PSE 275 .ps
  ISO identifies as Occupied Palestinian Territory

Western Sahara WI EH ESH 732 .eh Western Samoa - - - .ws see Samoa

World - - - -
  the Factbook uses the W data code from DIAM 65-18 Geopolitical
  Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 3,
  December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

Yemen YM YE YEM 887 .ye Zaire - - - - see Democratic Republic of the Congo

Zambia ZA ZM ZMB 894 .zm
Zimbabwe ZI ZW ZWE 716 .zw

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

=====================================================================

Appendix E - Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes

IHO 23-4th: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, Draft 4th Edition 1986, published by the International Hydrographic Bureau of the International Hydrographic Organization

IHO 23-3rd: Limits of Oceans and Seas, Special Publication 23, 3rd
Edition 1953, published by the International Hydrographic Organization

ACIC M 49-1: Chart of Limits of Seas and Oceans, revised January 1958,
published by the Aeronautical Chart and Information Center (ACIC),
United States Air Force; note - ACIC is now part of the National
Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA)

DIAM 65-18: Geopolitical Data Elements and Related Features, Data Standard No. 4, Defense Intelligence Agency Manual 65-18, December 1994, published by the Defense Intelligence Agency

The US Government has not yet adopted a standard for hydrographic codes similar to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 10-4 country codes. The names and limits of the following oceans and seas are not always directly comparable because of differences in the customers, needs, and requirements of the individual organizations. Even the number of principal water bodies varies from organization to organization. Factbook users, for example, find the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean entries useful, but none of the following standards include those oceans in their entirety. Nor is there any provision for combining codes or overcodes to aggregate water bodies. The recently delimited Southern Ocean is not included.

  Principal Oceans and Seas of the World
  With Hydrographic Codes by Institution

IHO 23-4th IHO 23-3rd* ACIC M 49-1 DIAM 65-18

  Arctic Ocean 9 17 A 5A
  Atlantic Ocean - - - -
  Baltic Sea 2 1 B26 7B
  Eastern Mediterranean 3.1.2 28 B - 8E
  Indian Ocean 5 45 F 6A
  Mediterranean Sea 3.1 28 B11 -
  North Atlantic Ocean 1 23 B 1A
  North Pacific Ocean 7 57 D 3A
  Pacific Ocean - - - -
  South Atlantic Ocean 4 32 C 2A
  South China and Eastern 6 49, 48 D18 plus 3U plus
    Archipelagic Seas others others
  South Pacific Ocean 8 61 E 4A
  Western Mediterranean 3.1.1 28 A - 8W

*The letters after the numbers are subdivisions, not footnotes.

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

=====================================================================

Appendix F - Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names

            Name Entry in The World Latitude Longitude
                                    Factbook (deg min) (deg min)

This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005

=====================================================================

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